War returns to Iran with Israel, US strikes

Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, has commended the country’s armed forces for their response to Iranian drone and missile attacks, according to Al Arabiya.

He adds that the UAE “is capable, through the efficiency of its military and the cohesion of its society, of repelling any aggression and confronting any threat”.

Greek lawyers have appeared in court to testify and submit evidence against Israel Katz, Israel’s current minister of defence, Al Jazeera reports.

This comes a few months after the Hind Rajab Foundation, an organisation that takes legal action against individuals accused of war crimes in Gaza, filed a formal complaint against Katz with Greek lawyers on January 21.

The Hind Rajab Foundation says in a statement that “the complaint was submitted in connection with Katz’s visit to Greece and set out allegations relating to his potential responsibility under international law.”

It adds, “The complainants allege that Katz may bear responsibility, both as a participant and an instigator, for conduct allegedly amounting to serious international crimes, including war crimes, torture, crimes against humanity, and genocide, in connection with the ongoing situation in Gaza.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar says that Iran’s drone and missile strikes against the UAE yesterday are “condemnable”

“We stand with the brotherly people of UAE and express full solidarity with His Highness the President [Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan], His Highness Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister [Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan] and the leadership and people of UAE,” the deputy premier says on X.

He reiterates that Pakistan will continue its efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region and beyond.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says the US is taking a contradictory approach when it comes to negotiations, Al Jazeera reports.

“Our problem is that on the one hand, America is pursuing a policy of maximum pressure against our country, and on the other hand, it expects Iran to come to the negotiating table and submit to their unilateral demands. Such an equation is impossible,” Pezeshkian has been quoted as saying by state news agency IRNA.

Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Command, says in a statement that the UAE should not “become a nest for Americans and Zionists (Israel) and their military forces and equipment”, Al Jazeera reports.

According to the spokesperson, Iran has been subjected to “unfair media attacks, baseless accusations and propaganda” by the UAE, adding that the Gulf country has become “one of the main bases for the Americans and Zionists, as enemies of the Islamic world and the main cause of insecurity in the region”.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command claims it has not carried out attacks against the United Arab Emirates in recent days, yet warns of a “crushing response” if any action is carried out by the Gulf country against Iran, Reuters reports.

Israel’s military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir says the country is prepared to respond “with force” to any attack by Iran, AFP reports.

“The IDF (Israeli military) remains on high alert across all fronts. We are closely monitoring developments in the Persian Gulf and are prepared to respond with force to any attempt to harm Israel,” Zamir has said at a ceremony marking the appointment of the new air force chief.

Israel’s new air force chief says the country is prepared to deploy its entire fleet of fighter jets against Iran if necessary, AFP reports.

“We are closely monitoring the developments in Iran and are prepared to deploy the entire air force eastward if required,” Major General Omer Tischler said at a ceremony where he assumed command from his predecessor, Tomer Bar.

Iran says it has officially launched a new mechanism for governing maritime traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, state-run Press TV reports.

“Under the newly implemented system, all vessels intending to transit the Strait will receive an email from the official address info@PGSA.ir outlining the rules and regulations for passage,” the state broadcaster says.

Ships need to adjust operations according to this new framework and obtain a transit permit before crossing the waterway.

A spokesperson for US Central Command (Centcom) has told Al Jazeera that the military’s “Project Freedom” in the Strait of Hormuz is a “temporary” operation that is creating a “safe corridor” and “security umbrella” over the waterway.

The spokesperson says that ship owners and insurance companies have responded positively to the operation, which has “just begun”.

It is aimed at ensuring commercial ships can pass the strait safely, to benefit global and regional economies, adds the spokesperson.

Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad says the reconstruction of oil facilities that were damaged during the war should be among the country’s “urgent priorities”, Al Jazeera reports.

Paknejad adds that crude oil production did not decline during the war and that oil exports were “good and satisfactory”.

Iraqi prime minister-designate Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi says in a post on X that he has spoken to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and offered Baghdad’s contribution as a possible mediator in peace talks with the US.

“The call also featured a review of the bilateral relations of cooperation between the two countries and ways to support and strengthen them, where we agreed on the exchange of visits in the upcoming phase,” Al-Zaidi adds.

“We also pointed to Iraq’s supportive stance toward the diplomatic track and reliance on dialogue to resolve disputes and contain crises, affirming Iraq’s ability to contribute to playing a mediation role between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has issued a statement warning vessels against transiting the Strait of Hormuz via any routes it has not authorised, saying they will face a “decisive response”, Al Jazeera reports.

“We warn all vessels that intend to transit the strait, the only safe route… is the corridor previously announced by Iran,” the statement, carried by Iran’s Fars news agency, says.

“The diversion of vessels to other routes is unsafe and will face a decisive response from the IRGC Navy.”

US President Donald Trump has sought to minimise the war with Iran, calling it “a little skirmish,” AFP reports.

“We’re in a little skirmish militarily. I call it a skirmish because Iran has no chance. They never did. They know it,” Trump has said during an Oval Office event on physical fitness among American kids.

Trump often touts the conflict as a resounding success, insisting, for example, that Iran’s navy has been destroyed.

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun has said he is open to France and other European countries keeping troops in southern Lebanon after the departure of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), whose mission is due to end later this year, Al Jazeera reports.

In comments shared by the Lebanese presidency on X, Aoun says Lebanon “welcomes the willingness of France and other European countries to keep their forces in the south after the beginning of the withdrawal of Unifil, in order to help the Lebanese army maintain security and stability, provided that the framework under which these forces will operate is defined in consultation with the concerned countries and the United Nations”.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says social media platform X has the blue verification badges from his account, as well as others linked to the foreign minstry.

“X has now removed the blue check from Iran’s MFA Spokesperson’s account—after stripping the ministry and minister’s verified badges—despite our full Premium+ payments.”

Baghaei says the action “fits X’s pattern of selective censorship and American digital piracy”, which he claims is aimed at “suppressing the truth about the US’ illegal war against Iran”.

Hezbollah says it has carried out new retaliatory operations against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, Iran’s state-run Press TV reports.

When asked about whether he would allow Iran’s economy to fail, US President Donald Trump has replied, “I guess so because we’re making it fail.

“I hope it fails … because I want to win,” he tells reporters. “It is failing, we have sanctions … their currency is worthless, their inflation probably 150 per cent … they aren’t paying their soldiers … they should do the smart thing, because we don’t want to go in and kill people,” he adds.

A high-level Trump administration official informed Iran privately on Sunday of the impending US operation to “guide” ships through the Strait of Hormuz and warned Tehran not to interfere, Axios reports citing a US official and a source with knowledge.

According to the outlet, “the private message suggests the White House wanted to mitigate the risk of potential escalation.”

US President Donald Trump has reiterated his threat of strikes on Iran unless an agreement is reached.

“When I decided that I have to do this for the good of the world, not just for the United States, we were in a lot less trouble than other place,” Trump says, suggesting that the Middle East would have been “taken over” by Iran.

He adds that if Iran is unable to reach a deal, “they won’t be successful. It’ll go very quickly and methodically,” he adds.

When asked about what he hopes to achieve with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on Iran, US President Donald Trump said Beijing has been “very respectful” about the issue.

“I have a very good relationship with President Xi, I find him to be a tremendous guy and we get along well,” Trump tells reporters, adding, “we do business with China and make a lot of money.”

Trump says Xi has been “very respectful” on Iran, despite buying 60 per cent of its oil from there.