By Ayomide Otitoju
The war between Israel and Iran, now spilling across the Middle East, entered its seventh day on Friday, with Israeli forces announcing a “next phase” of the conflict and bombing southern suburbs of Beirut.
Earlier, the Israeli military issued an unprecedented evacuation warning for the entire area, urging residents to “save your lives and evacuate your residences immediately,” prompting panic and mass flight from the suburbs.
Lebanon was drawn into the widening conflict on Monday when Hezbollah attacked Israel in retaliation for the killing of Ali Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei. Israel responded with airstrikes and limited ground incursions, targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Beirut. At least 123 people have been killed in Lebanon, with 683 wounded and 90,000 displaced, according to local authorities.
In the wider region, tensions are spreading. A US submarine reportedly torpedoed an Iranian warship off the Sri Lankan coast, while Azerbaijan threatened retaliation after a drone strike on an airport. Iran denied responsibility for the Azerbaijani incident, blaming Israel instead.
US President Donald Trump commented on the political implications, dismissing Mojtaba Khamenei as a “lightweight” and rejecting him as a potential successor to his father. In an interview with Axios, Trump suggested he would prefer working with an internal Iranian figure who could “bring harmony and peace” rather than toppling the government outright.
In Tehran, fresh US and Israeli strikes have left vehicles and buildings blackened, with smoke rising across the city. Iranian authorities report at least 1,230 deaths from the attacks, while the US military confirmed six American personnel have died since the conflict began. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi vowed to confront the forces, calling a ground invasion a potential disaster for Israel and the US.
Israel reported that 60 percent of Iran’s missile launchers and 80 percent of its air defence systems have been destroyed. Army chief Eyal Zamir said the “next phase” would bring “additional surprises,” as Iranian missile barrages hit Tel Aviv, igniting fires near the city’s commercial hub.
The conflict is also affecting the Gulf, with Iran targeting energy and civilian infrastructure. Thirteen people have died across Gulf states, including an 11-year-old girl in Kuwait. Bahrain reported Iranian strikes on hotels and a residential building, while Saudi Arabia intercepted three missiles aimed at an airbase. In Qatar, intercepted missiles caused loud explosions and thick smoke over Doha, and six people were injured by falling debris in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The escalation underscores the widening reach of the Iran-Israel conflict, with repercussions now extending from Lebanon and the Gulf to South Asia and the Caucasus.
