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The conflict in the Middle East has entered a more aggressive phase as the U.S. military announced plans for its most intense bombardment of Iran yet.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that American forces will strike with unprecedented weight, targeting over 200 sites in a single day.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has used social media to label the Iranian leadership as “deranged” and expressed that removing them from power is a strategic “honour.”
This rhetoric coincides with reports that Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, may have been severely injured in the initial airstrikes that killed his father on February 28.
Despite the heavy aerial campaign, Iranian officials have maintained a posture of defiance, leading large-scale pro-government rallies in Tehran.
During these demonstrations, explosions were reported over the city, and at least one civilian casualty was confirmed.
Senior Iranian security officials dismissed the US and Israeli attacks as acts of “desperation,” claiming that the strikes on public gatherings prove the failure of the Western campaign.
In a swift countermove, Iran launched a fresh barrage of missiles at Israel and deployed drones against regional neighbours hosting U.S. military assets, with several being intercepted over Saudi Arabia and Dubai.
The war’s economic fallout is becoming increasingly severe for civilians and global markets.
Inside Iran, the Revolutionary Guards have threatened a brutal crackdown on any internal dissent, while citizens report that basic goods like bread are now being rationed and cash is becoming scarce.
Globally, the near-total closure of the Strait of Hormuz has kept oil prices volatile, hovering around $100 a barrel.
While the U.S. and its allies have released millions of barrels from strategic reserves to stabilise the market, energy experts warn that the conflict is causing the most significant supply disruption since the 1970s.
