Reported from the source

Quick summary: The conflict between Iran and Israel continues to escalate, with US President Donald Trump demanding “unconditional surrender” from Iran to end the war. Israel’s military reported new attacks, including striking underground bunkers in Tehran and issuing an evacuation order for Qom. Germany, while supporting US and Israeli goals, called for a swift end to hostilities and is working with partners towards a regional peace order. Meanwhile, a significant humanitarian crisis is unfolding, with hundreds of thousands displaced, and major shipping companies have suspended routes in the Middle East due to security concerns.

US President Donald Trump has called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” to end the ongoing conflict, while dismissing the idea of deploying ground troops as a “waste of time.” Israel’s military announced a new wave of attacks on Iran, including 50 fighter jets striking underground bunkers in Tehran reportedly used by Iranian leadership. Additionally, an evacuation order was issued for an industrial area in the Iranian city of Qom. Iran, for its part, reported firing a new wave of missiles at Israel, with explosions heard in Tel Aviv, and previously targeted Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. Iran also claimed an attack on a “US-owned” oil tanker off Kuwait. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reiterated support for US and Israeli objectives but urged a rapid end to the war, stating its continuation is not in Germany’s interest. He announced Germany is working with European and Middle Eastern partners towards a regional peace order that ensures the security of all states, including Israel and the Gulf states, while preserving Iran’s territorial integrity. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul announced nearly 100 million Euros in additional humanitarian aid for the Middle East and confirmed further evacuation flights for German tourists. The German Foreign Office clarified that Cyprus did not trigger the EU mutual assistance clause after Iranian missile attacks, instead seeking bilateral aid from states like Greece and France, with Germany not planning additional military support for Cyprus. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has declared the escalating violence a major humanitarian emergency, reporting approximately 100,000 people displaced in both Lebanon and Iran in the initial days of the conflict, alongside tens of thousands of Syrian refugees returning from Lebanon. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned of potential disease outbreaks due to mass displacement and water shortages. UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk expressed concern over extensive Israeli evacuation orders in South Lebanon and southern Beirut suburbs, questioning their compliance with international humanitarian law. In a separate development, major container shipping companies Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk temporarily suspended some Middle East routes due to security concerns. British police also arrested four individuals, including an Iranian national and three British-Iranian dual citizens, on suspicion of spying for Iran by surveilling Jewish community sites in London.

Source: www.handelsblatt.com