CAIRO, March 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict entered its 29th day on Saturday, with Yemen's Houthi group joining the conflict, further complicating the evolving situation in the Middle East and diminishing the hope for a swift de-escalation.
The following is an overview of the latest developments in the escalating crisis affecting much of the region and beyond.
The United States
-- The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Saturday that an amphibious task force of about 3,500 marines and sailors has arrived in the Middle East.
The USS Tripoli, an America-class amphibious assault ship, serves as the flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, which also carry transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and tactical assets, said CENTCOM.
Israel
-- Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson Effie Defrin said in a live broadcast update that within a few days, the Israeli military will complete the strikes on all vital components of Iran's military industry.
"This means that we will destroy most of Iran's military production capabilities, and it will take the Iranian regime a long time to restore them," Defrin added.
-- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it had killed two senior militants from Hezbollah's communications unit in Beirut.
-- The IDF announced that the Israeli air defense systems successfully intercepted a missile fired from Yemen toward Israel. The launch from Yemen set off air defense sirens in large areas of southern Israel, sending thousands rushing to shelters, with no casualties reported.
Iran
-- Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed that his country will retaliate "strongly" against any attack on its infrastructure and economic centers.
-- A depot storing Ukrainian anti-drone defense systems in Dubai was destroyed in a missile strike by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
-- Iran's IRGC claimed that its air defense has struck a U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon and an MQ-9 Reaper drone in the country's southern airspace.
-- No radiation risk has been detected at Iran's facilities in Khondab and Khuzestan following attacks on Friday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.
According to the IAEA, Iran reported that its heavy water production plant in central Iran's Khondab was hit. The agency noted that the facility contains no declared nuclear material and no radiation risk has been identified.
A steel production facility in Khuzestan province, which uses sealed radioactive sources for industrial gauging, was also attacked, with no radiation released beyond the site, the agency confirmed.
Lebanon
-- Israel killed three journalists in an airstrike on a car carrying four people in Jezzine, southern Lebanon, at noon Saturday, Lebanese officials said. All four passengers died.
-- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the strike, calling it a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. He said journalists are civilians protected under the Geneva Conventions and UN Security Council Resolution 1738, which prohibit attacks on journalists not directly participating in hostilities.
-- Nearly 46,500 hectares of Lebanon's agricultural land, or 22 percent of the country's total cultivated area, have been damaged by ongoing Israeli attacks, the Ministry of Agriculture said. The damage is concentrated in the southern governorates of South and Nabatieh, two key agricultural regions, where 44,297 hectares have been affected. Fruit and olive trees, greenhouses, and small to medium-sized farms have been among the hardest hit.
Yemen
-- Earlier Saturday, Yemen's Houthi group claimed a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting "sensitive Israeli military sites" in southern Israel, marking its first such attack since Israel and the United States started massive attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.
-- The group said later that it had carried out fresh attacks on vital sites in southern Israel using cruise missiles and drones, its second claimed attack of the day amid escalating regional tensions.
Iraq
-- The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced another 72-hour extension of the country's airspace closure to all arriving, departing and overflying aircraft, citing ongoing security concerns.
-- At least five Iraqi security personnel were killed and nine others wounded Saturday evening in a series of U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in northern provinces, according to official statements.
Syria
-- The Syrian army foiled a drone attack targeting the al-Tanf military base in southern Syria, authorities said. In a statement, the authorities said the drones were launched from Iraqi territory, highlighting ongoing security challenges in the country, particularly in its border areas.
Kuwait
-- Kuwait International Airport was targeted by multiple drone attacks that caused significant damage to its radar system, the country's civil aviation authorities said.
The United Arab Emirates
-- Five Indian nationals were injured after debris from a ballistic missile intercepted by air defenses fell near the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi, said local authorities.
Qatar
-- Qatar and Ukraine signed a defense cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing collaboration in military and technological fields, according to a statement from Qatar's Ministry of Defense.
-- The ministry said that the country's air defenses successfully intercepted and neutralized "all incoming drones" launched from Iran, with no further details provided on damage or casualties.
Türkiye
-- Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called for maximum restraint over the conflict in the Middle East, warning that further escalation could trigger serious and lasting damage across the region.
Egypt
-- Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate phone talks with his Saudi, Jordanian and German counterparts, as well as officials from the European Commission, to discuss efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. ■
