US-Iran war as it happened: Iran’s longest-range attack yet targets US-UK base as nuclear site hit again; Israel warns of a ‘significant’ surge in attacks

It is increasingly apparent that the US and Israel are pursuing different strategic agendas in their war against Iran, Middle East analyst Rodger Shanahan writes.

Outside the coalition of two, there is little support for the war. Washington’s traditional allies have found it difficult to provide other than rhetorical support, and this is rather lukewarm.

Even among Americans, polls show that while Trump’s support base endorses the war, most Americans don’t.

This opposition is not only because of the way Trump failed to prepare the political ground for a decision that is the most important that any president can make, but also because of a feeling that Washington and Tel Aviv are pursuing mostly overlapping, but not necessarily common objectives.

Read more of Shanahan’s analysis here.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed the importance of keeping shipping lanes open and secure in a call with Iran’s President, Ahmad Masoud Pezeshkian.

Modi also condemned attacks on critical infrastructure in the region, which are threatening regional stability and disrupting global supply chains. The Indian prime minister said he “reiterated the importance of safeguarding freedom of navigation and ensuring that shipping lanes remain open and secure”, according to a statement on X.

India relies on the Middle East for nearly half of its crude, two-thirds of its liquefied natural gas and almost all of its liquefied petroleum gas imports, making it one of the countries most exposed to the crisis in the region. Earlier this month, Modi said he spoke to Pezeshkian as India looked for ways to secure the safe passage of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.

Surging oil prices and acute gas shortages are rippling through India’s economy as the Iran war drags on, disrupting industries and prompting analysts to cut growth forecasts while warning of rising inflation. The disruption has triggered a cooking gas crisis affecting households, hotels and restaurants, while industries that rely on LPG are shutting down operations.

Bloomberg

Iran is ready to co-operate with the International Maritime Organisation to improve maritime safety and protect seafarers in the Gulf, the Iranian representative to the UN maritime agency said.

Ali Mousavi reportedly said the Strait of Hormuz remained open to all shipping except vessels linked to “Iran’s enemies”, adding that passage through the narrow waterway was possible by co-ordinating security and safety arrangements with Tehran.

“Diplomacy remains Iran’s priority. However, a complete cessation of aggression as well as mutual trust and confidence are more important,” Mousavi was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr news agency on Sunday, adding that Israeli and US attacks against Iran were at the “root of [the] current situation in Strait of Hormuz”.

Bloomberg

Iran has reportedly warned the US and Israel that any attacks on its energy facilities would prompt retaliatory strikes.

“If Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure is attacked by the enemy, all energy and information technology infrastructure and desalination plants belonging to the United States and the Israeli entity in the region will be targeted,” the Iranian military’s operational command was quoted as saying in a statement reported by Iranian state media and other outlets, including the Associated Press and the Times of Israel.

US President Donald Trump threatened to “obliterate” Iranian power plants early on Sunday (AEDT).

“If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!” he said on his Truth Social platform.

Iranian blogger Vahid Online has reported a number of explosions around the suburbs of Tehran and in nearby city Damavand, which is home to one of Iran’s biggest power plants.

“Based on the flood of messages received around 3:42, extremely terrifying explosions were felt in the west and east of #Tehran,” Vahid posted on social media.

Vahid posted video footage claimed to be multiple explosions in Damavand.

According to Associated Press, Damavand, about 78 kilometres east of Iranian capital Tehran, is home to a power plant with a capacity of 2868 megawatts, almost triple the capacity of the country’s sole nuclear plant in Bushehr, on Iran’s southern coast.