Recap: Iran hits US fighter jet, destroys Israeli oil refinery

An Israeli oil refinery has been struck by a missile after it came under attack from Iran.

Israeli media outlets have shared footage of black smoke billowing from oil facilities at Bazan in the port city of Haifa.

According to reports, there have been no casualties.

Israel’s military insists there is no major damage at the site and stressed the impact was caused by debris as a result of a missile interception.

It marks the latest retaliation from Tehran after Israel bombed Iran’s South Pars gas field, the world’s biggest gas facility, yesterday.

Iran warned attacks on its energy infrastructure were a ‘big mistake’ and warned any repeat would lead to strikes on ‘your energy infrastructure and that of your allies until their complete destruction.’

An American F-35 fighter jet has been forced to make an emergency landing in the Middle East after it came under attack from Iranian fire.

The plane was taking part in combat operations over Iran when it was struck and damaged, causing the pilot to land at a nearby US air base.

Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command, said the aircraft landed safely, and the incident is under investigation

‘The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,’ Hawkins added.

The incident marks the first time an American F-35 jet has been hit since the war began.

The US and Israel are flying F-35s across the region, which cost upwards of $100 million.

Iranian foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has boasted Iran’s retaliation to an attack on the South Pars gas field showed a ‘fraction’ of its power.

Araghchi added Tehran has held off from further attacks because of requests for de-escalation but insisted ‘zero restraint’ would be shown if other sites are attacked.

It comes after Donald Trump threatened to ‘massively blow up’ the South Pars field if Iran continues to strikes more energy facilities across the Gulf.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has wrapped up three days of talks, with efforts now turning to easing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.

IMO chair Victor Jimenez Fernandez said he is confident negotiations with Iran and regional powers will begin within days to secure safe passage for shipping.

No regional country can be outside of these negotiations. All (of) the region needs to come to gather to find a solution to allow the safety and secure transit of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has rejected calls to move Iran’s World Cup matches out of the United States despite escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Speaking after a FIFA Council meeting, Infantino made clear the governing body will stick to the original tournament schedule set following December’s draw, with games remaining across the US, Mexico and Canada.

Iran had pushed to switch fixtures away from US host cities such as Seattle and Los Angeles, with officials citing safety concerns amid the conflict. Donald Trump had also suggested it would not be safe for Iran to play in the US.

But Infantino insisted FIFA will not alter plans, saying the tournament will go ahead ‘as scheduled’ with all teams expected to compete.

Sirens have been heard across Jerusalem as families celebrate the first night of Eid, with urgent alerts issued to mobile phones.

The city was hit by a storm overnight and dull thuds were heard as the missiles exploded above.

Iranian state television has confirmed that four salvos of missiles were fired in quick succession.

The European Council has condemned Iran’s ‘indiscriminate’ strikes and called for ‘de-escalation and maximum restraint’ after a meeting to discuss the war in the Middle East.

In a statement issued on behalf of EU leaders, it said it ‘deplores the loss of civilian life and is closely monitoring the far-reaching impact of the hostilities’.

The council also said it stands ‘irmly and unequivocally’ with member states in the region.

‘The European Council acknowledges the intention of Cyprus to initiate a discussion with the UK on the UK bases in Cyprus and stands ready to provide assistance as needed.

‘The European Council reiterates that Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon and that it must comply with its legally binding nuclear safeguard obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

‘The European Council urges Iran to resume full cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.’

Iranian attacks on the Ras Laffan energy facility in Qatar will cause a loss of $20bn, Qatar’s energy minister said.

Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi said the missile attacks have reduced the Gulf country’s export capacity of liquified natural gas (LNG) by 17 per cent.

‘The extensive damage will take up to five years to repair’, the energy ministry added.

‘The impact is on China, South Korea, Italy and Belgium.

‘This means that we will be compelled to declare force majeure for up to five years on some long-term LNG contracts.’

by Dan Woodland

Iran has executed three people who were accused of killing two police officers after taking part in anti-regime protests.

Champion wrestler Saleh Mohammadi, 19, was reportedly killed in a public hanging along with Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi in the city of Qom on Thursday.

Mohammadi was sentenced to death in February, less than three weeks after his arrest, over the murder of a security agent during the anti-regime protests on January 8, according to Amnesty International.

He denied the accusation and claimed his earlier confessions had been extracted under torture. But the court dismissed his claims without any investigation.

Ghasemi was accused of participating in the killing along with Davoudi, who was also accused of murdering another policeman on the same day.

Denmark reportedly prepared for a full-scale war with the US as Donald Trump threatened to invade Greenland.

Copenhagen flew bags of blood to Greenland and explosives to blow up runways in case of an American invasion.

Danish soldiers carried explosives to destroy runways in the capital Nuuk to prevent US aircrafts from landing there if war broke out.

Shortly after Donald Trump’s election, Denmark reportedly sought political support from France, Germany, and Nordic neighbours to form a European alliance defending Greenland against US takeover.

‘When Trump keeps saying he wants to take over Greenland, and then what happened in Venezuela happened, we had to take all scenarios seriously,’ a source told Danish public broadcaster

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Iran has claimed it should not be expected to ‘show restraint’ until the US and Israel stop their attacks.

A spokesperson for the country’s foreign ministry said: ‘You cannot expect the country that is defending itself against this act of aggression to show an olive branch to those who know no boundary in targeting your country.’

Esmaeil Baghaei said the ‘killing spree’ has to stop and claimed Iran is facing ‘unprecedented’ aggression.

‘They started this aggression they have to stop.’

Asked if there was a way out of the war, he told Sky: ‘Do you think it’s realistic to offer an olive branch to those who want to behead you? To those who know no boundary in targeting your country.