Iran news and live updates: Iran’s presidential offices hit as Hezbollah to fight ‘open war’ with Israel

The US State Department has ordered “mandatory” evacuations in locations across the Middle East, including family members and non-emergency government personnel in Bahrain, Iraq, and Jordan.

The order instructs US citizens to leave “via commercial means” and has not yet introduced evacuation flights.

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has recommended US citizens in Israel to “shelter in place” and that the Embassy in Israel is “not in a position” to directly assist with evacuations.

The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh has informed Americans in the Gulf nation to avoid the facility after it was attacked by drones earlier on Monday.

It also issued a shelter in place warning for American citizens around Saudi Arabia.

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The Pentagon has released footage of US fighter jets “conducting flight operations” amid strikes on Iran.

The video shows B-1 bombers taking off from aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, stationed in the Arabian sea, to target “missile capabilities and operations” amid the conflict between the US and Israel, and Iran.

Iranian Revolutionary Guard advistor Brig. Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari has warned shipping companies: “Don’t come to this region.”

“The Strait of Hormuz is closed,” Brig. Gen Jabbari said.

“Anyone who wants to pass, our devotee heroes in the IRGC navy and the army will set those ships on fire.”

Currently, 20 per cent of the world’s oil trade uses the Strait of Hormuz for transport.

We’ve compiled a map of known attacks in Iran by Israeli and US forces.

It is believed more than 550 Iranians have died since the attacks launched on Saturday.

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Israel has announced it is striking the Iranian capital of Tehran, and CNN is reporting explosions have been heard around the city.

Earlier this morning, the IDF announced it was continuing to strike “Hezbollah command centers” and “weapons storage facilities” in the Lebanese capital of Beirut.

The IDF have also instructed residents in the southern suburbs of Beirut to evacuate, claiming the area is “located near facilities affiliated with Hezbollah”.

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Australian treasurer Jim Chalmers has requested the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission to prevent price gouging mid the threat to the security of fuel in the Middle East.

“The recent spike in the barrel price on international markets and volatility associated with unfolding events should not be used as an excuse for retailers to gouge customers or to increase prices opportunistically above and beyond the impacts of events in the Middle East,” Mr Chalmers wrote.

“I would expect the ACCC as the independent regulator enforcing Australia’s competition and consumer laws to investigate any concerns arising about misrepresentations regarding petrol prices, false and misleading conduct or anti-competitive conduct in petrol markets, and to take appropriate action.”

US President Donald Trump has claimed his country has an “unlimited supply” of weapons to use against Iran in a Truth Social post on Tuesday.

“The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better,” President Trump said.

“As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons.

“Wars can be fought ‘forever,’ and very successfully, using just these supplies.”

​https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116163464520215003​

Iranian state television is reporting a statement from the Revolutionary Guard, claiming it has destroyed a US air base in Bahrain.

US Central Command is yet to comment on the alleged strike.

Smoke has also been pictured billowing from a US naval base in Bahrain’s capital city, Manama.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the US and Israel’s war against Iran may take “some time” but it won’t take years.

The US and Israeli air war against Iran began with attacks against Tehran on Saturday, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and prompting Iranian retaliation against Israel and missile attacks at Arab nations with US bases across the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump initially projected the war to last four to five weeks, but added it could go on longer, and has since sought to justify a broad, open-ended war on Iran.

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