Breaking - Middle East
War Widens: Lebanon Ceasefire Broken, Gulf Capitals Hit for Third Day
Image: War Widens: Lebanon Ceasefire Broken, Gulf Capitals Hit for
Israel struck Hezbollah targets near Beirut on Monday, shattering a year-long ceasefire. Iranian drones and missiles have now hit Dubai, Doha, Manama and Riyadh for a third straight day. Trump told the New York Times the assault will run "four or five weeks."
The conflict that began Friday with joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran - and Khamenei's death on March 1 - has broken every containment line drawn around it. Lebanon is back at war. Gulf capitals are under fire. Three American service members are dead. Trump says more are coming.
Lebanon: The Ceasefire Is Over
Israeli air strikes hit Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon and the Beirut suburbs early Monday morning, local time. Explosions shook the Lebanese capital for the first time since the November 2024 ceasefire. No casualty figures have been confirmed. The strikes are framed by Israel as pre-emptive action against Hezbollah missile stockpiles that were being readied for launch in solidarity with Tehran.
Hezbollah confirmed it was responding with rockets toward northern Israel. The Lebanese government has not yet made a formal statement.
The Gulf: Day Three, No Let-Up
Iranian drones and ballistic missiles struck Gulf cities for a third consecutive day. Loud explosions were reported in Dubai, Manama, Doha and - for the first time - Riyadh. The UAE said it intercepted a "new wave" of Iranian missiles but that fragments caused damage to the Burj Al Arab. A fire broke out at the Fairmont The Palm hotel. Kuwait International Airport suffered strikes that injured an undetermined number of people.
At least four people were killed and more than 100 injured across Gulf cities on Sunday alone, per the New York Times. Iranian forces appear to be using Shahed drones - the same weapons deployed in Ukraine - alongside ballistic missiles. Three oil tankers in the Gulf have been damaged.
Running toll, as of 12:00 CET Monday:
US service members killed: 3 confirmed
Civilian casualties in Gulf cities: 100+ injured, 4+ dead
Countries struck by Iranian fire: UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan (US bases), Israel
Countries now under active aerial attack: Iran, Lebanon (Hezbollah positions)
Iran nuclear talks status: Suspended indefinitely
Trump: "Four or Five Weeks"
In an interview with the New York Times published Sunday night, Trump said US-Israeli military operations would continue for "four or five weeks." He vowed to "avenge" the deaths of American service members. He said Iran's nuclear program is the central target and that Khamenei's death, while not the stated objective, removes the "head of the snake."
Trump made no mention of diplomatic off-ramps. Last-ditch nuclear negotiations, mediated by Oman, collapsed without a breakthrough last Thursday - the same day US planes were already in the air.
Iran's Surviving Leadership
Iran's state broadcaster has confirmed Khamenei's death and announced that the Assembly of Experts will convene to select a new Supreme Leader - a process that typically takes days to weeks under normal conditions. Under current conditions, there is no clear timeline. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) appears to be commanding the retaliatory campaign independently. Whether any surviving political leadership has the authority - or inclination - to call off the strikes is an open question.
The Guardian reported Sunday that Iran risks a "breakdown in civil order" if the regime cannot demonstrate effective resistance. Protests in Tehran and other cities have been both pro-government and, in some neighborhoods, anti-regime. The picture on the ground remains chaotic.
Global Reaction
Oman - which had been the neutral mediator in nuclear talks - was itself struck on day two of Iranian retaliation, despite playing no role in the US-Israeli operation. The Omani Foreign Minister expressed "dismay" and called on the US to not get "sucked in further." Pakistan's government condemned the original strikes while also dealing with protests that killed nine people at the US Consulate in Karachi on Sunday.
UN Secretary-General Guterres said the attacks "squandered a chance for diplomacy." The UN Security Council is meeting today at Oman's request. No resolution is expected given US veto power.
Sources: New York Times, Reuters, CBS News, Al Jazeera, Washington Post, Wikipedia (2026 Israeli-United States strikes on Iran). This report reflects information available as of 12:00 CET, March 2, 2026. Situation is developing rapidly.
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