The photograph shows a damaged building in the aftermath of a drone strike in the Seef district of Manama. Photo: AFP
TEHRAN/DUBAI:
The war between Iran and a US-Israel alliance continued with renewed intensity and escalating threats, leaving the Middle East on edge as missiles and drones strikes hit targets across the region, while Iran asserted that Tehran, not Washington, would determine the war’s end.
Iranian leaders issued stern warnings, insisting that no aggression would go unanswered and vowing retaliation in accordance with an “eye for an eye” principle. In a blunt rebuttal to US President Donald Trump’s assertion that the war was nearly over, they said Iran was not “seeking a ceasefire.”
Speaker of Iran’s Parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf took to X to declare that Iran would respond swiftly and proportionately to any hostile actions, emphasising that attacks on its infrastructure would trigger immediate reprisals.
“Whatever the enemy does, we will undoubtedly respond with a proportionate and immediate retaliation,” Ghalibaf said, adding that Tehran would break the cycle of repeated war, ceasefire, and negotiations imposed by its adversaries.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani directly confronted threats from Trump, who had warned that disrupting oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz would provoke the US to respond “twenty times harder” and destroy targets essential to Iran’s survival.
Trump said on Truth Social that US has no report that Iran had mined the Strait of Hormuz, adding that if the mines were placed, “we want them removed, Immediately!” If, he warned, “they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before.”
Larijani dismissed the warnings from the US president as mere “paper threats,” asserting that Iran had endured far greater pressures historically and cautioning Trump to “watch out for yourselflest you be eliminated.”
President Masoud Pezeshkian reinforced the nation’s resilience in a post on X, highlighting Iran’s 6,000-year civilisation. “Through the trials of history, no power has ever succeeded in erasing this storied name,” he wrote. “Aggressors have come and gone; Iran has endured.”
Meanwhile, Iran Military Media announced a recalibration of the country’s missile strategy in response to “indiscriminate US attacks on urban centres and civilian infrastructure” and the disruption of regional air defences.
The new approach includes continuous, round-the-clock strikes, deploying missiles with warheads exceeding one ton, concentrating firepower, expanding the geographic scope of attacks, and aiming to inflict damage that would take years to repair.
In a further sign of heightened internal security measures, Iran’s intelligence ministry reported the arrest of a foreign national accused of espionage on behalf of the United States and Israel, along with 30 spies, internal mercenaries, and operational agents connected to the same nations and their proxies.
The US military has meanwhile promised an escalation of its own. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced the “most intense day of strikes” to date, with maximum deployment of fighters and bombers.
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Iranian forces were not proving tougher than expected, despite mounting casualties and persistent resistance. Washington’s strategy has focused on degrading Iran’s weapons inventories, missile launchers, and naval capabilities, with Trump reiterating that the war’s duration would be under his control.
In a post on X, the US Central Command (Centcom) said that the US Army High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) “provide unrivaled deep-strike capability in combat against the Iranian regime”. In response, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said: “Thank you CENTCOM for admitting that you are using our neighbors’ territory to deploy HIMARS systems against our people, apparently including a desalination plant. Nobody should complain if our powerful missiles destroy these systems wherever they are in retribution.”
Iran reports at least 1,332 civilian deaths, including the tragic loss of 175 schoolgirls in Minab, alongside thousands wounded. Iraq has suffered 15 fatalities, the UAE four, Saudi Arabia two, Bahrain two, Kuwait two, and Oman one. Israel reported 11 deaths, alongside seven US service members.
Oil markets have reacted sharply to the conflict. Brent North Sea crude fell nearly 10% to $89.44 a barrel, recovering from spikes above $120. European gas prices dropped, while stock markets in Paris, London, Frankfurt, and across Asia rallied, reflecting temporary investor optimism.
Diplomatic efforts have emerged amid the hostilities. Deputy Foreign Minister Gharibabadi confirmed contacts with China, Russia, and France regarding possible ceasefire discussions, but Araqchi told PBS that talks were unlikely, citing attacks despite previous rounds of negotiations.
Turkey has also become a focal point after NATO intercepted two missiles entering Turkish airspace. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called President Pezeshkian to emphasise that violations of airspace were unjustified, while Iran expressed willingness to form a joint investigation into the incidents.
The conflict’s reach has extended to civilian and industrial targets across the Gulf. The UAE reported drone and missile attacks on its Ruwais industrial complex and consulate in Iraqi Kurdistan, causing fires and damage but no casualties.
The refinery has since been closed as a precaution. Iranian strikes also hit Bahrain’s capital, Manama, killing one and injuring others in a residential building, while additional Iranian drone attacks targeted opposition groups northeast of Erbil in Iraq.
UK forces have launched air sorties to protect the UAE, intercepting drones over Jordan and Bahrain, and deploying helicopters and warships to strengthen regional security.
Iran accused Israel of killing four of its diplomats in a weekend strike on a Beirut hotel, describing the attack as deliberate and calling on the UN to take note. Israel claimed responsibility, stating the strike targeted commanders in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force.
So far, the UAE has reported that it detected 253 ballistic missiles, 1,440 drones, and destroyed multiple cruise missiles, while Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait recorded dozens of incoming missiles and drones.
