Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the war is “definitely beyond the halfway point,” later clarifying that his remarks referred to operational objectives rather than the duration of the conflict.
The comments come amid a sharp escalation in regional tensions involving Israel and Iran, with new strikes reported in both countries and temporary power outages affecting parts of Tehran.
In a separate incident, a Kuwaiti oil tanker carrying millions of barrels of crude oil caught fire after being struck while docked in Dubai. Authorities have blamed Iran for the incident. All 24 crew members aboard were confirmed safe, and officials say the blaze has since been brought under control.
Iran has also moved ahead with plans to introduce tolls on ships passing through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, further heightening global concerns over maritime security and energy supply routes.
In the United States, Donald Trump issued renewed warnings, saying he would “obliterate” Iran’s power infrastructure, oil facilities, and potentially water desalination plants if a deal is not reached “shortly.”
Trump also said there were “serious” discussions taking place with Tehran. However, Iran’s foreign ministry has denied any ongoing negotiations with Washington to end the conflict, according to state media reports.