Middle East war escalates, Iran retaliates 

Day five of the war between Israel, the United States and Iran is rapidly expanding into a broader regional conflict, triggering evacuations of Western nationals and raising fears of a third Gulf War.

The Israeli-U.S. offensive against Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes against countries aligned with Washington have transformed what began as a targeted operation into a wider Middle Eastern war. Some analysts are already describing the conflict as the third Gulf War, following the very different conflicts of 1991 and 2003.

Intensifying military operations

According to U.S. and Israeli officials, waves of air and missile strikes have targeted roughly 2,000 sites inside Iran, while 17 Iranian naval units have reportedly been sunk.

The Iranian Red Crescent says around 800 people have been killed and thousands wounded since the start of the attacks.

The Wall Street Journal reports that beyond military targets, the strikes are also intended to weaken Iran’s internal security apparatus, potentially making anti-government protests easier and less risky for civilians.

At the same time, Israel has intensified operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, bombing areas of Beirut and sending ground forces into southern Lebanon.

U.S. casualties

The Pentagon confirmed that six U.S. service members have been killed so far in the conflict. Four of them—three men and one woman, all reservists—were identified as victims of a drone strike on a U.S. installation in Kuwait.

Iran strikes across the region

Tehran has continued its counteroffensive, launching attacks on military and diplomatic targets linked to the United States across the Middle East, including embassies, consulates and CIA-associated facilities.