Countries in the Middle East continue to report missile and drone attacks amid the expanding war in the region, writes UNN.
Iraq and Kuwait
An oil tanker exploded in Iraq. As AP notes, an Iraqi navy security official reported that a Bahamas-flagged oil tanker exploded on Thursday while docked at the port of Khor al-Zubair in southern Iraq. According to the source, at 1:20 local time, a small unidentified boat approached the tanker shortly before an explosion occurred near the vessel's port side. The cause of the explosion and the extent of the damage are not yet clear.
Meanwhile, CNN reports that a tanker anchored off the coast of Kuwait took on water after a "strong explosion," according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), an organization that monitors maritime security. The vessel was anchored 30 nautical miles southeast of Kuwait's Mubarak al-Kabeer province, the UKMTO statement said, adding that the ship's captain reported a "strong explosion on the port side, after which he saw a small vessel leave the area." Although the vessel took on water, there were no fires, and the crew was safe.
This report came after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced a confrontation with what it claims was an American oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf, and Iranian media also published a video allegedly showing the incident.
Also on Thursday, the state-run Iraqi News Agency reported that an attempt to launch missiles from an area in Iraq's southern Basra province, "aimed at a neighboring country," was thwarted, and that security forces seized a mobile launcher with two missiles ready for launch, AP writes.
UAE
The Ministry of Defense of the United Arab Emirates stated on Thursday that one ballistic missile and six drones hit the country's territory. The ministry's statement also said that six missiles and 131 drones were repelled on Thursday, and since the beginning of the war, 181 out of 196 ballistic missiles and 1001 out of 1072 drones have been destroyed.
Earlier this week, debris from intercepted cruise missiles killed three local residents, and in recent days, shrapnel injured 94 people, the statement said.
Saudi Arabia
Sky News reported that smoke was rising in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after diplomats were ordered to take cover. "Eyewitnesses report smoke in the northern part of the Saudi capital. Some time ago, diplomats and embassy staff in Riyadh's diplomatic quarter, Al-Safarat, were ordered to take cover due to a potential threat," the publication writes. This is the first incident reported today in Riyadh.
Bahrain
Since the beginning of the conflict, Bahrain's air defense has destroyed 75 missiles and 123 drones, the Bahraini Armed Forces command reported on Thursday, The Guardian notes.
The General Command urged residents to stay home and not go outside unless absolutely necessary.
Qatar
Qatar, as AP indicates, reported an attack by Iranian missiles and drones. "Qatar's Ministry of Defense reported that 14 ballistic missiles and four drones were launched at the country. According to its data, air defense intercepted all drones and 13 missiles, and the 14th fell into the sea off the coast of Qatar," the publication states.
Israel
Israel also reported intercepting new missiles launched towards the country from Iran.
Rescuers provided assistance after a projectile fired from Iran landed today in Bareket, east of Tel Aviv.
And the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the launch of missiles at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
Iran
Explosions also rocked Tehran this morning, the semi-official state news agency Tasnim reported.
"Bombing everywhere - north, south, east, west. It seems they are going for everything and everyone," a local resident told CNN.
According to state media, Tehran's iconic Azadi sports complex was subjected to an American-Israeli attack. The strike, it was stated, hit the Azadi complex's 12,000-seat indoor multi-purpose stadium. It is mainly used for volleyball, wrestling, and futsal. Tehran's Persepolis football club issued a statement condemning the attack, saying that sports facilities symbolize peace and fair competition.
The complex was built by the Iranian architectural firm AFFA for the 1974 Asian Games, which were the first Asian Games held in the Middle East.
As Sky News notes, video shows serious damage to the stadium in the Iranian capital: rubble covers the lobby in front of the stadium, and dark smoke billows from the burned structure.
Iran International reported that the Islamic Republic used some stadiums and arenas in various cities as gathering points for military and security forces.
Israel, "which is behind the strike on the stadium in Tehran," stated on X that the venue was used by the Iranian regime's "repressive forces," Sky News notes.
The Israel Defense Forces reported that it had completed its 12th wave of strikes on Tehran and throughout Iran.
"During the strikes in Alborz province, the headquarters of a special unit of the Iranian terrorist regime, responsible for all internal security forces, was attacked. The headquarters commands all special units of the Iranian regime in the province and serves to lead the regime's armed forces. In other areas of Tehran, the Israel Defense Forces struck additional targets belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij organization, as well as the central command center of the internal security armed forces. Dozens of command centers and additional facilities that served the regime for storing and producing various types of weapons were also attacked," the IDF stated.
Lebanon
Amid Israel fighting on a second front in Lebanon against Hezbollah, the country's military earlier today issued an urgent warning to residents of Beirut's southern suburbs, widely recognized as Hezbollah strongholds, urging them to evacuate their homes immediately.
"Any movement south could endanger your life," said IDF spokesman Avichay Adraee, signaling impending new strikes. "We will inform you at the appropriate time so you can return to your homes."
The evacuation order is the first time during this conflict that the Israeli military has called for the evacuation of wide areas of the Lebanese capital, Sky News notes. Previous evacuation warnings in Beirut concerned specific buildings that were then struck by the IDF. The latest order applies to four main areas in the city's southern suburb of Dahiyeh.
After this, Sky News reported that Israeli strikes hit residential areas of Beirut. Several of these strikes were carried out in the southern suburbs of the capital Beirut, which is widely recognized as a stronghold of Iran-backed militants. Images from the city show dark plumes of smoke rising into the sky and damage to residential buildings, as well as people carrying their belongings out of destroyed homes, the publication writes.
The Israel Defense Forces later indicated that they had "eliminated a Hamas commander responsible for training in Tripoli, Lebanon."
"This morning (Thursday), the Israeli Navy struck and eliminated the terrorist Wasim Attallah Ali in the Tripoli area. Wasim Attallah Ali served as a commander in the Hamas terrorist organization and was responsible for the training and instruction of Hamas's military wing in Lebanon. This is the first strike in this area since the start of Operation 'Roaring Lion,'" the IDF stated.
Also, the IDF reported that "the Israeli Air Force struck hundreds of launchers and neutralized over 300 ballistic missile launchers" since the start of Operation "Roaring Lion."
How many countries were affected
As AP notes, the war between the US, Israel, and Iran has already affected 14 other countries in the region and beyond: Lebanon, Syria, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey, Cyprus, Sri Lanka (off the coast), Oman, Azerbaijan.
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