Roving Periscope: Iran attacks the US, allies; Russia intensifies Ukraine war; Israel busy in Lebanon!
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: As a mourning Iran prepared for the burial of the deceased Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini after nearly three months of his death, the US said his son, Mujtaba, the new Supreme Leader, is alive and ‘increasingly engaging’ while it continued strikes on Iranian assets on the 96th day of the West Asian war, the media reported on Wednesday.
In return fire, Iran, determined not to let the US claim a victory, pounded Kuwait which reported injuries, suspended flights after Iranian drone and missile attacks. Tehran also attacked Abu Dhabi, and warned to strike more US allies.
The Iranian attacks struck Kuwait’s international airport’s T1 building, forcing diversion of flights to alternative airports, the report said, citing the General Civil Aviation Authority.
According to early reports, Russia also struck Ukraine with deadly missiles in response to Kyiv’s attacks on St. Peterburg, the President’s home town. Retaliating, Vladimir Putin vowed to ‘erase’ Ukraine from the world map!
Meanwhile, even as conflicting reports emerged about their ‘peace talks’ continuation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US will lift sanctions on Iran only if it gives up enriched uranium, rejecting a Strait of Hormuz-linked deal.
As the US-Israel war on Iran entered its 96th day, the conflict widened across the Gulf region, with both sides reporting new military actions.
The US military said on Wednesday it carried out “self-defence” strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island. Iranian media also reported explosions in the area.
The escalation spilled into neighbouring countries, with Kuwait saying its air defence systems had intercepted incoming Iranian drones and missiles, and Bahrain activating warning sirens.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) also said it had intercepted multiple Iranian missiles and drones, while Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed it had targeted US military assets in the region in response to US strikes.
Iran…
Citing the IRGC, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported the latest exchange began when US forces struck an Iranian oil tanker near the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC responded by targeting a US-Israeli vessel with naval missiles before US forces struck an IRGC communications tower south of Qeshm Island. It launched missiles and drones at what it described as US military targets, including an airbase, the headquarters of the Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and helicopters stationed in a regional country. The claims could not be independently verified.
And the US
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Congress that Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is alive and becoming “increasingly engaged” in negotiations with Washington. Khamenei has not appeared publicly since reportedly being wounded in US-Israeli strikes that killed his predecessor and father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with some 100 top Iranian leaders, on February 28.
Rubio said the US has not offered sanctions relief in exchange for opening the Strait of Hormuz. The US will provide sanctions relief to Iran only in exchange for nuclear concessions.
Amid reports that Iran has called off peace talks, President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran have been continuing, but cautioned that their outcome remains unclear. “One never knows” where the talks may lead, he said, reiterating his call for Tehran to reach a deal.
Iran’s chief negotiator, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Tehran could abandon negotiations with the US and move towards confrontation if Israeli attacks on Lebanon continue. The warning came during his conversation with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
The US CENTCOM said an “additional wave of Iranian drones” attempted to target US forces in Kuwait. It said the US air defences intercepted multiple drones and that no Americans or assets were harmed. CENTCOM said earlier on Wednesday that it had struck an Iranian ground control station on Qeshm Island in what it described as a “self-defence” operation.
CENTCOM dismissed IRGC claims that Iranian missiles and drones had struck the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and a regional US airbase, saying the attacks failed to reach their targets. In a statement on X, it called the claims false and said all Iranian attacks against US forces had been unsuccessful. “The US forces remain vigilant and ready to defend against unwarranted Iranian aggression,” it added.
In Washington, Democratic senators sharply criticised the Trump administration’s handling of the war. Senator Chris Van Hollen called its foreign policy a “dumpster fire” and described the conflict as “stupid and reckless.” Senator Cory Booker argued that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz had handed Tehran new leverage, saying the war had caused widespread economic disruption and “never should have happened.”
Israel in Lebanon
Even as the US and Iran fight it out, Israel is quietly grabbing Lebanon mile by mile.to create a “Greater Israel.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his government is pursuing “massive plans” to strengthen northern Israel and address what he called the “drone problem” along the border with Lebanon. Speaking at a government meeting, he said fortification measures extending up to 7km (4.3 miles) from the border would support Israel’s campaign against the Iranian proxy terror group, Hezbollah. The government is investing USD 20 billion to improve security and economic development in the region.
