Israeli strikes hit Tehran as Trump suggests a deal with Iran could be imminent, while regional conflict escalates with attacks on Gulf states.
TEHRAN: Israel announced strikes on military targets across Tehran on Monday. The attack came a day after US President Donald Trump insisted a deal with Iran could be reached “soon”.
Iran retaliated with fresh strikes on Israel, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. This followed attacks on its electrical facilities over the weekend, which cut power to parts of Tehran.
The conflict has wreaked havoc on the global economy, causing fuel shortages in Asia and stock market turmoil. Oil prices have soared, with the main US benchmark surpassing US$100 a barrel.
As Israel pressed its offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, Indonesia confirmed a UN peacekeeper was killed. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said a projectile hit one of its positions and an investigation was launched.
Trump claimed “regime change” had been achieved in Iran due to the number of leaders killed. “We’ve had regime change,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One.
Asked if a deal could be reached this week, Trump said, “I do see a deal in Iran. Could be soon.” In a separate interview, he suggested a desire to “take the oil in Iran,” comparing it to US actions in Venezuela.
On the ground, hostilities continued with no let-up. Israel said its defences responded to “missiles launched from Iran” after announcing strikes on “terror regime military infrastructure across Tehran”.
Diplomatic efforts saw Pakistan host foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Dar said the parties discussed how to “bring an early and permanent end to the war.”
He added that both Iran and the US had expressed “confidence in Pakistan to facilitate the talks.” However, the speaker of Iran’s parliament accused Washington of using diplomacy as a smoke screen.
“The enemy publicly sends messages of negotiation and dialogue while secretly planning a ground attack,” Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a statement.
Despite diplomatic overtures, the US has sent more military assets to the region, including the USS Tripoli. Reports suggest the Pentagon is preparing plans for potential ground operations, though Trump has not approved any deployment.
The relentless strikes have severely impacted civilians in Iran. “I miss a peaceful night’s sleep,” an artist in Tehran told AFP, describing night-time strikes that felt “so intense it felt like all of Tehran was shaking”.
The conflict has escalated regionally, with Iran retaliating against Gulf states and effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian strike in Kuwait killed one Indian worker and damaged a power station.
Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said its forces intercepted five ballistic missiles. Iran’s energy ministry reported widespread power outages following attacks on its electricity infrastructure.
Trump has previously threatened to strike Iranian power stations if negotiations fail. Iran says it has closed the Strait of Hormuz to vessels from hostile nations, a critical chokepoint for global oil and gas shipments.