Wahala don escalate for Middle East as Iran fire missile wey travel far-far reach Diego Garcia military base wey dey Indian Ocean. Dis base na joint US–UK property wey dey about 4,000km from Iran. According to UK officials wey talk to AFP, di attack no successful, but e show say Iran missile range don increase pass wetin dem dey talk before.
For Israel side, Iranian missile hit Dimona town for March 21. Dimona na di place wey get Israel nuclear facility wey many people believe get nuclear weapons for Middle East. Israel army tell AFP say “direct missile hit on a building” happen for Dimona. Magen David Adom first responders treat 33 people wey get injury, including one 10-year-old boy wey get serious shrapnel wound.
Iran state TV say di attack na “response” to earlier strike wey affect Natanz nuclear site for Iran. UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi don already call for “military restraint to avoid any risk of nuclear accident” after di Natanz incident. Di Natanz facility get underground centrifuges wey dey enrich uranium for Iran nuclear program wey dey cause controversy.
Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir talk say Iran use “two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile with range of 4,000 kilometers” for di Diego Garcia attack. Zamir add say “These missiles are not intended to strike Israel. Their range reaches European capitals.” Dis statement make fear catch many European countries as Berlin, Paris and Rome fit dey within Iran missile range now.
For Strait of Hormuz, Iran don choke di vital waterway wey carry one-fifth of global crude oil trade during peace time. Leaders from UK, France, Italy, Germany, South Korea, Australia, UAE and Bahrain condemn di “de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces.” Dem express readiness to contribute to efforts wey go ensure safe passage through di strait.
US President Donald Trump don slam NATO allies as “cowards” and urge dem to secure di strait. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi say Iran only impose restrictions on vessels from countries wey involve for attacks against Iran, and dem go offer assistance to others wey stay out of di conflict.
Di standoff for di strait don make crude oil prices skyrocket. North Sea Brent crude don increase more than 50 percent over di past month and now dey comfortably above US$105 per barrel. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby announce say di company go cut flights by about 5% as dem expect oil prices to remain high for di foreseeable future.
Analysts like Neil Quilliam from Chatham House talk say Iran Islamic government don survive di loss of top leaders and di strike capacity dey prove more durable than expected. “They’re showing a lot of resilience that we didn’t perhaps expect,” Quilliam talk for London-based think-tank podcast.
For war death toll, US-based rights group HRANA say 3,186 people don die for Iran, including 1,394 civilians with at least 210 children. For Lebanon, around 1,021 people don die for Israeli strikes since March 2. Israel say 15 civilians and two soldiers don die, while United States report 13 servicemembers die for di Iran war.
Di UK government condemn di “unsuccessful targeting” of Diego Garcia base. “Iran’s reckless attacks, lashing out across the region and holding hostage the Strait of Hormuz, are a threat to British interests and British allies,” UK Ministry of Defense talk for statement. Dem add say RAF jets and other UK military assets dey continue to defend di people and personnel for di region.
Jason Brodsky, policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), tell Fox News Digital say di Trump administration get justification for military action because Iran consistently refuse to negotiate over missile program. Brodsky talk say “As long as Iran retains the technical capability beyond public pronouncements, it is a threat.”
Ilan Berman, Vice President of di American Foreign Policy Council for Washington, D.C., talk say di launch “hammers home the president’s point about Iran being an imminent threat.” Berman add say “Europe is absolutely at risk, as the recent launch makes clear.”
As di war enter fourth week, Iran mark di end of Ramadan with Eid al-Fitr prayers. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, wey come to power earlier dis month after im father Ali Khamenei die, remain out of public eye. Instead, head of judiciary Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei attend prayers at central Tehran‘s overflowing Imam Khomeini grand mosque.
Di situation dey remain tense as both sides continue to exchange attacks and di international community dey watch with concern. Di increased missile range wey Iran demonstrate with di Diego Garcia attack don add new dimension to di conflict and raise fears about broader regional and global implications.
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