US and Iran Engage in Escalating Conflict Across the Gulf
Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has demanded an immediate end to the escalation, according to a statement issued by the office of its administrative leadership. US military has denied Iranian claims that American soldiers were killed at the Al-Tanf base on the Syria-Jordan border, calling the reports entirely false in a statement released on X. The US military on Friday said that it destroyed the Chabahar Shahid Kalantari Port surveillance tower in Iran on Thursday. US Central Command said in a post on X that the tower was part of a maritime surveillance network along Iran's Gulf of Oman coastline used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to track and target commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The UK has designated the IRGC and another Iran-linked group, the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR), as threats to national security. Iranian strikes on Friday hit a power and water desalination plant in Kuwait, damaging one of the key sources of drinking water in the small desert nation. It's the latest attack on essential infrastructure across the Middle East that have exposed extreme vulnerabilities in one of the world's driest regions, which relies almost exclusively on technology to produce freshwater that sustains cities, hotels, industry and some agriculture. Brent crude climbed to around $86.7 per barrel, hovering near its highest level in a month after a brief pullback in the previous session, as investors continued to monitor the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran. British police charged a 39-year-old man on Friday under the UK's National Security laws for allegedly assisting Iran's intelligence service. The Metropolitan Police identified the accused as Vahid Aberi, from Liverpool in northern England. He was taken to a police station in central England following his arrest, while officers also carried out searches at properties in Birmingham and Liverpool. UK security agencies have repeatedly warned that Iran has used criminal proxies to conduct hostile activities on British soil. US Vice President JD Vance has dismissed as "completely bogus" a media report claiming that Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff attempted to profit from insider information during US-Iran negotiations. Vance also denied receiving any alleged warning from Tehran about the two senior members of President Donald Trump's team. The report, which Vance shared while rejecting its claims, alleged that Iran had estimated nearly USD 9 billion in profits from alleged "market manipulation" by individuals close to Trump, chiefly Kushner and Witkoff. It further claimed that Tehran had formally sought USD 4.5 billion of the purported gains to be transferred to Iran through intermediaries. Kuwait has condemned what it called "heinous Iranian aggression" after missiles and drones struck one of its power stations and a water desalination plant. In a statement, Kuwait's foreign ministry described the attacks as a "flagrant violation" of the country's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, as well as a serious breach of international and humanitarian law. The ministry warned that the attacks marked a dangerous escalation that threatened regional security and stability, undermined efforts to reduce tensions and challenged international law. It also said Kuwait has the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, security and stability in line with international law. A chemical tanker was boarded by an armed group while sailing through the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen on Friday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). The incident took place south of Yemen's Al Mukalla province. UKMTO said the vessel was boarded by "unauthorised personnel." British maritime security firm Ambrey said Somali pirates were believed to be behind the attack. The tanker, identified as the Tanzania-flagged Asana , was travelling to Bosaso in Somalia and did not have an armed security team on board. A South Korean naval vessel was sent to assist after the ship issued a distress call. The attack is the latest security incident in the Gulf of Aden, where Somali pirate activity has increased in recent weeks. Earlier this month, suspected pirates attacked another vessel near Yemen, causing minor damage. The presidency of Iraq's Kurdistan region has condemned the recent attacks, calling them a serious threat to the country's stability. In a statement posted on X, it said the attacks on the Kurdistan region were a "grave betrayal" of Iraq's leadership. The statement added that the violence was undermining Iraq's stability and creating obstacles to efforts aimed at achieving peace in the region. Oil prices climbed about 2% on Friday as tensions between the United States and Iran intensified with both sides exchanging attacks across the Gulf. Concerns over possible disruptions to shipping in the Red Sea, along with already restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, pushed crude prices higher. Brent crude futures rose $1.53, or 1.82%, to $85.76 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained $1.69, or 2.14%, to $80.64. Both oil benchmarks have risen nearly 13% this week. Brent is on course for a third straight weekly gain, while WTI is set to record its second consecutive weekly increase. At least three people were killed and 17 others were injured in Israeli drone attacks across Gaza on Friday, according to medical sources. The sources told Al Jazeera Arabic that the strikes began at dawn and hit multiple areas across the enclave. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the reported attacks. Iran has accused the United States of destroying a civilian maritime traffic control tower on the Makran coast in what it called a "heinous attack." According to Iran's Tasnim news agency, the government said US forces fired three missiles at what it described as a completely civilian facility. Tehran claimed the strike affected the livelihoods of fishermen and threatened the safety of civilian shipping in the area. Iran also criticised Washington, saying the attack on what it called vital civilian infrastructure showed the US was ignoring international agreements while applying double standards. At least one person was killed in an Israeli drone strike in northern Gaza on Friday. The attack took place in the city of Beit Lahia, according to a source at Al-Shifa Hospital, who spoke to Al Jazeera Arabic. There were no immediate details on the identity of the victim or whether others were injured. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused Israel of trying to influence US politics and foreign policy. In a post on X, Araghchi questioned warnings about foreign influence in the US and alleged that Israel was trying to push the US into what he called an "unwinnable war." He referred to a Time magazine report that said Brad Parscale, former campaign manager for US President Donald Trump, was involved in an Israeli influence campaign aimed at supporters of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. Araghchi also claimed that Israel was using US taxpayer money to silence its critics in America. "It will all soon unravel," he wrote. Iran said it carried out its 15th wave of attacks by targeting the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. In a statement, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed the attack destroyed a long-range radar system and several US military refuelling aircraft, according to Iran's state-run IRIB news agency. The IRGC also warned that any further attacks on Iran or its civilian infrastructure would lead to a stronger response. It said countries hosting US military bases in the region should be aware of the consequences, adding that if such actions continue, Iran will launch more powerful attacks. A group of unidentified armed men is believed to have taken control of a chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen on Friday, according to a Reuters report citing maritime security sources. The vessel, named Asana , was sailing off Yemen's southern coast when the incident took place. The tanker does not have a confirmed national flag. Ship tracking data showed that it was heading towards Bosaso, a port city in Somalia. Earlier, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a British naval agency that monitors shipping security, said a vessel had been boarded by unauthorised people while travelling east through the Gulf of Aden. The incident happened about 65 nautical miles south of Al Mukalla, a port city on Yemen's southern coast. Authorities have not yet identified the attackers or shared further details about the situation. Iran on Friday struck eastern Syria, Reuters reported Iranian state media and a Syrian military source as saying. It is reportedly said that it is the first known attack by Tehran on Syrian territory since a regional war erupted earlier this year. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had attacked a US special operations command centre at al-Tanf in Syria in retaliation for the killing of Iranian soldiers in Iranshahr, state media reported. However, Reuters reported that it could not independently verify the claim. Iranian state media Press TV has reported that there is "no evidence" to support claims of a prisoner exchange between Iran and the United States, rejecting assertions that any American detainee or alleged spy had been released by Tehran in recent days. According to Press TV, its investigations "found no evidence to support claims of a prisoner exchange between Iran and the United States." It also said that no spy has been released by Iran in recent days. A new wave of US attacks has plunged Iranians back into deep uncertainty and anxiety after a period of relative calm as the shaky ceasefire held. Iranians contacted by Reuters via an encrypted messaging app said economic problems were mounting and they were consumed by worries over what will happen next. A photographer in Tehran shared a photograph of her weekly grocery shopping with the publication to highlight how pre-war prices had almost doubled. "The most important thing overall in the middle of the war is the economy. Every day our situation is worse and more difficult. The thing that's the most stressful is the back and forth: one day it's war, the next it's peace. We don't know what's actually going to happen. We can't even make plans for two days in the future," she said. US Vice President JD Vance has dismissed a media report claiming senior White House advisers Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff sought to profit financially from their roles in US-Iran negotiations. Vance insisted he had never received such as private message from Iran, as alleged in the report. The remarks came in response to a report that alleged Iran had calculated "$9 billion" in profits from "market manipulation" by "individuals close to President Donald Trump" --- mainly Kushner and Witkoff. It added that Tehran had formally requested that "$4.5 billion" of that sum be allocated to Iran through intermediaries. The report claimed that the source of the news was a senior Iranian official's update to the 'Drop Site' news site. "This is completely bogus. I never received a message like this. If I had, I would have said: Jared and Steve are trusted members of the president's team and very dear friends. No one has done more than the two of them to work towards peace and prosperity in the region. The idea they're trading on insider information is absurd," Vance wrote on X. According to Iranian state TV, the Revolutionary Guards Corps has claimed an attack against Jordan targeting US fighter jets stationed in the country. According to an AP report citing local officials, a suspected attack by Iran on an Iranian Kurdish dissident group in northern Iraq has killed at least 9 people. Week-to-week cargo shipments through the strait dropped by almost a quarter at the beginning of the month, according to maritime data firm Lloyd's List Intelligence. And that was before the recent surge in tit-for-tat attacks. Given the risks, some oil shippers are transiting the strait with their location devices turned off, but many are just staying put, Lloyd's said Thursday. A growing amount of the region's energy is being shipped through pipelines, but not nearly enough to offset the decline in shipping through the strait. US forces have redirected three commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled one that did not comply and boarded another "to ensure full compliance," the US military's Central Command said in a post on X. India has ordered shipowners, ship managers and recruitment companies not to deploy the country's seafarers on vessels undertaking trips through the Strait of Hormuz amid renewed fighting in the region. "No deployment of Indian seafarers on vessels undertaking voyages involving passage through the Strait of Hormuz until further orders," the Directorate General of Shipping order said. Oil prices inched up on Friday after the U.S. and Iran stepped up attacks across the Gulf, with their broken truce limiting oil flows out of the Strait of Hormuz and with Tehran asking the Houthi organisation to stand ready to shut the Red Sea export route. Brent crude futures rose 7 cents, or about 0.08%, to $84.30 a barrel at 0632 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures gained 16 cents, or 0.2%, to $79.11 a barrel. Both benchmark contracts have climbed nearly 12% this week, with Brent on track for a third consecutive weekly gain and WTI on pace for a second weekly gain. Iran has fired missiles and drones at U.S. military bases in neighbouring states, including an air base in Jordan. Early on Friday, Iran's military said it had attacked U.S. facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait. Several explosion-like sounds were heard in the Qatari capital Doha, according to a witness, and the Ministry of the Interior said a child was injured by shrapnel. Qatar twice warned the public to take shelter in the early hours of Friday as a barrage of Iranian missiles targeted the nation. People heard explosions overhead as air defences fired to intercept the missiles. Qatar's Interior Ministry said falling debris wounded a child. Qatar, along with Pakistan, is a key mediator in trying to reach an end to the Iran war. But talks have broken down over Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran also targeted Bahrain and Kuwait early Friday. Jordan's military said it intercepted three incoming missiles Friday morning launched by Iran. Explosions also could be heard Friday morning in Irbil and Sulaymaniyah in northern Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region as air defenses targeted incoming fire. There was no immediate word on any damage. According to Iranian state media, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have claimed an attack against the US maritime surveillance radar in Oman.
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