E-Paper
Fire breaks out at at Habshan gas-processing facility in Abu Dhabi, UAE authorities respond
A fire broke out at the Habshan gas-processing facility in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
A fire broke out at the Habshan gas-processing facility in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, prompting a swift response from UAE authorities.
In a post on X, officials said authorities were responding to a “fire incident” at the major gas complex but did not provide details on the cause of the blaze or whether there were any injuries.
Further information on the extent of the fire and its impact was not immediately available.
Here are top developments on the Iran-US war:
Iran's response to Trump's threats: Responding to Trump’s threats, a senior Iranian source told Reuters that Qatar had conveyed Tehran’s message to the United States and regional countries, warning that if Washington attacks Iran’s power plants, “the entire region and Saudi Arabia will fall into complete darkness with Iran's retaliatory strikes.”
Iran's Kharg Island attacked: Iran's Kharg Island was targeted with multiple strikes on Tuesday. The island sits across the Persian Gulf from US bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and contributes largely to Iran’s oil sector. Nearly 90% of the country’s oil exports pass through it.
Iran railway movement disrupted: Railway movement in Iran’s Mashhad was halted after Israel issued a warning advising Iranians to avoid using the country’s railway network until 9 p.m. local time. In a post on X, the Israel Defense Forces’ Farsi page cautioned that being near trains and railway lines “puts your lives in danger.”
Trump's ultimatum to Iran: Donald Trump's self-imposed deadline on Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz ends at 8 pm ET on Tuesday (5:30 am IST on Wednesday). Less than 24 hours are now remaining before the deadline ends. “Every bridge in Iran will be decimated, by 12 o’clock tomorrow night,” Trump said, further issuing to threats to Iran's power plants. He has said that the attacks would be carried out over four hours and it was highly unlikely that the deadline would move.
Iran says attacks would continue: As the US President's self-imposed deadline looms, Iran has reportedly reacted defiantly saying Trump's "arrogant rhetoric and baseless threats" would not hinder operations against US and Israeli forces. The Iranian army's Khatam Al-Anbiya central command reportedly said that "crushing operations of the warriors of Islam against the American and Zionist enemies" would continue.
Pak, Egypt, Turkey pushing for ceasefire: According to an Axios report, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey are pushing to secure a potential ceasefire between the US and Iran, lasting about 45 days. News agency Reuters also reported on Monday that a framework to end hostilities has been put together by Pakistan and exchanged with Iran and the US.
Explosions in Tehran, blasts in Iraqi Kurdistan: Fresh explosions were reported in parts of Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj, and according to an AFP report, two blasts were also heard near the Erbil airport in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region. Israeli has announced the completion of a wave of airstrikes on Iran and has separately said that its air defences were activated in response to missiles fired by Iran.
Oil rises, US markets drop: Brent edged up 0.5% to $110 a barrel, and US futures contracts for the S&P 500 Index dipped 0.2% in early trading on Tuesday as Trump threatened Iran, signalling fresh escalation in the ongoing war. If Iran doesn’t agree to the US’s terms, the military may destroy “every bridge in Iran by 12 o’clock tomorrow night” and put every power plant “out of business,” Trump has warned.
