Iran has threatened to add energy facilities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to its list of potential targets in response to US threats against its civilian infrastructure. According to the Tasnim news agency, citing a military source, if Iranian infrastructure is attacked, these neighboring states' energy installations will be targeted, escalating regional tensions.
The remarks came after US President Donald Trump threatened to destroy "a whole civilization" should Iran fail to comply with his ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade of Gulf oil through this strategic waterway has shaken the global economy, and Trump allegedly threatened to intensify the war on Iran, which the US is conducting alongside Israel, by destroying every bridge and power plant in the country.
Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref stated on X that the country is prepared for all possibilities. He wrote, "National security and infrastructure sustainability are the subject of our precise calculations. The government has finalised the necessary measures in detail for all scenarios. No threat is beyond our preparedness and intelligence," highlighting Tehran's defiant stance.
As the deadline approached, strikes on Iran intensified, hitting railway and road bridges, an airport, and a petrochemical plant. US forces also attacked targets on Kharg Island, home to Iran's main oil export terminal. Gulf states have been on edge, with Iran conducting intermittent attacks against US bases and infrastructure in the region since the war began last month, raising fears of broader conflict.
In response, the operator of Bahrain's Khalifa Bin Salman Port announced a temporary suspension of operations around the time Trump's deadline passes. The US State Department issued a shelter-in-place order for all US citizens in Bahrain until further notice and advised against travel for Hajj or to Riyadh. Kuwait's Ministry of Interior urged people to stay home overnight as a "precautionary measure," while the King Fahd Causeway linking Saudi Arabia and Bahrain closed multiple times due to security alerts.
Explosions were reported across the region: rockets were fired towards a US diplomatic facility near Baghdad airport, with blasts heard in the Iraqi capital. Over Bahrain and the UAE, explosions were also reported. The UAE's Ministry of Defence stated on X that it is currently dealing with missile and drone attacks coming from Iran, and Qatar reported intercepting a missile attack on its territory, underscoring the widespread impact of the escalating crisis.
Source: www.aljazeera.com