The United States and Iran on Thursday signaled the war sparked by last week’s joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on various Iranian targets may evolve into a prolonged conflict, as both sides intensified strikes across the region and exchanged threats of further escalation.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington is “accelerating, not decelerating” military operations against Iran, while Iranian officials vowed continued retaliation for the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28. According to reporting from Politico, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) officials at the agency’s headquarters in Tampa have made a request to the Pentagon for more intelligence officers. The ask, per the publication, is based on the belief that support for the war on Iran will be needed for “at least 100 days” and likely “through September,” suggesting months of conflict.
Over the past 24 hours, the fighting expanded across land, sea and air. In one of the most dramatic developments, a U.S. submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian naval vessel in the Indian Ocean, killing at least 87 crewmembers, according to U.S. officials. The strike marked the first time an American torpedo has sunk an enemy warship since World War II and was part of a broader campaign aimed at crippling Iran’s navy and securing maritime oil routes.
Iran, meanwhile, claimed its forces struck American and Israeli military assets across the Gulf region, launching new waves of missiles and drones targeting U.S. bases, embassies and allied infrastructure. Regional defense officials said several projectiles were intercepted, though sufficient numbers made it through, damaging infrastructure such as Bahrain’s oil refinery. Residents of the U.A.E. have also reported loud explosions at sporadic intervals.
Casualty figures continue to climb as the conflict enters its second week. Officials say at least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran, while over 120 people have died in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel since the fighting began. The U.S. military has confirmed six American servicemembers killed during iran’s retaliatory strikes.
Israeli assessments claim the Iranian military has suffered particularly heavy losses, with more than 3,000 Iranian personnel reportedly killed in strikes targeting missile bases, air defenses and command infrastructure. Latest analysis also suggests that a strike on a school in Iran’s Minab was hit amid U.S. targeting of an Iranian naval base.
The ongoing conflict has widened geographically after Azerbaijan accused Iran of launching drone strikes on an airport in Nakhchivan, injuring civilians and prompting Baku to place its military on heightened alert. Azerbaijani officials described the attack as a “terrorist” act and warned of possible retaliation, raising fears that the war could spill into the Caucasus and potentially draw in Turkiye under its defense agreements with Azerbaijan.
At sea, the war threatens global energy supplies, with analysts fearing a prolonged conflict could cause disruptions with punishing effects. The maritime industry has designated the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters as a “warlike operations area,” as missile and drone threats intensify around vital oil shipping routes. The disruption has already slowed tanker traffic through one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, with Tehran warning ships against utilizing the corridor or risk attacks.
Amid the escalating violence, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested Washington should have a role in shaping Iran’s political future following the assassination of Khamenei, blatantly trying to impose his will on a sovereign state. Trump said the United States wants Iran to have “a good leader” and indicated he would like a say in who succeeds the late cleric.
Trump has also claimed the U.S.-Israeli campaign has already devastated Iran’s military capabilities, asserting that much of the country’s air force and air defenses have been destroyed. Analysts say such claims are difficult to independently verify.
With missile strikes continuing across the Middle East and new fronts emerging, diplomats warn the conflict could broaden further without urgent de-escalation efforts. For now, however, both Washington and Tehran appear to be preparing for a war that may last far longer than initially expected.