20.30
Trump supports the Kurds, Iran ready for action
US President Donald Trump said in an interview that he would "fully support" the Kurds if they started an uprising in Iran.
"I think it's wonderful that they want to do it, I would fully support it," the president told Reuters.
CNN reported that the CIA is working to arm Iranian Kurdish forces with the goal of encouraging a popular uprising in Iran.
Several Iranian-Kurdish groups have issued public statements since the start of the war hinting at imminent action and calling on Iranian military forces to come over to their side.
Iran is "waiting" and ready to respond to any ground invasion by the US military, Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi said on Thursday.
"We are confident that we can stand up to them and it would be a huge disaster for them," he told NBC News.
The foreign minister stated that his country has learned lessons from previous conflicts and now has a more capable fighting force that could oppose US troops if an invasion were to occur.
19.15
What was the cost of the first hundred hours of the conflict
The first 100 hours of the US military operation against Iran is estimated to have cost $3,7 billion – more than $890 million a day, according to a Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) analysis released Thursday.
Less than $200 million of that total estimate is for operating costs that are already included in the Pentagon's budget. The remaining estimated $3,54 billion "will likely require additional funding from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), either through an additional budget allocation or through a new budget reconciliation bill," CSIS analysts said.
In the following period, the authors stated, the costs could vary depending on the "transition of US forces to cheaper ammunition", as well as on the "intensity of operations and the effectiveness of Iranian retaliation".
18.00
Oil refinery hit in Bahrain
An Iranian missile hit an oil refinery in Bahrain on Thursday, according to a statement from the Bahraini government. The government stated that there were no injuries and that the refinery was still operating.
"A fire broke out in a plant of the BAPCO Energies refinery after an Iranian missile attack," CNN reported.
"The fire is fully under control, no injuries have been reported, and refinery operations are continuing. Damage assessments are currently underway."
17.10
First attack in northern Lebanon
On Thursday, Israel attacked the city of Tripoli in northern Lebanon for the first time in the six-day conflict, the Israeli army announced.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it killed a Hamas commander responsible for training in Lebanon.
16.15
How many people died in Iran
At least 1.230 people have died since Saturday in Iran, according to the state news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Elsewhere in the region, dozens of people, including children, have been killed in Tehran's retaliatory attacks on neighboring countries, according to local authorities.
15.20
Beirut evacuation
As Israel fights on another front in Lebanon against Hezbollah, the army issued an urgent warning to residents of Beirut's southern suburbs, considered Hezbollah strongholds, to leave their homes immediately.
"Any movement towards the south can endanger your lives," IDF spokesman Avichay Adraei said, hinting that more attacks are coming. "We will notify you at an appropriate time when you can return to your homes."
Huge traffic jams were created at the exit from Beirut, the BBC reports.
14.24
Iran claims that an American fighter jet was shot down
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it shot down a US fighter jet in southwest Iran.
According to the IRGC, a US F-15E two-seat multirole fighter jet crashed along Iran's southwestern borders after being hit by the aerospace force's new air defense systems.
Photo: Wikimedia / US Air Force American F-15 fighter
13.51
Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Iran is targeting US bases across the West Asian region
Iran is not targeting its neighbors, but American bases throughout the West Asian region, said the spokesman of the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmail Baghei.
He pointed out that Iran, he says, has been the target of an illegal offensive by the US and the Israeli regime, adding that it has taken the latest measures in the region to defend itself and stressed that it does not harbor animosity and hostility towards its neighbors, and that it has no intention of attacking them.
He pointed out that Iranian forces are precisely targeting American bases in the region and reiterated that Tehran extends a hand of friendship to all neighboring countries and Muslim states.
According to him, the current American-Israeli war against Iran represents "a great crime and open aggression."
He recalled that the Iranian authorities previously warned of "decisive and comprehensive revenge" in case of aggression against the Islamic Republic, stressing that what is happening in the region can best be explained as self-defense based on Article 51 of the UN Charter and the principles of international law.
He also warned that Israeli intelligence "is trying to carry out acts of sabotage in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the region to implicate Iran."
Photo: Israel Defense ForcesIranian Air Force
13.11
Photo-gallery of conflicts in the Middle East
Take a look at the footage of the war in the Middle East seen through the lens of the AP photojournalist:
12.48
All "Shahed" drones will not be able to be intercepted by American air defense
Iranian offensive drones "Shahed" represent a great challenge and American air defense will not be able to intercept them all, it was said at a closed briefing of representatives of the administration of Donald Trump with congressmen on Capitol Hill, CNN reported.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett and Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Kane acknowledged that drones are a bigger problem than expected, two sources briefed on the matter told CNN.
They are known for flying low and slow - a characteristic that makes them better able to evade anti-aircraft defenses than ballistic missiles.
Another source familiar with the briefing said officials tried to downplay concerns about the drones, noting that Gulf partners were stockpiling interceptors.
In their presentation to lawmakers, they reiterated Trump's recently stated goals: destroy Iran's missile capabilities, its navy, end its nuclear weapons ambitions and prevent the country from arming militant groups.
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that most of Iran's military installations had been "disabled" and that new attacks were aimed at Iran's leadership.
Military analysts point out that the Gulf states, where the American bases are located, do not have enough systems to intercept missiles and drones, so they raise drum planes, F15 and F-18, because of Iranian drones, which is completely crazy.
As part of one such mission in Kuwait, shot down three American warplanes.
Photo: AP / Efrem Lukatsky, FileShahed drone
12.32
Iranian Guard: Strait of Hormuz closed to US, Israeli and European ships only
Iran's Revolutionary Guard announced that the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world's most important sea passages, where traffic has almost stopped since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, is closed only to ships from the United States, Israel, Europe and other Western allies.
"Earlier we said that, in accordance with international law and resolutions, the Islamic Republic of Iran will have the right to control the passage through the Strait of Hormuz in time of war," according to a statement by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRIB TV reported.
The IRGC warned that if ships belonging to the USA, Israel, Europe and their supporters appear in the area, they will certainly be targeted.
The Strait of Hormuz has been virtually closed since the US and Israel launched a joint operation against Iran on Saturday, sending oil prices soaring and threatening to disrupt the global economy.
Photo: AP Photo/Jon Gambrell, FileThe Strait of Hormuz
11.52
Internet in Iran almost completely suspended for more than 120 hours
According to data from the independent organization NetBlocks, Iran's Internet remains at about 1 percent of normal levels for more than 120 hours. The connection of computers in this country to the Internet is practically paralyzed.
NetBlocks alleges that Iran's telecommunications operators are engaging in "Orwellian" behavior, threatening legal action against users trying to access the global Internet.
This blockade makes it very difficult to gather accurate information about the events inside Iran and the situation regarding the current conflicts and protests.
Photo: NetblocksInternet blocked in Iran
10.40
Iranian drones hit Azerbaijan, two civilians injured
The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that two civilians were injured in an Iranian drone attack.
"One drone hit the airport terminal in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, while another drone fell near a school facility in the village of Shakarabad," the statement said. The attack damaged the airport building and injured civilians.
The Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan has been summoned, where he will be conveyed "a sharp note of protest and a request for an appropriate reaction from the Iranian side."
10.35
Explosions in Tehran
The Israeli Defense Forces launched a new wave of attacks on the Iranian capital, Tehran.
Above certain parts of the city, a thick layer of explosions from the air attack rises, which, as reporters from the field write, is still ongoing.
Also, the Israeli authorities claim that Iran has launched a new wave of attacks on their territory.
Photo: AP Photo/Vahid SalemiA new attack on the capital of Iran
09.31
Explosions over Bahrain and Qatar
Several explosions were heard this morning over Manama, the capital of Manama in Bahrain, according to an AFP reporter who is in the city. At the same time, strong detonations were also reported in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
According to the first information, the explosions are connected with a new wave of Iranian missile and drone attacks on the countries of the Persian Gulf, which are a response to the American-Israeli air campaign against Iran.
For now, local authorities have not released data on possible victims or material damage.
Photo: AP Photo/Vahid SalemiIllustration
09.02
Who are the American soldiers who died in the war with Iran so far?
The Pentagon has publicly identified the fifth American soldier killed in a drone attack in the port of Shuaiba, Kuwait on Sunday.
The soldier has been identified as Major Jeffrey O'Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa.
Photo: APJeffrey O'Brien
The Pentagon said the sixth soldier believed to have died in the attack is Chief Warrant Officer Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California, but formal identification is pending.
Four other soldiers killed in the attack were identified on Tuesday as:
Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida
Sergeant First Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska
Sergeant First Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota
soldier Declan J. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa.
Photo: Sgt. Brent Newton/US Army via APKilled members of the American forces
08.40
Iran's Foreign Minister: America will regret it bitterly
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arakchi said the public should "remember" his words that the United States will "bitterly regret" the sinking of the Iranian warship Dena in the Indian Ocean.
Arakchi stated that the ship "Dena" was carrying 130 sailors and was a "guest of the Indian Navy". He emphasized that the United States committed a "crime at sea" in international waters, more than 2.000 kilometers from Iran's shores.
Photo: AP Photo/Khaled Elfiqi, FileBoth Arakchi
07.53
Iraqi Kurds launched a ground offensive
World media are reporting that the Iraqi Kurds have launched a ground offensive in northwestern Iran.
Israeli news television channel i24News says a US official has confirmed the offensive in Iran.
An Axios correspondent also reported confirmation from a senior US official, and a Fox News correspondent wrote on the X network that "thousands" of Iraqi Kurds have launched a ground offensive in Iran, according to a US official source, the Guardian reports.
Photo: AP Photo / Omid Vahabzadeh, FileIran's Revolutionary Guard launches a long-range Qadr H surface-to-surface ballistic missile
07.22
More than 1.000 civilians killed in Iran
Human rights organizations claim that in the first days of the bombing of Iran, more than 1.000 civilians, including a large number of children, were killed, while several thousand people were wounded. The most serious incident occurred in an attack on a school in Hormozgan province.
US and Israeli officials say the attacks are continuing and targeting military infrastructure and facilities linked to Iran's missile and nuclear programs.
Photo: AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, FileRuins in Tehran
07.15
The conflict is spreading: attacks in Lebanon and the Gulf states as well
The fighting is no longer just between Israel and Iran. Lebanon's Hezbollah has launched rocket attacks on northern Israel, while the Israeli military is retaliating with strikes on targets in Beirut and southern Lebanon.
At the same time, in recent days, Iran has launched hundreds of missiles and drones towards the Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, where there have already been civilian casualties and material damage.
The regional conflict is thus gaining wider proportions, and numerous countries are calling for an immediate ceasefire and de-escalation.
Photo: AP Photo/Damian DovarganesThe war caused chaos in the world stock markets
07.10
The war enters its sixth day, continued attacks by Israel and Iran
The war between Iran and the Israel-United States alliance has entered its sixth day. Airstrikes on targets in Tehran and other Iranian cities continued overnight, while Iran again launched missiles and drones at Israel and US bases in the region. The conflict began on February 28 with a coordinated US-Israeli operation against Iranian military and state targets.
According to available information, the conflict is now being waged on multiple fronts across the region, with an increasing risk of spreading to the Persian Gulf and Lebanon.
Source: CNN/Tanjug/BBC/Spiegel
