Earthquake strikes Iran again as US prepares to deploy third aircraft carrier in Middle East

Tel Aviv/Tehran (The Uttam Hindu): Tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran continue to escalate, with the conflict entering its eighth day. During this period, Israel reportedly launched a new round of attacks, while explosions were reported at a major commercial airport in Tehran.

Meanwhile, another earthquake has struck Iran. According to the United States Geological Survey, a quake occurred near Bandar Abbas at around 8:48 a.m. IST. The earthquake measured 4.1 on the Richter scale. Experts note that earthquakes occurring in a region already affected by war could increase concerns about further instability.

Amid the growing crisis, US President Donald Trump reiterated a strong stance, stating that there will be no agreement with Iran unless it agrees to an unconditional surrender. He also suggested that after such a surrender, Iran should move toward selecting new leadership acceptable to his administration.

At the same time, the military of Kuwait reported that its air defence systems intercepted several incoming threats. During multiple waves of attacks that began on Saturday morning, 12 Iranian drones and 14 ballistic or cruise missiles were reportedly shot down. Explosions from these interceptions were heard in several parts of the country. Officials said that only minor property damage occurred, mainly due to falling missile debris.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces informed residents in northern Israel that they could leave bomb shelters, as the latest Iranian ballistic missile launch did not pose a direct threat to that region and warning sirens were not activated. However, later the Israeli military issued a fresh alert for residents in Tel Aviv, large parts of central Israel and the West Bank after detecting another missile launch from Iran. Authorities warned that the situation could further escalate in the already volatile region.