Dubai, March 12: Iran fired missiles and drones at targets across the Gulf, including oil infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and a ship off the coast of the Emirates, while Israel and the United States struck targets across the Islamic Republic.
Saudi Arabia and other states said they intercepted multiple drone attacks.
US President Donald Trump said in social media posts that there were no reports of Iran planting explosives in the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil is shipped.
The US said it took out more than a dozen minelaying Iranian vessels on Tuesday to help prevent any attempt to close the waterway.
Israel struck a building in the centre of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, as part of its campaign against Hezbollah.
The Lebanese group has been carrying out attacks against Israel in support of Iran.
The Israeli military sounded alarms across the country after detecting missiles launched from Iran. Hezbollah has also resumed drone and rocket attacks in support of Iran, prompting Israel to respond with an ongoing offensive.
Northern Israeli residents are experiencing repeated sirens, explosions, and artillery fire, forcing many to stay near shelters.
While Israel evacuated over 60,000 people during the previous Hezbollah war, no new evacuations have been announced.
The US Embassy in Baghdad urged American citizens to leave Iraq due to heightened risks of attacks and kidnappings.
Iran-backed militias have targeted US facilities, businesses, and hotels, particularly in the northern Kurdish region.
Iraq’s airspace is closed, but land borders to Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye remain open for safe overland departures.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called on Iran to halt attacks on Arab countries and warned against triggering “comprehensive chaos” in the Middle East.
The call was made to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, emphasizing the need to avoid further destabilization.