Explosions were heard in Tehran and Jerusalem on Wednesday as the conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel entered its fifth day. Iran's state television reported blasts around the capital at dawn, while Israel's military confirmed its air defences intercepted incoming Iranian missiles, with explosions audible near Jerusalem.
Nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, according to reports. US President Donald Trump suggested the conflict could last a month or longer, and noted that some of the deceased were individuals he had considered potential future leaders of Iran.
In Lebanon, Israeli strikes targeted Hezbollah militants. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported at least five people killed in an attack on a residential complex in Baalbeck. Another Israeli airstrike hit a hotel in Hazmieh, about 5 kilometres southeast of Beirut, with ambulances dispatched to the scene.
Air raid sirens sounded across Jordan on Wednesday morning, as reported by the kingdom's state television. The conflict has also rattled global markets, with Asian shares tumbling. South Korea's benchmark index plunged as much as 11%, while oil prices continued to climb.
US benchmark crude rose 1.2% to $75.46 per barrel, and Brent crude gained 1.5% to $82.61. Investors fear higher oil prices could worsen inflation and slow the global economy, particularly affecting countries like Japan and South Korea that rely heavily on Middle Eastern oil imports.
