Iran's AI video shows troops marching towards Israel's Al-Aqsa Mosque

Iranian state media has released another AI-generated video portraying what it claims is a "new wave of missile strikes" as tensions escalate in the ongoing US-Iran-Israel war in the Middle East.

The clip, released by Mehr News Agency, presented a stylised sequence beginning with a staged military command meeting led by Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, followed by simulated missile launches, explosions in urban settings, and visuals of Iranian forces advancing towards the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City.

The video appears designed to project Iran's military readiness and influence public perception as hostilities continue in the region.

The release is part of a broader pattern. Just last week, Iranian state media circulated another AI-generated video titled "One Vengeance For All", which combined imagery of US-linked conflicts with a climactic scene showing a missile striking a distorted version of the Statue of Liberty.

The 53–54 second montage, attributed to state broadcaster IRIB and amplified by pro-Tehran outlets, portrayed a timeline of American military involvement in Hiroshima, Vietnam, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, Gaza and Palestine, framing Washington as central to global conflicts.

On the ground, tensions continue to escalate. Iran's joint military command spokesperson said on Sunday that private residences of US and Israeli officials in the Middle East are now considered legitimate targets, widening the scope of the conflict as it entered its first month.

The warning was directed at both military and political figures from the United States and Israel based in the region.

The conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, has since spiralled, with Tehran retaliating against Israel and targets across Gulf Arab states. The war has already claimed more than 3,000 lives.

Beyond the battlefield, the fallout is spreading. Global supplies of oil, natural gas and fertilisers have been impacted, while air travel disruptions continue. Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz has rattled global markets, and the possible involvement of Iranian-backed Houthi forces have raised concerns over shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a critical route to the Red Sea.

Meanwhile, Iran warned of further escalation after Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple universities, which Israel claims were linked to nuclear research and development.

US President Donald Trump said he would prefer to "take the oil" in Iran, even floating the idea of seizing the country's key export hub at Kharg Island as Washington moved additional troops into the Middle East.

According to reports, the US has already directed the deployment of 10,000 troops trained for land seizure and hold missions. Around 3,500 personnel -- including nearly 2,200 Marines -- reached the region on Friday, with another 2,200 Marines on the way. Thousands more from the 82nd Airborne Division have also been ordered to move as Washington readies for a possible expansion of operations.

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