LIVE: Moment Iranian missile explodes ‘near US troops’ in Saudi Arabia

Brad Cooper, the head of the US military’s Middle East-based Central Command (CENTCOM) has said Iran fired seven attack drones in residential areas of Bahrain yesterday evening.

‘This is unacceptable and will not go unanswered,” he said in a statement, while adding Tehran had targeted 12 countries in retaliatory strikes..

‘We will continue working with regional partners to address this threat to innocent people across the region.’

Donald Trump said he will not make a deal with Iran unless they offer ‘unconditional surrender.’

‘There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!’ he wrote on Truth Social on Friday.

‘After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.

‘IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. “MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!).”‘

Four extra Typhoon fighter jets have been pledged to defend Britain’s interest in the Middle East, and are set to arrive in Qatar overnight, the UK Ministry Defence has said.

It comes after two British Wildcat helicopters, which are equipped with drone-busting missiles, touched down in Cyprus earlier today

The MoD also confirmed its F-35 and Typhoon jets took part in air patrols over Qatar, Jordan and the eastern Mediterranean last night.

Missiles from Iran heading to Israel have been identified, the IDF has said.

In a new statement, the Israeli military said:

Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,.

The public is instructed to enter a protected space and remain there until further notice. Leaving a protected space is permitted only after receiving explicit instructions.’

A US paratrooper unit training exercise has been cancelled, sparking speculation that soldiers may be sent to the Middle East.

The 82nd Airborne Division, which has expertise in parachute assault, has ditched its training assignment, US officials have said.

The North Carolina-based unit has a combat team of around 5,000 soldiers who specialise in ground combat.

They are believed to be ready to be sent to missions with an 18-hour notice.

The Washington Post reported that no deployment orders have been issued; however, the unprecedented decision to cancel training infers the unit could be deployed to the Middle East.

By James Fielding

Terrified Britons trying to escape under-fire Dubai told today of the widespread panic now engulfing airports.

With some 14,000 UK citizens alone having flagged to the authorities that they want to get out of the desert city and other sites across the Middle East, there is now a palpable sense of desperation.

Iran is believed to have fired almost as many drones and missiles at Dubai and the United Arab Emirates, the gulf’s dominant trade and tourism hub, as it has at Israel, with even the iconic Palm Jumeirah hotel in flames.

The Daily Mail spoke today to some of the thousands of stranded tourists and expats trying to escape the warzone that now is Dubai on flights back to Britain.

Among them was Paul Hart who told how he and his wife had been stuck in Dubai since the fighting started – and could not travel to Oman for the British Government’s repatriation flight.

He said: ‘If you travel to Oman you have to go to the border and then get another taxi to take you from the border to the airport.

‘My wife suffers from Crohn’s disease and also has occipital neuralgia, therefore she needs close proximity to toilets and things, so it’s not an option to travel to Oman.

‘My plane was due to depart on February 28. I was actually on board. It was all boarded, and then it came over the airways that “Sorry, the airspace is closed”.

‘So after four hours, we were able to depart the plane. Fortunately, we were able to get a taxi, and fortunately, we were able to return to our original hotel, because the alternative they provided was booked up within seconds.

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump was looking at potential candidates to be the next leader of Iran.

It comes after the US President said his country must be involved in choosing Tehran’s next leader.

‘I know there’s a number of people that our intelligence agencies and the United States government are looking at, but I won’t get any further on that,’ she said

She also elaborated on Trump’s earlier statement saying no deal would be done with Iran unless they ‘unconditional[ly] surrender’.

What the President means is ⁠that when he, as Commander in Chief of the US Armed Forces, determines that Iran no longer poses a threat to the United States of ‌America, and the goals of Operation Epic Fury has been fully realised, then Iran will essentially be in a place of ‌unconditional ‌surrender, whether they say it themselves or not.’

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US expects the Iranian campaign to take between four and six weeks.

It comes after Donald Trump said the war could last for exactly four to five weeks; however, could go on for ‘far longer’.

Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of Defence, said the country would ‘take all the time’ needed to ‘make sure we succeed.

Meanwhile, before a meeting with major defence contractors and the US President, Leavitt said the US had enough weapons stockpiles for its operational needs in Iran.

She added that the country was also assessing a number of potential people to lead Iran.

It comes after Trump said he will not make a deal with Iran unless they offer ‘unconditional surrender.’

By Elizabeth Haigh

Protesters in support of the Iranian regime and its late Supreme Leader torched an Israeli flag and chanted ‘death to the IDF’ at a vigil in Birmingham last night.

Dozens of activists assembled in the city to condemn the US-Israeli strikes on the country and mourn the passing of former ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Video footage showed the small crowd chanting ‘death to the IDF’ and ‘bomb Tel Aviv’, as well as burning the Israeli flag and holding pictures of Khamenei.

West Midlands Police told the Daily Mail it has launched an investigation into possible racially/religiously aggravated public order offences.

The vigil at the Imam Reza Cultural Centre saw attendees hold signs in support of the regime and wave Iranian flags.

It was attended by convicted terrorist Shahid Butt, 60, who is standing in the May local elections in the Sparkhill area of the city.

Butt was convicted of terrorism in Yemen in 1999 after plotting bomb attacks on Western targets including the British consulate in Aden, an Anglican church, and a Swiss-owned hotel. He was jailed for five years.

Controversial lawyer Akhmed Yakoob, who previously stood as a candidate for the West Midlands mayoral election, was also at the vigil.

Anti-regime protesters turned up during the event, prompting clashes between the two sides, with police breaking up scuffles.

Footage shows blasts near one of Tehran’s most famous landmarks – the Azadi Tower.

The plaza surrounding the tower is often used for events of signficance such as demonstrations as well as national celebrations.

The French President released the below statement via X:

I just spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani. I expressed to him France’s full solidarity with Iraq in the face of the ongoing escalation in the Middle East.

I reiterated my support for his firm efforts to prevent Iraq from being drawn into this conflict.

The stability of the country is essential for the entire region. France supports the full respect for Iraq’s sovereignty, security, and territorial unity.

A number of Iranian Red Crescent facilitieshave been significantly damaged since the conflict began, Jagan Chapagain, the secretary general of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said via X.

This included those used as ‘relief posts and warehouses’.

Chapagain said ‘communities on all sides are already paying a heavy price, with deaths and injuries…’