The United States and Israel have launched successive waves of air attacks on the Iranian capital, Tehran, and other areas, significantly escalating a spiralling regional conflict The strikes occurred as US President Donald Trump signaled a further intensification of the campaign, vowing to hit Iran "very hard" in the coming days and describing the country's leaders as "deranged scumbags"
One strike was reported to have hit near a square adjacent to Tehran University, where crowds had gathered in support of the Iranian government Video footage from the semi-official Tasnim news agency showed a large plume of smoke rising from the area as demonstrators chanted anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans Residents in the capital have reported relentless bombing amid the attacks
The conflict continues to have broad regional implications. In Lebanon, further Israeli strikes were reported as the humanitarian situation worsens, with one source indicating 800,000 people have been displaced by the violence The recent military actions and escalatory rhetoric from the US president suggest a deepening of the crisis across the Middle East, with the potential for further bloodshed and destruction There has been no official comment from Iranian officials regarding casualties or damage from the latest wave of strikes.
Mohsin Rana
