Washington (United States) (AFP) – Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war:
– **’Root cause’** – China said on Thursday that US and Israeli strikes on Iran were the “root cause” of the Strait of Hormuz blockage. “The root cause of interruptions to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is the United States and Israel’s illegal military operations against Iran,” Beijing’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a news conference. China also called for a halt to the war. “Military means cannot fundamentally solve the problem,” Mao said, urging “the parties concerned to immediately cease military operations”.
– **US warns of Iraq attacks** – “Iraqi terrorist militia groups aligned with Iran may intend to conduct attacks in central Baghdad in the next 24-48 hours,” the US embassy said in a statement on X, again urging Americans in the country to leave immediately.
– **’Humiliation, disgrace…regret, and surrender’** – Iran’s military vowed to carry out “crushing” attacks against the United States and Israel after Trump threatened to bomb the country into the “Stone Ages.” “With trust in Almighty God, this war will continue until your humiliation, disgrace, permanent and certain regret, and surrender,” said the military’s operational command Khatam Al-Anbiya in a statement carried by state TV.
– **Hezbollah claims attacks** – Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said its fighters launched drones and rockets at northern Israel, targeting troops and a village. The Israeli military’s Home Front Command said air raid sirens were activated across the border. There were no reports of any casualties or damage.
– **Israel under Iran missile fire** – Israel’s military said air defences responded to waves of Iranian missile fire, including at least two attacks after Trump delivered an address to the American public about the war. After the first attack, police said officers were called to “several” impact sites in central Israel, and media reports citing medics said four people were lightly wounded.
– **Oil prices jump** – Oil prices spiked, with investors unimpressed after Trump repeated his threat that US forces would hammer Iran for another two to three weeks but offered no solution to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz that has crippled global markets. Brent crude, which had fallen back below $100 a barrel Wednesday, surged almost seven percent to hit $108.15, while West Texas Intermediate jumped more than six percent to as high as $106.75.
– **Australia doesn’t see ‘end point’** – Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the original aims of the war in Iran had been met. “Now those objectives have been realised it is not clear what more needs to be achieved or what the end point looks like,” he said during a speech in the capital Canberra.
– **Trump vows big strikes** – In a speech from the White House, Trump insisted that the United States was nearing victory in Iran, and vowed two to three more weeks of “extremely hard” strikes. “We are going to finish the job, and we’re going to finish it very fast. We’re getting very close,” he said in remarks that largely rehashed his daily streams of social-media postings and rapid media interviews.
– **UAE responds to ‘threats’** – Emirati air defences were responding to missile and drone “threats,” the United Arab Emirates’ defence ministry said. Since the war erupted, the UAE and other Gulf countries have been regularly targeted by Iranian missile and drone strikes in retaliation for the US-Israeli campaign.
– **Iran calls US demands ‘irrational’** – Iran said that Washington’s demands were “maximalist and irrational” and denied any negotiations were under way on a ceasefire to end the war in the Middle East. “Messages have been received through intermediaries, including Pakistan, but there is no direct negotiation with the US,” said Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, quoted by the ISNA news agency.
© 2024 AFP
