US President Donald Trump told reporters in Maryland that Iranian forces are “absolutely being decimated” as the ongoing Middle East conflict continues. Assessing the military campaign, Trump stated, “They’ve got no navy. They’ve got no Air Force.”
The statements arrive as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced its 44th wave of missile attacks targeting US and Israeli positions. The broader war ignited on February 28 following coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes in Tehran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his named successor Mojtaba Khamenei. The ongoing conflict has triggered severe regional instability and halted major shipping operations, prompting the Iranian leadership to demand reparations to end the fighting.
The IRGC fired missiles at locations in northern Israel, including the cities of Kiryat Shmona, Hadera, and Haifa. In a separate incident, a spokesperson for Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry reported intercepting dozens of drones entering Saudi airspace. Twelve drones were destroyed in the initial wave, followed by two additional waves of nine and seven drones.
Explosions also rattled buildings in Dubai, where a large cloud of smoke was seen rising over a central area of the financial hub. Hezbollah launched several rocket salvos from Lebanon toward Israel.
The military escalation continues to impact global energy markets. Benchmark oil prices have climbed between 40% and 50% since the conflict began. A primary concern for global supply remains the disruption of oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for crude shipments.