Military escalation between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other is intensifying, as diplomatic efforts falter amid continued strikes, mounting casualties, and growing attacks on critical infrastructure.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said any decision to end the war would only come after Tehran’s conditions are fully met, ensuring “the country’s dignity, security and national interests.” His remarks followed confirmation that Iran had received U.S. peace proposals via regional mediators, which it dismissed as “unrealistic and excessive.”
Explosions rocked Tehran on Tuesday, with power outages reported in parts of the capital after a power substation was damaged, according to Iranian media—signalling a widening campaign targeting key infrastructure.
The developments come as U.S. President Donald Trump warned of further escalation, including potential strikes on Iran’s energy facilities and oil fields, if negotiations fail to deliver swift results—particularly regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG supplies transit.
While some reports suggested Washington may consider scaling back operations even if the strait remains partially disrupted, the administration has requested an additional $200bn in war funding, a move facing strong opposition in Congress.
On the ground, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it had shot down U.S. drones, while local officials reported 11 people killed and 15 injured in strikes on residential areas in Markazi province, with several buildings destroyed.
Civilian infrastructure has also come under fire. A desalination plant on Qeshm Island was rendered fully inoperable, while a maritime dock sustained damage without casualties. In western Iran, a building linked to a water transport company was struck, killing one employee and injuring eight others.
The conflict’s regional spillover was underscored in the Gulf, where debris fell on residential homes in Dubai, injuring four people.
Israel’s health ministry said 121 people were injured in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of casualties since the start of the war to more than 6,000, with at least 25 deaths reported amid tight restrictions on disclosures.
Iranian media also reported a cyberattack targeting a Saudi oil company, allegedly compromising sensitive data, though this has not been independently verified.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the coming days would be “decisive,” citing military superiority, while the chairman of the Joint Chiefs stated that U.S. forces had struck more than 11,000 targets and destroyed hundreds of Iranian vessels as part of a broad campaign to degrade Iran’s military and industrial capabilities.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to maintaining good neighbourly relations, denying reports of missile launches towards Turkey and accusing the United States of violating international norms by targeting civilian infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was pursuing separate security arrangements in Lebanon, even if a ceasefire is reached with Iran—pointing to a potential further widening of the conflict.
