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.’

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned the Iran conflict could ‘spiral beyond anyone’s control.’

‘All the unlawful attacks in the Middle East and beyond are causing tremendous suffering and harm to civilians throughout the region – and pose a grave a risk to the global economy, particularly to the most vulnerable people,’ he wrote on X.

‘The situation could spiral beyond anyone’s control. It is time to stop the fighting and get to serious diplomatic negotiations. The stakes could not be higher.’

Joseph Aoun, the president of Lebanon, has urged his allies to help stop Israel from attacking his nation.

Recent attacks saw Israel directly hit a site, located in southern Lebanon, which belongs to Unifil, a United Nations peacekeeping force,

The attack has caused injuries to the Ghanaian contingent there, the president said.

Two soldiers have been critically injured, while another was traumatised by the strike which burnt the facility to the ground, the Ghana Armed Forces said.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Majid Takht-Ravanchi told France 24:

We have already informed the Europeans and everybody else that they should be careful not to be involved in this war of aggression..

If any country joins in the aggression against Iran … definitely, they will also be legitimate targets for Iran’s retaliation.”

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said ‘this war was imposed on us’ by Israel and the US after their recent attacks on the region.

The official told France 24: ‘We were negotiating in good faith’ before the US had changed its mind.

‘We do not trust the Americans,’ he added. ‘Not only did they betray us, but they betrayed diplomacy.’

A US Air Force B-1 Lancer heavy bomber was seen arriving at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire today.

By George Odling, Special Correspondent

MPs and policing experts have led calls to ban an annual march in London in support of the Iranian regime.

The Al Quds demonstration, due to take place on March 15, is intended to express solidarity with Palestinians and opposition to Israel.

But, as the UK draws up plans to send a warship to defend the RAF airbase in Cyprus struck by an Iranian drone, there are renewed calls for Al Quds to be blocked.

Marchers in Britain have previously carried the flags of Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah, and placards calling for the destruction of Israel.

The march is organised by the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) which previously described the late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, as a ‘rare role model’.

Lord Pickles, former UK special envoy for post-Holocaust Issues, said: ‘I am in favour of free speech and reasonable demonstration but (allowing this march to go ahead) is taking the mickey out of the British constitution.

‘Given what is going on in the world, I think it is ridiculous that police resources should be diverted for something like this.’

Labour MP David Taylor added: ‘We cannot allow hundreds of supporters of Iran’s hardline regime to march through London calling for strikes on Israel and death to the West.’

READ MORE BELOW

Police patrols are set to be ramped up ahead of rival protests in London over the weekend, the Met Police have confirmed.

Public Order Act conditions have been imposed to prevent ‘serious disruption’ as protests against the Iranian government, ‘Stage for Freedom’ and ‘Hands Off Iran’, organised by Stop the War, are set to take place in the city this weekend.

James Harman, the Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner, said:

‘It is inevitable that strong feelings will result in protest or other forms of public assembly.

The role of the police is not to try limit that freedom of expression, but to ensure that it doesn’t result in disorder and that it doesn’t cause others to be threatened or intimidated

‘We will ensure that ordinary life in London can still go on without protests being the cause of serious disruption.’

The US Embassy in Jerusalem announced it is offering a bus service to Taba, Egypt, for Americans in Israel.

‘US Embassy Jerusalem has started offering bus service to Taba for U.S. citizens in need of assistance departing Israel,’ the embassy wrote on X.

The bus service will be offered on Saturday and Sunday.

‘Once we have assigned you to a bus you will receive details about the time of departure and rally point. Departures are available from the Jerusalem area and the Tel Aviv area,’ the embassy said.

By Jon Michael Raasch

Global markets have gone haywire after Donald Trump demanded Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender.’

US crude oil crashed through the $90 barrel threshold, spiking by 11.5 percent as it notched a 35 percent gain this week. The national average for a gallon gas has surged almost 27 cents since last week to $3.25.

Wall Street traders were in frenzy as the Dow dropped nearly 2 percent, while the the S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell 1.6 percent each.

‘There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!’ the President posted on Truth Social Friday morning.

‘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.’

Qatar’s energy minister, Saad al-Kaabi, warned that soaring oil prices threatened to ‘bring down the economies of the world.’ He projected prices could hit $150 barrel as Iran strangles the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil flows. The last time oil topped $100 was after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Trump said Thursday that he must have a role in selecting Iran’s new leadership after the US and Israel killed the nation’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and many top Iranian officials over the weekend.

READ MORE BELOW:

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.’