By Jeff Devine
Fighting between Iran, Israel, and the United States intensified Thursday as the conflict entered its sixth day, with new missile attacks, expanding military operations, and rising concerns that the war could draw in more countries across the Middle East.
Iran launched additional strikes targeting Israel and U.S. military positions in the region while Israeli forces continued air and ground operations against Iranian-backed groups, including Hezbollah in Lebanon. Air raid sirens sounded in major Israeli cities as the military reported intercepting incoming missiles.
At the same time, Israeli forces issued evacuation warnings for parts of Beirut’s southern suburbs as fighting with Hezbollah escalated and Israeli troops moved toward southern Lebanon. United Nations peacekeepers reported ground combat in the area as the situation deteriorated.
The broader conflict began after coordinated U.S. and Israeli strikes targeted Iranian military and nuclear facilities. Iranian officials have responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel, U.S. bases, and other targets across the region. The conflict has already spread beyond the main combatants, with neighboring countries bracing for additional strikes and regional instability.
Casualties continue to rise as the war escalates. Officials report more than 1,000 people have been killed in Iran, over 120 in Lebanon, and roughly a dozen in Israel. At least six U.S. service members have also died since the fighting began.
The war has also created widespread disruption beyond the battlefield. Attacks and military alerts have interrupted commercial shipping and oil supplies in the region, and hundreds of thousands of travelers have been stranded across the Middle East as flights were canceled or rerouted.
Meanwhile, debate continues in Washington over the U.S. military campaign. Lawmakers in Congress considered measures aimed at limiting or halting the strikes against Iran. A resolution in the U.S. House seeking to stop the attacks was narrowly defeated after a similar proposal failed earlier in the Senate.
President Donald Trump has defended the military operation, saying it was necessary to prevent Iran from continuing its missile development and nuclear ambitions. The administration has said the campaign is aimed at weakening Iran’s military capabilities and limiting its ability to support armed groups throughout the region.
With no clear ceasefire or diplomatic breakthrough in sight, military operations by both sides continue, raising fears the conflict could widen further and destabilize the region in the coming weeks.
