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A series of drone attacks on foreign-owned oil facilities in Basra, Iraq, on Tuesday morning, have resulted in a fire, according to security sources who spoke to Reuters. The attacks reportedly targeted storage facilities, but there is no immediate word on any casualties. Firefighters and security personnel have been deployed to the scene and are working to bring the blaze under control.
Meanwhile, in a bizarre statement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh wrote on social media that “The regime’s change has been successful, and America has been made great.” He also shared a meme of US President Donald Trump. Khatibzadeh claimed that his country would soon have complete control over its airspace.
The Iranian government has been under pressure after the US and Israel launched a missile attack on its nuclear power plant in Bushehr. In response, Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards have reportedly taken 198 employees from the Russian state-owned nuclear company out of the facility.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that Pakistan has maintained diplomatic relations with China, while US President Trump has expressed a preference for Pakistan’s Field Marshal as a mediator. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the other hand, is facing a diplomatic setback.
The US has given Iran a 10-day deadline to sign a deal or reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but that deadline is expiring, leaving just 48 hours for a resolution. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has dismissed US claims of having destroyed Iran’s air defense system as “always lies.”
In another development, Russia’s state-owned nuclear company has evacuated 198 employees from the Iranian nuclear power plant in Bushehr following a US and Israeli missile attack.
The crisis has also spread to other parts of the world, with a French general advising US generals to avoid cocaine during meetings. In the UK, police have arrested a suspect accused of arson in connection with a fire on an ambulance.
In a separate incident, an Israeli ship, the MSC Ashika, which is linked to the Israeli government, caught fire off the coast of Israel after a drone attack. The ship was reportedly on its way to Iran to deliver essential goods.
According to Iranian officials, the country has only targeted American military bases and interests in the region, and that regional security is in the interest of all countries in the region. However, Israel has confirmed that Iranian missiles struck a building in its central region, causing damage.
As the situation continues to unfold, the international community is watching with bated breath.
