US-Israel war on Iran Day 13: Trump pledges to end war amid ongoing attacks on Gulf nations

Lebanon said an Israeli strike on central Beirut's seafront killed at least seven people early on Thursday, another attack in the heart of the capital as Iran-backed Hezbollah launched more missiles at Israel.

The Israeli military said separately it had carried out strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs overnight against Hezbollah, which had announced a major new operation against Israel.

Local media aired footage showing smoke rising along the seaside road area after the strike in central Beirut, which state-run National News Agency (NNA) said targeted a car.

"The Israeli enemy strike on Ramlet al-Bayda in Beirut led to an initial toll of seven dead and 21 wounded," the health ministry said in a statement.

Three crew members were "believed to be trapped" aboard a Thai bulk carrier that was hit by two projectiles on Wednesday while travelling through the crucial Strait of Hormuz, the vessel's owner said.

"Three crew members are reported missing and believed to be trapped in the engine room" of the Thai-registered Mayuree Naree which was damaged in the strikes, Thai transport company Precious Shipping said in a statement Wednesday evening.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday they struck the ship because it had ignored "warnings".

Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence has confirmed that an enemy drone struck a residential building in a southern region of the country at dawn today, KUNA reported.

The attack injured two people, who are receiving medical treatment, and caused material damage, the ministry’s official spokesman added.

Tourists in Dubai can now access round-the-clock support from the Dubai Tourist Police, ensuring safety and assistance throughout their stay.

Visitors can reach the service via:

• Dubai Police App – Tourist Support Service

• Smart Police Stations (SPS)

• Call Center: 901

• Email

From guidance and general assistance to emergency support, the Dubai Tourist Police are on duty 24/7 to help travellers across the city.

The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, topped $100 a barrel early Thursday, just days after it spiked near $120.

Oil prices shot more than 9% higher as supply concerns worsened with Iranian attacks on commercial shipping around the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. benchmark crude oil jumped to about $95 a barrel.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli strikes early Thursday a town in the hills overlooking Beirut killed three people and wounded a child.

Aramoun, a town about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Beirut where dozens of displaced families have found shelter, has been targeted twice since the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel renewed after Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel on March 2.

The Health Ministry also said the death toll from an earlier Israeli strike on central Beirut had risen to eight people, with 31 wounded.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that UAE air defence systems were actively responding to incoming missile and drone threats launched from Iran amid ongoing regional hostilities.

Authorities have emphasised the importance of staying in safe locations, relying only on verified government updates, and remaining alert while the situation is closely monitored. Residents received mobile alerts through official channels to ensure timely warnings.

The UAE continues to monitor the situation and coordinate defensive measures to protect residents and critical infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia shot down a drone approaching a district housing foreign embassies, the country's defence ministry said on Thursday.

"An enemy drone was shot down while attempting to approach the embassies district," a defence ministry spokesperson posted on X, after confirming Saudi Arabia had also intercepted a drone in the east of the country.

Kuwait's Ministry of Defence also said on Thursday its air defences had intercepted several drones as Iran carries out strikes on oil-rich Gulf countries, vowing to target global energy markets in response to US-Israeli strikes.

An attack on Iraq’s Basra port early Thursday killed at least one person and forced authorities to halt operations at all the country’s oil terminals, officials said.

Farhan al-Fartousi, the director-general of the General Company for Ports of Iraq, made the announcement in a statement carried by the state-run Iraqi News Agency on Thursday. Al-Fartousi said the attack targeted a ship engaged in a ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Basra port on the Persian Gulf. He said it remained unclear if the ship was targeted by a flying or seaborne drone or a missile.

Rescuers recovered one dead body and helped 38 others after the attack. He said commercial ports in Iraq remained open, though the oil terminals had been shut.

Official Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Saud Al-Otaibi said Kuwaiti air defenses intercepted a number of hostile drones that breached the airspace in the north of the country at dawn.

The Israeli military said Thursday that a new barrage of missiles was heading for Israel, following an early wave of strikes that coincided with Israeli strikes on Tehran and Beirut.

"A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the Israeli military said on its official Telegram channel.

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The Bahrain Ministry of Interior announced that the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science has arrested four Bahraini nationals and identified a fifth, currently at large abroad, in connection with espionage activities linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps through terrorist elements operating in Iran.

Investigations revealed that the first arrestee, acting on organisational instructions and with the assistance of the others, used high-resolution photography equipment to record and photograph coordinates of vital and sensitive locations in Bahrain. This information was reportedly transmitted to the IRGC via encrypted software. Legal proceedings have been initiated, and the arrested individuals have been referred to the Public Prosecution.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran was on the verge of defeat, but warned that US forces could escalate strikes such that the country would be "almost impossible" to rebuild.

"They are pretty much at the end of the line," Trump told reporters in Washington.

He added: "We can hit sections of Tehran and other places that if you do it, it'll be almost impossible for them to rebuild their country, and we don't want that."

The Bahrain Ministry of Interior announced that the Anti-Cybercrime Directorate at the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption, Economic and Electronic Security has identified and arrested six individuals for filming and posting videos showing the aftermath of the recent Iranian aggression.

The videos, shared via social media, were found to express sympathy for the hostile acts, potentially misleading public opinion, spreading fear among citizens and residents, and undermining security and public order.

Legal proceedings have been initiated, and the arrestees have been referred to the Public Prosecution.

The Ministry of Interior urged the public to rely on official sources for information and to refrain from circulating or reposting unreliable videos or news, warning that doing so could carry legal consequences and compromise the Kingdom’s safety and security.

The Bahrain Ministry of Interior has urged citizens and residents in Hidd, Arad, Qalali, and Samaheej to remain in their homes and close windows and ventilation openings as a precaution against smoke from a fire currently being fought.

Authorities earlier sounded the siren, advising residents to remain calm and move to the nearest safe location. Relevant authorities have said they will provide continuous updates.

The Bahrain Ministry of Interior reported that the recent Iranian aggression targeted fuel tanks at a facility in Muharraq Governorate. The competent authorities are taking all necessary measures to manage the situation.

No injuries or further details have been reported at this time.

Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates has expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the unprovoked Iranian drone attack targeting the Port of Salalah in the Sultanate of Oman, which resulted in damage to several fuel tanks at the port.

Authorities have issued an all-clear alert, confirming that the situation is currently safe and residents can resume normal activities.

Earlier today, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that UAE air defence systems were actively responding to incoming missile and drone threats launched from Iran amid ongoing regional hostilities.

Residents have been urged to stay informed through official sources as authorities continue monitoring the situation.

The UN Security Council, through Resolution 2817, has condemned in the strongest terms Iran’s unprovoked attacks on the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The resolution had overwhelming support – the highest number of co-sponsorships in the Security Council’s history – a clear message from the international community to Iran.

The Saudi Ministry of Defense confirmed that several drones were intercepted and destroyed across the Eastern Region and the Empty Quarter.

• A drone heading toward the Shaybah oil field in the Empty Quarter was intercepted and destroyed.

• In the Eastern Region, authorities intercepted and destroyed 18 drones, including multiple incidents reported over the past hours.

• Additional reports confirm at least three more drones were intercepted and neutralised in the Eastern Region.

The Ministry of Defence spokesperson emphasised that Saudi air defence systems continue to actively monitor and respond to aerial threats to protect vital facilities.

Dubai Civil Defence teams have brought a minor fire in a Dubai Creek Harbour building under control, with no injuries reported so far, as per the Dubai Media Office. Authorities earlier responded to an incident involving a drone that fell on a building in the vicinity of Dubai Creek Harbour.

Two oil tankers were attacked off Iraq in what authorities called a "sabotage". An attack on oil tankers near Iraq killed one crew member, Iraqi state television reported on Thursday, citing port authorities. 

Farhan Al-Fartousi, from Iraq's General Company for Ports, told state television that one crew member had been killed and 38 rescued so far, and the "search continues for the missing."

He did not specify their nationalities or provide details on who was behind the attack. 

The US government will release 172 million barrels from the strategic petroleum reserve "beginning next week," as the Middle East war disrupted oil prices, the US Department of Energy said Wednesday.

The release would "take approximately 120 days to deliver based on planned discharge rates," the agency said in a post to X.

Emergency crews in Oman are continuing efforts to extinguish a fire that broke out at fuel storage tanks at the Port of Salalah following an Iranian drone attack, authorities said.

The Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority confirmed that specialised response teams were immediately dispatched to the site after the incident and began firefighting operations to contain the blaze.

The operation is being carried out with support from the Sultan’s Armed Forces as well as companies operating in the surrounding industrial area, as authorities work to bring the situation under control.

Officials said teams are deploying extensive resources to limit the spread of the fire and protect nearby facilities, adding that extinguishing the blaze may take some time due to the nature of fuel storage fires.

The authority stressed that all necessary safety and security procedures are being implemented while emergency crews continue their operations.

Authorities have also urged the public to follow official updates and avoid the area while response teams work to fully contain the fire and ensure the safety of the port and surrounding infrastructure.

Qatar’s Ministry of Defence said the country’s air defence systems successfully intercepted multiple aerial threats after Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones on Wednesday.

In an official statement, the ministry confirmed that the Qatari Armed Forces intercepted nine ballistic missiles and a number of drones, neutralising most of the incoming threats before they could reach their targets.

“Our Armed Forces successfully intercepted nine aerial threats, of which eight ballistic missiles were destroyed, while one missile fell in an uninhabited area,” the ministry said.

Authorities added that the interception operation was carried out as part of Qatar’s integrated air defence system, which is designed to protect the country’s airspace, critical infrastructure and civilian areas.

Day 12: Donald Trump says Iran near point of defeat

Day 11: US says today will be the 'most intense' of attacks

Day 10: UAE intercepts 15 missiles and 119 drones

Day 9: Gulf nations face fresh attacks

Day 8: US forces hit Iran hard, Trump touts battlefield gains

Day 7: Thousands being evacuated from Middle East: Trump

Day 6: Spring break for schools, universities moved up; some exams cancelled

Day 5: UAE waives overstay fines caused by airspace closure

Day 4: Dubai contains fire near US Consulate

Day 3: Trump lists 'clear' Iran war objectives

Day 2: UAE airlines extend flight cancellations

Day 1: UAE intercepts missiles; regional airspaces closed