The Islamic Republic announced the launch of missiles against the headquarters of Kurdish forces in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, which hosts American troops
New explosions shook Tehran this Thursday (5), while the Iran announced that it attacked Kurdish groups in Iraqwhich causes fear of a expansion of the war in the Middle East and an even greater impact on the world economy.
The United States and Israel began a large-scale offensive on Saturday against Iran, a country they accuse of wanting to develop atomic weapons and planning an attack.
Without its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died on the first day of the bombings, and several military commanders, the Islamic Republic responded with drone and missile launches against Israel and targets of the United States and its allies in the Gulf.
The war once again put the world economy “to the test”warned this Thursday the director general of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva.
South Korea has already announced a million-dollar market stabilization fund after a historic fall on the Seoul Stock Exchange.
And China, which has a possible shortage, asked its main refineries to suspend diesel and gasoline exports, Bloomberg reported this Thursday.
Warnings
Iran announced the launch of missiles against the headquarters of Kurdish forces in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, which hosts American troops. “We attacked the headquarters of Kurdish groups opposed to the revolution in Iraqi Kurdistan with three missiles,” says a military statement released by the IRNA agency.
The bombings, which according to a spokesman caused the death of a member of an Iranian Kurdish group in exilewere preceded by warnings from Iranian authorities.
“Separatist groups should not imagine that a new wind has blown and try to act,” warned Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
The White House on Wednesday denied reports from several media outlets that the American government intended to arm Kurdish militias against Iran to provoke an uprising.
The United States government, however, confirmed that President Donald Trump spoke to “Kurdish leaders” who were at a Washington base in northern Iraq.
The Republican won a political victory on Wednesday when the Senate rejected a resolution that sought to limit his powers in this war.
On Wednesday, for the first time since World War II, an American submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean.
Sri Lankan authorities, who are coordinating search operations, announced that at least 87 sailors had died and dozens were considered missing.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States government of committing an “atrocity.”
“They Will Mourn Bitterly”
“Remember my words: the United States will bitterly regret the precedent it created” by sinking the warship, the Iranian foreign minister wrote in X. Washington and the Israeli government have stated that the Islamic Republic’s ability to respond is running out.
The number of Iranian missiles launched against Israel decreases “every day”declared on Wednesday night an Israeli Army spokesman.
“We are now in a position of strength,” assured Trump. Iran, however, launched new salvos of missiles at Israel on Thursday, the Israeli army and Iranian state media reported. The attacks caused no casualties.
On Thursday morning, Israel also launched new air strikes against Lebanon, where its army advanced in several border locations in the south of the country.
A column of smoke rose over Beirut after an attack on the southern part of the Lebanese capital, a stronghold of the pro-Iranian Islamist movement Hezbollah.
Lebanon was drawn into war after a first attack by Hezbollah against Israel to “avenge” Khamenei’s death.
Strait of Hormuz blocked
Cities like Dubai and Riyadh were also affected by the war, with US embassies closed, tourists blockedthousands of flights canceled and refineries and oil tankers attacked. In the strategic Strait of Hormuz, maritime traffic remains paralyzed.
The Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s ideological army, said on Wednesday that it has control “total” of the passage, through which 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes.
In the current scenario of great tension, the British maritime safety agency UKTMO reported this Thursday an explosion on an oil tanker anchored in Kuwait, further north, which caused a fuel leak.
Demonstrations of support
With the incessant bombings, Tehran looks like a ghost town. Residents who did not flee avoid taking to the streets. “Tehran is as deserted as yesterday. (…) There are police patrols everywhere,” said Abid, a resident of the capital, on the messaging platform Telegram.
Authorities have postponed the state funeral, scheduled to begin on Wednesday, of Ayatollah Khamenei, who He was honored by thousands of people in different cities across the country.
Some participants displayed signs with the phrases “Death to the United States” and “Death to Israel,” Iranian public television reported.
*AFP
