Middle East crisis live: Rubio claims war expected to end in weeks as Iran strikes US base in Saudi Arabia

Iran has kept firing missiles at Israel and Gulf nations, including a strike at a military base in Saudi Arabia that wounded at least 10 US service members US expects Iran operation to end in ‘weeks, not months’, says Marco Rubio Explosions have been heard in the Syrian capital Damascus and nearby areas as Israeli air defences intercepted Iranian missiles in Syrian airspace, Syrian state television reported early on Saturday. Hello and welcome to our continuing live coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran and the consequences for the region, the world and the global economy. Israel’s military says it has launched strikes on Iranian “regime targets” early on Saturday . An AFP journalist in Tehran reported hearing about 10 intense blasts. A brief military statement said Israeli forces were striking Iranian terror regime targets across Tehran, but did not elaborate on the attacks. Elon Musk joined a phone call between Donald Trump and India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, on Tuesday about the war in Iran, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing two US officials. It was unclear why Musk was on the call but a White House spokesperson said it was “productive”. UAE’s defense ministry early on Saturday said it is was engaging with incoming missiles and drones from Iran, Reuters reports. Donald Trump said the US does not “have to be there for Nato”. Speaking to an investment forum in Miami on Friday, the US president said he was upset that European Nato countries had declined to provide material support to the US in its war against Iran. Trump later claimed that Iran was “on the run” and “wants to make a deal”, adding that Tehran had sent the US 10 oil ships as part of negotiations to “make up for” their denial that any formal talks were taking place. Tehran still maintains there haven’t been any formal talks with Washington – only an exchange of messages through mediators such as Pakistan. Houthis in Yemen said their “finger is on the trigger” for military intervention if certain conditions are met. The Iran-aligned group said it would enter the conflict if new countries join the US and Israel in their war against Iran; the Red Sea is used to target Iran or any Muslim country; or the war continues to escalate against Iran and the countries of the “axis of resistance”. The strait of Hormuz is “closed”, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said earlier, adding that they had turned back three ships trying to transit the strait. The route – critical for oil and gas shipping and for the global economy – is closed to vessels travelling to and from ports linked to its “enemies”, it said, warning of “harsh measures”. Continue reading...

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