Iran targeted the world’s busiest international airport Wednesday and attacked commercial ships as US and Israeli strikes rocked Tehran, while the United Nations’ most powerful body demanded a halt to the Islamic Republic’s strikes on its Gulf neighbours that threaten global oil supplies.
The latest attacks marked an escalation in Iran’s campaign aimed at generating enough global economic pain to pressure the United States and Israel to end the war that started 12 days ago. But there were no signs that the conflict was letting up.
The first week of war with Iran cost the United States USD 11.3 billion, according to the Pentagon, which provided the estimate to Congress in a briefing earlier this week, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting. The military reported spending USD 5 billion on munitions alone in the war’s first weekend.
Both sides have dug in, hoping to outlast the other as the conflict upends trade routes, chokes supplies of fuel and fertiliser coming out of the Gulf and threatens air traffic through one of the world’s most-travelled regions.
Iran has targeted oil fields and refineries in Gulf Arab nations and effectively stopped cargo traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of all traded oil passes.
In response, the International Energy Agency agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil, the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in its history, in a bid to counter the war’s effects on energy markets. The US planned to release 172 million barrels of oil next week from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve to combat steep prices.
UN body demands Iran stop egregious attacks’ on Gulf nations
The UN Security Council voted Wednesday to approve a resolution demanding a halt to Iran’s “egregious attacks” on its Gulf neighbours.
Among the most recent attacks, four people were wounded after two Iranian drones hit near Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, though flights continued, the Dubai Media Office said. Firefighters extinguished a blaze early Thursday at a luxury apartment tower in Dubai Creek Harbor after an Iranian drone strike.
Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior said Iranian-linked attacks targeted fuel tanks at a facility in Muharraq Governorate, northeast of the country’s capital, Manama, while crews at Oman’s Port of Salalah battled a blaze at fuel storage tanks there, according to the Oman News Agency.
“The international community is resolute in rejecting these Iranian attacks against sovereign countries that are threatening the stability of the peoples, especially in a region of strategic importance to global economy, energy, security and security of global trade,” said Bahrain’s UN ambassador, Jamal Alrowaiei.
The 13-0 vote in the UN’s most powerful body reflects Iran’s isolated position as it has aggressively responded to Israeli and US strikes. China and Russia — two Iranian allies — abstained from the vote. Their UN ambassadors called the proposal “extremely unbalanced” in not mentioning the strikes against Tehran that began the war.
Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said it might leave the impression that Iran, “on its own volition and out of malice, conducted an unprovoked attack on Arab states.” Iranian UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani said the resolution “deliberately ignores the root causes of the current crisis.” Meanwhile, more attacks in Gulf countries were reported.
Drones were launched toward the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, while in the southern part of the country, an oil vessel flying the Australian flag was struck near Khor Al-Zubair Port, according to two Iraqi navy officials who also spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly.
The official said 25 members of the crew were rescued. It was not immediately clear whether any others were missing.
Explosions rock Jerusalem while Lebanon hit by Israeli strikes
On Thursday, sirens wailed and loud explosions were heard shortly after midnight in Jerusalem and other parts of Israel. The Israeli military said it was responding with another “wide-scale wave of strikes” in Tehran.
The fallout across the Middle East widened as Israel also struck what it said were targets connected to Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
An Israeli strike hit a car Thursday in Ramlet al-Bayda, a major seaside tourist area on the eastern side of Beirut where dozens of displaced people have been sheltering. Seven people were killed and 21 others were wounded, the Lebanese Health Ministry said. Israel’s military did not immediately respond to a request for information.
Blasts shook Beirut’s southern suburbs Wednesday, producing fires and plumes of smoke. Israel’s military said the strikes were in response to Hezbollah firing dozens of rockets fired simultaneously across northern Israel. It marked some of the heaviest fighting between the two since the war began.
One rocket hit a house near the Israeli town of Karmiel, lightly injuring two people, according to Israeli rescue services. At least 634 people have been killed in Lebanon since the latest fighting began, the Lebanese Health Ministry said Wednesday. The UN refugee agency said at least 759,000 people have been internally displaced in Lebanon.
Iranian authorities say more than 1,300 people have been killed there, and Israel has reported 12 people dead. The US has lost seven soldiers while another eight have suffered severe injuries.
US pledges to keep strait open
The United States has pledged to keep the strait open and has led intense airstrikes targeting Iran’s navy and the port city of Bandar Abbas. The US military said Tuesday it destroyed 16 Iranian minelayers near the strait.
At least 12 incidents involving vessels around the strait have been confirmed since fighting began, according to two global trackers, and at least seven mariners have been killed.
A projectile hit a Thai cargo ship off the coast of Oman in the strait, setting it ablaze. Authorities are searching for three missing crew members from the Mayuree Naree after 20 were rescued by the Omani navy, according to Thailand’s Marine Department.
