The United States and Israel have conducted overnight strikes on five key oil facilities in and around Tehran, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing war with Iran.

According to Iran's National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company CEO Keramat Veyskarami, four oil depots and a petroleum products transport centre in Tehran and the Alborz province were targeted by enemy aircraft. While the sites sustained damage, fires were swiftly brought under control, averting a larger catastrophe.

This follows Israel's announcement of fresh strikes across Iran earlier in the day, amid a conflict now in its second week that has plunged the Middle East into chaos and disrupted global oil markets. US President Donald Trump justified the attacks, claiming Iran posed an imminent threat to American interests and was nearing nuclear weapon capability, though he offered no supporting evidence.

Reports from Axios indicate that US and Israeli officials have discussed deploying special forces into Iran to secure stockpiles of highly enriched uranium at a later war phase. The White House has not commented on these deliberations, which underscore the high stakes involving Iran's nuclear programme.

In a bid to de-escalate regional tensions, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a personal apology to neighbouring states for attacks on US facilities within their borders. He urged them against joining US-Israeli operations and revealed that Iran's temporary leadership council had agreed to halt strikes on nearby countries unless aggression originates from their soil. Trump's call for Iran's unconditional surrender was dismissed by Pezeshkian as a mere fantasy.

Pezeshkian's remarks sparked domestic backlash from Iranian hardliners, prompting his office to affirm that the military would respond decisively to any assaults from US bases. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, appeared on state television to deny any internal divisions over war strategy.

Saudi Arabia has privately warned Tehran that persistent Iranian strikes on the kingdom and its energy infrastructure could provoke reciprocal action, according to sources familiar with the matter. Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE reported Iranian drone incursions over the weekend, with varying damage levels. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for targeting US forces at a base in Bahrain.

The conflict's reach extended to Europe, where an explosion struck the US embassy in Oslo, Norway, early Sunday, inflicting minor damage but no casualties. Norwegian police have yet to determine the cause or perpetrators.

Meanwhile, Washington has paused a federal security bulletin warning of elevated domestic threats linked to the Iran crisis, despite intelligence assessments highlighting risks from Iran and its proxies.

Explosions rocked Tehran as state media reported huge blasts, with Israel confirming hits on Iranian missile sites and command centres. Iran's UN ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani stated that US-Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,332 civilians and wounded thousands.

A strike on an Iranian girls' school, which killed numerous children, has been tentatively attributed to US forces by American officials, though Trump insisted Iran was responsible due to its imprecise munitions.

Iranian counter-strikes have resulted in 10 deaths in Israel and the loss of six US service members, whose remains were repatriated to a Delaware Air Force base on Saturday. Local Iranian reports confirmed additional fuel depot strikes in areas including Karaj, west of Tehran, citing Oil Ministry sources.

Tehran has retaliated by targeting Israel and Gulf hosts of US installations, while Israel has intensified operations in Lebanon following Hezbollah cross-border fire. Israel issued stark warnings to Lebanon to curb the Iran-backed militia, or face a "very heavy price," alongside airstrikes on Hezbollah strongholds and a lethal airborne raid in the east. In Beirut's southern suburbs, Reuters footage captured buildings reduced to rubble, with Lebanon's death toll from Israeli actions since Monday nearing 300.

Iran's tactic of sowing maximum disruption has spiked energy costs, strained global business, and severed logistics chains. Kuwait's national oil company slashed output on Saturday, compounding reductions from Iraq and Qatar.

Oil prices have surged to multi-year peaks as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed, threatening Persian Gulf stability where oil built economies and desalinated water sustains life.

The war's fallout ripples beyond the battlefield. The UAE is bolstering food security by stocking shelves and enhancing supply chains, while broader concerns mount over desalination plants vulnerable to conflict. Trump's administration faces scrutiny over the school strike investigation, with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth noting it remains ongoing.

As proxy battles widen and nuclear fears intensify, the conflict tests alliances across the Gulf and beyond. Iran's apology signals diplomatic manoeuvring, yet hardline rhetoric and Saudi warnings suggest de-escalation remains elusive. Global markets brace for prolonged volatility.

Agencies