The United States and Israel have entered the 27th day of their joint military campaign against Iran, with reports indicating growing diplomatic friction between Washington and Tel Aviv over peace negotiations. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed that Islamabad is mediating indirect talks between the US and Iran, with a 15-point American proposal already delivered to Tehran. Turkey and Egypt are also participating in the mediation process.

Iran’s state broadcaster reported that Tehran has rejected the US proposal and instead presented five conditions for ending the war, including a full halt to aggression, compensation for damages, and recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Israel’s Defense Minister claimed responsibility for killing senior IRGC officer Brigadier General Alireza Tangsiri, though Iran has not confirmed the death.

The conflict has caused nearly 1,937 deaths in Iran, according to its health ministry, while tensions between US and Israeli leaderships have surfaced, with reports that Donald Trump rebuked Benjamin Netanyahu over a proposal to incite protests in Iran.

Iran has launched intense attacks on American facilities across several Middle Eastern countries in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes, heightening fears over water security in the region. Earlier this month, an Iranian drone strike severely damaged Bahrain’s desalination plant, bringing the issue of water safety to the forefront in Gulf nations where desalinated water is essential for daily life.

According to a recent Moody’s report, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries rely heavily on desalination for most of their drinking water, with hundreds of coastal plants providing the majority of the world’s processed water. The report warns that this dependence poses a serious security risk, as the plants are concentrated along vulnerable coastlines with limited short-term alternatives. The recent conflict has exposed how easily these facilities could become targets, threatening both water and energy supplies.

Moody’s notes that disruptions in water supply could quickly affect electricity generation and industrial output. Governments are urged to take swift and costly measures to protect water infrastructure, as prolonged conflict could severely impact weaker economies like Bahrain’s.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi has accused Iran of crossing all red lines by closing the Strait of Hormuz and launching direct attacks on neighboring countries. Speaking at a GCC meeting in Riyadh on Thursday, he described Iran’s actions as a grave violation of international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Al Budaiwi said Iran imposed tariffs on passage through the strait, calling it direct aggression against GCC states. He added that several commercial vessels had been hijacked or attacked, severely disrupting international maritime traffic.

Al Budaiwi emphasized the global economic importance of GCC countries, which he described as the “economic lungs” of the world. According to him, GCC members produce 16 billion barrels of crude oil daily—22 percent of global output—and export 27 percent of the world’s oil, about 11.5 billion barrels per day. He warned that Iran’s provocative actions threaten this vital supply chain.

The GCC views Iran’s attacks as not only escalating regional tensions but also marking a turning point in GCC-Iran relations, with civilian casualties reported from missile and drone strikes.

Amid ongoing Middle East tensions, Iran has warned that any attack on its power plants would trigger retaliatory strikes on critical infrastructure in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Analysts suggest that such threats could most severely affect major cities across the Gulf, where electricity networks are deeply interconnected.

The GCC’s shared power grid means that a major outage in one country could quickly spread to others. Experts identify this interdependence as a key weakness. In nations such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait, electricity is vital not only for households but also for industry, transport, and security systems. Another major risk lies in water supply, as most potable water in the region comes from desalination plants linked to power stations. Any disruption could therefore threaten both electricity and water, potentially triggering a humanitarian crisis.

Analysts interpret Iran’s warning as a strategic signal to the United States and its allies, emphasizing that escalating conflict would impose costs across the entire region.

Iran launched seven rounds of missile attacks on Israel within less than ten hours, beginning at midnight on Monday, according to the report. The final round targeted the city of Dimona, while additional strikes hit Tel Aviv. Following the attacks in central Israel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) deployed rescue teams to the affected areas. Footage from Tel Aviv showed damaged buildings, fires, and black smoke.

In response, Israel continued its own air operations against Iran. On Monday night, the Israeli Air Force struck more than 50 targets inside Iran, which Israel said included missile launch sites and other military facilities. The IDF stated that since the start of the war, it has hit over 3,000 targets in Iran.

The report highlights the intensifying exchange of attacks between the two countries, with both sides claiming to target military infrastructure. The situation underscores a rapidly escalating regional conflict with no immediate sign of de-escalation.

The Middle East saw a sharp escalation in hostilities on Monday, with Israel launching what it described as a 'massive attack' on Tehran. Explosions were reported in the Iranian capital, and AFP journalists observed thick black smoke. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said they intercepted new attacks, while debris from a downed missile injured an Indian national in Abu Dhabi. In Iran’s Bandar Abbas region, state media reported one death in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike on a broadcasting center.

International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warned that the global economy faces a major threat from the ongoing energy crisis, comparing it to the oil shocks of the 1970s and the 2022 Ukraine war. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed support against Iranian missile and drone threats. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Iran’s Revolutionary Guard of directing Hezbollah’s military operations.

Israel’s military chief said ground operations in Lebanon will intensify, calling them “just the beginning,” while a spokesperson predicted fighting against Iran and Hezbollah could continue for several weeks.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for drone and missile attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base and the US Fifth Fleet stationed in Bahrain. According to an IRGC spokesperson from the Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters, the Saudi base serves as a key hub for US military operations and intelligence aircraft, prompting the group to launch ballistic missiles at the site.

At the same time, Yemen’s Houthi-linked news agency Al-Masirah reported that the Iran-backed group carried out an attack near Israel’s Ben Gurion Air Base, striking what it described as the ‘Zionist Aerospace Industries Center’ using Arash-2 attack drones. The report claimed the drones caused significant destruction.

However, none of these attack claims have been independently verified. As of the time of reporting, neither US nor Israeli officials had issued any formal comments. The multiple, unconfirmed attack claims have heightened concerns over regional security and potential escalation across the Middle East.

Foreign ministers of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Pakistan held a key meeting in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss forming a regional security alliance. The discussion took place on the sidelines of an Islamic nations’ conference, focusing on how to strengthen cooperation in defense and security matters.

According to diplomatic sources, Turkey initiated the idea last year, seeking to include Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, with Egypt later joining the process. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the proposed alliance would serve as a security platform to enhance defense and military collaboration, though it would not be a formal defense pact like NATO.

The meeting also addressed the ongoing war in the Middle East, U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran, and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes. Participants discussed possible joint measures to manage the region’s security challenges. Observers noted that such cooperation could reshape strategic dynamics amid continuing instability and conflict in the Middle East.

Iran’s military has claimed responsibility for a drone attack targeting facilities of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the state-owned defense and space technology company. According to a statement cited by Iran’s official news agency, the attack struck IAI installations located near Ben Gurion International Airport. The same statement also claimed that a US surveillance aircraft stationed at Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base was targeted.

Iran did not provide details about the nature of the attack or the extent of any damage. Al Jazeera reported that it could not independently verify the claims, and there were no immediate responses from Israel or the United States regarding the incident.

The report comes amid heightened regional tensions, with recent incidents involving drone interceptions in Saudi Arabia and military clashes in Lebanon. However, the immediate impact or potential escalation following Iran’s latest claim remains unclear.

According to the latest update from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) posted on Telegram, Iran has launched another round of missile attacks toward Israel. The Israeli military stated that it is actively working to counter the threat and has sent warning messages to residents in the affected areas. Iran’s state media IRIB also confirmed that a new phase of missile strikes has begun.

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Defense reported that it intercepted four ballistic missiles and 25 drones launched from Iran on Sunday. In a post on social media platform X, the UAE said its air defense systems have so far intercepted a total of 345 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,773 drones since the start of what it described as Iran’s open aggression.

The renewed attacks have raised concerns about escalating regional tensions, with both Israel and the UAE emphasizing their defensive responses to Iran’s actions.

A researcher at the Centre for International Studies at Sciences Po has warned that Israel’s expanding role in the Middle East’s gas infrastructure is granting it increasing leverage over neighboring Arab states. The analysis highlights that during the US-Israeli war on Iran, Jordan and Egypt halted gas supplies to Syria, exposing how dependent regional energy flows have become on Israeli gas. Egypt’s declining production and Jordan’s limited output have led both countries to rely heavily on imports from Israel, which now forms the backbone of the Arab Gas Pipeline network linking Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

The report explains that even when gas is imported as liquefied natural gas through Jordan’s Aqaba terminal, it mixes with Israeli gas within the shared pipeline system. This structural dependence was underscored when shutdowns at Israel’s Leviathan field twice disrupted supplies to Jordan and Egypt, forcing emergency measures. The researcher argues that such reliance allows Israel to wield political and economic influence, using energy as a tool of coercion and control.

The article concludes that Syria and Lebanon could reduce vulnerability by developing their own gas reserves, though doing so would require significant investment and political resolve to resist external pressure favoring continued dependence on Israeli energy.

Saudi Arabia has strongly condemned Israel’s attack on a Syrian military base, describing it as an act of aggression. The Saudi Foreign Ministry stated that the strike violated international law and Syria’s sovereignty, urging the international community to take steps to halt such actions. The condemnation aligns Saudi Arabia with Turkey, which has also called for global intervention over the incident.

According to Israeli forces, the strike targeted southern Syria in response to an attack on the Druze community in Suwayda province, claiming it was intended to protect that group. Turkey labeled the assault a dangerous provocation and demanded its immediate cessation. The Syrian government also denounced the strike, calling Israel’s justification baseless and asserting that the attack infringed on its sovereignty.

The report noted that Israel has previously carried out strikes in Syria during periods of conflict. Despite ongoing regional tensions, Syria has sought to avoid direct involvement in broader warfare.

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the United Arab Emirates’ President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed held a phone conversation to discuss the latest developments following Iran’s attacks. According to a statement from the Qatari Emir’s office, the two Gulf leaders examined the serious impact of these attacks on regional security and stability.

Both leaders described the attacks as a grave violation of state sovereignty and the principles of international law. They emphasized the urgent need to end all forms of conflict, reduce tensions, and strengthen regional and international diplomatic efforts to restore calm.

Their discussion reflects growing concern among Gulf states about the potential escalation of violence in the region and highlights a shared call for diplomatic engagement to prevent further instability.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that more than 200 Ukrainian specialists have been deployed to the Middle East to assist Gulf countries in defending against Iranian drones. The initiative aims to help nations such as the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait strengthen their defenses against the same type of Iranian 'Shahed' drones that were previously sold to Russia in 2022. Ukraine claims to have achieved about 90 percent success in intercepting these drones, according to Al Jazeera.

Analysts cited in the report noted that Iranian drones have become a growing threat to U.S.-aligned Gulf states, which have traditionally focused on high-altitude missile defense systems while neglecting low-altitude threats. The report also highlighted the stark cost difference between defense systems: a U.S. ballistic missile interceptor can cost around 10 million dollars per use, whereas a Ukrainian counter-drone costs roughly 3,000 dollars and can destroy a 50,000-dollar Shahed drone.

The cooperation underscores Kyiv’s effort to share its wartime experience and expand defense partnerships in the region.

Several Gulf countries have banned open-field Eid congregations due to heightened security concerns linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. According to Al Jazeera, authorities in these nations have instructed that Eid al-Fitr prayers be held only inside mosques. Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates have already urged citizens not to gather in traditional open prayer grounds after Ramadan.

Officials stated that the decision followed a reassessment of public safety risks in light of the current regional tensions. They described the measure as a precautionary step to prevent potential security incidents during large gatherings.

The move reflects growing unease across the Middle East as the Iran-Israel confrontation intensifies, prompting governments to tighten security and limit public assemblies during major religious events.