Regional war widens as US-Israel strikes on Iran enter day 13

ANKARA, Türkiye (MNTV) — The war triggered by United States and Israeli strikes on Iran entered its thirteenth day on Thursday, with explosions reported across Iran, Israel, and several countries in the Gulf and Levant as the conflict continues to widen across the Middle East.

U.S. forces say they have struck more than 5,000 targets inside Iran since the military campaign began on Feb. 28, targeting military infrastructure, missile facilities and command centers.

Washington says the operation is aimed at degrading Iran’s military capabilities.

Tehran has responded with waves of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Israel and at least 27 U.S. military bases across the region. Iranian officials had warned before the war that any attack on Iran would trigger retaliation against American military facilities across the Middle East.

Fresh interceptions and explosions were reported Thursday in several Gulf countries as air defense systems attempted to stop incoming missiles and drones.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says its operations have targeted U.S. installations and Israeli military sites across nine countries in the region, including Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

An Iranian drone also struck a runway at a British military base in Cyprus.

Despite the spread of attacks, most missiles and drones have been intercepted by regional air defenses.

The humanitarian toll from the war is mounting rapidly.

Iran says at least 1,348 people have been killed and around 17,000 wounded since the war began. According to Iran’s envoy to the United Nations, the victims include women, children, and medical workers, with casualties ranging from infants to elderly civilians.

In Israel, Iranian strikes have killed at least 15 people and injured about 2,000. One of the deadliest incidents occurred on March 1 when a ballistic missile struck the city of Beit Shemesh, killing nine people.

Iranian attacks on U.S. military facilities across the region have also resulted in casualties.

The U.S. military says seven American soldiers have been killed and 18 injured in attacks on bases in the Middle East.

Elsewhere in the region, Iraq has reported 26 deaths amid strikes on military sites and militias near the Iraqi-Syrian border.

Bahrain has reported two deaths after missiles and debris struck buildings in Manama.

Kuwait has reported six deaths, including firefighters and a civilian injured by shrapnel. Oman has reported one fatality after drones targeted the port of Duqm and a nearby oil tanker.

Saudi Arabia says two people were killed and 12 wounded after a projectile hit a residential area in Al Kharj.

In the United Arab Emirates, six people have been killed and 131 injured after strikes and accidents linked to the conflict.

Jordan and Qatar have reported multiple injuries but no confirmed fatalities. Qatar confirmed that missiles struck the Al Udeid air base, one of the largest U.S. military facilities in the region.

The conflict has also intensified along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.

Israeli air strikes on Lebanon since early March have killed at least 687 people and wounded about 1,500, according to Lebanese authorities. Nearly 750,000 people have been displaced as fighting with Hezbollah escalates.

Inside Iran, the humanitarian crisis is growing as millions flee areas affected by air strikes. The United Nations refugee agency says about 3.2 million people have been displaced since the war began.

The United States maintains a large military presence across the Middle East, with roughly 40,000 to 50,000 troops stationed at bases across the region. Many of those installations have come under threat as Iran expands its retaliation campaign.

As the war enters its second week, regional governments are increasingly on alert, with several countries suspending public gatherings and tightening security amid fears that the conflict could spread even further.