According to preliminary data, the total number of those killed exceeds 40, including high-ranking officials and military personnel.
Media photo. Saeed Jalili appointed Secretary of Iran's Security Council following the death of Ali Larijani
Tehran officially announced the appointment of Saeed Jalili as Secretary of the Security Council of Iran following the death of Ali Larijani.
The escalation of the conflict continues, and both sides are attacking energy facilities in the region. In Qatar, the industrial zone of Ras Laffan was targeted by missiles, causing significant damage and a fire. There are currently no reports of casualties.
According to QatarEnergy's press service, liquefied natural gas plants are located in Ras Laffan.
It was later reported that one of the five missiles fired from Iran fell in Ras Laffan, while the other four were intercepted by Qatari defense forces.
Tehran threatened to attack energy facilities in the Gulf countries following a strike on its largest gas field.
On Wednesday, Iranian authorities reported an attack on South Pars — part of the largest gas field that Iran shares with Qatar. This strike was the first on Iranian energy infrastructure since the onset of the conflict with the USA and Israel and may lead to further escalation, as noted by the Financial Times.
Iranian officials reported damage to four sections of the petrochemical complex in South Pars, but the extent of the damage is still unclear.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned after the strike on South Pars of possible attacks on oil and gas facilities in other Gulf countries, listing specific targets in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar that could be attacked in the coming hours.
The attack on South Pars led to a 5-6% increase in oil and gas prices, notes the Financial Times.
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud stated that "Iran is mistaken if it thinks that the Gulf countries will not be able to respond to its attacks."
Last night, Iran attacked US bases in Kuwait, the UAE, and Bahrain using missiles and drones, according to Press TV.
Qatar declared two Iranian attachés persona non grata, according to information from the emirate's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to pro-government media reports, three private planes at Ben Gurion Airport were damaged as a result of Iran's airstrike.
Iran plans to impose a 10% tariff on all vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which could bring in $73 billion a year and compensate for the damage from US attacks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, urging the European Union to demand that the USA and Israel cease military aggression. He also discussed the situation with his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi, calling on the international community to take decisive action against attacks on Iran.
According to information from Reuters, the USA may send additional thousands of troops to the Middle East, including forces for operations against Iran. The Pentagon is requesting over $200 billion for military actions against Iran, reports The Washington Post citing its sources.
