Iran launched a fresh round of missiles early Tuesday while vowing to resist mounting pressure from the United States, as tensions in the Middle East intensified following strong warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump had threatened to destroy Iran’s major oil export hub, Kharg Island, along with several power generation and desalination plants if Tehran refused to accept a deal aimed at ending the ongoing war.
The latest escalation comes as Israel, a key ally of Washington, continues its military campaign against Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said more than half of Israel’s military objectives had already been achieved, though he declined to provide a specific timeline for the operation.
The conflict has triggered widespread instability across the region. In Dubai, authorities reported that four people were injured after debris from intercepted missiles fell in the city. A Kuwaiti oil tanker docked at the port also caught fire during the incident, raising concerns about the safety of critical infrastructure in the Gulf’s major financial hub.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia announced it had intercepted eight ballistic missiles during the overnight attacks.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also urged Saudi authorities to expel U.S. forces from the kingdom, despite describing Riyadh as a “brotherly” nation.
In a move that could further disrupt global oil markets, an Iranian parliamentary committee voted to impose tolls on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply is transported.
The committee also proposed banning ships from the United States and Israel from using the strategic maritime route.
Responding to the move, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that such action would set a dangerous precedent.
“No one in the world can accept it, Rubio said, arguing that it could encourage countries to seize control of international waterways.
Trump insisted that Washington was ready to take decisive action if Iran refused to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept a diplomatic settlement.
He warned that U.S. forces could destroy Iran’s key infrastructure, including oil wells, electricity plants and the strategic Kharg Island facility.
International law experts have cautioned that targeting civilian infrastructure could violate humanitarian law and potentially amount to war crimes.
The war has also expanded beyond Iran. Israeli strikes have continued in Lebanon, particularly in the capital Beirut, where the Israeli military says it is targeting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon reported that two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed after an explosion destroyed their vehicle, while two others were injured. Another Indonesian soldier had been killed days earlier.
The Israeli military said it had opened an investigation to determine whether the explosion was caused by its forces or by Hezbollah fighters.
The conflict has triggered alarm in global markets as energy prices soar. Oil analysts warn that a direct U.S. ground invasion or a wider Iranian retaliation could push crude prices to levels last seen during the 2008 commodity boom.
Brent crude, the global benchmark, has already risen by nearly 60 percent this month, while the U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) has surged by more than half.
Officials from the Group of Seven (G7) countries met in Paris to assess the economic consequences of the war. Several governments are considering emergency measures, including energy-saving policies and tax cuts on fuel, to ease pressure on consumers.
Despite the escalating tensions, Netanyahu said Israel had made significant progress in weakening Iran’s military capacity.
He claimed Israeli forces had destroyed several industrial facilities in Iran and were close to dismantling the country’s arms industry.
It’s definitely beyond the halfway point, Netanyahu said during an interview, while declining to specify how long the war would last.
Amid the growing crisis, Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi, President of Egypt, appealed directly to Trump to help end the conflict.
“Please, help us to stop the war. You are capable of it, Sisi said during a press conference.
While Trump has claimed he is in contact with senior Iranian figures, Tehran has repeatedly denied that negotiations are underway, accusing Washington of spreading misinformation.
Despite weeks of airstrikes and mounting tension, daily life in Tehran continues with some semblance of normalcy.
Residents say cafes and restaurants remain open and there are no major shortages in supermarkets or petrol stations, although security checkpoints have been established across the capital.
A 27-year-old dental assistant, identified only as Fatemeh, described the emotional strain of living in a city under threat.
When I make it to a cafe table, even for a few minutes, I can almost believe the world hasn’t ended, she said. And then I go back home, back to the reality of living through war
