After threatening on Sunday, Donald Trump with unleashing "hell" on Iran when the ultimatum he gave to the Islamic Republic to unblock the Strait of Hormuz expires, then hinting at extending the deadline by another 24 hours until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7 in Washington, at least 17 people have died on Monday in Iran after a new series of joint bombings by United States and Israel.
The authorities of the Islamic Republic have not provided an official death toll since the first week of the joint offensive by Tel Aviv and Washington, when they put the number at 1,230. However, the opposition NGO HRANA, based in the United States, has reported over 3,400 deaths, including more than 1,500 civilians.
These new attacks come as Pakistan has presented to Iran and the United States a plan for an immediate 45-day ceasefire that would involve the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. However, Tehran will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for a "temporary ceasefire."
Marvdasht petrochemical complex also targeted, according to Iranian news agency Fars
The Iranian news agency Fars claims that the Marvdasht petrochemical complex in Iran was attacked by the United States, according to Israel.
What happens if the fuel for airplanes runs out due to the war?
What would happen if kerosene were no longer sufficient for all flights? In recent days, this issue has begun to be seriously considered in various parts of Europe. Nevertheless, the sector insists that there is no cause for alarm. "We are very, very far from that scenario," assures a European official.
Iran assesses damages at the South Yars plant and states that the situation is "under control"
The situation is "under control" after Israel bombed Iran's largest petrochemical complex on Monday, but the extent of the damage is still being evaluated, according to the state news agency IRNA.
"The fire has been contained. The situation is under control, and the technical aspects, as well as the extent of the damage, are being investigated," reports IRNA, citing a statement from the Iranian petrochemical company, which adds that no injuries were reported.
Israel has claimed responsibility on Monday for the attacks on the South Pars petrochemical complex in Assalouyeh, a key site in Iran's energy sector, involved in the production of petroleum products and the joint exploitation with Qatar of the world's largest natural gas field.
Archive photo of the petrochemical refinery in Asaluyeh near the South Pars gas fieldAbedin Taherkenareh / Efe
Fertilizer industry warns of possible closures if the war in Iran escalates
The National Association of Fertilizer Manufacturers (Anffe) has warned that if the conflict in the Middle East escalates and disruptions in trade routes persist, some production plants may close, risking the supply for the upcoming campaign. In a statement released on Monday, Anffe highlighted that manufacturing companies in Spain are making "great efforts" to continue their production activities and continue offering products to farmers, despite the high energy and raw material costs they are facing.
"However, if the situation continues or worsens and interruptions in trade routes persist, the impact could increase and affect the activity of companies, potentially causing the closure of some production plants and jeopardizing the adequate supply of fertilizers for the next sowing campaign," warned the association.
Netanyahu announces that Israel has killed a second senior official of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, celebrated on Monday the death of two high-ranking officials linked to Iran in Israeli attacks, including the head of intelligence of the Revolutionary Guard, Mayid Jadamí,and a commander of the Quds Force, Ajer Bakri. "Another central arm of the Iranian regime has been severed," Netanyahu stated in a message disseminated through his official channels.
The Defense Minister, Israel Katz, had already confirmed that Jadamí was killed on Monday in an attack in Tehran, identifying him as one of the main intelligence officials of the Revolutionary Guard, linked to missile launches against Israel and the repression of internal protests in Iran.
Furthermore, Netanyahu stated that Israel killed Ajer Bakri, whom he identified as "commander of Unit 840 in the Quds Force (the foreign operations branch of the Revolutionary Guard)" and responsible, as he said, for "attacks on Jews and Israelis worldwide."
IAEA denounces that attacks near the Bushehr nuclear power plant (Iran) "could cause a serious radiological accident"
The Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Argentine Rafael Grossi, declared on Monday that the attacks on Saturday just 75 meters from the perimeter of the Iranian Bushehr nuclear power plant "constitute a real danger" and "must cease."
The attacks near the plant "could cause a serious radiological accident with harmful consequences for the population and the environment in Iran and beyond," Grossi stated, following the US and Israel's bombing on Saturday against the plant located in southern Iran.
The IAEA confirmed the recent impacts of the military attacks, including one just 75 meters from the perimeter of the plant, as reported by the agency based in Vienna, which added that its assessment is based on images taken on Sunday. According to Iranian state media, a security guard died in the attack, the fourth targeting the coastal area of the Persian Gulf since the start of the war between Iran, the United States, and Israel on February 28.
So far, no damage to the facilities has been reported, nor has an increase in radiation levels been detected. However, Russia began evacuating another 198 employees on Saturday after the attack, which Moscow strongly condemned; this is the largest evacuation of Russian personnel from the plant since the start of the war.
Bahrain arrests "several suspects" for collaborating with Iran's intelligence service
The Attorney General of Bahrain announced on Monday the arrest of "several suspects" accused of collaborating with the intelligence services and the Revolutionary Guard of Iran and ordered their preventive detention while the investigation continues. In a statement released on its official X profile, the Prosecutor's Office stated that "this arrest was based on investigations and monitoring of their activities, which revealed their connection with Iranian intelligence services and the Revolutionary Guard," according to the note without detailing the number of people arrested.
According to the Bahraini Public Ministry, "these individuals had received instructions from these agencies, through agents working for them in Iran, to monitor strategic sites within the Kingdom, collect information about them, and transmit it to Iran in order to attack them."
Explosions confirm the attack on Iran's largest petrochemical plant
Several explosions were heard on Monday in southern Iran at the country's largest gas complex, reports the Fars news agency without providing further details. The explosions, the number of which has not been specified, occurred at the South Pars petrochemical complex in Asaluyeh, which Israel claims to have attacked on Monday.
Indonesia increases aviation fuel surcharge by 28% due to the war in Iran
The Indonesian government announced on Monday a 28% increase in the surcharge on aviation fuel due to the war in Iran, while stating that it will allow airlines to raise domestic ticket prices by up to 13%, as reported by Efe.