Netanyahu confirms attack on petrochemical plant– as it happened

This live blog is now closed. Our coverage of the Middle East crisis continues here This blog has closed, but our live coverage of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East continues here. Iran’s central military command rejected US president Donald Trump’s threat to destroy the country’s vital infrastructure if it did not accept a peace deal within 48 hours, calling it “helpless”. Earlier, Trump said Iran had 48 hours to make or deal or open the strait of Hormuz before “all hell will reign down on them”. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, confirmed that Israel attacked Iran’s petrochemical plants after reports from Iranian media saying at least five people were killed in an attack on the Mahshahr petrochemical zone. US search and rescue efforts for the missing second crew member of the downed F-15E fighter jet continued into a second day as Iran came under heavy bombing. A pilot had been rescued on Friday after the F-15E Strike Eagle became the first US plane to be downed over Iran during the five-week-long war. American and Israeli fighter jets targeted multiple strategic and civilian sites inside Iran’s capital on Friday afternoon, including Shahid Beh