Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced the killing of Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib. Iranian authorities have not yet confirmed his death. This incident marks the latest assassination of a high-level Iranian official by Israel, following the deaths of Iran's top security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Basij unit Gholamreza Soleimani.
The Turkish Defense Ministry stated that the NATO alliance will deploy another US-made Patriot missile defense system at the Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey. This move comes after three ballistic missiles launched by Iran were shot down in Turkish airspace. Turkish officials have not harshly criticized Iran over the airspace violation but emphasized their right to respond. Iran, meanwhile, has denied launching missiles towards Turkey, calling it a 'false flag' operation by Israel.
The Lebanese Health Ministry updated the death toll from Israeli strikes on central Beirut, reporting at least 12 killed and 41 injured. The strikes hit the Basta, Zuqaq al-Blat, and Bachoura neighborhoods, destroying an entire building in Bachoura. These attacks occurred as Israel escalated its offensive against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia and followed Hezbollah rocket fire into northern Israel.
The Iranian judiciary, via its Mizan news agency, reported the execution of a man charged with spying for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency. Iranian authorities allege the man provided images and information on sensitive locations to Israel. Human rights groups have long criticized Iran for frequent executions, which critics say are often used to suppress dissent. According to the United Nations, over 1,000 people were executed in the country last year.
Iraq announced the partial resumption of oil exports via Turkey, which were heavily impacted by disruptions to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz caused by the war with Iran. The state-owned North Oil Company said it began operating the Sarlo pumping station to resume pumping and exporting Kirkuk oil to the port of Ceyhan with an initial capacity of 250,000 barrels per day. This resumption followed a disruptive period that posed significant challenges to the oil sector and was agreed upon with Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan Region. The Strait of Hormuz handles a fifth of global oil trade, leading to soaring prices.
Missile alerts sounded in Dubai early Wednesday as Iran continued retaliatory air strikes across the Gulf region. The Dubai Media Office said overnight explosions resulted from successful 'air interception operations,' with no casualties reported. Attacks were also reported in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Iranian strikes targeted locations where US forces were present and warned of global repercussions from the war.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported receiving information from Iran that its Bushehr nuclear power plant complex was hit by a 'projectile.' The agency stated there were no injuries and no damage to the plant but did not clarify the projectile type or origin. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi called for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent a nuclear accident risk. Bushehr is Iran's only operational nuclear power station, operated by Russian technicians from Rosatom.
An Iranian missile barrage killed two people near Tel Aviv, according to medics. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said these strikes were retaliation for the killing of senior security official Ali Larijani in an Israeli attack. Police reported a residential building in Ramat Gan was likely struck by a cluster munition, with falling munitions damaging multiple sites across central Israel, including a railway station. Israeli police said bomb disposal experts were operating at several impact sites in the Tel Aviv district.
Source: www.dw.com