Agencies | Riyadh/Washington:
Regional tensions linked to the war with Iran continued to reverberate across the Middle East on Friday, with Saudi Arabia reporting injuries from falling missile debris, the United States pressing ahead with sanctions measures against Iran and Hamas-linked financial networks, and Iraq securing an exemption to resume Iranian flights to Najaf.
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence said debris from an intercepted ballistic missile fell in the Ahad Rafidah area of Asir, injuring a resident and damaging a prayer room and several vehicles. Saudi authorities said the missile had been intercepted after being launched towards the Khamis Mushait area.
The incident came amid renewed missile and drone activity in the region, adding to security concerns around Saudi population centres and critical infrastructure.
Washington has also called on countries to implement the United Nations sanctions that were reimposed on Iran under the “snapback” mechanism.
The US Treasury has simultaneously intensified its sanctions campaign against financial networks it says support Iran and Hamas. On October 2, the department announced action against what it described as a major Hamas financing network, while earlier measures targeted networks allegedly involved in sanctions evasion and financial support for Iran and Iranian-backed organisations.
Under the reimposed UN sanctions regime, member states are required to implement relevant measures through their domestic systems, including asset freezes involving designated individuals and entities connected to Iran’s nuclear and missile activities.
In a separate development, Iraq has agreed to allow Iranian airlines, excluding Mahan Air, to operate up to 40 flights a day to and from Najaf International Airport.
The Iraqi Prime Minister’s office said the arrangement followed a US exemption from sanctions and was intended to facilitate travel, particularly for religious pilgrims and people seeking medical treatment.
The decision comes after Iranian flights to Iraq had faced disruption following US sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector.
US President Donald Trump had said European countries agreed to release a “massive amount” of diesel from their stockpiles as fuel prices rose amid disruptions linked to the conflict with Iran.
The subsequent G7 agreement goes beyond diesel, with the group agreeing to release 100 million barrels of diesel and crude oil from emergency reserves over the coming months. The first phase will prioritise diesel supplies.
Trump had earlier pressed European countries to release their reserves, arguing that additional supplies were needed to ease pressure on fuel prices. His claim that Europe had agreed to a “massive” release was initially not confirmed by European governments, but the later G7 agreement provided for a coordinated drawdown of emergency stocks.
The developments underscore how the conflict is affecting not only security across the region but also energy markets, air connectivity and international sanctions enforcement.
