The conflict between Israel-US and Iran has entered its fifth consecutive day, with hostilities continuing to spread across the wider Middle East following the strikes launched by Israel and the United States against Iran in the early hours of Saturday.
In response, Iran has carried out large-scale retaliatory attacks targeting Israel and several Gulf countries, focusing particularly on locations hosting US military bases.
According to the latest reports, at least six people were killed in Israeli air strikes in Lebanon, while an 11-year-old girl died in Kuwait during the interception of what authorities described as “hostile aerial targets”.
Leadership change in Iran
Late on Monday night, Mojtaba Khamenei was selected as Iran’s new supreme leader, succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The move reportedly came under pressure from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Ali Khamenei was killed during the Israeli-US strikes on Iran carried out on Saturday, according to reports circulating in the region.
The rapid appointment of his successor marks a major political development in Tehran as the country faces escalating military confrontation and growing regional instability.
Escalating regional tensions
The ongoing exchange of attacks has heightened fears of a wider regional conflict. Iran’s retaliatory strikes have targeted not only Israel but also Gulf states hosting US military installations, raising concerns about the safety of civilians and the stability of the region.
Reports have also emerged of fires breaking out at the US consulate in Dubai, though details about the cause and extent of the damage remain unclear.
The situation remains fluid as military operations and retaliatory strikes continue across multiple fronts in the Middle East.
Two Greek Navy frigates are currently positioned in Limassol Bay
Their presence comes at a time of heightened security activity in the Eastern Mediterranean following the recent escalation in the Middle East and increased military movements around Cyprus.
Drone Alert Near Cyprus Ends After Fighter Interception
A security alert was triggered in Cyprus on Wednesday morning after information emerged about a suspected aerial object near Lebanon.
Greek F-16 fighter jets stationed at the Andreas Papandreou air base in Paphos were scrambled and intercepted a drone in Lebanese airspace before it could approach Cyprus, according to government sources cited by Greek media.
Authorities briefly asked two civilian flights to remain on hold to allow operational space, but the airspace of the Republic of Cyprus was never closed, government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said.
The alert was lifted shortly before 10:00 a.m., with officials later confirming that the incident had been investigated and is now considered resolved.