US President Donald Trump on Saturday warned of further military escalation against Iran, while Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted the country would never surrender despite ongoing US and Israeli airstrikes.
The latest attacks reportedly set parts of Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran on fire, as Israeli forces carried out some of their largest raids since the aerial bombardment campaign began last week. Israeli authorities said the strikes targeted a military academy, an underground command center, and a missile storage facility.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump warned that Iran could face even heavier attacks.
“Today Iran will be hit very hard,” he wrote, adding that areas and groups previously not considered targets could now face “complete destruction” because of what he described as Iran’s actions.
In response, Pezeshkian delivered a defiant message during a televised address, rejecting Trump’s earlier demand for Iran’s “unconditional surrender.” He said Iran’s enemies would have to abandon that demand.
Despite sustained attacks on its military infrastructure over the past week, Iran demonstrated its ability to retaliate by launching missiles and drones across the region.
Air raid sirens and explosions were reported in Jerusalem, while missile alerts were also triggered in Dubai, Manama, and near Riyadh. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at an air base hosting US military personnel.
The United Arab Emirates reported intercepting 15 ballistic missiles and 119 drones, although footage showed a projectile striking Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest airport for international travel under normal circumstances.
Meanwhile, Jordan accused Iran of targeting key facilities with more than 100 missiles and drones over the past week, according to military spokesman Mustafa Hayari.
Pezeshkian later apologized to Gulf nations hosting US military bases, saying they would only be targeted if their territories were used to launch attacks against Iran.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also claimed responsibility for firing at the oil tanker Prima in the Gulf while it attempted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping route that Iran has effectively closed during the conflict.
The escalating hostilities have expanded beyond Iran and Israel, affecting Lebanon, Cyprus, Turkey, and Azerbaijan, while clashes have even reached waters near Sri Lanka, where US forces reportedly sank an Iranian warship with a torpedo.
