CAIRO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran have set off a regional exchange of fire that entered its sixth day on Thursday, leading to increasing casualties and major political and security consequences, with impacts rippling across the region.
Here's a quick overview of the latest developments and the impact of the retaliatory attacks on countries directly caught up in the crisis:
The United States
-- President Donald Trump told Axios he must be "involved in the appointment" of Iran's next leader, rejecting the succession of Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me," he said, warning that a similar leader could force the United States back to war "in five years."
Israel
-- Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir said Israeli forces are moving to the "next phase" of their campaign against Iran, intensifying strikes against the Iranian government and its military capabilities.
-- He said Israeli air force has conducted 2,500 strikes, dropped over 6,000 munitions, and destroyed roughly 60 percent of Iran's ballistic missile launchers and 80 percent of its air defense systems.
-- Israeli military said that it killed Hezbollah firepower management commander Zaid Ali Jumaa, who was responsible for launching "thousands" of rockets, missiles and drones toward Israel, in airstrikes in Beirut.
-- The military also reported that an Israeli officer was severely injured and another soldier was moderately wounded during combat operations in southern Lebanon.
Iran
-- Iran said that 1,230 people have been killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes on the country.
-- The Iranian army said that its forces have carried out drone attacks against U.S. bases in Kuwait and Iraq as well as a number of Israeli targets. It also hit a U.S. oil tanker north of the Gulf with missiles.
-- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Iran is not requesting a ceasefire with the United States and Israel and sees no reason to negotiate with Washington.
-- Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani warned the United States against carrying out ground invasion against Iranian territory, saying the country's armed forces are waiting and ready for American troops.
-- Iran rejected accusations from neighboring Azerbaijan that it had launched drone strikes targeting its territory, while suggesting that Israel may be behind the attacks.
Iraq
-- Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government denied claims it sent Kurdish groups to infiltrate Iran, saying it is not involved in any campaign to escalate regional conflicts.
Yemen
-- UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg stressed the importance of protecting Yemen from being dragged into a new cycle of regional confrontations, calling for the utmost restraint.
Bahrain
-- Bahrain announced that a Bapco Energies refinery in Maameer was targeted in an Iranian missile strike. Bahrain's National Communication Center said that the fire has been fully contained, with no reported injuries, and refinery operations are continuing.
The United Arab Emirates
-- Blasts were heard in capital Abu Dhabi on Thursday evening as residents received mobile phone alerts warning of potential missile threats.
-- Governor of the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates Khaled Mohamed Balama said the country's banking and financial sector remains stable and resilient, even as technical disruptions at a major bank caused long queues at some branches.
Qatar
-- Qatar's Ministry of Interior announced that authorities are evacuating residents living near the U.S. Embassy in Doha as a temporary precautionary measure.
Lebanon
-- The death toll from Israeli attacks in Lebanon since early Monday has risen to 123, with 683 others wounded.
Türkiye
-- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, stressing that the spread of conflict in the Middle East region is "unacceptable."
-- Türkiye strongly condemned drone attacks on Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, warning that such strikes risk widening the regional conflict.
Azerbaijan
-- The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry strongly condemned drone attacks on its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic allegedly launched from Iranian territory, calling the strikes a "violation of the norms and principles of international law."
-- Azerbaijan's armed forces have been placed at the "highest level" of combat readiness following the drone attack on the Nakhchivan region.
Britain
-- Britain is sending four more Typhoon fighter jets to join its squadron in Qatar to strengthen defensive operations in the country and across the Middle East region, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at a press conference.
France
-- U.S. aircraft not participating in operations in Iran have been "accepted" at certain military bases in France, French daily Le Parisien reported, citing the French military. ■
