News Desk
TEHRAN: Iran has unleashed a barrage of missiles on Israel in retaliation for the martyrdom of security chief Ali Larijani and all other martyrs, claiming to have killed 200 Israelis in the strikes. According to Iranian media, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched intense attacks on Tel Aviv following Larijani’s assassination, asserting that 100 missiles struck their targets, resulting in 200 Israeli casualties including both killed and wounded.
Iranian state TV reported that Tel Aviv was targeted with missiles carrying cluster warheads in response to Larijani’s martyrdom, with Israeli military installations also coming under fire. The IRGC claimed that missiles hit over 100 targets in the new wave of attacks, killing and wounding 200 Israelis. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported only two deaths and several wounded in the Iranian strikes.
The region has been shaken as Iran also launched missile and drone attacks on Dubai, Kuwait and Doha, intensifying its campaign against Gulf states amid the ongoing war with the US and Israel. Reports indicate that Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have claimed to intercept multiple missile and drone attacks in recent hours. Qatar’s Defense Ministry stated that one missile was destroyed in the air, while Kuwait’s National Guard confirmed shooting down a drone. The UAE activated its air defense systems, with explosions heard in various areas including Dubai, which officials attributed to defensive operations. Saudi Arabia announced the destruction of a drone in its eastern region, while Bahrain has claimed to thwart hundreds of missile and drone attacks since the war began.
According to reports, Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones toward Gulf states since the war started on February 28, with a significant number attempting to target the UAE. These attacks have resulted in loss of life in the region while deeply impacting economies, with energy production affected and tourism and air travel severely disrupted. Experts say the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has led to a significant drop in oil production, with Middle East daily output falling from 21 million barrels to 14 million barrels, increasing pressure on the global economy.
On another front, US media citing sources claimed that the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford has begun withdrawing from the Iran conflict and heading back to port, following earlier reports that the carrier had caught fire. According to an American newspaper, it took over 30 hours to extinguish the fire in the main laundry area of the USS Gerald Ford, which injured two US soldiers, though the ship’s engine sustained no damage. Over 600 soldiers were displaced from their berths due to the fire.
Missile and drone attacks continue on US bases in Gulf countries including Qatar, Iraq and the UAE. A drone attack near the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, activated defense systems, with Arab media reporting that the drone crashed inside the American embassy compound.
