Welcome summary
Hello and welcome to our continuing live coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran and its repercussions for the Middle East, the world and the global economy.
President Donald Trump has threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if Tehran does not fully reopen the strait of Hormuz within 48 hours – threatening a new escalation, just a day after the president spoke of “winding down” the war.
Trump’s warning on Saturday triggered a response from Iran’s military that it will target all US “energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure” if its own facilities are attacked.
If you are just tuning in, here is a quick recap of the latest:
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Iranian ballistic missile barrages wounded about 100 people in southern Israel on Saturday, striking the cities of Arad and Dimona after air defence systems failed to intercept at least two projectiles. The Israeli Air Force is investigating its failure to prevent the attacks. Benjamin Netanyahu called it “a very difficult evening in the campaign for our future”.
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The International Atomic Energy Agency said it had received no indication of damage to the Negev nuclear research centre, which is near to Dimona.
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In the early hours on Sunday, Israeli military announced in a brief statement that it was conducting strikes in Tehran.
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Saudi Arabia’s ministry of defence said it had detected three missiles launched towards Riyadh early in the morning. One of the missiles was intercepted, while two fell in an uninhabited area, it said
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Iran on Saturday launched two ballistic missiles with a range of 4,000 km (2,500 miles) at the US-British military base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, according to the Israeli military, which said it was the first time Iran had used long-range missiles since the conflict began on February 28.
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The British foreign secretary condemned the attacks on Diego Garcia, while stressing the UK has “taken a different position from the US and Israel” on the conflict. Yvette Cooper said ministers wanted to see a swift resolution to the war, adding the government was supporting defensive action against the “reckless Iranian threats”.
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A projectile struck close to a bulk carrier off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, causing an explosion, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center.
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The death toll has risen to more than 1,500 people in Iran, more than 1,000 people in Lebanon, 15 in Israel and 13 US military members, and a number of civilians on land and sea in the Gulf region, according to Associated Press. Millions of people in Lebanon and Iran have been displaced.
Key events
AFP has spoken to residents in Arad, the southern Israeli town that was hit by an Iranian missile on Saturday night.
Ido Franky, 17, recalled hearing “terrifying” blasts like nothing he had experienced before:
Franky rushed to shelter with his family as air raid sirens sounded, warning of an incoming attack. “There was a ‘boom, boom!’, my mother was screaming,” he said near the impact site, where an AFP correspondent saw three damaged buildings and firefighters reported a blaze.
“This was terrifying… this town had never seen anything like this,” the teenager told AFP.
Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency medical service said 84 wounded people were taken to hospitals from the Arad scene, including 10 in serious condition.
In the early hours of Sunday, dozens of people were still at the site, taking photos or calling friends and family to share details of the destruction, even as police warned residents on loudspeakers not to approach.
Security forces patrolled the streets with flashlights while rescuers searched the rubble to ensure all casualties had been recovered.
A crater around of around five metres (16 feet) was left amid the bombed-out buildings.
Police spokesman Dean Elsdunne told AFP that “the operation will take a few hours” before authorities can clear the scene and ensure all residents are accounted for.
Trump’s strait of Hormuz ultimatum
Here’s a recap of Trump’s remarks on Saturday night, in which he threatened to strike Iranian power plants if Tehran does not “fully open” the strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said:
If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!”
Iran has effectively closed down the strait by attacking ships and reportedly laying mines in the waterway, causing a major crisis in global energy markets that is now entering its fourth week.
The strait is one of the world’s most important trade routes, through which a fifth of global oil and seaborne gas is shipped.
Several Nato members and other US allies pledged last week to join “appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage” through the strait, though they have no given details of how they would do this. Trump earlier called alliance members “cowards” for not stepping in to help guard the strait.
Trump’s latest ultimatum – which marks a change in tone from remarks on Friday about “winding down” the war – has elicited warnings from Iran’s military.
The Iranian military’s operational command Khatam Al-Anbiya said in a statement carried by Fars news agency:
Following previous warnings, if Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure is violated by the enemy, all energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US and the regime in the region will be targeted.
Japan open to mine sweeping strait of Hormuz
Japan could consider deploying its military for minesweeping in the strait of Hormuz if a ceasefire is reached in the US-Israeli war on Iran, the foreign minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, said on Sunday, according to a Reuters report.
“If there were to be a complete ceasefire, hypothetically speaking, then things like minesweeping could come up,” Motegi told Fuji TV. “This is purely hypothetical, but if a ceasefire were established and naval mines were creating an obstacle, then I think that would be something to consider.”
Tokyo has no immediate plans to seek arrangements to allow passage through the strait of Hormuz for stranded Japanese vessels, Motegi said, adding it was “extremely important” to create conditions that allow all ships to navigate through the strait.
Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araqchi told Japan’s Kyodo news agency on Friday that he had spoken to Motegi about potentially letting Japanese-related vessels pass through the waterway.
Japan gets around 90% of its oil shipments via the strait, which Tehran has effectively closed during the war.
The United Arab Emirates says it is responding to incoming aerial attacks from Iran
The United Arab Emirates defence ministry says it is responding to “incoming missile and drone threats from Iran”, adding that sounds heard are the result of air defence systems intercepting attacks.
A ministry spokesperson said three drones had been intercepted and destroyed in the country’s eastern region, Reuters reported.
More than 100 people were wounded in Iranian missile strikes on two southern Israeli towns on Saturday, after Israeli air defence systems failed to intercept the projectiles.
Images from the scene showed first responders searching the wreckage, including damaged residential buildings.
Welcome summary
Hello and welcome to our continuing live coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran and its repercussions for the Middle East, the world and the global economy.
President Donald Trump has threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if Tehran does not fully reopen the strait of Hormuz within 48 hours – threatening a new escalation, just a day after the president spoke of “winding down” the war.
Trump’s warning on Saturday triggered a response from Iran’s military that it will target all US “energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure” if its own facilities are attacked.
If you are just tuning in, here is a quick recap of the latest:
-
Iranian ballistic missile barrages wounded about 100 people in southern Israel on Saturday, striking the cities of Arad and Dimona after air defence systems failed to intercept at least two projectiles. The Israeli Air Force is investigating its failure to prevent the attacks. Benjamin Netanyahu called it “a very difficult evening in the campaign for our future”.
-
The International Atomic Energy Agency said it had received no indication of damage to the Negev nuclear research centre, which is near to Dimona.
-
In the early hours on Sunday, Israeli military announced in a brief statement that it was conducting strikes in Tehran.
-
Saudi Arabia’s ministry of defence said it had detected three missiles launched towards Riyadh early in the morning. One of the missiles was intercepted, while two fell in an uninhabited area, it said
-
Iran on Saturday launched two ballistic missiles with a range of 4,000 km (2,500 miles) at the US-British military base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, according to the Israeli military, which said it was the first time Iran had used long-range missiles since the conflict began on February 28.
-
The British foreign secretary condemned the attacks on Diego Garcia, while stressing the UK has “taken a different position from the US and Israel” on the conflict. Yvette Cooper said ministers wanted to see a swift resolution to the war, adding the government was supporting defensive action against the “reckless Iranian threats”.
-
A projectile struck close to a bulk carrier off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, causing an explosion, according to the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center.
-
The death toll has risen to more than 1,500 people in Iran, more than 1,000 people in Lebanon, 15 in Israel and 13 US military members, and a number of civilians on land and sea in the Gulf region, according to Associated Press. Millions of people in Lebanon and Iran have been displaced.
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