Live Middle East crisis: US reports almost 2,000 targets struck in Iran conflict; Trump says navy could escort tankers through Strait of Hormuz

Six dead in Israeli attacks south of Beirut

Bombardments by Israeli forces on two villages south of the capital have resulted in six fatalities and eight injuries, according to Lebanon’s health ministry.

The ministry’s communiqué stated that “the Israeli enemy’s attacks on the areas of Aramoun and Saadiyat” caused six deaths and eight wounds “in an initial count”.

Both Aramoun and Saadiyat lie outside the usual Hezbollah‑controlled zones, AFP reported.

The broader conflict ignited by the United States and Israel’s strike on Iran extended into Lebanese territory on Monday after Hezbollah – long allied with Tehran – launched drones and rockets toward Israel.

Lebanese officials say Israeli bombardments have claimed more than 50 lives in the country, while the United Nations estimates that over 30,000 residents have been forced to flee.

The United States military asserted that the number of strikes executed on Saturday during the first day of its campaign against Iran was almost twice the volume of the 2003 “shock‑and‑awe” attacks on Iraq, and that roughly 2,000 targets in Iran have been hit.

Admiral Brad Cooper of U.S. Central Command did not disclose the exact tally of strikes for the opening 24‑hour period, nor clarify whether Israeli operations were included.

He described the operations as “part of the largest concentration of firepower in the region in a generation”.

Cooper also claimed that the United States is neutralising “the entire Iranian navy”, noting the destruction of 17 Iranian vessels and stating that no Iranian ships are currently operating in the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz or the Gulf of Oman.

President Donald Trump indicated that the U.S. navy could start escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if required, a move aimed at stabilising energy markets amid the conflict.

In other recent statements, President Trump rejected the notion that Israel compelled the United States to act against Iran, telling reporters, “No. I might have forced their hand.”

The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported that at least 787 people have died since hostilities began. The deadliest single incident so far was a strike on a girls’ elementary school in Minab on Saturday, which killed up to 168 children.

Israel announced a “broad wave” of strikes on Iran targeting missile launch sites, air‑defence installations and other strategic infrastructure.

Global oil and gas prices have risen sharply as the conflict continues.