Iran has continued to lash out at Gulf States and Israel, striking a major oil refinery in Kuwait and warning it 'will not surrender' to US demands. The attack hit a state-run Kuwait Petroleum Corp facility, with firefighters battling to control blazes. An electricity and water desalination plant in Kuwait was also targeted, vital for the civilian population as around 90% of drinking water in the desert region comes from desalination.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb more bridges and electric power plants, setting an April 6 deadline for Tehran to surrender or face further bombardments. However, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued a fresh warning, stating that attacks on civilian infrastructure 'will not compel Iranians to surrender.'
There are reports that early intelligence assessments of Iran's missile capability may have underestimated its remaining stock, with the country possibly retaining almost half its original supply of launchers and missiles. A US strike on a bridge connecting Tehran to the city of Karaj killed eight people and injured almost 100, splitting the bridge in half.
The conflict has spread across the region, with the UAE hit and 'engaging with missiles,' Saudi Arabia intercepting incoming weapons, and Bahrain ordering people to take shelter as air-raid alarms sounded. The death toll has risen to over 3,000 across the Middle East, including more than 1,900 in Iran, 1,300 in Lebanon, 19 in Israel, and 13 US service members.
In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes have hit targets across the south and as far as Beirut, sparking a major refugee crisis with at least a million people displaced. The British RAF Regiment contingent in northern Iraq remains on permanent standby to intercept incoming Iranian missiles and drones, having shot down dozens in recent weeks.
