Hot Focus: Large-scale attacks escalate tensions in the Middle East, conflict spreads to the 13th country

1. Israel launched a new round of large-scale strikes against Tehran and attacked the Hezbollah command center in Beirut. Iran fired more missiles at Israel and, for the first time, attacked its northern neighbor Azerbaijan—making it the 13th country to be attacked since the outbreak of the war. On Thursday, the Israeli military stated that an F-35I fighter jet shot down a Russian-made Iranian fighter jet over Tehran, marking the first time an F-35 has downed a manned aircraft in air combat.2. On Thursday, the US Central Command announced that it had sunk or destroyed more than 30 Iranian warships, including a large drone carrier. The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, ships are trapped in the Persian Gulf, Gulf oil-producing countries are forced to cut production, and Asian refiners are urgently seeking alternative supplies. Brent crude oil prices have risen above $85 per barrel.3. At Saudi Arabia's request, the Arab League will hold an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss Iran's attacks on multiple countries. The Secretary-General of the Arab League stated that the "unprecedented state of hostility" between Iran and its neighbors is a strategic mistake and called on Iran to "regain rationality."4. NATO is strengthening the alliance-wide ballistic missile defense system. The United States has closed its embassy in Kuwait, and nearly 20,000 Americans have been evacuated from the Middle East. An Air France charter flight was forced to turn back in mid-air due to a missile attack near Dubai. The UK has deployed four additional Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar, and the Italian parliament has authorized the government to deploy air defense systems to support Gulf countries.