Middle East conflict escalates into tenth day with rising casualties and oil prices surpassing $100 a barrel
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has significantly escalated, entering its tenth day with increasing casualties and geopolitical implications. The situation has seen both Iran and Israel targeting new military and civilian locations over the weekend, heightening tensions in the region. The latest developments come alongside a surge in oil prices, which have now exceeded $100 a barrel for the first time in four years. This escalation has been marked by a series of military actions, including Bahrain's accusations against Iran for striking one of its crucial desalination plants, a key facility for drinking water in the Gulf. In... [Continue Reading]
Where things stand after another weekend of war in the Middle East
Iran has named a son of its late supreme leader as his successor. US President Donald Trump already had expressed disdain for Mojtaba Khamenei, calling him “unacceptable”. The Islamic Republic’s war strategy now has a new commander, and the powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has pledged allegiance. Oil prices shot above US$100 a barrel. Both sides in the war struck new targets over the weekend, including civilian ones. Bahrain accused Iran of hitting one of the desalination plants that... [Continue Reading]
Israeli military conducts strikes on "regime infrastructure" in central Iran amid escalating regional tensions
The Israeli military has initiated a wave of strikes aimed at "regime infrastructure" in central Iran, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict in the region. This announcement is made particularly noteworthy as it follows the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader of Iran, succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during recent strikes carried out by US-Israeli forces. These developments come as tensions intensify in the Middle Eastern theatre, particularly with Iranian missile strikes reported against Israel shortly after the military operations began. According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), the strikes have... [Continue Reading]
Vital Water Desalination Plants in Iran and Bahrain Are Attacked
Strikes on nonmilitary infrastructure were a “serious escalation,” analysts said, and could widen the war’s impact on civilians. [Continue Reading]
How targeting of desalination plants could disrupt water supply in the Gulf
The military targeting of desalination plants poses a huge risk to water security in the water-scarce Gulf region. [Continue Reading]
US Military Presence Increases at RAF Fairford Amid Rising Tensions with Iran
Recent developments have seen an increase in US military presence at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, following the United Kingdom's decision to allow American forces to utilize its bases for defensive operations related to Iran. Two Boeing C-17 Globemaster transportation aircraft landed at the airbase on Sunday, contributing to the escalated military readiness amidst rising tensions in the region. The C-17s arrived just days after B-1 Lancer bombers were reported to have been deployed to the same location. One of the aircraft originated from Glasgow Prestwick Airport whilst the other came from McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey. While the... [Continue Reading]
Iran strikes on desalination plants threaten Arab states’ water supplies
As missiles and drones curtail energy production across the Persian Gulf, analysts warn that water, not oil, may be the resource most at risk in the energy-rich but arid region. On Sunday, Bahrain accused Iran of damaging one of its desalination plants. Earlier, Iran said a US air strike had damaged an Iranian plant. Hundreds of desalination plants sit along the Persian Gulf coast, putting individual systems that supply water to millions within range of Iranian missile or drone strikes. Without... [Continue Reading]
Iranian drone attack damages Bahrain's desalination plant, injures three individuals, according to Ministry of Interior
Bahrain reported that an Iranian drone attack has targeted a water desalination plant, leading to significant damage and resulting in injuries to three individuals. This escalation in hostilities marks a continued pattern of Iranian air assaults aimed at Gulf states, as noted in a statement from Bahrain's Ministry of Interior. On Sunday morning, Bahraini officials confirmed that the drone strike inflicted substantial damage on the desalination facility, which is critical for processing seawater into freshwater for local communities. The Ministry emphasized that these attacks represent "Iranian aggression" that targets civilian infrastructure indiscriminately, underscoring the severe implications for public access to... [Continue Reading]
Bahrain says water desalination plant damaged in Iranian drone attack
'Iranian aggression randomly bombs civilian targets', Bahrain says, adding three people were injured in latest raids. [Continue Reading]
Iran's Assembly of Experts to Meet Within 24 Hours to Select Successor Following Khamenei's Assassination
In the aftermath of the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reports indicate that the nation’s Assembly of Experts is poised to convene within 24 hours to select a successor. Khamenei, who was 86 years old, was killed during recent US-Israeli strikes targeting Tehran. Member of the assembly, Ayatollah Hossein Mozafari, emphasized the urgency for a new leader, although details on whether the meeting will be conducted in person or remotely remain unclear. Since Khamenei’s death, leadership in Iran has been temporarily carried out by a three-member council consisting of President Masoud Pezeshkian, Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, and... [Continue Reading]
