Overview
- President Trump ruled out negotiations and demanded Iran’s “UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER,” threatened to hit previously off‑limits targets, and said he wants a role in selecting Tehran’s next leader while rejecting Mojtaba Khamenei.
- US Central Command said more than 3,000 Iranian targets have been struck in the first week, as Israel reported major raids on Tehran, including an underground command site, with a fire seen at Mehrabad airport.
- Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized to neighboring states before reversing course, vowed no surrender, and continued missile and drone launches that pierced regional defenses, including a drone that hit Dubai’s airport.
- Energy markets tightened further with Brent and US crude jumping to multi‑month highs as flows through the Strait of Hormuz remained largely halted and Gulf states reported intercepting large salvoes of missiles and drones.
- Iran’s succession remains unsettled after the reported killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with the Assembly of Experts preparing to convene as officials tally rising casualties across Iran, Lebanon and Israel and six US service members confirmed dead.