Middle East war latest: Here’s what happened overnight
· Citizen
Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war:
Beirut strikes
The Israeli military called on residents of a central Beirut neighbourhood to evacuate early Wednesday, warning of an imminent attack on the Lebanese capital targeting Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
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Earlier Wednesday, Lebanon’s health ministry said that two Israeli strikes on central Beirut without warning killed at least six people and wounded 24 others.
The Israeli military also said it was striking Hezbollah targets in the area around the southern Lebanese city of Tyre in response to rocket fire towards Israel.
Iran army threatens retaliation
Iranian army chief Amir Hatami threatened on Wednesday to launch a “decisive and regrettable” retaliation for the killing of security chief Ali Larijani in an Israeli air strike.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a separate statement that it had launched missiles at central Israel “in revenge for the blood of martyr Dr Ali Larijani and his companions”.
Hamas offered condolences to Iran, writing on Telegram: “We renew our solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is being subjected to Zionist-American aggression, and affirm that the continuation of this aggression is a crime that targets the entire region and threatens its security and stability.”
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Tuesday confirmed the death of its chief Larijani, after Israel said it had killed him in an air strike.
Gulf nations intercept drone, missile attacks
An Iranian projectile struck near Australia’s military headquarters for the Middle East in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
The Saudi defence ministry said it had intercepted a ballistic missile near Prince Sultan Air Base, which houses US military personnel.
Saudi Arabia also intercepted eight drones while Kuwait’s air defences responded to a rocket and drone attack, according to authorities from both countries.
Qatar’s defence ministry also said it intercepted a missile attack on Wednesday as blasts were heard in Doha.
US strikes near Strait of Hormuz
US Central Command said Tuesday it had hit Iranian missile sites with “multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions,” some of the most powerful bombs in the US arsenal, near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Two killed near Tel Aviv from Iranian missiles
A barrage of missiles from Iran killed two people near Tel Aviv, Israeli medics said Wednesday, bringing the death toll from missiles fired on the country to 14.
Ukrainian anti-drone experts
Over 200 Ukrainian anti-drone military experts were in several Middle East countries to help defend against Iranian-designed drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
US embassy struck
The US embassy in Baghdad was the target of a drone and rocket attack, a security official said.
The strike sparked a fire on embassy grounds, the source said, while a witness reported seeing the fire from her balcony.
Crowds gather in Iran
Crowds gathered in Iranian cities after authorities called for nationwide rallies to defy enemy “plots”, state television said.
The rallies come on a night usually marked by Persian new year (Nowruz) festivities, with the authorities apparently keen to prevent any anti-government dissent at a time when people traditionally take to the streets.
NATO, Britain ‘mistakes’
US President Donald Trump said that NATO was making a “foolish mistake” on Iran, after the military alliance’s members largely rebuffed his calls to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic.
Trump also said he was disappointed with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s response, telling reporters: “He hasn’t been supportive, and I think it’s a big mistake… I’m disappointed with Keir — I like him, I think he’s a nice man, but I’m disappointed.”
Israel says striking Basij
Israel’s military said it was striking positions of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force around Tehran, after announcing it had killed the volunteer militia’s top commander.
US doesn’t ‘need’ help
Trump said “we no longer need” help reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after his request for allies to quickly send warships was snubbed.
“We have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”
US counterterrorism official quits
A top US counterterrorism official, Joseph Kent, resigned to protest the war. “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent, who was appointed by Trump, said in his resignation letter.
Trump said Kent was “weak on security” and it was a “good thing” he quit.
Lebanese troops killed
Lebanon’s military said that three soldiers were killed in Israeli air strikes in the country’s south.
Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli attacks have killed 912 people in the country since the latest Israel-Hezbollah conflict erupted on March 2, up from 886 a day earlier.