More than 800 people had now been killed in Lebanon and 850,000 displaced as Israel continued intensive strikes against Hezbollah, adding to the suffering of a country already on the edge of collapse. Lebanon’s health ministry reported that 31 paramedics had been killed in Israeli strikes, with Israeli officials accusing Hezbollah of using civilian ambulances to transport fighters and weapons — allegations that lacked credible independent verification. Israel warned there would be no letup in the campaign, deepening fears of a further humanitarian catastrophe.
Lebanon’s agony was unfolding as part of a wider regional war. The main front remained the US-Iran conflict that erupted on February 28, now in its third week. US warplanes continued bombing Iran, including further strikes on Kharg Island, while Iran launched ballistic missiles at the UAE and rockets at Israel. Iranian commanders threatened strikes on any Gulf facility with American ties and called on Arab states to remove US forces. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran’s leadership was “desperate and hiding” but analysts warned the regime remained operationally intact.
President Trump claimed in public remarks that US strikes had effectively demolished Kharg Island and suggested more attacks were coming. He called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had blocked since the war began. His comments marked the first public acknowledgment that the US might need international support to reopen the waterway, which carries about 20 percent of global oil and gas daily. Energy prices were already at $120 per barrel and threatening to climb higher.
The UAE came under direct missile attack on Saturday. Fujairah, a major oil bunkering and ship-refuelling hub, was struck by Iranian ballistic missiles, forcing a suspension of loading operations and prompting warnings for civilians to evacuate. The UAE condemned the strikes as terrorism while maintaining a commitment to seeking restraint. Israel conducted dozens of raids inside Iran, killing at least 15 people in Isfahan. Iran continued firing rockets at Israel simultaneously, demonstrating its capacity to sustain operations on multiple fronts.
The war’s collective human toll was devastating and growing. More than 1,400 people had been killed in Iran, 13 in Israel, and roughly 20 across the Gulf. Six US service members died in an aircraft crash in Iraq. The US embassy in Baghdad was struck overnight, and Americans in Iraq were ordered to leave immediately. With Lebanon already in crisis and the broader regional conflict showing no sign of resolution, analysts urged world leaders to recognise the urgency of finding a diplomatic solution before the combined humanitarian and economic costs became irreversible.