Hegseth Threatens ‘most Intense Day Of Strikes’ As Iran Aims To Fight On

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran launched caller attacks connected Tuesday astatine Israel and Gulf Arab countries arsenic it kept up unit connected nan Middle East successful a warfare started by Israel and nan United States that has rattled world markets and shows nary signs of a letup.

In Bahrain, authorities said an Iranian onslaught deed a residential building successful nan capital, Manama, sidesplitting a 29-year-old female and wounding 8 people. Saudi Arabia said it destroyed 2 drones complete its oil-rich eastbound region and Kuwait’s National Guard said it changeable down six drones.

In nan United Arab Emirates, firefighters battled a blaze successful nan business metropolis of Ruwais — location to petrochemical plants — aft an Iranian drone strike. No injuries were reported.

Sirens besides sounded successful Jerusalem, and sounds of explosions could beryllium heard successful Tel Aviv arsenic Israel’s defense systems worked to intercept barrages from Iran.

U.S. defense caput threatens Iran pinch nan ‘most aggravated time of strikes’

At nan Pentagon, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that Tuesday “will beryllium yet again our astir aggravated time of strikes wrong Iran: The astir fighters, nan astir bombers, nan astir strikes, intelligence much refined and amended than ever.”

Shortly earlier nan statement, he said “the past 24 hours person seen Iran occurrence nan lowest magnitude of missiles they person fired yet.”

Gen. Dan Caine, president of nan Joint Chiefs of Staff, said U.S. forces deed much than 5,000 targets, and that their 3 objectives included demolition of Iranian ballistic rocket and drone capability; hitting Iran’s navy to let activity done nan Strait of Hormuz; and hitting “deeper into Iran’s subject and business base.”

The rhetoric was arsenic crisp from Tehran. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said connected X that Iran was “definitely not looking for a ceasefire.”

“We judge that nan aggressor should beryllium punched successful nan rima truthful that he learns a instruction truthful that he will ne'er deliberation of attacking our beloved Iran again,” he said.

Another apical Iranian information official, Ali Larijani, appeared to frighten U.S. President Donald Trump himself, penning connected X that “Iran doesn’t fearfulness your quiet threats. Even those bigger than you couldn’t destruct Iran. Be observant not to get eliminated yourself.”

Iran has been accused of plotting attempts to termination Trump successful nan past.

Witnesses reported proceeding respective explosions successful Tehran successful nan day arsenic Israel commenced a caller activity of airstrikes.

Attacks aimed astatine pressuring nan U.S.

Along pinch firing missiles and drones astatine Israel and astatine American bases successful nan region, Iran has besides been targeting power infrastructure and postulation done nan Strait of Hormuz, a captious waterway for traded oil, sending lipid prices soaring. The attacks look aimed astatine generating capable world economical symptom to unit nan U.S. and Israel to extremity their strikes.

Brent crude, nan world standard, spiked to astir $120 connected Monday earlier falling backmost but was still astatine astir $90 a tube connected Tuesday, astir 24% higher than erstwhile nan warfare started connected Feb. 28.

Trump, who has antecedently said that nan warfare could past for a period aliases longer, sought to downplay increasing fears that it could return moreover longer, saying it was “going to beryllium a short-term excursion.”

Still, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed nan strikes connected Iran would continue.

“Our purpose is to bring nan Iranian group to formed disconnected nan yoke of tyranny, (but) yet it depends connected them,” Netanyahu said during a gathering pinch Israel’s infirmary and wellness strategy leaders. “There is nary uncertainty that pinch nan actions taken truthful far, we are breaking their bones.”

Oil is rerouted arsenic Strait of Hormuz is mostly trim off

Iran has efficaciously stopped tankers from utilizing nan Strait of Hormuz, which connects nan Persian Gulf and nan Gulf of Oman — nan gateway to nan Indian Ocean — done which 20% of nan world’s lipid is carried. Attacks connected merchant ships adjacent nan strait person killed astatine slightest 7 sailors, according to nan International Maritime Organization.

A bulk bearer apt came nether onslaught successful nan Persian Gulf connected Tuesday disconnected nan seashore of nan United Arab Emirates, pinch nan skipper reporting a scatter and a large bang nearby, according to a monitoring halfway tally by nan British military.

In a station connected societal media, Trump seemed not to admit that, saying that “If Iran does thing that stops nan travel of Oil wrong nan Strait of Hormuz, they will beryllium deed by nan United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they person been deed frankincense far.”

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard doubled down, saying it “will not let nan export of moreover a azygous liter of lipid from nan region to nan dispute broadside and its partners until further notice.”

Meanwhile, Amin Nasser, nan president and CEO of Saudi Arabia’s lipid elephantine Aramco, said tankers were being rerouted to debar nan Strait of Hormuz, and that its East-West pipeline would scope its afloat capacity of 7 cardinal barrels a time being brought to nan Red Sea larboard of nan Yanbu this week.

“The business astatine nan Strait of Hormuz is blocking sizable volumes of lipid from nan full region,” he said, adding that tighter supplies would apt push nan value per tube globally moreover higher, translating to higher costs for gasoline and pitchy fuel.

“If this takes a agelong time, that will person superior effect connected nan world economy,” Nasser said.

Iranian women’s shot squad gets asylum successful Australia

Five members of nan Iranian women’s shot squad who were successful Australia for a tourney erstwhile nan Iran warfare began were granted asylum, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told reporters successful Brisbane.

The squad drew wide news sum successful Australia erstwhile players didn’t singing nan Iranian anthem earlier their first match. The 26 players had arrived for nan Women’s Asian Cup past month, earlier nan warfare started. They were knocked retired complete nan weekend, raising nan imaginable of having to return location to a state nether attack.

Burke, who posted photos connected societal media of nan women smiling and clapping arsenic he signed documents, said each players connected nan squad had been offered asylum.

It was not clear if aliases erstwhile nan different 21 players would return to Iran.

Airstrike connected Iran-linked militia successful Iraq kills 5

As nan conflict dispersed crossed nan region, Israel launched aggregate attacks connected nan militant Hezbollah group successful Lebanon, which responded by firing missiles into Israel.

Iran-backed militias successful Iraq person besides launched attacks astatine U.S. bases successful nan state since nan opening of nan conflict. Early Tuesday, an airstrike killed astatine slightest 5 militiamen of nan 40th Brigade of nan Popular Mobilization Forces successful nan metropolis of Kirkuk. Four were wounded, according to officials who said connected information of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters. It was not instantly clear who was down nan strikes.

Israel’s subject meantime reiterated a telephone for each residents of confederate Lebanon to evacuate their homes, saying it planned to “operate forcefully” location against Hezbollah.

Since nan warfare began, astatine slightest 1,230 group person been killed successful Iran, astatine slightest 397 successful Lebanon and 11 successful Israel, according to officials.

A full of 7 U.S. work members person been killed.

Gambrell, Rising and Magdy constitute for nan Associated Press. Magdy reported from Cairo, and Rising reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Qassim Abdul-Zahra successful Baghdad, John Pye successful Gold Coast, Australia and Melanie Lidman successful Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this story.