Live! Iran threatens Israeli, US varsities; its Speaker warns US against ground invasion

Iran has announced that it inflicted heavy damage on a US aircraft during a retaliatory missile and drone strike against an American base in Saudi Arabia.

Reports indicate the attack targeted Prince Sultan Air Base, where an E-3 AWACS command and control plane was destroyed along with other US military assets.

According to Press TV, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) employed a mix of long- and medium-range missiles as well as attack drones to strike facilities linked to U.S. and Israeli interests. Iran further claimed to have downed a US MQ-9 drone and hit an F-16 fighter jet.

Foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkiye and Pakistan held consultations on the West Asia conflict in Islamabad on Sunday to find a way to de-escalate the ongoing war that has unsettled the region and caused severe global economic disruptions.

The foreign ministers discussed the evolving regional situation and exchanged views on security issues while exploring options for broader peace in the region, an official said. The talks were held amidst a delay in the direct talks between the US and Iran. No statement was issued after the meeting.

Maharashtra Congress leader Naseem Khan on Sunday said he met Dr Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, the representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, and expressed grief at the death of Ayatollah Khamenei and soldiers as well as civilians in the West Asia war.

In a statement, Khan said he held detailed discussions with Ilahi in the presence of Iran's Consul General in Mumbai Saeid Reza Mosayeb Motlagh.

Khan expressed condolences over the death of Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader who was killed in a joint US-Israel attack on February 28, as well as soldiers who laid down their lives and civilians killed in the attacks, the statement said.

The attacks by the United States-Israel coalition are being condemned across the globe, Khan said while expressing solidarity with the people of Iran during the difficult period.

The Congress leader said he hoped the situation in West Asia would return to normal soon.

The US-Israel attacks on Iran have driven up prices, darkened the outlook for the world economy, sent global stock markets reeling and forced developing countries to ration fuel and subsidise energy costs to protect their poorest.

Ongoing strikes and counter-strikes on Persian Gulf refineries, pipelines, gas fields and tanker terminals threaten to the prolong the global economic pain for months, even years.

“A week ago or certainly two weeks ago, I would have said: If the war stopped that day, the long-term implications would be pretty small,” Christopher Knittel, an energy economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told news agency AP. “But what we're seeing is infrastructure actually being destroyed, which means the ramifications of this war are going to be long-lived.”

Iranian forces “are waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire and punish their regional partners forever,” Iran parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said on Sunday.

“Our firing continues. Our missiles are in place. Our determination and faith have increased,” Qalibaf said.

He warned the US against a ground invasion, threatening severe retaliation against American troops and allies in the region if US forces alight on Iranian soil, according to Iran official media.

He described the US' 15-point plan which Pakistan passed to Iran last week as “their wishes” and said the Trump administration is attempting to gain through the plan what it has failed to achieve by force.

“As long as the Americans seek Iran's surrender, our response is clear: Far be it from us to accept humiliation,” he said.

The government has stepped up measures to secure fuel and gas supplies amid the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, while urging citizens to avoid panic buying as sporadic rushes were reported at fuel stations.

In a statement, giving an update on developments following the war in West Asia, the oil ministry said refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories, and stocks of petrol and diesel remain sufficient nationwide. Retail outlets are functioning normally, even as rumours triggered temporary spikes in demand in some states.

To boost domestic availability, the government has cut excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per litre and imposed export levies of Rs 21.50 per litre on diesel and Rs 29.50 per litre on aviation turbine fuel (ATF).

In the gas sector, supplies have been prioritised for households and transport, with 100 per cent allocation to piped natural gas (PNG) and CNG, while industrial and commercial users are receiving about 80 per cent of average consumption. Fertiliser plants are being supplied at 70-75 per cent, with additional LNG cargoes being sourced, it said.

The ministry said the expansion of city gas distribution networks is being accelerated by streamlining approvals and pushing a shift from LPG to piped natural gas (PNG). More than 2,90,000 new (PNG) gas connections were added in March, while companies, including Indraprastha Gas, Mahanagar Gas, GAIL Gas and BPCL, are offering incentives for PNG adoption.

Commercial LPG supply has been gradually restored to about 70 per cent of pre-crisis levels, with priority given to hospitality, food services and key industries.

The government has also increased kerosene allocations to states and intensified enforcement against hoarding and black marketing, conducting about 2,900 raids and seizing around 1,000 cylinders recently.

Two more Indian-flagged LPG tankers, carrying roughly a day's supply of the country's cooking gas, have safely navigated through the Strait of Hormuz and are expected to reach Indian shores in the next couple of days.

“Two LPG carriers, BW TYR and BW ELM, carrying a combined LPG cargo of about 94,000 tonnes, have safely transited the region and are moving towards Indian shores,” an official statement said.

While BW TYR is proceeding towards Mumbai with an expected arrival on March 31, BW ELM is en route to New Mangalore with an estimated arrival date of April 1.

Previously, four Indian-flagged LPG tankers had safely sailed through the strait. Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, carrying 92,612 tonnes of LPG, reached Indian ports between March 26 and March 28. Prior to that, MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi, carrying about 92,712 tonnes of LPG, had reached Mundra port in Gujarat on March 16 and Kandla port in the state on March 17, respectively.

For a country that relies on imports from Gulf nations to meet as much as 60 per cent of its cooking gas needs, the arrivals will help ease the worst LPG shortage it is battling in decades. With the strait all but shut, it is sourcing LPG from nations like the US and Argentina.

"A total of 18 Indian-flagged vessels with 485 Indian seafarers remain in the western Persian Gulf region," the statement said.

In the last few days, six vessels from the west side and two from the east have managed to sail to safety. Besides the six LPG tankers, the Indian-flagged oil tanker Jag Laadki, with 80,886 tonnes of crude oil from the UAE, reached Mundra on March 18.

Another tanker, Jag Prakash, carrying gasoline from Oman to Africa, had previously safely crossed the strait and is en route to Tanzania. LPG carriers Jag Vikram, Green Asha and Green Sanvi are still in the western Strait of Hormuz. One empty vessel is being filled with LPG.

Al Araby Television Network said an Israeli missile hit its office building in Iran's capital, Tehran, forcing its live broadcast to stop, and left “extensive damage” to the office.

In a video posted on the channel's social media accounts, one of its reporters showed the damage to the office. Equipment, furniture, and debris could be seen scattered on the ground.

Rubble and damaged vehicles down the street could be seen in the video.

The Saudi Arabia Defence Ministry said it intercepted and destroyed 10 drones attacking it on Sunday morning.

Kuwait said its air defence systems intercepted four drones Sunday morning. Radar systems at the Kuwait International Airport were damaged in a strike Saturday.