Iran struck key infrastructure across the Gulf on Wednesday and Thursday, targeting the world's busiest international airport and commercial ships amid U.S. and Israeli strikes on Tehran. The United Nations Security Council, in a 13-0 vote, demanded an immediate halt to Iran's "egregious attacks" on Gulf neighbors, which threaten global oil supplies—a resolution China and Russia abstained from, calling it unbalanced for ignoring strikes on Iran.
The assaults mark a sharp escalation in a war that began 12 days ago, with Iran aiming to inflict economic pain on the U.S. and Israel. No de-escalation appears in sight as both sides dig in, disrupting trade routes, fuel, and fertilizer from the Gulf.
In Bahrain, an Iranian attack ignited a major fire on Muharraq Island, site of the kingdom's international airport with nearby jet fuel and oil tanks. Authorities told residents to shelter indoors and seal windows against smoke.
Iraq's Basra port attack killed one person and halted all oil terminal operations. Director-General Farhan al-Fartousi said it hit a vessel during a ship-to-ship transfer; commercial ports stayed open.
Near Dubai International Airport in the UAE, two Iranian drones wounded four people, but flights continued. A separate drone strike sparked a fire at a luxury tower in Dubai Creek Harbor, quickly contained by firefighters.
At Oman's Port of Salalah, crews fought flames at fuel storage tanks.
Iran has also choked the Strait of Hormuz—route for one-fifth of global traded oil—while hitting Gulf oil fields and refineries. Additional strikes included drones toward Iraq's Kurdistan cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah, plus an Australian-flagged oil vessel near Khor Al-Zubair Port, where 25 crew were rescued (fate of others unclear).
The U.S. war tab hit $11.3 billion in the first week, per a Pentagon briefing to Congress, including $5 billion on munitions alone. The International Energy Agency authorized its largest-ever release of 400 million barrels from emergency reserves. The U.S. will tap 172 million barrels from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve next week to ease soaring prices.
Bahrain's UN ambassador Jamal Alrowaiei stressed the international resolve against attacks on sovereign nations vital to global energy and trade. Iran's UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani and Russia's Vassily Nebenzia criticized the resolution for overlooking the conflict's roots.
Explosions rattled Jerusalem early Thursday after sirens blared across Israel. The military launched "wide-scale strikes" on Tehran in response. In Lebanon, Israel targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah, killing seven and wounding 21 in a Beirut tourist area strike—though the military said it was unaware of that specific hit. Blasts hit Beirut's southern suburbs after Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets into northern Israel, including one that lightly injured two near Karmiel.
Lebanon reports 634 deaths since fighting intensified, with 759,000 displaced. Iran claims over 1,300 killed; Israel reports 12 dead. The U.S. has lost seven soldiers, with eight severely injured.
(Inputs from AP)