Iran threatens to ‘rain fire’ on American ground troops

Power outages hit parts of Tehran and nearby areas after infrastructure was damaged, Iran’s state media reported, citing the energy ministry.

‘Shrapnel hit a part of the electricity grid in Alborz province, causing power to be cut in several areas of Tehran and the city of Karaj,’ the ministry said, according to state media.

The report said electricity was cut in parts of the capital and in Alborz province following the damage.

Authorities were working to restore power, the report added.

The US military is preparing for weeks of ground operations against Iran, potentially including raids on Kharg Island and coastal sites near the Strait of Hormuz, a news report says.

The plans, which fall short of a full invasion, could involve raids by special operations and conventional infantry troops, the Washington Post reported, exposing US personnel to Iranian drones and missiles, ground fire, and improvised explosives.

Pakistan said it is prepared to host and facilitate talks between the US and Iran ‘in coming days,’ after a four-nation meeting in the Pakistani capital with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt focused on de-escalation and ending the war in the Middle East.

‘Pakistan will be honoured to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in coming days, for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict,’ Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a statement at the conclusion of the second round of consultations among the four countries in Islamabad on Sunday.

Dar also said he briefed the visiting ministers on the prospects of potential US-Iran talks in Islamabad, adding that the Saudi, Turkish, and Egyptian foreign ministers expressed ‘full support’ for the initiative.

He said both Iran and the United States ‘have all extended their full support and confidence in our efforts,’ to facilitate the talks.

The American embassy in Doha is warning citizens to be prepared for any attacks and says it’s reducing its consular services.

‘The US embassy in Doha is conducting reduced operations with its remaining emergency personnel.

‘We recommend that all Americans in Qatar remain vigilant and be prepared to duck and cover in a secure location if the Qatari authorities issue an alert,’ it said in a statement.

Earlier today, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it will target American and Israeli-affiliated universities in the Middle East in retaliation for recent attacks on Iranian higher education centers.

Today, the president of the American University of Beirut said in a letter that, because of the IRGC threat, the university will be operating fully remotely tomorrow and Tuesday ‘out of an abundance of caution.’

In an update on its website, the Lebanese American University in Beirut also said that it will switch to ‘fully online operations’ tomorrow and Tuesday ‘as a precaution given the broad threats to educational institutions in the region.’

European Council President Antonio Costa reaffirmed its solidarity with Gulf countries during the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

‘The EU stands in solidarity with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in the face of continued Iranian air strikes and drone attacks targeting civilians and infrastructure in the region. These attacks must stop immediately, Costa wrote on X.

His statement came after he had a phone call with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and reiterated the EU’s support.

‘The EU continues to urge all parties to de-escalate and give diplomacy a chance in the interest of security and stability in the Middle East,’ Costa added.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (pictured second right) said on Sunday that he discussed possible ways to bring an early and permanent end to the war in the region with his regional counterparts.

He said he briefed ministers and delegates on potential US-Iran talks in Islamabad.

Dar added that Pakistan is very happy that both Iran and the United States have expressed their confidence in Pakistan to facilitate talks.

He also said that he had spoken to the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and the Secretary General of the United Nations, both of whom expressed support for the peace initiative.

Hundreds of mourners gathered in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on Sunday to bury two prominent Lebanese television journalists and a cameraman killed in an Israeli airstrike a day earlier.

Israel said it had targeted one of the three, Ali Choeib, a correspondent for Lebanese television network Al-Manar, which is owned by Hezbollah.

Israel said he was a member of Hezbollah’s military wing ‘disguised as a journalist.’

Three sources in Tehran told the BBC that they have heard air defence systems being activated. Two of them said they have also heard explosions.

Iranian outlets are also reporting that air defence has been activated in the capital.

One source in Karaj, a city near Tehran, said he has heard air defence systems being activated too.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said Israeli actions are creating ‘visible cracks in the terror regime in Tehran.’

‘Iran is not the same Iran,’ he said. ‘Hezbollah is not the same Hezbollah, and Hamas is not the same Hamas.’

The three, he said, are ‘battered enemies fighting for their very existence.’

‘Instead of them surprising us, we are surprising them,’ he said. ‘We are the side that is acting, we are the side that is attacking, we are the side that is initiating, and we are deep in their territory.’