Iran Strikes Back at Israel, Gulf Nations After Top Leader Killed

Iran launched missile attacks on Israel and Gulf neighbors Wednesday following the death of a senior Iranian official in an Israeli airstrike. The escalating conflict has pushed oil prices above $100 per barrel and displaced over a million Lebanese civilians.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Following the death of a senior Iranian official in an Israeli airstrike, Iran retaliated Wednesday with missile strikes targeting Israel and Gulf nations, deploying advanced weaponry designed to penetrate defense systems and resulting in two deaths near Tel Aviv as Middle East hostilities continue to escalate.

Israeli forces maintained their aggressive campaign against Lebanon, conducting strikes aimed at Iran-supported Hezbollah fighters and destroying several residential buildings in Beirut, resulting in at least six fatalities.

A projectile struck Iran’s Bushehr nuclear facility complex, though officials reported no casualties or structural damage, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency following Tehran’s briefing. IAEA Director Rafael Grossi renewed his appeal “for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of a nuclear accident.”

Brent crude oil prices continued trading above $100 per barrel Wednesday morning, representing a more than 40% increase since hostilities began.

Following the February 28 U.S. and Israeli assault on Iran that initiated the conflict, Tehran has systematically targeted Gulf Arab nations’ energy facilities and military installations as part of an effort to inflate oil costs and pressure Washington into withdrawal.

Iranian judicial authorities announced the execution of a man accused of espionage for Israel’s Mossad intelligence service. The judiciary’s Mizan news outlet named the individual as Kourosh Keyvani, claiming he “provided images and information on sensitive locations” to Israeli operatives.

Human rights organizations have cautioned since Iran’s January nationwide demonstrations that the Islamic Republic might initiate widespread executions. Iranian authorities brutally crushed the protests through force that resulted in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests.

Wednesday morning brought reports of fresh strikes across multiple Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province oil region, along with Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reported that a projectile sparked a minor blaze at Australia’s UAE base near Dubai without causing injuries. His statement appeared linked to explosions heard near Al Minhad Air Base, utilized by Western forces as a regional transit point.

Saudi forces intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at Prince Sultan Air Base, which houses U.S. personnel and aircraft.

Iran continues its tight control over the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway carrying one-fifth of global oil shipments, raising fears of an international energy emergency.

U.S. Central Command reported American forces deployed several 5,000-pound bunker-buster bombs Tuesday against Iranian missile installations along the strait’s coastline.

In response to Israel’s assassination of Ali Larijani, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary and a key government figure, the Revolutionary Guard announced Wednesday it had struck central Israel using multi-warhead missiles designed to bypass defense systems and overwhelm tracking technology.

Israeli authorities confirmed at least two waves of incoming projectiles, with the nation’s medical services reporting two deaths in Ramat Gan, located east of Tel Aviv.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard stated it fired Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr multi-warhead missiles to avenge Larijani’s death. Associated Press footage captured at least one missile deploying cluster munitions over Israeli territory.

Larijani, a former parliament speaker, served as a key strategic advisor to the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei during nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned him in January for his involvement in “coordinating” Iran’s brutal suppression of national protests.

Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s Basij militia, also died in Tuesday’s Israeli attack. The U.S., European Union and other nations had sanctioned Soleimani for his years-long role in crushing dissent through the Basij.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad faced attack for the second consecutive day early Wednesday, according to two Iraqi security sources who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly.

Additional information remained unavailable, though pro-Iranian militia groups have consistently struck American positions in Iraq since the war’s onset. Tuesday saw a drone crash within the Baghdad embassy grounds.

Israeli forces demolished a Beirut apartment complex approximately one hour after issuing evacuation warnings. This marked the fourth targeting of the structure, though three previous attempts last week failed to destroy it.

Israel’s military alleged the building served as Hezbollah storage for “millions of dollars intended to finance its activities,” offering no supporting evidence.

While no immediate casualty reports emerged, other strikes on Beirut residential buildings killed at least six people and injured 24 others, Lebanon’s Health Ministry confirmed.

Israeli forces also announced a new wave of strikes against Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon “in response to firing into Israeli territory.”

Israeli bombardment has forced over 1 million Lebanese residents – approximately 20% of the population – from their homes, according to Lebanese officials who report more than 900 deaths. In Israel, Iranian missiles have killed 14 people, while at least 13 U.S. military personnel have died.

More than 1,300 people have perished in Iran since the February 28 conflict began, the Iranian Red Crescent reported.