As the US–Israeli campaign against Iran enters its 37th day, the war is expanding — into Israeli cities, Gulf neighbours’ power grids, and the world’s most critical shipping lane.
The war that began on February 28 with surprise US–Israeli airstrikes killing Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has entered a dangerous new chapter. US–Israeli attacks have now killed at least 34 people across Iran, including at least six children, while Iran’s retaliatory reach extends further than ever — into an Israeli city, a Gulf neighbour’s power grid, and a global oil route that was once considered untouchable.
On Sunday, an Iranian ballistic missile struck a residential building in Haifa, killing at least two people and wounding four. Four others remain missing, with rescue teams drilling through concrete overnight to reach those feared trapped in the rubble. It was described by Israeli Home Front Command as the most severe missile impact in the northern district since the conflict began. Meanwhile, President Trump — now extending his Hormuz ultimatum for the third time — has set a hard deadline of Tuesday at 8 PM ET for Tehran to reopen the strait or face strikes on its power plants and bridges.
Iran’s response has been to expand the front. Across the Gulf, Iranian drone and missile strikes hit two power and water desalination plants in Kuwait, triggering the shutdown of generating units, while the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation reported significant damage to its facilities. In Bahrain, the Gulf Petrochemical Industries said several operational units were struck by Iranian drones. The attacks appear calibrated to inflict economic pain on US-aligned states without crossing into an all-out ground war.
The global economic toll is already severe. Brent crude surpassed $100 per barrel for the first time in four years and rose to $126 per barrel at its peak, while shipping through the strait — once carrying 130 vessels a day — has slowed to a trickle. Whether Tuesday’s deadline marks a turning point or another extension, the pressure on diplomats, markets, and civilians across the region is mounting by the hour.
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