Only Iran's 'unconditional surrender' can end war: Trump

Donald Trump said on Friday that only Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” would end the escalating Middle East conflict, as crude oil prices surged amid growing fears of disruption to global energy supplies.

As Israel intensified its air strikes on Lebanon and announced “broad-scale” strikes on Tehran, the United States military said it had struck more than 3,000 targets during the first week of the joint US-Israeli war against Iran.

The conflict has drawn in countries beyond the region, disrupted global energy and transport networks, and brought instability to normally calm areas around the Gulf.

Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, called for “serious diplomatic negotiations” and warned the situation could become a crisis that spirals beyond anyone’s control.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin voiced support for an “immediate” ceasefire in Iran during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Friday, according to the Kremlin.

Trump, who has given varying explanations for launching the military campaign a week ago, rejected renewed negotiations with Tehran. Writing on the social media platform Truth Social, he said, "There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that once the president determines Iran no longer poses a threat to the United States and the military objectives have been achieved, “Iran will essentially be in a place of unconditional surrender, whether they say it themselves or not.”

Trump also pledged to help rebuild Iran’s economy if Tehran appoints a leader “acceptable” to Washington to replace the country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed last weekend.

Oil markets reacted sharply to the escalating conflict. With the critical energy route, the Strait of Hormuz, effectively blocked, crude prices climbed further on Friday.

The international benchmark, Brent North Sea crude, rose to $92.69 per barrel, gaining 8.5 per cent in a single day and nearly 30 per cent over the week.

United States Central Command said more than 3,000 Iranian targets had been struck so far, including command-and-control centres, air defence systems, missile installations and naval vessels.

Six US service members have been killed in the conflict. Trump is expected to attend the dignified transfer ceremony for their remains at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Saturday.

Israel continued heavy bombardment of Beirut’s southern suburbs, a stronghold of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, the death toll has reached 217.

Israeli strikes also hit the town of Nabi Sheet in eastern Lebanon’s Baalbek District, where officials said at least nine people were killed.

Nawaf Salam, Lebanon’s prime minister, warned that a humanitarian disaster is looming. The Norwegian Refugee Council said around 300,000 people had been displaced across the country.

Three peacekeepers serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon were wounded when their base in southern Lebanon was struck on Friday, according to UN officials and the Ghanaian military.

Joseph Aoun, Lebanon’s president, accused Israel of targeting the peacekeepers, while Emmanuel Macron described the incident as unacceptable.

Tehran endured some of its heaviest bombardment yet on Friday, according to AFP journalists in the Iranian capital.

“It’s really very scary,” a Tehran businessman who identified himself only as Robert told AFP.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that strikes on Iran would surge dramatically, while Israel’s military chief, Eyal Zamir, said Israeli forces were crushing the Iranian terrorist regime.

Iran’s health ministry said US and Israeli attacks had killed 926 people, though the AFP could not independently verify the figure.

Iran has launched missiles and drones towards Israel and Gulf states since the conflict began, with AFP reporters in Tel Aviv hearing multiple explosions on Friday. Israeli emergency services say at least 10 people have been killed.

Qatar said it was targeted by 10 Iranian drones on Friday, nine of which were intercepted, while Saudi Arabia reported intercepting a cruise missile.

Several airports in Iraq were also attacked, including a complex at Baghdad International Airport that houses a military base and a US diplomatic facility.

The United States Embassy in Iraq warned that Iranian-backed fighters might target hotels in Iraqi Kurdistan frequently used by foreign visitors.

Shortly afterwards, an explosion was reported in the city of Erbil, with smoke seen rising from a hotel.

Across Gulf countries, 13 people have been killed since the war began, including an 11-year-old girl, Elena Abdullah Hussein, in Kuwait.

Two hours before her death, the girl phoned her father at work to tell him she loved him.

“It was as if she were trying to say goodbye,” her father, Abdullah Hussein, told AFP at her funeral.