Iran’s military on Tuesday took a direct swipe at Donald Trump, saying wars cannot be decided through social media posts, as the conflict in West Asia continued to escalate with fresh strikes and rising casualties.
Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran’s central military command, said in a video message that “the outcome of war cannot be determined by tweets,” in an apparent reference to Trump’s online commentary on the conflict.
“The result of a war is decided on the battlefield — the very place where you and your forces do not dare to approach,” he said, adding that the conflict should be called “Epic Fear” instead of “Epic Fury.”
The remarks came as the Israel Defence Forces launched a new wave of strikes across Tehran and Beirut, targeting what it described as military infrastructure and Hezbollah positions. Attacks were also reported in the Iranian cities of Shiraz and Tabriz, hitting command centres, missile sites and air defence systems.
The war has so far killed at least 1,300 people in Iran, around 850 in Lebanon and 12 in Israel, according to officials. The US military has reported 13 service members killed and nearly 200 wounded.
Meanwhile, tensions have spread across the region. A drone strike triggered a fire at an oil facility in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, though no casualties were reported. The UAE briefly shut its airspace amid missile and drone threats before reopening it.
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, warned that the Strait of Hormuz — through which nearly 20% of global oil and gas passes — “cannot be as it was before,” signalling potential long-term disruption.
On Monday, Trump said several countries were willing to help secure the waterway, but criticised others for not contributing enough, hinting at strains in defence partnerships.
Elsewhere, Israeli strikes continued in southern Lebanon, while Saudi Arabia said it intercepted multiple drones targeting its oil-rich eastern province. In Abu Dhabi, a Pakistani national was killed by falling debris after air defences intercepted a missile.
The conflict has also triggered arrests and heightened security measures. Iranian authorities reportedly detained 10 foreign nationals on suspicion of espionage in the country’s northeast.
With military activity intensifying across multiple fronts, fears are growing of a wider regional escalation.
