Israel unleashes fresh attacks on Tehran amid Iranian threats to target Gulf region facilities

A new wave of strikes was launched by Israel on Monday, targeting Iran, which has vowed to retaliate against crucial infrastructure across the Middle East, exacerbating the worst energy crisis the world has faced in decades.

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Explosions were reported in Tehran by Iranian media, while Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates claimed to be intercepting missiles and drones, as the conflict continues to escalate.

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According to International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol, at least 40 energy assets in the oil- and gas-exporting region have been severely damaged in the conflict, which was sparked by Israel-US attacks on Iran and has now entered its fourth week.

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Tehran has responded to the assaults by firing missiles and drones at Israel and across the Gulf, targeting energy sites and US embassies, and has also restricted traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which a fifth of global crude oil transits.

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With oil prices hovering above $100 a barrel due to supply fears, US President Donald Trump threatened to destroy Iranian power plants if Tehran fails to reopen the strait within 48 hours, with the deadline set for 23:44 GMT on Tuesday.

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Iran's powerful parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that vital infrastructure across the region would be considered legitimate targets and would be destroyed if Trump carries out his threat, emphasizing the severity of the situation.

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IEA chief Fatih Birol highlighted the scale of the crisis, stating that 11 million barrels of oil are currently lost daily, exceeding the daily volume lost during two consecutive oil crises in the 1970s, and emphasized the need for global efforts to address the issue.

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Birol told journalists in Canberra that no country would be immune to the effects of the crisis if it continues, underscoring the urgency of the situation.

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Asian stocks slipped while oil prices rose again on Monday, with US benchmark crude briefly touching the $100-per-barrel mark, as the crisis continues to impact the global economy.

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Iran has allowed a handful of vessels from friendly countries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, while warning that it would block ships from countries it considers to be part of the "aggression" against it.

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Iran's parliament is considering imposing tolls on shipping through the strait, with Ghalibaf stating that maritime traffic would not return to its pre-war status.

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Trump has provided varying timelines and objectives for the war, saying on Friday that he was considering "winding down" the operation, before threatening to target Iranian power plants, which would mark a significant escalation.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken of a long-term campaign against Iran's government, which is a state sponsor of Hamas, the group that carried out the unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack against Israel.

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Israel has expanded its ground campaign against Iran-allied Hezbollah in Lebanon, warning of a lengthy operation, with Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin telling citizens to prepare for more weeks of fighting.

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Israeli forces have been ordered to destroy bridges used by Hezbollah to cross the key Litani river, 30 kilometres north of the border, as part of the operation.

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More than 1,000 people have died in Lebanon since Israel launched strikes, according to the health ministry, with over one million people displaced, as the conflict continues to take a heavy toll.

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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun warned that the bridge attacks represent a dangerous escalation and flagrant violation of Lebanon's sovereignty, and could be a prelude to a ground invasion.

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However, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam also blamed Hezbollah for the conflict, stating that the war was imposed upon them in retaliation for the assassination of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

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Iranian missiles evaded Israel's air defences to land in two southern towns, including Dimona, close to Israel's desert nuclear facility, injuring dozens on Saturday, despite Israel's pride in its air defences.

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A missile landed about five kilometres from what is widely believed to be the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal, although Israel has never admitted to possessing nuclear weapons, insisting the site is for research.

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Iran said the Dimona strike was in response to an earlier attack on its nuclear site at Natanz, while Israel's military claimed it was not aware of any such strike.

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At least 3,230 people have died in the war in Iran, including 1,406 civilians, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, although the tolls cannot be independently verified.