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-Israeli alliance continued with renewed intensity and escalating threats, leaving the Middle East on edge as missiles and drones struck targets across the region, while Iran argued that Tehran, not Washington, would determine the war’s end.
Iranian leaders issued stern warnings, insisted that no aggression would go unanswered and promised retaliation in accordance with an “eye for an eye” principle. In a direct rebuttal to US President Donald Trump’s claim that the war was almost 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 act, stressing that attacks on the country’s infrastructure would trigger immediate reprisals.
“Whatever the enemy does, we will undoubtedly respond with a proportional and immediate retaliation,” Ghalibaf said, adding that Tehran wanted to break the cycle of repeated war, ceasefire and negotiations imposed by its adversaries.
Iran’s top secretary of the National Security Council, Ali Larijani, confronted direct 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 vital to Iran’s survival.
Trump said on Truth Social that the United States 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 immediately, the military consequences for Iran will be at a level never seen before.”
Larijani dismissed the warnings from the US president as mere “paper threats” and argued that Iran had historically withstood far greater pressure, warning Trump to “take care of yourself – so you don’t get eliminated.”
President Masoud Pezeshkian reinforced the nation’s resilience in a speech on the X that highlighted Iran’s 6,000-year-old civilization. “Through the trials of history, no power has ever succeeded in erasing this name of history,” 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 centers and civilian infrastructure” and the disruption of regional air defenses.
The new approach includes continuous attacks around the clock, launching missiles with warheads over a 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 linked to the same nations and their proxies.
The US military, meanwhile, has promised its own escalation. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced the “most intense strike day” to date, with maximum deployment of fighter jets and bombers.
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Iranian forces were proving no tougher than expected, despite mounting casualties and persistent resistance. Washington’s strategy has focused on degrading Iran’s weapons stockpiles, missile launches and naval capabilities, with Trump reiterating that the duration of the war would be under his control.
In a post on X, US Central Command (Centcom) said US Army High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) “provide unmatched 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. No one should complain if our powerful missiles destroy these systems, wherever they are in retaliation.”
Iran reports at least 1,332 civilian deaths, including the tragic loss of 175 schoolgirls in Minab, along with thousands injured. Iraq has suffered 15 deaths, the UAE four, Saudi Arabia two, Bahrain two, Kuwait two and Oman one. Israel reported 11 deaths along with seven US service members.
The oil markets have reacted sharply to the conflict. Brent North Sea crude fell nearly 10% to $89.44 a barrel. European gas prices fell, while stock markets in Paris, London, Frankfurt and across Asia rose, 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 that entered Turkish airspace. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called President Pezeshkian to stress that airspace violations were unjustified, while Iran expressed willingness to form a joint investigation into the incidents.
The scope of the conflict has expanded to civilian and industrial targets across the Gulf. The United Arab Emirates reported drone and missile attacks on its industrial complex and consulate in Ruwais, Iraqi Kurdistan, causing fires and damage, but no injuries.
The refinery has since been shut down as a precaution. Iranian strikes also hit Bahrain’s capital, Manama, killing one and injuring others in a residential building, while further Iranian drone strikes targeted opposition groups northeast of Erbil, Iraq.
British forces have launched airstrikes to protect the UAE, intercepted drones over Jordan and Bahrain and deployed helicopters and warships to bolster regional security.
Iran accused Israel of killing four of its diplomats in a weekend attack on a Beirut hotel, describing the attack as deliberate and calling on the United Nations to take note. Israel claimed responsibility and said the attack targeted commanders in the Quds Force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
So far, the United Arab Emirates has reported detecting 253 ballistic missiles, 1,440 drones and destroying several cruise missiles, while Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait recorded dozens of incoming missiles and drones.
