The Middle East crisis deepened overnight as Israeli forces launched fresh dawn airstrikes on Tehran and Beirut, while issuing evacuation warnings to residents in parts of southern Lebanon.
The escalation follows the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. In the aftermath, Israel has continued bombardments targeting sites in Tehran, signalling that military operations are far from over.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that “the hardest hits” on Iran are “yet to come,” declining to reveal operational details. His comments reinforced Washington’s message that further military action remains on the table.
President Donald Trump defended the decision to go to war, describing it as the “last, best chance” to stop Iran’s regime and dismantle its perceived threats.
Meanwhile, the conflict has widened. The US embassy in Riyadh was reportedly struck by two drones, while Iranian state media claimed that a command and staff building at a US air base in Bahrain had been destroyed, a sign of direct retaliation against American interests in the Gulf.
Israel has also expanded its campaign in Lebanon, carrying out multiple strikes on what it described as Hezbollah targets. The Israeli military stated that operations would continue until the threat is fully “removed.”
Lebanon’s health authorities reported that at least 52 people have been killed in the latest wave of strikes. Hundreds of Beirut residents have fled their homes, seeking refuge in shelters amid sustained bombardment.
