1 month of war: Two powerful explosions shake north Tehran as air defences operate
Saudi Arabia destroys 10 dronesSaudi Arabia has intercepted and destroyed 10 drones in the past hours, the spokesperson for the country's Ministry of Defence said on Sunday.Iran allows additional Pakistani-flagged ships to transit Strait of HormuzIran has agreed to allow an additional 20 Pakistani-flagged vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, with two ships permitted to transit daily, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Sunday.Houthis to continue military operations in coming days: ReutersYemen's Houthis carried out a second strike on Israel on Saturday, and vowed to continue military operations in coming days, Reuters reported.The attack pointed to a potential new threat to global shipping, already hit by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, previously a conduit for about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.The Houthis have shown an ability to strike targets far beyond Yemen and disrupt shipping lanes around the Arabian Peninsula and the Red Sea, as they did in support of Hamas in the Gaza war.Indian tile makers feel heat of war energy crunch: AFPBlazing-hot kilns in India's $6.5 billion ceramics manufacturing hub employing hundreds of thousands of people have gone cold, shut down in an energy crunch caused by the Middle East war.At a cavernous facility in Morbi, in India's Gujarat state, a 200-metre-long propane-powered kiln that normally fires clay nonstop is silent. It is one of hundreds of plants supplying homeware tiles across the world that have been forced to suspend operations.Thick layers of dust smother giant grinding and pressing machines, while only a tiny crew of workers transfer the last batch made three weeks ago off snaking assembly lines and into trucks."We are suffering a lot," said Kishor Dulera, a tile unit proprietor who closed this factory and two others in early March, sending hundreds of workers home.India, the world's fourth-largest economy, depends on imports for 60 percent of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) demand.More than 400 plants have closed after the gas supply chain was "broken", said Manoj Arvadiya, head of the local manufacturing industry association."Everyone is worried," said 29-year-old labourer Bunty Goswami, a migrant worker at a shut plant."We are confused about what to do — whether we should go home, or not."Pakistani grandfather killed by missile debris in Abu Dhabi mournedIsmail Khan, a Pakistani who was killed on March 17 by debris from a missile interception, is being mourned by his colleagues.He worked for an Abu Dhabi contracting company. The tragic incident took place just days before Eid. Ismail was at perimeter duty at one of the company’s outdoor excavation sites.When the alert came, Ismail was running to the shelter, just metres away from safety, when debris from the missile interception fell on him. “He was like family and many still miss him tremendously,” Noor Mohammed, his manager at the company, told Khaleej Times.Read the full report by Nasreen Abdulla as friends and family mourn the Pakistani grandfather killed by missile debris. Two explosions heard in northern Tehran: AFPTwo powerful explosions shook northern Tehran early Sunday, an AFP journalist reported.The blasts occurred in the Iranian capital around 7.20 am (3.50am GMT) as air defences operated, although it was not clear what was targeted.Photos: Global protests against warA man holds signs depicting Iranian school children killed by a US air strike in Iran, during an "Impeach, Convict, Remove the Regime" rally in Washington, DC, on March 28A Lebanese journalist holds pictures of their colleagues, Fatima Ftouni and Ali Shoeib, at Martyrs Square in central Beirut during a protest against their killing from an Israeli strike that targeted their vehicle on a road leading to Jezzine in southern Lebanon on March 28Demonstrators gather for the weekly anti-war protest at HaBima Square in Tel Aviv on March 28People participate in a demonstration against the Middle East war and in solidarity with the Palestinian people in central Athens on March 28Israel military says another soldier killed in south LebanonThe Israeli army announced on Sunday the death in combat of a soldier in south Lebanon."Sergeant Moshe Yitzchak hacohen Katz, aged 22, from New Haven, Connecticut, a soldier of the 890th battalion, Paratroopers Brigade, fell during combat in southern Lebanon," a military statement said.Five Israeli soldiers have now been killed in fighting in south Lebanon since Hezbollah began launching rocket attacks against Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader.Strikes on Iranian university: Media reportsStrikes overnight Friday to Saturday hit Tehran, including the university of science and technology in the northeast of the capital, damaging buildings but not causing any casualties, according to Iranian media reports.Pentagon preparing for ground operations in Iran: ReportThe Pentagon is preparing plans for weeks of ground opera
Saudi Arabia destroys 10 drones
Saudi Arabia has intercepted and destroyed 10 drones in the past hours, the spokesperson for the country's Ministry of Defence said on Sunday.
Iran allows additional Pakistani-flagged ships to transit Strait of Hormuz
Iran has agreed to allow an additional 20 Pakistani-flagged vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, with two ships permitted to transit daily, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Sunday.
Houthis to continue military operations in coming days: Reuters
Yemen's Houthis carried out a second strike on Israel on Saturday, and vowed to continue military operations in coming days, Reuters reported.
The attack pointed to a potential new threat to global shipping, already hit by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, previously a conduit for about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.
The Houthis have shown an ability to strike targets far beyond Yemen and disrupt shipping lanes around the Arabian Peninsula and the Red Sea, as they did in support of Hamas in the Gaza war.
Indian tile makers feel heat of war energy crunch: AFP
Blazing-hot kilns in India's $6.5 billion ceramics manufacturing hub employing hundreds of thousands of people have gone cold, shut down in an energy crunch caused by the Middle East war.
At a cavernous facility in Morbi, in India's Gujarat state, a 200-metre-long propane-powered kiln that normally fires clay nonstop is silent. It is one of hundreds of plants supplying homeware tiles across the world that have been forced to suspend operations.
Thick layers of dust smother giant grinding and pressing machines, while only a tiny crew of workers transfer the last batch made three weeks ago off snaking assembly lines and into trucks.
"We are suffering a lot," said Kishor Dulera, a tile unit proprietor who closed this factory and two others in early March, sending hundreds of workers home.
India, the world's fourth-largest economy, depends on imports for 60 percent of its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) demand.
More than 400 plants have closed after the gas supply chain was "broken", said Manoj Arvadiya, head of the local manufacturing industry association.
"Everyone is worried," said 29-year-old labourer Bunty Goswami, a migrant worker at a shut plant.
"We are confused about what to do — whether we should go home, or not."
Pakistani grandfather killed by missile debris in Abu Dhabi mourned
Ismail Khan, a Pakistani who was killed on March 17 by debris from a missile interception, is being mourned by his colleagues.
He worked for an Abu Dhabi contracting company. The tragic incident took place just days before Eid. Ismail was at perimeter duty at one of the company’s outdoor excavation sites.
When the alert came, Ismail was running to the shelter, just metres away from safety, when debris from the missile interception fell on him.
“He was like family and many still miss him tremendously,” Noor Mohammed, his manager at the company, told Khaleej Times.
Read the full report by Nasreen Abdulla as friends and family mourn the Pakistani grandfather killed by missile debris.
Two explosions heard in northern Tehran: AFP
Two powerful explosions shook northern Tehran early Sunday, an AFP journalist reported.
The blasts occurred in the Iranian capital around 7.20 am (3.50am GMT) as air defences operated, although it was not clear what was targeted.
Photos: Global protests against war
A man holds signs depicting Iranian school children killed by a US air strike in Iran, during an "Impeach, Convict, Remove the Regime" rally in Washington, DC, on March 28
A Lebanese journalist holds pictures of their colleagues, Fatima Ftouni and Ali Shoeib, at Martyrs Square in central Beirut during a protest against their killing from an Israeli strike that targeted their vehicle on a road leading to Jezzine in southern Lebanon on March 28
Demonstrators gather for the weekly anti-war protest at HaBima Square in Tel Aviv on March 28
People participate in a demonstration against the Middle East war and in solidarity with the Palestinian people in central Athens on March 28
Israel military says another soldier killed in south Lebanon
The Israeli army announced on Sunday the death in combat of a soldier in south Lebanon.
"Sergeant Moshe Yitzchak hacohen Katz, aged 22, from New Haven, Connecticut, a soldier of the 890th battalion, Paratroopers Brigade, fell during combat in southern Lebanon," a military statement said.
Five Israeli soldiers have now been killed in fighting in south Lebanon since Hezbollah began launching rocket attacks against Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader.
Strikes on Iranian university: Media reports
Strikes overnight Friday to Saturday hit Tehran, including the university of science and technology in the northeast of the capital, damaging buildings but not causing any casualties, according to Iranian media reports.
Pentagon preparing for ground operations in Iran: Report
The Pentagon is preparing plans for weeks of ground operations in Iran -- potentially including raids on Kharg Island and coastal sites near the Strait of Hormuz — though Trump has not yet approved any deployment, the Washington Post reported Saturday.
Any ground operation would stop short of a full-scale invasion, instead involving raids by special operations forces and conventional infantry troops, the Post said, citing unnamed officials.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted on Friday the United States "can achieve all of our objectives without ground troops," but the Post said planning is advanced, with one official saying: "This is not last-minute planning."
UAE air defences respond to missile threat
UAE residents received safety alerts at 7am as the authorities said air defence systems were dealing with a missile threat. Shortly after, at around 7.12am, the country sent an all-clear alert, reassuring residents that the situation is now safe.
2 wounded amid Iranian attack on Aluminium Bahrain facilities
Two of Aluminium Bahrain's employees were wounded in an Iranian attack on its facilities over the weekend, Bahrain state media reported on Sunday.
"The safety and security of (Aluminium Bahrain's) people remain its top priority and the Company confirms that two of Alba's employees sustained minor injuries," the company said in a statement carried by the official Bahrain News Agency.
It did not give details on the nature of Saturday's strike or the extent of the damage.
Alba, one of the world's largest aluminium producers, said it was assessing the impact on its operations and would issue further updates when available.
1 month of war
The war has begun Day 30, and a new party has joined the regional conflict — Yemen's Houthis, who attacked Israel on Saturday, for the first time since the war began.
Attacks on GCC nations on Saturday
Attacks on GCC countries have not ceased, with 1 expat injured in Oman when its Salalah Port was targeted by drones.
Six were injured when three fires broke out in UAE's Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi – KEZAD, caused by falling debris following interception of a ballistic missile.
Kuwait International Airport was subjected to several drone attacks, damaging the airport's radar system, although no casualties were reported.
As the US-Israel-Iran war begins Day 30, Khaleej Times brings you the latest updates on the conflict, and its repercussions for the region.
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