The widening conflict between Israel and Iran entered its seventh day on Friday, with Israeli forces launching fresh air strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs as part of what the military described as a “next phase” of the war.
Lebanon has increasingly been drawn into the conflict after Iran-backed Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel earlier this week in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel responded with a series of air strikes and limited ground incursions into Lebanese border villages.
According to Lebanese authorities, at least 123 people have been killed, more than 680 injured and around 90,000 residents displaced since Monday due to the escalating violence.
The conflict has also begun to affect regions far beyond the immediate battlefield. Reports indicated that a US submarine torpedoed an Iranian warship near the Sri Lankan coast, while Azerbaijan warned of retaliation after a drone struck an airport in the country.
Meanwhile, tensions have intensified in the Gulf region. Iran reportedly targeted cities and energy facilities across several Gulf states. Bahrain said two hotels and a residential building in its capital Manama were struck, though no casualties were reported. Saudi Arabia confirmed it intercepted three ballistic missiles aimed at an air base.
Qatar also reported intercepting a missile attack near the US Al-Udeid airbase, while falling debris from an intercepted drone injured six people in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
On the political front, US President Donald Trump rejected the possibility of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the slain Iranian leader, succeeding his father. In an interview with Axios, Trump described him as a “lightweight” and said Washington would want a leader capable of bringing “harmony and peace” to Iran.
In Iran, heavy strikes have hit parts of the capital Tehran. Images from affected areas showed damaged buildings, burned vehicles and rising smoke. Iranian authorities claim that more than 1,200 people have been killed in US and Israeli attacks since the war began, though the figure could not be independently verified.
Despite the mounting casualties, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has not sought a ceasefire and sees no reason to negotiate with the United States at this stage.
Israel, meanwhile, claimed it has destroyed around 60 percent of Iran’s missile launchers and 80 percent of its air defence systems, with military chief Eyal Zamir warning that further operations are planned.
The latest Iranian missile barrage also triggered explosions in Tel Aviv, where emergency crews worked to control a fire that broke out in a residential building following the attack.
As the war spreads across multiple fronts, from Lebanon and the Gulf to regions beyond the Middle East, international concern is growing over the risk of a wider regional conflict.
