The war between the United States and Israel against Iran entered its nineteenth day today (Wednesday).
Strikes are intensifying, casualties rising, with the majority of them in Iran. More than 1,500 people have been confirmed dead from the war, with over 1,400 of them killed in Iran.
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We bring you major updates on the war on its eighteenth day.
Larjani, Soleimani killed; Iran vows revenge
The Iranian army has vowed revenge the killing of the Supreme National Security Council’s Ali Larijani and the commander of the internal Basij militia, Gholamreza Soleimani.
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Earlier on Tuesday, Israel announced that it had killed both men in missile strikes.
It took hours for Iran to confirm the killings, after which it threatened to launch a “decisive and regrettable” retaliation.
This killing marks the highest level of assassination in the war since joint US-Israeli strikes killed the former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, and other military leaders on 28 February.
Iran has also intensified attacks against US assets in the Middle East and Israel .
IRGC said that its missiles have hit more than 100 military and security targets in the heart of Israeli territories using multi-warhead missiles.
Minister says killing of leaders can’t destabilise Iran
Meanwhile, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has said the killing of the Iranian leaders will not destabilise the government.
He told Al Jazeera, during an interview on Wednesday, that the US and Israel had yet to realise that Iran’s government does not rely on a single individual.
“I do not know why the Americans and the Israelis still have not understood this point: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a strong political structure with established political, economic, and social institutions.
“The presence or absence of a single individual does not affect this structure.
“Of course, individuals are influential, and each person plays their role – some better, some worse, some less – but what matters is that the political system in Iran is a very solid structure,” he said.
Attacks on Gulf states increase
As Iran escalates its attacks on US facilities across the Gulf, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have all reported intercepting drones and missiles.
Iran also launched attacks on the US embassy in Baghdad, Iraq.
Saudi Arabia said that air defences had intercepted a ballistic missile and 24 drones targeting its territory.
Two killed in Israel
Iran’s attacks on Israel increased as well, causing extensive property damage.
One of the strikes on Tuesday killed two people in Ramat Gan, a city in Central Israel.
Israel has confirmed 15 deaths from Iranian strikes since the war started, with over 3,000 people injured.
Trump lashes out at allies over Strait of Hormuz
Displeased with their refusal to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump on Monday lashed out at his country’s NATO allies.
He said the US has been notified that most allies do not want to be involved in the Middle East war.
In a scathing post on Truth Social, he wrote that he had always considered NATO “a one-way street” that gives nothing back to the US.
“I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one-way street – We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need, “ he said.
He further added that the US does not need the help of other countries in its war against Iran—a claim that follows days of demanding the help of allied states.
“Fortunately, we have decimated Iran’s Military – Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti-Aircraft and Radar is gone, and perhaps, most importantly, their Leaders, at virtually every level, are gone, never to threaten us, our Middle Eastern Allies, or the World, again!
“Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea,” he wrote.
US top official resigns
Meanwhile, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Centre in the US, Joe Kent, resigned on Monday to protest against America’s war on Iran.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Kent shared his resignation letter on Tuesday.
In his letter, Mr Kent said he supported the “values and the foreign policies” that Mr Trump campaigned on in 2016, 2020 and 2024.
READ ALSO: UAE ambassador calls on Iran to halt attacks
However, he noted that Mr Trump has fallen into a trap in which high-ranking Israeli officials and other influential members have deployed to undermine his “America First” campaign.
“After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, effective today.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” he said.
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