Israeli forces carry out incursions along the Lebanese border as the Lebanese army pulls back. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Riyadh is struck by drones, and Gulf states intercept Iranian missiles as the regional war enters its fourth day.
Beirut/Tel Aviv/Riyadh: The conflict ignited by the US-Israeli strikes on Iran has dramatically widened, with Israeli troops carrying out incursions along parts of the Lebanese border and the US Embassy in Riyadh coming under direct drone attack early Tuesday.
As the war entered its fourth day, explosions rocked Tel Aviv from intercepted missiles, Gulf states scrambled to defend their airspace, and global markets reeled from the disruption to oil shipping lanes.
Lebanon: Israeli Incursion, Lebanese Withdrawal
A Lebanese official confirmed to Reuters that Israeli troops were conducting ground incursions along sections of the border. Witnesses reported that the Lebanese army had pulled out of at least seven forward operating positions along the frontier.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency confirmed the military was evacuating “advanced positions” along the Israeli border. The move followed a statement from Israel’s military indicating its troops were operating in southern Lebanon in what it described as a “forward defence posture.”
The incursion marks a significant escalation, potentially opening a second front in the conflict. Israel has simultaneously been striking Hezbollah targets in towns across Lebanon, while the Iran-backed militant group has launched rockets and drones toward Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
US Embassy in Riyadh Struck by Drones
In a dramatic escalation, two drones targeted the US Embassy in Riyadh in the early hours of Tuesday. A Saudi defence ministry spokesman confirmed the attack resulted in a “limited fire and minor material damage to the building.” No injuries were reported, as the compound was largely empty at the time.
Witnesses reported seeing smoke rising over the diplomatic quarter and fire engines rushing to the scene. A source close to the Saudi army told AFP that air defences intercepted four drones targeting the area, though two made it through.
In response, the US embassy issued shelter-in-place notifications for Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dhahran, and restricted non-essential travel to military installations across the region.
Later on Tuesday, the Saudi defence ministry announced it had intercepted and destroyed eight drones near Riyadh and Al-Kharj.
Gulf States Under Coordinated Attack
The Riyadh attack was part of a broader wave of Iranian retaliation across the Gulf:
- Qatar:Â The military intercepted two ballistic missiles early Tuesday morning, the defence ministry confirmed.
- UAE:Â The defence ministry reported it was dealing with a barrage of ballistic missiles from Iran.
- Kuwait:Â A Kuwait-based diplomat told AFP the US embassy in Kuwait City had been damaged by several drones, following a previous missile strike on the compound.
US CENTCOM announced that American forces have destroyed multiple Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facilities, including command hubs, air defenses, and missile launch sites, in sustained operations across Iran.
‘World War III on the Cards’: Russia Warns
The escalating conflict drew a stark warning from Moscow. Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, told state news agency Tass that World War III would break out if President Trump “continues his insane course of criminally changing political regimes.”
Medvedev described Washington’s actions as “a war by the US and its allies to preserve global dominance,” warning that the vulnerability of US and Israeli officials “has significantly increased” since Iran declared a holy war.
Netanyahu: War ‘Won’t Take Years’
Amid the chaos, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to reassure the public that the conflict would not become another “endless war.”
“I said it could be quick and decisive. It may take some time, but it’s not going to take years. It’s not an endless war,” Netanyahu told Fox News.
He framed the campaign as creating conditions for the Iranian people to topple their government, stating, “Now, of course, it’s up to the people of Iran.”
US Objectives and Casualties
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that “the hardest hits are yet to come,” while not ruling out the potential deployment of ground troops, though he stressed the current mission focuses on destroying Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities without a ground invasion.
The Pentagon confirmed that six US service personnel have been killed so far, all in Iran’s retaliatory attacks on Kuwait. In a tragic friendly fire incident, Kuwait mistakenly shot down three American F-15E fighter jets during an Iranian attack, though all six crew members ejected safely.
Global Economic Fallout
The conflict has thrown global air transport into chaos. Major Gulf hubs, including Dubai International Airport—which usually handles over 1,000 flights a day—remained closed for a fourth day, stranding tens of thousands of passengers.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil passes, has been shut down. Global oil and gas shipping rates have soared, with supertanker costs in the Middle East hitting all-time highs.
