Kathmandu. Military tensions between the United States and Iran escalated on Friday.

Tehran: Iran has dismissed President Donald Trump’s threat to freeze Iranian assets as a “provocative move” amid continued US airstrikes.

Meanwhile, the regional security situation has been further complicated by missile and drone attacks in Kuwait, activities by the Houthi rebels, UN warnings and a sharp rise in international oil prices.

The U.S. military said it had attacked Iranian military targets for the 13th consecutive night. According to the US side, these actions are aimed at reducing Iran’s military capability to attack the waterway.

Iranian state media said US missiles detonated the Iraqi border in Ahvaz, Bandar Abbas and Omidiyah areas. The Tasnim news agency also said a US missile hit the Shuja area of Kesham island in the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier, President Trump threatened to recover damages from Iran’s seized assets on US ships, cargo and related assets. In response, Tehran described the rhetoric as “provocative”.

Amid regional tensions, Kuwait said it had halted missile and drone attacks on Iran. Kuwait’s air defense system was activated hours after it received reports of a new drone attack in the Iraqi border area. According to the Kuwaiti army, hostile missiles and drones have been intercepted and neutralized.

Iran policy has also been a point of contention in US domestic politics. The US House of Representatives has passed a symbolic resolution calling on President Trump to stop military action against Iran. The resolution calls for a halt to war-mongering against Iran without the explicit approval of the US Congress.

European countries have strongly criticized Yemen’s Houthi rebels as they continue to attack oil tankers in the Red Sea. Germany has warned that it will escalate the conflict, while Britain has called the Houthis’ actions reckless. The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kalas, called the attacks “unacceptable and illegal”.

After the Houthi attack, President Trump warned the rebels that if they attacked again, they would face “heavy military action”. He called the Houthis a proxy group of Iran and said that Iran should also bear responsibility for it.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the situation in the Middle East is spiraling out of control. Stating that the world is at a very dangerous juncture, he called on all sides to de-escalate tensions immediately.

The impact of the war has also been felt in the international energy market. Brent crude rose more than 8% to $101.93 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 7.6% to $93.44 a barrel after the attack on an oil tanker in the Red Sea.

Meanwhile, the UK has temporarily withdrawn the remaining diplomatic staff in Iran over the security situation. The UK Foreign Office said the embassy in Tehran was now operating remotely.