Baghdad airport base, Ali Al Salem air base and Iranian cities hit; Cluster munitions cause damage in Israeli cities
An Iranian looks at the remains of destroyed buildings after an attack on Tehran. Photo: AFP
BAGHDAD/DUBAI:
Iranian drone and missile strikes targeted several locations in the Gulf region on Sunday, marking the latest escalation since the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran on February 28.
As the conflict entered its third week, reports emerged of a critical shortage of missile interceptors in Israel, while the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed.
US President Donald Trump’s appeal to countries to send warships to secure the vital waterway produced no commitments. Amid strikes reported from Baghdad to Kuwait, Tel Aviv and Beirut, global markets, particularly oil, remained on edge as the war showed no signs of abating.
In Iraq, several attacks targeted the Victory military base in the Baghdad airport complex, which also houses a US diplomatic facility. “Nine drone and rocket attacks were aimed at the base,” a security official said, with explosions heard across the capital. At least three drones were shot down by Iraqi air defenses, the official added.
In Kuwait, the Ali Al Salem air base, which hosts US and Italian forces, was hit by a drone on Sunday morning. Italian military officials confirmed that the drone hit a shelter containing a remote-controlled aircraft, destroying the asset but causing no injuries.
Italy’s defense chief, General Luciano Portolano, described the aircraft as “an essential asset for operational activities”, noting that personnel remained safe and operational capabilities intact. Earlier this week, another Italian base in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, had been hit, prompting Rome to temporarily reduce its personnel there.
The United Arab Emirates also felt the impact of Iranian attacks. In Fujairah, fires ignited by debris from intercepted drones continued at commercial facilities, while another fire broke out in Sharjah due to an accidental leak in an oil tank. The fire was later brought under control.
Tehran has warned civilians to avoid industrial areas and demanded that US-linked industries in the region relocate, citing them as potential targets in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks on Iranian soil.
In Israel, repeated Iranian missile attacks caused at least eight injuries. Some missiles contained cluster munitions, scattered submunitions over multiple locations. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reported that they targeted Lahav 433, a police unit, and Gilat Defence’s satellite communications center. Videos and eyewitness reports showed damage in central Israel and the Tel Aviv area, including residential buildings and streets.
Amid escalating attacks, Israel faces a critical shortage of missile interceptors. US officials cited by Semafor reported that Israel informed Washington that its inventory of ballistic missile interceptors was critically low, raising concerns about the country’s defensive capabilities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared in a video on social media in which he joked about rumors of his death and confirmed that Israeli forces attacked Iran and Lebanon in retaliation.
Israeli airstrikes overnight in Lebanon’s Sidon and Al-Qatrani killed at least four civilians. Lebanese authorities report more than 850 dead and over 2,100 injured since the start of the conflict, including 66 women, 107 children and 32 health workers.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for targeting Israel’s Palmachim airbase with an advanced missile, while Israeli retaliatory strikes in southern Lebanon killed Hamas official Wissam Taha.
In Iran, footage shows that a police station was hit, with nearby buildings heavily damaged and some losing outer walls. Residents described the attacks as sudden and devastating. At least 1,300 people have been killed since February 28, including 223 women and 202 children.
Global energy markets remain under pressure. The International Energy Agency announced the immediate release of strategic oil reserves across Asia and Oceania, with Europe and the Americas to follow in late March.
The release is aimed at mitigating price increases caused by production disruptions and threats to shipping lanes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil normally passes. Tehran has declared the strait closed to the US and its allies.
President Trump called on allied nations including China, France, Japan, South Korea and Britain to deploy warships to protect tanker traffic through the strait. As of Sunday, no commitment had been confirmed.
So far, 13 US service members have died, including six in a plane crash in Iraq. Israeli and US strikes continue against Iranian military sites, while Iranian-backed groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas have escalated retaliatory attacks.
The war has also intensified domestic political debate in the United States. President Trump faces criticism from both opposition parties and some of his own supporters over his handling of the conflict, rising gas prices and civilian casualties.
Democratic strategists say the administration’s lack of a clear end game has left the public increasingly skeptical. In addition, easing of sanctions on Russian oil shipments to address energy shortages has drawn criticism from European allies.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was not interested in talks with the United States, pushing back against remarks by Trump that Iran was seeking a deal to end the war. Araghchi indicated that Iran would not continue negotiations under the current circumstances.
Meanwhile, senior Iranian politician Ali Larijani, writing on social media platform X, claimed that figures linked to the network of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein could be planning a conspiracy similar to the September 11, 2001 attacks and trying to blame Iran.
The conflict shows no sign of abating, with the death toll rising in several countries, global oil supplies disrupted, and civilian populations facing increasing threats. Governments and international agencies remain on high alert as humanitarian and strategic efforts continue to escalate.
