Tehran/Beirut/Washington: The US-Israeli war on Iran entered its fifth day on Wednesday with the death toll surpassing 1,000, according to Iranian state media, as Tehran threatened to strike Israel’s nuclear facilities and clashes intensified on the Lebanon border.
Death Toll Rises
Iranian state media reported that the number of people killed in five days of US-Israeli attacks has now exceeded 1,000. The figure includes civilians and military personnel, with strikes targeting infrastructure, nuclear sites, and command centers across the country.
Iran Threatens Dimona Nuclear Site
In a significant escalation of rhetoric, a Iranian military official warned that Tehran would target Israel’s Dimona nuclear facility if the United States and Israel attempt to pursue regime change in the Islamic Republic.
The semi-official ISNA news agency reported the warning, signaling that Iran is prepared to cross thresholds previously considered red lines. Dimona, located in southern Israel’s Negev desert, is the site of Israel’s nuclear reactor and is widely believed to be a key component of the country’s undeclared nuclear weapons program.
Hezbollah Clashes with Israeli Troops
On the Lebanese front, Hezbollah announced that its fighters are engaged in armed confrontations with advancing Israeli troops in the border town of Dahira in far southern Lebanon.
The Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson has warned of an imminent strike on a building in southern Beirut’s Haret Hreik district and ordered residents to evacuate. The area is known as a Hezbollah stronghold.
The clashes mark a potential escalation from cross-border rocket fire to direct ground engagements, raising fears of a full-scale second front opening.
‘Secretary of War Crimes’: Iran Slams Hegseth
Iran’s foreign ministry has launched a blistering personal attack on US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, labeling him a war criminal.
Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei quoted Hegseth’s recent public comments describing US-Israeli air dominance over Tehran: “‘Flying over Tehran, flying over Iran, flying over their capital…Iranians looking up only seeing U.S.-Israeli air power. Death & destruction from the sky all day long.'”
“This is a confession of War Crime and Crime against Humanity,” Baghaei wrote. “Only a NAZI mentality can unleash, in cold blood, death & destruction on another nation just to ‘satisfy the desires’ of his boss.”
Regional Spread
The conflict continues to spread beyond Iran’s borders:
- Gulf States:Â Missile and drone attacks continue to target US allies, with critical infrastructure hit in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
- Strait of Hormuz:Â Remains closed to shipping, with global oil prices surging.
- Iraq Border: Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned of “terrorist movements” on the country’s border with Iraq in a call with an Iraqi-Kurdish political party leader.
