Video shows apparent drone strike at Baghdad’s Green Zone

Many Arab states surrounding the Persian Gulf are urging the United States to carry on hitting Iran, fearing that Tehran will come out of war still capable of threatening the region’s oil lifeline, Reuters reported citing three regional sources.

Those sources and five Western and Arab diplomats said Washington has been pressing those governments to join the US-Israeli campaign Iran.

As the conflict entered its third week, Reuters reported the prevailing mood among regional leaders was clear: President Trump should comprehensively degrade Iran’s military capacity.

The alternative for Iran's Arab neighbours, one source was quoted as saying, would be living under constant threat.

Israel’s military said it carried out a “precise strike” last week targeting what it described as a headquarters used by senior naval commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guards to manage operations and coordinate maritime activity.

In a post on X published with a motion graphic, the Israeli military said the Tehran facility was used to “advance international maritime terrorist activities.”

It accused the IRGC of attacking on civilian vessels and supplying regional armed groups with weapons via sea routes.

Iran’s foreign minister has dismissed reports of recent contacts with Washington, saying his last communication with US envoy Steve Witkoff came before what he described as a military attack that “killed diplomacy.”

“My last contact with Mr. Witkoff was prior to his employer's decision to kill diplomacy with another illegal military attack on Iran,” Abbas Araghchi wrote on X.

“Any claim to the contrary appears geared solely to mislead oil traders and the public.”

The comment appears to respond to reports suggesting renewed back-channel communication between Tehran and Washington despite the ongoing war.

The number of American troops wounded in the war against Iran has risen to about 200 as the conflict enters its third week, the US military said Monday.

In a statement, US Central Command said the vast majority of those injured suffered minor wounds and roughly 180 service members have already returned to duty.

The updated tally underscores the growing toll on US forces as Iranian missile and drone attacks continue across the region in response to the US-Israeli campaign.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday he does not think the war on Iran will end this week but said it will be over soon.

"Won't be long, and we're gonna have a much safer world when it's wrapped up. It'll be wrapped up soon. We're gonna have a much safer world," he told reporters in the White House.

"I had an obligation to do this. I didn't want to."