The war increasingly has its epicenter along the Persian Gulf and the bottleneck of the Strait of Hormuz. On Friday evening, Trump ordered strikes against military installations protecting Kharg Island, 25 kilometers off the Iranian coast. The US president said he had only hit military installations, but in the post he warned that if Iran does not reopen Hormuz to oil tankers, he may change his mind and order the island’s infrastructure to be destroyed.
Trump also called on European and global allies to send ships to protect shipping in the Gulf.
The passages from Hormuz have almost disappeared, bringing the price of a barrel above 100 dollars. Yet, not everyone’s supply chain is sealed. China – the main buyer of Iranian crude and gas – continues to receive its supplies.
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Trump: “Several countries committed to security in the Strait of Hormuz”
US President Donald Trump said in a telephone interview with NBC News that several countries were committed to helping secure the Strait of Hormuz, but he declined to specify which ones. “Not only are they committed, they think it’s a great idea,” he said. Trump added that it was unclear whether Iran had dropped mines in the strait. “We intend to carry out clean-up operations in the strait with great determination and we believe that other countries, which encounter some difficulty, and in some cases are even unable to access oil, will join us”, he assured.
Pasdaran: “We will hunt down and kill Netanyahu”
“The uncertainty about the fate of the criminal Zionist Prime Minister and the possibility of his death or his escape with his family from the occupied territories reveal the crisis and instability of the Zionists. If this criminal child killer is still alive, we will continue to hunt him down and kill him with all our might.” The Iranian Revolutionary Guards wrote this in a statement, reported by the Fars agency.
Pasdaran claim attacks on Israel, Iraq and Kuwait
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted Israel and three US bases in Iraq and Kuwait. “The continuous sound of ambulance sirens” in Israel and the admissions of the Israeli authorities about the “increasing number of dead and injured” reveal the “depth of the impact of the IRGC’s heavy missiles” in the industrial sectors of Tel Aviv, reads a statement, published by Al-Jazeera. It further said that Harir Air Base in Erbil, Iraq, as well as Ali Al Salem and Arifjan bases, which host US troops in Kuwait, were “destroyed by powerful Iranian missiles and drones.”
Media, strong explosions in Tehran
Strong explosions in the southern area of Tehran. In a video received by Iran International, several explosions are seen in the southern part of the city in the early hours of today, with residents describing the attacks as “very intense”. According to initial information, several areas in the southern part of the city were targeted by attacks.
Media, 14 dead in Lebanon from IDF attacks, 4 are children
The Lebanese Ministry of Health has reported casualties following two separate waves of Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon. Al-Jazeera reports it. The ministry said seven people were killed and eight wounded in two Israeli raids that targeted the southern cities of Sidon and al-Qatrani. Seven more people were killed in an Israeli attack on the Nuns neighborhood in the southern city of Nabatieh. Among the victims were four children. Previously, the Ministry had announced that the death toll from Israeli attacks since February 28 had risen to 826, while the number of displaced people had exceeded 831,000.
Trump: “Not yet ready for agreement to end the war”
US President Donald Trump has said he is not yet ready to make an agreement to end the war with Iran, despite Tehran’s willingness. The reason, the tycoon said in a telephone interview with NBC, is “because the terms are not yet good enough”, declining to provide the terms in question.
Iraq: Foreign Ministry condemns attacks on diplomatic offices
Iraq condemns attacks on diplomatic and consular sites on its territory. The Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack on diplomatic and consular offices in the country and announced its commitment to ensuring the security of all offices. No acts of violence or attacks against diplomatic premises will be tolerated and we will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure security and stability, the ministry assured, according to Iran International reports.
Bahrain: strong explosions in Manama
Loud explosions were heard in Manama, the capital of Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf. Bahrain has reported intercepting 125 missiles and 203 drones so far since the Iranian attacks began, which left two people dead in the country and 24 others in neighboring Gulf countries.
