The Latest: Israel hammers Beirut and Tehran as Iran attacks more Israeli targets

Gulf countries say they have intercepted more ballistic missiles and drones on Saturday as Iran launched another wave of retaliatory strikes.

Saudi Arabia said early Saturday it stopped four drones attacking the country’s massive Shaybah oil field, the second attack within hours. In Dubai, people heard several blasts in the morning, with Emirati authorities saying there had been “a minor incident resulting from the fall of debris after an interception.”

Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes hammered Beirut and Tehran. Death toll continued to rise Saturday with at least 1,230 people killed in Iran, more than 200 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials. Six U.S. troops were reported killed.

In the first indication that Moscow has sought to get involved in the war, two officials familiar with U.S. intelligence said Russia has provided Iran with information that could help Tehran strike American warships, aircraft and other assets in the region.

The war continued to intensify, with no end in sight. U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration approved a new $151 million arms sale to Israel after Trump said he would not negotiate with Iran without its “unconditional surrender.”

Here is the latest:

Pakistan cited a surge in global oil prices due to the war in the Middle East.

Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced the 55-rupee-per-liter (about $0.20) increase overnight, saying the government had little choice but to pass on the impact of rising international prices.

Pakistan relies heavily on imported oil, mainly from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

The Israeli military said the Imam Hussein University in Tehran was used for the training of Revolutionary Guard officers and contained “multiple military assets” used by the Revolutionary Guard.

It said over 80 fighter jets participated in the latest wave of strikes on Saturday, which also targeted an underground compound used for storing ballistic missiles and housing command centers from where the army said “senior officials of the Iranian regime” were operating.

Targets also included launch sites in central and western Iran, the army said.

Explosions echoed across Iran’s capital, Tehran, Saturday morning as new airstrikes hit the city.

The strikes appeared to target downtown Tehran and government buildings there.

Passengers waiting for flights at Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel, found themselves ushered down into train tunnels at the sprawling airfield after missile alert sounded.

Mobile phone alerts sounded Saturday morning in Dubai over “potential missile threats.” Emirati authorities urged the public to seek immediate shelter.

Emirati air defenses had activated over the missile threat, the government added.

Trump berated a reporter for raising the matter when the president opened the floor to questions from the media at the end of a White House meeting about how paying student-athletes has recalibrated college sports.

“I have a lot of respect for you, you’ve always been very nice to me,” Trump said to Peter Doocy, the Fox News reporter. “What a stupid question that is to be asking at this time. We’re talking about something else.”

People headed to bomb shelters across Israel early Saturday after hearing loud booms as Iranian missiles attacked more targets.

There were no immediate reports of casualties by Israel’s emergency services.


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