- Saudi Arabia intercepts missiles -

Saudi Arabia said early Friday it had intercepted three ballistic missiles launched towards an air base, as Iran pressed attacks across the Gulf.

"Three ballistic missiles launched towards Prince Sultan Air Base were intercepted and destroyed," the Saudi defence ministry posted on X.

- Lebanon death toll rises -

The Lebanese health ministry said the death toll from Israeli strikes on neighboring Lebanon has risen to 123 since the country was drawn into the regional war earlier this week, with the latest count including a new wave of strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs.

The ministry added that 638 people have also been wounded since Monday.

- Egypt in 'state of near-emergency' -

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said his country was in an economic "state of near-emergency" as he warned of runaway inflation.

At a military academy event, Sisi added that price-gouging traders could be tried in military courts, according to a statement from his spokesman.

- Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi leader speaks out -

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi leader said in a televised speech Thursday that his group was prepared to strike at any moment.

"Regarding military escalation and action, our fingers are on the trigger, ready to respond at any moment should developments warrant it," Abdul Malik al-Houthi said.

- NATO raises missile defence posture -

NATO said it has strengthened its "ballistic missile defence posture" as Iran steps up its strikes across the Middle East with a missile launched at alliance member Turkey before being shot down.

The alliance's 32 member states concurred with NATO commanders that the posture should remain at its "heightened level" until the threat from Iran's "indiscriminate attacks across the region" subsided.

- Israel promises 'surprises ahead' -

Israel's military chief said the US-Israeli campaign against Iran was entering its next stage, with operations aimed at crushing the Islamic republic's military capabilities.

"In this phase, we will further dismantle the regime and its military capabilities. We have additional surprises ahead which I do not intend to disclose," Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said in a televised statement.

- Iran strike sparks Bahrain refinery fire -

An Iranian missile strike sparked a blaze at Bahrain's main state-owned oil refinery as Iran pressed attacks across the Gulf for a sixth day.

Some Western embassy staff in Riyadh were meanwhile told to shelter in place, diplomatic sources said, following an attack on the US embassy compound earlier this week.

- Trump backs Kurdish offensive -

US President Donald Trump said he would approve of any offensive by Iranian Kurdish fighters into Iran in support of the US-Israeli war against the Islamic republic.

"I think it's wonderful that they want to do that, I'd be all for it," Trump said.

- Sri Lanka takes control of Iranian ship -

Sri Lanka has offloaded crew of an Iranian navy vessel and assumed control of it, a day after a deadly US submarine attack on another ship.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said his country's navy had taken 208 sailors from the IRIS Bushehr which, like the ship torpedoed off Sri Lanka's southern coast on Wednesday, had participated in a naval exercise in eastern India.

- Trump wants role in picking Iran leader -

Trump insisted he should have a role in picking Iran's next supreme leader after the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose son he said he found unacceptable.

"Khamenei's son is a lightweight. I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy," Trump said, drawing a comparison to Venezuela, where interim president Delcy Rodriguez has cooperated with him under threat of violence after the United States ousted her boss, Nicolas Maduro.

- Iran says ground invasion would be disaster for foes -

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said his country was prepared for any ground invasion, warning that such a move would spell "disaster" for the country's enemies.

"We are waiting for them," Araghchi said, as the United States and Israel kept up strikes on Iran. "We are confident that we can confront them and that would be a big disaster for them."

- Iran warns VPN users -

Iranian authorities issued warnings to people connecting to the internet in defiance of a communications blackout that had left the country largely cut off from the outside world.

Iran's internet connectivity was running at around one percent of ordinary levels, according to monitor group Netblocks. Those who had successfully connected using VPNs (virtual private networks) received warnings over their phones.

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