Iran launched a wave of attacks overnight from Saturday to Sunday on Israel and several Gulf states in response to what the Polish Press Agency (PAP) described as Israeli and U.S. bombing of civilian infrastructure in Iran.
Israel’s military had struck, among other targets, a key water facility in Haftgel and two universities on Saturday, according to PAP. Tehran responded with missile attacks on Israel, where the military said the projectiles were intercepted and alerts were sounded in the south.
Early on Sunday, Israel’s army said one of its soldiers had been killed in fighting in southern Lebanon, the fifth military fatality in combat there since March 2.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah claimed separate attacks on bases in northern Israel, while the pro-Iranian militia Ashab al-Kahf threatened strikes on U.S. targets in Jordan.
“The air defense systems of the United Arab Emirates are actively responding to threats related to missiles and drones,” the UAE defense ministry said on Sunday. It added that explosions heard across the country were solely the result of interception operations.
Warning sirens also sounded in Kuwait and Bahrain. Kuwait’s army general staff said enemy projectiles had been shot down. Earlier, the military had reported 15 drone strikes that caused a fire at an airport.
In Bahrain, two workers were injured in an attack on Aluminium Bahrain. The company had already cut production by 19% because of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
According to the Iranian organization Hrana, 701 strikes were recorded in Iran in the 24 hours through Saturday afternoon, the highest daily toll since the conflict began. It said 74% of the bombardments hit Tehran, damaging civilian infrastructure including a major drinking water intake.
Since the start of the war, 1,551 people have been killed in Iran, including 236 children, Hrana said.
AFP reported that two powerful explosions were heard in northern Tehran early on Sunday.
(jh)
Source: PAP