Iran launched coordinated strikes on Israel and several Gulf states on Wednesday in retaliation for the airstrike that killed one of its senior security leaders, using advanced missiles and cluster munitions that officials say penetrated air defences and killed two near Tel Aviv.
Israel continued heavy strikes in Lebanon, saying it targeted Iran-backed Hezbollah positions. Multiple air raids hit Beirut apartment buildings and other locations, killing at least six people in the Lebanese capital, according to the health ministry. The Lebanese government says more than 1 million people have been displaced and reports 912 dead across the country since the war began.
In Iran, the Bushehr nuclear power plant complex was struck by a projectile but suffered no damage and no injuries, the International Atomic Energy Agency said after receiving a report from Tehran.
Iranian retaliation and regional strikes
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it fired Khorramshahr 4 and Qadr missiles, some armed with cluster warheads, at targets in and near Tel Aviv. The overnight attack killed two people in a densely populated neighbourhood close to key military facilities, bringing Israel’s reported civilian death toll from the wider conflict to at least 14. Israeli officials have previously warned about Iran’s use of cluster munitions, which disperse multiple submunitions mid-air and are hard to intercept.
New attacks were also reported across the Gulf early Wednesday, including in Saudi Arabia’s oil-rich Eastern Province, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi forces shot down a ballistic missile aimed at the Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts US forces. Explosions were heard near Al Minhad Air Base in the UAE, a transit hub used by Western militaries; Australia’s prime minister said a projectile caused a small fire at an Australian base near Dubai but caused no injuries.
Iran blamed the strikes near Gulf urban areas on the relocation of US personnel from bases into hotels and other city facilities, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told Al Jazeera. He acknowledged regional governments and civilians have been harmed or unsettled by Iranian strikes but placed blame squarely on the United States, which he accused of starting the war on February 28.
Regional and US military actions
The United States said it struck hardened Iranian anti-ship missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz with heavy munitions, aiming to neutralise threats to international shipping. The US Central Command released footage and statements saying multiple 5,000-pound munitions were used against missile sites along Iran’s coastline.
Maritime and trade data show shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has continued in limited, often opaque ways. Around 90 vessels, including tankers, are recorded to have transited since the conflict began, many using “dark” transits to evade sanctions and oversight. Iran says the strait remains technically open but excludes the United States, Israel and their allies; about 20 vessels have been struck, raising global energy supply concerns.
Impact and fallout
Global air travel remains disrupted as key Middle Eastern hubs including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi have been affected, leading to widespread flight cancellations and stranded passengers. Oil markets have been volatile: Brent crude and US benchmarks spiked earlier but saw some pullback amid mixed market reactions; concerns remain that continued pressure on the Strait of Hormuz could tighten supplies.
The conflict is also affecting agriculture and industry: US farmers report steep fertiliser price rises tied to disruptions in supplies linked to the conflict. Markets in Asia were mostly higher on Wednesday despite the barrage of attacks, with Japan and South Korea shares rising and US futures up modestly ahead of a US Federal Reserve rate decision.
Political reactions and internal Iranian developments
Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who attended his first foreign-policy meeting since his appointment, reportedly rejected proposals conveyed to Tehran for reducing tensions or a ceasefire with the United States, saying it was not the right time for peace until the US and Israel accept defeat, a senior Iranian official told Reuters.
Inside Iran, the judiciary announced the execution of a man accused of spying for Israel’s Mossad. State media identified the executed man as Kourosh Keyvani, whom authorities said provided images and information on sensitive locations to Israeli intelligence.
Casualties and wider toll
In Lebanon, the health ministry and state media reported dozens killed in renewed Israeli strikes across Beirut, southern and eastern parts of the country. In addition to the civilian toll, at least 13 US service members have been killed in the conflict, and Israel reports multiple military and civilian casualties from Iranian missile fire.
The fighting shows no immediate signs of abating as Iran’s missile and drone strikes continue to target Israel and Gulf facilities, while Israel presses operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the United States takes action against Iranian missile infrastructure threatening navigation and regional forces.
