Israel conducted airstrikes on southern Lebanon, Beirut, and an oil storage facility in Tehran amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a strong warning, hinting at surprises in the next phase of the conflict. In response, Iran targeted a desalination plant in Bahrain.
Earlier the same day, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticized a US airstrike that damaged an Iranian desalination plant on Qeshm Island, emphasizing that the US initiated the aggression. The desalination plant plays a crucial role in providing drinking water in the arid Gulf region.
An Israeli attack on an oil storage facility in Tehran resulted in massive fires lighting up the night sky on Saturday, marking the first time a civilian industrial site has been hit during the ongoing war.
Since the conflict erupted on February 28 after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, casualties have been reported with at least 1,230 deaths in Iran, over 300 in Lebanon, and around a dozen in Israel. Meanwhile, Iran’s president vowed to intensify attacks on American targets across the Middle East as the US and Israel continue their aerial bombardment.
President Masoud Pezeshkian affirmed Iran’s stance of retaliating against any aggression, stating that the country will not yield to pressure or intimidation. He clarified previous conciliatory remarks towards Gulf nations, emphasizing that Iran does not seek conflict with its neighboring Arab countries.
The aftermath of the airstrikes was visible in Iran’s capital as smoke filled the sky on Sunday morning. Reports indicated that the strikes targeted four oil storage facilities and an oil production transfer center in Tehran and Alborz, resulting in the deaths of four tanker drivers at the center.
