New Delhi, March 3 -- The war in the Middle East escalated sharply on Monday, intensifying fears of a prolonged and destabilizing conflict. The killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, combined with sustained military strikes and no visible diplomatic exit plan, has significantly raised geopolitical risk.

Israel and the United States targeted Iranian missile infrastructure and naval assets, claiming destruction of key headquarters and warships. Iran also reportedly launched retaliatory attacks on US-linked assets across several neighboring countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria.

Airstrikes struck Tehran, while senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani declared on ...