The United States has warned that its military campaign against Iran will intensify, even as American diplomatic and military sites across the Middle East come under attack and Israel expands parallel operations against Iranian and Hezbollah targets.
Overnight, the US military said it had destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command and control facilities, air defence systems, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields. Operations have now entered a fourth consecutive day.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio cautioned that the “hardest hits” on Iran are yet to come, signalling further escalation.
Embassy Hit, Bases Targeted
In Saudi Arabia, authorities confirmed that two drones struck the US embassy compound in Riyadh, causing a limited fire and minor material damage. No injuries were reported. The Saudi defence ministry later said it had intercepted and destroyed eight drones near Riyadh and Al-Kharj.
Meanwhile, police sources told Reuters that a drone targeted a US military base near Erbil Airport in northern Iraq. Separately, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for a missile and drone attack on a US air base in Bahrain. Washington has not formally confirmed those incidents, but the State Department has ordered American citizens to leave Bahrain and several other Middle Eastern countries immediately.
Israel Expands Strikes
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had begun a “wide wave of strikes” targeting both Tehran and Beirut, hitting what it described as Iranian regime and Hezbollah positions.
Evacuation orders were issued for around 50 villages in southern Lebanon, as well as areas of Beirut’s southern suburbs. Residents were told to leave immediately and avoid buildings affiliated with Hezbollah. Smoke was seen rising over parts of the Lebanese capital as strikes continued.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the joint US-Israeli campaign would not become “an endless war”, describing it instead as “quick and decisive action”. In an interview with Fox News, he argued that failure to act now would have allowed Iran to threaten or “blackmail” both Israel and the United States. He reiterated his goal of achieving “peace through strength”.
Washington Signals Endurance
In Washington, President Donald Trump struck a defiant tone, asserting that US stockpiles of medium- and upper-medium-grade munitions were at historic highs. He claimed the United States had a virtually unlimited supply of such weapons and suggested wars could be fought “forever” using existing inventories.
The remarks underscore a widening and increasingly complex confrontation stretching from Iran to Lebanon, Iraq, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. With American assets now directly targeted and evacuation orders spreading across the region, diplomatic efforts appear eclipsed by rapid military escalation — and both sides signalling readiness for sustained engagement.
In other developments:
- ◆ Israeli and US warplanes launched a fresh wave of strikes across Iran; the Iranian Red Crescent Society said more than 500 people have been killed since the conflict began.
- ◆ The Israel Defense Forces said it was striking Tehran and Beirut simultaneously with “extensive” operations targeting the Iranian regime and Hezbollah.
- ◆ New evacuation orders were issued by Israel for dozens of locations across Lebanon.
- ◆ Hezbollah said it launched drones towards northern Israel.
- ◆ Iranian attacks were reported on oil infrastructure and other targets across a 2,000km stretch of the region, with casualties and destruction recorded in at least nine countries.
- ◆ Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed they attacked a US air base in Bahrain, alleging the destruction of its main command headquarters, without providing evidence.
- ◆ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war against Iran may take “some time” but not years.
- ◆ US President Donald Trump urged Iranians to rise up against their leaders and indicated the air campaign could last weeks.
- ◆ A drone strike hit the US embassy in Riyadh, causing a fire; Saudi authorities later intercepted additional drones.
- ◆ The US State Department urged American citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries due to escalating risks.
- ◆ Confusion surrounded navigation in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran’s Revolutionary Guards threatened to target vessels, while US Central Command reportedly said the waterway remained open.
- ◆ US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington acted after learning Israel intended to strike Iran and warned that the “hardest hits” were still to come.
- ◆ Germany is not participating in military strikes on Iran, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said, clarifying Berlin would not provide military facilities despite the joint E3 statement with the UK and France.
- ◆ The Cyprus government sought clarification from the United Kingdom over the use of British bases on the island. Spokesperson Kostantinos Letymbiotis expressed dissatisfaction that London had not clearly ruled out their use beyond humanitarian purposes.
- ◆ The UK maintains two sovereign bases in Cyprus, at RAF Akrotiri and Dhekelia. Following confirmation that the US could use British facilities, Akrotiri was struck by a drone, while two further drones were intercepted.
- ◆ Four F-16 fighter jets from the Hellenic Air Force landed in Cyprus as part of preventive security measures and defence cooperation between Nicosia and Athens.
- ◆ UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer distanced Britain from direct offensive action, telling the House of Commons he does not support “regime change from the skies”. While allowing limited US access to British bases, he ruled out UK participation in offensive strikes, citing lessons from the 2003 Iraq war.
