Iran Issues Dire Warning Following Attacks
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, issued a stark warning on Sunday, stating that vital infrastructure across the entire region would be “irreversibly destroyed” if the United States and Israel targeted Iranian power plants and infrastructure. In a post on social media platform X, Ghalibaf specified that energy and oil infrastructure would become legitimate targets, leading to a prolonged rise in oil prices.
Military Escalation and Casualties
The Israeli military reported that Iran has fired over 400 ballistic missiles since the start of the conflict, with approximately 92 percent successfully intercepted. Despite the high interception rate, Iranian missiles struck two towns in southern Israel on Saturday, leaving about 175 people requiring medical treatment.
On Israel’s northern border, hostilities with Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah intensified. Rocket fire from Lebanon killed one person near the Misgav Am area, marking the first Israeli fatality from such attacks since fighting began on March 2. Hezbollah claimed responsibility, stating it targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers with a rocket barrage.
International Military Movements and Regional Diplomacy
The United Kingdom has deployed a nuclear submarine to the Arabian Sea amid soaring tensions, according to reports. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia expelled five Iranian diplomats, citing “attacks.”
In a diplomatic overture, Iran’s representative to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) expressed Tehran’s readiness to cooperate for maritime safety in the Gulf. Ali Mousavi stated the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all shipping except vessels linked to “Iran’s enemies,” but placed the blame for the current situation on Israeli and U.S. attacks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held a phone call with his Omani counterpart, Badr Albusaidi, to discuss regional developments. Oman, a key mediator in past US-Iran talks, emphasized continued consultations.
Attacks on US Interests and Unrelated Incident
Overnight, a series of attacks targeted a US diplomatic and logistics centre at Baghdad International Airport. Iraqi security officials reported between six to eight separate attacks involving rockets and drones, with some projectiles landing near the base.
In an unrelated incident, a helicopter crash in Qatar’s territorial waters killed seven people. Qatari and Turkish authorities confirmed the crash was due to a technical malfunction during routine duty. The victims included four Qatari armed forces personnel, one member of the Qatar-Turkey joint forces, and two technicians.
Immediate Aftermath and Alerts
Earlier on Sunday, blasts were heard in Jerusalem following Israeli military alerts about incoming missile fire from Iran towards central Israel. Emergency services reported no immediate casualties from those strikes.
The situation remains fluid, with the potential for rapid escalation following Iran’s severe warnings regarding regional infrastructure.
