Gulf states reassure Iran of neutrality amid fears of regional escalation – report

Gulf Arab states reassured Iran of their neutrality in its conflict with Israel during meetings in Doha this week, aiming to prevent the escalation from threatening their oil facilities.

Quoting unnamed sources, Reuters reported that ministers from the five Gulf Cooperation Council states and Iran focused on de-escalation following Tehran’s massive attack on Israel in retaliation for the assassination of its allies.

There was no official confirmation from states' foreign ministries, the news agency said.

Meanwhile, Tehran has warned Washington via Qatar that “the phase of unilateral self-restraint has ended.” Any Israeli attack against Iran would meet an “unconventional response”, Al Jazeera reported an Iranian source as saying. The source also stressed that Iran does not want a regional war.

Several news sites reported that Israel has threatened to attack Iran's nuclear and oil infrastructure retaliation to Tuesday’s attack.

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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed it had killed a commander of the Palestinian movement Hamas in the West Bank city of Tulkarm

"Earlier today [Thursday], in a joint IDF and ISA [Israel Security Agency] counterterrorism operation, the IAF [Israeli Air Force] conducted an ISA intelligence-based strike in the Tulkarm area and eliminated the terrorist Zahi Yaser Abd al-Razeq Oufi, the head of the Hamas terrorist network in Tulkarm," the IDF said on Telegram.

Footage from social media

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The target of Israel's attack on Beirut overnight through Friday allegedly was the likely successor of Hassan Nasrallah, the slain head of the Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah, the website Axios reported citing unnamed Israeli officials.

"Israel conducted a targeted strike in Beirut... against the head of Hezbollah's executive committee Hashim Safi al-Din, three Israeli officials said," according to the site.

It remains unclear whether Safi al-Din was killed in the attack, the report added.

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❗️ The Israeli air force launched highly damaging strikes on Beirut's southern suburb of Dahiya, a Sputnik correspondent reported, sharing video of the attack.

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🇲🇱🇷🇺 Mali appreciates Russian support in the fight against terrorists – Foreign Minister

Mali appreciates the prompt deliveries of military equipment purchased from Russia as they help to protect the country, Malian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdoulaye Diop told Sputnik.

"We do appreciate the swiftness of the provision of all the military equipment that Mali is purchasing and all the support that we are receiving from Russia to be able to capacitate [our armed forces] because our main objective is to make sure that Malians have the capacity to protect and defend their country," Diop said in an interview on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

Mali is "very much interested" in defense industry cooperation with Russia, the minister emphasized.

The Malian government also appreciates the importance the Russian government is attaching to the country’s requests for prompt arms deliveries to enable its ongoing fight against terrorist groups, Diop added.

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