Middle East War Intensifies Amid Fresh Strikes

Tensions in the Middle East escalated further on Saturday as Iran, Israel and the United States traded fresh military moves, while the conflict continued to spill across neighbouring countries and key energy routes.

The Israeli military said it detected missiles launched from Iran, with air defence systems activated to intercept the threat. The latest exchange came as Tehran continued retaliatory strikes following the US-Israeli bombing campaign that began at the end of February.

Iran also claimed it had shot down a second US military aircraft over the Gulf. There was no immediate confirmation from Washington, though reports said the pilot had been rescued.

The White House said President Donald Trump had been briefed on the downing of a US military jet in Iran, prompting a major search-and-rescue operation for its crew. Iranian authorities, meanwhile, urged residents in the country’s southwest to help locate the aircraft’s personnel after state television aired footage said to show wreckage.

The conflict also widened across the region.

In Syria, state media reported that Israeli fire killed a man in Quneitra province near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. In the United Arab Emirates, an Egyptian national was killed and four others injured after debris from an intercepted attack caused a fire at a gas facility in Abu Dhabi.

In Lebanon, the US embassy warned that Iran-backed groups could target universities, raising concerns over the security situation in the country. The warning came as fresh strikes hit Beirut’s southern suburbs after the Israeli military issued evacuation notices for the area, saying it was targeting militant infrastructure.

The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon also said three of its personnel were wounded in a blast at one of its positions, two of them seriously. It was the third such incident in a week.

Amid the intensifying conflict, world leaders renewed calls for restraint. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for an immediate ceasefire, warning that continued fighting could trigger wider regional and global consequences, particularly for energy, trade and supply chains.

The war is also deepening pressure on global markets. Three oil tankers crossed the Strait of Hormuz using an unusual route close to Oman’s shoreline, highlighting growing risks to one of the world’s most strategically vital shipping lanes.

In Washington, Trump also asked lawmakers to approve a $1.5 trillion defence budget for 2027, citing the rising costs of the Iran war and broader global security pressures.

As military activity expands across several fronts, fears are mounting that the conflict could spiral into a broader regional war with far-reaching geopolitical and economic consequences.