The war between the United States, Israel, and Iran intensified over the weekend, with attacks across the Gulf, Iran, Lebanon, and Yemen raising fears of further regional escalation and global economic disruption.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the United States of secretly planning a ground invasion while publicly pursuing diplomatic efforts. “The enemy publicly sends messages of negotiation and dialogue while secretly planning a ground attack,” he said in a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency. He added that Iranian forces were prepared to confront any US troops entering the country.
The USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship carrying approximately 3,500 Marines and sailors, arrived in the Middle East on Friday. According to The Washington Post, the Pentagon has drafted plans for potential ground operations targeting locations such as Kharg Island and sites near the Strait of Hormuz, though President Donald Trump had not approved troop deployment at the time of reporting. The US has also sent additional forces from the 82nd Airborne Division to the region.
Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for about a fifth of global oil and LNG shipments, heightening concerns about energy supply and shipping disruptions. President Trump has threatened strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure but has extended a deadline to allow Iran additional time to respond. Tehran, meanwhile, claims diplomatic contacts with the US are false.
The conflict has spread beyond Iran. Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis launched missile attacks on Israel over the weekend, marking their first strikes since the conflict began. Israel intercepted some of the missiles and warned of further potential threats to shipping in the Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula.
Airstrikes by Israel targeted Iranian-linked sites in Lebanon and Iran on Saturday. Three Lebanese journalists were killed in a strike on a media vehicle in southern Lebanon, according to Al Manar TV, while the World Health Organization reported nine paramedics killed and seven wounded in five attacks on healthcare workers. Israel said one journalist, Ali Shaib, was affiliated with Hezbollah’s intelligence wing, a claim denied by Hezbollah and condemned by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun as a violation of international law.
Iran continued its retaliatory strikes on Gulf states, hitting Saudi, Kuwaiti, Emirati, and Omani targets. An Iranian strike wounded 12 US personnel at a Saudi air base, two seriously, while another attack hit the Iranian University of Science and Technology in Tehran. Reports indicate at least five people were killed in US-Israeli attacks in Zanjan, northwestern Iran.
In response to threats from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard targeting American universities, the American University of Beirut announced it would operate remotely for two days as a precaution.
The conflict, which began on 28 February with US and Israeli strikes on Iranian sites, has killed thousands and caused widespread disruption to global energy markets. Demonstrations in the US have protested the war, reflecting rising domestic concern over the escalating military operations.
The situation remains fluid, with regional tensions, potential attacks on shipping, and growing US and Iranian military presence signaling a period of high risk for both the Middle East and the global economy.
