Wetin dey happen for Middle East don reach another level as US don finally rescue one service member wey dey missing since Iran shoot down one fighter jet for Friday. President Donald Trump yarn say the airman don dey safe after “dozens of aircrafts” carry out rescue mission for inside Iran territory.
The missing crew member na from one F-15E Strike Eagle wey Iran forces shoot down. Trump write for social media say the aviator get injury but “go dey just fine,” and add say the person take refuge for “the treacherous mountains of Iran” before dem rescue am.
But as dis rescue dey happen, tension still dey high. Trump don give Iran Monday deadline to open the crucial Strait of Hormuz, wey na important waterway for global oil shipments. The President threaten say if Iran no open am, “all Hell” go reign down on them.
Iran no show any sign of backing down. Dem don strike new economic and infrastructure targets for neighboring Gulf Arab countries. For Kuwait, Iranian drone attack cause significant damage to two power plants and put one water desalination station out of service. No injuries report from that attack.
For Bahrain, national oil company say drone attack cause fire for one storage facility wey dem don put out. Damage still dey under assessment and no injuries report. For United Arab Emirates, authorities respond to multiple fires at Borouge petrochemicals plant, joint venture of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. and Borealis of Austria.
Dem say the fires na from falling debris after air defense systems intercept attacks, but production for the plant for Ruwais, near UAE western border with Saudi Arabia, don halt. This strike come one day after Israel strike petrochemical plant for Iran wey Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say generate revenue Iran dey use fund the war.
Iran military leaders dey fire back with their own threats. General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi with the country joint military command say “The doors of hell will be opened to you” if Iran infrastructure dey attacked. The general threaten all infrastructure wey US and allies dey use for the region.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts dey continue. Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, tell The Associated Press say their government efforts to broker ceasefire dey “right on track” after Islamabad last week say dem go soon host talks between US and Iran. Iran foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, say Iranian officials “have never refused to go to Islamabad.”
Mediators from Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt dey work to bring US and Iran to negotiating table. The proposed compromise include cessation of hostilities to allow diplomatic settlement, according to regional officials wey speak on condition of anonymity.
This whole mata begin with joint US-Israel strikes on February 14. Since then, thousands don die, global markets don shake, key shipping routes cut off and fuel prices spike. Both sides don threaten and hit civilian targets, bring warnings of possible war crimes.
Trump say last week say US go “finish” Iran and go end the war “very fast.” Two days later, Iran shoot down two US fighter jets. The other jet wey go down na US A-10 attack aircraft. Neither the status of the crew nor exactly where it crashed was immediately known.
For Sunday, Iran state TV air video wey show thick black smoke dey rise into the air, claim say dem shoot down American transport plane and two helicopters wey be part of rescue operation. But regional intelligence official briefed on the mission tell The Associated Press say US rescue operation successful and no aircraft lost.
Iran parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, issue veiled threat late Friday to disrupt traffic through another strategic waterway for the region, the Bab el-Mandeb. The strait, 32 kilometers wide, link Red Sea with Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. More than tenth of seaborne global oil and quarter of container ships pass through am.
Casualty numbers dey rise. More than 1,900 people don die for Iran since war begin. For Gulf Arab states and occupied West Bank, more than two dozen people don die, while 19 report dead for Israel and 13 US service members. For Lebanon, more than 1,400 people don die and more than 1 million people don displace. Ten Israeli soldiers don die there.
The war don shake global markets and cause serious concern about wider regional conflict. As Monday deadline dey approach for Strait of Hormuz, all eyes dey on wetin go happen next.
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