U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth dismissed the idea of an "endless" war with Iran on Monday but said more troops were being deployed. He stated that destroying the regime’s ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities "will not happen overnight." U.S. President Trump then insisted there was no fixed timeline. Both refused to rule out sending U.S. ground troops.

 

Trump said: "However long it takes, it is fine — no cost spared. From the beginning, we expected four to five weeks. But we have the ability to go on much longer than that."

 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced a new wave of "strikes" against Tehran on Monday, targeting command centers of Iran’s Interior Security Department and Intelligence Ministry. Israel accused these departments of "crushing protests against the regime through violent means."

 

In retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli attacks that killed Supreme Leader Khamenei over the weekend, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has continued firing missiles across the Middle East. Explosions were heard in Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

 

Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi said on state television on Monday night that Tehran had no dispute with neighboring countries but was "confronting U.S. soldiers stationed there."

 

After the United States reported the first American deaths in the conflict, Trump said on Sunday: "Before everything is over, there may be more deaths — that is just the way it is."

 

The U.S. also stated that three fighter jets crashed in Kuwait in an apparent friendly fire incident, and the crew ejected safely. Earlier, Israel expanded its military operation to Beirut after coming under attack by Lebanese Hezbollah militants allied with Tehran.

 

According to people familiar with the matter, Qatar and the UAE are lobbying allies to persuade Trump to pursue a diplomatic solution and shorten the conflict, aiming to prevent further escalation and avoid ongoing shocks to energy prices.

 

Global oil benchmark Brent crude futures closed nearly 7% higher on the day at $77.74 a barrel. After an adviser to the IRGC commander said Iranian forces would not allow oil to leave the region, state media reported, oil prices extended gains after settlement, trading above $78 a barrel. Qatar shut down liquefied natural gas (LNG) production after Iranian drone attacks on its facilities, sending prices in Europe and Asia up nearly 50%.

 

U.S. Secretary of State Rubio told Washington reporters ahead of a classified briefing for U.S. lawmakers that the Trump administration would soon roll out a plan to help ease rising energy costs.

 

According to The Atlantic, Trump called on Iran’s generals to hand over power to the Iranian people on Sunday and said he had agreed to hold talks with a new leadership. Responding to reports that he had contacted U.S. officials via Omani mediators, Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani said Tehran would not negotiate with the United States.

 

The United States has given various justifications for the initial strikes, with officials citing regime change, the threat from Iran’s nuclear program, and the domestic crackdown on protesters.

 

Rubio said on Monday that the military operation was aimed at destroying Iran’s ballistic missile program and its navy to prevent threats to global shipping. However, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu posted on social media that the move was partly to "create conditions for the brave Iranian people to break free from the shackles of tyranny."

 

U.S. intelligence officials have provided the administration with analyses of multiple possible scenarios following strikes on Iran, highlighting uncertainty over how events will unfold next.

 

Trump called on the Iranian people to "seize this moment" and "take back your country," but Iran’s security forces maintain tight control over the country. This could make any attempt by political opposition groups to seize power an uphill battle, even with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian government and military targets as support.

 

In an interview published by The New York Times on Sunday, Trump urged Iran’s generals to either hand over power to the Iranian people or adopt a model similar to Venezuela — where the country’s new leadership has been compliant with U.S. demands after Nicolas Maduro was forcibly removed from control.

 

After Khamenei was killed in the initial airstrikes, Tehran is seeking to appoint a new supreme leader. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said he "hoped" a successor would be chosen "within the next few days."

 

The U.S.-Israeli military operation began after three rounds of negotiations failed over an agreement to limit Tehran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

 

The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Monday it was disappointed by the failure of diplomatic efforts, adding that satellite images showed most of Iran’s nuclear facilities survived the latest round of airstrikes. The U.S. and Israel targeted these facilities in a 12-day campaign last June.

 

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, state media reported attacks on military and civilian sites, including one strike that killed more than 140 people at a school in Hormozgan province. According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, attacks across the country have killed more than 550 people.

 

Nearly all civilian air traffic in the Gulf region has been suspended after Dubai’s main airport — the world’s busiest aviation hub — was attacked. Emirates and Etihad Airways said they would resume limited operations later on Monday to try to ease some of the congestion.

 

Several landmarks in Dubai were damaged in a series of explosions in the financial hub. The UAE said the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and Dubai Financial Market would be closed on Monday and Tuesday.

 

Arab countries in the Gulf have condemned Iran’s attacks, with the UAE calling on Tehran to "come to its senses" and stop targeting countries not involved in the U.S.-Israeli military operation.