TEHRAN: Israel and Iran exchanged fresh attacks on Saturday as the conflict entered its second week, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued an apology to neighbouring Gulf states for strikes that affected civilian areas.
“I personally apologise to neighbouring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions,” Pezeshkian said, urging them not to join the ongoing military campaign by United States and Israel against Iran.
He said Iran’s interim leadership council had agreed to suspend attacks on neighbouring states unless strikes against Iran originated from their territories.
However, hours later Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed its drones had struck a US air combat centre at the Al Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. The claim could not be independently verified.
Meanwhile, large explosions were reported in several areas of Tehran, according to Iranian state media.
Gulf states report attacks
The conflict has spread beyond Iran’s borders, with Tehran launching strikes against Israel and Gulf states hosting US military installations, while Israel has carried out fresh attacks in Lebanon targeting the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
Over the past week, several Gulf countries including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have reported drone and missile attacks.
Gulf states expressed strong concern after civilian infrastructure, including hotels, ports and oil facilities, was hit despite their not being directly involved in the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Iran had in recent years improved relations with several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, but the latest wave of drone and missile attacks has strained those diplomatic gains.
Trump demands surrender
Diplomatic prospects for ending the conflict remain uncertain, with US President Donald Trump demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender”.
“There will be no deal with Iran except unconditional surrender,” Trump wrote on his social media platform.
He said that after the selection of what he called an acceptable leadership, the United States and its allies would work to rebuild Iran’s economy.
According to Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, the US-Israeli strikes have killed at least 1,332 Iranian civilians and injured thousands.
Iranian attacks have reportedly killed 11 people in Israel, while at least six US service members have also died.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, expressed condolences to Pezeshkian over civilian casualties and called for an immediate end to hostilities, the Kremlin said.