US Iran war highlights: Trump says US may hit Iran's Kharg Island again, loud explosions in Bahrain's Manama

UAE: Dubai authorities said debris from a “successful interception” struck a building in the city centre. “No fire occurred, and no injuries were reported,” Dubai Media Office said at around 7 AM local time.

Kuwait: Explosions were heard at “American occupation bases” in Kuwait, Iran’s state-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported on Telegram early Saturday. The cause and exact location of the blasts are unclear.

Qatar: Iran’s IRIB News reported several explosions at the Al-Udeid air base in Qatar, in a Telegram post on Saturday morning. Some 30 minutes later, Qatar’s Ministry of Defence said it intercepted a missile attack targeting the state.

Saudi Arabia: The defence ministry reported a wave of attempted aerial attacks since midnight. It intercepted 19 drones — including 16 in the eastern region — and one ballistic missile launched toward the central Al-Kharj area.

Bahrain: Sirens sounded in the kingdom shortly after 1 AM local time, according to Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior, which urged residents to head to the nearest safe place.

Oman: The US Department of State late on Friday ordered non-emergency American government employees and their families to leave Oman due to safety risks.

Iran threatened Saturday to reduce US-linked oil facilities to "a pile of ashes" as the two-week-old Middle East war spilled over into a global oil price crisis.

Iranian armed forces issued the warning after US President Donald Trump said he may decide to "wipe out" Iran's largest oil export hub on its Kharg Island.

Waves of drone, missile and aerial bombing have displaced millions in the region and reportedly killed more than 1,200 people in Iran since the United States and Israel opened hostilities on February 28.

Despite facing superior US and Israeli firepower, Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks against at least 10 countries.

Tehran has also squeezed the global economy by threatening to attack oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, bringing traffic to a virtual halt on a route that normally carries one-fifth of global oil supplies.

Crude oil prices have surged more than 40 per cent since the war began.

Trump said Friday US forces had "totally obliterated" all military targets on Iran's Kharg Island oil export hub, describing it in a social media post as "one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East."

The US leader said he had chosen not to "wipe out" oil infrastructure on the Iranian island, for now.

"However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision," he said.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has asserted that the Islamic Republic now views the United States and the Israeli regime as indistinguishable regarding the severity of their actions against the Iranian people.

"Trump was duped by Netanyahu into starting the war and is now acting under his control," he said on X.

The Speaker further clarified Tehran's current diplomatic and military stance, noting that, in light of the “major crime they have committed, Iran no longer makes 'any distinction' between the United States and the Zionist regime.”

Regarding the future of the military engagement, the Speaker maintained a firm position, declaring that "the war will continue until the enemy's calculus is altered and they are driven to regret."

Here is the latest:

Iran reiterates threats to target US-linked oil facilities

Iran's joint military command reiterated its threat to attack US-linked oil and energy facilities in the region if the Islamic Republic's oil infrastructure were hit.

Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, made the threat early Saturday, according to Iran's state-run television.

He warned that Iran will target "all oil, economic, and energy infrastructures belonging to oil companies across the region that have American shares or cooperate with America" if energy and economic infrastructure in Iran is attacked.

No comment from the US Embassy after strike on Baghdad compound

There was no immediate comment from the US Embassy in Baghdad after a strike hit its compound in the Iraqi capital.

On Friday, the embassy renewed its Level 4 security alert for Iraq, warning that Iran and Iran-aligned militia groups have previously carried out attacks against US citizens, interests and infrastructure, and "may continue to target them."

Israel’s military has warned civilians to evacuate the industrial area west of Tabriz, a city in north-western Iran, in a post on its Farsi-language X account.

“Dear citizens, for the sake of your safety and well-being, we kindly request that you immediately evacuate the designated area indicated on the map,” the post said. “Your presence in this area puts your life at risk.”

The post said the strike will target military infrastructure in the region. A map attached to the post indicated it would target the area around a piston factory.

Iraq has downed a drone targeting the US diplomatic centre in Baghdad near the airport, Reuters reported.

Donald Trump has again claimed that Iran has been “defeated” and wants a deal, but not the one he " would accept”.

“The Fake News Media hates to report how well the United States Military has done against Iran, which is totally defeated and wants a deal - But not a deal that I would accept! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The Financial Times reported that France and several other European countries have opened talks with Tehran, “seeking to negotiate a deal to guarantee safe passage for their ships through the Strait of Hormuz”.

European countries are seeking to resume oil and gas exports from West Asia, the FT said, citing three people familiar with the matter. The report said the talks are still “tentative”.

Reuters separately reported that France is putting together a coalition to “secure the Strait of Hormuz” once the security situation stabilises, citing two French officials.

France has been talking to European, Asian and Gulf Arab states to draft a plan for warships to escort tankers through the Strait, Reuters said.

Air Canada has suspended all its Toronto-Dubai flight operations till May 1 amid the escalating tensions in West Asia.

The airlines said that they will resume their flight operations when safe passage is ensured.

"Due to unrest in the Middle East, our Toronto-Dubai flights are cancelled until at least May 1. We plan to reintroduce service gradually when flights can safely resume. We continue to add capacity to Delhi to provide travellers with options to Canada," Air Canada said in a post on X.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem has asserted that his organisation is prepared for a "long confrontation" with Israel, as Israeli authorities warned that Lebanon would face an "increasing price" through extensive damage to its national infrastructure, according to a report by The Times of Israel.

The conflict intensified on Friday following Hezbollah's decision to target Israel in retaliation for the killing of the Iranian former supreme leader in joint strikes.

In his second televised address since the hostilities began, Qassem described the situation as an "existential battle, not a limited or simple battle," adding that his forces have "prepared ourselves for a long confrontation" and that the Israeli military "will be surprised on the battlefield."

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence said the latest drone to be intercepted and destroyed was in the east of the country.

Iraqi officials told the Associated Press that a helipad at the US Embassy in Baghdad was hit by a missile

A drone struck the US embassy in Baghdad on Saturday, an Iraqi security official quoted by AFP said, with smoke rising from the complex.

"A drone hit the embassy," the official said, with a second security source confirming that an attack had targeted the diplomatic mission.

The attack took place shortly after two Iran-backed fighters were killed in strikes on Iraq's capital, according to several sources.

Al Jazeera Arabic reported that smoke is rising from the US embassy in Baghdad after a reported attack, with air raid sirens also sounding.

Iran's military said on Wednesday it would launch strikes against US and Israeli economic interests in the region, including banks, while an Iranian news agency listed tech giants as possible "future targets".

US tech giants Google and Microsoft, and payments firm American Express, have a presence in the areas targeted by Iran.

Qatar said on Saturday it intercepted two missiles, after blasts were heard in the capital Doha and authorities said they had evacuated some key areas.

Interceptors were seen downing two projectiles over the Qatari capital's downtown area, and blasts were heard, according to AFP journalists, as Iran presses on with its retaliatory air campaign against Gulf states.

The country's defence ministry said in two separate posts on Saturday that its military had "intercepted" a missile attack targeting the country.

Earlier, the interior ministry said in a statement it was "evacuating several key areas as a temporary precautionary measure, within the framework of ensuring public safety until the danger has passed".

In Doha's central Musheireb district, some residents received phone alerts telling them to "evacuate the area immediately... to the nearest safest place as a temporary precaution".

Scores of residents and some hotel guests in Musheireb rushed into underground car parks for shelter, AFP reported.

Law enforcement was out on the streets, and some areas of Musheireb were cordoned off, which hosts a country office for US tech giant Google and the US payments firm American Express.

Musheireb also hosts some Qatari government offices.

In Lusail, north of Doha, police were also stationed at the entrance of the Qatar headquarters for US technology firm Microsoft.

Qatar’s Ministry of Defence said its armed forces intercepted a missile attack a short while ago.

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has shared an update stating that the temporary precautionary evacuation measures issued earlier tonight apply only to “residents in the specified areas who received notifications through the National Alert System”.

“Safe alternative accommodations have been provided for those affected, while some have chosen to move to safe places of their own choice, until the security threat passes,” the ministry said.

Israel’s Home Front Command reported rocket and missile fire near Kfar Giladi, Kfar Yuval, and Metula at 04:22 AM local time (02:22 GMT) in the Galilee region of northern Israel, according to a post on Telegram.

The posts urged people living in the affected areas to seek refuge in protected areas.

Iran’s Fars news agency reported that thick smoke has been seen rising from Iran’s Kharg Island, but that Iranian forces continue to operate from there despite Trump’s claims that the US “obliterated” military targets on the island.

“The reactivation of defences on the island within an hour after that round of attacks on Kharg invalidated [Trump’s] claim,” Fars reported.

Fars also reported that more than 15 explosions were heard on the island during the attacks, citing sources in the field.

Sources quoted by Al Jazeera said no oil infrastructure was damaged in the attacks.

The US State Department on Friday ordered “nonemergency US government employees and US government employee family members” to leave Oman due to safety risks.

The travel advisory for Oman remains at Level 3 of “reconsider travel” due to the risk of “armed conflict and terrorism.”

The highest Level 4 or “do not travel” advisory remains in place for Oman’s border region with Yemen.

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence has reported the interception and destruction of a drone in the Al-Jawf region in the north of the country.

The US Department of Energy has said that the first deliveries of oil from its strategic petroleum reserve should start moving the market next week.

The Trump Administration has ordered the release of 172 million barrels of oil as part of the International Energy Agency’s coordinated release of 400 million barrels to counter shortages amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.

The oil will be released over the next four months.

US President Donald Trump has posted a video, claiming to show the US bombing of Iran's Kharg Island. Watch the video here.

The UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) has urged the public to keep a safe distance from any debris and report sightings immediately to authorities.

In a public safety advisory issued on social media, the authority warned residents not to approach, touch or photograph any objects that may have fallen following aerial interception operations, stressing that specialised teams are responsible for handling such incidents.