Trump rejects negotiations without Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender’ as Israel expands attacks
US President Donald Trump said Friday that he would only consider an agreement with Iran if the country agreed to an “unconditional surrender.” His statement came as Washington warned that a massive bombing campaign could soon escalate the weeklong conflict.
Meanwhile, Israel announced that it had launched a large wave of airstrikes on the Iranian capital, Tehran, early Saturday. Footage captured by the Associated Press showed powerful explosions and thick clouds of smoke rising over western areas of the city. UNB News
As Israeli fighter jets struck both Tehran and the Lebanese capital Beirut, Iran responded with additional missile attacks targeting Israel and countries in the Gulf region. Late-night explosions echoed across Jerusalem as Israel’s defense systems attempted to intercept missiles fired from Iran.
Over the past week, U.S. and Israeli forces have launched numerous strikes on Iran aimed at weakening its military strength, leadership structure and nuclear facilities. However, the long-term objectives of the war have appeared to shift, with U.S. officials sometimes suggesting that the conflict could even lead to the fall of Iran’s current government or the rise of new leadership.
At the same time, two officials familiar with U.S. intelligence said Russia had shared information with Iran that could potentially help Tehran target American military assets in the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday, offering condolences following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to the Kremlin.
Additional reports suggested that a deadly explosion at a school in Iran, which killed many students, may have been caused by U.S. airstrikes that also targeted a nearby facility linked to the country’s Revolutionary Guard.
Meanwhile, Saad al-Kaabi warned that the war could severely damage the global economy. In an interview with the Financial Times, he said the conflict might disrupt Gulf energy exports and potentially drive oil prices as high as $150 per barrel. Benchmark U.S. crude already climbed above $90 on Friday for the first time in more than two years.
Russia’s alleged involvement
U.S. intelligence officials said Russia had provided Iran with information that could assist it in targeting American warships, aircraft and other military assets in the region. However, the officials stressed that there is no evidence Russia has directed Iran on how to use the information. If confirmed, it would mark Moscow’s first clear sign of involvement in the conflict.
Trump outlines postwar vision
In a social media message, Trump stated that there would be no negotiations with Iran unless it first surrendered unconditionally. He added that once Iran selects “acceptable” new leadership, the United States and its allies would help rebuild the country and strengthen its economy.
The remarks raised questions about the ultimate goal of the conflict. According to officials in Iran, Lebanon and Israel, the war has already caused significant casualties — at least 1,230 deaths in Iran, more than 200 in Lebanon and about a dozen in Israel. Six U.S. service members have also been killed.
President Pezeshkian said on social media that several countries had begun efforts to mediate the conflict, though he did not name them.
Trump has also suggested he should play a role in selecting Iran’s next leader following the death of Khamenei. He dismissed Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who is seen as a possible successor, describing him as politically weak.
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, strongly criticized Trump’s comments, insisting that Iran would never allow foreign interference in its internal political affairs.
Iranian state media reported that officials had begun discussions about convening the country’s Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for appointing the next supreme leader.
Intensifying attacks and retaliation
Israel’s military said it had begun a “large-scale” bombing campaign in Tehran. Over the past week, it has targeted underground bunkers believed to have been prepared for Iranian leaders during wartime.
Residents reported powerful explosions shaking homes and sending smoke into the sky. Other blasts were reported near the Iranian city of Kermanshah, which hosts several missile bases.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a television interview that the war’s most intense bombing operations had not yet occurred.
In Israel, explosions were heard across Tel Aviv as Iranian missiles approached and air defense systems attempted to intercept them. Israel’s military also reported that five soldiers were injured during clashes with Hezbollah.
The conflict continued to widen. Early Saturday, warning sirens sounded in Bahrain after Iran launched an attack targeting the island nation.
Investigations also suggested that a deadly Feb. 28 explosion at a school in the Iranian city of Minab may have been caused by U.S. airstrikes hitting a nearby military facility. Iranian media said more than 165 people — most of them children — were killed in the blast.
Iran has blamed both Israel and the United States for the incident, though neither country has accepted responsibility. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier that the United States was investigating the matter.
Escalation in Lebanon
Israel has also carried out repeated airstrikes on southern neighborhoods of Beirut, areas where Hezbollah has a strong presence but also where large numbers of civilians live.
According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, Israeli attacks since Monday have killed 217 people and wounded nearly 800 others.
Heavy traffic filled Beirut’s roads as residents tried to flee while smoke rose over the city’s southern districts. Two hospitals evacuated their patients and staff.
One displaced resident, Jihan Shehadeh, said thousands of people had nowhere safe to stay and were forced to sleep in their cars overnight.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that one Israeli strike landed near the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, though Israel’s military did not immediately comment.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s leadership urged its fighters to continue resisting and defend the country, framing the conflict in religious terms and calling on them to intensify their attacks.
