By Our Reporter
Tensions in the Middle East escalated on Friday as Iran staged a pro-government rally in Tehran amid explosions across the capital, while the United States warned it would intensify military strikes in the coming days.
The conflict, which also involves Israel, has continued to escalate since hostilities began on February 28, raising fears of a prolonged regional war and instability in global energy markets.
According to Israeli military officials, more than 7,600 strikes have been carried out across Iran since the war began, many targeting the country’s missile infrastructure.
Speaking at a news conference, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said American forces would launch heavier bombardments on Friday than on any previous day of the conflict. He also claimed that Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was injured in an earlier attack that killed his father and predecessor, Ali Khamenei.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on social media that the campaign against Iran’s leadership was justified and warned that the United States would intensify attacks over the next week.
Despite the airstrikes, Iranian officials joined thousands of demonstrators in Tehran marking Quds Day, an annual event supporting the Palestinian cause. Protesters waved flags and chanted anti-US and anti-Israel slogans.
Iran’s state media reported that at least one woman was killed when explosions struck an area near the rally. Iranian authorities later announced that missiles had been launched toward Israel, with blasts reported near Tel Aviv, though Israeli emergency services reported no casualties.
Earlier, a missile strike in the Israeli town of Zarzir injured about 60 people, according to police.
The conflict has also expanded beyond the two countries. Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted dozens of drones, while an explosion was reported over Dubai. Turkey said NATO forces had shot down a ballistic missile launched from Iran.
The escalating conflict has rattled global markets, pushing oil prices above $100 per barrel.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has effectively restricted movement through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes.
The United States Navy has indicated that escorting commercial vessels through the strait may not be possible until later in the month.
Humanitarian concerns
Inside Iran, residents describe worsening humanitarian conditions as fighting continues. Authorities have maintained an internet blackout, and reports from cities such as Kermanshah indicate severe shortages of food and medicine.
Residents say bread is now being rationed and prices of basic goods have nearly doubled as people flee airstrikes in major cities.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that up to 3.2 million people have been displaced within Iran since the war began.
Iran’s health ministry reported on March 8 that more than 1,200 people have been killed, though the figure has not been independently verified.
Meanwhile, the war has also spread to Lebanon, where authorities say at least 687 people have died in Israeli attacks, many linked to strikes on positions of the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
During a visit to Beirut, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, called for an immediate halt to hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.