US-Israel Iran War Live Updates

Following a high-level diplomatic call, the UK has confirmed plans to dispatch its cutting-edge Rapid Sentry air defence system to Kuwait in a show of solidarity with the Gulf nation.
Details of the deployment emerged after a phone conversation between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Mishal al-Ahmad Al Sabah, which came in the wake of a brazen drone strike on the Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery port.
According to the Prime Minister’s office, he unequivocally denounced the unprovoked drone attack, stressing the UK’s unwavering commitment to standing alongside Kuwait and its allies in the region.

A pivotal infrastructure project, the B1 bridge, was poised to link Tehran with Karaj, a city situated west of the Iranian capital, but its construction was abruptly halted by a double-tap strike.
This ambitious undertaking was one of the most complex and costly projects in the country, with a significant impact on its infrastructure landscape.
The attack on the bridge occurred on the Day of Nature, a day when families typically venture outdoors, and some were unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity of the targeted area at the time of the strike. As a result, at least eight fatalities and 95 injuries were reported.
Karaj has also suffered from a series of power outages in recent nights, attributed to the assault on the city’s energy infrastructure.
The double-tap strike, a tactic involving two strikes on the same target, dealt a devastating blow to the B1 bridge and its surrounding area.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has denounced what it terms an “unlawful” Israeli assault on power and desalination facilities in Kuwait, labeling it a “heinous act” that targets civilian infrastructure.
The IRGC’s Public Relations Division holds Israel accountable for the attack, which it deems a reprehensible display of aggression by the “Zionist occupiers.” In response, the IRGC has vowed to retaliate against American military installations and personnel in the region, as well as Israeli military and security hubs in occupied Palestinian territories.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have been subjected to a relentless barrage of attacks, with the United Arab Emirates being the latest to experience a fresh wave of missile and drone strikes. According to the UAE government, a heightened alert was issued in response to the ongoing assault, with the Ministry of Defence confirming that the sounds of explosions overhead were a result of successful missile interceptions.

A particularly alarming incident occurred at the Habshan gas processing facility, where debris from the attack ignited a fire, causing significant damage. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia reported the downing of six drones, while drone attacks resulted in damage to Kuwaiti infrastructure. The air raid sirens blaring across Bahrain added to the sense of unease, as multiple GCC countries faced the brunt of the assault.

Iran’s warnings of retaliatory strikes against US or US-linked assets in GCC countries have continued to escalate tensions, with the threat of retaliation against US-targeted regional assets hanging over the region.

In a long-awaited move, the African Union has issued a statement expressing its support for the five-point plan put forward by Pakistan and China, a joint effort aimed at shifting the conflict in the region towards a peaceful resolution through negotiations, which includes an immediate halt to hostilities and the reopening of maritime trade routes.

Amid the ongoing energy crisis, which has been exacerbated by the conflict with Iran, Islamabad residents will soon benefit from a cost-free public transportation system, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has revealed. According to Naqvi, the Ministry of Interior will cover the estimated Rs 350 million expenditure for this public assistance program, as detailed in a recent X post.

According to Neil Atkinson, a seasoned energy expert and former senior official at the International Energy Agency, even a rapid reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would not automatically restore normal energy supplies.
Atkinson pointed out that numerous tankers currently stranded on either side of the Strait could potentially resume their journeys if unimpeded passage were to be swiftly reinstated.
However, he cautioned that production facilities in key oil-producing nations, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and Abu Dhabi, have been forced to shut down, potentially delaying the resumption of normal operations by several days or more.
Furthermore, Atkinson highlighted the severe disruption to Qatar’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, warning that recovery could take weeks even under optimal circumstances.
Atkinson underscored the far-reaching consequences of the crisis, noting oil’s pivotal role in various industries. “Every sector relies on oil to some degree,” he emphasized.
He also sounded a warning about the long-term implications for food production, citing the critical shortage of fertilizers. “The ripple effect on food yields will be substantial,” Atkinson cautioned, “and we must not underestimate the magnitude of this issue.”

A military operation is underway in eastern Lebanon, where Israel’s military is poised to launch strikes against the Sohmor and Mashghara bridges in the Bekaa Valley. Residents in the vicinity have been instructed to vacate the area, according to an Israeli army spokesperson. The planned attacks aim to disrupt the flow of reinforcements and military supplies into the region.

According to the UAE Ministry of Defence, a significant escalation of Iranian aggression was met with effective countermeasures on Friday, as air defences successfully intercepted 18 ballistic missiles, four cruise missiles, and 47 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

According to a recent assessment by Israeli Army Radio, Hezbollah’s capacity to maintain its current rocket fire rate is expected to last approximately one to two months. This projection is based on an estimate that the Lebanese militant group, which joined the conflict on Iran’s side following the assassination of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, possesses a substantial arsenal of between 8,000 and 10,000 rockets.