Spokesman for Iran's Revolutionary Guard insists Tehran still building missiles

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The spokesman for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard insisted Friday that Tehran was still building missiles, seeking to counter a claim by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it no longer could.

Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini made the comments in a report quoted by Iran’s state-run IRAN newspaper.

Referencing how Iranian schools consider a 20 as a perfect score, the general said: “Our missile industry score is 20 and there is no concern in this regard because we are producing missiles even during war conditions, which is amazing, and there is no particular problem in stockpiling.”

He also said the war would go on.

“These people expect the war to continue until the enemy is completely exhausted,” the general said of the Iranian public. “This war must end when the shadow of war is lifted from the country.”

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Kuwaiti oil refinery came under attack early Friday from Iranian drones and sirens sounded in Israel warning of incoming fire, while explosions boomed over Tehran as Israel hit Iran as the country marked the Persian New Year.

As the war that has rocked the global economy neared the end of its third week, Iran showed no signs of letting up on its attacks on Gulf region energy structure as Kuwait said drone strikes at its Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery sparked a fire and crews were working to control the blaze.

The refinery, which can process some 730,000 barrels of oil per day, was already damaged Thursday in another Iranian attack. It is one of three oil refineries in Kuwait, a tiny, oil-rich nation on the Persian Gulf.

Iran stepped up its attacks on energy sites in Gulf Arab states after Israel on Wednesday bombed Iran’s massive South Pars offshore natural gas field in the Persian Gulf.

In addition to steadily striking Iran, Israel has regularly hit Lebanon, targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah. On Friday, it broadened its attacks further, saying it had hit sites in Syria in response to attacks on the Druze population in the country's south.

Heavy explosions shook Dubai as air defenses intercepted early incoming fire over the city, where people were observing Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, and mosques made the day’s first call to prayers.

Bahrain's Interior Ministry said a fire broke out after shrapnel from an intercepted projectile landed on a warehouse, and Saudi Arabia reported shooting down multiple drones targeting its oil-rich Eastern Province.

The renewed attacks came after an intense day that saw Iran hit energy infrastructure around the region and launch more than a dozen missile salvos at Israel following the attack on South Pars.

South Pars, the Iranian part of the world’s largest gas field, is located offshore in the Persian Gulf and owned jointly with Qatar. With some 80% of power generated in Iran coming from natural gas, the attack posed a direct threat to the country’s electricity supplies.

Late Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country would hold off on any further attacks on the gas field at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump after the Iranian response sent oil prices skyrocketing.

Beyond Iran's attacks on its Gulf Arab neighbors, its stranglehold on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil and other critical goods are transported, has caused rising concerns of a global energy crisis.

Brent crude oil, the international standard, which spiked to more than $119 a barrel during Iran's attacks Thursday, was around $107 in morning trading on Friday, up more than 47% since Israel and the United States attacked Iran on Feb. 28 to start the conflict.

In Israel, sirens sounded early Friday warning of attacks on Jerusalem and on the north of the country, sending people again scrambling to shelters. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Not long after Israel announced that it had begun new strikes on Iran, the sound of explosions were heard in Tehran, as Iranians marked Nowruz, or the Persian New Year. No further details were immediately available.

Israel also said it hit infrastructure belonging to Syria in response to attacks on Druze population in Sweida.

Syria’s state-run SANA news agency did not immediately acknowledge the attack and further details were not immediately available.

Israel has a significant Druze population. Israel previously has intervened in defense of the Druze in Syria, launching dozens of airstrikes on convoys of government fighters and even striking the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters in central Damascus.

More than 1,300 people in Iran have been killed during the war. Israeli strikes against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon have displaced more than 1 million people, according to the Lebanese government, which says more than 1,000 people have been killed. Israel says it has killed more than 500 Hezbollah militants.

In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire. Four people were also killed in the occupied West Bank by an Iranian missile strike.

At least 13 U.S. military members have been killed.

The UAE said Friday it disrupted what it called “a terrorist network funded and operated by Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran.”

It arrested five men accused of laundering money, alleging they were "operating within the country under a fictitious commercial cover” that sought to carry out schemes that would threaten the country’s financial stability.

It published images of five prisoners on its state-run WAM news agency, without identifying them.

Rising reported from Bangkok. Giovanna Dell’Orto in Miami, Florida, contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump walks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio before departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, March 20, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Iranians follow a truck carrying the coffins of Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib and, according to Iranian officials, his wife and daughter, during a funeral procession in Tehran, Iran, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A cleric beats his chest as he mourns during the funeral procession of Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib and, according to Iranian officials, his wife and daughter, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Iranians attend the funeral procession of Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib and, according to Iranian officials, his wife and daughter, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Iranians follow the funeral procession of Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib and, according to Iranian officials, his wife and daughter, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Iranians reach toward the coffins as they follow the funeral procession of Iran's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib and, according to Iranian officials, his wife and daughter, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A man holds a picture of U.S. President Donald Trump upside down after Friday prayers at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Two women and a child holding an Iranian flag walk toward the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque to attend Friday prayers in Tehran, Iran, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

A general view of Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery in Kuwait, Friday, March 20, 2026. (AP Photo)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (Ronen Zvulun, Pool Photo via AP)

Fragment of a missile fired from Iran, and intercepted by Israeli defense system, sticks out in a open field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks to members of the media during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, center, poses with foreign ministers before a consultative meeting of foreign ministers from a group of Arab and Islamic countries in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Baraa Anwer)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — MJ Collins' steal and emphatic one-handed slam dunk with 1:13 left gave him 20 points and Utah State opened its fourth straight NCAA Tournament by beating Villanova 86-76 on Friday.

Mason Falslev, the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, scored 22 and helped bring the Aggies back from a 10-point deficit early in the second half.

Both players came on strong in the second half for Utah State (29-6), the No. 9 seed in the West Region that will play No. 1 seed Arizona in the second round on Sunday. The Wildcats beat No. 16 Long Island 92-58 on Friday. The Aggies are in the second round for the second time in three seasons.

Collins had only four points and Falslev just six in the first half before turning it on in the final 20 minutes.

“The ball was a little too pumped up for me,” Collins joked. “But I kind of, I had to lock in. It was winning time. So the ball started to go in.”

He had two incredible scores in the span of four possessions.

With the Aggies up two, Collins came up with a turnover near the Villanova free throw line, raced down court, dribbled behind his back and laid it in, was fouled and finished the three-point play for a 78-73 lead with 2:53 left.

“I’ve been playing 2K a lot lately," he said, referring to a video game. "Just natural instinct kind of took over, and-1.

After No. 8 seed Villanova (24-9) committed a five-second inbound violation, Falslev fed Collins for a layup and an 80-73 lead. Collins intercepted a pass by Bryce Lindsay and went in for his slam for an 84-74 lead.

“The steals, you know, just reading the game,” Collins said. “I know we had two on the ball. So I just ran over. It was nowhere he could throw it to except me. So I ran, grabbed it and went and dunked it.”

Lindsay made six 3-pointers and scored 25 points for Villanova. Duke Brennan and Tyler Perkins added 15 points apiece.

The Wildcats used a 9-1 run to open the second half and take a 48-38 lead.

Villanova made 14 of 30 3-pointers to counter Utah State's matchup zone. Utah State coach Jerrod Calhoun picked up the structure of the Aggies' matchup zone from Ralph Willard, the veteran coach who also happens to the father of Villanova's first-year coach, Kevin Willard.

“I think we took enough 3s, and for me personally, I just got going early,” Lindsay said. “My teammates found me. I just found an open slot in the defense and I just let it fly.”

The Aggies countered with a strong inside game, where they outscored the Wildcats 42-26 in the paint.

Villanova had been outscored 16-2 in the paint in falling behind 22-16 with 11 minutes left in the first half when Willard was asked by a TV sideline reporter how the Wildcats were going to keep the Aggies out of the paint.

“I’m going to fire my staff,” he said, before reporter Lauren Shehadi said, “Not now,” to which the coach said: "Yeah, I am ... The only thing I’m going to do is fire them and get a new staff.”

Asked about online criticism of the moment, he said: “I don’t care. Welcome to my life. It’s a joke.”

The Aggies have won five straight, including beating San Diego State in the Mountain West Tournament title game.

“Our guys in the last seven, eight minutes, I thought we really buckled down," Calhoun said. "Our execution offensively was tremendous, our screening, getting to the next action. And I thought what won the game was our will-to and our want-to. This team has been very connected throughout the year. And in March, you have to be connected.”

Sunday's matchup features a former Pac-12 team, Arizona, against an Aggies team that's moving into the new-look Pac-12 next season.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Utah State guard MJ Collins (2) and forward Adlan Elamin, left, celebrate next to Villanova guard Tyler Perkins (4) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 20, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Utah State guard MJ Collins (2) dunks against Villanova during the second half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 20, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)