Iran launched fresh missile and drone strikes across the Middle East, defying a crude ultimatum from US President Donald Trump to reopen a vital oil shipping lane.
TEHRAN: Iran launched fresh attacks across the Middle East on Monday. The strikes targeted Israel, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates with missiles and drones.
Tehran’s central military command threatened “much more devastating” retaliation. This warning followed President Donald Trump’s expletive-laden demand for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump threatened to destroy Iran’s civilian infrastructure if it did not comply. He set a new deadline for Tuesday evening, declaring it would be “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day” in Iran.
The war erupted on February 28 with deadly US-Israeli strikes on Tehran. It has since engulfed the region and sent global energy prices soaring.
Oil prices opened higher in early Asian trading following the escalation. US benchmark West Texas Intermediate rose 1.86% to USD 113.62 a barrel.
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused Trump of following Israeli commands. “Our whole region is going to burn because you insist on following Netanyahu’s commands,” he posted on social media.
Russia also condemned Trump’s threat, urging Washington to abandon “the language of ultimatums”. The call came during a conversation between the Russian and Iranian foreign ministers.
The conflict cast a shadow over Easter celebrations. Pope Leo XIV used his first Easter blessing to urge world leaders to “choose peace”.
Amid the tensions, Trump celebrated the rescue of a wounded US airman inside Iran. US special forces extracted the weapons systems officer after his fighter jet went down.
Iran’s military claimed it destroyed four US aircraft involved in the rescue operation. Iranian media reported five people were killed during the incident.
The United Arab Emirates said its air defences were responding to a new missile and drone attack. A presidential adviser warned Iran that targeting Arab neighbours would “concretize the American role”.
Israel’s army said it identified a fresh wave of missiles launched from Iran. It also reported completing strikes against “regime targets” in Tehran.
On another front, Lebanon has been increasingly dragged into the conflict. Israel has struck back against Iran-backed Hezbollah and pushed forces into southern Lebanon.
UN peacekeepers in Lebanon warned that attacks near their positions “could potentially draw return fire”. The Israeli military said a missile hit a residential building in Haifa, wounding four people.