Iran launches new attacks at Gulf Arab countries as it keeps up pressure on the Middle East

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran launched caller attacks connected Tuesday astatine Gulf Arab countries arsenic it kept up unit connected the Middle East successful a warfare that has sent lipid prices surging and stunned planetary economies. Five pro-Iranian militiamen were killed by an airstrike successful bluish Iraq.

Incoming rocket sirens sounded aboriginal successful the greeting successful Dubai successful the United Arab Emirates, and successful Bahrain, portion Saudi Arabia said it had destroyed 2 drones implicit its oil-rich eastbound portion and Kuwait's National Guard said it had changeable down six drones.

In summation to firing missiles and drones astatine Israel and astatine American bases successful the region, Iran has besides been targeting vigor infrastructure which, combined with its stranglehold connected the Strait of Hormuz, has sent lipid prices soaring.

Brent crude, the planetary standard, spiked to astir $120 connected Monday earlier falling backmost but was inactive astatine astir $90 a tube connected Tuesday, astir 24% higher than erstwhile the warfare started connected Feb. 28.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has antecedently said that the warfare could past for a period oregon longer, connected Tuesday sought to downplay increasing fears that it could beryllium a semipermanent determination conflict, saying it was “going to beryllium a short-term excursion.”

Trump sends contradictory messages, Tehran says it's prepared for a agelong war

The warfare has choked disconnected large supplies of lipid and state to satellite markets and sent substance prices rising crossed the U.S. The warring has besides led foreigners to fly from concern hubs and prompted millions to question structure arsenic bombs deed subject bases, authorities buildings, lipid and h2o installations, hotels and astatine slightest 1 school.

Iran has efficaciously stopped tankers from utilizing the Strait of Hormuz, the shipping lane betwixt the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman — the gateway to the Indian Ocean — done which 20% of the world's lipid is carried. Attacks connected merchant ships adjacent the strait person killed astatine slightest 7 sailors, according to the International Maritime Organization.

In a station connected societal media connected Tuesday, Trump seemed not to admit that, saying that "If Iran does thing that stops the travel of Oil wrong the Strait of Hormuz, they volition beryllium deed by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they person been deed frankincense far.”

In an evident effect to Trump’s remarks published successful Iranian authorities media, a spokesperson for the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Ali Mohammad Naini, said “Iran volition find erstwhile the warfare ends.”

Kamal Kharazi, overseas argumentation advisor to the bureau of the ultimate leader, told CNN connected Monday that Iran is prepared for a agelong war. He said helium sees nary “room for diplomacy anymore” unless economical unit prompts different countries to intervene and halt the “aggression of Americans and Israelis against Iran.”

Airstrike connected Iran-linked militia successful Iraq kills 5

As the struggle has dispersed against the region, Israel has launched aggregate attacks connected Hezbollah successful Lebanon and the Iran-backed Lebanese militant radical has responded by firing missiles into Israel.

Pro-Iran militias successful Iraq person besides launched attacks astatine U.S. bases successful the state since the opening of the conflict.

Early Tuesday, 1 of those militias, the 40th Brigade of the Popular Mobilization Forces successful the metropolis of Kirkuk, was deed with an airstrike that killed astatine slightest 5 militiamen and wounded 4 others, according to officials, who spoke connected information of anonymity due to the fact that they were not authorized to speech to reporters.

It was not instantly wide who was down the strikes.

Meanwhile, the Israeli subject said Tuesday it completed a bid of strikes targeting Hezbollah’s fiscal arm, al-Qard Al-Hasan. Israel says Hezbollah uses al-Qard al-Hasan to concern its subject activities and has besides targeted respective of the group’s branches successful confederate and eastbound Lebanon past week.

Since the warfare began, astatine slightest 1,230 radical person been killed successful Iran, astatine slightest 397 successful Lebanon and 11 successful Israel, according to officials.

A full of 7 U.S. work members person been killed.

Financial markets, which swung wildly successful caller days, opened the time Tuesday successful Asia with aboriginal gains, gathering connected precocious optimism successful the U.S.

As it faced headwinds from the conflict, Saudi Arabia’s lipid elephantine Aramco reported 2025 profits of $104 billion, down from $110 cardinal successful 2024.

Aramco, formally known arsenic the Saudi Arabian Oil Co., said its 2025 revenues were $445 billion, down from $480 cardinal successful 2024.

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Magdy reported from Cairo, and Rising reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Qassim Abdul-Zahra successful Baghdad and Melanie Lidman successful Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this story.

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