The conflict between the United States-Israel alliance and the Iranian regime intensified on Monday, with Tehran launching a new round of missile and drone strikes on Israel and other Gulf states. Multiple media outlets, including RT, Press TV and i24NEWS, reported a drone strike on Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refining facility.
The site is one of the world’s largest oil export hubs and plays a crucial role in global crude supply.
The Jerusalem Post, quoting a reporter, said a small and isolated fire had broken out at the Ras Tanura facility but was later brought under control.
Iran’s Press TV also reported an Iranian missile strike on Salman Port in Bahrain.
Iranian media claimed the port had been used to transport American logistical equipment intended for operations against Iran.
IRGC statement and media claims
In a statement, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) provided an update on what it has called Operation True Promise. According to the statement, “The tenth wave opened massive gates of fire upon the occupied territories with a maneuver of Khaibar missiles.”
Iranian state media also shared an image on Telegram that it alleged showed an American F-15 pilot whose aircraft was downed in Kuwait earlier on Monday. Press TV posted on Telegram: “American pilot after his fighter jet crashed in Kuwait”.
Visuals were also circulated showing what Iranian outlets described as a large drone fleet and strikes on US-Israeli targets across the region.
Amichai Stein, diplomatic correspondent for i24NEWS, said Gulf officials were taken aback by the scale of Iran’s retaliation.
In a post on X, he wrote, “Out of all my conversations with senior officials in the Gulf states, they were completely shocked by the intensity of the Iranian fire. “We were certain that after the elimination of Khamenei they would respond, but right now they’re aiming at population centers, not just military facilities; this is completely insane and this is conduct that makes no sense on their part,” one of them told me. Another senior official told me, “This is way beyond what we thought would happen.”
The latest escalation follows a full-scale confrontation that began on February 28.
Saudi Arabia strongly condemn Iran’s attack
Saudi Arabia strongly condemned Iran’s recent missile and drone strikes, joining a unified statement issued on Sunday by the United States and several Gulf nations.
The joint declaration was also backed by Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Current situation in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura refining facility was temporarily closed on Monday after a drone strike caused a small fire, according to Reuters. The report, citing a Semafor journalist who referred to unnamed sources, said the blaze was limited in scale and has since been contained.
(With ANI inputs)