Iran’s military said 13 soldiers were killed in an Israeli strike on a base in Kerman province in the south. Iran, for its part, continued firing missiles and drones at Israel and expanded its attacks to what it described as US sites and interests across the region. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that its response would “become stronger”, adding that “the gates of hell will open wider and wider, moment by moment, on the United States and Israel”. On the diplomatic front, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio traded accusations over responsibility for the conflict. Araqchi said the United States had “voluntarily entered the war on behalf of Israel”, adding that “the bloodshed of Americans and Iranians alike lies with those who say ‘Israel first’.” Rubio, in turn, described Iran as posing an “imminent and direct threat” to both the United States and Israel.

Source: Daily News Egypt March 03, 2026 17:36 UTC