A barrage of Iranian missiles and drones targeted at least five countries in the Middle East, prompting several governments to call on their citizens to take cover, while Israel carried out a 12th wave of airstrikes on Tehran and the US suspended operations at its embassy in Kuwait.
As the seventh day of Iran’s war in the Middle East began on Friday, there was little sign of a reprieve. Israeli airstrikes have hit Tehran and Beirut, while Iran has attacked several of its Gulf neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain. U.S. crude rose to $81 and the global bond rally continued unabated.
So far, at least 1,230 people have died in Iran and dozens more elsewhere in the region. The Pentagon said six US soldiers were killed.
In Washington, President Donald Trump said the US was continuing to “totally demolish” Iran’s forces, saying the country had “no air force, no air defense”, adding that “their navy is gone – 24 ships in three days”.
He dismissed concerns about energy prices, saying “more measures to reduce pressure on oil are imminent, and oil appears to have stabilized to a large extent. We had it very low, but I had to take this little detour.”
The US president also weighed in on the future of Iran’s leadership as the Islamic republic prepares to hold the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump called Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah, a “lightweight” who would not change the regime’s policies and insisted he would be personally involved in choosing the country’s next leader.
“Khamenei’s son is unacceptable to me. We want someone who will bring harmony and peace to Iran,” the president said in an interview with Axios.
Explosions were heard in parts of Tehran overnight, while Israel said Iran fired a new wave of rockets at its cities. Hours earlier, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said the strikes had disabled more than 60% of Iran’s ballistic missile launchers and the IDF was moving into the next phase of its efforts to dismantle the Iranian regime and its military capabilities.
In another sign of the widening scope of the conflict, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said it was strengthening its missile defense posture across the alliance after Wednesday’s downing of an Iranian missile headed into Turkish airspace.
In all, about a dozen nations have become involved since the US and Israel launched their campaign on February 28. Azerbaijan was the latest: The country threatened to strike back after two Iranian drones struck its territory in Nakhchivan, accusing Tehran of escalating regional tensions.
“These acts of aggression will not go unanswered,” Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry said in a statement. A response to the “protection of national sovereignty and civil security” is being prepared. Iran has denied any connection to the drones.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said retaliatory attacks would intensify in the coming days, according to the Nour agency. Trump was similarly defiant, telling Politico that the US has an “unlimited arms supply.”
The possibility of a protracted war roils the markets. U.S. crude settled higher on signs the conflict is disrupting oil flows to key buyers, with top importer China moving to conserve fuel. Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Tom Barkin said the central bank’s response to the war will depend on how long the impact on the economy lasts.
The Republican-controlled US House on Thursday joined the Senate in rejecting efforts to limit Trump’s Iran offensive. While the result allows the Trump administration to continue unfettered, the 219-212 vote showed the president has only narrow support in Washington on the issue.
Saudi Arabia continued to thwart the attacks and reported intercepting several missiles and drones overnight. The strikes were mostly aimed at Al Kharj near Riyadh, where the US has facilities, or to the east, where Saudi Aramco is headquartered.
The kingdom is diverting millions of barrels of oil to a port on the Red Sea coast, helping the world’s top exporter maintain supplies as the critical Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed.
Airlines also remain crippled, with the number of canceled flights to Middle Eastern hubs exceeding 23,000 since the fighting began. Thousands of passengers were left stranded in the Persian Gulf region.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who disputed the Trump administration’s claims, told NBC News that his country had not asked for a ceasefire and had no intention of negotiating. “We see no reason why we should re-engage with those who did this and who are not honest in their negotiations,” he said.
The Trump administration also showed no signs of letting up, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth telling reporters that “it could be six, it could be eight, it could be three” weeks before the operations end.
At a separate press conference later at the Central Command headquarters in Florida, Hegseth also dismissed concerns that the US weapons stockpile was running low.
“Iran hopes we can’t sustain it,” Hegseth said. “Our capabilities are overwhelming and are still being assembled, as are those of our Israeli partners. Our ammunition is full.”
With help from Roxana Tiron, Kate Sullivan, Andrea Palasciano, Kateryna Kadabashy, Alisa Odenheimer, Benoit Berthelot, Jordan Fabian, Ani Avetisyan, Courtney McBride, Jeff Mason and Jon Herskovitz.
This article was generated from an automated news agency source without text modification.
