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UNRELENTING Iranian assaults on shipping lanes and energy infrastructure have pushed Brent crude above US$100 a barrel, as the war between Tehran, Israel, and the United States shows no sign of abating.
AP reported on Thursday that attacks ranged from the Persian Gulf to Jerusalem, Lebanon, and Iran itself, leaving hundreds dead, hundreds of thousands displaced, and the global oil supply in turmoil.
Iran struck a container ship off Dubai, ignited a blaze near Bahrain’s international airport, deployed drones against a major Saudi oil field, and forced Iraq to suspend operations at all its oil terminals following an attack on the Basra port.
Additional strikes were reported in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, defying a United Nations Security Council resolution issued the previous day demanding that Iran halt assaults on its Gulf neighbours.
Sirens wailed in Jerusalem before dawn as Israel intercepted incoming Iranian missiles, and loud booms echoed later in the city amid continued attacks. Israel responded with a “wide-scale wave of strikes” on Tehran and Lebanon, targeting Iran-linked Hezbollah militants, killing 11 people in two early morning assaults.
Since the United States and Israel launched their offensive on Iran on February 28, Tehran has sought to inflict economic pressure, striking key infrastructure and controlling the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes.
The resulting halt to traffic has driven Brent crude prices up by 38 per cent since the war began.
U.S. President Donald Trump indicated the conflict may continue. “We don’t want to leave early do we? We’ve got to finish the job,” he said at an event in Kentucky on Wednesday, asserting that Iran is “virtually destroyed” yet promising further action.
Iranian leadership has remained largely silent.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has yet to make a public statement since being chosen to succeed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the opening day of the conflict.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian suggested online that peace would require recognition of Iran’s “legitimate rights,” reparations, and guarantees against future attacks.
The conflict has exacted a heavy human toll. In Lebanon, the Health Ministry reported at least 634 fatalities, with the United Nations refugee agency estimating 759,000 internally displaced.
Iran claims over 1,300 deaths, while Israel has reported 12 and the U.S. seven, with another eight Americans severely injured.
Explosions continued across the region. A container ship was hit off Dubai, sparking a minor fire but leaving the crew unharmed, while Bahrain experienced a major fire near its international airport.
Kuwaiti authorities reported two injuries after a drone strike on a residential building, and the UAE activated air defences twice to protect Dubai. Saudi Arabia intercepted drones targeting Riyadh and its Shaybah oil field, while Iraq’s Basra port ceased operations following a deadly attack.
In Beirut, Israeli strikes hit the seaside area of Ramlet al-Bayda, killing eight and wounding 31, while further attacks in Aramoun killed three and injured a child.
In Tehran, security checkpoints came under attack, with at least ten people killed in suspected drone assaults. Israel and the U.S. Central Command did not immediately comment on involvement.
With the Strait of Hormuz effectively blocked and regional hostilities intensifying, analysts warn that oil prices may remain volatile, while the scale of human suffering continues to rise across the Middle East. - March 12, 2026
