DUBAI/WASHINGTON, March 5 (GeokHub) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that Washington should have a role in shaping Iran’s future leadership as fighting between Iran and a U.S.–Israel alliance escalated sharply, with new airstrikes, missile launches and drone attacks spreading across the Middle East.
Speaking in a phone interview, Trump dismissed the possibility that Mojtaba Khamenei — son of Iran’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei — could emerge as the country’s next leader. Mojtaba, widely viewed by some political observers as a potential successor, represents a continuation of Iran’s hardline leadership.
“We want to be involved in the process of choosing the person who is going to lead Iran into the future,” Trump said, suggesting that a stable leadership outcome would be necessary to prevent repeated cycles of conflict.
His remarks came as Israeli warplanes issued evacuation warnings to residents in parts of eastern Tehran before launching another wave of airstrikes targeting government and military infrastructure.
Residents reported explosions across several districts of the capital.
“Today is worse than yesterday. They are striking northern Tehran. We have nowhere to go. It is like a war zone,” said Mohammadreza, a 36-year-old resident reached by phone as blasts echoed nearby.
Missile Alerts Across the Gulf
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks that triggered warning sirens across multiple countries in the region. Alerts sounded not only in Israel but also in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while emergency crews in Bahrain said firefighters contained a blaze at a refinery after a missile strike.
The widening confrontation has drawn additional countries into the conflict.
Azerbaijan accused Iran of launching drones into its territory and temporarily closed its southern airspace. Iranian officials denied targeting their neighbor, but the incident underscored how quickly the conflict is expanding across the region.
Rising Casualties
According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, at least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran since the war began. Among the victims were 175 schoolgirls and staff members killed when a primary school in Minab, southern Iran, was struck during the early stages of the conflict.
In Lebanon, the health ministry reported that at least 77 people have died in Israeli strikes. Thousands of residents fled southern Beirut after Israeli authorities urged civilians to evacuate the area.
The conflict has also shaken global markets, disrupting energy flows and air travel. Analysts warn that nearly one-fifth of global supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas could face disruptions if the conflict continues to spread.
Naval Clash and Military Escalation
Earlier in the week, a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship in waters near Sri Lanka, killing about 80 crew members. Iranian officials vowed retaliation for the incident.
During a visit to an Israeli air force base, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had already achieved significant results but warned that the campaign was far from finished.
“Much work still lies ahead,” Netanyahu said.
Iran’s foreign minister condemned the U.S. role in the conflict, warning that Washington would “bitterly regret” sinking an Iranian vessel in international waters.
A senior commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, General Kioumars Heydari, told state television that Iranian forces were prepared to target American military assets wherever they operate.
Opposition Message Broadcast
In another unusual development, Iranian state television was briefly hacked Thursday, broadcasting a message from exiled opposition figure Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s last monarch.
“A heavy burden of destiny rests upon the shoulders of us all,” he said in the message. “Together we will walk this path until final victory.”
Meanwhile, Israeli military officials said the number of missile launches from Iran has slightly declined in recent hours, though the threat remains.
“The more we intensify the damage and eliminate launchers, the more the threat will diminish over time,” Israeli military spokesperson Effie Defrin said.
