By Jeremy Fregene —With Agency Reports
The war between the United States and Iran escalated dramatically on Monday, spilling across the Middle East as Kuwait mistakenly shot down three American fighter jets during an Iranian missile barrage, while President Donald Trump warned that the “big wave” of U.S. military action was still ahead.
U.S. Central Command confirmed that three F-15E fighter jets were downed in what officials described as friendly fire during an Iranian attack on Gulf targets. All six crew members ejected safely and were rescued. Video verified by international media showed one of the jets spiralling downward in flames, underscoring the widening risks of a conflict that has now engulfed much of the region.
The latest developments come as the U.S. and Israel intensify a sweeping air campaign against Iran following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in weekend strikes. Trump, speaking at the White House, declared the operation was moving “ahead of schedule” but cautioned that a far more forceful phase was imminent.
“We haven’t even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon,” Trump said, adding that it remained unclear who was now leading Iran. “We don’t know who the leadership is. We don’t know who they’ll pick.”
The president said he ordered the strikes to thwart what he described as Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, insisting the threat had been imminent. So far, U.S. forces have struck more than 1,200 targets and destroyed multiple Iranian naval assets, according to Pentagon figures. Trump said the campaign was initially projected to last four to five weeks but could continue longer if necessary.
“We have the strongest and most powerful military in the world, and we will easily prevail. Whatever it takes,” he declared.
At the Pentagon, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, described the campaign as “difficult and gritty work,” confirming additional U.S. forces were deploying to the region. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth did not rule out the possibility of ground troops, signalling that the conflict could deepen further.
The war has rattled global markets and energy supplies. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz—a corridor for roughly a fifth of the world’s oil trade—has effectively halted, sending crude prices sharply higher. Qatar suspended liquefied natural gas production, while Saudi Arabia shut its largest refinery after drone strikes sparked fires at energy facilities. U.S. gasoline prices climbed above $3 per gallon, adding domestic political pressure on Trump ahead of midterm elections.
The conflict widened further when Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement launched missiles and drones toward Israel, prompting Israeli airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Lebanese authorities reported dozens killed and over a hundred injured. Israel has since declared Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem a target, though officials say a ground invasion of Lebanon is not currently planned.
Iran, for its part, has denied pursuing nuclear weapons and described the U.S.-Israeli assault as unprovoked aggression. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi condemned the killing of Khamenei as a “religious crime,” while senior adviser Ali Larijani said Tehran would not negotiate with Trump, accusing him of harbouring “delusional ambitions.”
Inside Iran, highways were jammed with civilians fleeing bombardments. While some celebrated Khamenei’s death after decades of authoritarian rule, others expressed fear and anger at mounting civilian casualties from airstrikes reportedly hitting residential and medical facilities.
Regional capitals also felt the shockwaves. Explosions were reported near the U.S. embassy in Kuwait, while blasts echoed in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha as Iranian missiles and drones targeted Gulf states hosting U.S. assets. Black smoke was seen rising over parts of Kuwait City during the attacks that preceded the friendly fire incident.
Despite the intensifying military campaign, senior U.S. officials have expressed scepticism privately about the prospects of rapid regime change in Tehran. Trump, however, renewed calls for Iranians to rise up against their rulers, even as he conceded Washington had little clarity about the country’s leadership structure in the aftermath of Khamenei’s death.
For Trump, who once campaigned on ending America’s involvement in protracted overseas wars, the Iran campaign marks the most consequential foreign policy gamble of his presidency. Four U.S. service members have been reported killed since the conflict began, and public support at home remains divided.
With no ceasefire in sight, oil soaring, global transport disrupted, and new fronts opening from Lebanon to the Gulf, the war shows signs not of containment but of rapid expansion — even as the U.S. president signals that its most punishing phase may still lie ahead.