Heavy US-Israel strikes intensify conflict as Trump demands Iran surrender

US President Donald Trump has demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender” as American and Israeli forces carried out some of the heaviest bombardments yet in the escalating conflict.

The president stated on Friday as the military offensive entered its seventh day. Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said there would be no negotiations with Tehran unless the country surrendered completely.

“There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER,” he wrote.

The comments came as US strategic bombers conducted operations over Iran and Israeli strikes intensified in Lebanon. The attacks have forced more than one million people to flee their homes, according to reports.

Officials in both the United States and Israel have warned that further escalation is possible, while Iran has continued to launch retaliatory attacks across several parts of the Middle East.

The conflict has already caused significant loss of life and widespread disruption. Officials say at least 1,230 people have been killed in Iran since the fighting began, while around a dozen deaths have been reported in Israel. Six US troops have also been killed.

One of the deadliest single incidents reported during the conflict involved an apparent airstrike on a girls’ school in Iran. The strike killed more than 100 students.

According to reports cited by Reuters, US military investigators believe American forces were likely responsible for the attack, although a conclusion has not yet been reached.

The expanding conflict has also triggered major economic and travel disruptions across the world. Oil supplies have been affected, tens of thousands of flights have been cancelled, and international stock markets have experienced sharp fluctuations.

At the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the United States would consider Iran to have effectively surrendered once the president determined the country no longer posed a threat.

“Then Iran will essentially be in a place of unconditional surrender, whether they say it themselves or not,” she said.

The developments came alongside other major political stories emerging in the United States.

On Thursday, the US Department of Justice released additional files related to financier Jeffrey Epstein. The documents included FBI memoranda describing interviews with a woman who made uncorroborated allegations involving Epstein and Donald Trump.

The claims contained in the files remain unverified.

Meanwhile, new economic data suggested a weakening US labour market just before the conflict with Iran intensified.

Figures showed that the United States lost approximately 92,000 jobs in February. The unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.4 per cent.

The decline in employment followed stronger job growth in January, when the economy added around 130,000 positions. Economists had predicted that about 60,000 jobs would be added in February and expected the unemployment rate to remain steady at 4.3 per cent.

The labour market slowdown has drawn attention as the conflict in the Middle East raises concerns about global economic stability.

Rising geopolitical tensions, potential disruptions to energy supplies and volatile financial markets have already contributed to uncertainty in international trade and investment.

As military operations continue and political tensions intensify, the situation remains fluid, with officials warning that the conflict could escalate further in the coming days.