US strikes Iran after pause in attacks

The United States has said it is conducting airstrikes in Iran, ending a lull of several days in direct US attacks on targets in the country. The US military described its attacks as a "powerful response to yesterday's attempted Iranian attacks on US forces based in the Middle East," as reported by The Guardian — World.

Three explosions were heard on Iran's Qeshm island, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, as cited by The Guardian — World. The Gulf island near the Strait of Hormuz is a storage location for Iranian attack craft, drones, sea mines and other materials used to disrupt shipping through the vital energy route. Iranian media reported that a residential area on the island was hit, with three civilians killed and two children wounded, according to Reuters, as cited by Dawn.

US President Donald Trump said America would strike Iran hard, telling reporters in the Oval Office: "We're going to be hitting them very hard, because it's our turn to hit them. They know it's coming," as reported by The Guardian — World.

Iran responds, coalition plans announced

On Wednesday, Iran launched a barrage of missiles at American military installations in Jordan, marking its first attack in the region since the pause in fighting, The Guardian — World reported. Meanwhile, the US partnered with Saudi Arabia to strike Tehran-backed militias in Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters and six Iranian advisers, according to the same outlet. Iran's forces also claimed attacks on US-linked targets in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, Dawn reported.

Saudi Arabia on Thursday unveiled plans for a multinational maritime defence coalition to protect shipping and energy supply routes in the Red Sea region, Dawn reported. The Saudi defence ministry said chiefs of staff and representatives from 43 countries, along with the European Union delegation, attended a meeting out of 51 countries and organisations invited. Saudi Arabia would serve as the coalition's founding and leading state and host its permanent headquarters.

The announcement came as the Middle East war spread across new fronts, with US-Saudi strikes on Iran-aligned groups in Iraq, Iranian attacks on US-linked targets in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, and a drone strike on gas vessels at Egypt's Damietta port, Dawn reported.

Key claims

  • Three explosions were heard on Iran's Qeshm island, as reported by The Guardian — World, citing Iran's Tasnim news agency.
  • The US has said it is conducting airstrikes in Iran, as reported by The Guardian — World.
  • Iran launched a barrage of missiles at American military installations in Jordan, as reported by The Guardian — World.
  • The US partnered with Saudi Arabia to strike Tehran-backed militias in Iraq, killing at least 20 fighters and six Iranian advisers, as reported by The Guardian — World.
  • Drone strikes ignited fires on two natural gas vessels at the Egyptian port of Damietta, as reported by Dawn.
  • Oil prices spiked due to renewed hostilities, as reported by The Guardian — World.
  • Saudi Arabia is seeking to build an international coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea, as reported by both Dawn and The Guardian — World.
  • Iran says US strikes killed civilians and IRGC members, as reported by Dawn.
  • The US denies the Iranian claim of damage to F-35 jets in Jordan, as reported by Dawn.
  • Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned that the Middle East conflict was facing a serious escalation after the strike on the Egyptian port of Damietta, as reported by Dawn.

Escalation concerns in Egypt

Egypt said an initial investigation found that an unidentified drone caused a fire on two vessels at the Mediterranean port of Damietta on Wednesday, Dawn reported. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned that the Middle East conflict was facing a serious escalation after the strike.

Mediation efforts continue

Before Wednesday's flare-up of hostilities, mediators had expressed optimism about bringing the US and Iran back to the negotiating table following the collapse of an interim agreement amid renewed fighting over the Strait of Hormuz, The Guardian — World reported. A regional official quoted by the AP said mediators were "still trying with both sides" to restore calm and get the ceasefire back on track, without giving details on progress. Another official said regional countries would continue to push to de-escalate the situation, but prospects for successful mediation were slim as both sides continued to attack each other and showed no inclination to stop. "We're in a very bad place right now," the unnamed official said.