Washington/Tel Aviv/Tehran: The US-Israeli war on Iran entered its fourth day on Tuesday with President Donald Trump boasting of devastating damage to the Islamic Republic while simultaneously walking back explanations for why the conflict began.
“Just about everything’s been knocked out,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, offering his first extensive public comments since the strikes began Saturday that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Trump: ‘I Might Have Forced Israel’s Hand’
The president’s remarks came amid confusion over the administration’s rationale for war. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had suggested Monday that the US acted only after learning ally Israel was going to strike. Trump offered a different version.
“Based on the way the negotiation was going, I think they (Iran) were going to attack first. And I didn’t want that to happen,” Trump said. “So, if anything, I might have forced Israel’s hand.”
Pressed on the lack of a “day-after” plan, Trump admitted uncertainty about what comes next.
“I guess the worst case would be, we do this, and then somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen. We don’t want that to happen,” he said, referring to Khamenei’s successor.
He revealed that two waves of attacks had killed potential successors he had been eyeing. “Most of the people we had in mind are dead,” he said. “Now we have another group. They may be dead also, based on reports.”
Iran’s Warning: ‘All Economic Centres’ at Risk
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a stark warning through General Ebrahim Jabbari, stating that continued US-Israeli attacks would result in retaliation against “all economic centres” in the Middle East.
“We have closed the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, the price of oil is above $80 and will soon reach $200,” Jabbari was quoted as saying, as Brent crude climbed above $85 for the first time since July 2024.
Nuclear Site Damage Confirmed
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed for the first time that Iran’s Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant had sustained damage.
“Based on the latest available satellite imagery, IAEA can now confirm some recent damage to entrance buildings of Iran’s underground Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant,” the agency tweeted. It added there was no radiological consequence expected and no additional impact detected at the facility itself, which was severely damaged in a June 2025 attack.
The confirmation followed reports from an independent policy institute that satellite imagery showed strikes on access points to the underground uranium enrichment plant.
Israel Expands Operations
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue pounding Iran and hit Hezbollah with increasing force.
“We continue to strike Iran with force. Our pilots are over the skies of Iran and Tehran, and also over the skies of Lebanon,” Netanyahu said at an air force base.
The Israeli military announced it had struck industrial sites “throughout Iran” used to produce weapons, including ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, Israeli troops carried out incursions along parts of the Lebanese border, with the Lebanese army withdrawing from at least seven forward positions. Hezbollah claimed it had targeted an Israeli tank near the border village of Kfar Kila.
Diplomatic Fallout: Spain and UK in Trump’s Crosshairs
Trump launched a blistering attack on two key European allies:
- Spain: The president announced the US will “cut off all trade with Spain” after Madrid refused to let the US military use its bases for missions linked to strikes on Iran. “Spain has been terrible,” Trump stated.
- United Kingdom: Trump lambasted Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying, “This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with,” after Britain initially hesitated to support the strikes. A British base in Cyprus was hit by a drone Monday, which Cypriot officials said was likely launched by Hezbollah.
Global Reactions and Humanitarian Crisis
- Russia: President Vladimir Putin will convey Arab concerns about attacks on oil infrastructure to Tehran, the Kremlin said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated Moscow has seen no evidence Iran is developing nuclear weapons.
- China:Â Urged a return to negotiations on the Iran nuclear issue, saying US strikes “violate international law.”
- Turkey: President Erdogan said Ankara is making “intense” diplomatic efforts to end the war.
- Humanitarian: At least 30,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon, seeking shelter in government facilities, the UN reported. Funerals were held for children killed in a strike on a girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran, which the UN called “horrific.”
Economic Chaos
The conflict has thrown global air transport into chaos, with major Gulf hubs like Dubai International Airport closed for a fourth day, stranding tens of thousands. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil passes, remains shut down, sending global oil and gas shipping rates to all-time highs.
