US, Israel intensify strikes on Iran; Trump says campaign could last weeks
Guwahati: Israeli and United States airstrikes continued to hit targets across Iran as Washington indicated that the military campaign could extend for several weeks.
US President Donald Trump described the operation as an escalating effort that may last four to five weeks, and suggested it could continue even longer if circumstances require. The widening offensive, coupled with uncertainty over Iran’s leadership and the absence of a clearly defined exit strategy, has heightened concerns about a protracted conflict with significant regional consequences.
According to the US administration, the campaign is aimed at dismantling Iran’s missile infrastructure, degrading its naval capabilities, preventing it from acquiring nuclear weapons and limiting its support for allied groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, which launched missiles at Israel earlier this week. Trump characterised the strikes as a critical opportunity to neutralise what he described as mounting security threats.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth sought to calm fears that the joint US–Israeli action could spiral into a broader regional war. He maintained that the operation was limited in scope and not intended to become an open-ended military engagement, though he acknowledged that additional American casualties remained a possibility in the coming weeks. He also indicated that while the campaign was not officially framed as one seeking regime change, the leadership situation in Iran had already shifted in ways Washington viewed as favourable.
However, separate video remarks from Trump urging the Iranian public to reclaim control of their country have fuelled speculation about the administration’s longer-term objectives.
Meanwhile, Iran continued retaliatory strikes across the region. Two drones targeted the US Embassy in Riyadh early Tuesday, causing a small fire and minor damage, according to Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry. The embassy subsequently advised American citizens to avoid the compound. The incident followed a reported attack on the US Embassy in Kuwait.
In response to the escalating security environment, the US State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family members from diplomatic missions in Bahrain and Jordan as a precautionary measure.
With strikes ongoing and diplomatic channels strained, fears persist that the conflict could broaden further, drawing in additional regional actors and complicating efforts to stabilise an already volatile Middle East.