US‑Iran war update: Enemies' 'security must be taken away', says Mojtaba Khamenei; IRGC spokesman Ali Mohammad Naini killed

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that their spokesman, Ali Mohammad Naini, was killed in US and Israeli strikes, marking another high-level casualty in the ongoing conflict.

Naini, who had served as the IRGC's spokesperson since 2024, "was martyred in the criminal cowardly terrorist attack by the American-Zionist side at dawn," the Guards announced on their Sepah News website. Iranian state media also reported his death, though there has been no immediate confirmation from Israel or the United States.

Meanwhile, Iran's new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, on Friday called for the enemies of his nation to have their "security" taken away. The statement, sent to President Masoud Pezeshkian, came in the aftermath of Israel's assassination of Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib.

The conflict entered its 21st day as Tehran intensified attacks, with air raid sirens sounding across parts of West Asia, including Bahrain and Israel. The escalation followed Iranian strikes on oil and gas facilities around the Gulf, retaliating for an Israeli attack on a key Iranian gas field, and sent shockwaves through the global economy.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later announced that, at the request of President Donald Trump, Israel would temporarily hold off on further attacks on the offshore gas field.

Drone strikes also hit Kuwait's Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery, causing multiple fires, though no casualties were reported, according to the national oil company. Earlier on Friday, Kuwaiti and Emirati authorities said their air defences were responding to missile and drone attacks.

Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed more than a dozen drones in the country's east and one in the north, the defence ministry reported. Bahrain's interior ministry said shrapnel from "Iranian aggression" caused a fire at a warehouse, which was quickly controlled without injuries.

UAE authorities arrested at least five members of a "terrorist network" linked to Iran and Hezbollah, state media reported. The network allegedly sought to infiltrate the national economy as part of a strategic plan coordinated with external parties connected to Iran and Hezbollah, according to the WAM news agency.

In retaliation for Iranian missile fire overnight, Israel launched a wave of strikes targeting Tehran. A military statement said the strikes were aimed at "infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime across Tehran."

Oil prices fell from their highest close since July 2022 as US and Israeli leaders attempted to reassure investors amid damage to major Persian Gulf energy facilities. Brent crude dropped to around $106 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate for May settled at approximately $94.

However, Saudi officials warned that oil prices could surge past $180 per barrel if disruptions from the Iran war persist until late April, according to the Wall Street Journal. Brent crude has already spiked by more than 60% since the conflict began.

Donald Trump warned the US would "massively blow up the entirety" of Iran's gas field if attacks on neighboring countries continued. Netanyahu added that Iran can no longer enrich uranium or develop ballistic missiles, as sirens sounded from Haifa to the Sea of Galilee in response to incoming Iranian missiles.

Meanwhile, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed over 1,000 people amid renewed fighting with Hezbollah. Mehr News Agency also shared images showing damage to the Green Palace in Tehran's Saadabad Complex from US-Israeli airstrikes.

In Europe, Spain announced it would reduce the value-added tax on fuel products from 21% to 10% on Friday to mitigate the economic impact of the Middle East conflict, according to SER radio. Madrid will also suspend excise duties on hydrocarbons, lowering diesel and petrol prices by approximately €0.30–€0.40 per litre.