CAIRO, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict entered its 22nd day on Saturday. Despite continuous global calls for a ceasefire and broad condemnation on the military escalation, fighting on the ground has shown no sign of abating.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has sent mixed signals, saying on one hand that Washington would "wind down" its strikes against Iran, while also stating that he does "not want a ceasefire" with Tehran.
The following is a brief overview of the latest developments in the escalating crisis affecting much of the region and beyond.
The United States
-- U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that he is considering "winding down" the U.S. military strikes against Iran, saying, "We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great military efforts in the Middle East" with respect to Iran.
-- Trump said the same day that he does not want a ceasefire with Iran. "We can have dialogue, but you know, I don't want to do a ceasefire," Trump said. "You don't do a ceasefire when you're literally obliterating the other side."
-- The U.S. Treasury Department on Friday issued a general license temporarily lifting sanctions on Iranian oil at sea for 30 days to address the supply shortage amid shipping interruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Israel
-- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it struck a strategic research and development facility in Tehran, allegedly used by Iran to develop nuclear weapons components. It also carried out a large-scale wave of strikes in Tehran overnight, targeting facilities of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) producing critical components for ballistic missiles.
-- Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the intensity of strikes on the Iranian government and the country's infrastructure by the United States and Israel will increase "significantly" in the coming week "until all security threats to Israel and U.S. interests in the region are removed."
-- The IDF said it killed several Hezbollah members during a ground operation in southern Lebanon overnight.
Iran
-- The IRGC said it has hit an Israeli F-16 Fighting Falcon in the country's central airspace. The Iranian armed forces reported an attack on fuel tanks for military aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv, according to Iranian state media.
-- Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari warned of possible strikes on the UAE's Ras Al-Khaimah in case of recurrent attacks from its territory against southern Iranian islands. "As we had announced before and proved in practice, we will attack the origin of any invasion against our territory and national sovereignty," Zolfaghari said.
-- President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, proposed to form a security structure comprising regional countries to ensure peace, security and stability in West Asia without foreign interference, and reiterated conditions to end the ongoing war.
-- Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said Friday that mediation efforts are underway by several countries to end the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran, voicing Iran's openness to any initiative to that end.
He said Iran does not seek a ceasefire, "but a complete, comprehensive and lasting end to the war," reminding that the war has been "imposed" on Iran.
-- According to Iranian media reports, Iran's death toll in the ongoing conflict has topped 1,500, with over 80,000 civilian places attacked.
Iraq
-- Iranian Ministry of Electricity said Iraq has commenced the gradual resumption of Iranian gas imports to stabilize its national grid after a temporary suspension caused by an attack on Iran's South Pars gas field.
Jordan
-- Jordanian military forces said a total of 240 missiles and drones have been directed toward Jordanian territory since the conflict began, adding that 222 of them have been intercepted and destroyed.
Bahrain
-- Explosions were heard in Bahrain's capital city of Manama with sirens urging people to stay indoors, as Bahrain TV reported that air defense systems successfully intercepted Iranian projectiles.
-- The Bahrain Defence Force said its air defense systems have intercepted 143 missiles and 242 drones since the beginning of the conflict.
The United Arab Emirates
-- A total of 22 countries, including the UAE, jointly condemned Iranian attacks on regional commercial vessels and civilian infrastructure amid escalating regional tensions.
"We call on Iran to cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks and other attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz," the statement said, urging compliance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Saudi Arabia
-- Saudi Arabia declared the Iranian embassy's military attache and four other embassy staff personae non gratae, and asked them to leave the country within 24 hours, Al Arabiya News reported.
-- The Saudi Ports Authority announced the launch of an initiative to support vessels operating in the Gulf by leveraging its capabilities at ports in the Eastern Province to provide integrated services that meet vessels' needs.
Lebanon
-- The death toll from Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon since March 2 has reached 1,024, with 2,740 injuries, the Lebanese Public Health Ministry reported.
-- Hezbollah said its fighters have been engaged in ongoing direct clashes with Israeli forces in the southern Lebanese town of Khiam.
Egypt
-- Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit condemned the Israeli attacks on military infrastructure in southern Syria, saying the Israeli attacks constitute a continuous violation of the sovereignty of Syria and jeopardize the Arab country's stability and the safety of its people.
Yemen
-- Yemen's Houthi group said it is closely monitoring the developments in the Strait of Hormuz, and would take "appropriate action" in the face of unfolding events in the region. ■
