Middle East crisis live: US launches fresh strikes on Iran after days-long pause in attacks | US-Israel war on Iran
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Three explosions heard on Iran’s Qeshm islandIran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency says.
Before Wednesday’s escalation of hostilities, mediators had expressed optimism about bringing the United States and Iran back to the negotiating table. After an interim agreement collapsed amid renewed fighting over the Strait of Hormuz.
AP quoted a regional official as saying mediators were “still working with both sides” to restore calm and get the ceasefire back on track. He did not elaborate on whether progress had been made.
Another official said regional countries would continue to press to reduce tensions, but the chances of successful mediation were slim as both sides continued to attack each other and showed no inclination to stop.
“We are in a very bad situation right now,” said the unnamed official.
Opening summary
Welcome to our live coverage of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
WE He said he would launch an airstrike inIranianFollowing a several-day lull in direct US strikes against targets in Iran.
Donald Trump He said America would hit Iran hard, telling reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday: “We’re going to hit them very hard, because it’s our turn to hit them. They know it’s coming.”
The US military said its strikes were “a strong response to yesterday’s attempted attack by Iran against US forces in the Middle East.”
On Wednesday, Iran launched a barrage of missiles at American military facilities in Jordan; this was his first attack in the region since the fighting stopped. Saudi Arabia Hitting Tehran-backed militias IraqAt least 20 fighters and six Iranian advisors were killed.
Elsewhere, drone attacks caused fires on two natural gas tankers. Egypt’s Damietta portAccording to British maritime security firm Ambrey. It is not yet clear who is responsible for the attacks. US floating storage facility and a Greek tanker. No injuries were reported.
An attack on Egypt by Iran or its allies, if confirmed, would mark a significant expansion of the conflict. When asked during an Oval Office event whether Iran was responsible for the attacks, Embers replied: “Just more of the same thing.”
After several days of relative calm, flare-ups on multiple fronts increased the risk of a return to all-out war. It also underlined the difficulty of ending a five-month conflict.
US-Saudi attacks Israeli prime minister Benjamin NetanyahuOn February 28, he walked out of his first meeting with Trump since they launched a war against Iran.
In other news:
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Renewed hostilities cause oil prices to rise. International standard Brent crude oil jumps 7.3% to $88 per barrel.
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office Iraqi President Nizar Amidi called the US-Saudi Arabian airstrikes on numerous logistics and weapons facilities in eastern Iraq a “clear violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.”.
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One The oil refinery in Jazan on the Red Sea coast was temporarily closed due to “relatively significant” damage from the Houthi attack. a Saudi official told The Associated Press on Saturday.
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Saudi Arabia is trying to form an international coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea from Houthi attacksReuters quoted two people familiar with the talks as saying.
