By Anietie anii-bassey
A sweeping wave of coordinated airstrikes by Israel and the United States struck multiple targets across Iran on Monday, killing more than 25 people and triggering a rapid escalation that reverberated across the Middle East. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and several Gulf Arab states, raising fears of a broader regional war as a high-stakes deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump approached.
Explosions echoed across Tehran well into the night, with residents reporting the persistent roar of low-flying aircraft as strikes hit key sites in and around the capital. Thick plumes of black smoke rose near Azadi Square after one strike hit the grounds of Sharif University of Technology, a facility long scrutinized by Western governments for its alleged links to Iran’s military and missile development programs.
The extent of the damage at the university remained unclear, though Iranian media reported that nearby infrastructure, including a natural gas distribution facility, was also affected.
In Israel, the consequences of Iran’s retaliation were immediately felt. Authorities confirmed that two people were killed when a missile struck a residential building in the northern city of Haifa. Emergency crews continued searching through the rubble for additional victims as fresh waves of Iranian missiles targeted the area early Monday.
The conflict quickly spread beyond the immediate combatants. Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates activated their air defense systems to intercept incoming Iranian missiles and drones, signaling the widening scope of the confrontation. Tehran has increasingly targeted regional energy infrastructure while tightening its control over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes under normal conditions.
Global energy markets reacted sharply to the escalating tensions. Brent crude prices surged to $109 per barrel in early trading, marking a dramatic increase of about 50% since the conflict began. Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has plummeted, with analysts estimating a decline of more than 90% compared to the same period last year.
While Iran has allowed limited passage for certain vessels, ships linked to the United States, Israel, or their allies have largely been denied access, with some operators reportedly paying fees to secure transit.
Amid mounting economic and political pressure, Trump issued a stark ultimatum to Tehran, demanding that it reopen the strait by Monday night Washington time. He warned that failure to comply would result in a sweeping U.S. military campaign targeting Iran’s critical infrastructure, including power plants and bridges. In a series of forceful public statements, Trump suggested that such strikes would severely cripple the country’s capabilities, intensifying the already volatile situation.
Iranian officials responded defiantly. Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf condemned the threats as reckless and accused Washington of pursuing a dangerous course that would only deepen the conflict. He insisted that military pressure would not yield concessions and called instead for respect for Iran’s sovereignty and the rights of its people.
Despite the escalating violence, diplomatic efforts continued behind the scenes. Oman confirmed that senior officials from Iran and Oman met to discuss proposals aimed at ensuring safe and uninterrupted passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
Egypt also reported a flurry of diplomatic contacts, with its foreign minister speaking to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff as well as his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi, in addition to officials from Turkey and Pakistan. Russia said that Araghchi also held discussions with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, underscoring the international urgency to prevent further escalation.
The human toll of the conflict continued to rise sharply. In Iran, at least 25 people were reported killed in Monday’s strikes alone, including 13 in the southwestern outskirts of Tehran near Eslamshahr, five in the city of Qom, and several others in attacks across multiple مناطق. Additional casualties were reported after a strike destroyed a residential home in the capital.
Since the conflict began, more than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran, according to the most recent figures, though officials have not updated the toll in recent days.
The violence has also spilled into neighboring countries. In Lebanon, where Israeli ground operations are ongoing against Iranian-backed Hezbollah fighters, more than 1,400 people have been killed and over one million displaced. Israeli forces have reported the deaths of 11 soldiers in those operations.
Elsewhere in the region, casualties have been reported in Gulf Arab states and the occupied West Bank, while Israel has recorded at least 19 civilian deaths from Iranian strikes. The United States has also confirmed the loss of 13 service members since the start of hostilities.
As the deadline set by Washington looms, there is little indication that Tehran is prepared to ease its grip on the Strait of Hormuz or scale back its military actions. With both sides signaling resolve and regional actors increasingly drawn into the conflict, fears are growing that the crisis could spiral into a prolonged and far more devastating war.