US-Israel Iran War Live Updates

The highly anticipated address by US President Donald Trump to the nation on the Iran conflict failed to yield any new information, despite the White House’s earlier announcement that a major development was imminent.
Trump’s 20-minute speech, delivered late on Wednesday, largely consisted of rehashed talking points that have been a staple of his daily rhetoric for weeks.
The US president reiterated four core arguments: the war is justified, the outcome has already been secured, the campaign must continue, and a swift conclusion is imminent – all sentiments he has consistently expressed.
Trump’s address did not provide any insight into the specifics of the war’s conclusion or the terms of a potential agreement with Iran.
In his remarks, Trump expressed confidence that the US was nearing the end of the conflict, stating, “We are on the cusp of completion.”

In a stark warning, the US embassy in Iraq has alerted that Iran-backed militia groups in Baghdad are poised to launch attacks within a 24- to 48-hour window. The potential targets, according to the embassy, include US citizens, businesses, educational institutions, diplomatic facilities, energy infrastructure, hotels, airports, and other locations perceived to be linked to the United States, as well as Iraqi institutions and civilian sites. The warning comes on the heels of a recent incident in which a US journalist was kidnapped in Baghdad, prompting the embassy to note that militias have a history of targeting Americans for abduction. In light of this developing situation, the embassy has urged US citizens to depart Iraq immediately.

Reports are emerging of widespread alarm in the Gulf region, where civilians are growing increasingly concerned that their institutions and infrastructure may be targeted.
Eyewitnesses in Dubai described the sound of alarms ringing out just hours ago, while in Bahrain, multiple alerts echoed through the night and into the morning.
According to Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry, its air defences have successfully intercepted four drones in recent hours, in addition to a missile intercepted earlier.
The Kuwait International Airport has been hit for the seventh time in recent days, with authorities confirming that a fire was brought under control late last night.
As tensions escalate across the Gulf, concerns are mounting that Iran-aligned factions in Iraq, which shares a border with Kuwait, may become more involved in the conflict.
Kuwaiti authorities have repeatedly warned of the threat posed by Iran and its affiliated armed groups, with the Kuwait National Bank taking the precautionary measure of closing its headquarters to ensure employee safety.
With the situation spiralling out of control, residents are calling for an end to the conflict, and expressing fears that civilian targets may be hit in the crossfire.

Iran’s Khatam-al Anbiya military command headquarters has dismissed the notion that the US and Israel have a comprehensive understanding of its military prowess, vowing to escalate the conflict until its adversaries surrender unconditionally.
A senior official at the command centre asserted that the US and Israel’s knowledge of Iran’s military capabilities is woefully inadequate, citing a lack of awareness about the country’s extensive and sophisticated military infrastructure.
The official, speaking through the Tasnim news agency, cautioned against underestimating Iran’s military might, pointing out that the US and Israel have failed to target its most critical facilities, including cutting-edge missile production sites, advanced drone capabilities, and state-of-the-art air defence and electronic warfare systems.
Iran’s military production, the official claimed, takes place in secure locations that remain unknown to the US and Israel, rendering their attacks ineffective and inconsequential. The official vowed that Iran’s response to the conflict will only intensify, with more devastating and far-reaching consequences for its enemies.

A photo released by Israel’s Channel 12 has revealed a faint plume of smoke billowing from a Galilee settlement, a consequence of a rocket barrage launched from Lebanese territory.
According to reports, more than 30 projectiles were fired into the area within a short time frame.
This marked the second such attack in the Galilee region within the past hour.

In a televised address to the American public on Wednesday, President Trump issued a warning to Iran, stating that the country would be reduced to a state of utter devastation if it failed to agree to a peace deal that met Washington’s demands to end the ongoing conflict, now in its fifth week. This threat, which has been interpreted as a veiled promise of widespread destruction, would result in the obliteration of a nation’s infrastructure, leaving no modern structures standing, including hospitals, schools, universities, businesses, hotels, skyscrapers, or parks.

Such an action would likely be classified as a war crime under international law, given its potential to cause widespread harm to civilians. However, this type of threat is not a new phenomenon. The phrase ‘reduced to ancient ruins’ is often associated with Curtis LeMay, a US Air Force officer who oversaw the destruction of Japanese cities during World War II. In the early 1950s, US-led forces conducted a campaign of carpet bombing against North Korea, resulting in the destruction of nearly 95 percent of its power generation capacity and over 80 percent of its buildings.

LeMay later advocated for the US to employ similar tactics against Vietnam during the war in Southeast Asia. In 1972, US President Richard Nixon ordered the carpet bombing of North Vietnam, which was marketed to the American public as the ‘Christmas bombing’ campaign. Following the September 11 attacks, the US threatened to reduce Pakistan to ‘ancient ruins’ if it did not join the war against the Taliban, according to then-Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.

The relentless Israeli ground invasion, which has been underway for several weeks, has led to a surge in air strikes across southern Lebanon, resulting in a mounting death toll. On Wednesday, the number of fatalities in Lebanon rose to 1,318, with 125 of those victims being children, while the number of wounded is nearing 4,000 after four weeks of conflict.
A tragic incident in the Nabatieh district on Wednesday saw an entire family of four perish in an air strike. The family, consisting of a man, his wife, and their two daughters, lost their lives in the devastating attack.
As the conflict intensifies, Hezbollah continues to assert its military presence, claiming operations against Israeli forces. The militant group asserts that it is targeting Israeli troops operating within Lebanon, with a focus on the town of Antara, where they have been launching rocket and drone attacks. Hezbollah also reports artillery and drone strikes, as well as barrages of rockets and drones fired into northern Israel, allegedly targeting Israeli troops, bases, and barracks along the border.

A rocket attack on the northern Israeli city of Kiryat Shmona has left two individuals, aged 85 and 34, with minor shrapnel injuries, according to footage and reports from Channel 12. A photograph circulating online shows the devastating impact of the blast, with a house in the area suffering significant damage, including blown-out walls.

In a recent development, Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) have confirmed that their Nineveh Operations Command was subjected to two separate strikes by US and Israeli forces within a 24-hour timeframe. According to the PMF, the most recent attack took place at 5:20am local time, equivalent to 2:20 GMT, on the current day. Fortunately, the group reports that neither of these incidents resulted in any casualties. It is worth noting that US forces have previously launched numerous attacks against the PMF during the conflict in Iran, a paramilitary organisation closely tied to Iraq’s military and boasting some brigades with ties to Iran.

In response to US President Trump’s ultimatum, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has issued a stern warning, stating that Iran will not accept the continuous cycle of war, negotiations, and ceasefires. According to Baghaei, this pattern is catastrophic not only for Iran but for the entire region and beyond.

Baghaei emphasized that Iran will continue to defend itself as long as US-Israeli strikes persist, reiterating that Tehran maintains good neighbourly relations with its Gulf neighbours. However, he accused the US and Israel of exploiting these territories to launch military aggression against Iran.

Baghaei described the ongoing conflict as an unjust war imposed on the Iranian people, leaving them with no choice but to fight back strongly. He reiterated that Iran’s primary concern is not with its Gulf neighbours, but with the US and Israel’s aggressive actions.