The Israeli army stated that air defense systems were activated following missiles launched from Iran.
In a statement it said, “Air defense systems are operating to neutralize the threat.”
After the latest attack on Iran, alarms were sounded in central regions of Israel. This development has taken Israel’s direct and extensive attacks on Iranian territory to a new stage.
Missile and drone attacks on the UAE
The tension in the region has not been limited to Israel. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Defense also announced that air defense systems were activated in response to missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attacks coming from Iran.
In a statement on the social media platform X, the ministry said: “Air defense systems are responding to missile and drone threats originating from Iran.”
Tehran rejects U.S. “peace” plan
The Iranian government has also closed the door to calls for a diplomatic solution. Tehran officially rejected the 15-point peace plan reportedly conveyed by the United States through Pakistan.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a statement to state television: “Even talking about negotiations would mean accepting defeat.”
Araghchi stated that Iran wants to end the war “on its own terms,” adding that this must happen “in a way that will never be repeated.”
New front threat from Iran: Bab al-Mandeb
The Iranian government also warned that the war could spread to a wider geography in the event of a possible ground invasion.
Tehran warned that in such a scenario a “new front” could be opened in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the strategic passages in the Red Sea.
This statement is being evaluated as a serious threat not only for regional security but also for global trade routes and energy transportation.
Contradictory messages from Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump has continued to make contradictory statements regarding the course of the war. While expressing optimism about possible talks that are said to begin this week in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, Trump has also continued his harsh threats toward Iran.
The White House warned that if Iran “makes a miscalculation,” “the gates of hell will be opened.”
In a meeting with Republican members of Congress, Trump claimed that Iranian negotiators want to reach an agreement but are afraid to say so openly.
“They are negotiating, they really want to make a deal. But they are afraid to say it, because they think otherwise their own people might kill them,” Trump said.
Tehran, however, denies claims that any peace talks with Washington are underway.
U.S. sends military reinforcements to the region
The uncertainty in the Trump administration’s rhetoric has become even more notable alongside the military preparations on the ground. The United States has reportedly deployed new military units to the Gulf region.
The reinforcements include a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and a parachute brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division. Together with the forces already in the region, the number of American troops that could be used in possible ground operations is said to have reached around 8,000.
These forces are believed to be deployed for limited and specific ground operations.
The toll is growing heavier
The humanitarian toll of the war is also worsening day by day. According to data from the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), since the start of the Israel-Iran-U.S. war on February 28, at least 1,455 civilians have been killed, including 217 children.
According to information based on the U.S. military’s Central Command (CentCom), 290 American soldiers have been injured since the beginning of the war. It was reported that 10 of them are in critical condition, while 255 soldiers have returned to duty.
In addition, 13 American soldiers have died since February 28. Seven of them were killed in the Gulf and six in Iraq.
In Israel, emergency services and official authorities have announced that 16 civilians have lost their lives since the beginning of the war.