In a press conference Friday evening, US Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford announced the US would be sending "hundreds" of US troops, as well as additional air defense capabilities, to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

By examining bodies of dead Iraqi children who had congenital birth defects, researchers have proven their conditions were directly related to US bombardment of the country with depleted uranium rounds early in the Iraq War and stores at US bases during the subsequent occupation.

A blast occurred when a minibus was passing through an Iraqi Army checkpoint between Karbala and al-Hilla, the AP reported, citing officials.

Houthi militants earlier claimed responsibility for the recent attack on Saudi oil refineries that crippled the country's crude output for days. Riyadh, however, has claimed to have determined that the downed drones and missiles used in the assault were of Iranian origin. Tehran has denied involvement in the incident.

GAZA (Sputnik) - As many as 74 Palestinians were wounded in clashes with Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip on Friday, Ashraf Qidra, the spokesman for Gaza's Health Ministry, stated.

VIENNA (Sputnik), Valentina Shvartsman - Tehran will continue to partially reduce its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal, but will make a decision on the next steps depending on the actions of other parties to the agreement, Kazem Gharib Abadi, said in an interview.

Tensions in the Middle East escalated after a recent attack on Saudi refineries that crippled the country's crude output. The US has accused Iran of the act, despite Yemen’s Houthis claiming responsibility, and is reportedly mulling a military response to the attack on its ally. Tehran has warned that such a move could lead to war.

Despite Yemeni Houthi militants claiming responsibility for the attack on Saudi refineries, Washington continues to insist that Tehran was behind the act. Iran has slammed the accusations as "unacceptable and entirely baseless".

The development comes as the United States and Iran are experiencing a new low in their relations on the heels of the recent drone attack against Saudi oil refineries that Washington and its allies have swiftly blamed on Tehran - a claim that the Islamic Republic vehemently rejects.

KABUL (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump announced earlier this month that the peace talks with the Taliban were "dead" after the group had claimed responsibility for a terrorist attack in Kabul that killed a US serviceman.

The so-called Arab Spring began in December 2010 when a Tunisian fruit vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, set himself on fire in protest at harassment by the police. A month later Tunisia’s President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled into exile in Saudi Arabia.

Zarif's comment comes in response to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's remark in which he claimed that the Iranian foreign minister is threatening all-out war and to fight to the last American.

The situation in the Middle East remains tense after Saturday’s drone attack on Saudi oil facilities. The Yemeni Houthi movement, who are fighting against Riyadh, claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the kingdom has blamed Iran for the incident.

Tensions between Tehran and Washington intensified amid US claims suggesting Iranian complicity in last week's attacks against Saudi oil refineries, which was claimed by Yemen's Houthis.

A year ago, the adviser was removed from his post over his suspected involvement in the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

ALEPPO, Syria (Sputnik) - Militants in the province of Idlib in northern Syria are blocking local residents from entering the territory controlled by the government through the recently re-opened Abu al-Duhur checkpoint, Syrian Army Brig. Gen. Nabil Abdullah, who is responsible for organising the humanitarian corridor, said on Friday.

The tensions in the region escalated this week after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates joined a US-led Maritime Coalition that aims to patrol the waters near Iran's borders. Their decision comes after a drone attack on Saudi Aramco oil facilities by Yemen's Houthi militants that Riyadh hastily blamed on the Islamic Republic.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - An unidentified unmanned aerial vehicle was destroyed over the city of Akraba southeast of Damascus, Syrian state television said on Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - At least five people were killed and 20 were injured in a bus explosion in the province of Hadhramaut in eastern Yemen, the Houthi-controlled SABA news agency reported on Thursday, citing a local source.

The Saudi-led coalition announced that it has begun military operations north of the Yemeni city of Hodeidah against " legitimate military targets," according to Saudi state TV.