War returns to Iran with Israel, US strikes

Iran’s foreign ministry has condemned airstrikes targeting “civilian infrastructure and non-military areas” in Yemen and called for talks between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

In a statement released on X, Tehran called for “an immediate halt to military attacks, a complete end to the blockade, and respect for the Yemeni people’s right to self-determination”.

It particularly noted the recent deadly strikes on a public market in Taiz and on the village of Al-Shariyah in the Bani Hushaysh district, east of Sanaa Governorate, terming them “war crimes”.

“The conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen must be brought to an end as soon as possible through dialogue between the parties, based on a mutually agreed-upon roadmap,” the statement said.

Both the Houthis and Yemen’s internationally recognised government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, blamed each other for the attack, according to Al Jazeera.

Qatar has condemned “in the strongest terms” the continued Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia in a statement posted by the foreign ministry to social media, including the targeting of Riyadh with two ballistic missiles.

It described the assaults as “shameful, aggressive behaviour, an unacceptable disregard for civilian lives, a flagrant violation of Saudi sovereignty, and a clear breach of the rules of international law”.

Renewing Qatar’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia, the ministry stressed the state’s “categorical rejection of attacks targeting civilians and civilian objects” and urgently called for a halt to the “irresponsible” actions.

Iran’s Prosecutor General Mohammad Movahedi-Azad says civic participation has dealt a severe blow to the “US-Israeli agenda of creating insecurity and chaos” in the country, state-run IRNA reports.

Addressing an event in Tehran, he announced the creation of a secure, anonymous reporting system for the public to report on “the activities of US and Israeli agents in Iran”.

Through this system, over 20,000 reports on individuals linked to “Zionist and American espionage and terror networks” were received, he said according to IRNA.

Doha has denounced strikes by the Houthis targeting several regions in Saudi Arabia, including an attack on Riyadh, Al Jazeera reports.

The missile and drone strikes “constitute reprehensible aggression, an unacceptable disregard for civilian lives, a flagrant violation of Saudi sovereignty and a clear breach of the rules of international law”, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It called for an “immediate halt” to Houthi attacks on civilian infrastructure and citizens.

Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for an attack on the financial district of the Saudi capital, Riyadh, that eyewitnesses said caused damage to a skyscraper belonging to oil giant Aramco, AFP reports.

“The Yemeni Armed Forces, with the help of Allah Almighty, carried out four qualitative military operations, using a number of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” the group said in an English-language statement, listing targets including the financial centre, Riyadh airport, Aramco oil storage tanks and the eastern Saudi city of Abqaiq.

Most Gulf stock markets ended lower as investors awaited indications on whether US President Donald Trump will order fresh attacks on Iran, Reuters reports.

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index dropped 0.8 per cent, weighed down by a 1.5pc fall for Al Rajhi Bank and a 1.3pc decline for Saudi National Bank , the country’s biggest lender by assets.

The kingdom’s Energy Ministry says debris from a foiled attack today hit an administrative office of Saudi Aramco in Riyadh, causing damage but no casualties.

Saudi Aramco shares were down 0.3pc.

Qatar’s index pared early losses to finish 0.5pc down.

An adviser to the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force says weapon supplies have been “secured for years to come,” Al Jazeera reports.

“The armed forces are at the ready and if the enemy makes a mistake, Iran’s response will be devastating and severe,” said IRGC Brigadier-General Ali Belali in a statement on Telegram.

“As senior commanders of the armed forces have pointed out, we have upgraded our capabilities in the post-Ramadan War period,” he said.

“The enemy today is old and worn out and does not have the ability to confront us militarily. But they are seeking to break our unity. As long as the people remain united, this very unity will be the key to our victory.”

Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the Houthi group’s “cowardly” missile attacks on Saudi Arabia, Al Jazeera reports.

The Gulf state offered its “strong condemnation and denunciation of the continued terrorist attacks” carried out by Yemen’s Houthis, it said in a statement.

The strikes constitute a “dangerous escalation” and a direct threat to the lives of civilians.

Kuwait supports “all measures” Saudi Arabia takes to “safeguard its sovereignty and preserve its security and stability”, the statement said, adding the kingdom is “an integral part” of the security of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

UKMTO also reports that a tanker has caught fire off the coast of Oman’s Khasab.

The fire was reported by military authorities and resulted in the evacuation of the crew, it said.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre (UKMTO) says a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile while transiting outbound through the Strait of Hormuz yesterday.

“All crew are safe and accounted for and there is no reported environmental impact at this time,” it adds.

The IRGC says it is continuously monitoring the activities and launch points of the US Central Command’s Task Force Scorpion Strike, and is ready to respond to any renewed aggression, Iran’s Mehr news agency reports.

The IRGC said that the Iranian intelligence forces are tracking the unit’s operations.

Three oil tankers have caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, the Revolutionary Guards say in a statement according to AFP.

“Since the early hours of this morning, three non-compliant tankers have exploded and caught fire while they were sailing in the illegal channel in the Strait of Hormuz,” the IRGC said in a statement.

The Guards did not specify the names or nationality of the tankers.

Israel is not finished with Iran, its defence minister has said, as he also warned Hezbollah to hold fire in any resumption of war, AFP reports.

Defence Minister Israel Katz renewed charges that Iran — attacked twice since last year in major Israeli-US bombing campaigns — is pursuing nuclear weapons, a claim that Tehran denies.

“With regard to Iran, the mission is still not complete. Iran is trying to renew its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons — alongside other grave efforts that place the State of Israel in real danger,” Katz said.

The Republican wipeout in the elections last week was a direct result of the US failure to defeat Iran, says Sardar Shekarchi, spokesperson for Iran’s Armed Forces, Al Jazeera reports.

President Trump’s setback reflects more than a domestic political shift but “a greater reality: the failure of the US to break Iran’s will”, Iranian media quotes Shekarchi as saying.

The United States has fallen victim to “strategic attrition” and “defeats” on the battlefield that have shaken “the foundations of the White House’s power”.

“This strategic defeat proves that global power dynamics do not always favour hegemonic powers,” Shekarchi says.

The US cannot achieve its goals of blockading Iran’s economy and shutting its trade routes because Tehran has made preparations and communicates closely with neighbours, a Revolutionary Guards spokesperson has been quoted as saying, Reuters reports.

Hossein Mohebbi was reacting to the US military’s Task Force Iron Gate, launched to help crack down on Tehran’s movement of advanced weapons and other sanctioned material over its land borders and through the Caspian Sea.

“The Iron Gate plan is merely a wordplay, the Americans cannot achieve their objectives of imposing severe economic pressure to cause economic collapse in Iran through this approach,” Mohebbi tells the semi-official Fars news agency.

Most Gulf stock markets start Sunday on the back foot as investors awaited indications on whether US President Donald Trump will order fresh attacks on Iran, Reuters reports.

Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index drops one per cent, weighed down by a 0.6pc fall for Al Rajhi Bank and a 1.1pc decline for Saudi Arabian Mining Company.

Qatar’s index slides 1.3pc.

Saudi energy ministry says Aramco building in Riyadh has been attacked, Reuters cites State TV.

Ministry says debris fell on building causing limited material damage.

No casualties have been reported, it adds.

A tower in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh was damaged by a projectile, said one witness and three people briefed on the matter, Reuters reports.

Saudi authorities did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

According to Iran’s state-run Press TV, an analytic report says the United States’ aggression against Iran is the least popular of seven major wars launched by Washington in the modern era.

Multiple witnesses have told AFP on Sunday that Riyadh’s financial district had been targeted and the area’s Aramco building had been damaged, after the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis said it had intercepted missiles launched by the group.

“Aramco tower in KAFD has been targeted, that’s the sure thing,” said one witness, referring to the King Abdullah Financial District. Two other witnesses confirmed seeing damage to the building.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis has said it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles fired by the rebel group towards Riyadh, after loud booms were heard in the Saudi capital, reports Reuters.

Saudi Civil Defence had issued an alert in the Riyadh region shortly before the booms, a Reuters witness said. Authorities later announced that the risk of danger had passed.

Later, the coalition said it intercepted and destroyed two cruise missiles in Riyadh and the southern region.

Multiple loud booms were heard in the Saudi capital Riyadh shortly after Civil Defence issued an early-warning alert of a potential threat, a Reuters witness said, as hostilities between the kingdom and Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis persisted.

Saudi Civil Defence later said the danger had passed.

The United Arab Emirates National Guard says it has rescued 22 people, all of whom are Arab nationals, after a fire broke out on a cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman.

Rescue operation followed a report from the ship’s crew that fire had broken out on board, the National Guard says in a post on X.

It adds, “Specialised teams immediately began responding to the report, located the tanker, reached it, and rescued all 22 crew members.

“They provided the necessary first aid before handing them over to the relevant authorities, with all of them in stable condition.”

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen says it had intercepted a ballistic missile launched by the Yemeni Houthi group towards the Eastern region, Reuters reports.