, March 4, 2026 (AFP)
Israel early Wednesday (March 4, 2026) launched new assaults on Iran because the U.S. army stated it has hit almost 2,000 targets contained in the Islamic republic, which tried to impose a value by increasing a missile and drone barrage throughout the area.
Iran-Israel struggle LIVE
With world power costs on the rise, U.S. President Donald Trump stated the U.S. Navy was able to escort oil tankers by way of the Strait of Hormuz, the important chokepoint into the Gulf that Iran has threatened to seal off.
Israel’s army stated it launched a “broad wave of strikes” after midnight throughout Iran, which within the hours earlier than had launched three separate missile barrages at Israel, inflicting gentle accidents to a lady in Tel Aviv.
The U.S. army has hit almost 2,000 targets since attacking Iran alongside Israel on Saturday (February 28, 2026), concentrating on ballistic missiles and “all of the issues that may shoot at us”, stated Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command.
“These forces convey an enormous quantity of firepower, representing the most important buildup by the U.S. within the Center East in a technology,” he stated in a video message, describing the primary day’s barrage as larger than the so-called “shock and awe” towards Saddam Hussein’s Iraq in 2003.
The U.S. and Israeli assaults have killed 787 individuals in Iran, in keeping with the Iranian Pink Crescent, a toll that would not be independently confirmed by AFP.
Iran vowed to inflict a heavy value in retaliation. Drones struck adjoining the U.S. consulate in Dubai, beginning a fireplace however inflicting no casualties, and towards the U.S. army base at Al-Udeid in Qatar.
The assaults got here a day after strikes on the U.S. embassies in Riyadh and Kuwait Metropolis and on a U.S. air base in Bahrain.
“We’re saying to the enemy that if it decides to hit our important centres, we are going to hit all financial centres within the area,” Islamic Revolutionary Guard Basic Ebrahim Jabbari stated.
Trump says no extra talks
The US and Israel launched the assault on Saturday (February 28, 2026) and rapidly killed Iran’s supreme chief, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, two days after U.S. envoys had been chatting with Iran in Geneva on a nuclear accord.
Mr. Trump insisted that Iran needed to renew talks nevertheless it was “too late”.
He additionally walked again a press release the day earlier than from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stated the U.S. assault’s timing was precipitated by Israel’s plans.
“If something, I might need pressured Israel’s hand,” Mr. Trump stated as he met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the White Home.
Mr. Trump boasted that “nearly every thing’s been knocked out” in Iran, together with its navy, air power and air detection, and stated the assaults had killed even leaders who might have taken over.
“The general public we had in thoughts are lifeless,” Mr. Trump stated. “Now we’ve got one other group. They could be lifeless additionally, based mostly on studies.”
In keeping with Iranian media, U.S. and Israeli strikes focused a constructing on Tuesday (March 3, 2026) within the holy metropolis of Qom belonging to the committee that’s to elect a brand new supreme chief. The Tasnim information company reported that strikes had already focused the physique’s important headquarters in Tehran the day earlier than.
Mr. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have urged Iranians to stand up however Mr. Trump stated regime change was not the objective.
The assault got here weeks after Iranian authorities clamped down on mass protests, killing 1000’s.
Trump insists he struck Iran on his personal phrases
Mr. Trump and his staff scrambled on Tuesday (March 3, 2026) to reclaim the narrative on why he determined to assault Iran, after his high diplomat urged the U.S. struck solely after studying of an imminent Israeli strike. Secretary of State Marco Rubio alarmed Democrats— who say solely Congress can declare struggle— in addition to lots of Mr. Trump’s MAGA supporters on Monday (March 1, 2026) when he stated: “We knew that there was going to be an Israeli motion.”
“We knew that that might precipitate an assault towards American forces, and we knew that if we did not pre-emptively go after them earlier than they launched these assaults, we’d undergo increased casualties,” Mr. Rubio instructed reporters.
Administration officers rapidly backpedalled, insisting Mr. Trump licensed the strikes as a result of Tehran was not severely negotiating an accord on limiting its nuclear ambitions, and the USA wanted to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities.
“The President decided. The choice he made was that Iran was not going to be allowed to cover… behind this skill to conduct an assault.”
Lebanon violence expands
The regional struggle additionally took a rising toll on Lebanon, the place Hezbollah, the armed Shiite Muslim motion that lengthy had Tehran as a benefactor, launched drones and rockets at Israel in retaliation for Khamenei’s slaying.
Hezbollah stated it focused the Israeli naval base within the northern metropolis of Haifa and Israel stated it struck Beirut’s closely Shiite southern suburbs. Loud explosions had been heard early Wednesday (March 4, 2026).
Israeli strikes have killed not less than 52 individuals in Lebanon, in keeping with the federal government, whereas the United Nations stated that greater than 30,000 individuals had been displaced.
In a throwback to earlier wars, Israel stated it was shifting troops throughout the border to create a buffer zone inside Lebanon.
In Tehran, pictures confirmed harm to Mehrabad airport, which handles primarily home flights.
The Israeli army additionally introduced a strike on an underground facility on the jap outskirts of Tehran the place it alleged scientists had been covertly engaged on a nuclear programme.
The US ordered non-emergency personnel to go away embassies in a lot of the area. The Washington Put up reported that the Iranian drone in Riyadh hit the station of the CIA.
The US inspired all People to go away the area if they’ll discover business flights, despite the fact that air journey has been severely disrupted.
The State Division stated that some 9,000 People have discovered a manner dwelling.
Qatar stated it had downed missiles concentrating on Hamad Worldwide Airport in Doha. Oman reported a number of drones attacking the port of Duqm, and within the UAE falling particles from an intercepted drone brought on a fireplace at an oil storage and buying and selling zone, authorities stated.
Ghost city
In Tehran, residents who haven’t fled remained shut away of their properties for worry of the U.S.-Israeli bombardment.
The Iranian capital is generally dwelling to round 10 million individuals, however in current days “there are so few individuals that you just’d suppose nobody ever lived right here”, stated Samireh, a 33-year-old nurse.
Authorities had beforehand urged individuals to go away town, and cops, armed safety forces and armoured automobiles have been stationed at important junctions, finishing up random checks on automobiles.
Within the extra upmarket north of Tehran, the meowing of cats and chirping of birds changed the standard din of visitors jams.
Iranian authorities stated a strike on a faculty within the metropolis of Minab on the primary day of the struggle killed greater than 150 individuals. AFP has been unable to entry the situation independently to confirm the toll or circumstances.
The U.S. army started naming the primary of six troops who’ve been killed. In Israel, 9 individuals died Sunday (March 1, 2026) when a missile hit the city of Beit Shemesh.
At the very least eight individuals have died throughout the Gulf.
The US and Israel have acquired lukewarm assist, with Western nations limiting involvement to serving to Gulf states and repatriating residents.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who had backed the strikes, stated Wednesday (March 4, 2026) in Sydney that it was time for “speedy de-escalation”.