Iran war: Israel targets ‘regime infrastructure’

Saudi Arabia‘s defense ministry has said an Iranian drone attack was thwarted early on Monday.

The drone attack was targeting an oil field in eastern Saudi Arabia, near the border with the United Arab Emirates.

 “Four drones heading towards the Shaybah oil field were intercepted and destroyed,” a statement said.

Iran’s continued air attacks on its neighbors in the region have angered many in the Gulf. 

Riyadh stepped up its rhetoric on Monday, warning Tehran that it would be the “biggest loser” if it continues with its strikes against Arab countries.

The US-Israel war with Iran is sending ripple effects across Asia and Europe, with disrupted supply chains pushing fuel prices higher. Could this trigger another global economic blow as markets come under growing strain?

Israel‘s military said early Monday that its air force had begun an “additional wave” of strikes against unspecified “regime infrastructure” in central Iran.

The IDF also said it had struck sites belonging to the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in Beirut.

Israel has been launching daily attacks on Iran since February 28, when Iran’s former supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed.

Lebanon was drawn into the war the following Monday, March 2, after Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in response to the killing of the former supreme leader.

Meanwhile, Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba, has been appoined to succeed his father.

Israel has said that anyone named to the role of supreme leader would become a target for assassination.

The US-Israeli war with Iran and Tehran’s sprawling retaliation against several Gulf states has seen the price of crude oil skyrocket to its highest level since the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022.

The price of Brent crude passed $114 (€98.98) per barrel on Monday, a 23% jump compared to Friday’s closing price of $92.69.

West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, was also selling for about $114 per barrel, a 25% increase compared to Friday.

Asian stock markets plunged at opening on Monday amid the global oil price surge.

The war in the Middle East, which is in its second week, has severely impacted oil and gas production and exports in the region.

The Gulf typically accounts for about 20% of the world’s oil. Around 15 million barrels of crude oil were shipped through the strait each day before the war began.

Cargo ships have largely stopped sailing through the Strait of Hormuz amid the threat of Iranian drone and missile attacks, which have also been targeting oil and gas production facilities across the region.

Iran’s Assembly of Experts has chosen Ali Khamenei’s son Mojtaba as the country’s new supreme leader.

Read more here about how his selection shows that the Iranian regime, at war with the US and Israel, has opted for a confrontational path.

Several Gulf nations reported more Iranian air attacks overnight, as Tehran continues its retaliation to the US-Israeli attacks.

In Bahrain, officials said 32 people were injured overnight after an Iranian drone attack on the island of Sitra.

Four of the injured were “serious cases,” Bahrain’s Health Ministry said, adding that all of the injured were Bahraini citizens. Children were among those injured, the ministry said, including a two-month-old baby.

In Doha, the capital of neighboring Qatar, several explosions were heard. 

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar all reported fresh waves of Iranian missile and drone attacks early on Monday, most of which were intercepted.

Tehran has vowed to continue targeting countries in the region that allow their territory to be used to attack Iran. 

Thank you for joining us as we bring you the latest news in the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Here is a recap of the main developments on Sunday:

• Iran appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s supreme leader to succeed his father, who was killed on February 28
• Israel renewed its vow to assassinate any new supreme leader 
• Before Khamenei’s son was appointed, US President Donald Trump had said he was a ‘lightweight’ who would not ‘last long’
• The price of crude oil surpassed $100 per barrel threshold for the first time in over three years as the conflict continues to impact the region’s oil production severely

DW will bring you the latest news, video and analysis as the United States and Israel continue their war against Iran and Tehran presses on with its regional retaliation.