This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing.
The US-Israel joint military campaign against Iran, now on day 3, has widened rapidly, with Iranian retaliatory missile and drone waves hitting Israel, American bases and Gulf states.
Casualties include at least 555 people in Iran, three US service members killed in Kuwait, at least nine Israeli civilians dead, three in the United Arab Emirates and dozens in Lebanon. While US President Donald Trump has pledged to avenge losses and continue operations for up to four weeks, Iran is refusing to negotiate.
China has faced direct impact, with one Chinese national killed in the attacks in Tehran amid the initial strikes targeting the compound of Iran’s late Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other sites. More than 3,000 Chinese citizens have been evacuated from Iran.
Global financial markets have reacted sharply, with a broad risk-off sentiment dominating amid fears of prolonged conflict, energy disruptions via the Strait of Hormuz and wider regional instability following Khamenei’s death.
EU advocates diplomacy
Calling for a de-escalation in the conflict, EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen argues that the “only lasting solution” for the Iran crisis is a “diplomatic one”.