US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: The escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran has entered its seventh day, widening across multiple countries in the Middle East and beyond. What began with a joint US-Israel strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has evolved into a rapidly expanding military confrontation involving missile attacks, air strikes, naval incidents and political divisions in Washington.
Israeli strikes have now reached Beirut’s southern suburbs, while Iranian retaliatory attacks have targeted American bases in various countries and several Gulf states. Meanwhile, US forces said they have hit hundreds of targets deep inside Iran as part of a massive military campaign.
ALSO READ | US jet crashes in Iraq? CENTCOM debunks claims as Basrah videos go viral amid Iran conflict
Conflict enters seventh day as Israeli strikes hit Beirut
The war entered its seventh day on Friday after Israeli forces announced a “next phase” in the conflict and carried out air strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, according to news agency AFP.
The Israeli military had earlier issued an unprecedented evacuation warning covering the entire area, urging residents to “save your lives and evacuate your residences immediately”. The warning triggered panic among civilians and mass evacuations from the suburbs.
Lebanon was drawn into the conflict earlier this week when Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel to avenge the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Israel responded with air strikes and sent ground troops into some Lebanese border villages before expanding operations to Beirut’s southern suburbs on Thursday, targeting what it described as “Hezbollah infrastructure”.
The evacuation warnings led to massive traffic congestion as residents attempted to flee. AFP reported that people fired guns into the air in an effort to urge others to leave the area quickly.
Hundreds of displaced families gathered on a Beirut beach after fleeing their homes, many unsure where to go.
“We fled from the suburbs, we were humiliated,” one man told AFP.
Lebanese authorities said at least 123 people have been killed since Monday, with 683 injured and at least 90,000 displaced, as per the agency.
Massive US air campaign targets Iranian missile infrastructure
The United States said it has launched one of the largest strike campaigns against Iran’s military infrastructure in recent decades.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Admiral Brad Cooper on Thursday said American forces have struck nearly 200 targets deep inside Iran in the past 72 hours, news agency ANI reported.
“In just the last 72 hours, America’s bomber force has struck nearly 200 targets deep inside of Iran. In just the last hour, U.S. B-2 Spirit bombers dropped dozens of 2,000lb Penetrator bombs targeting deeply buried ballistic missile launchers,” Cooper said during a press conference, as quoted by the agency.
The operation, named Operation Epic Fury, is targeting Iran’s missile launchers, drone facilities and industrial infrastructure tied to the country’s ballistic missile programme.
Cooper said the strikes have significantly reduced the intensity of Iran’s retaliatory attacks.
“If I just look back over the last 24 hours of the operation compared to where we were to start, ballistic missile attacks have decreased by 90 per cent…drone attacks have decreased by 83 per cent… we’re now up over 30 ships (destroyed)” he said, according to ANI.
Cooper also said the US military has begun dismantling Iran’s long-term missile production capabilities.
“We’re not just hitting what they have, we’re destroying their ability to rebuild. We will systemically dismantle Iran’s missile production capability for the future,” he stated.
CENTCOM also revealed it has redeployed a captured Iranian drone design after reverse-engineering it in the United States. “This was an original Iranian drone design. We captured it, pulled the guts out, sent it back to America, put a little ‘Made in America’ on it, brought it back here, and we’re shooting it at the Iranians,” Cooper added, as per ANI.
ALSO READ | Who bombed girls’ school in Iran? Bombshell analysis reveals details after US, Israel statements
US defence secretary warns Iran of prolonged war
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Thursday warned that Washington is prepared to sustain a prolonged military campaign if necessary.
“Iran is hoping that we cannot sustain this, which is a really bad miscalculation for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran,” Hegseth said during a press conference at US Central Command, ANI reported.
“Our commitment to our mission objectives only increases as our advantages continue to increase… We have only just begun to fight and fight decisively,” he added.
Hegseth also dismissed concerns about a potential influx of refugees into the United States due to the conflict. “I think it’s safe to say there’s no plan for a wave of new Middle Eastern refugees to the United States of America,” he said.
Israeli military kills senior Hezbollah commander
Israel also confirmed that it eliminated a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut during the latest round of strikes. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said Zaid Ali Jumaa, Hezbollah’s head of artillery operations in southern Lebanon, had been killed in Beirut, as per news agency ANI.
According to the IDF, Jumaa was responsible for launching thousands of rockets, missiles and drones toward Israeli territory.
“ELIMINATED: Hezbollah firepower management commander Zaid Ali Jumaa in Beirut. Jumaa served as Hezbollah’s head of artillery in southern Lebanon and was responsible for launching thousands of rockets, missiles and UAVs from Lebanon toward Israel,” the IDF said in a post on X.
The military also said he was involved in a 2015 anti-tank missile attack in Mount Dov that killed an Israeli officer and soldier.
ALSO READ | The ultimate Iran win no one saw coming: Has Iran flipped war script on US? Rubio Vs Hegseth now?
War spreads across Gulf region
The conflict has also impacted several Gulf countries, with Iranian missiles and drones targeting cities and military facilities across the region.
According to AFP, 13 people have been killed in Gulf countries since the war began, including seven civilians and an 11-year-old girl in Kuwait. Bahrain said Iran had targeted two hotels and a residential building in the capital Manama, although there were no casualties.
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted three ballistic missiles aimed at an air base, while Qatar also said it intercepted a missile attack over Doha, where AFP journalists reported loud explosions and thick black smoke rising over the city.
Meanwhile, falling debris from an intercepted drone injured six people in Abu Dhabi, as per AFP.
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Israeli strikes have now reached Beirut’s southern suburbs, while Iranian retaliatory attacks have targeted American bases in various countries and several Gulf states. Meanwhile, US forces said they have hit hundreds of targets deep inside Iran as part of a massive military campaign.
ALSO READ | US jet crashes in Iraq? CENTCOM debunks claims as Basrah videos go viral amid Iran conflict
Conflict enters seventh day as Israeli strikes hit Beirut
The war entered its seventh day on Friday after Israeli forces announced a “next phase” in the conflict and carried out air strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, according to news agency AFP.
The Israeli military had earlier issued an unprecedented evacuation warning covering the entire area, urging residents to “save your lives and evacuate your residences immediately”. The warning triggered panic among civilians and mass evacuations from the suburbs.
Lebanon was drawn into the conflict earlier this week when Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel to avenge the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Israel responded with air strikes and sent ground troops into some Lebanese border villages before expanding operations to Beirut’s southern suburbs on Thursday, targeting what it described as “Hezbollah infrastructure”.
The evacuation warnings led to massive traffic congestion as residents attempted to flee. AFP reported that people fired guns into the air in an effort to urge others to leave the area quickly.
Hundreds of displaced families gathered on a Beirut beach after fleeing their homes, many unsure where to go.
“We fled from the suburbs, we were humiliated,” one man told AFP.
Lebanese authorities said at least 123 people have been killed since Monday, with 683 injured and at least 90,000 displaced, as per the agency.
Massive US air campaign targets Iranian missile infrastructure
The United States said it has launched one of the largest strike campaigns against Iran’s military infrastructure in recent decades.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Admiral Brad Cooper on Thursday said American forces have struck nearly 200 targets deep inside Iran in the past 72 hours, news agency ANI reported.
“In just the last 72 hours, America’s bomber force has struck nearly 200 targets deep inside of Iran. In just the last hour, U.S. B-2 Spirit bombers dropped dozens of 2,000lb Penetrator bombs targeting deeply buried ballistic missile launchers,” Cooper said during a press conference, as quoted by the agency.
The operation, named Operation Epic Fury, is targeting Iran’s missile launchers, drone facilities and industrial infrastructure tied to the country’s ballistic missile programme.
Cooper said the strikes have significantly reduced the intensity of Iran’s retaliatory attacks.
“If I just look back over the last 24 hours of the operation compared to where we were to start, ballistic missile attacks have decreased by 90 per cent…drone attacks have decreased by 83 per cent… we’re now up over 30 ships (destroyed)” he said, according to ANI.
Cooper also said the US military has begun dismantling Iran’s long-term missile production capabilities.
“We’re not just hitting what they have, we’re destroying their ability to rebuild. We will systemically dismantle Iran’s missile production capability for the future,” he stated.
CENTCOM also revealed it has redeployed a captured Iranian drone design after reverse-engineering it in the United States. “This was an original Iranian drone design. We captured it, pulled the guts out, sent it back to America, put a little ‘Made in America’ on it, brought it back here, and we’re shooting it at the Iranians,” Cooper added, as per ANI.
ALSO READ | Who bombed girls’ school in Iran? Bombshell analysis reveals details after US, Israel statements
US defence secretary warns Iran of prolonged war
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Thursday warned that Washington is prepared to sustain a prolonged military campaign if necessary.
“Iran is hoping that we cannot sustain this, which is a really bad miscalculation for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran,” Hegseth said during a press conference at US Central Command, ANI reported.
“Our commitment to our mission objectives only increases as our advantages continue to increase… We have only just begun to fight and fight decisively,” he added.
Hegseth also dismissed concerns about a potential influx of refugees into the United States due to the conflict. “I think it’s safe to say there’s no plan for a wave of new Middle Eastern refugees to the United States of America,” he said.
Israeli military kills senior Hezbollah commander
Israel also confirmed that it eliminated a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut during the latest round of strikes. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said Zaid Ali Jumaa, Hezbollah’s head of artillery operations in southern Lebanon, had been killed in Beirut, as per news agency ANI.
According to the IDF, Jumaa was responsible for launching thousands of rockets, missiles and drones toward Israeli territory.
“ELIMINATED: Hezbollah firepower management commander Zaid Ali Jumaa in Beirut. Jumaa served as Hezbollah’s head of artillery in southern Lebanon and was responsible for launching thousands of rockets, missiles and UAVs from Lebanon toward Israel,” the IDF said in a post on X.
The military also said he was involved in a 2015 anti-tank missile attack in Mount Dov that killed an Israeli officer and soldier.
ALSO READ | The ultimate Iran win no one saw coming: Has Iran flipped war script on US? Rubio Vs Hegseth now?
War spreads across Gulf region
The conflict has also impacted several Gulf countries, with Iranian missiles and drones targeting cities and military facilities across the region.
According to AFP, 13 people have been killed in Gulf countries since the war began, including seven civilians and an 11-year-old girl in Kuwait. Bahrain said Iran had targeted two hotels and a residential building in the capital Manama, although there were no casualties.
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted three ballistic missiles aimed at an air base, while Qatar also said it intercepted a missile attack over Doha, where AFP journalists reported loud explosions and thick black smoke rising over the city.
Meanwhile, falling debris from an intercepted drone injured six people in Abu Dhabi, as per AFP.
