New joint Israeli-US strikes hit oil storage facilities and refineries in the Iranian capital Tehran, causing large fires in parts of the city. The strikes were the first to directly target Tehran’s oil facilities since the outbreak of hostilities between the two sides.
International media reported that explosions and fires from the strikes were widely visible in the city, as Iranian forces tried to control the situation. Many civilians were also reported to have been injured in the attacks.
A senior Iranian official, Ali Larijani, accused the US of inciting a war that could destabilize the region. He said Washington would “pay the price” for its war, arguing that the US was failing to achieve its goals in the war.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has threatened to escalate attacks on Iran if Tehran does not stop its attacks on US allies. Trump also offered condolences to US soldiers killed in the ongoing war.
Tensions have escalated in the Middle East, with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates reporting new attacks by Iran, despite Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologising for past attacks on their neighbours and promising to end them.
Meanwhile, a large crowd attended a funeral for children and other civilians killed in the strikes, including a two-year-old girl named Zaynab Sahebi, who died in one of the attacks.
The escalating conflict has created great fear in the region, with political experts warning that the conflicts could escalate into a wider war that spreads across the Middle East if a quick diplomatic solution is not found.
