Saudi Arabia said early Saturday it stopped four drones attacking the country’s massive Shaybah oil field, the second attack within hours.
In Dubai, people heard several blasts in the morning, with Emirati authorities saying there had been “a minor incident resulting from the fall of debris after an interception.”
Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes hammered Beirut and Tehran. Death toll continued to rise Saturday with at least 1,230 people killed in Iran, more than 200 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials. Six US troops were reported killed.
In the first indication that Moscow has sought to get involved in the war, two officials familiar with US intelligence said Russia has provided Iran with information that could help Tehran strike American warships, aircraft and other assets in the region.
The war continued to intensify, with no end in sight. US President Donald Trump’s administration approved a new USD 151 million arms sale to Israel after Trump said he would not negotiate with Iran without its “unconditional surrender.”
Mobile phone alerts sounded on Saturday morning in Dubai over “potential missile threats.” Emirati authorities urged the public to seek immediate shelter.
Emirati air defences had activated over the missile threat, the government added.
Trump rebukes a reporter for asking about possible Russian involvement in the war
Trump berated a reporter for raising the matter when the president opened the floor to questions from the media at the end of a White House meeting about how paying student-athletes has recalibrated college sports.
“I have a lot of respect for you, you’ve always been very nice to me,” Trump said to Peter Doocy, the Fox News reporter. “What a stupid question to be asking at this time. We’re talking about something else.”