Donald Trump Warns Iran War Could Extend Beyond a Month as Riyadh, Beirut Come Under Fire
The conflict, which began Saturday with a U.S. strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has rapidly expanded. Speaking at the White House, Trump said the operation was progressing “substantially ahead of schedule” but acknowledged it could exceed the initially estimated four to five weeks
By : Mweru Mbugua
U.S. President Donald Trump has cautioned that the ongoing military campaign against Iran could last longer than initially projected, as Tehran escalates retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, targeting key U.S. allies including Saudi Arabia and Lebanon
The conflict, which began Saturday with a U.S. strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has rapidly expanded. Speaking at the White House, Trump said the operation was progressing “substantially ahead of schedule” but acknowledged it could exceed the initially estimated four to five weeks
“From the beginning we projected four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go far longer than that,” Trump stated, signaling readiness for a prolonged confrontation
Tensions intensified Tuesday after two drones struck the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, causing minor material damage and a limited fire, according to Saudi officials. The Saudi defence ministry reported intercepting eight additional drones over two cities, including the capital
The U.S. mission in Riyadh urged American citizens in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dhahran to shelter in place. The State Department also ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel and their families from Bahrain, Jordan, and Iraq
Trump vowed a response to the embassy attack, saying Americans would “find out soon” how Washington intends to retaliate
Overnight, powerful explosions shook Tehran as fighter jets flew overhead. The Pentagon announced it had established air superiority over Iran, which has been governed by Islamic clerics since 1979
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards threatened to block the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s seaborne oil passes
“We will burn any ship that tries to pass through the Strait of Hormuz,” Revolutionary Guards General Sardar Jabbari declared
Missile and drone attacks by Iran also forced Qatar’s state-run energy firm to suspend liquefied natural gas production, underscoring the widening economic impact of the conflict
The Israeli military conducted a second day of airstrikes in Lebanon, targeting Iran-backed Hezbollah positions. The escalation followed rocket and drone attacks on Israel claimed by the militant group in retaliation for Khamenei’s killing
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said joint operations with the United States would continue but would not turn into “an endless war”
“It may take some time, but it’s not going to take years,” Netanyahu told Fox News
Lebanon’s government reported at least 52 people killed in Israeli strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs and southern regions of the country. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam ordered an immediate halt to Hezbollah’s military operations and called on the group to surrender its weapons an unprecedented move in Lebanon’s internal politics
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a new explanation for the outbreak of hostilities, stating that Washington intervened after learning Israel was preparing to strike Iran. According to Rubio, U.S. intelligence assessed that Iran would respond to any Israeli action by attacking American forces, prompting a pre-emptive joint strike
“The imminent threat was that we knew that if Iran was attacked and we believed they would be attacked that they would immediately come after us,” Rubio said
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the claim, stating there had been no imminent Iranian threat and accusing Washington of entering a “war of choice” on Israel’s behalf
The conflict’s human toll continues to climb. U.S. Central Command confirmed that six American service members have been killed since hostilities began
Iranian media have reported hundreds of casualties, including civilians, though independent verification remains limited. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported 101 casualties inside Iran by Tuesday, including 85 civilians and 11 military personnel
In Tehran, residents have begun fleeing the capital amid ongoing bombardment. Others expressed mixed emotions — fear of continued airstrikes coupled with cautious hope for political change
As regional tensions surge and global markets brace for disruption, the prospect of a longer war looms over an already volatile Middle East
