The Middle East, under siege. Explosions in Israel and Iraq, diplomats expelled and the US threat to Iran: “We will strike and destroy”
Persian Gulf states are reporting a wave of missile and drone attacks Sunday attributed to Iran. In parallel, the US issued a 48-hour ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under the threat of military strikes, according to CNN and The Guardian.
As Tehran continued its attacks on its Gulf neighbors, Saudi Arabia on Sunday morning ordered Iran's military attaché, his deputy and three embassy staff to leave the country within 24 hours.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the attacks, which targeted targets in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, constituted a “flagrant violation” of international conventions and contravened the “principles of Islamic brotherhood”. For this reason, mission personnel were declared “personae non gratae”.
Hours after the announcement, the Saudi Defense Ministry said it had detected three ballistic missiles fired at the capital Riyadh. One was intercepted and the other two fell in an uninhabited area.
At the same time, the UAE Ministry of Defense responded to the attacks from Iran on Sunday morning, stating that its air defense intercepted at least eight unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and three ballistic missiles.
In Kuwait, defense systems shot down nine ballistic missiles in a 24-hour period, according to the state news agency, while Bahraini defense forces announced the downing of two drones in the past day.
Explosions in Israel
The conflict spread to other areas in the region on Sunday. Several explosions were heard in Jerusalem after the army warned of a missile attack from Iran towards the center of the country. The “Magen David Adom” medical service stated that no casualties have been reported so far.
In Iraq, a drone attack targeted a military base near Baghdad International Airport, a complex formerly used by the US military, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency.
Trump's threat
The Strait of Hormuz, blocked by Iran since the end of February, has become the target of a 48-hour ultimatum issued by Donald Trump.
“If Iran does not TOTALLY reopen, WITHOUT ANY THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz within 48 HOURS from this precise moment, the United States of America will strike and destroy its various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE!”, the US leader said Saturday night on the Truth Social platform.
The deadline set by the USA expires on March 24, at 01:44 (Romanian time). About 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas transport passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran responded to the US ultimatum by warning that in the event of an attack on its infrastructure, it would target all US and allied energy assets in the region.
