[MUSIC]
The Middle East is being engulfed by the US and Israeli War on Iran. Iran is retaliating with strikes on allies of the US and Israel is pounding Lebanon after his bullets fired rockets. President Trump says this could go on for weeks. >> I'm Leila Faldin, that's a Martinez, and this is up first from NPR News.
[MUSIC] Three US service members were killed by Iranian strikes.
Here's what the President said about that.
And sadly, they would likely be more. Before it ends, that's the way it is likely be more. >> And America's Gulf allies are taking the brunt of Iran's retaliation. Waves of missiles and drones are turning expats city such as Doha and Dubai into battlefields.
“Stay with us, we've got the news you need to start your day.”
[MUSIC] >> After a weekend of the US and Israel's war against Iran, around the world, there have been celebrations such as this one in the heart of Tehran. [MUSIC] >> And protests, like this one, in Iraq.
[MUSIC] And as the US and Israel continue to strike Iran, Iran is retaliating against countries
that host American military bases.
The Pentagon says three US service members have been killed. And a new front is now open in Lebanon with Israel pounding the country after Hezbollah fired rockets. >> MPR's international affairs correspondent, Jackie Northam, is here to bring us up a day to Jackie, tell us the latest.
>> Well, the US and Israel say they are hitting hundreds of targets in Iran. And that includes key targets such as anti-aircraft defense systems, ballistic missiles, and launchers, command and control centers. President Trump said the military had also sunk nine Iranian warships, although St. Com, only confirmed one.
Other targets include senior military and political figures in Iran, including the killing of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Hamini Saturday.
Iran has responded with deadly strikes on Israel and attacking Gulf states.
And last night, the Iranian back militia has bulah in Lebanon launched rockets into Israel, which responded with air strikes in Beirut and southern Lebanon, widening this war even further.
“>> In Iran, what was the response of the killing of the supreme leader?”
>> Mixed, you know, MPR is spoken to a few people in Iran who say they're very happy about Hamini's death. And we're seeing on social media statues of Hamini being pulled down by Iranians. And people briefly took over a government building in one town, but there were also huge crowds at pro regime rallies morning.
Hamini's death and shouting deaths to America. You know, in the wake of his killing, a temporary leadership council is being formed. And we'll remain in place until a panel of Shia religious leaders makes a final decision on a new supreme leader. >> Okay, now President Trump started this war and he's now indicating there's a chance
for diplomacy. He said Iran's new leadership wants to talk with him and that he plans to do so as well. So does that give us any sense of how Trump will try to end the war? >> Well, you know, Trump gave several justifications for attacking Iran. You know, preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons and indicating he wanted regime change.
“But he says the war will continue until his objectives are met.”
You know, it's clear Trump doesn't want to get mired down and a protracted conflict in the Middle East. In an interview with New York Times on Sunday, he said the military intends to sustain its assault on Iran for quote four to five weeks of necessary. I spoke with Richard Fontaine, who's the CEO of the Center for a New American Security.
And he says Trump reopening negotiations would be a sign that Iran is less of a threat and the U.S. could get a better deal. >> Here he is. >> On the other hand, if things are going well, militarily, and maybe it looks like there's some cracks here in the air and the security forces or, you know, uprisings, you could keep
this going potentially indefinitely. So as to play this out, you know, we're only three days into this war and Iran appears to be digging in, you know, so there's still a potential that this war will further escalate. >> That's MPR's international affairs correspondent, Jackie, Northam Jackie, thanks. >> Thank you.
>> Smoke plumes were seen rising from the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait according to the Associate Press as Iran retaliates following U.S. and Israeli attacks. >> President Trump says U.S. strikes will continue quote at full force. He's warning the American people that more U.S. lives will likely be lost after three service members were killed in the war over the weekend.
>> We pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen and sadly there will likely be more before it ends. That's the way it is likely be more. >> That's from a six minute video Trump posted online on Sunday, which are also said the U.S. would quote "avange their deaths."
>> MPR White House correspondent Franco Ordon Yez is covering the conflict of Franco.
What else did President Trump say?
>> Yeah, President Trump says hundreds of targets in Iran have been hit including the revolutionary
guard facilities and Iranian air defense systems. And he added that nine naval ships have been destroyed as well as Iran's naval building. And he's boasting that Iranians around the world are cheering the death of Iran's supreme leader Ali Haman-e-e. >> This wretched and vile man had the blood of hundreds and even thousands of Americans on
his hands and was responsible for the slaughter of countless thousands of innocent people all across many countries. >> Now the White House says Iran wants to talk and the Trump will speak with them. What does that mean? >> Yeah, I mean the White House told Emperor that Iran wants to restart negotiations
and that Trump will eventually speak with whoever is in charge. But a top Iran security official says on X that they won't negotiate. And if the White House does re-open talk, it does raise questions about what that means,
“what does the regime get to stay in control even if it's badly damaged?”
>> Yeah, but he hasn't Trump been calling on Iranians to take over the government themselves. >> Yeah, I mean exactly. I mean he did that again yesterday telling them to quote seize this moment to be brave to be heroic. >> America is with you.
I made a promise to you and I fulfilled that promise. The rest will be up to you, but will be there to help.
>> And he again called on the police and revolutionary guard to lay down their weapons.
He offered immunity and he says they should join protesters. >> All right, so lots of questions that about what comes next. But we really haven't seen much of Trump since the war started. >> Not at all. I mean the only time we've seen him is getting on and off the plane yesterday going to the building.
And he didn't take questions. I mean, it's been also controlled. I mean, except for some brief phone calls with select media,
“it's been largely social media posts in these two video addresses.”
He has an address to American people in person or answered questions from the press. Paul and he hasn't gotten Congress involved. I mean, Democrats and some Republicans are unhappy that he didn't see congressional authorization for a war. And some want to vote to restrain Trump and that's going to be a big debate this week.
>> All right, now has the president given any more insight, though, into how long this whole thing will last. >> Yeah, as we heard, he's, you know, St. combat operations will continue until US objectives are met. And he has said that could be a week, but he's also told other media outlets like
it in New York Times that it could be four to five weeks. Really, he has said that there are strong objectives that the US has strong objectives. But again, he hasn't explained what those specific objectives are. And without knowing what is specifically the US hopes to accomplish, I mean, it's really hard to predict how long any of this will last.
>> Yeah, that's a White House correspondent, Franco or Donas, Franco. Thank you very much. >> Thank you.
“>> Iran is retaliating against the US targeting its air of neighbors where US troops are”
based. >> The country's hit include Saudi Arabia, cuts out the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, and even Oman, which had been mediating nuclear talks. >> We're joined now by MPR International correspondent Ayah Batrawi in Dubai. So tell us what it's been like where you are.
>> Yeah, so here in Dubai, my apartment rattled with the sound of loud booms on Saturday. To say that this was unexpected is an understatement.
Dubai is built as a safe haven, a luxury destination, and it's never been targeted by missiles
like this before. But drones have also been launched by Iran at its neighbors. I want you to have a listen to what that sounded like in Bahrain, where a drone struck a residential building there over the weekend. >> So that was one of several verified videos online of that's one attack.
And despite these hits, the numbers of casualties have actually been very low at the point with most drones and missiles intercepted. But this morning, Kuwait's defense ministry says several U.S. war planes crashed, and that crews were safe after ejecting, but the circumstances around that are still unclear. And this comes after three U.S. troops, as you heard, already were killed in five seriously,
wounded as part of a ground support team in Kuwait over the weekend. And Iran's missiles also got through defenses, and they hit an air base in Qatar, where there are thousands of U.S. troops, and hit the U.S. Navy's fifth fleet in Bahrain, according to state media there. But I also want to say the civilian areas have suffered.
You're talking about luxury hotels in Dubai and across the Gulf, and sea ports. That is how this region imports the bulk of its food. But Dubai's airport, which is the world's busiest for international transit connecting Europe to Asian Africa, was also struck by a drone, and flights there remain suspended now for the sincerity.
So this war has engulfed the region. >> Yeah, it really has. And another overnight development was the Iran-backed Hezbollah group getting involved, tell us what's happening in Lebanon. But there was a ceasefire there for about the last 15 months, although Israel would continue
To strike.
Hezbollah has both had not struck back.
“However, all of that changed last night.”
Israel says a few rockets and drones were launched, landing in open spaces. Now that's in response to the Israel killing, the supreme leader of Iran. Now, the military ordered 50 villages in Lebanon, and in southern suburbs of Beirut to be evacuated, and an air strikes pounded those areas in Lebanon killing more than 30 people already and wounding 150, according to Lebanon's health ministry.
And Paris producer in Beirut, Joed, Raskala spoke with families fleeing to school shelters with their kids and lugging mattresses. Of course, this is all happening in Ramadan as people are fasting.
“And everyone who spoke to said they were exhausted that the scene is being repeated again.”
>> So, okay, a lot unfolding as we speak. What can we expect there going forward? >> All right, so if Gulf Arab states continue to get hit, they have said that they reserve the right to strike back to defend their national security. So, that could happen, and that would obviously widen the scope of this war dramatically.
Also, we've heard the UK France and Germany saying they will take steps to defend their interests and those of their allies in the region. And some of those interests are about oil.
“Saudi Arabia says one of its largest oil refineries was targeted today by Iranian drones sparking”
a fire and temporarily shutting down production there. We've already seen oil prices spiking today on trading, you know, the straight of her moves in the Gulf at narrow shipping lane, where a fifth of the world's oil passes from the Gulf to China and India and beyond has effectively been shut down since Saturday, shipping insurance firms are concerned about naval attacks.
So, the scale of the fallout of this war really depends on how long the US and Israel continue this war. >> That's MPR International correspondent, Taya Bhatrawi in Dubai, thank you very much. >> Thank you, A.
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