The conflict in West Asia has become more serious as Iran and joint Israeli-US forces have launched fresh waves of missile and drone attacks. According to the latest reports, Israel is carrying out targeted strikes at the same time in Tehran, the capital of Iran, and in Beirut, Lebanon.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said its soldiers are operating in southern Lebanon and are positioned at several places near the border as part of stronger forward defence measures. The IDF said it is carrying out targeted attacks on Hezbollah’s military infrastructure. Israel has also accused Hezbollah of attacking Israel on behalf of Iran.
The IDF confirmed that Abu Hamza Rami, the commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), was killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut. In a statement, the Israeli military said his death has greatly weakened PIJ’s ability to carry out attacks against Israel. In another strike in Beirut, Israeli forces also killed Hussein Makled, who was the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters.
At the same time, the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said US forces have destroyed several important Iranian military targets. These include command and control centres of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), air defence systems, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields. In a social media post, CENTCOM said the US will continue to take strong action against what it described as immediate threats from Iran. So far, six US service members have reportedly been killed in action during the conflict.
On the other side, Iranian state media claimed that a command building at a US air base in Bahrain was destroyed. Bahrain’s Ambassador to the United States, Abdulla bin Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa, said that Bahrain’s air defence systems intercepted 70 Iranian ballistic missiles and 59 drones aimed at the country. He also alleged that civilian areas in Bahrain were targeted by Tehran.
The situation across the region remains highly tense, with attacks and counter-attacks continuing. Many countries are closely watching the developments as fears grow that the conflict could spread further.