US forces have reportedly struck more than 3,000 targets in the first week of Operation Epic Fury, as the conflict with Iran intensifies. “US forces have struck over 3,000 targets in the first week of Operation Epic Fury, and we are not slowing down,” the US Central Command said through a post on X.On Friday, US president Donald Trump also demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” marking a significant escalation in Washington’s war objectives, even as Israeli fighter jets launched a fresh wave of airstrikes on Tehran and other parts of the country.Trump wrote on Truth Social that there “will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”Meanwhile, The Israel Defence Forces on Friday carried out fresh airstrikes on Beirut while issuing additional evacuation warnings across parts of Lebanon, intensifying its military campaign against the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah.The strikes are part of Israel’s expanding operations in Lebanon as regional tensions continue to escalate.According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, an estimated 300,000 people have fled their homes since the bombardment began, raising concerns about a growing humanitarian crisis in the country.In retaliation, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Friday also launched another wave of drones and missiles at Israel, according to a statement reported by the Iranian state news agency Islamic Republic News Agency. Air-raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv as the Israeli military confirmed it had detected missile launches from Iran, though there were no immediate reports of major damage.Saudi Arabia and Dubai reported intercepting retaliatory strikes on Saturday morning, as Gulf nations continued efforts to defend against incoming attacks.These developments come after a week of intense volatility triggered by a joint US-Israeli strike on Iran on February 28 that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several other senior officials, prompting a strong retaliatory response from Tehran.Hundreds of people have been killed in Iran since the start of the US-Israeli strikes, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, the country’s main humanitarian relief organisation.Among the dead are at least 175 people, including many children, who were killed in the bombing of a girls’ elementary school, the organisation said.The violence has also spread beyond Iran. In neighbouring Lebanon, more than 200 people have been killed, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health.
