Strikes continue on Iran; Tehran hits US, Israeli bases in Middle East

Tehran, March 5: The war in Iran has widened after a US submarine sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka, killing at least 87 people, while NATO air defences intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile headed toward Turkey, drawing another country into the crisis.

As the war entered its sixth day on Thursday, Israel continued to carry out heavy bombing in Tehran. On the otherhand, Iran launched a fresh wave of missiles at Israel early Thursday, forcing millions of Israelis into bomb shelters.

The US Senate voted 53–47 against a resolution that sought to halt the air campaign on Iran and require Congressional approval for military action, leaving President Donald Trump’s war powers largely intact.

Fighting has paralysed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with about 200 vessels stranded and oil prices rising as the US considers naval escorts for tankers.

Funeral plans for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in an Israeli strike, have been postponed, while his son Mojtaba Khamenei is emerging as a leading contender to become Iran’s next supreme leader.