Israel launched further airstrikes against Iran overnight Friday, with the Israeli military reporting a “broad wave” of attacks targeting infrastructure. Iranian state media reported explosions in the west of the capital, Tehran. The escalating conflict comes as the United States too signaled it is preparing for a significant escalation of attacks within Iran, potentially marking a major turning point in the ongoing hostilities.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that the upcoming U.S. Operation will inflict the “biggest damage” to Iranian missile launchers and the factories producing them, substantially degrading their capabilities. “Tonight will be our biggest bombing campaign,” Bessent told Fox Business. The U.S. And Israel began their attacks on Iran last Saturday, with President Donald Trump announcing earlier this week that more intense strikes were imminent.
Earlier Friday, Israel’s air defenses were activated in response to rocket fire from Iran, with an all-clear given shortly after. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Israeli forces stated that civilians could return to shelters. The development underscores growing regional tensions and the potential for further escalation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously indicated a further intensification of his country’s attacks against its adversaries, stating that three things were needed for the military operation: “first, determination, second, initiative and third, craftiness.” He added that the enemy would “feel these capabilities much more strongly.”
According to U.S. Officials, they expect to achieve all objectives in Iran within four to six weeks. The U.S. Military has reportedly attacked more than 3,000 targets in Iran since the start of the conflict approximately one week ago. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) stated via X that forces had also destroyed or damaged 43 Iranian ships, with the stated goal of neutralizing the entire Iranian navy.
In addition to the military’s warships, Iran also maintains a fleet belonging to the Revolutionary Guard, which has previously deployed smaller speedboats. CENTCOM reported that during the first seven days of the conflict, U.S. Military strikes focused on headquarters of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), Iranian air defense systems, ballistic missiles, and command centers.
U.S. Defense companies have reportedly agreed to increase weapons production, according to President Trump. Following a meeting with representatives from major U.S. Arms manufacturers, Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that they had pledged to quadruple the production of advanced weaponry, though specifics regarding which weapons and the timeline for increased production remained unclear.
Trump stated that the expansion of production began three months ago, with the manufacturing of many of these weapons already underway. He emphasized that certain munitions used in Iran were “practically unlimited,” while also indicating that orders for those were being increased. Lockheed Martin and Boeing were among the arms companies that attended the meeting with the President.
U.S. Government representatives have recently stressed that the U.S. Does not face a shortage of ammunition, addressing concerns raised by some Democrats regarding the large quantities of munitions being used in the conflict with Iran. The announcement could influence future diplomatic talks and regional stability.
Demand for arms has risen sharply even before the conflict in Iran, largely due to Russia’s war in Ukraine. Significant amounts of U.S.-made weapons and ammunition have also been consumed in the Gaza conflict and previous attacks on Iran last year, leaving many defense companies with full order books and long lead times for customers.
