Jerusalem/Tehran: The conflict between Israel and Iran entered a more dangerous phase as Israeli forces carried out fresh air raids in Tehran, targeting missile launch systems and what officials described as a nuclear research facility. In response, Iran widened its counterattacks beyond Israel, hitting targets across the Gulf region, including US diplomatic missions and key energy infrastructure.
Blasts were reported in multiple parts of Tehran, while in Lebanon, Israel said it struck positions linked to Hezbollah after renewed cross-border fire. The fighting has spread rapidly, drawing in regional actors and raising fears of a prolonged confrontation with no immediate diplomatic breakthrough in sight.
US President Donald Trump has indicated that the military campaign could extend for weeks. According to estimates emerging from the region, nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran since hostilities erupted. Among the dead, Trump noted, were figures Washington had once viewed as potential future leaders of the country.
Iran has launched dozens of ballistic missiles toward Israel since the fighting began. Israeli defense systems intercepted most of the projectiles, though at least 11 people have been killed in Israel during the exchanges.
The violence has also directly affected American personnel and facilities. Drone strikes targeted the US embassy in Saudi Arabia and the American consulate in the United Arab Emirates, while a separate attack on a command center in Kuwait killed four US Army Reserve soldiers and two additional service members, the Pentagon confirmed.
The war’s expanding footprint has disrupted commercial air travel and unsettled global energy markets. Oil shipments and supply routes across the Gulf have faced interruptions, contributing to price volatility and concerns over broader economic fallout.
Washington’s stated objectives have varied, ranging from dismantling Iran’s missile arsenal and naval assets to ensuring it cannot acquire nuclear weapons or continue supporting allied armed groups. Although initial strikes reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, senior US officials have since clarified that regime change is not the formal aim of the campaign.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said that individuals previously considered by Washington as possible successors within Iran’s political system were now dead. He also dismissed speculation that Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former monarch, was being seriously evaluated as a replacement.
Iran now faces a rare and pivotal leadership transition, only the second since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Potential successors range from hardline figures advocating continued confrontation with the West to reform-minded officials who favor diplomatic engagement.
As military operations continue and rhetoric on both sides remains uncompromising, questions loom over how and when the conflict might conclude — and what political order could emerge in its aftermath.
