The US military's request for $200 billion in additional funding for the Iran war met with stiff opposition in the US Congress on Thursday, as Democrats and even some Republicans questioned the need for the money after large defence appropriations last year.
Benchmark Brent oil prices jumped above $119 a barrel on Thursday after Iran attacked energy facilities across the Middle East following Israel's strike on its South Pars gas field, a major escalation in the war. Meanwhile, Middle East benchmark Dubai and Oman premiums hit all-time highs at about $65 per barrel, according to trade sources and Reuters data.
US President Donald Trump said Israel had 'violently lashed out' by striking Iran’s South Pars gas field, in an escalation of the conflict, prompting a retaliatory attack by Tehran on Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City. He ruled out further such attacks by Israel unless Iran retaliated.
In a major escalation in the Middle East conflict, Iran's huge Pars gas field was hit on Wednesday in the first reported strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure in the Gulf during the US-Israeli war, prompting Tehran to warn its neighbours that their energy installations would be targeted "in the coming hours".
US President Donald Trump threatened further strikes on Iran's Kharg Island oil export hub and urged allies to deploy warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz, an artery for global energy supplies, as Tehran vowed to intensify its response.
Ships must co-ordinate with Iran's navy to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, reported the country's Mehr news agency on Thursday citing the foreign ministry. This comes after its new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's threat to keep this vital passage shut as leverage against the US and Israel.
The Pentagon said Tuesday about 140 US service members have been wounded in the conflict with Iran giving the first insight into the broader toll of injuries sustained by US troops after a barrage of retaliatory rocket and drone strikes from Iran that also killed seven soldiers in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
US President Donald Trump's administration said it used $5.6 billion in munitions during the first two days of strikes against Iran in a report provided to US congressional committees, reported Reuters citing a source familiar with the information.
One person was killed and several others were injured when a residential building in Bahrain's capital Manama was hit by Iranian drones late last night in a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits the use of UAVs to target civilian objects, said the Kingdom's Ministry of Interior.
A number of houses in the Sitra area of Bahrain were damaged as a result of Iranian drone attack late last night which left many injured, according to the kingdom's Ministry of Interior. Earlier in the day, a water desalination plant and a university building were targeted.
