Iran says it fired warning missiles, drones at US warships in Gulf of Oman

Iran says it fired warning missiles, drones at US warships in Gulf of Oman

Times of Israel is liveblogging Friday

Iran’s navy says it fired warning missiles and drones at US warships in the Gulf of Oman, accusing the US Navy of harassing maritime traffic and seizing commercial vessels and oil tankers, Iranian state media reports.

Earlier, the US Indo-Pacific Command said US forces intercepted the sanctioned stateless vessel M/T DAVINA in the Indian Ocean overnight.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions over maritime security around Iran, as Washington enforces sanctions on Iranian oil shipments and Tehran has repeatedly threatened shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

Lebanese president: Iran using Lebanon as ‘bargaining chip’ in negotiations with US

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun tells CNN that Iran is using Lebanon as a “bargaining chip” in its negotiations with the United States.

Aoun says in a message to the Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that “it’s not your country, it’s our country.”

Aoun has repeatedly sought to distance Lebanon from regional conflicts and has said decisions concerning the country’s sovereignty and security must be made by the Lebanese state alone.

“Our house is being destroyed. [Iran is] using Lebanon as a bargaining chip in their negotiations with the United States. It is unacceptable,” he says.

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem asks Trump to guarantee access to holy sites across region

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, one of the top figures in a communion of over 200 million adherents, asked US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office yesterday to ensure access to holy sites in the region, says the Patriarchate.

“Christian communities in the Middle East have in recent years faced a difficult reality of instability, growing threats and increasing pressure,” said Theopholis III.

“We are seeing ancient communities asking for something very basic: to continue living in safety, to preserve their faith and to maintain freedom of worship.”

In March, at the height of war with Iran, Israel was the target of global anger after police officers kept two top Catholic clergymen from reaching the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass.

There has also been a series of incidents in recent years involving harassment of and attacks on Christians, especially in Jerusalem.

“Mr President, as a close friend and as someone who understands the importance of protecting Christian communities and the holy places, preserving freedom of religion and open access to the holy places is not only a religious matter – it is a condition for stability, coexistence and peace across the entire region,” said Theophilos, according to the Patriarchate.

US forces boarded sanctioned vessel in Indian Ocean overnight, Pentagon says

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