Vancouver Courier - Israel, Hezbollah trade fire: latest developments in Iran war

The European Union has warned of the cost to the Middle East of a long war, and said it was reinforcing its naval mission in the Red Sea.

Gulf states vowed to defend themselves against Iranian attacks, while seven people were injured in Jerusalem after a missile barrage.

Here are the latest developments:

- Israel and Hezbollah -

Israel said it was striking Hezbollah targets across Lebanon after the militant group said it had launched rockets and drones at Israel.

A military statement said that "in response to Hezbollah's projectile fire toward the State of Israel", Israeli forces had "begun striking targets of the Hezbollah terrorist organisation across Lebanon".

- 'Reckless' Gulf strikes -

The United States and its Arab allies condemned Iran for launching a wave of strikes on Gulf states hosting US troops.

"The targeting of civilians and of countries not engaged in hostilities is reckless and destabilizing behavior," the US State Department said in a joint statement with Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

- Israel strikes Tehran -

The Israeli military said it launched "large-scale strikes" on Tehran two days after the start of a US-Israeli campaign against Iran.

"The Israeli Air Force... has begun an additional wave of strikes against the Iranian terror regime at the heart of Tehran," the military said in a statement.

- US officials to make case for war -

Top US officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make the case Tuesday to Congress for the attack on Iran.

Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and military chief General Dan Caine "will brief the full membership of both chambers of Congress," White House spokesman Dylan Johnson said.

- Maersk suspends Strait of Hormuz transit -

Container shipping company Maersk said it was halting passage through the Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz for "safety" reasons.

The Danish group was the latest of several shipping groups to make similar announcements after Iran's Revolutionary Guards declared the strait closed on Saturday.

- Gulf states vow to defend themselves -

Gulf states vowed to defend themselves against Iranian attacks, including by "responding to the aggression" if need be, after the Gulf Cooperation Council convened via video-link to formulate a unified response.

- Seven injured in Jerusalem -

Seven people were injured in the Jerusalem area following the latest salvo of missiles fired from Iran, Israeli firefighters said.

- UK allows US to use bases -

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had agreed to let the United States use UK bases to fire "defensive" strikes aimed at destroying Iranian missiles and their launchers.

But in a video address posted to social media, he added: "We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive action now.

- EU reinforces naval mission -

The EU is to reinforce its naval mission in the Red Sea with additional vessels as Iran's retaliation to US-Israeli strikes threatens maritime traffic, a European diplomat said.

Two new French ships will join the EU's Aspides mission, bringing to five the number of warships taking part, the diplomat told AFP.

- Trump vows to avenge US military deaths -

Trump vowed to avenge the deaths of three US soldiers killed during US operations against Iran, while warning that more casualties were likely.

The US president also called on Iranians to rise up, saying "America is with you," and warned the country's Revolutionary Guards to surrender or face "certain death."

- War could last 'four weeks' -

Trump said he envisaged a four-week military operation against Iran, where US and Israeli strikes have killed the country's supreme leader and crippled its defence capabilities.

"It's always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so," he told British newspaper the Daily Mail during a round of interviews.

"As strong as it is, it's a big country, it'll take four weeks -- or less," Trump said.

- Revolutionary Guards HQ 'destroyed' -

The US military announced it had destroyed the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) headquarters.

"America has the most powerful military on earth, and the IRGC no longer has a headquarters," the US Central Command, or CENTCOM, said in a statement, adding that the strike had occurred on Saturday.

Israel's military meanwhile said it "struck dozens of the regime's military command centres, including headquarters belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), intelligence headquarters, IRGC Air Force command centres, and internal security headquarters."

- EU warning -

The EU's top diplomat warned that the Middle East "stands to lose greatly from any drawn-out war", urging Iran to refrain from indiscriminate attacks in retaliation to US-Israeli strikes.

"The events unfolding in Iran must not lead to an escalation that could threaten the Middle East, Europe and beyond, with unpredictable consequences," Kaja Kallas said, speaking on behalf of the EU's 27 nations after an emergency meeting of foreign ministers.

- Tehran police station hit -

Iranian media reported that a police station in a city on the outskirts of Tehran had been hit, killing an unspecified number of people, with others reportedly trapped under debris.

"According to initial reports, a number of citizens were martyred and some were trapped under the rubble," the Tasnim news agency reported.

- Tehran hospital struck -

Iranian news agency ISNA reported that Gandhi hospital in northern Tehran had been targeted by strikes.

The Fars and Mizan agencies published a video, presented as being from inside the facility, showing debris on the floor among wheelchairs.

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J.Hughes--VC