The fourth day of the war. Closure of American embassies. Israel, Iran exchange attacks, Tehran closes Strait of Hormuz
The US-Israeli war against Iran continues in its fourth day, at a time when its pace on the ground and politically is escalating day by day, with the intensity of mutual attacks between the warring parties intensifying, prompting the United States to close its embassies in Riyadh and Kuwait.
On the ground, Israel's Channel 12 announced that the Israeli Air Force launched a series of intensive airstrikes on targets in the center of the Iranian capital Tehran at dawn today, including the headquarters of the television station, while saying that Iran carried out a barrage of missiles on several areas in Israel.
The Israeli occupation army added that it destroyed the information and propaganda center of the Iranian regime, noting that it also carried out air strikes on a number of other targets, and that it used hundreds of munitions against dozens of missile launchers and air defense systems in western Iran.
The channel pointed out that last night sirens sounded in a number of cities and areas in Israel for 40 minutes continuously due to Iranian missiles.
1250 targets bombed in Iran
In addition, the US military announced last night that US forces bombed more than 1,250 targets during the first 48 hours of the war on Iran.
"The targets that were bombed included command and control centers, ballistic missile sites, ships and submarines of the Iranian Navy, as well as anti-ship missile sites," the US Central Command CENTCOM said.
In this context, the IRGC said it had destroyed a Hermes drone in Bushehr in the south of the country, pointing out that air defences have shot down 21 Hermes drones since the beginning of the war on Iran.
The IRGC added that it launched the 13th wave of "Operation True Promise 4" against the Arifjan base in Kuwait, and also targeted a gathering in the UAE that includes more than 160 US Marines, in addition to targeting a US base in Kuwait with 10 attack drones.
Strait of Hormuz closure
Iran announced last night that it had closed the vital Strait of Hormuz and prevented oil exports from it, while Washington confirmed that it would counter the move, stressing that the strait was "not closed."
Iranian media quoted the IRGC commander's adviser, Ibrahim Jabbari, as saying that Iran had "closed the Strait of Hormuz" and threatened to "burn any ship trying to cross it," and pointed out that his country "will not allow" the export of oil from the region, in response to the Israeli and American attacks in Iran.
Two U.S. embassies closed
Politically, the US embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait announced today a temporary closure in light of the accelerated escalation in the region against the backdrop of the war on Iran.
The US Embassy in Riyadh said that it has closed its doors and canceled all appointments for US citizens' services, whether routine or emergency, confirming that the stay-at-home notice in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran will continue to be in effect, calling on Americans residing in the Kingdom to avoid visiting the embassy until further notice.
The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait said it would be closed until further notice due to escalating regional tensions, and that all regular and emergency consular appointments had been canceled.
Yesterday, the two embassies were attacked by Iranian drones that caused minor material damage to buildings, but no injuries were recorded.
The US State Department also called on its citizens to leave a number of countries in the Middle East immediately, due to serious security risks.
According to US media, the ministry asked US citizens to leave via commercial flights available from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, and called on its nationals to leave the Israeli entity.