The conflict, now entering its third week, has shut down shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes, sending oil prices higher and raising fears of renewed global inflation.

Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said the military had detailed operational plans covering at least the next three weeks, with additional scenarios prepared for a longer campaign.

“We want to make sure that they are as weak as possible, this regime, and that we degrade all their capabilities, all parts and all wings of their security establishment,” Shoshani told reporters.

The Israeli military has framed the campaign as focused on degrading Iran’s ballistic missile infrastructure, nuclear facilities and broader security apparatus. Officials say thousands of potential targets remain inside Iran.

Iran launched drone attacks targeting regional sites, temporarily shutting down Dubai airport and striking a key oil facility in the United Arab Emirates, according to reports cited by regional authorities.

The incidents underscored the widening regional impact of the conflict, which has drawn concern from energy markets and governments reliant on Gulf shipping lanes.

Air traffic at Dubai airport was briefly halted following the drone threat before operations resumed.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has become one of the most significant economic consequences of the war.

The narrow waterway between Iran and Oman handles roughly 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, making it one of the most strategically important energy chokepoints in the world.

The disruption has already pushed oil prices upward and intensified concerns among policymakers about inflationary pressure on global economies.

U.S. President Donald Trump called on Sunday for an international coalition to help reopen the shipping route, warning that the NATO alliance could face a “very bad” future if members fail to support Washington’s efforts.

Allies responded cautiously, expressing support for diplomatic initiatives to restore navigation through the Strait while signaling reluctance to commit to military action.Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran had not requested a ceasefire and had exchanged no messages with Washington, according to Iran’s semi-official Student News Network.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Mehr news agency reported that overnight Israeli strikes killed five people and wounded seven others in Markazi province in central Iran. The report said attacks struck a residential area on the outskirts of Arak city and a residential building in Mahallat county.

Israel has said its campaign remains focused on military and strategic infrastructure linked to Iran’s security apparatus.

The emirate serves as a strategic outlet for exports of Murban crude, with shipments of around 1 million barrels per day flowing through the facility. That volume accounts for roughly 1% of global oil demand, making Fujairah one of the most important energy transit points outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Fujairah’s location on the Gulf of Oman allows crude shipments to bypass the narrow Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global energy supplies that has become increasingly sensitive amid the ongoing regional conflict.

Industry participants closely monitor the emirate because it provides one of the few alternative export routes in the region should shipping through the strait face disruption.

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, which operates major energy infrastructure in the emirate, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the incident or the status of facilities.

Bloomberg News earlier reported that oil loading operations in Fujairah had resumed following the disruption.

The brief halt in activity underscored the vulnerability of energy infrastructure across the Gulf as regional tensions escalate and drone and missile attacks target key supply hubs.

In a social media post, Trump said U.S. forces had “totally obliterated every MILITARY target” on the island while deliberately leaving oil export infrastructure intact. Kharg Island, located about 16 miles (26 km) off Iran’s coast, handles roughly 90% of Iran’s oil exports.

The president said the decision not to strike oil facilities could be reconsidered if Iran or other actors interfere with the “Free and Safe Passage of Ships” through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route through which roughly a fifth of global oil supply moves.

Iran has been attacking vessels in the waterway during the conflict, halting most commercial shipping traffic and intensifying volatility in energy markets.

Kharg Island lies roughly 300 miles (483 km) northwest of the Strait of Hormuz and serves as Iran’s principal crude export terminal. Satellite imagery reviewed by tanker monitoring service TankerTrackers.com showed multiple very large crude carriers loading at the island earlier this week.

Despite escalating military tensions in the Gulf, Iran has continued shipping crude from Kharg. Between Feb. 28, when the conflict began, and Wednesday, exports ranged between 1.1 million and 1.5 million barrels per day.

Other Gulf producers have temporarily halted shipments because of security concerns linked to Iranian attacks on shipping routes.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Trump declined to provide a timeline for the conflict’s conclusion.

“I can’t tell you that,” the president said. “I mean, I have my own idea, but what good does it do? It’ll be as long as it’s necessary.

”Oil markets have fluctuated sharply in recent days as investors reacted to shifting signals from Washington about the duration and scope of the conflict.

The United States is sending additional military forces to the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalate around the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump also said Iran had “no ability to defend against U.S. attacks,” urging Iranian forces to lay down their arms.

The confrontation has raised concerns among energy analysts and governments about the risk of a prolonged disruption to global oil supply, with the International Energy Agency previously warning that the conflict could trigger one of the largest supply shocks in modern energy markets.

President Donald Trump issued the warning after global financial markets swung sharply on Monday amid signs that Iran’s security establishment was consolidating behind newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, signalling Tehran may be preparing for a prolonged confrontation.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it would prevent “one litre of oil” from leaving the Middle East if strikes by the United States and Israel persist, according to Iranian state media.

Trump said Washington had already inflicted heavy damage on Iran’s military infrastructure and warned that any attempt by Tehran to halt tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would trigger far stronger U.S. retaliation.

“We will hit them so hard that it will not be possible for them or anybody else helping them to ever recover that section of the world,” Trump said during a news conference on Monday.

In a later post on his Truth Social platform, Trump reiterated that warning, saying the United States would strike Iran “twenty times harder” if the country attempted to block oil shipments through the narrow waterway, which handles roughly one-fifth of global crude supply.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards responded by saying the end of the conflict would be determined by Tehran, not Washington. A spokesperson quoted by state media said Iran would ensure that no oil exports leave the region if the attacks by the United States and Israel continue.

The comments came as large crowds gathered in Iran in support of Mojtaba Khamenei, according to Iranian media, suggesting the country’s leadership is seeking to demonstrate domestic backing following the escalation of hostilities.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said at least 1,332 Iranian civilians have been killed and thousands wounded since the United States and Israel launched air and missile strikes across Iran at the end of February.

Washington and its allies say the strikes are aimed at crippling Iran’s missile capabilities and nuclear programme. Israel has said its objective is to topple Iran’s clerical leadership, while Trump has said the conflict could end only if Tehran accepts a government compliant with U.S. demands.

Financial markets reacted sharply to the escalating rhetoric. Crude oil prices and global stock markets swung between gains and losses as investors weighed the risk that the conflict could disrupt energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes.