Here are the latest events related to the war in the Middle East, entering its 23rd day on Sunday.
. Three missiles targeting the Riyadh region
The Saudi Ministry of Defense stated that three ballistic missiles targeted the Riyadh region.
“One missile was intercepted, while the other two fell in an uninhabited area,” the ministry wrote, also reporting the interception of five drones over the country since midnight on Sunday.
. Crash of a helicopter in Qatar
A Qatari helicopter crashed in the country’s territorial waters due to a “technical malfunction” during a “routine” flight, the Qatar Ministry of Defense reported on Sunday, adding that search operations for crew members and passengers were underway.
Qatar did not specify the nature of the mission or the number of people on board.
. Explosion near a freighter
An explosion from an “unknown projectile” was reported on Sunday near a freighter off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
The entire crew is safe, according to UKMTO, specifying that the explosion occurred 15 nautical miles (about 28 kilometers) north of the Emirati city of Sharjah, near the Strait of Hormuz.
. Trump’s ultimatum to Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran on Saturday night, stating that the United States would target and destroy its power plants if the Islamic Republic does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic within 48 hours.
In response, the Iranian military indicated that it would target the region’s energy, information technology, and desalination infrastructure.
. Israeli strikes in the heart of Tehran
The Israeli military reported conducting strikes in central Tehran, hours after two destructive Iranian attacks in southern Israel.
The army stated that it was targeting the “Iranian terrorist regime” in the heart of Tehran.
. Two Iranian missiles strike Israel, over a hundred casualties
Two Iranian missiles struck the cities of Dimona and Arad in southern Israel on Saturday evening, causing over a hundred casualties and significant material damage.
Dimona, known for hosting a strategic nuclear research center, is approximately five kilometers from the impact site.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged a “very difficult evening in the battle for our future.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) called for “maximum military restraint,” stating that there were no signs of damage to the Negev nuclear research center.
. Riyadh orders departure of Iranian military attache
Saudi Arabia ordered an Iranian diplomat and three members of its team to leave the country as it, along with other Gulf monarchies, faced Iranian strikes in retaliation to Israeli-American attacks.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned the “repeated Iranian attacks” and declared the military attache of the Iranian Republic’s embassy and three members of the embassy’s military mission persona non grata.
. G7 calls on Iran to immediately end “unjustifiable” attacks
Foreign Ministers of the G7 countries demanded Iran to immediately and unconditionally end its “unjustifiable” attacks on Middle Eastern countries.
. Europe: urged to reduce gas stock filling
The European Commission urged European states to reduce their gas stock filling targets for next winter – from 90% to 80% – to alleviate pressure on prices surging due to the war in the Middle East.
