Hezbollah strikes Israel as American and Israeli planes pound Iran

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran and Iranian-backed militias fired missiles at Israel and Arab states, apparently hitting the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait, whereas Israel and the USA pounded targets in Iran because the battle expanded on Monday with statements of defiance and growing casualties.

At the least 555 individuals have been killed in Iran to date by the U.S.-Israeli marketing campaign, the Iranian Purple Crescent Society mentioned, and greater than 130 cities throughout the nation having come beneath assault. Eleven individuals have been killed in Israel, in line with authorities there.

In Kuwait Metropolis, as hearth and smoke rose from contained in the U.S. Embassy compound, the nation’s protection ministry mentioned “several” American warplanes had additionally crashed within the nation. The ministry didn’t elaborate on what induced the crashes or what number of plane had been concerned, however mentioned the pilots had been taken to a hospital and had been in steady situation. The U.S. navy didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

The embassy compound was hit not lengthy after U.S. issued a warning to Individuals there to take cowl and for others to remain away. There have been no quick studies on injury or casualties.

Meantime, because the American and Israeli airstrikes continued, prime Iranian safety official Ali Larijani vowed on X that “we will not negotiate with the United States.”

In Iraq, a pro-Iranian militia claimed accountability for a drone assault concentrating on U.S. troops on the Baghdad airport, the day after it mentioned it fired at a U.S. base within the metropolis of Irbil within the north, and Cyprus mentioned a drone assault focused a British base on the Mediterranean island nation.

Israel and the U.S. bombed Iranian missile websites and focused its navy, claiming to have destroyed its headquarters and a number of warships.

Iran expands assaults to regional oil infrastructure

With world markets already rattled by the preventing and oil costs hovering, Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery got here beneath assault Monday from drones, with defenses downing the incoming plane, a navy spokesman made the announcement on the state-run Saudi Press Company.

On-line movies from the location appeared to indicate thick black smoke rising after the assault. Even efficiently intercepted drones trigger particles that may spark fires and injure these on the bottom.

Ras Tanura, close to town of Dammam in japanese Saudi Arabia, is without doubt one of the world’s largest with a capability over half one million barrels of crude oil a day. It was quickly shut down as a precaution after the assault, Saudi state tv reported.

Earlier within the day, particles fell on Kuwait’s Ahmadi oil refinery, injuring two employees, after drones had been shot down, the state-run KUNA information company reported.

Iran’s determination to expands its assaults to main regional oil infrastructure add a brand new component to the battle gripping the Center East, straight concentrating on the lifeblood of the realm’s economic system.

“The attack on Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery marks a significant escalation, with Gulf energy infrastructure now squarely in Iran’s sights,” mentioned Torbjorn Soltvedt, an analyst on the threat intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft.

“An extended period of uncertainty lies ahead as Iran seeks to impose a heavy economic cost by putting tankers, regional energy infrastructure, trade routes and U.S. security partners in the crosshairs,” he added.

Already, Iran has been threatening ships within the Strait of Hormuz, the slim mouth of the Persian Gulf by way of which a fifth of all oil traded passes. A number of ships have been attacked as effectively there.

Sascha Bruchmann, a protection analyst with the Worldwide Institute for Strategic Research in Bahrain, advised The Related Press that Iran’s purpose in hitting power infrastructure is to ‘trigger international backlash and impose prices” on the U.S. president.

So far, however, “this isn’t the healthful destruction of vital infrastructure the Iranian regime seeks,” Bruchmann said.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Ambassador to the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, Reza Najafi, told reporters that the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes had targeted Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment site on Sunday.

“Once more they attacked Iran’s peaceable safeguarded nuclear services yesterday,” he said. “Their justification that Iran desires to develop nuclear weapons is just an enormous lie.”

Israel and the U.S. haven’t acknowledged strikes on the website, which the U.S. bombed again within the 12-day battle between Iran and Israel in June. The Israeli navy additionally didn’t instantly touch upon Najafi’s allegation.

Israel has not publicized particular targets in Iran however has mentioned that it’s concentrating on “leadership and nuclear infrastructure.”

Hezbollah fires on Israel, prompting large response

Because the assaults on Iran continued, Hezbollah mentioned it fired missiles from Lebanon into Israel early Monday in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei and “repeated Israeli aggressions.” There have been no studies of accidents or injury, and Israel mentioned that it had intercepted one projectile whereas a number of fell in open areas.

Israel retaliated with strikes on Lebanon, killing a minimum of 31 individuals and wounding 149 others, in line with Lebanon’s Well being Ministry. About two thirds of the useless had been within the nation’s south.

Lebanon’s authorities mentioned it was holding an emergency assembly after Hezbollah’s assault on Israel triggered the Israeli airstrikes.

Iran has been firing missiles at Israel and Arab states in a counteroffensive because the joint America-Israeli assault Saturday that killed Khamenei and lots of prime Iranian officers.

Casualties rise as assaults unfold throughout the area

Gulf Arab states have warned that they may retaliate in opposition to Iran after strikes that hit key websites and killed a minimum of 5 civilians, and U.S. President Donald Trump promised Washington would “avenge” the deaths of three American troops who had been killed in Kuwait, whereas predicting extra casualties.

“Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends,” Trump mentioned. “That’s the way it is.”

Trump has urged Iranians to “take over” their authorities and, whereas he has additionally signaled he could be open to dialogue with new management there following the dying of Khamenei, prompt Sunday there was no finish in sight to the navy operations.

“Combat operations continue at this time in full-force, and they will continue until all of our objectives are achieved,” he mentioned in a video message. “We have very strong objectives,” he added, with out elaborating.

The U.S. navy mentioned B-2 stealth bombers struck Iran’s ballistic missile services with 2,000-pound bombs. Trump mentioned on social media that 9 Iranian warships had been sunk and that the Iranian navy’s headquarters had been “largely destroyed.”

Others have principally stayed out of the battle and pressed for diplomacy. However in a sign that the battle may attract different nations, Britain, France and Germany mentioned Sunday they had been able to work with the U.S. to assist cease Iran’s assaults.

Early Monday, Cyprus mentioned an uncrewed drone “caused limited damage” when it hit a British air base on the southern coast. Additional particulars weren’t instantly out there, but it surely got here after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned the U.Okay. would assist the U.S. within the battle in opposition to Iran.

The weekend assaults had been the second time in eight months that the U.S. and Israel had mixed in opposition to Iran, in a startling present of navy may for an American president elected on an “America First” platform and pledged to maintain out of “forever wars.”

Within the 12-day battle final June, Israeli and American strikes drastically weakened Iran’s air defenses, navy management and nuclear program. However the killing of Khamenei, who dominated Iran for greater than three a long time, creates a management vacuum, growing the chance of regional instability.

Iranian proxies be a part of the fray

Hezbollah’s launch of missiles at Israel was the primary time in additional than a 12 months that the militant group has claimed an assault.

Iran’s proxies had been a chief concern for American and Israeli officers earlier than they suspended negotiations with Iran final week and moved forward with strikes on Iran.

Israel mentioned the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group had “joined the campaign” alongside Iran because it retaliated with strikes on Beirut, Lebanon’s capital.

Related Press journalists in Beirut had been jolted awake by a collection of loud explosions that shook buildings and induced home windows to shatter. Warplanes could possibly be heard flying low overhead.

“The strikes continue,” mentioned Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, head of Israel’s Northern Command. “Their intensity will increase.”

The Iraqi Shiite militia Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed a drone assault Monday concentrating on U.S. troops on the airport within the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, additional widening the retaliation over the killing of Khamenei. It had claimed a drone assault on Sunday in opposition to a U.S. air base in Irbil, in Iraq’s north.

The group is one in every of numerous Shiite militias working in Iraq. The U.S. and Iraq didn’t instantly touch upon the claims.

Within the Persian Gulf, Iran’s retaliatory strikes pushed the battle into cities which have lengthy marketed themselves as regional secure havens. Three individuals had been reported killed within the United Arab Emirates and one every in Kuwait and Bahrain.

Within the United Arab Emirates, authorities mentioned most Iranian missiles and drones had been intercepted. However some both bought by way of or fell as particles, inflicting the deaths and vital injury. Bahrain and Kuwait mentioned Iranian strikes in each international locations hit civilian targets exterior the U.S. bases the place Iran had pledged to retaliate.

WHO calls for defense of civilians

Tehran’s streets have been largely abandoned with individuals sheltering throughout airstrikes. The paramilitary Basij pressure, which has performed a central function in crushing current protests, arrange checkpoints throughout town, in line with witnesses.

Within the northern Iranian metropolis of Babol, a pupil, talking anonymously over issues of retribution, advised the AP that armed riot police had been on the streets Saturday night time and into the early hours of Sunday after the dying of Khamenei.

“We don’t know whether to be happy about the elimination of the criminals who oppress us or to remain silent in the face of the U.S. and Israel’s war against the country and its interests and the terror that is taking place,” he mentioned.

In Israel, rescue companies have confirmed a number of places have been hit by Iranian missiles, together with Jerusalem and a synagogue in Beit Shemesh, the place 9 individuals had been killed and 28 wounded, bringing the general dying toll within the nation to 11.

The World Well being Group known as Monday for sparing civilians and healthcare services within the Center East amid the escalating battle.

“The protection of civilians and health care must be absolute,” Hanan Balkhy, regional dietitian at WHO wrote on social media. “All parties must … ensure medical facilities remain protected.”