Overview
- Israel launched a new “broad wave of strikes” on day five, hitting Iranian launch sites, air defenses and infrastructure after earlier waves targeted leadership and military nodes.
- U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper reported nearly 2,000 Iranian targets struck, 17 naval vessels destroyed, more than 50,000 U.S. troops deployed and over 200 aircraft engaged, saying the campaign is ahead of schedule.
- Iran continued large-scale retaliation with missiles and drones against Israel and U.S. sites in Gulf states, with reported incidents at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and the U.S. Consulate in Dubai, and a missile hitting Al-Udeid Air Base without casualties.
- Reported civilian deaths in Iran have climbed into the high hundreds, with figures ranging from about 787 to roughly 1,100 including children, though verification is constrained by internet blackouts and restricted access.
- Succession turmoil persisted as Mojtaba Khamenei emerged as the leading contender to replace the slain supreme leader, and Israel’s defense minister warned that any successor pursuing hostile policies would be a target.