New Israeli Air Strikes Hit Tehran and Isfahan
Israel’s military announced it has begun a new, broad wave of air strikes targeting Iranian regime infrastructure in the cities of Tehran and Isfahan. This follows an earlier wave involving 80 fighter jets, marking a significant intensification of direct hostilities between the two nations.
US Naval Action and India’s Diplomatic Move
In a related maritime incident, the United States sank an Iranian navy frigate, the Dena, off the coast of Sri Lanka. On the same day, India allowed an Iranian warship, the Lavan, to dock at the port of Kochi on humanitarian grounds. Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar stated the decision was made from a “point of view of humanity” after Tehran issued an urgent request, as the vessel reportedly developed technical issues.
Civilian Toll and Regional Spillover
The conflict’s human cost is mounting. Iran’s UN envoy reported 1,332 Iranian civilians have been killed in the war. In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes on the town of Nabi Chit killed at least 16 people, one of the deadliest single bombardments since hostilities resumed. Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for a drone attack on the Maltese-flagged oil tanker “Prima” in the Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Conditional Pause and Regional Strikes
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced a suspension of attacks against neighboring countries, unless an attack on Iran originates from them. He apologized to neighboring nations for Iran’s recent cross-border strikes. Despite this, the IRGC stated it targeted “separatist groups” in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, warning of a crushing response to any threat against Iran’s territorial integrity.
Regional Disruption and Fallout
The conflict is causing major regional disruption. Emirates airline suspended all flights to and from Dubai following a reported drone strike on Dubai airport’s runway. The aftermath of strikes has also been reported at Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport. Separately, the US is set to receive the remains of six troops killed in a Kuwait strike, as Treasury Secretary Bessent indicated the potential lifting of more sanctions on Russian oil.
