As the conflict in West Asia entered its 7th day, United States President Donald Trump ruled out any deal with Iran and called for its unconditional surrender. In a social media post, Mr Trump said the US and its allies will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.
On the other hand, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said that some countries have begun mediation efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel. In a social media post, he said Iran is committed to lasting peace in the region, yet they have no hesitation in defending the nation’s dignity and sovereignty. However, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said that the United States bears full responsibility for the current situation.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes pounded the capitals of Iran and Lebanon as the US apparently struck an Iranian drone carrier at sea, intensifying its attack. The Israel Defence Forces said that around 50 fighter jets of the country’s Air Force carried out the strike targeting the underground military bunker linked to the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Israeli military claimed to have destroyed most of Iran’s air defences and missile launchers, while US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that strikes against Tehran were about to surge dramatically. Iranian state television announced a new missile attack, including the Islamic Republic firing off its larger Khorramshahr-4 missiles.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) today said its aerospace forces launched the 21st wave of Operation True Promise, utilising swarms of suicide drones and the advanced Khayber missiles with cluster warheads to target Israel. In the war, 1,230 people in Iran have been killed so far, and more than 120 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel. Six US troops have also been killed.
The war has already caused a spike in oil prices, and Qatar’s energy minister warned that it could bring down the economies of the world, predicting a widespread shutdown of Gulf energy exports that could send oil to 150 US dollars a barrel. Qatar has denounced an Iranian attack on Bahrain that targeted buildings housing elements of its forces there. Doha said the attack targeted the unified military command of the Gulf Cooperation Council in the region.
Lebanon Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has called on the international community to help Lebanon amid the ongoing Israel-Hezbollah war. He said a humanitarian disaster is looming because of huge displacements of people. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that the world urgently needs to see steps to contain and extinguish this blaze.
Qatar’s Air Defence Forces today successfully intercepted a drone attack targeting Al-Udeid Air Base in Doha, which is the largest military base of the United States in West Asia. Qatar’s Interior Ministry said the security threat had been eliminated and the situation had returned to normal. Bahrain also said that Iran targeted a hotel and 2 residential buildings in the capital city of Manama, with no loss of life recorded.
Moreover, the United Arab Emirates also said that its air defences dealt with several incoming missile and drone threats from Iran.
On the other hand, the Israeli Air Force today struck Hezbollah’s Beirut headquarters and ten high-rise buildings containing military infrastructure in Lebanon. Since the beginning of the attacks, Israel has launched a total of 26 waves of strikes in Dahiyeh, which is in the south of Beirut.
Earlier today, Israel announced that it killed Hezbollah commander Zaid Ali Jumaa in Beirut, while the Israeli Navy also struck and eliminated Hamas commander Wasim Attallah Ali in the area of Tripoli. US Commander Brad Cooper said that America’s bomber force struck nearly 200 targets deep inside of Iran in just the last 72 hours.
Asserting that Tehran remains a responsible power in the Persian Gulf, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh has dismissed claims that Iran has shut down the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.