17:45 – Netanyahou orders Israeli army to expand security zone in southern Lebanon
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday that he had ordered the Israeli army to “expand the existing security zone” in southern Lebanon, where they are conducting operations against the pro-Iranian Hezbollah.
“In Lebanon, I have now ordered to further expand the existing security zone to definitively neutralize the invasion threat and remove anti-tank missile fire from the border,” said Benjamin Netanyahu in a video.
17:40 – Kuwait: 10 soldiers injured in an attack on their camp
Ten Kuwaiti soldiers were injured in an attack on a site of the armed forces of the small Gulf monarchy, the Kuwaiti army said in a statement on Sunday.
“In the past 24 hours, the armed forces detected 14 ballistic missiles and 12 hostile drones in Kuwaiti airspace,” the armed forces said. “One of these attacks targeted a camp of the armed forces, injuring 10 members who are receiving necessary care and causing material damage to the site,” the same source added.
15:43 – Israel says it struck a key ballistic missile production site in Tehran
The Israeli army announced on Sunday that it had struck one of the two sites used by the Ministry of Defense in Tehran to produce ballistic missile components, on the 30th day of the Middle East war triggered by an Israeli-American offensive against the Islamic Republic.
During Saturday night, the Israeli Air Force “struck a central site used by the Iranian Ministry of Defense to produce essential components of ballistic missiles,” said a military statement. “This site is one of only two in Iran where elements were being developed for the assembly and operational deployment of missiles capable of being launched towards the state of Israel,” the army added.
It also said it targeted “dozens of other weaponry production sites,” including sites producing ballistic missile engines owned by the Ministry of Defense, and “a key site” used by the Iranian army for the development of air defense systems.
14:26 – Bahrain bans nighttime navigation in its territorial waters in the face of Iranian aggression
The Interior Ministry of Bahrain announced on Sunday the ban on nighttime navigation in the face of “Iran’s blatant aggression,” in reference to the strikes on this small archipelago in the Arabian Peninsula and its Gulf neighbors for over a month.
The navigation ban, which takes effect “today and until further notice,” spans from 6:00 PM to 4:00 AM local time, the ministry said in a statement.
13:55 – Iran threatens to target the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier if it approaches firing range
The head of the Iranian army’s navy, Shahram Irani, stated on Sunday that the USS Abraham Lincoln would be targeted if it came within firing range.
“As soon as the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is within firing range, we will avenge the blood of the martyrs of the Dena ship by launching various types of sea-to-sea missiles,” he threatened, cited by the state television, in reference to the frigate sunk by the United States on March 4.
11:00 – Iranian Parliament president claims Washington is preparing a ground attack
The President of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, claimed on Sunday that the United States was planning a ground offensive while publicly conducting diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war.
“The enemy is publicly sending negotiation and dialogue messages, while secretly planning a ground offensive,” Ghalibaf stated in a communique relayed by the Irna official news agency.
09:15 – Iran claims attacks on major industrial sites in the Gulf
Iran claimed responsibility on Sunday for attacks on two of the world’s largest aluminum plants in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, raising fears of major disruptions to the global economy after a month of war in the Middle East.
The Revolutionary Guards claimed missile and drone attacks that damaged Aluminum Bahrain (Alba) and Emirates Global Aluminium (Ega) on Saturday. Both companies faced significant production disruptions due to supply chain disturbances caused by Iran’s blockade of the strategic Hormuz Strait. Ega reported significant damages at its Al Taweelah plant in Abu Dhabi.
08:46 – Iran condemns Israel for the death of three Lebanese journalists
The Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, condemned on Sunday the Israeli strike that killed three Lebanese journalists, including a prominent correspondent for Hezbollah’s al-Manar channel.
These deaths are considered a “targeted assassination” and a “flagrant violation of international law,” Araghchi stated on his official Telegram channel.
08:13 – American and Israeli strikes hit an Iranian port near the Strait of Hormuz
American and Israeli strikes hit a quay at an Iranian port near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, resulting in five deaths, according to the official news agency Irna.
“The American-Zionist enemy carried out a criminal attack on the Bandar Khamir quay, causing five deaths and four injuries,” Irna reported.
06:30 – Overnight news highlights
- The Pentagon is preparing for ground operations in Iran, as reported by the Washington Post on Saturday, citing American officials, as the United States strengthens its posture in the Middle East. This comes as the USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship arrives in the region, announced by the US Army. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on Friday that the US could achieve its goals in Iran without deploying troops on the ground.
