Airstrikes and missile attacks continued to escalate across the Middle East on Friday as Israeli forces pounded targets in Iran and Lebanon while the United States warned its military campaign against Tehran could intensify in the coming days.
According to officials, Israeli strikes targeted several locations in Iran’s capital Tehran and in Lebanon, marking some of the heaviest attacks since the conflict began a week ago.
The Israeli military said the campaign has already destroyed a significant portion of Iran’s air-defence systems and missile launchers.
Meanwhile, the United States reportedly struck an Iranian drone carrier at sea as part of its effort to weaken the country’s naval capabilities.
Pete Hegseth warned that military operations against Tehran were about to increase significantly.
Iran Launches Retaliatory Attacks
Iran responded with fresh missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and neighbouring countries that host U.S. military forces.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates said three drones struck its territory Friday while air-defence systems intercepted several other missiles and drones.
Since the conflict began, UAE officials say their defences have detected more than 200 ballistic missiles and over 1,100 drones, most of which were destroyed before reaching targets.
Iran also launched additional missiles toward Israel, triggering air-raid sirens and explosions in cities including Tel Aviv.
Fighting Spreads to Lebanon
Israeli forces also intensified operations in Lebanon amid renewed hostilities with the militant group Hezbollah.
An Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon reportedly killed five people and injured several others.
The fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, as evacuation orders spread across Beirut’s suburbs, southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley.
Global Concerns Grow
The conflict has now affected more than a dozen countries across the region and beyond.
Energy experts warn the war could disrupt global energy supplies. Fatih Birol said the shutdown of Iranian gas exports could trigger a bidding war between Asian and European buyers for liquefied natural gas if the crisis continues.
“If the crisis continues this way, Asian buyers and European buyers will compete for the LNG which will get scarcer and scarcer,” he said.
Calls for De-escalation
International organizations are urging all sides to step back from further escalation.
Volker Türk called for urgent diplomatic efforts to stop the conflict.
“The world urgently needs to see steps to contain and extinguish this blaze,” he said.
Türk warned that continued attacks, displacement of civilians and rising casualties risk turning the conflict into a wider humanitarian disaster across the region.