Israel said Saturday that its war against Iran had entered a “decisive phase,” as explosions and missile strikes shook cities across the Middle East, including attacks on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and a major UAE energy site.
Black smoke rose above Washington's embassy in Iraq, AFP journalists saw, the second time it has been targeted since Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel attacked Iran and plunged the Gulf into a conflict that has sent shockwaves through the global economy.
Millions have been displaced by waves of drone, missile and aerial bombing, while more than 1,200 people have reportedly been killed in Iran, with little sign of the conflict slowing down as it entered its third week.
Clouds of dark black smoke were also rising Saturday from Fujairah, home to a major Emirati oil storage and export terminal, shortly after Iran's military warned UAE civilians to avoid port areas.
Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said the war was entering a "decisive phase", even if he cautioned that it would "continue as long as necessary".
