Israel and Iran traded attacks as the Middle East war entered'a second week on Saturday, while Tehran made an unusual apol-ogy to neighbouring states for its "actions", apparently seeking to calm regional anger at Ira-nian strikes on Gulf civilian tar-gets.
"I personally apologise to neighbouring countries that were affected by Iran's actions," Iranian President Masoud Pez-eshkian said, urging them not to join U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.
He dismissed President Donald Trump's demand for the Islamic Republic's uncondi-tional surrender as "a dream", but said its temporary leader-ship council had agreed to sus-pend attacks on nearby states unless strikes on Iran originated from their territory.
Trump nonetheless cast Iran's apology as a surrender, while saying the country would be "hit very hard" on Saturday.
Hours after Pezeshkian's announcement, Iran's Revolu-tionary Guards said their drones struck a U.S. air combat centre at Al Dhafra Air Base, near Abu Dhabi, capital of the United arab Emirates, Reuters could not independently verify that report.
Huge explosions were heard in several parts of the Iranian capital, state media reported.
