The temporary and complete closure of the airspace of the United Arab Emirates was announced by the General Civil Aviation Authority of the country.
According to state media, this decision was made as an "exceptional precautionary measure" to ensure safe flights and protect the territory of the UAE.
The UAE Ministry of Defense noted that it is responding to a new wave of attacks using missiles and drones from Iran.
The Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, contacted Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, by phone.
According to information provided by the Saudi Press Agency, during the conversation, the ministers discussed current events in the region, considering the "ongoing and unjustified" attacks by Iran on Gulf countries and measures to enhance security.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reports attacks on Israel and the Al-Udeid base in Qatar.
In its statement, the IRGC confirmed the completion of the "57th operation of the True Promise 4 operation."
According to the IRGC, missile strikes were carried out on targets in Israel, including command and missile defense facilities.
Additionally, it was reported that the Al-Udeid base in Qatar, where American troops are stationed, was shelled with missiles and drones.
The Qatari Ministry of Defense previously reported intercepting and destroying 13 out of 14 missiles launched from Iran. One missile fell in an uninhabited area, and there were no casualties, the ministry added.
A drone attacks the US embassy in Baghdad.
According to Reuters and Agence France-Presse, the US embassy in Baghdad was attacked using drones and missiles.
Sources in Iraqi security services reported that this was "the most intense attack ever." The day before, the embassy issued a security warning for US citizens, reporting "repeated attacks by Iran-backed terrorist groups on the International Zone" in Baghdad.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that Iran did not start a war with the US and Israel, and that defending the country from invasion is "Tehran's natural right."
"It is necessary to stop using American bases against Iran to avoid disrupting our relations with neighbors," Pezeshkian noted on the platform X, adding that he discussed this issue with French President Emmanuel Macron during a phone call.
"Peace and stability in the region are impossible without considering Zionist-American interference in our country. The Islamic Republic of Iran does not surrender to aggressors," he added.
He expressed hope for condemnation of the invasion by the international community and called on "invaders" to adhere to international law, clarifying that starting a war based on false information is a "medieval act of the 21st century."
"Talks about ending the war are meaningless until we ensure the protection of our territory from future attacks."
According to US military data, the number of injured US servicemen has risen to about 200, with at least 13 dead.
According to estimates from an Iranian organization operating outside the country, more than 3,000 people have died in the Middle East since the conflict began on February 28. The human rights agency HRANA reports that of these, 1,351 are civilians and 1,126 are military personnel.
In Lebanon, according to the Ministry of Health, 886 people have died, including 67 women and 111 children.
Other countries reporting casualties include the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.
A senator sharply criticizes Trump for creating "order" in the Middle East.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, criticized President Trump after his statement that China should help ensure the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz during the conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran.
"Trump hopes for China's help in clearing the Strait of Hormuz. Are you serious?" Schumer wrote on the platform X.
The Democratic senator stated that Trump has created "chaos" in the Middle East and has no clear plan to resolve the situation.
Brief overview of the main events of the day:
- The IRGC of Iran warned of possible strikes on US-related facilities in the Middle East, urging local residents to evacuate.
- US President Donald Trump warned that NATO faces a "very bad future" if allies do not assist in opening the Strait of Hormuz through the deployment of naval forces.
- Japan, Australia, Germany, Greece, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, and the European Union have ruled out the possibility of participating in the Israeli-American war against Iran.
- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the Strait of Hormuz is open but "closed to enemies," denying any contacts with US envoy Steve Vitkoff.
- Major General of the Iranian army Abolfazl Shekarchi warned of a possible new attack on the island of Kharg after recent US strikes on military facilities on that island.
According to US Central Command, about 200 American servicemen have been injured during the conflict with Iran, 10 of whom sustained "serious injuries."
Major powers express concern over Israel's ground offensive in Lebanon and call for "Hezbollah" to disarm.
Leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom expressed "serious concern" over the escalation of violence in Lebanon and called for an immediate de-escalation of the conflict between Israel and "Hezbollah."
Representatives of the five countries strongly urged for a "sustainable political solution" through constructive dialogue between Israel and Lebanon.
In their address, the leaders noted that "Hezbollah's attacks on Israel and assaults on civilians must cease, and it must disarm." They also condemned Hezbollah's decision to support Iran in military actions, stating that this "further jeopardizes regional peace and security."
The leaders warned of the consequences of a possible ground offensive, asserting that "a significant ground operation by Israel would lead to devastating humanitarian consequences and could trigger a protracted conflict. This must be prevented."
Additionally, they called on all parties to "fully comply with UN Security Council Resolution 1701," supporting the Lebanese government's efforts to "disarm Hezbollah, ban its military activities, and cease armed conflicts," expressing solidarity with the Lebanese people, "involuntarily caught up in the conflict."
An Iranian army representative, Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, warned of a possible new attack on the Iranian island of Kharg after the US struck military facilities on that island.
"American officials have once again announced their intention to attack the island of Kharg," the statement published by the Iranian news agency Tasnim noted.
"We warn that if the US begins aggression and attacks the island of Kharg and its facilities, we will decisively destroy all oil and gas resources of the country that has become a source of aggression," Shekarchi added, as reported by Tasnim.
Recently, Trump threatened new strikes on the island of Kharg, through which about 90% of Iran's oil exports pass, after the US struck military facilities on that island, prompting further retaliatory actions from Tehran.
"Most of Israel's territory has been affected by the war."
By: Nour Odeh
Reporting from Ramallah, occupied West Bank.
Today, Israelis are feeling vulnerable, as air raid sirens can go off at any moment.
In northern Israel, as well as in occupied East Jerusalem and West Jerusalem, near the Israeli parliament and the Prime Minister's office, sirens were heard today.
We also observed debris that fell in the vicinity of Tel Aviv. Virtually all of Israel's territory has been subjected to attacks.
Israeli military officials find it increasingly difficult to assert that movement restrictions can be eased, as mayors across the country have claimed over the past 48 hours. Their concerns have proven justified.
The Israeli army reports a possible prolonged confrontation with Iran that could last for weeks or even months, as well as a much longer conflict with "Hezbollah" in Lebanon, which offers no comfort to anyone.
"An attack on Iran prevented World War III," Trump believes.
US President Donald Trump, in the Oval Office of the White House, criticizes Congresswoman Ilhan Omar before moving on to discuss the war with Iran.
Here are some of his statements:
- Trump claims that if he had not "destroyed" Iran's nuclear program, "they would have had nuclear weapons a month after this bombing, and they would have used it against Israel and the entire Middle East."
- "A nuclear war could have escalated into World War III, and, more importantly, it would have been a war after which nothing would remain," Trump added, emphasizing that "we did a great job."
- "Iran must not possess nuclear weapons. They have no navy, no air force. They have no anti-aircraft weapons. They have no effective leadership."
"My main problem is that I don't know who we are negotiating with because no one has ever heard of most of these people; they are all dead."
"We are doing this not just for ourselves, but for the whole world."
Trump's call for sending Chinese warships touches a delicate issue for Xi Jinping — Bloomberg.
The US president's demand to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz is likely to be rejected by Beijing. Nevertheless, it raises an important question discussed among Chinese foreign policy experts — should Xi Jinping deploy armed forces to influence the geopolitical situation?
China has not participated in major wars for nearly half a century, and there are no signs that it is prepared to engage in an operation so risky that even US allies are avoiding it. Although Trump threatened to postpone the upcoming summit in Beijing if Xi does not make concessions, Chinese state media dismissed his demands as an attempt to shift responsibility for "the war that Washington started and cannot finish."
"What if Iran attacks the US Navy but accidentally hits Chinese ships?" asked Wu Xinbo, a scholar leading the Center for American Studies at Fudan University and a former advisor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Why should we get involved in this mess? The risk is too high."
Nevertheless, Wu Xinbo and others see a rare strategic opportunity to create a world order more aligned with China's interests as Trump undermines the rules-based system established by the US after World War II.
While most of them support a multilateral system centered on the UN that provides more influence to developing economies, opinions are beginning to diverge on the extent to which Beijing should use its economic, diplomatic, and military power to protect its interests abroad.
Supporters of a more active policy of the People's Republic of China are calling on Xi Jinping to expand military presence abroad, revise the long-standing doctrine of non-interference in the affairs of other countries, and intensify efforts to ultimately bring Taiwan under Beijing's jurisdiction.
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