As the US-Israel-Iran war entered its 11th day on Tuesday, March 10, United States President Donald Trump said that the war would not last very long while also pledging to hit Iran “twenty times harder” if it disrupts oil trade in the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile Iran reported its heaviest ever air raids since the start of the war on February 28, with dozens of explosions being heard in Tehran. Reports also mentioned a US military strike on a school and residential area in Khomeyn.
Iran’s foreign ministry also announced that while that China, France, and Russia have reached out regarding a ceasefire, Tehran will not return to the negotiating table unless it receives guarantees that aggressions against the state will not continue.
Trump says war will be over soon
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the war against Iran could be short-lived, but he left open the possibility of an escalation in fighting if global oil supplies are disrupted by the Islamic Republic, which chose a new hard-line supreme leader.
Meanwhile, dozens of explosions were heard in Tehran in what was considered the heaviest air raid on the capital since the war started on February 28. Iranian media did not report on damages and casualties.
Israel said on Monday that it was carrying out “a wide-scale wave of strikes” on the Iranian city of Isfahan, as well as Tehran and in southern Iran. The Israeli military said it hit dozens of infrastructure sites, including the drone headquarters of the Revolutionary Guard.
Iran’s Mehr news agency reported a US missile attack on a school in the central city of Khomeyn. Several residential places were also reportedly damaged near the attack site identified as Dr Hafez Khomeni School.
There was no immediate report of casualties.
Iran intensifies retaliatory strikes, rules out ceasefire negotiations
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched the 33rd wave of Operation Promise 4, and vowed to use its heaviest missiles – those weighing one ton or more – against Israel and US targets, Al Jazeera reported.
Further, Iran’s foreign ministry said that while that China, France, and Russia have reached out regarding a ceasefire, Tehran will not return to the negotiating table unless it receives guarantees that aggressions against the state will not continue.
Hezbollah launches attacks on Israeli troops
Hezbollah has claimed to have launched several attacks on Israeli troops in southern parts of Lebanon and said its fighters ambushed Israeli soldiers on the outskirts of the city of Khiam and scored hits on three Merkava tanks, according to a report in Al Jazeera.
Earlier, the group fired two volleys of rockets at Israeli forces in the town of Merkaba and carried out an artillery attack on Israeli forces in the Khanouq area of the village of Aitaroun. It also claimed a rocket attack on Israeli soldiers in the Kahil Heights on the eastern outskirts of the border town of Maroun al-Ras.
Pro-Iraninan militia base in Iraq hit
The 40th brigade of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in Iraq’s Kirkuk came under attack, killing five people and injuring 18 others, Al Jazeera Arabic reported. However, it is unclear who launched the attack.
The PMF is an an Iranian-backed paramilitary umbrella group that operates within Iraq. It is composed of about 67 primarily Shia armed factions, almost all of which are Iranian-backed and openly pledge allegiance to the supreme leader of Iran.
Australia grants asylum to five Iranian women’s footballers
Australia has granted asylum to five members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who were visiting the country for a tournament when the Iran war began, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on March 10.
The announcement followed days of urging by Iranian groups in Australia and by US President Donald Trump for the Australian government to offer help to the women, who had not spoken publicly about a wish to claim asylum. The team drew widespread speculation and news coverage in Australia when players did not sing the Iranian anthem before their first match.
In the early hours of Tuesday local time, Australian federal police officers transported five of the women from their hotel in Gold Coast, Australia “to a safe location” after they made asylum requests.
LPG shortage hits Indian eateries, warn closure within days
India’s oil ministry has constituted a committee to examine supply issues after a sudden shortage of commercial LPG cylinders alarmed the hospitality sector, with restaurant associations warning that eateries could shut down within days if supplies are not restored.
As the widening conflict in the Middle East disrupted fuel lifelines, including India’s LPG supplies, the government has prioritised domestic cooking gas supplies to households. This has led to supply crunch for hotels and restaurants which use market priced commercial LPG.
“For LPG supply to other non-domestic sectors, a committee of three Executive Directors (EDs) of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have been constituted to review the representations for LPG supply to restaurants/hotels/other industries,” the ministry said.
(With inputs from agencies.)
