Washington/Tehran, March 7, 2026: Donald Trump has warned that Iran could face severe military action, saying the country would be hit “very hard,” after Tehran apologised to neighbouring Gulf states for recent drone and missile strikes that targeted civilian sites across the region.
In a statement posted on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump said Iranian actions had forced the United States and Israel to take strong measures and warned that additional targets inside Iran were under consideration.
“Today Iran will be hit very hard,” Trump wrote, adding that areas and groups previously not considered for targeting could now face “complete destruction” because of what he described as Iran’s “bad behavior.”
The US president claimed that Tehran had apologised to neighbouring Middle Eastern countries and pledged to halt attacks against them following sustained military pressure.
“Iran, which is being beat to hell, has apologized and surrendered to its Middle East neighbors, and promised that it will not shoot at them anymore,” Trump said, adding that the promise was made after “relentless US and Israeli attacks.”
Trump also said regional leaders had expressed gratitude to Washington for its actions and asserted that Iran was no longer the “bully of the Middle East.”
Iran apologises to Gulf neighbours
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran’s temporary leadership council had approved suspending attacks on neighbouring countries unless attacks on Iran originated from their territories.
“I personally apologise to neighbouring countries that were affected by Iran’s actions,” Pezeshkian said, adding that Iran would refrain from targeting regional states unless they allowed attacks on Iranian territory from their soil.
Over the past week, several Gulf countries—including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia—have reported drone and missile attacks, some of which struck civilian infrastructure such as ports, hotels and oil facilities.
Despite Pezeshkian’s statement, reports indicated that some strikes were still directed at Gulf states on Saturday morning, raising questions about whether Iran has fully decided to de-escalate.
Conflict spreads across the region
The ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran has expanded beyond Iranian territory, with Tehran retaliating by striking Israel and Gulf countries hosting US military installations. Israel has also carried out attacks in Lebanon targeting positions of the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Iranian forces said their navy carried out drone strikes on targets in Israel as well as US gathering points and bases in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait, describing the attacks as retaliation for a US strike on the Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena that reportedly killed dozens of sailors.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also said it launched strikes against separatist group positions in Iraq’s Kurdistan region and warned it would respond forcefully to any threats against Iran’s territorial integrity.
The Israeli military earlier confirmed that missiles had been launched from Iran toward Israeli territory, triggering air defence systems. Shortly afterward, Israel said it had launched a new wave of strikes targeting infrastructure in Tehran.
Rising casualties and global impact
According to Iran’s UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani, the US-Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,332 Iranian civilians and wounded thousands. Iranian strikes have killed 11 people in Israel and at least six US service members.
Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to Pezeshkian over civilian casualties and called for an immediate halt to hostilities, the Kremlin said.
The conflict has shaken global markets and pushed oil prices to multi-year highs, particularly as shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz—through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes daily—has been disrupted.
Amid the escalating tensions, Dubai-based airline Emirates suspended all flights to and from the city of Dubai until further notice due to security concerns.
Diplomatic prospects remain uncertain
Despite growing international concern, diplomatic prospects for ending the conflict remain uncertain. Trump has demanded “unconditional surrender” from Iran, while Tehran has rejected any foreign interference in selecting its future leadership.
Iranian officials say any new leadership will be determined strictly according to the country’s constitutional process and the will of its people.
With fighting spreading across the region and tensions continuing to rise, analysts warn the crisis could further destabilise the Middle East and disrupt global energy and trade routes.
