Iran-Israel War Escalates: Fresh Strikes, Rising Tensions, and Global Concerns
The Iran-Israel war continues to intensify, with fresh strikes, rising tensions in the Gulf, and growing global concerns. The US military’s combat command responsible for military operations against Iran, also known as CENTCOM, said it has struck more than 7,800 targets and damaged or destroyed more than 120 Iranian vessels. Iranian authorities have named five oil and gas facilities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar that it says will be targeted in the coming hours. India is grappling with a major maritime bottleneck as large volumes of fuel remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, awaiting clearance to pass through the critical Strait of Hormuz. According to Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Shipping Ministry, around 1.67 million tonnes of crude oil, 3.2 lakh tonnes of LPG, and nearly 2 lakh tonnes of LNG are currently stuck aboard 22 Indian-flagged ships. At the onset of the conflict triggered by United States and Israel strikes on Iran, a total of 28 Indian vessels were positioned in and around the strait—24 on the western side and four on the eastern side. In the past week, four ships — two from each side — have managed to navigate out of the high-risk zone and reach safer waters. However, the remaining vessels continue to wait for a safe window to transit, raising concerns over energy supply chains and maritime safety. Donald Trump on Wednesday criticised US allies for their reluctance to back Washington’s ongoing operations against Iran, suggesting drastic action and questioning their stance. In a post, the US President said he wondered “what would happen if we ‘finished off’ what’s left of the Iranian Terror State,” adding that such a move might push “non-responsive” allies to act more decisively. He also downplayed US dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, referring to it as the “so-called ‘Straight’,” while arguing that countries relying on the route should take greater responsibility. Earlier, Trump had also criticised members of the NATO for their unwillingness to participate in the US military campaign amid escalating tensions in West Asia. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Wednesday issued evacuation warnings for several oil and energy facilities across Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, according to Iranian state media, amid escalating regional tensions. As heavy shelling continues in the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz, at least 11 Indian ships containing LPG have been left stranded, unable to navigate through the volatile waters. The escalation in the region has disrupted maritime movement, raising concerns over the safety of crew members and the security of vital trade routes, with authorities closely monitoring the situation. Spoke with HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, Crown Prince of Kuwait and conveyed greetings on the upcoming festival of Eid. We exchanged views on the evolving situation in West Asia and shared concerns over recent developments. Reiterated India’s condemnation of attacks on Kuwait’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remains our foremost priority. We agreed that sustained diplomatic engagement remains essential for regional peace and stability. I thanked him for continued support for the safety and wellbeing of the Indian community in Kuwait Iran launched a series of strikes toward Israel and neighbouring Gulf nations early Wednesday, with explosions reported in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, while interceptions were reported in Saudi Arabia. The escalation comes amid rapidly intensifying hostilities across the region. The attacks followed confirmation by Iranian state media that Israeli forces had killed senior security official Ali Larijani and Gholam Reza Soleimani, head of the Revolutionary Guard’s Basij force, in an overnight strike. The Basij is widely known for its role in suppressing protests within Iran. In a separate development, an Israeli airstrike targeted an apartment building in Beirut, flattening the structure in the central Bachoura area as daylight broke, further underscoring the widening scope of the conflict. Iran has executed a man passing “images and information of sensitive locations” to officers of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, according to reports by the judiciary-linked Mizan news agency. The accused, who has been identified as Kourosh Keyvani, was executed on Wednesday morning after his death sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court. The United Arab Emirates central bank (CBUAE) has unveiled a package to help bolster banks' liquidity, marking its most significant policy move since the pandemic, as Gulf economies move to weather the impact of the Iran crisis. Iran's authorities have executed a man convicted of spying for Israel. In the first such execution announced since the war began on Feb 28, the judiciary’s Mizan Online website said, "The death sentence of a spy for the Zionist regime, who had been providing images and information, about the country’s sensitive locations to Mossad officers was carried out this morning." He was identified as Kouroush Keyvani. The IDF said it killed a Hamas commander in the Gaza Strip yesterday. In a post on X on March 18, the Israeli Air Force said the strike killed Yahya Abu Labda, who was commander in Hamas' supply and logistics department. The military says Abu Labda was responsible for the “procurement and transport of military equ “Abu Labda led and advanced the transfer of dozens of tons of raw materials for rocket production and advanced electronic components to support Hamas’s manufacturing enterprise,” the IDF says.ipment and weapons” for Hamas’s military wing. Indian oil tank Jag Laadki successfully arrived at Gujarat's Adani Ports Mundra. The vessel reached the port carrying approximately 80,886 metric tonnes (MT) of crude oil. The cargo was sourced from the UAE and was loaded at Fujairah Port. According to the AFP's report, at least four explosions were heard in the Iraqi city of Erbil in the Kurdistan region. UAE deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister Abdullah bin Zayed condemned Iranian attacks on the UAE. In a statement, he said, "Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed his sincere condolences and deep sympathy to the families of the victims of Iran's unprovoked terrorist attacks targeting the UAE. The victims, who lost their lives as a result of these blatant attacks, are Alaa Nader Awni from the State of Palestine; Murib Zaman Nizar, Muzaffar Ali Ghulam, and Ismail Salim Khan from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; Ahmed Ali from the People's Republic of Bangladesh; and Dibas Shrestha from the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal." Tasnim news agency reported that a US-Israeli attack targeted residential and civilian areas of Dorud city, killing seven people and injuring 56. The new outlet had previously reported that four were killed by a US-Israeli attack on rural areas in the Chegeni region, which is also in Lorestan province. In addition to telling reports about the Al Minhad air base in the UAE, Australian PM Anthony Albanese said, "It’s important that we recognise that the Iranian regime is continuing to engage in random attacks right across the Gulf region.” Iran will be holding the funerals for security chief Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force, today. They were both killed in Israeli air strikes. Mere minutes after a successful interception, Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry said it had down another drone that sought to target Riyadh's Embassies district. The International Maritime Organization will be holding an emergency and "extraordinary" session to address "the impacts on shipping and seafarers of the situation" as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues to wreak havoc in the Gulf. According to the AFP news agency, several possibilities will be considered during the two-day-long talks. Gulf countries alongside the UK, France, Germany and several other nations are pushing the IMO's 40-member council to "strongly condemn the egregious attacks" by Iran on neighbouring countries and the "purported closure of the Strait of Hormuz." Australian PM Anthony Albanese told reporters that an Iranian air attack caused "minor damage" to certain facilities at the Al Minhad Air Base in the Emirates. “This morning at the Al Minhad base that Australia has in the UAE, there was an Iranian projectile that hit near that base,” Albanese said. “No Australian personnel were injured and everyone is absolutely safe at this point in time. “There was minor damage to an accommodation block and a medical facility due to a small fire that was created as a result of that projectile hitting on a road leading up to that base.” The Iranian Embassy in India posted on X: "The first shipment of medical aid from the esteemed people of India has been delivered to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. We sincerely thank the kind people of India," alongside a video of the medical aid. https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2034149289459650931 Turkish Foreign Ministry Hakan Fidan will be attending a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday to discuss regional developments, according to the foreign ministry. It was previously announced Fidan would be holding a regional tour to push for an end to the Iran war. Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Jamal, chairman of Qatar’s General Authority of Customs, has told Al Jazeera that the country's supply stability was backed by diverse import sources, efficient logistics infrastructure and sufficient strategic stocks of essential goods. “There are no indicators that call for concern over shortages of goods or disturbances to supply chains inside the State of Qatar,” Al Jamal said. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera that the country's political system would remain "solid" as it doesn't rely on just one person. His remarks were delivered after a US-Israeli strike killed Ali Larijani on Tuesday. Alluding to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death at the beginning of the conflict, he said, "Of course, individuals are influential, and each person plays their role – some better, some worse, some less – but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure." https://twitter.com/DXBMediaOffice/status/2034153935053922642 Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry said another drone, which was attempting to "approach the Embassies district," had been shut down. After Dubai residents reported hearing loud sound of explosions, the UAE officials said their air defences are dealing with a missile threat. The Israeli army had previously also said it had struck Iranian command centres, missile sites and other infrastructure on Tehran on Tuesday. The army claimed that a missile defence command centre and air defence systems were its targets. In a post on X, the Israeli army warned residents that Iran had launched missiles towards it territory. The country's military affirmed air defence systems were working to intercept the attack. It also told resident to move to shelter until the threat was lifted.
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