Conflict Widens: Tehran Bombarded, Iranian Retaliation Spreads
Israel launched attacks on targets in Iran and Lebanon on Tuesday, while Tehran responded with retaliatory strikes across the region. This latest escalation marks a widening of the Middle East conflict, with the attacks increasing in intensity and risking spillover to its Gulf neighbors.
US President Donald Trump hinted that Washington—which is engaged in a joint campaign with Israel against Iran—could continue military operations for a longer duration. In his first public appearance since the initial attacks over the weekend, Trump said the US has a “virtually unlimited supply” of some types of weaponry. He had previously stated that US involvement could last for another four to five weeks.
For Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the latest wave of attacks would not last years. “This is not an endless war,” Netanyahu said in a media interview on Monday. The Israeli military said it had struck targets in Tehran, as well as a command center and weapons storage facility for the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Beirut.
Meanwhile, Iran continued its response at various locations. The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia reportedly suffered minor damage from an airstrike; Riyadh blamed Iran for the incident and warned of a risk of escalating violence. Meanwhile, Amazon's cloud computing unit said two of its facilities in the UAE and Bahrain were hit by drone attacks and suffered significant damage.
The impact of the conflict has begun to ripple through aviation activity and market sentiment. Dubai International Airport was reportedly affected, prompting the UAE's two largest airlines—Emirates and Etihad—to extend the suspension of flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi, although some repatriation and cargo flights remain permitted. Airline and hotel stocks have been under pressure, amid rising operational risks and concerns about regional travel disruptions.
Adding to tensions, the US Embassy in Riyadh warned of the potential for imminent drone or rocket attacks on Dhahran—the region known for hosting the headquarters of state-owned oil giant Saudi Aramco—reflecting heightened awareness of security risks in strategic regional energy hubs. (alg)
Source: Newsmaker.id
