WASHINGTON: An explosion rocked Beirut overnight, Qatar announced it had dismantled alleged Iranian-linked spy cells, and Israel launched a fresh wave of strikes inside Iran, as the war engulfing the Middle East pushed into Wednesday with widening regional fallout.
From Lebanon and Iraq to the Gulf and the Mediterranean, the confrontation between the United States, Israel and Iran has expanded beyond direct cross-border exchanges, triggering diplomatic, military and economic repercussions.
US says nearly 2,000 targets struck in Iran
Admiral Brad Cooper, who commands US forces in the Middle East, said in a video message that “nearly 2,000 targets” had been hit inside Iran since the campaign began.
“We have severely degraded Iran’s air defenses and destroyed hundreds of Iran’s ballistic missiles, launchers and drones,” he said.
The United States has steadily increased the scale of its operations alongside Israel, targeting missile sites, launch systems and military infrastructure.
Explosion heard in Beirut
A loud blast was heard by an AFP journalist in Beirut shortly after midnight Wednesday as Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire.
The latest fighting between Hezbollah and Israel began early Monday when the Lebanese group launched rockets toward Israel, describing it as retaliation for the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.
The cross-border violence has raised fears that Lebanon could become a sustained front in the widening war.
Qatar says Iranian-linked spy cells dismantled
Qatar said it had dismantled two spy cells allegedly linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, arresting ten suspects.
The official news agency reported that the detainees “admitted during the investigation their links to the Revolutionary Guards and having been instructed to conduct espionage and sabotage activities.”
Qatar hosts the major US-run Al Udeid Air Base and has faced repeated Iranian missile threats since the conflict began.
Israel launches new strikes inside Iran
Israel’s military said it had launched a “broad wave of strikes” targeting Iranian launch sites, air defence systems and other military infrastructure, after Iran fired three separate missile barrages toward Israeli territory.
Earlier, Israel said it struck an underground nuclear-related site where it alleged Iranian scientists were developing key components for nuclear weapons.
Air raid sirens sounded across parts of Israel as defence systems intercepted incoming missiles.
Drone hits US consulate in Dubai
A drone strike caused a fire near the United States Consulate General, Dubai as Iran intensified attacks on American-linked facilities in the Gulf.
Residents reported hearing a loud bang before seeing flames and smoke. Authorities sealed off nearby roads, and no casualties were reported.
The attack followed earlier drone incidents targeting the Embassy of the United States, Riyadh.
France deploys aircraft carrier
French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would dispatch its flagship aircraft carrier, the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, to the eastern Mediterranean.
The vessel was redirected from a North Atlantic deployment in response to the escalating conflict.
US arranges charter flights
The United States said it had arranged charter flights from Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to assist Americans seeking to leave the region.
The State Department said it would continue securing additional capacity as security conditions permit.
Trump threatens Spain over base access
President Donald Trump threatened to cut trade with Spain after Madrid declined to allow US aircraft to use certain bases for strikes on Iran.
Spain’s government said US use of its facilities must comply with the United Nations Charter.
Trump also criticised Britain for not offering stronger support.
US proposes Hormuz escorts
Trump said the US Navy would escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary and ordered insurance support for shipping amid Iranian threats to the waterway.
“No matter what, the United States will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD,” he wrote on social media.
Iraq base hit, casualties reported
An air strike hit the Jurf al-Nasr base in southern Iraq, which houses members of the Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah group, causing material damage.
More than 10 fighters have reportedly been killed in strikes across Iraq since Saturday.
An explosion was also heard overnight in the Kurdish city of Sulaimaniyah, while the autonomous Kurdistan region — which hosts US troops and Iranian Kurdish fighters — has been targeted by Iranian drones.
As Israeli air strikes intensify inside Iran, Gulf states bolster security, diplomatic missions come under threat and global powers reposition military assets, the conflict shows no sign of abating — raising concerns of a prolonged and potentially wider regional war.
