US-Israel Iran War Live Updates

Reports from Israel’s Channel 12 indicate that a rocket attack has prompted the activation of alarms in the towns of Hatzor HaGlilit and Amuka, situated in the Upper Galilee region.

In a press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized the need for an immediate cessation of military activities, citing the escalating tensions between nations following a warning from former US President Trump that Iran would face severe repercussions within weeks.

The US embassy’s recent warning about potential threats in Baghdad remains somewhat ambiguous, with no clear catalyst identified. US forces have been engaged in clashes with PMF positions in Iraq for several weeks, yet the situation doesn’t seem to have escalated significantly. The sudden disappearance of 49-year-old US journalist Shelly Kittleson on Tuesday evening in Baghdad has raised concerns, with no updates on her whereabouts since then. Intelligence suggests that Kataib Hezbollah may be responsible for her abduction, although the motivations behind the incident remain unclear. It’s uncertain whether a ransom demand is involved or if the group is seeking concessions. Iraqi security forces have managed to apprehend one of the individuals involved in her kidnapping, but their investigation appears to have stalled. Authorities are currently focusing their efforts on the southern region of Baghdad. While the US government has maintained a low profile on the matter, sources indicate that backchannel negotiations with the Iraqi government have pledged a robust response if Shelly Kittleson is not released within the next 48 hours, as of Wednesday.

According to an Israeli military statement, a significant escalation of attacks unfolded in Tehran yesterday, with multiple strikes aimed at key infrastructure linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The assault, which was detailed on Telegram, included a base housing the IRGC ground force, a mobile command center occupied by senior commanders, and a ballistic missile storage facility in Tabriz. Notably, this marks the latest in a long series of operations targeting IRGC and military sites across Iran, with the Israeli military citing hundreds of such incidents since the conflict began.

The ripple effects of the escalating US-Israeli conflict with Iran are being felt thousands of kilometres away in South Asia, where farmers are grappling with the very real consequences of a distant crisis for their livelihoods.
A critical chokepoint in global energy trade, the Strait of Hormuz, is at the epicentre of the unfolding drama – a narrow waterway through which a significant proportion of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas is transported, including essential components for nitrogen-based fertilisers.
Disruptions to the supply of these fertilisers can have a devastating impact on crop yields, drive up costs, and ultimately push food prices higher, posing a significant threat to the region’s agricultural sector.
Pakistani wheat farmer Muneer Ahmad’s words are a stark reminder of the vulnerability of farmers to global events: “If fertiliser prices skyrocket, it will have far-reaching consequences for everyone in our community.”

According to a statement disseminated by Iranian media outlets, a spokesperson for the IRGC in Fars province, Iran, has asserted that their defence systems successfully intercepted and downed an Israeli Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle as it flew over the city of Shiraz.

Hossein Kermanpour, the Iranian Health Ministry’s official spokesperson, has confirmed that a devastating attack has struck the Pasteur Institute of Iran, a renowned medical research centre established in 1920. The assault has caused extensive damage to the century-old institution, leaving its infrastructure severely compromised.

Iraq, a country with a complex web of alliances and hosting US forces, has become a focal point in the intensifying Iran war. The nation, home to various Iran-backed groups and vulnerable to cross-regional instability, is experiencing a surge in attacks from multiple directions.

The US military has faced allegations of launching numerous strikes against positions held by Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces, which includes some Iran-aligned brigades. Conversely, US facilities in Iraq have been targeted in recent attacks, with a notable incident involving a drone assault on a helipad within the US embassy in Baghdad, according to security sources.

Furthermore, Kurdish forces in northern Iraq have come under fire from groups backed by Tehran, with one drone attack specifically targeting the residence of Nechirvan Barzani, the president of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region.

“Iraq’s precarious situation is largely a result of its fractured state and foreign policy,” Renad Mansour, a senior research fellow and director of the Iraq Initiative at the UK-based think tank Chatham House, explained to Al Jazeera. “Iraq’s diverse political and security landscape is comprised of various factions, each with its own external allegiances: some maintain close ties with Iran, while others are more closely connected to the US.”

In a swift counterattack, Iran unleashed a barrage of missiles at Israel following a bold claim by US President Donald Trump that his country had effectively dismantled Iran’s military capabilities and was on the cusp of achieving its objectives in the ongoing conflict.
Trump’s televised address to the nation came on the heels of his assertion that Iran had requested a ceasefire, a claim vehemently disputed by Iranian officials.
In a separate statement, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sought to downplay the conflict, emphasizing that his country harbors no animosity towards the people of the United States, Europe, or neighboring nations.
For a comprehensive overview of the current situation on the 34th day of the US-Israel-Iran conflict, refer to our in-depth analysis.

Iran’s top military commander has instructed his operational teams to closely monitor the movements of the United States and Israel in real-time, with the goal of thwarting any potential ground assault. This directive was conveyed by Armed Forces chief Amir Hatami during a high-level meeting with senior army officials, as captured in a video released by Iran’s government news agency IRNA. According to IRNA’s report, Hatami emphasized the importance of eliminating any potential threats, stating that no enemy personnel should be left alive if a ground invasion were to occur.