The conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States has severely intensified. Late Saturday, explosions rocked Tehran as a major oil storage facility caught fire, sending huge flames into the night sky.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of more actions to come. He stated that there are “many surprises” planned for the next phase of this ongoing war. Israel’s military confirmed they specifically targeted fuel storage sites in Iran’s capital. This marks the first time a civilian industrial site has been hit in this conflict. Iranian state media blamed the attack on the U.S. and Israel, noting the facility supplies fuel to the capital and northern provinces.
Strikes Expand in Lebanon
The violence is not limited to Iran. In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes resulted in the deaths of eight people in the southern region. Additionally, local reports indicate an Israeli drone struck a hotel in Beirut. This attack killed four people and injured ten others.
By early Sunday, the Israeli military stated they specifically targeted commanders of the Quds Force, a branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, located in Beirut. These recent deaths add to the 47 people killed in Israeli strikes on Saturday alone.
Political Divide in Iran
Inside Iran, leaders are sending mixed signals. President Masoud Pezeshkian offered an apology for attacks on neighboring countries. However, at the exact same time, Iranian drones and missiles were still flying toward Gulf Arab nations.
This situation highlights a growing split within Iran’s leadership. Some politicians want to calm the situation using diplomacy, while hardliners demand continued fighting against the U.S. and Israel. Iran is currently being overseen by a three-member leadership council. This council took charge after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the early airstrikes of this war.
Pezeshkian, who sits on this council, stated that the armed forces should stop attacking neighboring countries unless Iran is attacked first. However, he strongly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand for an unconditional surrender.
Hardliners Push Back
Other Iranian leaders disagree with the push for diplomacy. Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, another council member, stated the war strategy will remain exactly the same. He argued that enemy forces are using nearby countries to launch attacks. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the parliament speaker, added that peace is impossible as long as U.S. military bases stay in the region.
Despite these obvious differences, another top official, Ali Larijani, claimed the leadership is entirely united.
U.S. Perspective and Trump’s Comments
President Donald Trump warned that Iran will be hit very hard. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump rejected the idea of ending the conflict right now. He called the current U.S. military operations an “excursion” and promised that issues like high gas prices would improve once the fighting stops.
Trump also confirmed that Kurdish fighters will not be joining the war. This comes even though Kurdish officials recently stated they were willing to help launch operations against the Iranian government.
Rising Death Tolls and Regional Chaos
The human cost of the conflict is climbing rapidly. According to local officials, the fighting has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, more than 290 in Lebanon, and 11 in Israel. Six U.S. military members have also been killed.
The chaos has quickly spread across the Middle East. In Iraq, a missile struck a helicopter landing pad inside the heavily guarded U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad. Iraq’s prime minister called the strike a terrorist act.
Meanwhile, Gulf countries allied with the U.S. feel they were not given enough warning about the war. In the United Arab Emirates, falling debris from an intercepted weapon killed a civilian driver. Bahrain sounded warning sirens as Iran targeted the island. Saudi Arabia successfully destroyed drones aimed at a major oil field and a ballistic missile heading toward a base hosting U.S. troops. In Kuwait, a wave of drones targeted key infrastructure, including airport fuel tanks and a government building.
Conclusion
The situation across the Middle East remains highly unstable and dangerous. With military strikes expanding to target civil infrastructure and diplomatic efforts stalling, the conflict shows no immediate signs of ending. Both U.S. and Israeli forces are continuing their campaigns, while Iran’s divided leadership struggles to form a clear path forward. As the violence spreads through Lebanon, Iraq, and the Gulf states, the international community watches closely, bracing for the next phase of this unpredictable war.
