The Israeli military announced late Thursday that it launched a new barrage of “large-scale attacks” in Tehran. The escalating conflict is raising concerns about regional stability and potential disruptions to global energy markets.
In Tehran, residents are reportedly fearful of the bombings, with one individual stating that the psychological state of many is poor, as they had hoped to avoid war.
“Many are terrified, trying to reassure each other by saying that only military installations will be bombed,” the resident said. “But the truth is that ordinary people are the target of the attacks.”
Since the start of the conflict on February 28, approximately 3.2 million Iranians have been displaced within their own country, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
– Iran Authorizes Passage of Ships from Some Countries Through Ormuz –
In a statement, Ayatollah Jamenei encouraged Gulf countries to close United States military bases, which have been targets of Iranian attacks in retaliation for the Israeli-U.S. Campaign.
“I recommend that you close those bases as soon as possible. You must have already realized that the claim that the United States guarantees security and peace is nothing but a lie,” he said.
Iran has permitted ships from certain countries to transit the Strait of Hormuz, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi, who denied that the Islamic Republic has placed mines in this strategic passage for oil and gas.
Despite the economic consequences of the conflict, U.S. President Donald Trump asserted Thursday that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is more important than controlling oil prices.
“For me, as President, it is of much greater interest and importance to stop a rogue empire,” he said on his Truth Social platform.
Gulf countries have reduced their oil production by at least 10 million barrels per day due to the blockage of the Hormuz Strait, which is effectively controlled by Tehran, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), an organization based in Paris.
The 32 member countries of that organization, including the United States, have decided to release a record 400 million barrels from their strategic reserves.
– A “War of Attrition” –
Explosions were heard in downtown Dubai on Thursday, and Bahrain previously reported an Iranian attack against hydrocarbon deposits.
In Oman, fuel storage facilities at the port of Salalah too burned the previous day after being hit by drones, according to a video published by AFP, while Saudi Arabia reported a new attack with unmanned aircraft against the Shaybah oil field in the east of the country.
The Guardians of the Revolution, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic, reiterated that Iran’s strategy is a “war of attrition” to “destroy the entire American and world economy,” announced senior commander Ali Fadavi.
On another front, Israel continued its attacks in Lebanon against the pro-Iranian movement Hezbollah with heavy shelling in the Lebanese capital.
Lebanese authorities have recorded more than 800,000 displaced people and nearly 700 deaths in the country since March 2.
