Fresh waves of airstrikes pounded Iran and Lebanon as Israel declared it was entering a “new phase” of a rapidly widening Middle East war that has drawn in global powers and shaken energy and transport markets worldwide.

In Tehran, powerful explosions lit up the night sky as Israeli forces targeted what they described as “regime infrastructure” in and around the capital. With internet connectivity reportedly reduced to about one percent, independent information from inside Iran has become scarce, but residents speaking to foreign media described a city under near-military lockdown.

Witnesses said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had sealed off major arteries with armed personnel and heavy machine guns, creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. One Tehran resident, now abroad, said authorities appeared more focused on suppressing domestic dissent than confronting foreign enemies, calling ordinary Iranians “the real enemy in their eyes.”

The strikes followed an earlier barrage that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a momentous escalation that has transformed a long-simmering confrontation into open war. Iran’s health ministry has reported hundreds of deaths from US and Israeli attacks, figures that cannot be independently verified.

Iran has responded with missile and drone salvos against Israel and Gulf states, firing volleys toward Tel Aviv and coastal cities such as Netanya. At least 10 people have been killed in Israel, according to emergency services, while the US military has confirmed several fatalities among its personnel.

Lebanon has been pulled deeper into the conflict through Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group that has launched missiles in support of Tehran. Israeli jets struck multiple targets in southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs, a densely populated Hezbollah stronghold.

AFPTV footage from those suburbs showed entire blocks reduced to twisted concrete and charred vehicles. Tens of thousands fled after Israel issued an unprecedented order to evacuate immediately. Families crowded onto Beirut’s Ramlet al-Baida beach, many with no clear destination. “We’ll sleep on the road tonight and God alone knows what will happen to us,” one displaced man said.

The fighting has spilled across the wider region. Qatar said it intercepted a drone targeting a US base, while Saudi Arabia reported shooting down drones near its capital. Civilian casualties have been recorded in several Gulf states, and maritime routes near the Strait of Hormuz have been severely disrupted, driving oil prices sharply higher and deepening global market volatility.