Military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran entered their eighth day on March 7. Over the past 24 hours, hostilities have continued to escalate. The Israeli military announced the destruction of an underground bunker previously used by Iran's late Supreme Leader Khamenei, while Iran retaliated using ultra-heavy missiles for slain students and launched a large-scale attack with a new generation of missiles targeting a U.S. aircraft carrier and multiple U.S. military bases across the Middle East.
The Middle East crisis continues to spill over, with the number of refugees in affected regions reaching 25 million. UN Secretary-General Guterres has warned that the situation in the Middle East "could spiral out of control." On the evening of March 6, Iranian military spokesperson Abolfazl Shekarchi stated, "We reiterate the security of the Strait of Hormuz and confirm our control over it, but we will not close it." Shekarchi added that vessels associated with Israel or the United States would not be permitted passage. In the early hours of March 7, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced the initiation of the 24th round of its "True Promise 4" military operation, reporting that three missiles launched towards Tel Aviv, Israel, all successfully struck their intended targets. Also in the early hours of March 7, the Israel Defense Forces stated they had detected missiles launched from Iranian territory and were engaging in interception efforts. Air raid sirens were activated in multiple locations across southern Israel.
Trump: U.S. Defense Firms Agree to Quadruple Production of "Sophisticated" Weapons According to reports, on the afternoon of March 6 EST (early morning March 7 Beijing time), U.S. President Trump posted on social media that he had "just concluded a very successful meeting with the nation's largest defense manufacturers to discuss production and production schedules." Trump claimed these companies had agreed to quadruple the production output of "sophisticated" weapons "so that the United States can reach the highest quantity levels as soon as possible." Trump stated, "Expansion efforts began three months prior to the meeting, with construction and production for many of these weapons already underway. The U.S. military possesses an almost unlimited supply of medium and upper-medium caliber ammunition—nonetheless, orders for these types of ammunition have been increased."
Reportedly, company representatives attending the meeting included: BAE Systems, Boeing, Honeywell Aerospace, the Missile Systems division of L3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon. Previous reports indicated that Trump had stated U.S. ammunition stockpiles are nearly limitless, prompting the urgent meeting with defense industry leaders at the White House.
U.S. Media: Satellite Imagery Shows Five Radar Sites Attacked in Middle East According to a report by CNN on March 6, citing satellite imagery analysis, five locations hosting radar systems across multiple Middle Eastern countries have been attacked by Iranian forces since the large-scale U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran began on February 28. CNN published several satellite photos showing the attacked radar systems were deployed in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and at two sites in the United Arab Emirates. The report indicated that four of the attacked locations hosted radar systems associated with the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system. These radars are core components of U.S. air defense systems, capable of detecting incoming missiles and drones and initiating intercept procedures. According to reports from multiple Iranian media outlets on March 6, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched numerous missiles and drones, destroying U.S. THAAD system radars in the UAE and Jordan, as well as a U.S. FPS-132 radar in Qatar.
Spanish Prime Minister: U.S.-Israel Military Action Against Iran is a "Grave Mistake" The Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez stated on March 6 that the military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran constitute a "grave mistake." He simultaneously emphasized that Spain's deployment of a warship to Cyprus was solely to fulfill defensive and assistance obligations to its EU partner. Responding to criticism from U.S. President Trump that Spain, as an ally, refused to support the strikes against Iran, Sanchez said during a press conference at a Spain-Portugal summit that Spain always acts in accordance with international law. "Among allies, when one makes a mistake, the others should point it out. This war is a very serious mistake," he stated. Regarding the deployment of the Spanish frigate "Cristóbal Colón" to Cyprus for defensive duties, Sanchez explained that the ship was dispatched at the request of Cyprus and is primarily tasked with "protection, defense, and rescue operations." The Cypriot government issued a statement on March 2 saying a drone attack on the British Akrotiri Air Base in Cyprus caused "limited damage." According to an announcement from the Spanish Ministry of Defense, the frigate "Cristóbal Colón" joined the French aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" battle group on March 3 to perform escort and training missions. This naval group is headed to the Mediterranean to provide defensive military support to Cyprus.
Guterres Warns Middle East Situation "Could Spiral Out of Control" UN Secretary-General Guterres warned on March 6 that the situation in the Middle East "could spiral out of control." He called on relevant parties to "cease hostilities and engage in serious diplomatic negotiations." In a statement on the Middle East situation, Guterres said that all unlawful attacks in the Middle East and other regions are inflicting immense suffering and harm on civilians across the area and pose a serious threat to the global economy, particularly endangering the most vulnerable populations. Guterres stated, "The time has come to stop the fighting and engage in serious diplomatic negotiations."
Strait of Hormuz Ship Attack Results in 4 Sailor Deaths, 3 Seriously Injured On March 6, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Dominguez, expressed shock and sorrow over a ship attack in the Strait of Hormuz that day, which resulted in at least 4 sailors killed and 3 seriously injured. The IMO issued a statement noting that two sailors had already been killed in previous incidents in the region, with one more reported missing. Approximately 20,000 sailors remain stranded in the Gulf area, facing escalating security risks and immense psychological pressure. "Sailors must not be targeted," Dominguez said in the statement. "This situation is unacceptable and unsustainable. All parties and stakeholders have an obligation under international law to take necessary measures to ensure the protection of seafarers, including safeguarding their rights and well-being, as well as upholding freedom of navigation." The statement did not disclose specific details about the ship attack incident. According to maritime security company reports, a UAE-flagged tugboat came under attack while proceeding to assist a container ship that had been targeted earlier. The involved container ship lost power after being struck by a missile on March 4, and its crew had abandoned the vessel.
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