IRGC confirms naval commander Tangsiri killed

Majid Ebnolreza, Iran’s acting defense minister, said Iran would continue its response against aggressors, in a phone call with Turkey’s defense minister, state media reported on Monday.

Ebnolreza said Iran would pursue “full punishment” of attackers and work to ensure deterrence and prevent further conflict.

He said Iran had agreed to talks despite distrust of the US, in an effort to ease tensions in the region, but said recent military action by the American and Israeli sides left it with no option but to defend itself.

Turkey’s defense minister said the attack on Iran was a serious violation of international law and offered condolences over the deaths of senior Iranian leaders and military officials, the report said.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said on Monday that an Iranian ambassador remained in Beirut past a deadline set by Lebanon to declare him persona non grata, and said the country was effectively under Iranian control.

In a post on X, Sa’ar said about 5,000 rockets, shells and drones had been fired from Lebanese territory toward Israel since March 2, including from areas south of the Litani River that the Lebanese army had said were under its operational control.

He said ministers from Hezbollah remained in the Lebanese government.

Sa’ar said Lebanon would not regain its freedom unless it confronted the Iranian influence and Hezbollah.

Kuwait’s National Guard said on Monday it had intercepted five drones in areas under its responsibility, according to the state news agency KUNA.

National Guard spokesperson Brigadier General Jadaan Fadhel said the interception was part of ongoing efforts to strengthen national security, protect vital strategic sites, and counter potential threats.

He urged the public to follow safety instructions issued by the relevant authorities.

Fadhel said the National Guard was coordinating closely with the Kuwait Army, the interior ministry, and the Kuwait Fire Force, adding that the forces remained at a high level of readiness to confront any threat to the country’s security, sovereignty, or stability.

Iran’s judiciary said on Monday that two men were executed following accusations of carrying out multiple attacks in Tehran.

The judiciary said Akbar Daneshvarkar and Mohammad Taghavi Sangdehi had conducted several attacks in the capital and explosive launchers were found in safe houses used by them.

The two political prisoners had been sentenced to death in 2024 by Tehran’s Revolutionary Court.

Authorities accused the two of having links with the exiled opposition group Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK).

A new wave of explosions and strikes was reported across several parts of Iran early on Monday, from the Persian Gulf coast and islands in the south to northern cities, according to eyewitness accounts sent to Iran International.

On Kish Island in Hormozgan province, two heavy explosions were reported at 4:50 a.m. Nearby Qeshm Island saw repeated and intense blasts between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., with residents saying the force of the explosions shook windows. In Bandar Abbas, several heavy explosions were also reported at around 4:30 a.m., while persistent blasts were heard at 5:04 a.m. and some residents said the source may have been in the direction of Larak Island.

Further north, witnesses in Babol in Mazandaran province reported a heavy explosion near the city in the early morning hours.

In Dehgolan in Kurdistan province, reports said facilities linked to the IRGC were hit at around 4:20 a.m., followed by a complete power outage in the city.

In Tabriz, the capital of East Azarbaijan province, heavy srtikes were reported between 11:30 p.m. and 11:50 p.m. on Sunday.