Explosions and air strikes continued across Iran and the wider region on March 7, 2026, as the US-Israel campaign against Tehran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks entered a second week.
State and local Iranian media reported blasts in several Tehran districts and damage across the country, including significant harm to two hospitals in Khuzestan province — the Razi medical center in Ahvaz and the Imam Ali hospital in Andimeshk — though independent verification was not available. A provincial official in Isfahan reported eight civilian deaths. Footage circulated by news agencies showed fire and damage at Mehrabad, Tehran’s domestic airport.
Masoud Pezeshkian, one of three members of an interim leadership council governing Iran after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28, delivered a prerecorded state television address. He pledged that Iran would “never surrender” to Israel or the United States and called demands for unconditional Iranian capitulation a “dream they should take to their grave.” At the same time, Pezeshkian apologized to neighboring countries that had been hit by Iranian strikes, saying Tehran would not target them unless attacks originated from their territory.
Iran has launched missile and drone strikes against Israel and US interests across the region. Strikes were reported to have affected Gulf states including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates; journalists reported blasts in Dubai and Manama. Saudi authorities said they intercepted missiles and downed multiple drones aimed at military and energy infrastructure, including the Shaybah oil field and Prince Sultan Air Base. Israel reported intercepting new missile attacks, with air defenses activated and sirens sounding in several population centers; no immediate casualties were reported.
The fighting has extended beyond Iran and Israel. Israel said it struck Hezbollah targets in southern and eastern Lebanon, claiming hits on command centers and commanders. In the Indian Ocean, the US struck and sank the Iranian frigate Dena off Sri Lanka on March 5, a strike Tehran said killed dozens. Indian officials confirmed an Iranian naval vessel, IRIS Lavan, docked in Kochi after seeking assistance; Delhi described the move as humanitarian. Another Iranian ship, IRIS Bushehr, sought help from Sri Lanka following the Dena attack.
Global reactions were visible. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Pezeshkian, offering condolences over Khamenei’s death and calling for an immediate halt to hostilities while urging a return to diplomacy. At the same time, US and Western officials have alleged that Russia has provided Iran with intelligence that could assist strikes on US forces in the region, according to reporting that cited unnamed sources; the White House downplayed those reports but said it was monitoring developments closely.
Washington has maintained robust support for Israel. The US State Department approved an emergency weapons sale to Israel valued at $151.8 million for 12,000 BLU-110A/B 1,000-pound bomb bodies and associated support, invoking emergency authority to bypass the standard congressional review. US officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in media comments, suggested larger military operations were being considered and said the US could inflict heavy damage on Iranian missile launchers and production facilities. Reports also surfaced that President Donald Trump privately expressed interest in deploying a small contingent of US ground troops to Iran for “specific strategic purposes,” though White House spokespeople said the reporting relied on unnamed sources not part of the national security team.
Civilian infrastructure and travel were disrupted. Dubai International and Al Maktoum airports partially resumed operations after temporary suspensions tied to aerial interceptions; authorities urged passengers to check with carriers. In Tehran, Mehrabad Airport — in operation since 1938 and normally handling domestic flights — sustained damage in the latest strikes.
The exchanges of fire have raised concerns about wider regional and international fallout. Gulf states warned against further escalation. Russia called publicly for a ceasefire even as reports indicate deeper materiel and intelligence ties between Moscow and Tehran that have grown since Moscow began using Iranian drones in its war in Ukraine. Across multiple countries, officials and civilians faced air raid alerts, interceptions and the humanitarian effects of combat near populated areas as the confrontation continued to unfold.