Donald Trump, the President of the United States, announced that American armed forces "destroyed" Iranian military facilities on Harg Island, located off the southwestern coast of Iran. He also warned of the possibility of future attacks on oil infrastructures in the area.
The Iranian Fars agency reported that thick smoke was visible over Harg Island, however, Iranian military forces continue to operate despite Trump's statements about the destruction of military targets.
"The restoration of defensive structures on the island just an hour after the attacks debunked [Trump's] claims," Fars reports.
Additionally, a source at the scene reported that more than 15 explosions were recorded during the attacks on the island.
According to sources, the oil infrastructure was not damaged as a result of the attacks.
An Iranian military representative stated the intention to strike oil infrastructure linked to the US if their facilities are damaged.
The spokesperson for the Central Command of "Khatam al-Anbia" published a statement that appears to be a response to Trump's words about the attack on Harg Island.
According to Iranian media reports, a military representative noted that in the event of attacks on Iranian oil infrastructure, "the entire energy structure belonging to companies with American interests in the region will be destroyed and turned to ash."
Earlier, Trump claimed that the US attacked Iranian military bases on Harg Island and warned of possible attacks on oil facilities in this region.
Meanwhile, a powerful explosion occurred at one of the largest oil refineries in Texas.
According to local sources, the explosion led to the ignition of tanks at the Bayport Choate petrochemical plant.
Firefighters have been battling the blaze for several hours. The causes of the incident have not yet been established, and authorities are considering various versions, including possible attacks from Mexican or Venezuelan drug cartels, or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Iran is also discussing the possibility of allowing a limited number of tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz if transactions are conducted in yuan, CNN reports.
According to the Associated Press, Iraqi officials confirmed a rocket attack on the helicopter pad of the US embassy in Baghdad.
Despite Trump's praise from the governments of several countries, private negotiations reveal "concern, if not fury," Bloomberg reports.
A leader from one of the Persian Gulf countries expressed despair over US actions in a conversation with a European counterpart and noted the lack of a clear plan from Trump. Another European leader expressed concern about the potential consequences of war for the global economy and security.
Iran denied reports of missile launches towards Turkey, calling it a provocation by the US and Israel, according to the Iranian armed forces.
Tehran considers it necessary to investigate incidents related to alleged missile launches from Iran towards Turkey.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported an attack on 10 sites where Israeli military personnel might have been located.
According to Bloomberg, the US has sent 10,000 Merops interceptor drones, which were tested in Ukraine, to the Middle East to protect against Iranian attacks, US Army Secretary Driscoll reported.
He stated that the drones were deployed within five days after the start of the US and Israeli operation against Iran.
Trump previously stated that the US does not need Ukraine's help to defend against drones.
Energy supply issues from the Persian Gulf will not be resolved anytime soon. While traders hoped for short-term disruptions in the early days after the attacks, they are now preparing for long-term consequences, The Wall Street Journal writes.
Traders' fears are linked to a sharp rise in oil prices — the cost of Brent crude futures has again exceeded $100 per barrel. The market is closely monitoring the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping has come under threat following the escalation of the conflict in the region.
Summary of recent events:
- Iraqi authorities confirmed that a rocket hit the helicopter pad of the US embassy in Baghdad.
- The Iranian Fars agency reported thick smoke over Harg Island following Trump's statement about the attack on military facilities.
- An Iranian military representative noted that if Iranian oil infrastructure is damaged, they will strike US-linked facilities in the region.
- Some Persian Gulf countries reported intercepts of aerial attacks from Iran, including Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Israel also reported missile attacks and intercepts.
- According to the Iranian Tasnim agency, a three-year-old child was killed as a result of a missile strike in Khuzestan province.
- The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported 12 medical workers killed as a result of an Israeli attack on a medical center in southern Lebanon.
With 2,500 Marines, the deployment of US ground forces has begun as part of the US-Israeli war against Iran.
Author: Roziland Jordan
Reporting from Washington, D.C., USA.
Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are heading from Okinawa, Japan, aboard the amphibious ship USS Tripoli.
From this ship, the Marines will be deployed to the "theater of war," whether for crisis response or to seize part of Iranian territory.
Thus, they become the first ground troops deployed during the US-Israeli war against Iran, although the Marines are also conducting operations at sea.
This indicates that the US is slowly ramping up its military forces and does not plan to conclude the conflict anytime soon.
As reported by the Wall Street Journal, in recent days five US Air Force refueling aircraft were damaged at a base in Saudi Arabia.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the damage was caused by an Iranian attack, the timing of which is not specified.
The US Central Command declined to comment on the situation.
In the United Arab Emirates, 10 people have been arrested for posting video materials on social media amid the conflict.
The UAE Attorney General reported the detention of 10 individuals for posting both real and "fake" videos showing attacks on the country on social media.
According to WAM, the videos included the deployment of air defense systems in the UAE or "shelling," as well as artificially generated or fabricated videos with fake explosions and attacks on well-known landmarks.
The prosecutor stated that posting such videos, "regardless of their authenticity," creates confusion and undermines public safety, as well as providing "hostile media" with materials to undermine trust in the government.
The defendants face a minimum sentence of one year in prison and a fine of 100,000 dirhams (approximately $27,224) for "intentional deception, threats to public safety, spreading terror among citizens, and undermining public order," WAM reports.
Israel reports missile attacks in northern Galilee.
According to the Israel Home Front Command on Telegram, a missile attack was recorded near Kfar Giladi, Kfar Yuval, and Metula at 04:22 local time (02:22 GMT) in the Galilee region in northern Israel.
Residents of the affected areas are advised to seek shelter in safe zones.
The Israeli public broadcaster KAN published photos of damaged vehicles reportedly affected by a "strike in Upper Galilee" on Friday morning.
Human rights organizations sharply criticized US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for his statement that Iran will receive "no mercy," as the US and Israel continue military actions against the country.
"We will continue to press. We will continue to advance, continue to move forward. No mercy, no compassion for our enemies," Hegseth told reporters on Friday.
In wartime terms, the phrase "no mercy" typically implies a refusal to take prisoners and cruel treatment of the opponent. Threats of "no mercy" are considered illegal under the Hague Convention and other international agreements.
Domestic US laws, such as the Military Crimes Act of 1996, also prohibit such actions. US military codes warn that the threat of "no mercy" is illegal.
Brian Finucane, a senior advisor at the International Crisis Group, expressed the opinion that Hegseth's comments contradict these standards.
"These statements are very alarming," Finucane noted in a conversation with Al Jazeera.
"They raise questions about how such belligerent, lawless rhetoric can be applied on the battlefield."
Details can be found here.
As a result of the Israeli attack on a Lebanese clinic, 12 people were killed, including medical staff and paramedics.
Author: Heidi Pett
Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon.
According to the Ministry of Health, since the beginning of the conflict, 773 people have died in the country, including 103 children, and more than 1,900 people have been injured.
Information has just come in from the Ministry of Health about an attack on a village in the south of the country. As a result of the strike, the Burj Kallawiya medical center was damaged, and 12 fatalities have been reported, including doctors and medical personnel.
These are only preliminary data; searches for the missing continue.
It is evident that the airstrikes have been extremely devastating, both in the south of the country and in the capital, Beirut.
The original publication War in Iran: Americans bomb Harg Island, Iranian military threatens to destroy oil infrastructure linked to the US was made on the K-News website.
