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The Iran war intensified as Israeli strikes set parts of Tehran ablaze after striking oil deports. President Masoud Pezeshkian warned Tehran could expand attacks on US targets as casualties rise and fears grow that the conflict could spread further across the Middle East with no clear end in sight.
UPDATED: Mar 8, 2026 21:25 IST
The war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran intensified on Sunday with fresh air strikes and missile launches across the region. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that Tehran could expand attacks on American targets across the Middle East, stepping back from earlier remarks in which he had apologised to Gulf neighbours for Iranian strikes on their territory.
Late-night Israeli attacks triggered massive fires in Tehran after fuel depots were hit in the Iranian capital, sending thick plumes of smoke over several parts of the city. At the same time, Gulf countries reported new Iranian missile launches toward their territory, raising concerns about the conflict spreading further across the region. With casualties rising and uncertainty surrounding Iran’s leadership after recent strikes, fears are growing that the conflict could widen further across the Middle East, with little sign that the war will end anytime soon.
The death toll from war continues to rise across the region. At least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran, more than 300 in Lebanon, and around a dozen in Israel since the conflict erupted on February 28 following joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Here are the latest developments from the ongoing conflict:
Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the clerical body responsible for selecting the country’s supreme leader, said it has reached a decision on who will replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in joint US-Israeli strikes on the first day of the war. The new leader would most likely be someone opposed by Washington.
Israel warned it would target any leader chosen to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The Israeli military said it would pursue every successor as well as anyone involved in selecting the next leader, including members of the powerful Assembly of Experts. In a statement, the military warned those planning to attend the meeting to choose Khamenei’s successor that they could also become targets.
US President Donald Trump said Britain’s support was not needed for Washington to win the war with Iran, criticising Prime Minister Keir Starmer over delayed support for the US-led campaign. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the United Kingdom was only now considering sending aircraft carriers to the Middle East but insisted the United States could win the conflict without British help.
Large fireballs and thick smoke rose over Tehran overnight after joint US-Israeli air strikes hit fuel depots in the Iranian capital. Iran’s oil distribution company said four of its employees were killed in the attack. Residents reported a strong smell of burning oil as a dark haze hung over the city on Sunday.
Iran has continued missile and drone attacks on several Middle East countries. Bahrain accused Iran of striking a desalination plant on Sunday in an attack on civilian infrastructure, raising concerns that vital services could increasingly become targets in the war. Authorities said an Iranian drone damaged the facility and injured three people, though water and electricity supplies remained operational.
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Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Mar 8, 2026 21:25 IST
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