Israel expands strikes in Lebanon
Tensions in the Middle East escalated further on Friday, with new air raids, missile launches, and incidents raising fears of wider regional destabilisation.
The Israeli military said it carried out airstrikes against Hezbollah command centres in Beirut and southern Lebanon, claiming the sites were being used by members of the group planning attacks against Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli army was moving to “crush Iran and Hezbollah”, while urging the Lebanese government to take action against the Shiite movement.
New missiles launched from Iran
At the same time, Israel warned in the early hours of a new wave of missiles launched from Iran toward its territory.
Air defence systems were activated to intercept them, while two people were injured in northern Israel by shrapnel and transferred to a medical centre for treatment.
Meanwhile, Iranian media reported overnight explosions in Tehran, mainly in the southern part of the capital.
US tanker crash in western Iraq
In another development, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced early Friday that a US KC-135 refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq following a collision with another aircraft.
Shortly afterwards, the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq”- an umbrella organisation under which Iranian-aligned Iraqi Shiite armed factions operate- claimed responsibility, saying it had shot down the KC-135 aircraft.
Explosions reported in Dubai
At the same time, strong explosions were reported in central Dubai, according to correspondents of international news agencies.
Witnesses spoke of tremors in buildings and thick smoke rising in the area, though details about the cause and extent of the incident were not immediately clear.
Trump eases Russian oil sanctions
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump moved to ease sanctions on Russian oil already stranded at sea, granting a temporary waiver aimed at stabilising global energy markets.
The decision comes as oil prices have surged amid the conflict and disruptions to shipping routes in the Gulf, raising concerns about global energy supplies.
Also read: Historic Iranian landmarks damaged in US‑Israel bombardment
For more videos and updates, check out our YouTube channel
