Israel said its war against Iran is entering a “decisive phase” as explosions and strikes continued across the Middle East, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
Millions of people have reportedly been displaced by waves of drone, missile and aerial bombardments, while more than 1,200 people have been killed in Iran as the conflict moved into its third week.
Black smoke was seen rising above the United States Embassy in Baghdad in Baghdad after it was struck for the second time since the war began on February 28, according to journalists from Agence France-Presse.
The conflict erupted after coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran, triggering a confrontation that has shaken the global economy and heightened tensions across the Gulf.
Elsewhere, thick smoke was reported in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates near a major oil storage and export terminal shortly after Iran’s military warned civilians to avoid port areas.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz said the campaign against Iran was entering a decisive stage, although he acknowledged the fighting could continue for an extended period.
“The war is entering a decisive phase,” Katz said, adding that operations would continue “as long as necessary.”
Despite facing stronger military power from the United States and Israel, Iran has continued retaliatory strikes, launching missiles and drones at least 10 neighbouring countries and disrupting shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes.
The Israel Defense Forces also warned residents in an industrial zone in Tabriz, northern Iran, to evacuate ahead of a possible strike.
Meanwhile, the attack on the US embassy in Baghdad came shortly after strikes targeted the Iran-backed militia Kataeb Hezbollah, killing two members including what security sources described as a key figure.
Donald Trump said on Friday that US forces had struck Kharg Island, Iran’s largest oil export hub, claiming the operation “obliterated every military target” while sparing energy facilities.
Iranian media, however, reported that the island’s oil infrastructure remained unaffected.
Iran has warned that any attack on its energy facilities could trigger retaliation against US-linked oil and energy companies, saying such targets would be “turned into a pile of ashes.”
