“Today Iran will be hit very hard,” Trump says following Iranian President's apology to Gulf nation

Israeli warplanes have launched “broad-scale” strikes on Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport early Saturday, March 7, following U.S. President Donald Trump's warning to escalate the war against Iran.

U.S. considers “complete destruction and certain death” related to strikes on Iran.

Following the strikes, the Israeli military confirmed that it had targeted 16 Iranian aircraft that were allegedly used by the Quds Force to transport weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote: “Today, Iran will be hit very hard,” claiming that Iran’s president had “surrendered” to neighbouring countries after Masoud Pezeshkian apologised for strikes on Gulf states.

However, Pezeshkian immediately denied any notion of capitulation. “We will stand and resist to the last drop of our lives to defend our country,” he said in a statement, while clarifying that Iran would not attack neighbouring nations unless U.S. strikes originated from their territory.

Responding to Trump’s comment, a senior Iranian official told CNN that Iran is now finding new U.S. assets to strike.

The escalating conflict between Iran and the U.S.-Israel has taken more than 1,400 lives in its first week in Iran.

Additionally, Lebanon’s health ministry also reported at least 194 killed since Monday, March 2, as Israeli commandos raided a broader village searching for the remains of a long-missing airman.