Iranian woman holds a portrait of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran.
Day 161 | Iran threatened to “black out” Gulf if US hit power plants
Iran intensified its threats towards its Gulf neighbours last week, conveying messages that it would "black out" the entire region if the United States struck its power plants and rattling off a list of specific targets, two officials told AFP.
The warning followed threats by US President Donald Trump of a massive attack against Iran, which he later walked back over the weekend citing requests from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar and hope for a breakthrough in talks.
"Iran threatened to black out the Gulf, country by country, if Trump attacked its power plants," a Gulf official told AFP, with another regional official confirming the messaging.
Both spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
Trump said the planned strikes would have been "the biggest attack since World War II", with US media reporting he was considering hitting energy infrastructure, as he has repeatedly threatened to do.
Iran conveyed through intermediaries that any attacks on its power plants would trigger strikes on the same targets in the Gulf, the officials said.
It had publicly made such threats before, but the new one was "very serious", the Gulf official said, noting it included "a long list of targets they would attack".
In mid-July, Trump threatened to destroy an Iranian bridge or power plant for every attack on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran warning of an "eye for an eye" response.
The Gulf official said Iran's message said it would hit power plants and water desalination facilities, which the mostly desert region largely relies on for drinking water.
After Trump called off the strikes, Saudi Arabia announced that Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman had spoken to the US leader in a call aimed at reducing regional tensions.
The Gulf has borne the brunt of Iran's attacks during the Middle East war, with strikes targeting US assets as well as civilian infrastructure such as energy sites, ports and airports.
Sporadic attacks continued after a ceasefire and subsequent memorandum of understanding were agreed in April and June, respectively.
But the exchanges of fire increased in scale and regularity as the ceasefire fell apart in July, with strikes targeting mainly Kuwait and Bahrain.
Saudi Arabia braces for “imminent” coordinated attack by Iran-backed groups: Reuters
Saudi Arabia expects imminent coordinated attacks from both its northern and southern borders by Iraqi armed groups and Yemen’s Houthis, operating under the supervision of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, an unidentified senior Saudi official said on Thursday, cited by Reuters.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official cited intelligence reports from Saudi Arabia, the United States and other regional countries indicating that civilian and economic sites could be targeted.
These include energy infrastructure, ports and airports. Saudi authorities have also observed the movement of drones and missiles, pointing to coordinated operations from both directions.
The official described the reported threats as particularly alarming at a time when Riyadh continues to pursue de-escalation and a negotiated settlement.
Contacts with all parties, including Iran, and mediation efforts “appeared to be moving in the right direction,” the official said, adding that the planned attacks could be intended to disrupt those diplomatic efforts.
Saudi-US cooperation remains “very high” at all levels, including operationally with US Central Command, according to the official, who stated that the kingdom is prepared to take all necessary measures to respond to any aggression.
Tensions have escalated sharply in recent weeks.
On July 29, Saudi Arabia conducted joint strikes with US Central Command against Iran-backed groups in Iraq after blaming them for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities.
The Iraqi groups vowed to respond.
From the south, Yemen’s Houthis imposed what they call a naval blockade on the kingdom in the Red Sea and claimed a series of attacks on Saudi shipping and military targets.
Saudi forces have answered with strikes on military sites in Yemen.
Earlier assessments by Saudi Arabia and regional partners indicated that Houthi fighters had already joined Iraqi armed groups in launching attacks from Iraqi territory against Saudi oil facilities in the kingdom’s eastern province, the main crude-producing hub.
Those operations, officials said, were supervised by the IRGC, reflecting deepening coordination among Iran-aligned groups.
Saudi-led coalition says 11 civilians injured in Houthi attack
Eleven civilians were injured in a Houthi “projectile” attack targeting civilian areas in Saudi Arabia's Najran region, the Saudi-led coalition said on Friday.
According to the coalition, seven of the injured are Saudi nationals, including a woman and a child.
The remaining casualties include one Yemeni national, two Egyptian nationals and one Pakistani national.
The coalition accused the Houthis of firing “indiscriminate projectiles” at civilian sites, describing the attack as a "terrorist" act and a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and customary international law.
It added that it would continue taking "deterrent measures" against Houthi attacks to protect civilians.
Previous day
For coverage of the previous day, visit the link below.
Read more: Day 160 | Iran, Oman agree on Strait of Hormuz shipping route
