DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran's president said Saturday that the U.S. demand for his country's unconditional surrender is a "dream that they should take to their grave," as fighting intensified across the Middle East .
President Masoud Pezeshkian made the statement in a prerecorded address aired by state television. He also apologized for Iran's attacks on neighboring countries, saying Tehran would halt them .
The comments came as Iranian fire targeted Gulf Arab states early Saturday. Israel and the United States continued airstrikes against the Islamic Republic. Repeated attacks hit Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates .
In Dubai, several blasts were heard Saturday morning. The government said it activated air defenses. Passengers at Dubai International Airport were moved to train tunnels after the alert sounded .
Long-haul carrier Emirates briefly suspended all flights to and from Dubai before reversing the decision. Authorities have not explained if there was an interception or damage at the airport, the world's busiest for international travel .
Saudi Arabia said it destroyed drones headed toward its Shaybah oil field. It also shot down a ballistic missile launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts U.S. forces .
The Saudi defense minister and Pakistan's army chief met Saturday to discuss stopping the attacks. Saudi Prince Khalid bin Salman talked with Field Marshal Asim Munir in Riyadh about the Iranian strikes. Saudi Arabia and nuclear-armed Pakistan have a mutual defense pact .
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration approved a new $151 million arms sale to Israel. Trump said he would not negotiate with Iran without its "unconditional surrender" .
U.S. officials warned of a forthcoming bombing campaign they said would be the most intense yet in the weeklong conflict. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that the "biggest bombing campaign" of the war was still to come .
The fighting has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, more than 200 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials in those countries. Six U.S. troops have been killed .
In his address, Pezeshkian said the country's three-man leadership council had been in touch with the armed forces over the attacks. He blamed the killing of the country's supreme leader and other top officials for what sounded like a loss of command and control in recent days .
An Israeli airstrike killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, at the start of the war Feb. 28 .
"I should apologize to the neighboring countries that were attacked by Iran, on my own behalf," the president said. "From now on they should not attack neighboring countries or fire missiles at them, unless we are attacked from those countries. I think we should solve this through diplomacy" .
The Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with an Israeli force that landed late Friday in the mountains of eastern Lebanon. The Lebanese Health Ministry said Saturday that at least 16 people were killed in subsequent Israeli strikes and another 35 were wounded .
Incoming missiles from Iran sent people to bomb shelters across Israel early Saturday. Loud booms sounded in Jerusalem. There were no immediate reports of casualties .
Qatar's energy minister warned that the war could "bring down the economies of the world." Saad al-Kaabi predicted a widespread shutdown of Gulf energy exports that could send oil to $150 a barrel in an interview with the Financial Times. The price for U.S. crude rose above $90 on Friday for the first time in more than two years .
Iran's U.N. ambassador said the country would "take all necessary measures" to defend itself .