Middle East awoke to a wave of new strikes - what you need to know
Kyiv • UNN
Residents of the Persian Gulf countries awoke to explosions after night attacks, in which Hezbollah intervened in the conflict. Explosions were recorded in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, Lebanon, Israel, Kuwait, Iran, and Cyprus.
Residents of the Persian Gulf countries woke up on Monday morning to new explosions after a night of attacks across the region, with Iran-backed Hezbollah intervening in the escalating conflict, CNN reports, writes UNN.
Details
Explosions were reported in major cities of the Persian Gulf – Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha heard explosions on Monday morning local time. In the Qatari capital, rockets were seen seemingly intercepted in the sky. In Dubai, "two explosions in a row" were heard, planes flying overhead, and what appeared to be interceptors.
Bahrain: According to the Bahraini Ministry of Interior, sirens sounded over the country.
Lebanon: Israeli forces launched a series of strikes on Lebanon early Monday morning, including the capital Beirut. The Israeli military stated that it struck "high-ranking Hezbollah terrorists in the Beirut area" and issued evacuation orders for 52 settlements in the south of the country. Video geolocated by CNN shows the top floor of a building in Ghobeiry, southern Beirut, on fire. Israel has vowed to intensify strikes on Lebanon.
Israel: Iran launched a new volley of missiles at Israel on Monday, the Israeli military command reported. Hezbollah and Israel also exchanged strikes overnight after Hezbollah claimed to have launched "rockets and a swarm of drones" at an Israeli military base south of Haifa "in revenge" for the killing of Iran's supreme leader. The Israeli military also stated that it intercepted a projectile fired from Lebanon and that another fell in an open area.
Kuwait: Loud explosions were heard over Kuwait early Monday morning local time as air defense systems intercepted "hostile drones" approaching the country "by sea," state media reported.
Iran: Numerous explosions were recorded overnight in the Iranian capital Tehran and other cities. On Sunday, patients were evacuated from a hospital in northern Tehran, which suffered significant damage from the strikes, Iranian state media reported.
Cyprus: The UK Ministry of Defence stated that it responded to a suspected drone strike on a British military base on the Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus.
Three days have passed since the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, which killed the country's supreme leader, high-ranking military and political figures, a growing list, and more than 150 girls in an elementary school, CNN notes.
Iran's retaliatory actions were swift and extensive, with strikes targeting almost all of its neighbors, many of which are US-allied Persian Gulf countries, usually considered safe and luxurious vacation destinations for tourists and expats. Casualties and destruction were reported in the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
At least three American servicemen were killed in a suspected drone strike in Kuwait, and US President Trump warned that there could be many more military casualties, citing Pentagon forecasts.
On Sunday, Trump stated that the war could last four to five weeks.
Trump: US operation against Iran designed for 4-5 weeks02.03.26, 07:15 • 4408 views
In a video message posted on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump praised the scale of the joint US-Israeli operation against Iran, launched on Saturday.
"Over the past 36 hours, the United States and its partners have launched Operation Epic Fury, one of the largest, most complex, and most extensive military operations the world has ever seen," the US president said in a six-minute video address.
In his video, Trump stated that the attacks hit hundreds of targets and destroyed a significant portion of Iran's navy. "The entire military command is also gone," he said, claiming that many in the Iranian military are now seeking to surrender.
Trump stated that members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who lay down their arms would be granted "full immunity," while those who refuse "will face certain death."
Meanwhile, according to a CNN source, American officials are preparing for potential suicide attacks, as well as new retaliatory missile strikes on American facilities and personnel abroad in response to the military operation in Iran.
Trump stated that the US sank nine Iranian naval vessels and largely destroyed the country's naval headquarters. One Iranian naval vessel attacked on Saturday is now "sinking to the bottom of the Gulf of Oman," the US Central Command reported.
Germany, Great Britain, and France stated that they agreed to cooperate with the US and other allies in response to Iran's missile attacks. Great Britain agreed to a US request to allow American troops to use its military bases for operations against Iranian missile installations.
Trump stated that Iran's new leaders "want to talk," and a senior White House official told CNN that he would "eventually" talk to the potential new leadership. However, Iran's chief national security representative, Ali Larijani, stated that the country "will not negotiate with the United States." Oman, which mediates between Washington and Tehran, previously stated that Iran is open to "any serious efforts that contribute to de-escalation and restoration of stability."
When asked who he would like to see lead Iran, Trump told the New York Times: "I have three very good options." Trump told ABC News that the candidates named by the US who could lead Iran were killed in Saturday's strike.
Oil futures rose sharply in early trading after the start of hostilities, while stock futures fell.
The attacks caused widespread travel delays, with countries scrambling to develop evacuation strategies for stranded citizens.