War in the Middle East: latest developments

_______________

WASHINGTON - Here are the latest events in the Middle East war:

Strike on Beirut seafront kills 7

The Lebanese health ministry said that seven people were killed and 21 injured in an Israeli strike on the seafront area of Beirut, where some displaced people have been sleeping out in the open, hours after another attack in the heart of the capital.

Trump says Iran near defeat

President Donald Trump reiterated his insistence that the United States' crippling strikes had already practically defeated Iran.

"They are pretty much at the end of the line," Trump told reporters in Washington, after delivering a speech to supporters in which he declared: "We've won...We won -- in the first hour it was over."

Oil tankers attacked off Iraq

Two oil tankers were attacked off Iraq's coast, government officials told the INA news agency, as state television broadcast images of a ship engulfed in flames.

At least one crew member of a ship was killed and several were missing, while 38 people had been rescued, port authorities said.

Saudi intercepts drone headed to oil field

The Saudi defence ministry said it intercepted and destroyed a drone headed toward the Shaybah oil field.

US to release 172 mn barrels under IEA oil pact

The US Department of Energy said it will release 172 million barrels of oil from its strategic petroleum reserve as part of an agreement among International Energy Agency (IEA) members to ease market turbulence.

The IEA's 32 members earlier agreed to unlock 400 million barrels, its largest ever joint release.

The US release will begin next week and be completed in approximately 120 days, the Energy Department said.

Iran says launched joint attack with Hezbollah

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had carried out a joint missile operation with Lebanese ally Hezbollah against targets in Israel.

The statement came after Hezbollah said it had launched dozens of rockets and advanced missiles at northern Israel.

US war costs hit $11.3 bn in 6 days

The opening week of the war against Iran cost the United States military more than $11.3 billion, lawmakers were told in a Pentagon briefing, according to a New York Times report.

Israel conducts drone strikes in Tehran

Israeli drone strikes killed several members of the Iranian security forces stationed at checkpoints in Tehran, the Fars news agency said, in the first such attacks since the outbreak of the war.

UN Security Council demands Iran halt attacks

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for Iran to halt its attacks on Gulf states, while not mentioning the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

The vote was 13-0, with veto-wielding China and Russia both abstaining.

Top Iran advisor calls Trump 'Satan'

Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior military adviser to Iran's Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, lashed out at US President Donald Trump in remarks on state television and reiterated threats to eradicate Israel.

"Trump is the most corrupt and stupid American president," he said. "He is Satan himself."

Lebanon toll rises above 630

Lebanon said the death toll in 10 days of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah during the Middle East war was above 630 people, while more than 800,000 have registered as displaced.

Iran welcome to play at World Cup: US

US President Donald Trump would "welcome" Iran's participation at the upcoming World Cup in North America, despite the ongoing war, the White House said.

No confirmation of mines in Hormuz: Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said he had "no confirmation" Iran was laying sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz, following reports Tehran was mining the key waterway virtually closed by the war.

He added that Iran's military capabilities had been weakened but not "reduced to zero" in US and Israeli strikes.

Citi, Deloitte, PwC clear offices in Gulf

Several major international businesses closed or evacuated offices in Gulf countries after Iran threatened US- and Israel-linked economic targets and centres in the Middle East.

US finance group Citi and British consultancy Deloitte evacuated offices in Dubai's financial centre, while PwC, another British consultancy, closed offices in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE and Kuwait.

Drones hit Oman port fuel tanks

Drones struck fuel tanks at Oman's Salalah port, state media reported, as Iran continues to target Gulf infrastructure. No casualties were reported.

Targeting mistake led to US strike on school: report

The United States was responsible for a Tomahawk missile strike on an Iranian school because of a targeting mistake, The New York Times reported, citing US officials.