Daily brief about U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran: Day 8

CAIRO, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Tensions across the Middle East escalated further on Saturday as a new wave of strikes and threats between the United States, Israel and Iran rattled the region, claiming more lives, triggering mass displacements, and disrupting vital oil supplies.

Here's a quick overview of the latest developments and their impact on the countries involved and those caught in the conflict:

The United States

-- U.S. President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that "today" Iran will be hit very hard.

-- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rebuffed concerns that Russia is supporting Iran, saying "no one's putting us in danger."

-- U.S. military's Central Command said it has struck more than 3,000 targets in Iran and destroyed 43 Iranian warships since Feb. 28.

Israel

-- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a live broadcast statement that Israel will continue its attack against Iran with "full force." He also demanded that the Lebanese government enforce the ceasefire agreement and disarm Hezbollah.

-- The Israeli military said that it had begun "a broad-scale wave of strikes" on Iranian government infrastructure in Tehran.

It also said it had struck two main ballistic missile production sites in the Iranian areas of Parchin and Shahrud over the past week, and it had conducted 3,400 strikes on Iran since the war began.

Iran

-- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that Iran has decided not to attack or fire missiles at targets in neighboring countries from now on unless it is targeted from those countries.

-- An Iranian military spokesperson said that "enemy ships" entering the Gulf will "end up at the bottom" of the waterway.

-- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi strongly condemned the U.S. attack on a water desalination plant on Iran's southern Qeshm Island, calling it "a blatant and desperate crime."

-- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps said that it launched missile strikes on the U.S. military base in Bahrain's Juffair and on a refinery in Israel's Haifa.

-- Iran's Foreign Ministry said that Iran's exercise of its inherent right to legitimate self-defense will continue until the aggression ceases, or until the UN Security Council fulfills its duty under Article 39 of the UN Charter by identifying and naming the aggressors and determining the responsibilities arising from their aggression.

Iraq

-- An Interior Ministry source told Xinhua that the U.S. embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad was targeted by rockets, triggering its defense systems, with no immediate reports of casualties or losses.

-- The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced a 72-hour extension of the closure of the country's airspace amid ongoing regional tensions.

Kuwait

-- Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Kuwait's major national oil company, announced a precautionary cut in crude oil production and refining, saying the adjustment is "strictly precautionary" and that the company "remains fully prepared to restore production levels once conditions allow."

Bahrain

-- Bahrain announced that 86 missiles and 148 drones targeting the kingdom have been intercepted and destroyed since the start of the attacks from Iran.

The United Arab Emirates

-- The UAE's Defense Ministry said that its air defense systems intercepted ballistic missiles and drones from Iran.

-- The UAE's Defense Ministry said that three foreign nationals of Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh have been killed and 112 residents of multiple nationalities have suffered minor injuries in the country amid the recent escalating regional tensions.

-- Debris from an aerial interception killed an Asian driver in Dubai's Al Barsha area Saturday night.

-- Dubai-based carrier Emirates said it has resumed flight operations at Dubai International Airport after a temporary suspension earlier in the day due to safety concerns.

Saudi Arabia

-- Saudi Aramco announced that crude oil shipments are being temporarily redirected to Yanbu Port to enhance safety and the continuity of supplies, according to Al Ekhbariya TV.

Lebanon

-- Lebanon's authorities said that the death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon since early Monday has risen to 294, with 1,023 people injured.

-- Minister of Social Affairs Haneen Sayed said that the number of displaced people registered through Lebanon's government relief platform has reached about 454,000 as Israel continues to attack several areas of the country.

-- Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV channel reported that about 100 rockets and drones were launched from Lebanon toward Israel, while Israeli tanks advanced toward a southern Lebanese border town.

Cyprus

-- Hundreds of Cypriots staged a peaceful protest in central Nicosia, calling for the removal of two British military bases and urging the government to keep the island out of the widening Middle East conflict.

Türkiye

-- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned against the spread of war in the Middle East, saying recent incidents targeting Türkiye and Azerbaijan have once again highlighted the scale of risks facing the region. He emphasized that diplomacy remains the only path to lasting peace.

Egypt

-- Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty renewed Egypt's calls for halting the ongoing "dangerous military escalation" in the region, stressing "the importance of all parties exercising maximum restraint, de-escalating tensions, prioritizing dialogue and diplomacy, and fully adhering to the principles of international law and the UN Charter." ■