Iran seeks to relocate its World Cup matches
Iran’s football federation is “negotiating” with Fifa to relocate the country’s first-round matches at the World Cup to Mexico from the United States, according to Tehran’s embassy in Mexico.
“When (US President Donald) Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America,” Iranian football chief Mehdi Taj said.
Trump triggered uproar last week after stating that while Iran’s football team would be “welcome” in the United States, they should not travel to the tournament “for their own life and safety.”
Iran hit back at Trump’s comments saying “no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup.”
Iran are scheduled to face New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles, followed by Egypt in Seattle.
Public safety alert over in UAE
UAE’s Ministry of Interior sent an alert to residents’ phones to reassure them that the situation is currently safe and they may resume their normal activities.
Debris causes fire in Qatar
Qatari civil defence teams are currently working to contain a minor fire that erupted due to debris falling following a missile interception, according to the country’s Ministry of Interior.
Terrorist group uncovered in Kuwait
A terrorist cell that is affiliated with the Lebanese banned group Hezbollah was uncovered in Kuwait and referred to public prosecution for destabilizing the country’s security and recruiting individuals to join the terrorist entity.
The group consists of 14 Kuwaitis and 2 Lebanese nationals.
Items seized from the group include firearms, ammunition, encrypted communication devices and drones, flags and photos of terrorist organizations, and detailed maps, among other things.
A video shared by Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior shows the seized items that members of the group were found in possession of. Watch here:
Qatar intercepts missile attack: Ministry of Defence
Booms in Qatar
Several explosions were heard in the Qatari capital, Doha, according to Reuters and AFP.
UAE air defences activated
UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) said that air defence systems are currently responding to a missile threat.
Residents are urged to remain in a safe location.
The Ministry of Interior sent the following phone alert to some residents:
Nobody expected that: Trump
US President Donald Trump was warned that attacking Iran could trigger retaliation against US Gulf allies despite his claims on Monday that Tehran’s reaction came as a surprise, said a US official and two sources familiar with US intelligence reports.
The president twice on Monday said that Iran’s retaliatory strikes against Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait were a surprise.
Trump was also briefed ahead of the operation that Tehran would likely seek to close the economically vital Strait of Hormuz, according to two other sources familiar with the matter.
Wide-scale Israeli strikes in Tehran, Beirut
Israel’s army said Tuesday it had launched a “wide scale wave of strikes” in the Iranian capital Tehran, as well as strikes against Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital Beirut.
“The IDF has begun a wide scale wave of strikes against Iranian terror regime infrastructure across Tehran,” the military posted on Telegram.
“Additionally, the IDF has begun an additional wave of strikes on Hezbollah terror infrastructure in Beirut.”
Kuwait downs drone, UAV
Kuwait’s National Guard forces announced early on Tuesday downing a drone and a UAV in one of the sites they are are responsible for securing.
Attack on US embassy in Baghdad
A drone and rocket attack targeted the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday. An AFP journalist reported seeing black smoke rising after an explosion in the embassy complex, as well as air defences intercepting another drone.
The strikes came hours after air defences thwarted a rocket attack at the embassy and a drone sparked a fire at a luxury hotel frequented by foreign diplomats in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone.
Meanwhile, a strike on a house in Baghdad killed four people early Tuesday, with initial reports suggesting that two of the dead were “Iranian advisors” to Tehran-backed groups, according to a security source.
Saudi Arabia intercepts drones
Air defences in Saudi Arabia have intercepted and destroyed the following:
6:59am — 2 drones in the Eastern Region
5.35am — 6 drones in the Eastern Region
4:13am — 3 drones in the Eastern Region
3:13am — 3 drones in the Eastern Region
11:58pm — 6 drones in the Eastern Region
Air traffic normal, interceptions in Dubai
Here’s what you need to know about what happened in the UAE overnight:
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UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced that air navigation has returned to normal across the country’s airspace. This follows the stabilisation of the situation and the lifting of the temporary precautionary measures that had been implemented.
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Residents across various parts of Dubai woke up on Tuesday morning to loud sounds and emergency alerts. Authorities confirmed these sounds are the result of successful interceptions.
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A fire broke out at Fujairah’s Oil Industry Zone due to a drone attack. No injuries were reported and work is underway to control the incident.
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Distance learning across UAE schools and higher education institutions will continue for two weeks after the spring break ends. The move is among three measures aimed at ensuring student safety and maintaining continuity in education, as per report by KT UAE’s Editor Sahim Salim.
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A fire that broke out at Abu Dhabi’s Shah gas field due to a drone attack was contained and brought under control, authorities confirmed. Operations at the facility have been suspended while damage is assessed, and no injuries have been reported.
Daily updates
Since this war broke out, Khaleej Times has been following up the events and keeping its readers well-informed.
Take a look at developments in this escalating conflict:
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Day 17
Day 18 of war
War in the Middle East is now on its 18th day. The US and Israel continue to pound Iran with strikes while Tehran launches what it calls retaliatory attacks on GCC countries.
The UAE responded to 6 ballistic missiles and 21 drones on March 16. The death toll now stands at 7, with 145 injuries that range from minor to critical.
On the political front, US President Donald Trump once again declared that Iran wants to make a deal, but he “doesn’t know if they are ready yet”. Tehran rejects these claims.
Stay tuned to Khaleej Times as we bring you the latest developments in the region as they happen.
Source: Khaleej Times