<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/usa" rel="" target="" title="US"><span>US</span></a><span> President </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/donald-trump" rel="" target="_blank" title="Donald Trump"><span>Donald Trump</span></a><span> has admitted he was not expecting </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/iran" rel="" target="_blank" title="Iran"><span>Iran</span></a><span> to target its </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/middle-east" rel="" target="_blank" title="Middle Eastern"><span>Middle Eastern</span></a><span> neighbours, despite the Islamic Republic threatening retaliation for the United States' </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/kharg-island-military-strike-donald-trump-us-middle-east-iran-war-latest-news/50913729-78f2-4826-badf-459faff01eec" rel="" target="_blank" title="attacks on Kharg Island"><span>attacks on Kharg Island</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Yesterday, the USA conducted strikes against military targets on the island, which is where 90 per cent of Iran's oil is exported from.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Iran reacted strongly, claiming the USA used "ports, docks and hideouts" in the nearby United Arab Emirates – claims denied by the UAE – to carry out the strikes, and promising retaliation.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-attack-iran-strait-of-hormuz-donald-trump/14ac7b1f-e957-4cec-b4c2-4855aadf111a" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Trump issues cry for help to other nations to keep oil flowing</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Iran </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-donald-trump-sends-2500-more-marines-as-conflict-enters-third-week/c91f61a6-1930-4dbb-ad2e-e4724fb2a93b" rel="" target="" title="warned residents in areas where it claimed the USA is sheltering forces and equipment in the UAE"><span>warned residents in areas where it claimed the USA is sheltering forces and equipment in the UAE</span></a><span>, including sites in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It was the first time Iran has directly threatened non-US assets since the war began over two weeks ago.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Kuwait's main airport was also hit by an Iranian strike.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-donald-trump-surprised-iran-targeted-middle-east-countries/49fdb66d-a0c0-4f84-882d-732eb6c2ef8f" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump said he was surprised by Iran's retaliation, with the UAE, Qatar and Iraq all being hit overnight, including a strike on the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I was very surprised," he told </span><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/iran-negotiate-ceasefire-deal-trump-kharg-hormuz-oil-rcna263474" rel="" target="_blank" title="NBC News"><span>NBC News</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"[It was] the biggest surprise I had of this whole thing."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/usa-israel-war-in-iran-brendan-carr-fcc-media-coverage-donald-trump/39276974-7950-40be-b02f-136792adb0e9" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Trump official threatens broadcasters over coverage of Middle East war</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Israel has also reported more Iranian strikes on Tel Aviv in the early hours of Sunday morning, local time.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US Central Command said it had no response to Iran's claim that it launched strikes from the UAE. A diplomatic adviser to the UAE's president, Anwar Gargash, said on social media the country has the right to defend itself but "still prioritises reason and logic, and continues exercising restraint."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Arab Gulf neighbours during the war, but it has said it was targeting US assets, even as strikes hit or were intercepted en route to civilian infrastructure such as airports and oil fields.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/iranian-footballers-granted-asylum-three-more-decide-to-return-to-iran/3bbdd83b-1fe2-4eed-b545-6b24ef7b8740" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Three more Iranian footballers backflip on decision to stay in Australia</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>On Saturday, Iran's joint military command reiterated its threat to attack US-linked "oil, economic and energy infrastructures" in the region if its own such infrastructure was hit.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Iran's semiofficial Fars news agency said the Kharg Island strikes caused no damage to oil infrastructure. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It said they targeted an air defence facility, a naval base, the airport control tower and an offshore oil company's helicopter hangar.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US Central Command said it destroyed naval mine storage facilities, missile storage bunkers and other military sites.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Israel earlier announced another wave of strikes in Iran targeting infrastructure, and said its air force had hit more than 200 targets in the past 24 hours, including missile launchers, defence systems and weapons production sites.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>– with Associated Press</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></strong></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>