Middle East Tensions Escalate: Reports Claim Detention of Former Iranian Leaders, New Israeli Strikes in Lebanon
According to unverified reports circulating from Iran, former President Hassan Rouhani and his former foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif have allegedly been detained by Iranian authorities and placed under house arrest in Tehran. The claims were made by hardline Iranian lawmakers, including Abolqasem Jarareh, along with Meysam Nadi and several other prominent figures. Iranian authorities have not issued any official confirmation regarding these allegations.
At the same time, Turkey announced the suspension of all flights to Iraq and airports in the Kurdistan Region, citing growing security concerns amid rising regional instability.
Security developments have also intensified along the Israel–Lebanon front. Israeli media outlet N12 News reported that the Israeli Air Force has begun another wave of airstrikes targeting locations in Lebanon. Details regarding specific targets and casualties have not yet been officially disclosed.
Separately, reports late last night claimed that two Chinese aircraft entered Iranian airspace despite an active no-fly zone, allegedly carrying arms and ammunition. These reports have not been independently verified.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the country would not permit its airspace, land, or territorial waters to be used for any military action against Iran.
Meanwhile, according to reports by The New York Times and NBC News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested former U.S. President Donald Trump to delay any potential attack on Iran.
These developments come amid signs of heightened military readiness in the region. The United States has reportedly redeployed a carrier strike group from the South China Sea toward the Middle East, a move widely interpreted as signaling rapidly escalating regional tensions. Ongoing conflicts involving Israel, Lebanon, Gaza, and broader Iran-related security concerns have raised fears of a wider regional confrontation.