Il Messaggiere - Latest developments in Iran war: Israel plans on 'one, two weeks' of strikes

Here are the latest developments:

- 'Thousands' of targets -

Israeli media said the military was planning "at least one or two more weeks of operations in Iran, during which it aims to hit thousands more Iranian regime targets", the Times of Israel reported after a briefing with the military.

Earlier the military said it had begun a fresh wave of strikes on Tehran, as an AFP journalist reported a fresh explosion in the northeast of the Iranian capital.

The army said it had struck "dozens" of targets, including security command centres in Tehran and a missile facility in Isfahan in western Iran, and had shot down an Iranian fighter jet over the capital.

- Guards claim Hormuz -

The Revolutionary Guards said Iranian forces had "complete control" of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for world oil and gas supplies, and any vessels seeking to pass risked damage from missiles or stray drones.

President Donald Trump had said Tuesday the US Navy was ready to escort oil tankers through the crucial Gulf shipping route.

- Khamenei funeral postponed -

The funeral for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that was due Wednesday evening has been postponed, state television announced, "in anticipation of unprecedented turnout". A new date will be announced later, it said.

Deliberations over who would succeed Khamenei were still going on, it said.

- State media: 1,000 killed -

Iran's official IRNA news agency said Wednesday US-Israeli strikes had killed 1,045 military personnel and civilians since the start of the war. AFP was not in a position to independently verify the toll.

- Lebanon strikes -

The Israeli army said it had begun strikes in southern Lebanon after ordering people living south of Litani river to leave, as the military expanded its campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.

Lebanese state media said Israeli forces had entered the southern town of Khiam, about six kilometres from the border.

- Iran targets Israel -

Air raid sirens wailed in Jerusalem after the Israeli military said it had detected two incoming missiles barrages from Iran, which the military later said were intercepted.

- Turkey warning -

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned his Iranian counterpart in a phone call that "any steps that could lead to the spread of conflict should be avoided", a ministry source said, after NATO defence systems shot down a missile launched from Iran heading toward Turkey.

NATO condemned the "targeting of Turkey", but a Turkish official later said it appeared the missile was aimed at a base in Cyprus but veered off course.

- Iran hits Iraqi Kurdistan -

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had hit armed opposition groups hostile to Tehran in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region.

- UAE, Qatar intercept missiles -

The UAE said it had shot down three missiles and 121 drones, while Qatar said it had intercepted 10 drones and two missiles.

- US submarine attack -

A US submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.

Nearly 150 sailors were missing and several dead after the frigate IRIS Dena sank off Sri Lanka.

- Sanchez-Trump spat -

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez defiantly said "no to the war" after Trump threatened to sever all trade with Spain for refusing to allow US planes to use its bases to attack Iran.

- Stocks level out -

European stock markets steadied after steep losses across Asian stock markets, where rising oil prices rattled investors.

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E.Colombo--IM