Middle East war LIVE Updates: As the war involving the United States, Iran and Israel intensifies, signals from Washington suggest a potential shift in war objectives even as tensions on the ground continue to escalate across multiple fronts. Tehran has, meanwhile, issued a sharp warning, saying any strike on its territory or infrastructure would trigger multiple retaliatory attacks. The situation has been further inflamed by a statement from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, which said it would begin targeting US-linked companies operating in the region from April 1.
The list includes major global firms such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Intel, IBM, Tesla and Boeing, with the group threatening action against their regional operations.
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Meanwhile, China and Pakistan have come up with a five-point initiative for “restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and Middle East Region”.
US’ shift in objectives: US President Donald Trump has indicated he may be open to ending the conflict even if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, after advisers assessed that a full-scale effort to reopen the crucial shipping corridor could extend the war well beyond the initially anticipated four-to-six-week timeframe. Trump has simultaneously escalated his rhetoric, warning that Washington could target Iran’s oil and energy infrastructure, including major export hubs, if the strait is not reopened. He also urged allies facing fuel shortages to secure their own supplies, signalling a possible pullback from direct US intervention in safeguarding shipping lanes.
Israel on the war: On the battlefield, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the campaign has moved “beyond the halfway point” in achieving its objectives, citing damage inflicted on Iran’s military, industrial and nuclear capabilities, though he did not specify a timeline for the conflict’s end. Strikes have continued, including reported explosions in Iran’s central city of Isfahan, home to a key nuclear facility.
The human and regional toll continues to mount. More than 3,000 people have reportedly been killed across the Middle East, including over 1,900 in Iran, at least 1,200 in Lebanon and 19 in Israel. Thirteen US service members have also been killed, with two additional non-combat deaths reported.
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