Iran unleashes furious drone blitz after vowing US would ‘bitterly regret’ torpedoing its warship
Iran unleashes furious drone blitz after vowing US would ‘bitterly regret’ torpedoing its warship
Following a US submarine’s attack on an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, Iran launched a coordinated assault on multiple Arab nations, vowing retaliation. The strike, which killed at least 87 Iranian sailors and left 70 others missing, occurred off the coast of Sri Lanka on Tuesday, according to White House officials.
Alerts were sounded in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Fujairah as the UAE confirmed it was hit by a ballistic missile and 131 suicide drones. Six of the drones successfully struck targets, causing injuries and damage in the city. Smoke rose from Yas Marina, the iconic F1 circuit, while explosions were reported in Qatar and Kuwait.
Meanwhile, an Iranian missile struck Bahrain’s primary petroleum refinery, capable of producing 267,000 barrels of oil daily, sending a towering fireball into the sky. In Azerbaijan, Iranian-made drones targeted areas near the border, injuring four civilians. One drone hit an airport terminal in Nakhchivan, sparking a blaze, while another landed beside a school.
US Submarine Action and Iranian Response
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed the warship, the Iris Dena, was sunk by a torpedo, marking the first such US submarine operation since World War II. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denounced the attack as an ‘atrocity at sea’ and warned the US would ‘bitterly regret’ the act.
Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alireza Enayati, stated:
‘We confirmed that Iran has no role in the attack on the US embassy in Riyadh.’
Despite this, the US embassy in Riyadh issued a security alert after Saudi defense forces intercepted three Iranian cruise missiles near Al-Kharj.
Israel announced multiple missile strikes in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Thursday, with its air force reporting over 5,000 munitions dropped on Iran since the conflict began. Damage to Tehran’s infrastructure, including a severely impacted sports stadium, was visible in recent images.
In Israel, an Iranian missile strike on Beit Shemesh resulted in nine fatalities. The US government released footage of the warship’s sinking, highlighting the attack’s strategic significance. Iran, however, emphasized its commitment to targeting American assets and energy facilities in response to the US-Israeli air campaign that killed its supreme leader and senior officials.
