War Heats Up! Iran Bombards Israel Again, US Goes Wild
War Heats Up! Iran Bombards Israel Again, US Goes Wild
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East has reached a new boiling point after Iran launched a massive wave of retaliatory missile strikes into Israel in the early hours of Thursday, 5 March 2026. The attack forced millions of Israelis to flee into underground shield bunkers as the war between the United States-Israel and Iran entered its sixth day with ever more terrifying intensity.
Tensions on the battlefield peaked just hours after political dynamics in Washington heated up. The United States Senate, controlled by Republicans, officially blocked a motion aimed at halting the air campaign against Iran, giving President Donald Trump full leeway to continue military operations without legislative obstacles.
In a dramatic vote, the Senate voted 53 to 47 not to proceed with the resolution. The decision was taken strictly along party lines, with nearly all Republicans opposing the motion and nearly all Democrats supporting halting the air strikes.
Meanwhile, naval battles erupted in waters far from the main theatre of conflict. A US Navy submarine is reported to have sunk an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday. The deadly incident in the Indian Ocean claimed at least 80 Iranian personnel and marked a significant expansion of the war’s reach.
The situation grew more perilous as the conflict began drawing in NATO powers. Turkey’s air defence system was said to be working hard to destroy an Iranian ballistic missile fired at the country. This marks the first time that Turkey, with the second-largest military in NATO, has been directly engaged in the conflict’s flight path.
Regarding Turkey’s involvement, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that there are thus far no indications that the incident will trigger activation of the alliance’s collective defence clause. He stressed that Washington continues to monitor the situation closely concerning NATO’s involvement.
The Grim Impact of the US-Israel vs Iran War
The impact of the mutual bombardment has disrupted global energy trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz. Global oil and gas flows are choked, causing world oil prices to surge sharply on Thursday trading. At least 200 oil tankers remain moored offshore due to extremely high security risks along the route.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, in an interview with Fox News, asserted that the military priority of the United States at present is to neutralise Tehran’s combat power before it can fully guarantee security for commercial shipping.
“Not yet, not now… We will do it as soon as possible. Right now, our Navy, and indeed our military, are focused on other things, namely disarming the Iranian regime,” he said when asked whether commercial ships could receive military escort in the Gulf.
On the economic front, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned that a prolonged conflict would undermine global economic resilience. Speaking in Bangkok, she highlighted the new burdens policymakers worldwide would have to shoulder as a result of the upheaval.
“If this conflict proves prolonged, it has real potential to influence global energy prices, market sentiment, growth and inflation. And that would place new demands on policymakers wherever they are,” Georgieva said on the threat of global energy inflation.
Meanwhile, within Iran, political uncertainty surrounds succession after the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following Israel’s air strike last Saturday. Plans for the farewell and funeral of the Supreme Leader, which were to begin on Wednesday night, were postponed indefinitely by the Tehran government.
Member of the Expert Assembly of Iran, Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, signalled on state television that the process of selecting a new Supreme Leader is proceeding with extreme secrecy. He confirmed that the candidate list has been identified by the Assembly, but their identities remain confidential.
“Candidates have been identified but their identities have not been disclosed,” Khatami said briefly while explaining the progress of selecting Iran’s new Supreme Leader.
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