The US president has said a “big wave” of US military action against Iran is still to come, describing the current campaign as only the beginning of a broader assault, reports Al Jazeera.
“We haven’t even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon,” Trump said in an interview with CNN.
On the duration of the conflict, Trump said, “I don’t want to see it go on too long. I always thought it would be four weeks. And we’re a little ahead of schedule.”
The president also said the “biggest surprise” had been Iran’s attacks on Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
He also claimed 49 Iranian leaders were killed in initial strikes.
Qatar says it shot down 2 Iranian fighter jets
Qatar Defence Ministry says its air force “successfully shot down” two fighter aircraft incoming from Iran.
Naval and air defence systems also took down seven ballistic missiles and intercepted five Iranian drones, the ministry said in a statement, reports Al Jazeera.
“The threat was addressed immediately upon detection, in accordance with the operational plan, as all missiles were shot down before reaching their targets,” it said.
UK PM Starmer says he ‘stands by’ decision not to take part in Iran strikes
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has defended his decision to keep Britain out of the US and Israel’s initial strikes against Iran following criticism from President Donald Trump.
“President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest. That is what I have done, and I stand by it,” Starmer told parliament.
“But it has become clear that Iran’s outrageous response has become a threat to our interests and our allies, and it cannot be ignored.”
The UK’s leader also said British military bases in Cyprus “are not being used by US bombers” after he agreed to a US request to use its bases for “specific and limited defensive purposes” in the war.
Israeli army says it is intercepting new wave of Iranian missiles
The military reports that missiles have recently been launched from Iran towards Israel, and its defence systems are working to eliminate them.
“In recent minutes, the Home Front Command distributed advance instructions directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas,” it said in a statement.
“The public is asked to be responsible and act according to the instructions.”
Iran claims to have struck Israeli army’s communications complex in Beersheba (Bir as-Sab)
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says the 11th wave of Iranian missiles and drones targeted Israel’s Beersheba (Bir as-Sab) city, according to the Tasnim news agency.
The report claimed the Israeli army’s communications industries complex was hit in the city. Later, the agency posted a photo of what it claimed was a building targeted in Bir as-Sab’, “which houses major international companies, including Microsoft”.
Iranian commander vows to bomb Cyprus to force US aircraft to leave
Brigadier General Ibrahim Jabari, a commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has been quoted by the Tasnim news agency as saying that Iran plans to launch missiles at Cyprus.
“The Americans have moved most of their aircraft to Cyprus, and we will launch several missiles at Cyprus to force them to leave from there as well,” he said, according to the report.
Macron says France will increase nuclear warheads amid global uncertainty
The French president has announced that his country will increase the number of nuclear warheads in its arsenal for the first time in decades.
Speaking on Monday at the L’Ile Longue military base in northwestern France, home to the country’s ballistic missile submarines, Emmanuel Macron said he had decided to raise the number of warheads from the current level of fewer than 300.
He did not specify how many would be added. It would mark the first increase in France’s nuclear stockpile since at least 1992.
Macron said the move was aimed at clarifying the role of France’s nuclear deterrent in Europe’s security architecture amid what he described as growing global threats and uncertainty surrounding US security guarantees to European allies.
Macron also said France would allow the temporary deployment of its nuclear-armed aircraft to allied countries and announced that France, Germany and the United Kingdom would work together on “very long-range missile projects” as part of deeper cooperation on strike capabilities.
Lebanon closes all private higher education institutions and Lebanese University for a day
Rima Karami, Lebanon’s education minister, has announced that all private higher education institutions and Beirut’s Lebanese University will be close on Tuesday, according to local media.
Karami was quoted as saying that the decision came “due to the evolving security situation resulting from the Israeli aggression against several Lebanese regions”.
Bahrain says air defence systems intercepted new wave of Iranian missiles, drones
Bahrain says its air defence systems have intercepted a new wave of Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks.
“The total number of hostile projectiles amounted to 70 missiles and 59 drones,” the National Communication Centre said, according to state media.
Italy says it received requests for logistics aid and supplies from Gulf countries
Italy has received requests for logistics aid and supplies from Gulf countries caught up in the conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States, according to Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.
Addressing a parliamentary committee in Rome, Tajani also said Italian troops deployed in Lebanon, Jordan and other parts of the region were safe.
Israel says its forces begin striking Hezbollah ‘throughout Lebanon’
Israel’s army says its forces have begun striking “Hezbollah terror targets throughout Lebanon”.
“Further details to follow,” it said in a statement published on Telegram as large plumes of smoke were rising over Beirut.
Massive explosions rock Lebanon’s Beirut
Huge plumes of smoke are rising into the sky of the Lebanese capital.
