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WASHINGTON –
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States has “the capability to go far longer ” than the four-to-five-week window some officials had described for joint U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran, as a spiraling conflict widened to Lebanon and the Gulf and sent shockwaves through global energy, diplomacy and security.

The campaign, which U.S. and Israeli officials say began with strikes on Saturday that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has drawn rapid retaliation by Tehran and allied militias across the region, targeted Israeli and U.S. assets, and triggered emergency measures from Gulf monarchies to East Asian shipping lines. With no clearly articulated end-state and conflicting public rationales from Washington and Jerusalem, the fighting risks becoming a protracted, multi-theater war with global repercussions under the shadow of the United Nations Charter’s rules on the use of force and self‑defense.

Targets expand from Tehran to Beirut as casualties mount

Iran’s Red Crescent said at least 555 people have been killed and more than 130 cities across Iran have come under attack since Saturday. Israeli officials reported 11 dead in Israel, while Lebanese authorities said 31 people were killed amid strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern Lebanon.

In a sharp escalation early Tuesday, the Israeli military said it was striking “Hezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities in Beirut,” after the Iran‑backed group launched missiles and drones at northern Israel shortly after midnight Sunday. Plumes of smoke rose over the capital; Hezbollah said it had dispatched drones toward an Israeli air base, while the Israel Defense Forces said it downed two drones. In a statement Tuesday, Hezbollah asserted that “confrontation is a legitimate right,” describing its rocket fire as “a reaction to the aggression,” and saying Israeli attacks “could not continue without a response.”

At Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives on Monday night, mourners buried three siblings – Yaakov, 16, Avigail, 15, and Sarah Biton, 13 – among nine people killed Sunday when an Iranian missile struck a synagogue shelter in Beit Shemesh. “I was right beneath the hole that was torn open, and I have no explanation for how we were not more seriously hurt. We experienced a great miracle,” Penina Cohen told President Isaac Herzog at Hadassah Hospital. “Today my son turns 13, and he was meant to celebrate his bar mitzvah. Instead, we are burying my husband and mother-in-law.”

Washington and Jerusalem signal open‑ended aims, different emphases

The administration sought to project resolve even as senior officials gave varied explanations of the operation’s goals. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Capitol Hill Monday that “The hardest hits are yet to come from the U.S. military. The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now.” Asked how long the U.S. campaign would last, Rubio said, “How long will it take? I don’t know how long it will take. We have objectives. We will do this as long as it takes to achieve those objectives.” He added that while “We would love for there to be an Iran that’s not governed by radical Shia clerics,” “That’s not the objective.” The goals, he said, are “to destroy their ballistic missile capability and make sure they can’t rebuild it, and make sure that they can’t hide behind that to have a nuclear program. That’s the objective of the mission.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, defending the decision to go to war alongside the United States, contended in a Fox News interview that Iran was rebuilding “new sites, new places” that would make “their ballistic missile program and their atomic bomb program immune within months.” He offered no evidence and did not address satellite analysis indicating only limited activity at two Iranian nuclear facilities in recent months. “We had to take the action now and we did,” Netanyahu said. “Otherwise the Iranian mass murder regime would have immunity from future action.” He echoed a Trump administration point that the war would not be “endless” and argued it could create space for a future democratic government in Iran.

On Capitol Hill, a classified briefing Monday left lawmakers divided over the legal basis and strategic clarity of the strikes. House Speaker Mike Johnson called the U.S. action a “defensive operation” because Israel was prepared to act “with or without American support,” saying Trump faced a “very difficult decision.” Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, countered that “there was no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians. There was a threat to Israel.” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the administration’s answers were “completely and totally insufficient.” Officials indicated the administration will likely seek supplemental funding from Congress, a step that could sharpen debates over the scope of presidential war powers and whether fresh authorization is needed beyond existing Authorizations for Use of Military Force.

“The hardest hits are yet to come from the U.S. military. The next phase will be even more punishing on Iran than it is right now.” – Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Iran and allies strike back; information war intensifies

Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, responding to Trump’s call for Iranians to overthrow their government, accused Washington of entering “a war of choice on behalf of Israel.” “Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters,” he wrote on X. “American people deserve better and should take back their country.” On Monday he posted an aerial image of rows of freshly dug graves, saying “Their bodies were torn to shreds,” and, “This is how ‘rescue’ promised by Mr. Trump looks in reality.”

Iranian state‑run IRNA reported the military has shot down 20 “enemy drones” since Saturday. State broadcaster IRIB showed smoke rising near its “glass tower of IRIB” in Tehran’s Evin district following overnight strikes; the head of IRIB said no one was injured. Israel’s military separately said it targeted a communications center used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, underscoring how command-and-control nodes and media infrastructure have become central in a parallel contest over narrative and legitimacy.

Gulf states and regional partners also came under fire in what U.S. officials describe as coordinated pressure on American deployments and diplomatic facilities. Saudi Arabia said two drones struck the U.S. Embassy compound in Riyadh, causing a “limited fire” and minor damage. The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia urged Americans in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran to shelter in place. In Amman, the U.S. Embassy said staff had left the compound “due to a threat,” after the Iran‑aligned Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah threatened American bases in Jordan. Sirens sounded in Bahrain early Tuesday; authorities called on residents to move to the nearest safe place.

U.S. military toll rises; CENTCOM touts maritime blows to Iran

U.S. Central Command said Monday that two previously unaccounted service members were confirmed dead, bringing the American death toll in the campaign to six. Capt. Tim Hawkins said 18 service members were seriously wounded. Officials said all six of the dead were Army soldiers in the same logistics unit in Kuwait. Asked about those deaths, senior Pentagon official Pete Hegseth said an Iranian weapon penetrated allied air defenses “and, in that particular case, happened to hit a tactical operations center that was fortified.”

CENTCOM also claimed sweeping action at sea: “Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman, today they have ZERO,” the command said on X. Trump had posted a day earlier that U.S. forces had “destroyed and sunk 9 Iranian Naval Ships” and were “going after the rest.” The maritime campaign has thrust questions of escalation control and freedom of navigation back to the fore, recalling earlier confrontations in the Gulf where U.S. commanders invoked obligations to keep key shipping lanes open under the law of the sea.

Energy arteries and shipping exposed to new risks

Japan ordered domestic shipowners to keep vessels out of the Persian Gulf, as Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara urged operators to “do the utmost to protect crews” and told ships already in the Gulf to anchor where safe. In the United Arab Emirates, authorities said a drone sparked a blaze at Abu Dhabi’s Musaffah fuel terminal that was quickly contained; operations were not affected. Australia’s Defense Minister Richard Marles said Iranian drones struck Al Minhad Air Base near Dubai on the war’s first night: “We have a number of Australians who operate from a headquarters that we’ve had at Al Minhad now for many, many years,” he said. “They are all accounted for, they are all safe. We’ve got north of 100 serving personnel actually across the Middle East in a range of countries, but most are in the UAE and that base is very important for us.”

The Strait of Hormuz – the narrow passage linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman – remains a critical chokepoint for global oil and liquefied natural gas flows. Even short‑lived disruptions and insurance spikes can ripple through commodity markets, drawing in stakeholders far from the battlefield and putting pressure on governments to tap strategic reserves or recalibrate sanctions and export policies.

Humanitarian stress multiplies from Tehran to Gaza

UNESCO voiced concern for Tehran’s Golestan Palace World Heritage site after a strike Monday hit Arag Square in its buffer zone; the palace sustained damage from debris and shock waves, the U.N. agency said. The 18th‑ and 19th‑century complex is among Iran’s most treasured cultural landmarks, protected under global conventions that urge warring parties to spare heritage from harm.

U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo, briefing a Security Council session chaired by U.S. first lady Melania Trump on Monday, underscored the toll on children. “We have been reminded of this truth over the last two days. Schools in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman have closed and moved to remote learning owing to the ongoing military operations in the region,” she said, adding the U.N. was aware of reports that dozens of children died in a strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran; the U.S. and Israel said they were looking into the incident.

Inside Gaza, Israel’s wartime closure of all crossings since Saturday stretched stocks of food and fuel and forced water rationing in parts of Gaza City to as little as two liters per person per day, the U.N. humanitarian office said. Late Monday, Israel’s COGAT authority announced the Kerem Shalom crossing would reopen Tuesday “for the gradual entry of humanitarian aid,” coordinated with the American Civil‑Military Coordination Center and under security restrictions. Humanitarian officials warn that the stop‑start pattern of access – mediated through military coordination units rather than a stable civilian framework – leaves civilians highly exposed to any further escalation.

Regional and religious authorities weigh in

Cairo’s Al‑Azhar al‑Sharif, the Sunni world’s foremost seat of learning, called for an immediate halt to the war and denounced attacks on Arab countries, saying “these aggressions are rejected … whatever the justifications, pretexts or explanations.” At the U.N., Bahrain’s ambassador Jamal Alrowaiei said “the Iranian aggression is resulting in significant material and psychological damages that threaten the safety and security of residents and citizens,” noting school closures in his country, which hosts the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

Iran’s U.N. ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani accused Washington of hypocrisy moments before the Security Council meeting on protecting children in conflict: “It is deeply shameful and hypocritical,” he said, “that on the very first day of its presidency of the Security Council, the United States convenes a high-level meeting on protecting children, technology, and education in armed conflict under the agenda item ‘Maintenance of international peace and security,’ while at the same time launching missile strikes against Iranian cities and bombing schools and killing children.” He added: “For the United States, ‘protecting children’ and ‘maintaining international peace and security’ clearly mean something very different from what the UN Charter provides.”

Europe splits over support; NATO distances alliance from combat role

NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte said the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran is crucial for Europe’s security and that allies could support it via logistics and access rather than direct combat. “It would be a stranglehold on Israel. It could potentially mean Israel’s defeat,” he told Germany’s ARD. Asked about NATO entering the war, he said, “This is Iran, this is the Gulf, this is outside NATO territory.” By emphasizing that the conflict falls outside the alliance’s mutual-defense obligations under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, Rutte sought to reassure European publics while keeping political backing for Washington intact.

Spain’s government, a NATO ally that hosts major U.S. bases at Rota and Morón, condemned the strikes as “unjustifiable” and “dangerous.” Defense Minister Margarita Robles insisted “no assistance of any kind, absolutely none,” was provided from Spanish soil for the operation. “There is a deal with the U.S. over these bases, but our understanding of the deal is that operations have to comply with international legal frameworks and that there has to be international support for them,” she said, arguing the U.S. and Israel acted “unilaterally without the support of an international resolution.”

Domestic U.S. politics: support, skepticism and a shifting public mood

A snap survey indicated Americans were more likely to oppose than support the initial airstrikes, with opposition concentrated among Democrats and independents. On the ground in Texas primary voting, some voters voiced alarm. “I think that this could go on for years to come if they don’t have a clear exit strategy,” said Charles Padmore, 45. “I don’t even think they have a strategy. I think they just went in blind.” Nineteen‑year‑old Sophia Morales said, “I feel like Iran was in a war with Israel, but then all of a sudden, we’re in war too,” citing reports that a girls’ school was bombed. Her mother, Dina, added: “I don’t think I’ve heard of any clearer plans of what’s next after the bombing, just like what’s next in Venezuela.” Alex Diaz, 31, argued Trump should have “gone the right way” and sought congressional authorization if Iran posed a direct U.S. threat. “I’m just like, ‘Are you trying to kill us? Are you trying to cause a World War III?’” he said.

Two Trump supporters outside Waco said the president is keeping his promises. “I just expected him to do what needs to be done to protect America,” said Connie Stamps. “He wants to protect America first, and that’s what he’s doing. And he cares about the whole world. So he’s the peace president.” Stamps said she was grateful to have a leader “who is brave enough to do what he says he’s going to do.” Mollie Leutwyler Smith said she hadn’t voted for war with Iran but welcomed decisive action over diplomacy. “Did I vote for that in particular? I won’t say I voted for that, but, yes, I think as the president, he can make decisions,” she said.

Gaza crossings shift; Lebanon’s finances in the crosshairs

Israel’s military said it completed strikes on branches of al‑Qard al‑Hasan, a Hezbollah‑linked financial institution that operates outside Lebanon’s regulated banking system and is viewed by Israel as a funding channel for the group’s military wing. The institution has been targeted previously in the Israel‑Hezbollah confrontation, and the latest strikes highlight how financial networks have become integrated into the military battlespace.

In Jerusalem on Monday afternoon and evening, a lull in Iranian missile fire produced a tense calm; streets in largely Israeli West Jerusalem remained sparse. Later, Israel’s army said it intercepted a hostile aircraft from Lebanon and was reviewing the incident, underscoring that even brief pauses in fire can be reversed quickly.

Legal and institutional frames under strain

The rapid expansion of hostilities has reignited debates over the international law of self‑defense, targeted killing of state officials, proportionality in urban air campaigns, and the protection of schools and cultural sites. The U.N. Security Council – where competing narratives of self‑defense and unlawful aggression collide – remains the principal body mandated to respond, but divisions among permanent members and regional stakeholders have limited collective action under the Charter’s Chapter VII enforcement provisions. Human rights lawyers and former U.N. officials say the simultaneous targeting of senior state figures, energy infrastructure and densely populated areas is likely to be scrutinized in future inquiries into compliance with international humanitarian law.

Americans urged to leave conflict zone countries

The State Department on Monday urged U.S. citizens to leave more than a dozen countries in the Middle East, including Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel. Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar wrote on X that Americans should “DEPART NOW” using any available commercial transportation. With some carriers canceling flights and airspace restrictions multiplying, options are narrowing day by day.

As of late Tuesday, March 3, 2026, Israeli strikes continued in Beirut; Iran‑aligned militias threatened U.S. forces in Jordan; Israel’s COGAT said Kerem Shalom would reopen for limited aid; and U.S. Central Command maintained the American death toll at six, with 18 seriously wounded, as diplomats at the U.N. and in key capitals searched for a path to de‑escalation within the constraints of the U.N. Charter and domestic political red lines at home.