Iran’s military warned on Saturday that it could target ports and piers in the United Arab Emirates in retaliation for the US attack on Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil export hub, which analysts warned would further escalate the war.
Later, smoke was seen billowing from the UAE’s main oil hub after a drone attack and fire.
The attack on Kharg Island, which U.S. officials said prevented damage to critical oil infrastructure, came as the economic fallout from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz continued to unfold, the Pentagon announced it would send Rapid Response Marines to the Middle East and the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, came under attack by two drones.
Here’s what you need to know on day 15.
US CENTCOM releases video showing attack on Kharg Island
What are the main headings?
Kharg Island: The US military said it struck more than 90 military targets overnight while “maintaining” oil infrastructure on the island, which handles about 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports. US President Donald Trump has threatened to attack infrastructure on a five-mile stretch of land in the Persian Gulf if Iran continues its blockade of shipping from the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. military officials told CNN the attack targeted naval mine storage facilities, missile storage facilities and other military infrastructure.
Higher stakes: Some operations at the United Arab Emirates’ key oil hub Fujairah port were suspended following a drone attack and fire on Saturday, Reuters and Bloomberg reports cited sources as saying. The Fujairah Press Office said the fire was started by falling debris from an intercepted drone, but did not mention any disruption to operations. The Iranian military had previously warned that it could target UAE ports and piers in retaliation for the attack on Kharg Island, claiming that the US fired missiles from these locations during the night.
US Embassy in Baghdad: Two drones attacked the US Embassy in the Iraqi capital, security officials told CNN. Video geolocated by CNN on Saturday showed smoke and flames coming from a building near the site. CNN has contacted the embassy, State Department, White House and U.S. Central Command for more information.
Strait of Hormuz: Iran allowed two Indian tankers carrying liquid petroleum gas to pass through the Strait of Hormuz early Saturday morning, an Indian foreign ministry official said. Separately, a senior Iranian official told CNN that the Iranian government is considering allowing some ships to transit the strait, provided their cargo is traded in Chinese yuan. The vital waterway remains effectively cut off to most tankers, but President Trump said Friday he believed the U.S. Navy would help ships navigate safely “very soon,” although the Energy Secretary said the Navy was not yet capable of such operations.
Fuel crisis: Global oil prices settled on Friday at their highest since July 2022 as fears over the effective closure of the Strait continued across global markets. As of yesterday evening’s market close, Brent crude oil was trading at $101.18 per barrel. Countries are planning to draw down oil reserves as they deal with the crisis.
Marines headed to the region: The Pentagon is sending Marine Corps Expeditionary Units, a rapid response force typically made up of about 2,500 Marines and sailors, to the Middle East, officials told CNN. It is not yet clear what the MEU will be used for or exactly where it will be deployed.
Attacks on Iran: Israel says it has killed two more senior Iranian intelligence officials as it continues its attacks on Iran’s security leadership. Abdullah Jalali Nasab and Amir Shariat were killed in an airstrike on Tehran on Friday, the Israeli military said in a statement. The newspaper said the two men were heads of the Qatam al-Anbiya Emergency Command’s intelligence directorate and said their deaths marked “a further serious blow to the regime’s command and control structure.” A Telegram account associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later confirmed Jalali Nasab’s death in a post, but did not comment on Shariat’s condition. Israel said it had completed 400 airstrikes against targets in western and central Iran since the war began two weeks ago. There have also been U.S. attacks elsewhere in Iran.
Grief in Lebanon: Israeli airstrikes kill nine members of the same family, including four children, in southern Lebanon. “Everyone here knows what my daughters meant to me,” the children’s father told CNN. A separate Israeli attack on a medical center also killed at least 12 medical staff. Israel on Friday expanded its operation targeting the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah, including in the capital Beirut. Separately, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon told CNN on Friday that it had launched an investigation after a position in Mais el-Djebal came under shelling, injuring a peacekeeper. The Israel Defense Forces said it mistakenly attacked UN positions and “deplores the incident.”
Explosions in Israel: Two people were injured in southern Israel after a series of missile launches by Iran on Saturday afternoon. Tel Aviv residents heard sirens blaring in the city for the first time in more than 12 hours and two large explosions. Sirens were also heard in Jerusalem and northern Israel. The U.S. State Department has ordered all U.S. government employees, except in emergencies, to leave Oman.
Around the Gulf: The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia reported interceptions on their territory early Saturday morning local time, and Bahrain called on residents to evacuate to safety.
Five children killed in strike in southern Lebanon
CNN’s Isobel Yong visited the strike site at a yogurt factory in Ilkay, southern Lebanon. The area was attacked overnight by Israel, which issued an evacuation order on Thursday night. The IDF said it was targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. The strike killed nine people, including five children.
Deadly plane crash: The U.S. military said all six service members on board a refueling plane that crashed in Iraq on Thursday were killed. Three of the six were from Ohio, according to U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance. The United States said the incident was “not caused by hostile artillery fire,” but Iranian proxies claimed responsibility without providing evidence for that claim. Air Force officials later told CNN that the plane was not equipped with an ejection system or parachute to evacuate the crew mid-air.
Where is the supreme leader? The US government is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on key Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. US Vice President J.D. Vance said that Khamenei was “hurt” but “we don’t know exactly how bad.” Khamenei delivered a message through Iranian state media on Thursday, but did not appear in any video or audio. CNN previously reported that Khamenei was wounded on the first day of the war.
Toxic air: CNN analysis of satellite images and air quality data shows Israeli attacks on fuel facilities across Tehran over the weekend caused pollution levels to soar, sparking fires and sparking oil spills.
