Three Weeks of War in the Middle East: Attacks Continue as Doubts Over Hormuz Persist

The Middle East entered its third week of conflict with no signs of de-escalation and mounting uncertainty over the status of the Strait of Hormuz — a critical chokepoint for global energy trade that Iran has obstructed amid the current hostilities.

In the early hours of Saturday, Israeli forces launched new strikes on Beirut and Tehran, while the Iranian regime bombarded U.S. military bases and Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Haifa.

From Washington, the Department of the Treasury temporarily authorized the purchase and sale of Iranian oil currently in transit at sea, though the Iranian government denied having surplus crude to offer international markets.

The following is a summary of the latest developments in the Middle East war:

Israel Launches New Strikes

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed two new waves of attacks. The first targeted positions of the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah in Beirut, specifically seven neighborhoods in the southern suburbs of the capital, according to an IDF statement issued at 2:20 a.m. local time (00:20 GMT) on Saturday. Hours earlier, the IDF's Arabic-language spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, had warned residents of the affected neighborhoods that they must "evacuate immediately."

Shortly after 4:00 a.m. Tel Aviv time (02:00 GMT), Israeli forces announced they had once again struck "targets of the Iranian regime" in Tehran, after several Iranian news agencies, including Nour and Fars, reported explosions in the south and west of the city, as well as an airstrike in Isfahan.

Since the outbreak of hostilities, Israeli bombardments of Iran have killed a total of 1,021 people, while the U.S.-based opposition NGO HRANA places the overall conflict death toll at 3,220.

Iran Sustains Its Bombardments

The Islamic Republic announced on Saturday that it had struck five U.S. military bases across the Middle East region, as well as Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Haifa. The Revolutionary Guard reported having "successfully" bombed Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, Al Dhafra Base in the United Arab Emirates, Ali Al Salem Base in Kuwait, Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, and the Fifth Naval Fleet in Bahrain. Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia all reported intercepting drones and missiles in the recent period.

Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesperson for the Iranian Armed Forces, warned that Israeli and American officials could become targets "anywhere in the world," including leisure and tourist destinations.

The U.S. Authorizes Temporary Purchase and Sale of Iranian Oil

In a bid to contain rising gasoline prices, the U.S. Treasury Department on Friday authorized the temporary purchase and sale of Iranian oil currently stranded at sea. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent previewed the decision and estimated that the measure would add approximately 140 million barrels to the oil market.

In response, the spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Petroleum, Saman Ghodousi, stated that Iran "practically has no surplus crude to supply other international markets," and accused Bessent's announcement of being designed to "instill hope in buyers and manage market psychology."

Trump Addresses a Possible Intervention in Hormuz

President Donald Trump indicated Friday that the United States would intervene to ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz only if asked to do so by its allies. "If requested, we will help these countries in their efforts regarding Hormuz, but it should not be necessary once the Iranian threat is eliminated," the president wrote on his Truth Social platform, describing such an operation as "simple" for Washington.

Trump also stated that the United States is "very close" to achieving its objectives in the war it is waging alongside Israel against Iran — objectives that include degrading Iran's missile capabilities, dismantling its defense industry, neutralizing its Navy and Air Force, and preventing Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Tehran Willing to Facilitate Japanese Vessel Passage Through Hormuz

In an interview released Saturday by Japanese news agency Kyodo, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi stated that Tehran is prepared to facilitate the passage of Japanese vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. The country's top diplomat clarified that his government has not fully closed the strategic waterway, but has instead imposed restrictions on ships from countries involved in attacks against Iran. Aragchi emphasized that Iran is ready to guarantee safe passage to nations such as Japan — which depends on the Middle East for approximately 90 percent of its oil supply — provided they coordinate with Tehran.