By Our Correspondent
National News – Israel launched fresh military strikes on Iran on Monday, escalating a conflict that has already claimed thousands of lives and disrupted global energy supplies.
Explosions shook Tehran, while Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intercepted missiles and drones targeting strategic sites.
Iranian state media reported strikes on vital infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities, after Israel-US attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites.
The war, now in its fourth week, has already damaged at least 40 energy assets across the Middle East, according to International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol.
Iranian forces have fired missiles and drones at Israel and the Gulf region, affecting US embassies and throttling traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil transport.
Oil prices surged above $100 a barrel amid supply concerns.
US President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum threatening Iranian power plants if the strait remained closed, prompting a strong response from Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who warned that regional infrastructure would be considered legitimate targets.
Iran is also considering tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, while allowing only vessels from friendly nations to transit.
Meanwhile, Israel expanded its campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon, targeting bridges over the Litani River and warning of a long-term operation.
Over 1,000 people have died in Lebanon, with more than a million displaced.
Lebanese leaders condemned the strikes as violations of sovereignty, while Hezbollah’s attacks were cited as retaliation for Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei’s assassination.
In Israel, missiles from Iran hit towns near sensitive sites, including Dimona, close to a nuclear research facility, injuring dozens.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to pursue Iranian Revolutionary Guard commanders responsible for the strikes.
Iranian officials stated these attacks were retaliation for prior Israeli strikes on Natanz.
The conflict has so far killed more than 3,230 in Iran, including over 1,400 civilians.
