Middle East conflict continues to expand

Amid incessant attacks and diplomatic restraints, the Middle East remained in turmoil on Thursday after the United States Senate blocked a resolution that would have required the White House to seek congressional approval before continuing military actions against Iran.

The foreign ministers of Gulf nations were also in touch with their Iranian counterparts to discuss the latest developments in the region. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani had a call with Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, urging Tehran to halt its attacks.

The conflict widened to international waters as a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate in Sri Lanka's territorial waters on Wednesday. More than 80 bodies have been recovered after that attack, while 32 sailors were rescued.

Sri Lanka's cabinet spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa confirmed a second Iranian warship was heading to the same waters on Thursday. But it is believed that the second one is part of a group of three Iranian navy vessels returning from an international maritime event in India.

The second ship contacted Sri Lankan authorities, indicating they had run into engine trouble and asked to call into port, Al Jazeera reported.

In Azerbaijan, authorities said Iran fired four drones at its territory, injuring four people, adding that it had summoned the Iranian ambassador to issue an objection.

The Bahrain Defense Force said it had destroyed 75 missiles and 123 drones since the onset of the Iranian attacks, Bahrain's Gulf Daily News reported on Thursday.

Also on Thursday, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said it had hit a US tanker in the north of the Persian Gulf, setting the ship on fire.

Earlier in the day, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said it received a report of a large explosion 30 nautical miles southeast of Kuwait's Mubarak al-Kabeer Port.

Oil was reportedly seen in the water from a cargo tanker, potentially causing an environmental impact, though the UKMTO added that all crew were safe.

Resolution blocked

In the US, the Senate rejected on Wednesday a resolution aimed at curbing the president's authority to continue military strikes on Iran.

The bipartisan measure, introduced by Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Rand Paul, would have required the withdrawal of US forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress authorizes the campaign.

However, with Republicans holding a 53-47 majority in the upper chamber of Congress and largely backing the president's decision to attack Iran alongside Israel, the resolution fell short by exactly that margin.

In the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, two people, including an official of Palestinian militant group Hamas, were killed and a woman was injured in an Israeli drone strike that targeted a residential apartment before dawn on Thursday.

Iran has warned that if its embassy is attacked in Lebanon, all Israeli embassies across the world will become legitimate targets. The Israeli army had earlier issued forced displacement orders for Iranian officials to leave Lebanon.

In Israel, sirens were heard before dawn on Thursday in Tel Aviv as air defenses faced attacks from Iran.

Qatar's Interior Ministry said relevant authorities were "evacuating residents living in the vicinity of the US embassy as a temporary precautionary measure" within the framework of maintaining public safety.

"Suitable accommodation has been provided for them as part of necessary preventive measures. Please follow official channels for reliable information," the ministry said on Thursday.

The move comes after US government buildings and military assets in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have been attacked by drones this week.

Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi said on Thursday that his country was working with other governments to get citizens out safely.

"For everyone hoping to fly home from the Gulf, the Omani government is working with your governments and international airlines to organize flights to get you home. We mean everyone, whatever passport you hold," he said.

Xinhua and agencies contributed to this story.