Four days of war in the Middle East: attacks from Lebanon to the Gulf as Israel deploys more troops to its northern border

BeirutThe conflict that began four days ago between Iran, the United States, and Israel has taken on a regional dimension, with multiple fronts open, stretching from southern Lebanon to the Persian Gulf, and impacting politics, markets, and the lives of thousands of civilians. Early Tuesday morning, the Israel Defense Forces deployed additional brigades in southern Lebanon and units along the border, which, according to Defense Minister Israel Katz, have the sole objective of "preventing attacks against civilians and strategic sites." Katz emphasized that it is not a classic "ground operation," although analysts interpreted it as an expansion of the conflict beyond the Iranian theaters. The mobilization has generated concerns about potential escalations, while the UN warns that tens of thousands of people are already displaced within Lebanon.

Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for launching rockets and drones against military positions in northern Israel, including the Ramat David air base, in response to the attacks against Iran. Air raid sirens wailed in cities like Haifa and towns in Galilee as Israeli aircraft bombed more than 70 targets south of Beirut. Specifically, they attacked the Jamaa Islamiya headquarters in the city of Sido, destroying the building and killing at least two people and wounding several others. Rescue teams and local sources reported civilian casualties and further displacements into the interior of the country. Southern Lebanon, especially the area near the Litani River, has once again become a flashpoint, with armored and artillery movements that, according to UN peacekeepers, are disrupting the balance of power maintained since 2024. As missiles rained down, the official press, citing the Red Crescent, raised the death toll to 787 since the start of the joint attacks and detailed that the bombings hit at least 153 locations. In Hamadan, five people were killed and about 25 wounded, and in Kerman, thirteen members of the Revolutionary Guard lost their lives. From Tehran, the Guard issued a warning: "The gates of hell will open for those who continue these operations," implying that the Iranian response would escalate on multiple fronts. Furthermore, official spokespeople indicated that Iran could more systematically target US and allied assets throughout the region, increasing uncertainty about the duration and scope of the conflict.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed, through satellite imagery, damage to access buildings at the Natanz uranium enrichment plant, with no radiological consequences. The United States and Israel have justified the military operation by stating that its objective is to degrade Iran's nuclear program, a claim that Tehran rejects. Meanwhile, international media have highlighted that the escalation threatens to complicate IAEA monitoring and future inspections at other critical facilities.

Furthermore, the conflict has spread to the Persian Gulf. In Saudi Arabia, Iran attacked the US embassy, ​​which caught fire. Riyadh condemned the attack and emphasized that it reserves the right to retaliate. Fires have also broken out in oil fields in the United Arab Emirates and at the commercial port of Duqm in Oman, where damage has been attributed to drones or missiles.

In Qatar, attacks have attempted to reach civilian facilities, including Doha airport, but have been intercepted. Qatari government spokesman Majed al-Ansari asserted that the country "has sufficient interception systems" and emphasized that Qatar does not maintain diplomatic contacts with Iran, thus ruling out direct negotiations amidst the ongoing conflict. The tension has left more than 8,000 passengers stranded in Doha, temporarily housed by the government in city hotels. Meanwhile, in the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of the world's oil passes, traffic is reduced and uncertainty is rising in global energy markets. This instability has resulted in financial losses. Paris's CAC 40 has fallen by nearly 3% and Frankfurt's DAX by around 4%, particularly in the energy, transportation, and banking sectors, affected by the volatility of crude oil and natural gas prices and the risk of disruptions in the Gulf of Mexico.

Washington on Tuesday ordered the departure of non-essential personnel and their families from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, and Bahrain, and announced that the embassy in Kuwait will be temporarily closed. The US State Department had already asked its citizens on Monday to leave fourteen Middle Eastern countries immediately due to the "serious risks," although the Options for leaving these countries are very limited.US authorities also warned of potential attacks on critical infrastructure, including military bases and strategic ports, and intensified regional early warning and defense systems. The conflict has also spread to Iraq, where an airstrike hit a pro-Iranian militia camp in the Jurf al-Nasr region, causing casualties among local fighters.

Netanyahu says the war will last "a while"

In Washington and Tel Aviv, official speeches convey both determination and caution. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the US-Israeli war against Iran could last "a while," but not for years. President Donald Trump projected on Monday that the war would last between four and five weeksBut he added that it could drag on longer, and since then he has tried to justify a broad and indefinite war against Iran. He also asserted that some of the names Washington considered as potential new Iranian leaders had been killed in the US and Israeli air offensive, and warned that the worst-case scenario would be that those who now assume power turn out to be "just as bad" as their predecessors.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the operation as a preemptive US action: "We knew there would be Israeli action, and we knew that would precipitate action against US forces, and that if we didn't act preemptively before they launched these attacks..." Rubio also said that the "hardest blows" from the US military were yet to come. Military experts agree that the coming days will determine whether the conflict remains localized or expands to new territories and actors.

In downtown Beirut, where the distant echoes of the conflict already feel all too close, daily life is intertwined with regional tension. Martyrs' Square offers a picture that encapsulates the human impact of days of war. Families with makeshift bags and folded blankets; some children playing among open suitcases, others sleeping on cardboard. "We thought this time it wouldn't happen to us," says Rami, who arrived from Bir Hassan after Monday night's bombings. Voices Traditionally loyal to Hezbollah, some are now publicly expressing their doubts: "Let Iran fight its own war; we've already had ours," Rami continued. Others defend the resistance, although the evidence of civilian suffering and the division within neighborhoods and families is palpable. The square reflects the tension and vulnerability of a population caught between regional agendas that overwhelm it and the constant fear of renewed conflict.