7th day of Iran war: At a glance

The war involving the United States, Iran and Israel has entered its seventh day, with tensions continuing to escalate across the Middle East. 

New attacks, military warnings and heightened security measures across the region indicate the crisis is expanding further.

Key developments:

• New strikes reported: Iran launched what it described as a "hybrid attack" on Israel late last night (5 March). Footage captured by CNN appeared to show cluster warheads lighting up the night sky, while CNN journalists on the ground reported hearing several explosions. Since the war began, the Israeli military has repeatedly said Iran has fired missiles carrying cluster sub-munitions.

• Evacuation order in Beirut: The Israeli military issued an urgent warning for residents in several neighborhoods of Beirut's southern suburbs to evacuate. The directive follows a previous order for all residents south of the Litani River to leave the area, suggesting preparations for a possible large-scale military operation, reports CNN. 

• NATO increases missile defenses: NATO member states have strengthened their defense posture after a suspected Iranian missile was intercepted while heading toward Turkish airspace on Wednesday, according to a NATO spokesperson. If confirmed, it would mark the first interception of an Iranian missile bound for a NATO member since the conflict began. Iranian military officials, however, denied launching any missiles toward Turkey.

• US Congress vote fails: The US House of Representatives rejected a proposal that aimed to limit President Donald Trump's authority to conduct military action against Iran without congressional approval. The measure failed by a vote of 212–219, following a similar unsuccessful vote in the Senate a day earlier.

• Major flight disruptions: Hundreds of thousands of travelers remain stranded as the conflict spreads. Data from Flightradar24 shows that more than 11,000 flights across 10 Middle Eastern countries have been canceled since 28 February.

• Rising cost of the war: The first 100 hours of the US military campaign against Iran is estimated to have cost about $3.7 billion, averaging roughly $890 million per day, according to analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Less than $200 million of that figure represents operational expenses already included in the Pentagon's budget.

• Use of Iranian drones: US defense officials said reverse-engineered Iranian drones have played a crucial role in the conflict. Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, described them as "indispensable." He also said Iranian missile attacks had dropped by about 90% over the past 24 hours.

Developments across the region

• Iran expands attacks: In addition to launching missiles toward Israel overnight, Iran has continued strikes on Gulf states hosting US military systems. A missile struck an oil refinery in Bahrain yesterday, according to the Bahraini government and videos circulating on social media. Iranian state-affiliated media also reported a drone attack on an Amazon data center in Bahrain, while other Iranian drones targeted two Amazon facilities in the United Arab Emirates.

• Death toll rising: While the highest casualties have been reported in Iran and Lebanon, more than two dozen people have been killed elsewhere in the region due to Iranian strikes in Israel and Gulf countries, as well as US-Israeli airstrikes in Iraq.

• Iran targets Kurdish groups: Iran's Ministry of Intelligence said it had taken action against what it described as "separatist terrorist groups" attempting to cross the country's western border with alleged support from the United States. The statement, reported by Iranian state media, is believed to refer to strikes on Kurdish groups based in Iraq. CNN previously reported that the CIA is working to arm Kurdish forces in an effort to trigger a popular uprising in Iran.

• Iraqi first lady's warning: Iraq's First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed released an open letter urging parties involved in the conflict to "leave the Kurds alone," emphasizing that Kurdish people are not "guns for hire." Her statement follows reports that the CIA is encouraging Kurdish fighters in Iraq to confront Iran, and after Iran attacked targets it described as separatist groups in Iraqi Kurdistan on Wednesday.

• US soldiers identified: The Pentagon on Wednesday identified the remaining two US service members killed in a drone attack in Kuwait on Sunday. Four other soldiers killed in the incident had already been identified earlier in the week.

• Europe drawn into crisis: European governments are facing increasing pressure over whether to become more directly involved in the escalating conflict. Britain, France and Spain have agreed to provide military assistance to safeguard allied interests. Earlier this week, a drone strike hit a British Royal Air Force base on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

• Markets react: Financial markets have been volatile. Asian stocks recovered after sharp declines earlier, but US markets extended losses amid rising oil prices driven by the conflict. European stocks also traded lower. Oil prices recorded their biggest one-day increase since May 2020, during the peak of Covid-19 lockdowns.

• Drone strike reported in Azerbaijan: Azerbaijani authorities said drone attacks near the Iran-Azerbaijan border injured two people and damaged an airport terminal building — the first reported strikes on the country since the conflict began. Iran's armed forces denied responsibility for the attack.