Drones and rockets hit the US embassy in Baghdad; Trump criticizes NATO as ‘dumb’, says US capable of handling crisis alone
Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, visits the Hezbollah office in Tehran, Iran, October 1, 2024. Photo: Reuters/File
DUBAI/JERUSALEM:
Iran on Tuesday rejected proposals aimed at de-escalating the conflict, as Israel claimed it had killed Iran’s powerful national security chief in an airstrike, while drone and rocket attacks hit the heavily fortified US embassy in Baghdad, setting fires at the compound.
With the war, now in its third week, showing no signs of abating, President Donald Trump lashed out at “dumb” NATO, saying the United States doesn’t need help after its allies rejected his calls to join forces to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
A senior Iranian official, speaking anonymously, said new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei held his first foreign policy session and dismissed foreign offers to reduce tensions or negotiate a ceasefire.
The official cited a determination to continue resistance “until the United States and Israel get on their knees, accept defeat and pay compensation.” He did not say whether Khamenei attended the session in person or remotely.
Iran has not confirmed claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz that National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani was a martyr in an airstrike on Tehran.
Israel’s attacks targeted the Basij paramilitary force. The Basij, heavily involved in quelling recent protests, face additional pressure as Israeli forces systematically attack their positions throughout the Iranian capital. Israel claimed that the head of the Basij force, Gholamreza Soleimani, was also killed.
The IRGC has confirmed Soleimani’s death. Larijani, 68, had long been central to Iran’s strategic diplomacy and military planning. Close to the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he rose to prominence as the regime’s leading figure in survival strategy, regional policy and defense coordination.
Despite the war, Iran mobilized domestic support and called for nationwide demonstrations to counter “enemy plots” during Nowruz (the Persian New Year) celebrations. In response, Iranians took to the streets to show solidarity, highlighting the leadership’s control over internal affairs.
Meanwhile, air raid sirens sounded across Israel and explosions were heard as far away as Jerusalem. So far, Iranian missiles have killed at least 12 people in Israel. The bombing underscores Tehran’s ability to carry out long-range strikes even after weeks of sustained attacks by the United States and Israel.
In Iraq, drone and rocket attacks hit the heavily fortified US embassy in Baghdad, causing explosions and fires on the edge of the embassy grounds. Iraqi officials said Iranian-backed groups have carried out several attacks against US interests in Baghdad and across the region. Abu Dhabi and Qatar also suffered missile and drone attacks, causing fires and casualties.
The conflict has devastated the Gulf’s energy infrastructure. The port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates faced a third attack in four days, halting oil loading at the strategic export terminal. UAE authorities said debris from an intercepted missile also killed a Pakistani national in Abu Dhabi.
The Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route through which about 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows, remains effectively closed. Trump described the European, British and Asian refusal to help reopen the strait as a “very foolish mistake.”
Trump said in a post on Truth Social: “Due to the fact that we have had such military success, we no longer ‘need’ or want help from NATO countries. WE NEVER DID!” He stressed that the United States was capable of handling the crisis on its own.
President Trump downplayed the resignation of Joseph Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, calling him “very weak on security” and saying the war was necessary to prevent an imminent Iranian threat to the United States.
Kent resigned in protest against the war between the United States and Israel. “I cannot, in good conscience, support sending the next generation to fight and die in a war that does not benefit the American people,” he wrote. Kent cited pressure from Israel and its American allies as a factor driving the conflict.
Global energy markets have soared amid the current crisis. Brent crude rose above $100 a barrel, and airlines including SAS, Air France-KLM and Qantas canceled flights to the Middle East or raised fares.
As the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, the International Chamber of Shipping warned that thousands of seafarers are stuck on ships in the region, facing shortages of fuel, water and supplies.
The human cost of war continues to rise. Iran has reported more than 1,300 deaths and 7,000 injuries since the conflict began. Furthermore, the regional economic infrastructure also continues to suffer.
The ongoing conflict demonstrates the multi-front nature of the war, with military, economic and humanitarian dimensions spanning Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Israel and the Gulf. Every day brings new attacks, reprisals and diplomatic tensions, as world leaders struggle to contain the crisis.
European Union officials have urged diplomatic solutions to the crisis. Kaja Kallas, EU foreign policy chief, said it was essential to prevent food, fertilizer and energy crises by keeping shipping channels open.
