On Friday, President Donald Trump declared that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East would only conclude upon Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”
This statement came as Tehran was hit by some of the most intense US-Israeli strikes of the spiraling, week-long war.
Now in its seventh day, the conflict has disrupted global energy and transport sectors and spread into Lebanon, where the Prime Minister warned of an impending humanitarian crisis.
President Trump, who has offered various justifications for the war that resulted in the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei last weekend, promised to assist in rebuilding the Iranian economy if an “acceptable” new leader is installed.
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Taking to his Truth Social platform, the President wrote: “There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.”
He further added the slogan: “MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!)”
In Tehran, the capital was rocked by massive explosions that sent clouds of black smoke into the sky, described by journalists as the heaviest strikes to date.
A 60-year-old businessman named Robert told reporters at the Armenian border that the situation is “really very scary” and noted that “checkpoints have been put in place in the city to prevent looting and ensure control.”
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Meanwhile, Israel’s military chief, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, signaled further escalation, stating: “We have additional surprises ahead which I do not intend to disclose.”
The human toll of the conflict is mounting rapidly. According to Iran’s health ministry, 926 people have been killed, and government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani stated that “30 percent of the dead were children.”
In Lebanon, where Israeli strikes hit Hezbollah strongholds, the death toll has reached 217.
Residents in southern Beirut fled in panic following Israeli orders to evacuate, with one displaced man telling reporters: “We’ll sleep on the road tonight and God alone knows what will happen to us.”
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned that a “humanitarian disaster is looming” because of the massive displacement.
The war has also impacted the usually stable Gulf countries, with Qatar intercepting a drone attack on a US base and Saudi Arabia shooting down drones near Riyadh.
Beyond the region, the conflict reached as far as the Sri Lankan coast and Azerbaijan. Global markets have been hammered, with crude oil prices soaring by nearly 20% in a single week.
While Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez criticized the strikes as an “extraordinary mistake” and “not in accordance with international law,” the United Nations has officially declared the crisis a major humanitarian emergency.
