Speaking after a consultative meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers in Riyadh, bin Farhan accused Tehran of premeditated hostile actions against its neighbours, both directly and through regional proxies, and urged it to halt further escalation.

“This pressure from Iran will backfire politically and morally and certainly we reserve the right to take military actions if deemed necessary,” he told a news conference.

Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said it intercepted and destroyed four ballistic missiles targeting Riyadh, with debris falling near a refinery south of the capital. Interceptors were seen launched near the venue hosting the diplomatic gathering as ministers from countries including Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Syria convened.

The strikes marked a significant moment in the conflict, with residents in Riyadh reporting blasts and receiving warning alerts for the first time since hostilities began.

Saudi authorities say the kingdom has faced hundreds of missiles and drones since the start of the conflict, the vast majority of which have been intercepted.

The escalation follows Iran’s vow to target oil and gas infrastructure across the Gulf after what it described as an Israeli strike on its facilities in the South Pars gas field.

Attacks on Wednesday affected energy sites in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, raising concerns over global supply disruptions.The widening conflict, now in its third week, has already driven oil prices higher and unsettled energy markets as critical infrastructure comes under repeated threat.

Saudi Arabia and Iran restored diplomatic relations in 2023 after years of rivalry that saw them support opposing factions across the region.

Bin Farhan said Riyadh still preferred diplomacy but warned that continued Iranian actions could eliminate any remaining basis for trust.

“If Iran doesn’t stop immediately, I think there will be almost nothing that can re-establish trust,” he said.

The attack on South Pars, a major component of the world’s largest natural gas deposit shared by Iran and Qatar, drove oil prices higher and intensified concerns over global energy supply disruptions.

Trump said Israel had acted “out of anger” and that Washington had no advance knowledge of the operation.

QatarEnergy reported “extensive damage” and sizeable fires at facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City following missile strikes, while Saudi Arabia said it intercepted four ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh and thwarted a drone attack on a gas installation in its eastern region.

The strikes mark a significant expansion of hostilities into critical energy infrastructure in the Gulf, a region central to global oil and gas markets. Ras Laffan processes roughly a fifth of the world’s liquefied natural gas, making it one of the most strategically important energy hubs globally.

Iran carried out additional missile attacks on Thursday targeting Qatari gas facilities and the Saudi capital, according to officials, heightening fears of prolonged disruption to energy flows.

The South Pars field itself is a cornerstone of Iran’s gas production and is geologically linked to Qatar’s North Field, underscoring the cross-border risks posed by military escalation.In a post on X, Trump said Israel’s strike had been a response to developments in the region but warned Tehran against further escalation.

He described Iran’s subsequent targeting of Qatar’s LNG facilities as “unjustified,” adding that Doha had not been involved in the initial attack.

Trump said the United States would prevent further Israeli strikes on South Pars unless Iran “unwisely” targets Qatar again. He also warned that any such move by Tehran would trigger a large-scale U.S. response against the gas field.

Earlier reporting by the Wall Street Journal said Trump had approved Israel’s plan to strike Iran’s gas infrastructure, though the president said Washington had no prior knowledge of the specific operation.

Regional fallout widensIran’s actions reflect a broader pattern since the conflict began nearly four weeks ago, with Tehran targeting not only Israel but also U.S. diplomatic and military facilities across the Gulf. Iranian officials have also warned neighbouring states against facilitating attacks on its territory.

Saudi authorities said their air defences successfully neutralised incoming threats, while Qatar has yet to detail the full operational impact of the damage to its LNG facilities.

The widening scope of attacks on energy infrastructure has raised geopolitical and economic stakes, with markets reacting to the potential for sustained disruption across key supply routes and production hubs.

The Afghan Taliban government said the strike, which hit a facility in the capital late on Monday as patients and staff were praying ahead of the end of Ramadan, also wounded at least 265 people.

The casualty figures have not been independently verified.The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) told Reuters that 143 people were killed and 119 wounded, offering a significantly lower toll than Afghan authorities.

Relatives gathered at the site on Wednesday, combing through lists and debris in search of loved ones who had been undergoing treatment at the centre.

“We came here looking for our patient, he is missing,” said Mazar, 50, who gave only one name.

“We checked the lists, but his name was not in the list of the living. Maybe he is injured or has been killed.”Afghanistan’s interior ministry said funerals for some of those killed would take place later in the day.

Afghan authorities said the strike hit a well-known civilian rehabilitation centre, formerly a NATO military base known as Camp Phoenix that had been converted into a treatment facility about a decade ago.

Pakistan rejected those claims, stating that its forces had “precisely targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure,” disputing assertions that civilians were the primary victims.

Independent experts said verifying the exact nature of the target would be difficult without a third-party investigation, given sharply conflicting accounts from both sides.

The strike marks a sharp deterioration in relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, already strained by cross-border security concerns. The incident comes amid broader regional instability linked to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, further complicating the security landscape.

A Turkish diplomatic source said representatives from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Pakistan, Qatar, Syria, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates would attend.

The meeting comes amid limited signs of de-escalation nearly three weeks into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has disrupted the region and affected global energy supplies. The conflict has heightened concerns over broader instability across the Middle East.

Hakan Fidan is expected to stress the need for a negotiated and peaceful resolution, warning that a prolonged conflict could inflict lasting damage on ties between regional countries, the Turkish source said. He is also expected to visit additional countries following the Riyadh talks.

Turkey, a member of the NATO and a neighbour of Iran, had sought to mediate between Tehran and United States before the war began. Ankara has since condemned U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran as violations of international law, while also criticising Iranian attacks on Gulf states as unacceptable.

The Riyadh meeting is expected to focus on coordinated diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict and mitigate its economic and security repercussions across the region.

Katz said in a statement that the operation targeted Khatib as part of Israel’s ongoing military actions against senior Iranian officials. He added that he and Netanyahu had granted the military authority to eliminate additional high-ranking Iranian figures without requiring further approval.

Iranian officials have not publicly confirmed Khatib’s death, and there has been no immediate response from Tehran regarding the Israeli claim. The absence of verification leaves the status of the Iranian intelligence chief unclear.

Katz’s remarks indicate a potential broadening of Israel’s operational mandate, suggesting a shift toward faster decision-making in targeting senior adversaries. The authorization to proceed without additional political clearance points to heightened tensions and a more aggressive posture.

Regional implicationsThe reported strike, if confirmed, could mark a significant escalation in the confrontation between Israel and Iran, particularly given the seniority of the alleged target. Developments are likely to be closely monitored for their impact on regional stability and the risk of further retaliatory actions.

Speaking to reporters at the White House during a St. Patrick’s Day visit by Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, Trump said allied governments had expressed support for U.S. and Israeli actions but were unwilling to provide direct military assistance.

Trump noted that several allied countries had indicated they had no immediate plans to deploy naval forces to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies pass.

The comments followed calls by the U.S. administration for international support to maintain shipping access after Iran responded to joint U.S.-Israeli strikes with drones, missiles and naval mines that have effectively hindered tanker traffic.

Despite the criticism, Trump said he had “nothing currently in mind” when asked whether Washington would retaliate against allies for their stance.

“I think NATO is making a very foolish mistake,” Trump said. “Everyone agrees with us, but they don’t want to help.”

Earlier in the day, Trump struck a different tone on social media, stating that the United States no longer needed NATO assistance due to what he described as “Military Success” in the ongoing conflict, now in its third week.

In that statement, he also singled out non-NATO partners Japan, Australia and South Korea, without elaborating on their roles.

Trump has previously raised the possibility of withdrawing the United States from NATO, though he did not revisit that position in his latest remarks.

The standoff over the Strait of Hormuz has heightened concerns about global energy supplies, as disruptions in the narrow waterway can have immediate implications for oil markets and shipping routes.

The reluctance of NATO allies to engage militarily underscores divisions within the alliance over involvement in the conflict, even as diplomatic backing for U.S. actions appears to remain intact.

“In a precise strike in Tehran: The IDF eliminated the Commander of the Basij Unit,” the Israeli military said in a statement, adding that Soleimani had led the Basij for the past six years.

It said the operation was carried out by the Israeli Air Force based on intelligence.Israeli media reported that Larijani, a senior figure in Iran’s political and security establishment, was also targeted for assassination, though no confirmation on his status was immediately available.

The Basij is a volunteer paramilitary force operating under Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and has played a central role in enforcing internal security.

Israel’s military said the Basij had led “main repression operations” during recent mass protests in Iran, which it cited as part of the rationale for the strike.

Iran experienced widespread unrest that peaked in January, with demonstrations challenging the clerical establishment. According to rights groups, the crackdown that followed resulted in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests.

The Israeli military said the strikes were part of broader operations that yielded “significant preventive achievements overnight,” quoting Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir.

The targeting of senior Iranian figures in Tehran, if confirmed, would mark a notable escalation in Israel’s operations, extending beyond regional proxy engagements into direct action within Iran’s capital.

There was no immediate response from Iranian authorities regarding the reported strikes or casualties.

Tusk told a government meeting that Warsaw “does not plan any expedition to Iran,” adding that the decision was understood by the United States and other allies.He said the position applied across Poland’s land, air and naval forces.

Tusk emphasized that Poland’s military posture remains oriented toward its immediate security environment, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict linked to Ukraine.

He noted that strengthening capabilities along Poland’s eastern flank continues to take precedence.Securing the Baltic Sea remains a central pillar of Poland’s defense strategy, he added, underscoring Warsaw’s focus on regional deterrence and stability rather than participation in operations farther afield.

The remarks come after Trump called on allied nations to contribute to efforts to safeguard shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy supplies that has faced attacks and threats attributed to Iranian forces during the third week of a U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.

Several U.S. allies, including Germany, Spain and Italy, have also indicated they have no immediate plans to deploy naval assets to the region, signaling broader reluctance within Europe to expand military involvement.

Poland’s stance reflects a wider recalibration among European states balancing alliance commitments with domestic security priorities, particularly as military resources remain tied to reinforcing defenses closer to home.

The statement marks a further escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, where both sides have intensified military operations targeting senior leadership figures.

Conflicting accounts emergeWhile Israeli officials declared Larijani dead, earlier reports citing Israeli sources indicated that his fate remained unclear following strikes that targeted him, leaving uncertainty over whether he had been killed or wounded.

Iran has not issued any official response confirming his death.Key figure in Iran’s power structureLarijani, a senior political and security figure, has played a central role in Iran’s leadership apparatus, particularly after the reported killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in earlier U.S.-Israeli strikes that reshaped the country’s command structure.

His removal, if confirmed, would represent one of the most significant blows to Iran’s leadership since the start of the current conflict.

The reported strike comes amid a wider Israeli campaign targeting Iran’s military and security elite. Israeli operations have also reportedly killed other senior figures, including commanders linked to the Basij militia, a key internal security force.

The targeting of high-ranking officials signals a strategy aimed at weakening Iran’s command-and-control capabilities as hostilities continue to expand across the region.

The developments underscore the widening scope of the conflict, which has already drawn in multiple regional actors and disrupted energy markets and security dynamics across the Middle East.

With no confirmation from Tehran and conflicting accounts still emerging, the situation remains fluid.

In an interview, Herzog said “Europe should support any effort… to eradicate Hezbollah,” while also welcoming diplomatic initiatives, including an offer by Emmanuel Macron to host direct talks between Israel and Lebanon.

The Israeli military said its troops had begun “limited and targeted ground operations” against Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon, describing the campaign as part of broader defensive efforts to dismantle infrastructure and neutralize threats to northern Israel.

The operations followed intensified air and artillery strikes in border areas. Military chief Eyal Zamir said more than 400 Hezbollah fighters had been killed in the latest phase of fighting.

Lebanon’s government said more than one million people had been displaced within two weeks of fighting. Authorities reported that Israeli strikes since March 2 had killed 886 people, including 111 children, according to state figures.

The conflict widened after Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel on March 2, citing retaliation for the killing of Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli strikes. Israel has since responded with extensive air raids and troop incursions.

Hezbollah said it fired rockets and drones at northern Israel, including the city of Nahariya, where emergency services reported injuries and property damage.

Regional and international concern has grown over the potential for further escalation. Turkey condemned Israel’s ground operations, warning of worsening instability and the risk of a humanitarian crisis.Leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom said a large-scale Israeli offensive could have severe humanitarian consequences and lead to a prolonged conflict.

Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz said displaced Lebanese civilians should not return to areas south of the Litani River until security conditions for northern Israel residents improve, as the military signalled operations would continue as needed.