The US-Israeli air campaign against Iran widened on Monday, drawing Lebanon into the fighting and triggering strikes across the Gulf and beyond. Israel struck back after Hezbollah attacks, while Iran launched missiles and drones at Israeli targets, Gulf states and a British air base in Cyprus.
Lebanese state news agency NNA reported at least 31 people killed and 149 wounded in Israeli strikes. Israel named Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem a “target for elimination” but said it was not planning a ground invasion of Lebanon at this stage.
The US military announced that Kuwaiti air defences had mistakenly shot down three US F-15E Strike Eagles during an Iranian attack. All six crew members ejected safely, were recovered and are in stable condition, Central Command said. Kuwait acknowledged the incident.
The fighting followed a weekend of heavy strikes that, according to the report, killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, widened the regional war and disrupted Gulf shipping. Energy markets opened sharply higher on Monday, with crude prices rising as the conflict threatened global supply and the economic recovery.
Iranian missiles and drones struck or threatened US allies in the Gulf. Smoke was seen over the US embassy in Kuwait amid a heavy security and emergency response. Explosions were reported in Dubai and Samha in the UAE and in Doha, Qatar. Saudi Arabia shut its largest domestic refinery, Ras Tanura, after a drone strike caused a fire; other oil and gas facilities in the region also halted operations as a precaution. In the first strike to reach US allies in Europe, an Iranian drone hit RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus; damage was reported as limited and there were no casualties.
Developments and reactions:
– India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke by phone with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman.
– Russia: President Vladimir Putin told UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed he would relay complaints about Iranian strikes to Tehran, saying the UAE had not been used as a base to attack Iran and that strikes on UAE territory were unjustified.
– UK: The Ministry of Defence said RAF Akrotiri sustained minimal damage from a suspected Iranian one-way drone with no casualties. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorized limited defensive use of British bases to protect UK lives and interests.
– IAEA: The UN nuclear watchdog said it had no indication any Iranian nuclear installations had been hit but had been unable to reach Iranian nuclear authorities.
– Iran: The Iranian Red Crescent said US-Israeli strikes had killed at least 555 people in Iran and struck 131 cities, according to its tally.
Casualties and military toll:
– US forces: The US military said three American service members were killed and five seriously wounded during US operations against Iran; a fourth service member later died of wounds sustained during Iran’s initial attacks. Central Command also confirmed the six US crew members from the downed F-15Es were recovered.
– Kuwait: Kuwait’s Defence Ministry reported several US warplanes crashed in the country but that all pilots survived and were hospitalized for checks.
– Maritime: At least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf and one seafarer was killed after a vessel was struck near Oman as Iranian retaliation affected commercial shipping.
Other incidents and claims:
– Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA alleged US-Israeli strikes had targeted the Natanz enrichment facility; neither the US nor Israel confirmed attacks at Natanz.
– Iraqi militia Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed a drone attack on US troops at Baghdad airport.
– Kuwait intercepted hostile drones on the third consecutive day of Iranian retaliatory strikes, with no reported injuries after air defences engaged threats near populated areas.
– Israel ordered residents in dozens of Lebanese towns to evacuate to at least 1 km from town centers amid expanded operations.
Economic effects:
– Oil prices jumped about 7% on Monday, reflecting fears of disruptions to supplies from the Gulf. West Texas Intermediate was trading around USD 72 per barrel early Monday, up from about USD 67 on Friday.
Diplomacy and next steps:
– World leaders engaged in calls and statements expressing concern and seeking to contain the escalation. The situation remained fluid, with continued strikes, air defence engagements and regional military movements raising the prospect of further escalation.
Reporting combined agency briefings and official statements. — With Agencies
