Abu Dhabi: Saudi Arabia closed the King Fahd Causeway on Tuesday, severing the only road connection to Bahrain after Iran launched ballistic missiles toward its oil-rich Eastern Province. The 25-kilometre (15.5-mile) bridge serves as the sole land link between the island nation headquarters of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet and the Arabian Peninsula.
The closure followed Iranian strikes that sent debris falling near energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, according to the kingdom’s Defence Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, who said damage was under assessment. The action came as tensions escalated with US President Donald Trump’s approaching deadline for Iran to allow full resumption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway carrying one-fifth of global oil in peacetime.
Trump has warned that failure to meet his Tuesday 8 pm EDT deadline would result in the bombing of all Iranian power plants and bridges. “The entire country can be taken out in one night,” Trump stated. Israel’s military meanwhile issued warnings in Farsi to Iranians to avoid trains, signalling possible strikes on rail infrastructure.
Iran has blocked shipping through the strait since US and Israeli attacks began on February 28. On Monday, Tehran rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal and insisted on a permanent end to the conflict. Early Tuesday, it fired seven ballistic missiles at Saudi Arabia.
In response to the threats, Iranian officials called on young people, athletes, artists, students, and professors to form human chains around power plants, describing them as national assets belonging to Iran’s future. Alireza Rahimi, secretary of the Supreme Council of Youth and Adolescents, made the appeal on state television.
Elsewhere, activists reported fresh Israeli strikes on Tehran, which Israel claimed responsibility for, while Iran fired missiles toward Israel. Oil prices surged, with Brent crude trading above $111 per barrel, up more than 50 per cent since the war started.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon urged Trump against targeting civilian infrastructure, calling such actions unacceptable. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned through his spokesperson that attacks on civilian sites are prohibited under international law. Trump said he was “not at all” concerned about potential war crimes accusations.
Diplomatic efforts continued despite Iran’s rejection of the latest proposal, with officials indicating talks remained active. The regional death toll has climbed, with over 1,900 reported killed in Iran since the conflict began.
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