Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Saturday to continue military operations against Iran, declaring that Israel has a “systematic plan to eradicate the Iranian regime.” His comments came as Tehran insisted it would not surrender, even amid mounting attacks across the region.
In a televised address, Netanyahu said Israel would pursue the conflict “with all our force,” following a day of relentless missile and drone strikes by Iran targeting Gulf neighbors. Israel and the United States responded with air raids on Tehran, including attacks on an airport and an oil depot, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reported striking the U.S. Juffair base in Bahrain, which it claimed had been used to attack an Iranian desalination plant earlier.
Air raid warnings and explosions were reported in Jerusalem, Doha, and across the UAE and Bahrain. The UAE said its defenses intercepted 15 missiles and 119 drones Saturday morning, with one projectile filmed crashing at Dubai airport. Blasts were also reported in Baghdad, Erbil, and Dubai, while Saudi Arabia confirmed attacks on its territory.
Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, Iran’s judiciary chief, vowed continued heavy attacks, accusing regional countries of serving as bases for foreign enemies. Earlier, President Masoud Pezeshkian issued an apology to Iran’s neighbors hosting U.S. military bases while rejecting demands for Tehran’s unconditional surrender. “Iran’s enemies must take their wish for the unconditional surrender of the Iranian people to their graves,” he said.
Israel launched some of its heaviest raids since the conflict began last week, targeting a military academy, an underground command center, and missile storage facilities. Fire and smoke erupted from Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport after a predawn strike, with Netanyahu claiming near-total control of the skies over the Iranian capital.
U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated on social media and in Florida that Iran would face “complete destruction” for its actions, citing Tehran’s near-nuclear capability.
The conflict, triggered by joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, has widened to Lebanon, Cyprus, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and even the seas off Sri Lanka, where a U.S. torpedo sank an Iranian warship. Inside Iran, residential and infrastructure damage is mounting, with civilians expressing growing fear amid heavy security presence. The Iranian health ministry reported 926 civilian deaths and 6,000 injuries, though AFP could not independently verify the figures.
Israel has intensified airstrikes on Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah-held areas and ordering evacuations in southern suburbs of Beirut and the country’s south. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Lebanese President Joseph Aoun of a “very heavy price” if Hezbollah is not disarmed. Over the past week, Lebanese authorities reported at least 294 deaths from Israeli strikes, with Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warning of a “humanitarian disaster.”
The conflict is reverberating globally, with stock markets falling and crude oil prices surging. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reported hitting two oil tankers with exploding drones in the Gulf, threatening traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for energy shipments.
Trump pledged economic aid to Iran if it accepts leadership “acceptable” to the U.S., but Iran’s U.N. ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, rejected foreign involvement in selecting a successor to Khamenei. Meanwhile, China and Russia have largely remained on the sidelines, though Moscow is reportedly sharing intelligence on U.S. troop movements with Tehran. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. was “not concerned” about these reports.
Six U.S. service members have been killed in the conflict, and Trump was scheduled to attend a ceremony for the return of their remains on Saturday.
