An Iranian missile and drone attack struck a U.S. military installation in Saudi Arabia on Friday, injuring American service members and damaging multiple aircraft, as the war in the region continued to intensify on several fronts.

A U.S. official familiar with the situation said the strike targeted Prince Sultan Air Base and involved both missiles and unmanned aerial systems. Several refueling aircraft sustained damage, though the number and severity of injuries among troops were not immediately clear.

The report followed the emergence of satellite images appearing to show damage at the base. The attack comes after Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, died from wounds suffered in a March 1 strike on the same installation.

U.S. Central Command said earlier that more than 300 American personnel have been wounded since the conflict began.

At the same time, President Donald Trump said Friday that the end of the Iran war could pave the way for diplomatic normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

“It’s now time,” Trump said at a Miami event sponsored by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund. “We’ve now taken them out, and they are out bigly. We got to get into the Abraham Accords.”

Trump has long pushed for ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia as part of the Abraham Accords framework, though major obstacles remain, including Saudi demands for a clear path toward a Palestinian state.

Meanwhile, Iran signaled a limited opening on humanitarian issues, with its ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva announcing cooperation on aid shipments through the Strait of Hormuz despite ongoing hostilities.

Ali Bahreini said Tehran had agreed to “facilitate and expedite” humanitarian aid through the strategic waterway following a request from the United Nations, allowing shipments of aid and agricultural goods to pass.

The move could mark the first easing of restrictions at the chokepoint since the war began, even as disruptions to oil and fertilizer supplies have raised global concerns about energy markets and food security.

“This measure reflects Iran’s continued commitment to supporting humanitarian efforts and ensuring that essential aid reaches those in need without delay,” Bahreini said in a post on X.

The announcement came shortly after Iranian state media reported that two nuclear-related facilities had been struck. Israel confirmed responsibility after warning it would escalate its campaign, while Iran vowed retaliation.

”Iran will exact HEAVY price for Israeli crimes,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X,

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said the Shahid Khondab Heavy Water Complex in Arak and the Ardakan yellowcake production facility in Yazd Province were targeted. Officials said there were no casualties and no risk of contamination, noting that the Arak facility has been inactive since a previous strike last year.

Yellowcake is a processed form of uranium used in enrichment, while heavy water plays a role in nuclear reactor operations.

The Israeli military said the strike on the Yazd facility targeted a critical stage in uranium processing, describing it as a significant blow to Iran’s nuclear program.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that retaliation would follow, with senior commander Seyed Majid Moosavi issuing a warning directed at those connected to U.S. and Israeli interests.

“This time, the equation will no longer be ‘an eye for an eye,’ just wait,” he said.

Later Friday, Israel reported incoming missile fire from Iran, with sirens sounding in and around Be’er Sheva and near sensitive strategic locations. Those areas had already been targeted in previous strikes that injured dozens.

The escalation followed Trump’s comments earlier in the day that negotiations to end the conflict were progressing and that he had granted Iran additional time to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though Iranian officials have denied entering talks.

As global markets react to the instability, pressure has mounted on the administration to restore free passage through the waterway, which remains critical to global energy supplies.

A Gulf Arab coalition said Iran has been imposing tolls on vessels seeking safe transit through the strait, further tightening its grip on the route.

Trump envoy Steve Witkoff said the U.S. has presented a 15-point proposal aimed at ending the war, using Pakistan as an intermediary. The plan calls for curbs on Iran’s nuclear program and reopening the strait.

Iran rejected the proposal and offered its own five-point plan, which includes demands for reparations and recognition of its sovereignty over the waterway.

Trump has warned that if Iran does not fully reopen the strait by April 6, the U.S. will move to destroy Iran’s energy infrastructure.

Markets continued to decline Friday amid the uncertainty. The S&P 500 dropped 1.7%, marking its worst week since the war began, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.7% and the Nasdaq declined 2.1%. Oil prices continued to rise.

With gasoline prices nearing $4 per gallon, lawmakers in Washington have urged a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax. Trump said he has “thought about” the idea but suggested states should consider suspending their own fuel taxes.

On the ground, witnesses in eastern Tehran reported power outages following airstrikes, while in Israel, explosions were heard across Tel Aviv as emergency teams responded to multiple impact sites.

An Associated Press journalist reported hearing blasts in the city, and Israeli fire and rescue services said crews were dispatched to 11 locations. A man in his 60s later died after sustaining severe injuries in the attacks.

Defense Minister Israel Katz had earlier warned that Iran “will pay heavy, increasing prices for this war crime.”

The Israeli military said its strikes on Friday focused on weapons production sites in central Tehran, as well as missile launchers and storage facilities in western Iran.

Elsewhere in the region, Saudi Arabia reported intercepting missiles and drones aimed at Riyadh, while Lebanon’s Health Ministry said two people were killed in related strikes.

Kuwait said two of its key ports sustained material damage, including a facility linked to China’s Belt and Road initiative, marking a rare instance of a Chinese-connected project being hit in the conflict.

Diplomatic efforts have continued alongside the fighting, with countries including Pakistan and Turkey attempting to broker direct talks between Washington and Tehran. G7 foreign ministers meeting in France called for an immediate halt to attacks on civilians and infrastructure.

Meanwhile, additional U.S. forces are moving into the region, including naval assets carrying approximately 2,500 Marines and more than 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division.

Despite the buildup, Secretary of State Marco Rubio maintained that U.S. objectives can still be achieved without a large-scale ground deployment.

The Israeli military also announced it had deployed the 162nd Division into southern Lebanon to reinforce defenses against Hezbollah and disrupt the group’s operations.

Humanitarian concerns are growing as the war continues. The U.N.’s International Organization for Migration reported that 82,000 civilian structures in Iran have been damaged, affecting approximately 180,000 people.

“If this war continues, we risk a far wider humanitarian disaster,” Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said in a statement. “Millions could be forced to flee across borders, placing immense pressure on an already overstretched region.”

{Matzav.com}