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Iran has attacked 12 different countries and “continues to deliberately target civilians” throughout the Middle East, the United States Central Command said on Friday.
U.S. CENTCOM chief Admiral Brad Cooper, in an update, accused Iranian forces of firing drones at residential neighborhoods in Bahrain in their latest offensive.
“This is unacceptable and will not go unanswered,” Copper stated, adding that America will continue working with regional partners to address the threat to innocent people across the region.
Since the war started, Iranian missiles and drones have hit Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and the UAE. NATO destroyed a missile headed into Turkish airspace.
Iran has launched over 500 ballistic and cruise missiles and over 2,000 drones, the Fars news agency reported; 40% targeted Israel, and 60% targeted U.S. sites in the Arabian peninsula.
On Friday, Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi recalled Tehran’s warning to the international community not to get directly involved in the war against the Islamic Republic.
In an interview with France 24, the minister declared any country that joins the operation by America and Israel “will also be legitimate targets for Iran’s retaliation.”
He argued that Iranian officials had been “negotiating in good faith” with the U.S., describing the last round of the talks in Geneva as “a success.” The joint mission started two days later.
Takht-Ravanchi also confirmed Tehran’s strikes against Iraq’s Kurdish groups, reportedly backed by the CIA and Mossad, saying the action was needed to protect the sovereignty of Iran.
On Friday, Russian senior official Dmitry Medvedev mocked Persian Gulf nations over Iranian attacks, claiming Washington “just uses them, while protecting only one country.”
“Think long and hard about whether you really need US bases – they’re not protection, they’re a threat,” the Security Council Deputy Chairman wrote in a post on X.
On Friday, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense announced its armed forces successfully intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base.
However, videos shared on social media early Saturday showed the moment huge explosions rocked areas in western Tehran near Mehrabad Airport and the Ekbatan neighborhood.
