US and Israeli strikes pummelled targets across Tehran and Beirut on Tuesday, as President Donald Trump warned it was "too late" for Iran to seek talks to escape a war now in its fourth day.

Drones and missiles crashed into oil facilities and US embassies in the Gulf as the Islamic Republic retaliated, and Israel pushed troops deeper into Lebanon to battle the Tehran-backed militia Hezbollah after it entered the fray.

Israel announced a "large-scale wave" of strikes targeting Iran's capital on Tuesday, with local media showing columns of smoke rising over the centre of town, home to many government buildings. Iran's two airports, Mehrabad, which mainly handles domestic flights, was also targeted by strikes.

"Their air defence, air force, navy, and leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said: 'Too late!'," Trump posted on social media.

Meanwhile, Lebanon has been succked deeper into the war after the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah launched missiles at Israel for a second consecutive day and Israel sent troops into the south and carried out waves of airstrikes.

Earlier, Iranian drones struck the US embassy in Saudi Arabia after previously hitting the mission in Kuwait. Washington responded by shutting both embassies and ordering non-emergency government personnel and their families to leave countries across the Middle East. The embassy incident followed reports that the US compound in Kuwait was also struck on Monday.

The flare-up is part of a broader military campaign in which the US and Israel have carried out sustained strikes on Iran. Trump said the operations could last four to five weeks and possibly longer, signalling no immediate exit plan. Iran and its allies have retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel and strategic targets across Gulf states, including energy facilities in Qatar. The UAE's air defenses are currently dealing with a barrage of ballistic missiles coming from Iran, the country's Ministry of Defense confirmed on X.

Meanwhile, the US Department of State has asked American citizens to immediately depart more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries using commercial means where available. The advisory covers Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Officials cited the rapidly deteriorating security environment following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

India issues travel and flight advisories
Amid the deteriorating security situation, Indian missions in the region issued urgent advisories to citizens. The Embassy of India in Riyadh announced that IndiGo would operate special flights from Jeddah to India as part of efforts to normalise travel. The airline plans four dedicated services on March 3 to Mumbai, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. Akasa Air also said it would run select flights to and from Jeddah on March 3 and March 4 following a comprehensive safety review.

In Qatar, the Indian Embassy urged nationals to strictly follow instructions issued by local authorities. Residents were advised to remain indoors except in extreme necessity and rely only on verified official information. Qatar’s civil aviation authority has closed the country’s airspace, suspending operations at Hamad International Airport until further notice. Passengers have been told not to proceed to the airport and to check directly with airlines for updates.

Diplomatic, economic concerns
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar urged foreign capitals on Tuesday to cut all ties with Tehran "following the Iranian regime's attacks on all its neighbours and the massacre of its own people".

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to the official Xinhua news agency, warned Saar in a call that Beijing opposes the strikes, saying the use of force "will only bring new problems and severe after-effects".

The war has already sent shockwaves through world markets, with energy prices soaring and share prices falling. India added its concern to China's. "Our trade and energy supply chains also traverse this geography. Any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy," foreign ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said.

United Nations rights chief Volker Turk said he was "deeply shocked" by the war's toll on civilians, and the UN nuclear watchdog said Iran's Natanz enrichment plant appeared in satellite imagery to have suffered "recent damage".

Energy infrastructure and shipping targeted
The conflict has begun to directly threaten global energy supplies. Saudi Arabia said drones targeted the Ras Tanura oil refinery, one of the world’s largest, though air defences intercepted the attack. In Qatar, the air force reportedly shot down two Iranian Sukhoi Su-24 bombers. QatarEnergy announced it would halt liquefied natural gas production indefinitely, triggering a sharp spike in European gas prices.

Shipping has also come under pressure, with multiple vessels reportedly attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of global oil trade passes. The Gulf’s role as a major aviation hub has compounded the disruption, leaving hundreds of thousands of airline passengers stranded worldwide even as some carriers cautiously resume limited services.

Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Reza Najafi, said airstrikes targeted the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility. The US and Israel have not confirmed striking the site but maintain they are targeting Iran’s leadership and nuclear infrastructure. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful and denies pursuing nuclear weapons.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society said at least 555 people have been killed in US-Israeli strikes. In Israel, Iranian missile attacks have killed 11 people. Israel’s retaliatory strikes in Lebanon have reportedly killed dozens more after Hezbollah launched missiles in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The US military confirmed that two previously missing American service members were found dead, raising the total US fatalities to six. Additional deaths have been reported in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain. Tensions were further underscored when the US military said Kuwait had mistakenly shot down three American F-15E Strike Eagles during the Iranian assault, though all six pilots ejected safely.

Hezbollah-Israel front heats up
Hezbollah said it fired missiles into Israel early Monday, marking its first claimed attack in more than a year. Israel responded with heavy airstrikes across Beirut’s suburbs and southern Lebanon, killing at least 52 people and wounding more than 150, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Israeli military leaders said operations against Hezbollah would continue until the threat from Lebanon is eliminated.

No clear end to the campaign
US B-2 stealth bombers have struck Iranian ballistic missile facilities, and Washington says multiple Iranian warships have been destroyed. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted the US is not pursuing nation-building in Iran, while Israeli officials said operations would continue as long as necessary.

Despite the sustained military pressure, Iran has ruled out negotiations with Washington for now. Trump has indicated openness to talks with Iran’s future leadership but has also urged Iranians to rise against their government, with no visible signs of such unrest yet.

Tehran on edge
Inside Iran, Tehran’s streets have largely emptied as residents shelter from airstrikes. The paramilitary Basij force has reportedly set up checkpoints across the capital. Witnesses in other cities described a heavy security presence as uncertainty and fear grip the country.

With missile exchanges expanding, energy markets rattled and airspace closures spreading across the Gulf, the conflict shows few signs of easing, raising the prospect of a prolonged and deeply destabilising regional war.
(With inputs from AP via PTI, Reuters.)