The conflict between Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other continued to escalate on the fifth day of fighting, with the war expanding across multiple fronts in the Middle East.
New developments in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, as well as growing tensions near the Iran–Iraq border, have raised concerns that the conflict could further destabilize the Gulf region and the wider Eastern Mediterranean.
Heavy fighting in Lebanon
Lebanon has emerged as one of the most active fronts in the conflict after Hezbollah launched attacks against Israel in support of Tehran.
Israeli forces continued airstrikes against targets inside Lebanon while also launching ground operations. Fierce clashes between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli forces have been reported over the past 24 hours.
Smoke rises as projectiles are fired from Lebanon towards Israel, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, as seen from the Israel-Lebanon border in northern Israel, March 4, 2026. REUTERS/Shir Torem TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Israeli officials said two soldiers were wounded in an attack by the Shiite militant group. Lebanese authorities reported that at least 72 people have been killed and more than 427 injured as a result of Israeli operations.
Iran also warned that if Israel attacks its embassy in Beirut, Israeli embassies worldwide could become targets.
Amid the escalating violence, French President Emmanuel Macron held a series of phone calls with Lebanese leaders, U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging de-escalation and calling on Israel not to proceed with a ground operation in Lebanon.
Rising tensions in Iraq
The situation in Iraq has also worsened, with tensions rising in a country that has a large Shiite population.
According to reports, armed groups launched attacks toward Kuwait, prompting the Kuwaiti government to summon the Iraqi ambassador in protest. U.S. military bases in Iraq and Baghdad also reportedly came under attack.
People gather near debris from a drone that fell onto a building near Erbil airport, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in the Ankawa district of Erbil, Iraq, March 4, 2026. REUTERS/Khalid al Mousily
At the same time, Iraqi authorities announced a nationwide power blackout for reasons that remain unclear.
The U.S. Embassy in Iraq urged American citizens to find ways to leave the country immediately.
Kurdish fighters and the Iran–Iraq border
Northern Iraq and the Kurdistan region have also drawn attention amid reports that Kurdish fighters could become involved in a potential ground offensive against Iran.
Reports suggest Kurdish forces may have crossed into Iran in recent days and taken combat positions. The information was cited by international media and later echoed by a U.S. official.
An armoured U.S. military vehicle moves towards the Iraqi Kurdistan region as U.S. troops withdraw from Qasrak military base in northeastern Syria, in Qamishli, Syria, February 23, 2026. REUTERS/Orhan Qereman
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards reportedly struck positions belonging to Kurdish armed groups in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by regional leader Nechirvan Barzani, said in a statement that it is not participating in the conflict.
Israeli operations in Syria and missile alert in Turkey
Late in the evening, Syria’s state news agency reported that Israeli forces had again entered southern Syria and carried out airstrikes.
Meanwhile, authorities in Turkey reported that NATO forces intercepted a ballistic missile in the region. Early reports suggested the missile might have been aimed at Cyprus, though later reporting indicated the possible target was the Incirlik military base.
Debris of a NATO air defence system that intercepted a missile launched from Iran is seen in Dortyol, in southern Hatay province, Turkey, March 4, 2026 in this screengrab from video. Ihlas News Agency (IHA) via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. TURKEY OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN TURKEY.
Alerts in Cyprus
Cyprus also experienced two security alerts during the day.
In the first incident, reports of a suspicious object in Lebanese airspace prompted the deployment of two Greek F-16 fighter jets. A second alert later in the evening was reportedly issued as a precaution.
Greek frigate “Kimon” docks at the port of Limassol, as the conflict in the Middle East intensifies, in Limassol, Cyprus, March 4, 2026. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou
At the same time, the British Ministry of Defense stated that a drone that struck the British base at Akrotiri earlier had not been launched from Iran.
Major strike in Tehran
At the center of the conflict, Israel launched a major strike on Tehran using around 100 aircraft and 250 bombs.
Israeli officials said the target was a complex that housed headquarters of several Iranian security and intelligence agencies.
A satellite image shows missile-production facilities at Bidganeh, Tehran province, Iran, March 3, 2026, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. 2026 Planet Labs PBC/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also stated that the United States and Israel expect to achieve full control of Iran’s airspace within a week, which would allow strikes anywhere inside the country.
Inside Iran, authorities also delayed announcing the successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following his death.
Naval attack near Sri Lanka
Another major incident occurred far from the main battlefield when a U.S. submarine reportedly attacked an Iranian naval frigate with a torpedo near Sri Lanka.
An explosion on what the U.S. Department of Defense says is an Iranian warship, at the sea, in this screengrab obtained from a handout video released on March 4, 2026. Department of Defense/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. VERIFICATION: -Exact time and type of warship could not be verified -However, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship off the southern coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday (March 4) -Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath identified the Iranian vessel as the IRIS Dena -Deck shape and mast of the vessel seen in video matched the file imagery of the same type of warship as IRIS Dena
At least 87 people were killed in the attack, 32 were seriously injured, and 101 Iranian sailors remain missing.
Diplomatic dispute between Spain and the United States
Meanwhile, political tensions have also emerged in Europe.
A dispute between Spain and the United States intensified after President Donald Trump threatened to suspend trade relations with Spain over its refusal to allow the use of Spanish bases for operations against Iran.
A TV screen shows a live broadcast of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, as he delivers an institutional statement to address the latest international developments, after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the U.S. would cut off all trade with Spain after the European country refused to let the U.S. military use its bases for missions linked to strikes on Iran, at a house in Ronda, Spain, March 4, 2026. REUTERS/Jon Nazca
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later said Spain had ultimately cooperated. However, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares quickly denied the claim, reiterating that Spain’s position remains firmly against the war.
As fighting spreads across the region, the conflict shows increasing signs of evolving into a broader geopolitical crisis affecting multiple countries across the Middle East and beyond.
