More than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran since the U.S. and Israel launched a military campaign against the country, with the conflict now in its fifth week. American and Israeli airstrikes targeted Iranian military sites early Friday, while Iran responded by launching drone attacks across the Middle East, including on Kuwait's Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery, where multiple fires broke out. The state-run Kuwait Petroleum Corp confirmed firefighters were battling the blazes, and sirens sounded in Bahrain as warnings of incoming attacks were issued. Israel also reported incoming missiles, though damage assessments remain incomplete. Strikes were reported near Tehran and Isfahan, but specific targets have not been verified.
Oil prices surged to around $109 per barrel for Brent crude, a rise of over 50% since the war began on February 28, due to Iran's continued control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil passes. The U.N. Security Council is set to vote Saturday on a Bahraini proposal to authorize defensive measures for safe passage through the strait. However, Russia, China, and France have opposed language permitting the use of force. French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking in South Korea, dismissed the idea of a military solution, stating that reopening the strait "can only be done in coordination with Iran" through post-ceasefire negotiations. A separate diplomatic effort led by Britain and involving over 40 nations, excluding the U.S., has emphasized sanctions and political pressure over military action.
Outside Iran, at least 19 people have died in Israel, 13 U.S. service members have been killed, and over two dozen have died in Gulf states and the occupied West Bank. In Lebanon, more than 1,300 people have been killed and over a million displaced due to Israel's ground invasion targeting Hezbollah. Ten Israeli soldiers have died in the Lebanon operation.
The U.N. Security Council vote is expected Saturday, while diplomatic talks continue without direct U.S. involvement.
When Emmanuel Macron says the Strait of Hormuz can only reopen through negotiations with Iran, he is acknowledging what Washington refuses to accept: that military force cannot guarantee energy security in the region. The U.S. strategy of airstrikes and pressure has failed to dislodge Iran's hold on the waterway or prevent attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure. With oil prices over $109 and global supply chains under strain, the war has become a self-inflicted crisis for oil-dependent economies. The real lesson isn't about military superiority—it's that no amount of bombing can replace the necessity of diplomacy.
