Live! Iran says ops normal on bombed Kharg Island; drone sets UAE oil facility ablaze

Commercial LPG cylinder distribution has begun in 29 states and Union Territories, while authorities have stepped up surprise inspections across the country to curb hoarding and black-marketing amid heightened pressure on cooking gas supplies, a senior oil ministry official said on Saturday.

Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said panic booking continues to rise despite the fact that there are enough stocks available to meet domestic household requirements of cooking gas LPG.

India, she said, has adequate crude oil inventories, and domestic refineries are operating at full capacity, ensuring sufficient availability of petrol and diesel across the country.

"There are no dry-out reports from any retail outlets. Our refineries are operating at full capacity, and sufficient petrol and diesel are available. Based on our requirements, we produce adequate petrol and diesel domestically and do not need to import," she said.

Sharma said domestic LPG supply is being prioritised even as the government continues to closely monitor the situation amid the prevailing geopolitical developments that hampered energy supplies from the Gulf countries.

India imports 88 per cent of its crude oil needs, 50 per cent of its natural gas requirement and 60 per cent of its LPG demand.

“From the beginning, Iran didn’t want an issue in this Strait (of Hormuz), but they (the US) imposed this conflict on Iran. Iran wants to provide opportunities for other countries, except those countries that are fighting with us or supporting our enemies. But the other countries should not suffer,” Dr Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader in India, told news agency ANI on Saturday.

On being asked if Indian vessels will be allowed to safely pass the Strait of Hormuz, Ilahisaid, “We hope so.” So far, three Indian-flagged ships have safely crossed the Strait and more are on standby, the MEA has said.

Speaking to ANI about the US attack on the biggest oil field of Iran, Ilahi said, “This is very dangerous. If they want to start attacking the energy, Iran will respond to them.”

Iran government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani has said 43,000 residential and commercial units have been damaged in US and Israeli strikes. The damaged structures include 36,469 residential units and 6,179 commercial facilities, according to state-run IRNA news agency.

Iran hasn't provided any information about military losses and damage.

Mohajerani, meanwhile, said the war has taken a heavy toll on women, with 223 women and girls killed and 2,129 others wounded since February 28. She didn't provide an overall death toll, but previously, authorities have said that 1,230 people have been killed.

In a post on X Saturday, Ebrahim Azizi, the head of Iran's parliamentary committee on national security and foreign policy, said that by providing drone support to Israel, Ukraine has “effectively become involved in the war.” He said the entire country became a target for Iran.

Nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones were fired Saturday toward the United Arab Emirates, the Defence Ministry said.

It said the total number of projectiles fired at the country since Feb. 28 included 1,600 drones, 294 ballistic missiles and 15 cruise missiles. The attacks have killed six people and wounded 141 others, it said.

Another 51 paramedics and medical workers have been wounded since the latest round of Israel-Hezbollah fighting began on March 2.

The latest strike on Friday night in the southern village of Burj Qalaouiyah hit a health care centre, killing 12 people and seriously wounding one. A search is ongoing for four people who are still under the rubble, the ministry said.

The ministry said that Israel has been intentionally targeting medical workers, adding that claims by Israel's military spokesman that ambulances are being used for military purposes are pretexts to justify the attacks.

Earlier Saturday, the Israeli military's Arabic spokesman said Hezbollah is widely using ambulances for military purposes. He said the militant group should stop, or the Israeli military will act.

According to TankerTrackers, two tankers were loading oil on Kharg on Saturday, hours after the US said it struck Iranian military facilities there.

Iran's military command threatened on Saturday (March 14) to attack cities in the United Arab Emirates, claiming they were used by US forces to launch strikes on Iran's Abu Musa and Kharg islands.

According to Iran's state television, the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said, without providing evidence, that US forces launched attacks on the Islamic Republic from “ports, docks, and hideouts within” cities in the Emirates.

It called on people to evacuate “ports, docks, and locations where US forces are sheltered in UAE cities”.

Bahrain's Defence Ministry said Iran fired 10 drones and three missiles on Saturday (March 14).

That has brought the total number of missiles and drones fired at Bahrain during the two-week war to 124 and 203, respectively.