On the sixth day of US-Israeli offensive against Iran, the conflict is escalating while regional tensions are rising.
On the 6h day of the United States-Israeli offensive against Iran, the situation is escalating inside Iran while regional tensions are intensifying across the Gulf, Lebanon and Iraq.
Iran has threatened global shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, and fighting is spreading across multiple fronts in the Middle East. Further afield, a US submarine has sunk an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka.
In Iran
* Death toll: According to Iranian state media, the death toll from five days of US-Israeli attacks has reached 1,045, with more than 6,000 people wounded.
* Next supreme leader: Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has emerged as a leading contender to take up the country’s top post after years spent cultivating influence within the establishment and forging close ties with the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
* Civilian infrastructure: Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused the US and Israel of strikes on 33 civilian sites across the country. These locations reportedly include hospitals, schools, residential areas, the Tehran Grand Bazaar and the historic Golestan Palace complex.
* US submarine sinks Iranian warship:
On Wednesday, a US submarine fired a torpedo and sank the Iris Dena, an Iranian frigate, in the Indian Ocean off the south coast of Sri Lanka, expanding the warzone. Sri Lanka’s navy said it had recovered 87 bodies and rescued 32 people.
* Kurdish ground offensive:
There are growing signs that Kurdish-Iranian armed groups have launched a ground offensive in northwest Iran against the Islamic government.
Iraqi Kurds possibly joining conflict: US officials have reportedly asked Iraqi Kurds to assist in cross-border military operations, and Kurdish forces in northern Iraq are currently said to be on “standby” to join the conflict against Iran.
* Strait of Hormuz: On Wednesday, the IRGC announced the closure of the strait, where Iranian threats to attack ships have brought maritime activity to a virtual standstill.
* Spain’s refusal to join: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian commended Spain for refusing to allow the US to use its bases for the war. US President Donald Trump threatened to cut off all trade with Spain.
Source:aljazeera.com/new
