President Donald Trump speaks at a news conference, Monday, March 9, 2026, at Trump National Doral Miami in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo)As the conflict entered its second week, US President Donald Trump said the war against Iran could end “very soon”, describing the US-Israeli campaign as a “short-term excursion” that was already “pretty much” complete. However, Trump added that Washington had not yet achieved its final objective, saying the United States had “already won in many ways” but was still seeking an “ultimate victory” that would ensure Tehran could no longer threaten the US, Israel, or their regional allies. Meanwhile Israeli military on Monday said that it has launched “wide scale” wave of strikes in several parts of Iran, including Tehran, Isfahan and southern Iran simultaneously.
US-Israel vs Iran War Live Updates: Check Today Latest News Here
Khamenei’s son supreme leader: The Middle East has entered a volatile new era as Mojtaba Khamenei is officially named to succeed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, following the elder leader’s death in initial US-Israeli strikes. As the conflict enters its 10th day, the geopolitical landscape is shifting rapidly: hardline Iranian factions have solidified power, global oil prices have skyrocketed by over 25 per cent, and military escalations have spread to Lebanon, Iraq, and Bahrain.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, UAE LIVE News: Follow Here
The Indian Express Global Desk is monitoring the situation in real-time, providing verified intelligence, satellite imagery analysis, and breaking news on the ground. Stay tuned to this live blog for minute-by-minute updates on the Iran-Israel-US war, diplomatic reactions from the UN, and the global economic fallout.
The UAE’s ministries of defence and interior have warned people to “remain in a safe place” and heed “warnings and updates” on official websites as air defences work to neutralise threats from Iranian drones and missiles.
“The Ministry of Defence confirms that the sounds heard in scattered areas of the country are the result of the air defence systems intercepting ballistic missiles, and fighter jets intercepting drones and loitering munitions,” the ministry said in a statement.
This liveblog is closing now but you can continue to follow live coverage of the Middle East crisis on a new live blog here. Thank you for reading.
CENTCOM has said that US forces won’t stop looking for Iranian missile launchers. “When we find them, we’re taking them out,” it said in a post on X.
Australia has granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian women's footballers who sought asylum after facing backlash for refusing to sing their national anthem. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the players, saying, "Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women. They're safe here, and they should feel at home here".
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said he cannot stop the US redeploying some weapons based in his country to the war on Iran, as reports emerge of US Patriot missile systems being sent to the Middle East.
“It appears that there is controversy recently over US Forces in Korea shipping some weapons, such as artillery batteries and air-defence weapons, out of the country,” Lee said in a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Lee said his government had expressed opposition to the US move but it was not in a position to make demands on Washington, according to the country’s Yonhap News Agency.
The president added that the removal of some US weapons “does not hinder deterrence strategy towards North Korea” – one of the primary reasons for the large US presence on the Korean Peninsula.
Kuwait’s National Guard says it has downed six drones in the north and south of the country.
The statement comes after the Kuwaiti Army said it destroyed two ballistic missiles and two drones in the country’s airspace on Monday.
Iran’s Mehr news agency says there’s been a US missile attack on a school in the central city of Khomeyn.
It identified the site as Dr Hafez Khomeni School and said a number of residential homes around the building were damaged.
There was no immediate report of casualties.
The report comes amid calls for a probe into a US missile attack on a girl’s school in the city of Minab in southern Iran that killed at least 170 people, most of them young students.
The spokesperson for Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry has said that the country’s military has — a few minutes ago — intercepted two more drones towards the vast nation’s east.
This, less than three hours after Saudi Arabia’s defences had intercepted two other drones near Al-Kharj Governorate.
المتحدث الرسمي لـ #_: اعتراض وتدمير مسيّرتين في المنطقة الشرقية.
— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) March 10, 2026
US President Donald Trump has sparked controversy by suggesting Iran or "somebody else" might be responsible for the deadly strike on an elementary school in Minab, Iran, despite video evidence pointing to a US Tomahawk missile hitting the adjacent naval base.
The footage, verified by Bellingcat and other investigations, indicates the school was hit during US strikes targeting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval compound.
Trump claimed Tomahawks are used by other nations, but experts confirm the US is the only country known to possess and deploy them in this conflict.
The US State Department, led by President Trump and Secretary Rubio, has successfully evacuated over 36,000 American citizens from the Middle East since February 28.
This effort includes completing over two dozen charter flights, with many more Americans departing on commercial flights.
The Department's 24/7 Task Force has directly assisted over 23,000 Americans abroad, providing security guidance and travel assistance.
Over 36,000 American citizens have safely returned to the United States from the Middle East since February 28.
— Dylan Johnson (@ASDylanJohnson) March 9, 2026
Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio’s leadership, the Department of State has completed over two dozen charter flights and has safely evacuated thousands of…
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it has launched a broad wave of attacks against “targets of the Iranian terrorist regime in Tehran”.
Hezbollah has vowed to defend itself against Israel "whatever the cost", with Mohamed Raad, head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, stating the group has "no other option" but "resistance".
This comes after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called for a "complete ceasefire with a cessation of all Israeli land, air, and sea attacks on Lebanon".
(With inputs from agencies)
French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that France will send two frigates as part of the EU naval mission Aspides in the Red Sea, Reuters reports.
“We are in the process of setting up a purely defensive, purely escort mission, which must be prepared together with both European and non-European states,” Macron said after meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Cyprus.
US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism about a swift resolution to the war against Iran, describing it as a "short-term excursion" aimed at eliminating threats from the Islamic Republic. However, he also warned of severe consequences if Iran disrupts global oil supplies, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, stating that any such action would be met with a force "TWENTY TIMES HARDER" than what Iran has faced so far. This stance comes as oil prices surge due to the conflict, with Brent crude briefly hitting its highest level since 2022, though prices later fell on hopes of a short-lived war.
Iran’s armed forces are “awaiting the US naval fleet in the Strait of Hormuz” and the end of the war “is in Iran’s hands,” a spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Tuesday.
The comments from Maj. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini, reported by state media, come in apparent response to US President Donald Trump’s news conference Monday and recent comments about safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz, a globally vital oil and shipping lane.
“The armed forces of the Republic of Iran are awaiting the US naval fleet in the Strait of Hormuz region and are waiting for the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford,” Naeini said.
President Donald Trump said his vice president, JD Vance, was "philosophically a little bit different than me" at the outset of the war in Iran even as he dismissed the notion of a disagreement between the two.
Speaking to reporters on Monday at his golf club in Doral, Florida, the president said Vance was "maybe less enthusiastic about going" but insisted that his decision to launch airstrikes in Iran alongside Israel was necessary.
(With inputs from AP)
President Donald Trump warned on Monday that the US would hit Iran much harder if Tehran stopped the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz.
"If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far," Trump wrote on social media.
"Additionally, we will take out easily destroyable targets that will make it virtually impossible for Iran to ever be built back, as a Nation, again — Death, Fire, and Fury will reign upon them — But I hope, and pray, that it does not happen!".
(With inputs from Reuters)
Israel retaliated against Iran, striking a missile launcher that had launched a barrage of missiles towards Israel, triggering air raid warnings across several areas. The Israeli military had earlier identified the Iranian missile fire and worked to intercept the threat.
Fortunately, Magen David Adom emergency services reported no casualties from the latest Iranian attack. This response came after Israel announced a "broad wave" of strikes on Tehran, marking the second such assault on Monday.
(With inputs from agencies)
US President Donald Trump on Monday predicted the war in the Middle East could be over soon, even as Iran's hardliners staged a show of loyalty to new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in a sign that it was not prepared to back down any time soon.
The conflicting signals sent markets on a rollercoaster, with oil prices surging and stock markets nosediving before swinging in the other direction after Trump's comments and reports of a possible ease in sanctions on Russian energy.
Khamenei, 56, a Shi'ite cleric with a power base among the security forces and their vast business empire, has been declared unacceptable by Trump, who has demanded Iran's unconditional surrender.
President Donald Trump said the war with Iran could end soon, as the conflict enters its second full week.
Asked by a reporter Monday whether he anticipates US military operations concluding within this week or a handful of days, Trump replied, “I think soon.”
“Look, everything they have is gone, including their leadership,” he said. “In fact, there are two levels of leadership, and even actually, as it turns out, more than that. But two levels of leadership are gone.”
President Donald Trump detailed his metrics for success in his war with Iran, suggesting that the country needs to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
“Where they’re not going to be starting the following day to develop a nuclear weapon, where they’ll look at that man, and some other people from the administration and say, ‘All right, we’re not going to do it,’” Trump said, referring to special envoy Steve Witkoff, who joined him at the press conference in Florida.
Oil prices dropped sharply after Donald Trump stated the US-Israel war on Iran could end "very soon", with Brent crude falling from $119.50 to $98.96 per barrel.
This follows a dramatic 24-hour period in global markets, with prices surging beyond $100 per barrel for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, triggering sell-offs in Asian and European stock indices.
Trump's comments on CBS News, describing the war as "very complete, pretty much", led to a market rebound, with the S&P 500 finishing higher.
US President Donald Trump is considering easing oil sanctions on Russia and releasing emergency crude stockpiles as part of a package of options aimed at curbing spiking global oil prices amid the Iran conflict, according to multiple sources.
The deliberations reflect White House worries that the surge in oil prices following more than a week of US and Israeli strikes on Iran will hurt US businesses and consumers ahead of the November midterm elections, when Trump's fellow Republicans hope to retain control of Congress.
Trump told reporters in Florida on Monday that his administration was lifting sanctions on some countries as part of efforts to stabilize the oil market, but declined to provide details.
Australia has granted asylum to five members of the Iranian women's soccer team who were visiting the country for a tournament when the Iran war began, Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Tuesday.
The announcement followed days of urging by Iranian groups in Australia and by US President Donald Trump for the Australian government to offer help to the women, who had not spoken publicly about a wish to claim asylum. The team drew widespread speculation and news coverage in Australia when players did not sing the Iranian anthem before their first match.
In the early hours of Tuesday local time, Australian federal police officers transported five of the women from their hotel in Gold Coast, Australia "to a safe location" after they made asylum requests. There, they met with Burke and the processing of their humanitarian visas was finalised, the minister told reporters in Brisbane hours later.
US President Donald Trump on Monday predicted the war in the Middle East could be over soon, even as Iran's hardliners staged a show of loyalty to new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in a sign that it was not prepared to back down any time soon.
The conflicting signals sent markets on a rollercoaster, with oil prices surging and stock markets nosediving before swinging in the other direction after Trump's comments and reports of a possible ease in sanctions on Russian energy.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Trump very clearly views the new Supreme Ruler of Iran, the son of the slain Ayatollah Khamenei, as unacceptable.
But what he has yet to make clear is who his preferred option is, or how they would be able to take over the governance of the country.
At the same time, Trump says that Iran's leadership is decimated, which begs the question of who exactly he wants to lead.
I asked Trump that, and his response is telling. He clearly wants someone internal, and said as much, explicitly saying that Venezuela's Delcy Rodriguez is a model.
But many questions remain on Trump's choice. By his own admission, many of Iran's leaders are dead, and some moderate options have reportedly been killed in the US strikes.
US President Donald Trump on Monday predicted the war in the Middle East could be over soon, even as Iran's hardliners staged a show of loyalty to new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in a sign that it was not prepared to back down any time soon.
The conflicting signals sent markets on a rollercoaster, with oil prices surging and stock markets nosediving before swinging in the other direction after Trump's comments and reports of a possible ease in sanctions on Russian energy.
Khamenei, 56, a Shi'ite cleric with a power base among the security forces and their vast business empire, has been declared unacceptable by Trump, who has demanded Iran's unconditional surrender.
Trump said the war would continue until Iran is "totally and decisively defeated," but predicted it would be over soon.
"It's going to be finished pretty quickly," he told Republican lawmakers. "We've already won in many ways, but we haven't won enough," he said.
A reporter has asked how many US deaths Trump is willing to endure in this war, after the eighth death of a US service member in the Iran operation was announced earlier today.
"When you have conflicts like this, you always have death," Trump responds.
The president says he met with the families of the fallen troops at Dover Air Force Base two days ago.
Trump says all of the families had the same message for him: "[they said] 'finish the job sir, please finish the job'. And I'll leave you at that."
The news conference ends as the president gives the gathered reporters a thumbs-up and walks out.
US President Donald Trump on Monday told reporters he had a "very good call" with Russian President Vladimir Putin about Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East.
"There's tremendous hatred between President Putin and (Ukraine's) President Zelenskyy. They can't seem to get it together, but I think it was a positive call on that subject," Trump said.
Trump added that Putin "wants to be helpful" with the Iran conflict.
President Donald Trump on Monday said the United States was close to finishing the "excursion" - an apparent reference to the US-Israeli air war on Iran - even as he threatened Tehran against trying to stop the world's oil supply.
Trump very clearly views the new Supreme Ruler of Iran, the son of the slain Ayatollah Khamenei, as unacceptable.
But what he has yet to make clear is who his preferred option is, or how they would be able to take over the governance of the country.
At the same time, Trump says that Iran's leadership is decimated, which begs the question of who exactly he wants to lead.
I asked Trump that, and his response is telling. He clearly wants someone internal, and said as much, explicitly saying that Venezuela's Delcy Rodriguez is a model.
But many questions remain on Trump's choice. By his own admission, many of Iran's leaders are dead, and some moderate options have reportedly been killed in the US strikes.
The force and frequency of Iranian missile launches will increase, and their range will become wider, state media cited the commander of the Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Force as saying on Monday.
From now on, no missiles will be launched with warheads lighter than one ton, Majid Mousavi said.
(Reuters)
Five members of Iranian women soccer team have allegedly applied for asylum in Australia and and are currently safe with police, CNN reported on Monday quoting sources.
Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said congratulated Iran's newly chosen Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Monday, Oman's state news agency reported.
Turkey has summoned Iran's ambassador on Monday after another missile from Tehran entered its airspace which was destroyed by NATO's defence assets.
Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Tehran to avoid any actions that “cast a shadow over our thousand-year neighbourly and brotherly ties.”
Almost half of Iran's uranium enriched to up to 60% purity was stored in a tunnel complex at Isfahan and is probably still there, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday.
The tunnel complex is the only target that appears not to have been badly damaged in attacks in June last year by Israel and the US on Iran's nuclear facilities, Reuters reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that the US-Israeli war on Iran had triggered a global energy crisis and cautioned that oil production dependent on transport through the Strait of Hormuz could soon come to a halt.
Putin said that Russia — the world's second-largest oil exporter and holder of the biggest natural gas reserves — was ready to work again with European customers if they wanted to return to long-term cooperation. (Reuters)
UK's Defence Secretary John Healey on Monday said that Britain's jets are carrying out defensive air sorties in support of the UAE and that the jets have shot down two drones, one over Jordan, while the second was heading to Bahrain.
The UK has eight jets in Qatar and "more jets in Cyprus than any other nation," Healey added.
US President Donald Trump on Monday told NBC News in an interview that it's "too soon to talk about" seizing Iran's oil.
Airline stocks were hammered on Monday, while airfares soared as the US-Israeli war on Iran sent oil prices surging, sparking fears of a deep travel slump and the potential for the widespread grounding of planes.
Oil prices soared 15% to above $105 a barrel, hitting levels not seen since 2022 as some major producers cut supplies and fears of prolonged shipping disruptions gripped the market. (Reuters)
US President Donald Trump is all set to address the media at 3am IST (5.30pm ET) from the ballroom at Trump National Doral Miami before heading to Washington DC from Florida, The Guardian reported.
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani got furious during an interview over neighbouring Iran's actions and called it a “big sense of betrayal”.
During an interview with Sky News on Monday, the Qatari PM said, “It is a big sense of betrayal. Just an hour after the start of the war, Qatar and other Gulf countries have been attacked. We made clear that we were not going to take part in any wars against our neighbours."
Two members of the UAE's armed forces were killed on Monday in a helicopter crash caused by a technical malfunction, the defense ministry said in a statement.
In a post on X, the ministry wrote, "The UAE Ministry of Defence announces the martyrdom of two members of the Armed Forces following a helicopter crash due to a technical malfunction while performing their national duty in the country today, Monday, March 9, 2026."
The UAE Ministry of Defence announces the martyrdom of two members of the Armed Forces following a helicopter crash due to a technical malfunction while performing their national duty in the country today, Monday, March 9, 2026.
— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) March 9, 2026</blockquot
The Ministry of Defence extends its deepest… pic.twitter.com/DD1UbISK6i
With the West Asia crisis contuining, the Bruhat Bengaluru Hotel Owners Association on Monday threatened to shut down restaurants across the city if the supply of commercial cylinders is stopped.
Association President PC Rao said the restuarants were not getting commercial cylinders and the government must interevene to ensure the supply.
The UK government has provided an update for the British citizens stranded in Dubai and said that a government chartered flight is poised to leave Dubai later today "subject to the situation on the ground".
Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian has praised the appointment of the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, following the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei.
In a post on X, Pezeshkian wrote, "The valuable choice of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei is a manifestation of the people's will in governance. The resolution of the country's problems can be achieved through his wise leadership and by creating an environment based on trust and public participation."
President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said that Turkey made the necessary warnings to Iran after NATO air defences shot down a second Iranian ballistic missile that entered its airspace.
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on Monday called for a "ceasefire" in the Gulf region as the conflict between US-Israel and Iran widens.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have said that it detected more missiles launched by Tehran on Monday as air raid sirens were triggered and people were asked to take shelter.
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that he was "not happy" after Iran picked its new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei following the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Australia was "making a terrible humanitarian mistake" by allowing Iran's national women's soccer team to be sent back home and called on Australia's prime minister to give asylum to team members.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) called for a coordinated release of emergency oil reserves during an online meeting with Group of Seven finance ministers on Monday, Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama told a briefing.
"IEA called for each country to do a coordinated release of oil reserves," Katayama said. "In response to the current situation... the G7 has agreed to continue closely monitoring developments in the energy market and to take necessary measures to support global energy supply, including the release of oil reserves." (Reuters)
Stock markets shuddered worldwide Monday on worries about whether the global economy can withstand spiking prices for oil, which briefly got to nearly $120 per barrel, their highest level since four summers ago.
The S&P 500 fell 1%, coming off its worst week since October. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 576 points, or 1.2%, as of 9:35 am Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.8% lower.
- AP
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that world is "going to be a safer and a better place when this mission is accomplished".
Speaking during an event in Washington DC on Monday, Rubio said America is targeting "the world's largest hostage taker, the world's leading sponsor of terrorism - the regime in Iran".
CBSE has postponed Class 12 board exams scheduled till March 16 in Middle Eastern countries as the conflict between US-Israel and Iran widens.
France will send two frigates as part of the European Union's naval mission Aspides in the Red Sea, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.
"We are in the process of setting up a purely defensive, purely escort mission, which must be prepared together with both European and non-European states," Macron said, Reuters reported.
France President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said that "When Cyprus is attacked, Europe is attacked" amid Iran's strikes in the region hitting several Gulf countries.
An explosion was heard in Qatar's capital Doha on Monday after the country's defence ministry said that it intercepted a missile attack targeting the country.
NATO on Monday intercepted a ballistic missile which entered Turkey's airspace, the defense ministry said, AP reported.
Turkey on Monday deployed six F-16 fighter jets and air defence systems to northern Cyprus in order to boost the security of the Turkish community, defence ministry said, vowing to take further measures if needed because of the US-Israeli war against Iran.
"In the context of the latest developments in our region, six F-16 fighter jets and air defence systems have been deployed to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as of today," Turkey's defence ministry said in a statement.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday visited the Iranian Cultural Centre and embassy in New Delhi to offer her condolences following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei in strikes by the US and Israel.
At least two people were injured in UAE's Abu Dhabi after getting hit by debris from an intercepted airstrike, the Abu Dhabi Media Office stated on Monday in a post on X.
One of the injured person is from Jordan and the second wounded person is an Egyptian national.
The Israeli Air Force on Monday said that they have launched strikes on three different areas across Iran. The Israeli military said that they have targeted Tehran, Isfahan and southern Iran simultaneously.
The United States and Iran have offered sharply different accounts of the sinking of an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean last week, with Washington rejecting Tehran’s claim the vessel was unarmed and Iranian officials insisting it was operating in a noncombat role.
The United States Indo-Pacific Command on Sunday rejected Iran’s claim that the warship IRIS Dena was unarmed when it was sunk in a submarine attack in international waters off Sri Lanka on March 4. In a statement on X, INDOPACOM called Iran’s assertion that the vessel was unarmed “false."
- AP
Domestic carrier IndiGo said one of its international flights was forced to return to its origin due to sudden airspace restrictions amid the evolving security situation in West Asia. In a press statement on Monday, the airline said flight 6E 033 operating from Delhi to Manchester had to turn back at the last minute after authorities imposed restrictions in the region. IndiGo added that some flights may take longer routes or face diversions due to the developments. The airline said it is coordinating with relevant authorities to explore options to resume the journey, stressing that the safety and security of passengers, crew, and aircraft remain its top priority.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"Due to the evolving situation in and around the Middle East, some of our flights may take longer routes or experience diversions. Our flight 6E 033 operating from Delhi to Manchester, had to return to its origin due to last minute airspace restrictions, owing to the ongoing… pic.twitter.com/t67h50agqw
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 9, 2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in a message released by the Kremlin, praising his courage as Iran faces armed aggression.
“At a time when Iran is confronting armed aggression, your tenure in this high position undoubtedly requires great courage and dedication,” Putin wrote. “We are confident that you will honorably uphold your father’s legacy and unite the Iranian people in the face of severe trials,” he added.
Putin also reaffirmed Russia’s continued support for Tehran, calling Moscow a reliable partner of the Islamic Republic.
Iran has warned citizens living abroad that their assets in the country could be confiscated if they support or cooperate with the United States, Israel, or their allies. According to CNN reports, the Prosecutor General’s Office said “Any operational action carried out for Israel, hostile governments such as the United States, or any of their affiliated agents against the country’s security” would also be punishable by the death penalty, the statement said. The warning comes as anti-regime Iranians across Europe, North America, and Australia celebrate recent US strikes and the reported death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
The BAPS Hindu Mandir announced on Monday that it will remain closed to the public until further notice as a precaution due to the current security situation and in accordance with national advisories. Temple authorities said the decision was taken to ensure the safety of devotees and visitors. While the temple remains closed, swamis will continue to conduct prayers inside the premises for peace, protection and the wellbeing of all.
Iranian spokesperson during a news briefing on Monday stated that Iran will continue to defend itself amid the ongoing tensions following strikes by the United States and Israel, adding that discussions on mediation or a ceasefire are “irrelevant” while military confrontations persist.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on Monday criticised comments by US President Donald Trump about exerting influence over Iran, asserting that the country’s future will be determined by the will of its people. He said Iranians are fully prepared to defend their territory and accused the United States of seeking to seize Iran’s oil resources and sabotage nation’s sovereignty.
US-Israel vs Iran War Live Updates: Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, responding to the reports of Iranian attacks in Turkey, Azerbaijan or Cyprus, said that Iranian Armed Forces did not initiate any attack on these countries.
Regarding the possibility of a ceasefire, Baghaei stated that as long as attacks continue, there is "no point to talk about anything but defence and retaliation against enemies."
(Reuters)
US-Israel vs Iran War Live Updates: The first two direct flights to bring back stranded Israelis landed today at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.
Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, Monday, March 9, 2026. (AP Photo)
US-Israel vs Iran War Live Updates: The Israeli military said that it has issued evacuation notices to residents in areas where the IDF is conducting strikes against Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure.
🔊 LISTEN NOW: “Get rid of Hezbollah already—I’m with you, they forced us out of our homes”
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 9, 2026
The IDF is issuing evacuation notices to residents in areas where the IDF is conducting strikes against Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure.
Listen to a declassified call of a resident… pic.twitter.com/DQZbSyBFau
US-Israel vs Iran War Live Updates: An Israir flight, with 170 passengers on board, took off from Dubai last night and landed at Aqaba airport in Jordan.
Upon landing, the Israeli flight carrier provided transportation to the border crossing in Jordan, where the passengers were offered assistance, according to The Times of Israel.
US-Israel vs Iran War Live Updates: State news agency IRNA released footage of the moment when Mojtaba Khamenei was announced as Iran's new Supreme Leader.
The emotional moment of announcing Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei as the third leader of the Islamic Revolution in Vanak Square, Tehran pic.twitter.com/ojdSZsmoG4
— IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) March 9, 2026
US-Israel vs Iran War Live Updates: Air India, on Monday (Mar 9), announced plans to deploy additional flight capacity to five key gateways in Europe as well as to New York (JFK) over the coming days, along with additional services to the Maldives and Sri Lanka, in response to high demand for travel options amid the ongoing situation in West Asia. The national flight carrier will operate 78 additional flights between 10 and 18 March 2026 across nine routes, linking Delhi and Mumbai with major destinations in Europe, the United States and neighbouring countries.
The UAE’s air defenses are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran. The Ministry of Defense confirms that the sounds heard in scattered areas are due to air defense systems intercepting ballistic missiles and drones. Fighter jets are also intercepting drones and loitering munitions. The UAE has successfully intercepted 16 ballistic missiles and 113 drones so far, with some debris from intercepted projectiles causing minor damage in Dubai.
Japan should operate all of its available nuclear power plants to offset the impact of the Iran war on electricity bills, Yuichiro Tamaki, the leader of a Japanese opposition party, said on Monday. Japan relies on the Middle East for around 95% of its oil supplies and 11% of its liquefied natural gas imports, with around 70% and 6% respectively coming via the Strait of Hormuz, which is effectively closed due to the war. (Reuters)
As we've been reporting, the benchmark oil price passed $100 a barrel earlier for the first time since 2022, although has dipped slightly under since then.
Now, the Financial Times reports that G7 finance ministers will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss a possible joint release of oil reserves to tackle the surge in prices.
The oil reserves are co-ordinated by the International Energy Agency (IEA), with 32 members of the group holding strategic reserves as part of a collective emergency system designed for oil price crises.
Three G7 countries, including the US, have so far expressed their support for a possible joint release, according people familiar with the talks, the FT reports.
Israel’s army has detected missiles heading from Iran toward Israel “a short time ago”.
“Defense systems are operating to intercept the threat. In the last few minutes, the Home Front Command has sent advance instructions directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas,” its statement said on X.
Saudi Arabia has condemned what it calls Iran’s “reprehensible” and unjustifiable aggression against the kingdom and other Gulf states.
The Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement on X.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs renews the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s categorical condemnation of the reprehensible Iranian aggressions against the Kingdom, the Gulf Cooperation Council states, a number of Arab and Islamic countries, and friendly nations, which cannot be accepted or justified under any circumstances.
This satellite image provided by Vantor shows an overview of Ahvaz drone base, Iran, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Satellite image ©2026 Vantor via AP)
This satellite image provided by Vantor shows damage to buildings after airstrikes at a military garrison, in Isfahan, Iran, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Satellite image ©2026 Vantor via AP)
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense has reported intercepting a drone heading towards an oilfield, specifically the Shaybah oilfield, as part of efforts to protect its energy facilities amidst escalating regional tensions. This incident follows a series of attacks and retaliations in the Middle East.
In related news, Qatar has arrested 313 people for disseminating misleading information online, highlighting the government's efforts to curb the spread of false news and maintain public order during these turbulent times.
Over 2,200 Australians have returned home via commercial flights from the Middle East as of this morning, with multiple flights from the UAE and Qatar arriving or expected at various Australian airports today.
The government is urging Australians in Bahrain, Iran, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, or the UAE to register with DFAT's crisis portal, while Smartraveller advises against travel to these countries and recommends reconsidering trips to Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia.
Donald Trump is "not happy" with Iran's appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader, according to a program on Fox News.
Anchor Brian Kilmeade says he spoke to the president after the announcement, who told him: "I am not happy."
Kilmeade did not provide further details of the conversation and Trump has yet to comment publicly.
Thick smoke is rising from the direction of the Bapco oil refinery in Bahrain, a witness has just been quoted as saying.
It came after as Bahrain said earlier on Monday that an Iranian drone attack on the island of Sitra injured 32 people overnight.
Gulf countries have been reporting new attacks as Iran continues retaliatory strikes across the region.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a report alleging Israel used white phosphorus in southern Lebanon's residential areas on March 3, potentially violating international law.
The group verified photos showing white phosphorus munitions fired over Yohmor, causing fires in at least two homes. Ramzi Kaiss, HRW's Lebanon researcher, called the use "extremely alarming" due to its potential for causing severe injuries and lifelong suffering. (Aljazeera)
The Kurdish Rudaw news outlet is reporting that air defences at the international airport in Erbil have intercepted a drone attack.
US forces are stationed at the airport in the city, which is the capital of the Kurdish region of Iraq.
سیستمە بەرگرییەکەی نزیک فڕۆکەخانەی هەولێر بە رەتڵ دەیتەقێنێت و هێرشەکە تێکدەشکێنێت pic.twitter.com/ZhO2IeCIvb
— Rudaw (@Rudawkurdish) March 9, 2026
The arrests were carried out as part of “ongoing efforts to monitor and address the misuse of social media platforms”, the Qatari interior ministry said in a press release posted on X.
The statement said: "The arrests were made for filming and circulating unauthorized video clips, spreading misleading information and rumours, and disseminating content intended to incite public concern, in violation of official directives.
The interior ministry also said it “stresses the importance of refraining from filming, publishing video clips or circulating rumours related to the current situation, and calls on the public to obtain information solely from approved official sources”.
The Economic and Cyber Crimes Prevention Department at the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation has arrested (313) individuals of various nationalities for filming, circulating, and publishing misleading information.#moiqatar pic.twitter.com/bJkhtYEhHI
— Ministry of Interior - Qatar (@MOI_QatarEn) March 9, 2026
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has offered his congratulations to the newly appointed supreme leader.
“We pledge that, in defense of the rights of the great Iranian nation, the advancement of national interests and security, and the realization of the lofty goals of the Islamic Revolution, we shall not falter for a moment,” he wrote in a statement on X.
پیام تبریک به مناسبت انتخاب شایسته حضرت آیهالله سید مجتبی حسینی خامنهای بهعنوان سومین رهبر معظم انقلاب اسلامی، همزمان با اولین شب پر برکت قدر...
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 9, 2026
عهد می بندیم برای دفاع از حقوق ملت بزرگ ایران، پیشبرد منافع و امنیت ملی، و تحقق اهداف عالیه انقلاب اسلامی لحظه ای از پا ننشینیم. pic.twitter.com/SPxAYbYieu
Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran’s slain supreme leader, has been named as the Islamic Republic’s next ruler, authorities announced Monday, as Tehran widened its attacks across the Mideast to strike oil and water facilities crucial to its desert sheikdoms.
With Iran’s theocracy under assault by the US and Israel for more than a week, the Guard has been firing missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf Arab states since the younger Khamenei’s father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed Feb. 28 during the war’s opening salvo. Read more
This image taken from video provided by Iran state TV shows Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran's slain supreme leader, who has been named as the Islamic Republic's next ruler, authorities announced Monday, March 9, 2026. (Iran state TV via AP)
The United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Defence has announced that its air defences are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran.
The ministry stated that the sounds heard across the country are a result of the air defence systems intercepting the projectiles.
The Saudi Ministry of Defence says it has intercepted and destroyed four drones over the country’s Rub al-Khali desert that was heading towards the Shaybah oilfield.
This is at least the fourth such attack on the field in recent hours.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned Iran's attacks on the kingdom and other Gulf countries, calling them "heinous" and a threat to regional security and stability.
The ministry dismissed Iran's claims that Saudi Arabia allowed fighter jets to operate from its territory, stating that the aircraft were actually protecting Saudi and GCC airspace from Iranian missiles and drones.
Saudi Arabia warned that continued Iranian attacks will escalate tensions and harm relations, emphasizing that Iran will be the "greatest loser" if it persists.
Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran's late supreme leader, has been named as the Islamic Republic's next ruler, authorities announced Monday, as Tehran widened its attacks across the Mideast to strike oil and water facilities crucial to its desert sheikdoms.
With Iran's theocracy under assault by the US and Israel for more than a week, the country's Assembly of Experts chose as the next supreme leader a secretive, 56-year-old cleric who maintains close ties to the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
Hezbollah has claimed several attacks on Israeli forces, including confronting troops that landed in a helicopter in the Serghaya plain and launching artillery and machinegun attacks on Israeli forces advancing towards Khallat al-Mahafir in Odaisseh, forcing them to retreat. The group also claimed artillery attacks on Israeli forces advancing towards Aitaroun.
An Iranian drone attack that targeted the Bahrain island of Sitra overnight has wounded 32 civilians, the country’s health ministry is being quoted as saying.
The wounded were all Bahrain citizens and there were four serious cases, including children, the ministry said in a statement reported by the state news agency.
Israel has launched a new wave of strikes on central Iran and has struck Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut, its military said Monday morning, as reported by the CNN.
The Times of Israel is reporting that the US president refused to comment on the Iranian appointment during an interview, only saying: “We’ll see what happens.”
According to the Israeli outlet, Trump said the decision to end the war on Iran will be a “mutual” one that he will make with Netanyahu.
However, Trump also urged Israel’s President Isaac Herzog to pardon Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption.
“Bibi Netanyahu should be given that pardon immediately. I think [Herzog is] doing a terrible thing by not giving it. We want Bibi to be focused on the war, not on a ridiculous pardon,” Trump told the Times of Israel, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.
Explosions were heard in Bahrain and Kuwait, according to a post by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB on its Telegram channel.
In an earlier post, IRIB said sirens had been heard in Bahrain, but did not provide any further detail.
US President Donald Trump has said a decision on when to end the war with Iran will be a “mutual” one that he’ll make together with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Times of Israel is reporting.
Trump also claimed in the brief telephone interview on Sunday that Iran would have destroyed Israel if he and Netanyahu had not been around, the report said, quoting the US president as saying: "Iran was going to destroy Israel and everything else around it … We’ve worked together. We’ve destroyed a country that wanted to destroy Israel.
Trump was asked whether he alone would decide when the war with Iran ends or if the Israeli prime minister would also have a say. "I think it’s mutual … a little bit. We’ve been talking. I’ll make a decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account.
Asked whether Israel could continue the war against Iran even after the US decides to halt its strikes, Trump declined to entertain the theoretical possibility before adding: “I don’t think it’s going to be necessary.”
The US state department has ordered all non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia “due to safety risks”.
The US embassy in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, conveyed the order in
Travel Advisory: Saudi Arabia (March 9, 2026)
— U.S. Embassy Riyadh (@USAinKSA) March 9, 2026
On March 8, 2026, the Department of State ordered non-emergency U.S. government employees and U.S. government employee family members to leave Saudi Arabia due to safety risks.
This amends the prior on March 3, 2026, Department of…
Iran has launched its first wave of missiles under its new leader Mojtaba Khamenei, state broadcaster IRIB said in a post on its Telegram channel.
It also posted a picture of a projectile bearing the slogan: "At Your Service, Sayyid Mojtaba".
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei on his selection as the new Supreme Leader, saying the appointment marked the beginning of a new era of strength and dignity for the country.
In a message released after the Assembly of Experts announced Mojtaba Khamenei as the third leader of the Islamic Republic, Pezeshkian said the decision reflected the “wise and decisive” choice of the clerical body following the death of his slain father.
Pezeshkian said the selection would reinforce national unity and help Iran confront what he described as hostile plots by its enemies. He added that the legacy of Mojtaba Khamenei’s father had laid a strong foundation for the country’s future and said Iran could achieve lasting independence, scientific and technological progress, and broad development under the new leadership.
(With inputs from agencies)
A seventh US service member has died in the country's war with Iran, the US Defense Department says.
"Last night, a US service member passed away from injuries received during the Iranian regime’s initial attacks across the Middle East," US Central Command (Centcom) confirms in a statement on X.
"The service member was seriously wounded at the scene of an attack on US troops in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on March 1."
The identity of the solider will be withheld until 24 hours after their family is notified, the post adds.
Iran launched its first missile strike towards Israel on Monday, just hours after Mojtaba Khamenei's appointment as Supreme Leader, state broadcaster IRIB reported. "Iran fires first wave of missiles under Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei towards occupied territories," IRIB said on Telegram, accompanied by a photo of a projectile with the slogan "At Your Command, Sayyid Mojtaba".
Iran's President hails new Supreme Leader's appointment as a move to strengthen national unity. The President's statement comes after the Assembly of Experts named Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the country's new Supreme Leader, citing it as a manifestation of Iran's will to strengthen national unity. (Reuters)
The Greek frigate Kimon is seen off the coast of Limassol, Cyprus, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
The Greek frigate Kimon is seen off the coast of Limassol, Cyprus, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s late leader Ali Khamenei, has been chosen as the new supreme leader of Iran, according to state media, a decision that comes as tensions remain high during the ongoing conflict in the region.
Members of the clerical body responsible for selecting the country’s top authority said on Sunday that Mojtaba Khamenei had been elected through what they described as a “decisive vote”. The assembly urged citizens to unite behind the new leadership at a difficult time for the country.
Clashes erupted in eastern Lebanon's Nabi Sheet town after Israeli forces landed by helicopter on the Lebanese-Syrian border, with reports of intense gunfire and airstrikes.
"Fierce clashes are taking place... towards the outskirts of the town of Nabi Sheet to repel Israeli forces that carried out a landing by helicopters on the heights of the eastern mountain range towards the Lebanese-Syrian border and are trying to advance," Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported.
US President Donald Trump is downplaying concerns about rising oil prices amid the Middle East conflict, saying it's a "small price to pay" for global security.
"Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for USA and World, Safety and Peace," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!"
US crude futures rose more than 20% in early trade on Monday, hitting their highest since July 2022, as the expanding US-Israeli war with Iran fuelled fears of tighter supply and prolonged disruptions to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained as much as $20.34 a barrel and were up $14.83, or 16.31%, at $105.73 as of 2220 GMT. They rose as much as 22.4% to $111.24 earlier in the session.
The benchmark contract climbed 12% on Friday and has surged 36% over the past week.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Iran on Monday named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader, signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old US Israeli war on Iran sparked a surge in oil prices.
Mojtaba, a cleric with influence inside Iran's security forces and vast business networks under his father, had been viewed as a frontrunner in the lead up to Sunday's vote by the Assembly of Experts, a body of 88 clerics taskedwith choosing Ali Khamenei's successor.
"By a decisive vote, the Assembly of Experts, appointed Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third Leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the Assembly said in a statement issued just after midnight Tehran time.
With inputs from Reuters)
U.S. crude futures rose more than 20% in early trade on Monday, hitting their highest since July 2022, as the expanding U.S.-Israeli war with Iran fuelled fears of tighter supply and prolonged disruptions to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures gained as much as $20.34 a barrel and were up $14.83, or 16.31%, at $105.73 as of 2220 GMT. They rose as much as 22.4% to $111.24 earlier in the session.
The benchmark contract climbed 12% on Friday and has surged 36% over the past week.
Iran on Monday named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as Supreme Leader, signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge in Tehran a week into its conflict with the United States and Israel.
Israel's military said it hit Iranian commanders in the Lebanese capital early on Sunday, expanding the scope of its campaign to the heart of Beirut after days of strikes that have left nearly 400 people dead.
Reuters
Iran's Assembly of Experts has named Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the country's new supreme leader, state media reported on Sunday.
Mojtaba, a mid-ranking cleric with close ties to the powerful Revolutionary Guards, had long been viewed by elements of Iran's ruling establishment as a potential successor to his father, who was killed after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
Although Iran's ruling ideology frowns on the principle of hereditary succession, he has a powerful following within the Guards and his dead father's still-influential office.
Reuters
Khamenei's name as Iran's leader will continue, a member of Iran's Assembly of Experts, Hosseinali Eshkevari, said on Sunday, adding the new leader has been selected and will be soon announced by officials.
"With the majority of votes, the person who will continue the path of Imam Khomeini and the path of the martyr Imam Khamenei has been chosen. The name of Khamenei will continue. The vote has been cast and will be announced soon," said Eshkevari on a video carried by Iranian media.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday said that he spoke to Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian and emphasised the necessity for Iran to immediately cease its strikes against countries in the region.
Detailing the talks, macron said, "Iran must also guarantee freedom of navigation by putting an end to the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Finally, I reiterated our grave concern regarding the development of Iran's nuclear and ballistic programs and the entirety of its destabilizing activities in the region, which lie at the root of the current crisis."
Iran on Sunday indicated it had chosen Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son Mojtaba as his successor, after Israel struck fuel depots in Tehran overnight and the conflict widened after Bahrain said an Iranian attack had damaged one of its desalination plants.
"The name of Khamenei will continue," said Ayatollah Hosseinali Eshkevari, a member of the clerical council charged with electing a new leader, in a video published in Iranian media.
- Reuters
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Kyiv will send "experts" to help civilians in the Middle East and American soldiers deployed in certain countries.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy wrote, "We have received some messages regarding how to help civilians in the Middle East and how to help American soldiers deployed in certain countries. We responded: we will send experts and provide everything needed to protect them."
We have received some messages regarding how to help civilians in the Middle East and how to help American soldiers deployed in certain countries. We responded: we will send experts and provide everything needed to protect them. Many issues are being discussed in this dialogue.…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 8, 2026
French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday announced that France and Egypt have agreed on the importance of securing maritime transport in the Red Sea.
Detailing on the violence in Middle East, Macron said, "Developments in Iran and the Middle East must not slow down our efforts to implement the second phase of the peace plan put forward by President Trump. We particularly call for the full reopening of the Rafah crossing, given its vital importance in delivering humanitarian aid."
US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that the new supreme leader of Iran “is not going to last long” without his approval as reports suggest that Tehran has picked its next leader following Ayatollah Khamenei's death.
"He’s going to have to get approval from us. If he doesn’t get approval from us he’s not going to last long," Trump told ABC News in an interview.
An Indian national has been killed in Saudi Arabia after a residential building was struck by a military projectile, the Saudi Civil Defence agency said on Sunday.
The Saudi Civil Defence agency, in a post on X, stated "The incident resulted in one fatality of Indian nationality and 12 injuries, also of Indian and Bangladeshi nationalities, along with material damage."
#_ : سقوط مقذوف عسكري على موقع سكني نتج عنه حالتا وفاة وإصابة (12) مقيمًا بمحافظة الخرج. pic.twitter.com/8836gKxohx
— الدفاع المدني السعودي (@SaudiDCD) March 8, 2026
US President Donald Trump has not ruled out sending military to Iran and told ABC News that "Everything is on the table. Everything."
At least two people have been killed and 12 others injured after a projectile fell on residential location in Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported.
The Israeli military on Sunday said that it has launched "wide scale strikes" on Iran targeting the capital city and in other “additional areas” in the Islamic nation.
Iraqi oil production from its main southern oilfields has fallen by 70% to just 1.3 million barrels per day as the country is unable to export oil via the Strait of Hormuz due to the Iran war, 3 industry sources said on Sunday.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to speak on the prevailing situation in West Asia on March 9 in Lok Sabha.
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday said that "nobody knows" who next supreme leader will be amid reports that the the body responsible has picked a replacement for Ayatollah Khamenei.
"There are lots of rumors around, but we have to wait for the Assembly of Experts to convene and vote for the new Supreme Leader," Araghchi told NBC News.
Sri Lanka will grant free one-month visas to a group rescued from Iranian vessels, allowing them to remain in Sri Lanka under humanitarian protection, a senior minister said on Sunday.
Speaking on the matter, Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala said similar decisions could be taken in the future if necessary, stressing that such measures are not intended to support or harm any particular party.
- PTI
The United States military on Sunday said that Iranian forces are using crowded areas to launch attack drones and ballistic missiles.
Bahrain accused Iran of striking a desalination plant on Sunday, raising fears that civilian infrastructure may become fair game in the war, as Iran’s president vowed to expand the country's attacks on American targets across the region in the face of intense US and Israeli airstrikes. (AP)
According to UAE's Ministry of Interior, country's air defences "are now dealing with a missile threat".
The ministry, in its statement added, "Please stay in a safe place and follow the warnings and updates on official websites."
The Israeli military on Sunday said that it has identified a barrage of missiles launched from Iran towards Tel Aviv. "Defence systems are working to intercept the threat," the Israeli military in a statement said.
Switzerland's Defence Minister Martin Pfister has said that the joint strikes by US-Israel on Iran have breached the international law.
"The Federal Council is of the opinion that the attack on Iran constitutes a violation of international law," Pfister told SonntagsZeitung newspaper.
UAE's defence ministry has said that it was targeted with 17 ballistic missiles and 117 drones on Sunday and added that most of these attacks by Iran were detected.
"Since the start of the Iranian attacks, 238 ballistic missiles have been detected. Of these, 221 were destroyed, 15 fell into the sea and 2 landed within the country. These attacks resulted in 4 deaths among Pakistani, Nepalese and Bangladeshi nationals, and 112 people sustained moderate to minor injuries," the defence ministry added.
UAE air defences intercept 16 ballistic missiles, 113 UAVs
— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) March 8, 2026</blockquot
UAE air defences today (8th March, 2026) detected 17 ballistic missiles, of which 16 were destroyed, while 1 missile fell into the sea. A total of 117 UAVs were also detected, with 113 intercepted, while 4 UAVs fell… pic.twitter.com/BTikC5pRyd
Pope Leo on Sunday said that troubling news continued to arrive from Iran and across the Middle East, as he urged an end to the violence and renewed efforts to open space for dialogue.
"Let us raise our humble prayer to the Lord that the roar of bombs may cease, that weapons may fall silent, and that space may be opened for dialogue in which the voices of peoples can be heard", Pope Leo said.
The Iran health ministry's spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour on Sunday said that at least 200 children (under the age of 12) and around 200 women have been killed in the US-Israeli strikes on the country in the last one week.
In a post on X, Kermanpour said, "Historic sites in Tehran have also been damaged, and attacks on an oil refinery have now put the region’s environment at serious risk."
Eight days of war have brought devastation to civilians in Iran.
— حسین کرمانپور Hossein.Kermanpour (@HKermanpour) March 8, 2026</blockquote
• Over 10,000 civilians injured
• More than 1,200 killed ( martyrs)
• 200 children under 12 among the dead ( martyrs)
• Around 200 women killed( martyrs)
• About 1,400 women injured
Healthcare infrastructure…
According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, 10,000 civilian structures have been damaged across the country since the US-Israel started joint strikes against the country, The Guardian reported.
Oman Air on Sunday announced that it is cancelling flights to and from Gulf countries for a week, starting from March to March 15 "due to ongoing regional airspace closures".
Oman Air said the following destinations are bound to be affected:
Iran's Assembly of Experts (tasked with choosing Iran’s next supreme leader) has reached a decision, several hardline members said, without naming the candidate chosen, CNN reported.
One senior cleric in the 88-member Assembly of Experts, Ayatollah Ahmad Alam al-Hoda, was quoted by the semi-official Mehr news agency as saying, "The elections for the leadership have been held and the leader has been appointed."
The clerical body that will choose Iran's next supreme leader, succeeding the slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has more or less reached a majority consensus, Assembly of Experts member Ayatollah Mohammadmehdi Mirbaqeri said Sunday.
The Mehr news agency quoted him as saying "some obstacles" still needed to be resolved regarding the process.
The Israeli army has issued a forced evacuation order for all Lebanese residents located south of the Litani river.
Yesterday, it issued the same order showing a map of southern Lebanon, marking the country’s south as a red zone to be evacuated.
Intensified cross-border fighting resumed on Monday after Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israeli territory following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
(Al Jazeera)
At least four people were killed when an Israeli strike hit an apartment in the Ramada hotel building in central Beirut early on Sunday, with Israel saying it targeted Iranian commanders operating in the Lebanese capital.
More than 20 people have been killed and 50 others injured in a US-Israeli double-tap missile attack in Iran’s central city of Najafabad, according to the Fars news agency.
The report quoted an unnamed police officer as saying that rescue workers and common residents were helping the injured after a missile attack in the city when the second missile hit the same spot minutes later.
(Al Jazeera)
Israel renewed its assault on southern Lebanon early Sunday and Iran struck a desalination plant in Bahrain.
The strike came after Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a US airstrike damaged an Iranian desalination plant on Qeshm Island, warning that in doing so "the US set this precedent, not Iran."
The Public Institution for Social Security in Kuwait declared on Sunday morning that an attack had damaged its main structure, although it did not specify the attack's origin or nature. People in need of services were rerouted to other branches, The Guardian reported.
Visuals show part of a building on fire.
تعلن المؤسسة العامة للتأمينات الاجتماعية تعرض المبنى الرئيسي للمؤسسة للاستهداف، مما أسفر عن وقوع أضرار مادية في المبنى.
— المؤسسة العامة للتأمينات الاجتماعية (@TaminatKw) March 8, 2026
وعليه، تعتذر المؤسسة عن استقبال المراجعين اليوم الأحد الموافق 2026/3/8 في المقر الرئيسي، على أن يتم استقبال المراجعين في فروع المؤسسة الأخرى، مع استمرار…
Oman Air announced cancellation of some flights from March 9 to March 15 -- due to ongoing regional airspace closures.
In a post on X, the airlines said, "Due to ongoing regional airspace closures, the following flights have been cancelled: Monday, 9 March through Sunday, 15 March 2026: All flights to and from Amman (AMM), Dubai (DXB), Bahrain (BAH), Doha (DOH), Dammam (DMM), Kuwait (KWI), Copenhagen (CPH), Baghdad (BGW), and Khasab (KHS)."
⚠️ Dear valued guests,
— Oman Air (@omanair) March 8, 2026
Due to ongoing regional airspace closures, the following flights have been cancelled:
Monday, 9 March through Sunday, 15 March 2026:
All flights to and from Amman (AMM), Dubai (DXB), Bahrain (BAH), Doha (DOH), Dammam (DMM), Kuwait (KWI), Copenhagen… pic.twitter.com/eemDExKHXD
The Israeli military on Sunday issued a warning that it would keep going after Iran's next top leader.
In a post on X. the Israeli military warned in Farsi that it will pursue anyone attempting to name Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's successor, referring to the clerical authority in charge of selecting the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic.
Israel early Sunday struck southern Lebanon and Beirut again, killing 12 more people, the Lebanese health ministry said, as the war in the Middle East escalated, news agency AP quoted.
Israeli officials said the strikes targeted commanders of the Lebanese branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised “many surprises” for the next phase of the conflict. (AP)
United States President Donald Trump praised Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and said she was willing to help the US and Israel in their war against Iran, Reuters reported quoting Italy's Corriere della Sera report.
Speaking to the newspaper over a telephone call on Saturday, Trump described Meloni as “a great leader” and said Italy was doing what it could to assist.
"I love Italy, I think she is a great leader," Trump was quoted as saying of Meloni. "She always tries to help, she is an excellent leader and she is a friend of mine," Trump said, according to Corriere della Sera.
Italy is planning to send air-defence aid to Gulf countries in the face of Iranian air strikes, Meloni said earlier on Thursday
An Italian navy vessel is also preparing to sail to Cyprus as part of a joint European mission to protect the island after it came under Iranian fire. (Reuters)
The Israeli military has issued evacuation warnings to four villages in southern Lebanon, citing escalating tensions and potential threats from Hezbollah. This move comes after Israel's recent airstrikes on Beirut's southern suburbs and Hezbollah's warnings to Israelis to leave towns near the border. -Reuters
At least four tanker drivers were killed in Israel's attacks on Iranian oil depots in Tehran and Alborz province, according to Fars news agency.
The attacks targeted four oil storage facilities and one oil production transfer centre, but there's no shortage of fuel distribution, and security forces are currently fighting fires.
Iran's missile attack on Bahrain has left 3 people injured and caused material damage to a university building in Muharraq. The attack is part of Iran's retaliatory strikes across the Gulf, following US-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets.
As a result of the blatant Iranian aggression, 3 people were injured and material damage was inflicted on a university building in the Muharraq area after missile fragments fell.
— Ministry of Interior (@moi_bahrain) March 8, 2026
US President Donald Trump stated he's not interested in negotiating with Iran, suggesting the war might end when Iran's military and leadership are destroyed. He mentioned the air campaign could make negotiations pointless if all potential Iranian leaders are killed. Trump said, "At some point, I don't think there will be anybody left maybe to say 'We surrender'.
(With inputs from Reuters)
The United States and Israel have discussed sending special forces into Iran to secure its stockpile of highly enriched uranium at a later stage of the war, Axios reported on Saturday, citing four sources with knowledge of the discussions.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
Qatar Airways' flights from London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Frankfurt, and Bangkok landed at Hamad International Airport in Doha between 04:00 GMT and 06:00 GMT today, as per the airport's website. -Aljazeera
Tehran is shrouded in a thick black cloud, with black rain falling across the city, as fuel depots and oil refineries came under attack last night. The situation is critical, with toxic air posing a high risk to residents. This is the second major attack on fuel depots, following June's 12-day war.
Casualty numbers are rising, with reports of over 1,300 killed three days ago, likely to have increased since. Iran is retaliating, with no signs of de-escalation, amidst growing concerns for civilian safety.
The US and Israel are considering a bold move to seize Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile, with Axios reporting discussions about deploying special forces for the operation.
The mission's scope and timing remain unclear, but it's likely to happen later in the conflict when Iran's military is weakened.
Iran's uranium stockpile, estimated to be over 400kg with 60% enrichment, is a major concern, as it's just a step away from weapons-grade purity.
An Israeli strike on a Beirut hotel has killed four people and injured 10, with eight more killed in strikes on towns and villages across Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
The Israeli military claims it targeted Quds Force members in a "precise strike", but hasn't specified the target or individuals involved. Earlier, they stated they were targeting "Hezbollah infrastructure in the Dahiyeh area". -BBC
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said his remarks were "misinterpreted by the enemy that seeks to sow division with neighbours", state TV reported on Sunday, after they were viewed as a decision to suspend attacks on Gulf countries while strikes did not stop.
"It has repeatedly been said we are brothers and must have good relations with neighbours. However, we are forced to retaliate to attacks but this does not mean we have a dispute with a (neighbouring) country or want to upset their people," Pezeshkian said.
Kuwait's army says its air defense systems are responding to missile and drone attacks, with explosion sounds resulting from interception operations. The country's military is on high alert, ensuring the protection of Kuwait's airspace and stability. (Aljazeera)
22 Iranian sailors have been discharged from Karapitiya Hospital in Galle, Sri Lanka, after being treated for injuries sustained when their vessel was torpedoed and sunk by the US Navy.
Another 10 sailors are still undergoing treatment, while the bodies of 84 Iranians retrieved from the Indian Ocean are also at the hospital.
Several others remain missing, with Iranian officials stating that at least 130 sailors were aboard the vessel when it was attacked.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Human Rights Watch is calling for an investigation into the attack on a primary school in southern Iran, which killed at least 160 people, mostly school children, as a potential war crime.
Sophia Jones, an open-source researcher with HRW's Digital Investigations Lab, emphasized the need for accountability, stating that those responsible should face prosecution.
The attack, one of hundreds carried out by US and Israeli forces on February 28, has raised concerns about deliberate targeting, with Al Jazeera's investigation suggesting the school was likely targeted intentionally, and the New York Times reporting possible US involvement.
Israeli forces have launched a raid on the southern suburbs of Beirut, following an earlier attack on a hotel in downtown Beirut that killed at least four people. Hezbollah has retaliated by targeting Israeli forces in Marba, southern Lebanon. (Aljazeera)
Kuwaiti authorities have controlled the fire at the fuel tanks of Kuwait International Airport, but firefighters are still battling the blaze at the main building of the social security office.
This follows the announcement of two border security personnel killed earlier today, with the Interior Ministry expressing "profound grief and sorrow" over their deaths, as reported by the Aljazeera.
Kuwait's interior ministry reports that two border security personnel, Warrant Officer Abdullah Imad Al-Sharrah and Major Fahd Abdulaziz Al-Majmaid, were killed while on duty, with the ministry expressing "profound grief and sorrow" over their deaths, according to Al Jazeera.
Kuwait's government says its air defenses have intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles, while firefighters battle blazes at the Kuwait International Airport and the Public Institution for Social Security after drone attacks, according to Al Jazeera.
تتصدى حالياً الدفاعات الجوية الكويتية لهجمات صاروخية وطائرات مسيرة معادية.
— KUWAIT ARMY - الجيش الكويتي (@KuwaitArmyGHQ) March 8, 2026
تنوه رئاسة الأركان العامة للجيش أن أصوات الانفجارات إن سمعت فهي نتيجة اعتراض منظومات الدفاع الجوي للهجمات المعادية.
يرجى من الجميع التقيد بتعليمات الأمن والسلامة الصادرة عن الجهات المختصة.… pic.twitter.com/JfsL3XO3hZ
Israel has accused Iran of using cluster munitions during the ongoing conflict with Israel, raising concerns about the risks such weapons pose to civilians.
The Israeli military said the weapons had been launched multiple times since the war began, describing their use against populated areas as a potential violation of international humanitarian law. Military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani said the army was monitoring the situation closely.
Kuwait's air defenses have intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles, while firefighters are battling blazes at the Kuwait International Airport and the Public Institution for Social Security after drone attacks.
The attacks targeted fuel tanks at the airport and the main building of the social security institution, causing fires. Kuwait's military is responding to a wave of hostile drones that penetrated the country's airspace. (Aljazeera)
Iran's Revolutionary Guards official, Ali Mohammad Naini, claims the country can sustain an intense war for "at least" six months, stating, "The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are capable of continuing at least a 6-month intense war at the current pace of operations".
This contradicts US President Donald Trump's assertion that the US and Israel are "winning the war by a lot" and have "decimated their whole evil empire".
(With inputs from agencies)
Speaking at a press conference in Beijing, the senior official called for an end to military operations, and urged all parties to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible.
“A strong fist does not mean strong reason,” he said. “The world cannot return to the law of the jungle.”
(with inputs from Reuters)
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has launched its 27th wave of retaliatory strikes against US and Israeli targets, dubbed "Operation True Promise 4". The latest attack targeted the US base in Kuwait's Arifjan with precision-strike missiles, according to Iran’s English-language news channel Press TV. This operation is part of Iran's ongoing response to US and Israeli strikes, with previous strikes hitting targets in Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.
US President Donald Trump has stated that he doesn't want Kurdish forces involved in the war with Iran, citing concerns about making the conflict more complex and putting Kurdish lives at risk.
Here are the key points:
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has confirmed striking Iranian fuel depots in Tehran, sparking massive fires and raising concerns about global oil supplies.
APOCALYPSE TEHRAN as 'IDF starts striking OIL infrastructure'
— RT (@RT_com) March 8, 2026
Crude set to shoot to never-seen $200 pic.twitter.com/QwhTRprRJZ
The Israeli military has struck "key commanders" in the Quds Force's Lebanon Corps operating in Beirut, following an attack on a hotel in the city that killed at least four people.
The Israeli military confirmed the strike, targeting commanders from Iran's Revolutionary Guards. This attack is part of the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, with Lebanon's health ministry reporting multiple casualties. (Aljazeera)
A loud blast was heard near the US embassy in western Oslo early on Sunday, triggering a large police response, investigators said.
It was not immediately clear what caused the blast, which happened at around 1 a.m. local time, or who was involved, the Oslo police department said in a statement.
"The police are in a dialogue with the embassy and there are no reports of any injured persons," the statement said.
Smoke was seen rising from the area around the embassy compound, eyewitnesses told Norwegian daily Verdens Gang.
The embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside of regular business hours.
(With inputs from Reuters)
US President Donald Trump has downplayed the idea of tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease pressure on soaring oil prices, which have jumped over 8% since the US and Israel launched their war against Iran. Trump stated that the US has "a tremendous amount" of oil and that the situation will "get healed very quickly".
The move comes as the Republican Party faces pressure over affordability ahead of the November mid-term elections. The US average gas price has risen to $3.41 per gallon, up 43 cents from last week.
(With inputs from AP)
Israel's military has struck an oil-storage facility in Tehran, sparking massive fires and prompting Iranian state media to blame the US and Israel for the attack. The strike, confirmed by Israel's military, appears to be the first time a civil industrial facility has been targeted in the week-old conflict.
US President Donald Trump downplayed the significance of Russia potentially sharing intelligence with Iran to target US military personnel, saying "If you take a look at what has happened to Iran in the last week, if they are getting information, it is not helping them much".
Trump stopped short of confirming reports by The Associated Press and other news outlets that US intelligence officials believe Russia has provided Iran with such targeting information.
The hotel where four people died in an airstrike was housing people displaced by the fighting in Southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs, according to Reuters news agency.
Some had been seen leaving the building for fear of further strikes.
Saudi forces have foiled a drone attack targeting the capital’s diplomatic quarter, according to the kingdom’s defence ministry.
In a statement posted on X, the ministry said there were “no material damage or civilian injuries” from the attack.
The ministry earlier reported that its air defences have intercepted and shot down at least 15 drones that entered its airspace.
المتحدث الرسمي لـ #_: إحباط محاولة استهداف بطائرة مسيّرة باتجاه الحي الدبلوماسي بالرياض، ولا أضرار مادية أو إصابات بالمدنيين جراء إسقاط المسيّرة. pic.twitter.com/l9DdWw9eYh
— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) March 8, 2026
An Israeli strike hit the Ramada hotel building in central Beirut, killing at least four people and injuring ten others. The hotel was sheltering displaced people fleeing the war in southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs.
The strike, the first to hit the heart of the capital since hostilities resumed last week, has caused fear among residents, with some seen leaving the building in anticipation of further airstrikes.
(With inputs from Reuters)
The US president says he refuses to disclose the conditions for sending ground troops into Iran.
Israel's opposition urged the government on Saturday night to "destroy all of Iran's oil fields" in order to cripple the nation's economy.
Yair Lapid said this, as well as striking Iran's energy industry, would "topple the regime".
"This war must end when the regime in Iran has fallen," he wrote on X.
He adds that Iran's nuclear facilities and ballistic missile industry, as well as Hezbollah, must also be "destroyed".
ישראל צריכה להשמיד את כל שדות הנפט ותעשיית האנרגיה של איראן באי ח'ארג', זה מה שירסק את כלכלת איראן ויפיל את השלטון. המלחמה הזו חייבת להסתיים כשהשלטון באיראן נפל, מתקני הגרעין הושמדו, כל תעשיית הטילים הבליסטיים הושמדה, וחיזבאללה הושמד בלבנון.
— יאיר לפיד - Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) March 7, 2026
More from Donald Trump, who was asked by reporters aboard Air Force One about a strike on a girls' school in southern Iran last Saturday.
Iranian officials said more than 160 people were killed. BBC News has not been able to independently verify this death toll.
Aboard Air Force One on Saturday night, Trump was asked whether the US is responsible for the strike near an Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) base.
"No, in my opinion, based on what I've seen, that was done by Iran," replied the president.
A reporter then asked Secretary of Defense Pete Hesgeth if this is true. He replied: "We are investigating, but the only side that targets civilians is Iran".
Trump reiterated: "We think it was done by Iran...They are very inaccurate, as you know, with their munitions. They have no accuracy whatsoever. It was done by Iran."
Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasised: "The US would not deliberately target a school", saying US forces had "no incentive to target civilian infrastructure".
The US president says he refuses to disclose the conditions for sending ground troops into Iran.
In a post on X, Iranian security chief Ali Larijani said: “It has been reported to me that several American soldiers have been taken prisoner. But the Americans claim that they have been killed in action. Despite their futile efforts, the truth is not something they can hide for too long.”
US Navy captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for the US Central Command, told Reuters: “The Iranian regime is doing everything it can to peddle lies and deceive. This is yet another clear example.”
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The Trump administration has bypassed congressional review to approve the sale of more than 20,000 bombs to Israel worth about $650m, according to US officials.
The State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had determined that an emergency existed, allowing the administration to waive the usual congressional review process.
US officials also said Israel would buy a further $298m worth of munitions through direct commercial sales.
A UN report published in December 2024 said similar heavy munitions had likely been used by Israel in densely populated areas of Gaza during its genocidal war on the Palestinian territory.
The US president took to his social media platform Truth Social, while aboard Air Force One en route to Florida, to say the US did not need the UK's two aircraft carriers in the Middle East.
"The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East. That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!"
This comes after Starmer refused to let Trump use UK bases to strike Iran. The US presient later said he was "unhelpful".
“He has not been helpful," Trump said in an interview with the Sun newspaper. “I never thought I’d see that. I never thought I’d see that from the UK."
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Donald Trump said, "Oh yeah, I'm sure" when asked if he expects to return to Dover Air Force Base for more dignified transfer ceremonies for US troops killed in the war with Iran.
He added, "I hate to do them, but it's a part of war, isn't it?" When the reporter mentioned the prospect of more American lives being lost, Trump asked, "Who are you with?" The reporter replied, "The Washington Post," prompting Trump to say, "It's part of war... it's a sad part of war, it's the bad part of war".
Trump's latest comments on Air Force One reveal his stance on Iran's future leadership, emphasizing the US wants a leader who won't lead the country into war, to avoid repeated interventions.
He defines "unconditional surrender" as Iran being unable to fight back, either through surrender or military incapacitation.
On oil prices, Trump expects an initial rise, but predicts they'll drop quickly.
He also dismissed Iranian claims of a US strike on a water desalination plant on Qeshm Island, saying he knows nothing about it.
Asked by a reporter on Air Force One about whether he would deploy ground troops in Iran, Donald Trump said “possibly,” but there would “have to be very good reason”.
The president was then asked if he might send ground troops Iran to secure its nuclear facilities. “We wouldn’t do it now, maybe we’d do it later on,” Trump replied.
The US Central Command denied on Saturday that any US service members had been taken hostage or captured by Iran.
In a post on X, Iranian security chief Ali Larijani said: "It has been reported to me that several American soldiers have been taken prisoner."
US Navy Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, said: "The Iranian regime is doing everything it can to peddle lies and deceive. This is yet another clear example."
It has been reported to me that several American soldiers have been taken prisoner. But the Americans claim that they have been killed in action. Despite their futile efforts, the truth is not something they can hide for too long.
— Ali Larijani | علی لاریجانی (@alilarijani_ir) March 7, 2026
Trump said on Saturday that the UK is giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East, but that the US does not need them for its war on Iran.
“That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember,” he said on Truth Social. “We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”
President Donald Trump salutes as an Army carry team moves the flag-draped transfer case containing the remains of U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa, who was killed in a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait after the U.S. and Israel launched its military campaign against Iran, during a casualty return Saturday, March 7, 2026, at Dover Air Force Base, Del. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
The emir of Qatar has told President Trump that Qatar "will not hesitate to defend" itself following continued attacks from Iran.
In a phone conversation, reported by Qatar's state-run news agency, Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani told the president that the current escalation of military action in the region will have "dangerous repercussions".
The IDF confirmed striking several fuel storage complexes in Tehran, describing it as a significant strike against fuel tanks used by the Iranian regime to operate military infrastructure.
The strike involved over 80 Israeli Air Force fighter jets targeting military sites, including an IRGC military university and ballistic missile storage facilities, aiming to reduce Iran's ability to fire at Israeli civilians.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday will meet grieving families at Dover Air Force Base at the dignified transfer for the six US soldiers killed in the war in the Middle East.
What is dignified transfer?
It is a ritual that returns the remains of US service members killed in action and is considered one of the most somber duties of any commander in chief.
During his first term, Trump said bearing witness to the transfer was “the toughest thing I have to do” as president.
What Trump said?
The US President has said the fallen service members were heroes “coming home in a different manner than they thought they’d be coming home.” He was speaking at a summit of Latin American leaders in Miami before his trip to Delaware.
-With inputs from AP
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has warned if US President Donald Trump "seeks escalation" of the Middle East conflict, "it is precisely what our Powerful Armed Forces have long been prepared for, and what he will get".
Araghchi's statement came on a day Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had "apologised" to its neighbours for retaliatory strikes but underlined that the hits were on US military bases.
Trump responded to those comments, saying Iran had "surrendered" to its Middle East neighbours and warning the country will be "hit very hard".
Araghchi said Trump had misinterpreted the Iranian President's comments. In a statement released on his X account, he said:
"President Pezeshkian's openness to de-escalation within our region—provided that our neighbors' airspace, territory, and waters are not used to attack the Iranian People—was almost immediately killed by President Trump's misinterpretation of our capabilities, determination and intent. If Mr. Trump seeks escalation, it is precisely what our Powerful Armed Forces have long been prepared for, and what he will get. Responsibility for any intensification of Iran's exercise of self-defense will lie squarely with the U.S. Administration.
Mr. Trump's week-long misadventure has already cost the U.S. military $100 Billion, in addition to the lives of young soldiers. When markets reopen, that cost will balloon and directly be transferred to ordinary Americans at pumping stations.
Mr. Trump's own National Intelligence Council, representing input from the 18 intelligence agencies of the U.S., determined that war on Iran is destined to fail. I also warned Mr. Trump's envoys that war will not improve their bargaining position. Were these warnings conveyed?
The American People voted to end involvement in costly quagmires in the Middle East. Instead, they have ended up with an Administration that Netanyahu, after decades of failed attempts, finally managed to dupe into fighting Israel's wars.
This is a war of choice pursued by a small cabal of 'Israel Firsters', and 'Israel First' always means 'America Last.'"
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsPresident Pezeshkian expressed openness to de-escalation within our region-provided that our neighbors' airspace, territory, and waters are not used to attack the Iranian People. Gesture to our neighbors was almost immediately killed by President Trump.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 7, 2026
My statement: pic.twitter.com/tnyCWTTqaj
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi claimed in a social media post on X Saturday that US had attacked a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island. This affected water supply to 30 villages, he said.
"Attacking Iran's infrastructure is a dangerous move with grave consequences. The U.S. set this precedent, not Iran," he wrote.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThe U.S. committed a blatant and desperate crime by attacking a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island. Water supply in 30 villages has been impacted.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 7, 2026
Attacking Iran's infrastructure is a dangerous move with grave consequences. The U.S. set this precedent, not Iran.
Besides the cost of life and livelihood, the US-Israeli war against Iran may soon force you to shell out more on fuel — for as long as weeks or months.
The Indian government on Saturday hiked domestic non-commercial LPG gas by Rs 60 a cylinder.
Meanwhile, it said no such price hike was planned for petrol or diesel for now.
Why are fuel prices inching up?
Suppliers across the globe are grappling with damaged facilities, disrupted logistics, and elevated risks to shipping.
Dubai's Marina, an affluent residential neighbourhood, saw evacuations in certain buildings after projectiles were intercepted, CNN reported.
Authorities said this caused "a minor incident on the façade of a tower in Dubai Marina".
"No injuries were reported," Dubai Media Office posted on its X handle.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsAuthorities confirm that debris resulting from a successful interception caused a minor incident on the façade of a tower in Dubai Marina. The situation has been contained. No injuries were reported.
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 7, 2026
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have claimed they "dismantled the air defense situation room of the IRGC Air Force".
What was it used for
The air defence situation room was "responsible for the aerial situational assessment and to defend Iran’s airspace," the IDF claimed.
What else was hit?
The Israeli Air Force also allegedly struck
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js⭕️The IDF dismantled the air defense situation room of the IRGC Air Force, responsible for the aerial situational assessment and to defend Iran’s airspace.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 7, 2026
Additionally, the Israeli Air Force struck air defense systems, a site used to manufacture & launch ballistic missiles,… pic.twitter.com/DYNKhz03e3
Bypassing congressional review, the United States (US) government has approved a sale of $151.8 million to Israel for munitions and munitions support.
What is being sold
Israel requested 12,000 BLU-110A/B general purpose, 1,000-pound bomb bodies, the State Department said, and Texas-based Repkon USA will be the principal contractor.
What top Trump aide said
Secretary of State Marco Rubio decided an emergency existed, requiring immediate sale to Israel, the State Department said. This announcement comes a week after the US and Israel started their attacks on Iran.
The State Department said on Friday that Rubio had determined that the sale is "in the national security interests of the United States."
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has said in a statement that responding to the US and Israel’s "brutal military aggression" is the country’s inherent right to self-defence, Al Jazeera reported.
It said that Tehran would continue to take action "until the aggression stops or until the United Nations Security Council fulfils its duty by identifying the aggressors."
The statement said that under international law, "states are prohibited from allowing their territory to be used, directly or indirectly, to inflict harm and damage on other states."
The Foreign Ministry said that Iran has undertaken "necessary and proportionate defensive operations” against US bases.
This should “in no way be construed as enmity or hostility toward regional countries,” the statement said.
UAE President, in his first public comment since the war, said, "Nation is in a time of war."
"We will carry out our duty towards our country, our people and our residents who are also part of our family," he said.
The Israeli military says it has attacked the “central air defence command centre” of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Air Force, “In the heart of Tehran,” Al Jazeera reported.
It said it struck air defence systems, headquarters, warehouses and other structures near the centre.
It added that it also hit a site used to produce and launch ballistic missiles, which it claimed included warehouses for Quds Force combat equipment.
Iran's Assembly of Experts to meet within one day to choose new Supreme Leader, says Assembly member Ayatollah Mozafari, according to Iranian media.
Iran Revolutionary Guards target US forces in Bahrain's forces in Jufair base in retaliation for US strike on desalination plant on Iran's Qesh Island, reports Iranian state media.
UK's Ministry of Defence says the "United States has started using British bases for specific defensive operations to prevent Iran firing missiles into the region, which is putting British lives at risk."
It added that UK warplanes are continuing operations over Jordan, Qatar, Cyprus and the wider region "in defence of British interests and allies."
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsUpdate on UK operations in the Middle East: 07 March 2026 ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/zwmubIzD9B
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 7, 2026
US President Donald Trump said American strikes on Iran have significantly damaged the country’s military capabilities, claiming its navy, air force and communications infrastructure have been heavily hit.
Speaking at an event in Florida, Trump said US forces had destroyed 42 Iranian naval vessels in recent days and knocked out much of the country’s air power and telecommunications systems.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran had not attacked friendly neighbouring countries but had instead targeted US military bases and facilities in the region. In a post on X, Pezeshkian said Iran’s strikes were directed at “U.S. military bases, installations and facilities in the region”, rejecting claims that Iran had targeted allied or neighbouring states.
“We have not attacked friendly neighbouring countries, but rather targeted US military bases, installations and facilities in the region,” he said.
Meanwhile, a senior official of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a sharp warning against Israel. Speaking to state television, IRGC official Mohammad Reza Naqdi said the current situation had created “an opportunity to eliminate Israel.”
The Iranian revolutionary guards said they hit a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media reported on Saturday.
(Reuters)
The Israeli military said missiles have been launched from Iran towards Israel.
In a statement on X, the Israeli army said it had identified missiles heading towards Israeli territory and that interception systems were being activated.
(Al Jazeera)
Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group issued a warning Saturday for the residents of the northern Israeli towns of Kiryat Shmona and Nahariya to evacuate immediately.
Shortly after the Hezbollah warning was issued, alert sirens sounded near Nahariya, Kiryat Shmona and Tiberias. Hezbollah's warning came after Israel's military ordered people in large parts of southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut to evacuate.
The warnings made tens of thousands flee their homes and were followed by intense airstrikes.
(AP)
The number of people killed in Israeli air and ground raids on the Lebanese town of Nabi Chit in the eastern Bekaa Valley has risen to 41, claimed the country’s Health Ministry.
The ministry also said the number of injured people reached 40.
(Al Jazeera)
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates said the country was targeted by 16 ballistic missiles and 121 drones in the latest wave of attacks. All missiles were intercepted except one that fell into the sea, while 119 drones were shot down and two crashed within UAE territory.
Since the start of the war, officials said 221 ballistic missiles have been detected, of which 205 were destroyed and 14 fell into the sea, while two landed within the UAE.
A total of 1,305 Iranian drones have also been detected, with 1,229 intercepted and 76 landing within the country. Eight cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed.
The attacks have resulted in three deaths, Pakistani, Nepalese and Bangladeshi nationals, and 112 minor injuries among people of multiple nationalities, including Emirati, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Filipino, Pakistani, Iranian, Indian, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Azerbaijani, Yemeni, Ugandan, Eritrean, Lebanese, Afghan, Bahraini, Comorian and Turkish nationals.
(Al Jazeera)
US President Donald Trump said Iran would be "hit very hard" on Saturday and that he was considering widening the areas and groups of people being targeted, without providing details.
"Today Iran will be hit very hard! Under serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran's bad behavior, are areas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time" Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
He also noted that Iran had apologised to its neighbours for its strikes against them, which he cast as a surrender.
Multiple explosions were reported in Tehran shortly after the Israeli military announced it had launched a fresh attack. Local reports said several blasts were heard across parts of the Iranian capital.
Videos circulating on social media showed thick plumes of smoke rising from Qarchak county in southeast Tehran, with unverified reports suggesting that a base linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard may have been targeted in the area.
(Al Jazeera)
A US B-1 Lancer strategic bomber capable of carrying up to 24 cruise missiles has landed in the United Kingdom, following a warning from the US defence secretary about a possible “surge” in strikes on Iran. The 146-foot aircraft is the fastest bomber in the US Air Force, according to Boeing, capable of reaching speeds of over 900 mph. It has a wingspan of 137 feet and weighs about 86 tonnes.
Nicknamed “the Bone”, the bomber is operated by a crew of four and is equipped with advanced radar and GPS targeting systems. It also carries electronic jammers, radar warning receivers and decoy systems designed to protect the aircraft from enemy air defences.
(The Independent)
A USAF B1 B bomber taxis after landing at RAF Fairford airbase, which hosts United States Air Force (USAF) personnel, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Fairford, Britain, March 7, 2026. (REUTERS photos)
State-run Tasnim news agency says the IRGC Navy launched a drone attack on the Al Dhafra airbase in the UAE. In the attack, Iran hit a US satellite communication centre, early warning radars and fire control radars, the report added,
Al Jazeera, which also reported the development, said it could immediately verify the statement. The UAE has not commented on this yet.
(Al Jazeera)
Iranian state media said on Saturday that explosions were heard in several parts of the country, reported Reuters. It was not specified if the explosions were a result of strikes carried out by Israel and the US.
This comes shortly after Iran's Revolutionary Guard said that they targeted US' air combat centre and satellite communications hub in UAE's Al Dhafra air base.
The Central Board of Secondary Education or CBSE has postponed Class XII board examinations in several Middle East countries, including Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, amid the evolving regional situation.
According to the board, Class 12 exams scheduled for March 9, 10 and 11 will not be held as planned.
The CBSE said it will review the situation on March 10 and issue fresh instructions regarding examinations scheduled from March 12 onwards. Students have been advised to remain in close contact with their respective schools and follow official CBSE updates.
Meanwhile, all Class X examinations scheduled between March 2 and March 11, 2026 in these regions have been cancelled. The board said it will announce the process for declaring results separately at a later date.
(Gulf News)
Amid escalating tensions in West Asia, Pakistan's Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF), Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, travelled to Saudi Arabia and met with Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman to discuss the security situation.
Saudi Arabia has come under attacks by Iran, putting in cross hairs the mutual defence pact signed between Islamabad and Riyadh last year. The countries are bound by the agreement to come to the defence of each other in case of an attack by a third country.
The defence pact is facing its first test after the Afghan Taliban attacked Pakistan on February 26, and Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said it was "open war" between the two countries, while Iran reportedly launched drones and missiles against the kingdom following the joint strikes by the US and Israel.
(PTI)
The latest wave of Israeli airstrikes included targets in Lebanon’s eastern Beqaa Valley, the Israeli military said. The Lebanese Health Ministry said earlier that overnight airstrikes in that area killed at least 16 people and wounded 35.
The Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with an Israeli force that landed there late Friday. Israel hasn’t commented on the fighting in the Beqaa Valley.
The military also said its Saturday strikes hit rocket launchers, weapons storage facilities and two command centres of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force in southern Lebanon.
(AP)
The message from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian again underlined the limited powers being exercised by theocracy’s leaders over its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.
Pezeshkian apologised Saturday for attacks on regional countries even as Iranian missiles and drones flew toward Gulf Arab states, suggesting Tehran’s political leadership could not exercise full command over the armed forces.
He is one member of a tripartite leadership council overseeing Iran since a February 28 airstrike, starting the war, killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Guard, which controls the ballistic missiles targeting Israel and others, answered only to Khamenei and appears to be picking its own targets as the conflict widens.
(AP)
Indian companies have raised the prices of liquefied petroleum gas, mostly used as a cooking fuel, for the first time in about a year, as global prices surge with the US-Israel war on Iran disrupting supplies from the Middle East.
Indian Oil Corp, the country's top refiner and LPG seller, has increased the prices of a 14.2-kg LPG cylinder in Delhi by 7% to 913 rupees ($9.93), according to its website. State refiners IOC, Bharat Petroleum Corp and Hindustan Petroleum Corp raised prices in tandem.
India, the world's second-biggest importer of LPG, last year consumed 33.15 million metric tons of cooking gas, a mixture of propane and butane, with imports accounting for about two-thirds of LPG consumption. Middle Eastern LPG accounts for 85% to 90% of those imports.
India Friday asked refiners to boost LPG production to avoid any shortage of cooking gas in the country. Indian companies have also raised the prices of 19-kg commercial LPG cylinders, mainly used by hotels and restaurants, to 1,883 rupees from 1,768.50 rupees.
(Reuters)
Operations at Dubai International Airport were temporarily suspended on Saturday as authorities responded to a "minor" security incident, officials said. According to posts on social media, the pause in operations was implemented as a precaution to ensure the safety of passengers, airport staff and airline crews, with procedures carried out in line with established safety protocols. Read the full story
All Emirates flights to and from the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates have been suspended until further notice, the airline says.
The development comes a day after the company spokesperson told the Reuters news agency Friday that Emirates expected a return to 100 percent of its network in the coming days.
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that a demand by the United States for an unconditional surrender is a "dream that they should to take to their grave." President Masoud Pezeshkian made the statement in a prerecorded address aired by state television.
He also apologised for Iran's attacks on regional countries, insisting that Tehran would halt them and suggesting they were caused by miscommunication in the ranks. His statement aired after repeated attacks on Saturday morning on Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
(AP)
The Lebanese Health Ministry said at least 12 people were killed and 33 were wounded in Israeli air raids on the town of Nabi, in the eastern Bekaa valley.
The latest death toll comes the country has become one of the fiercest fronts in the wider US-Israel war on Iran. In the past week, the Israeli military has ordered large-scale enforced evacuation order for southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs causing a massive exodus of civilians from these areas.
More than 200 people in Lebanon have been killed since the conflict started and an estimated 95,000 have been displaced.
(Al Jazeera)
The UAE’s Defence Ministry said its air defences are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran.
The sounds heard in various parts of the emirate are the result of intercepting ballistic missiles and drones, it added.
Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry said two more ballistic missiles been intercepted and destroyed after being launched towards the Prince Sultan Air Base. The ministry provided no further details.
Earlier on Saturday, the ministry reported that Saudi forces destroyed four drones in the south of the country and an earlier ballistic missile, which targeted the Prince Sultan airbase.
(Al Jazeera)
For the fifth time since midnight, the Israeli Defence Forces said it has detected the launch of ballistic missiles from Iran. Sirens sound in Tel Aviv and other parts of central Israel, reported The Times of Israel.
Explosions sent up clouds of dark smoke in the Iranian capital city early Saturday, and Tehran retaliated by firing missiles at Israel as the United States warned of a forthcoming bombing campaign that officials said would be the most intense yet in the weeklong conflict.
Associated Press video showed explosions flashing and smoke rising over western Tehran as Israel said it had begun a broad wave of strikes. Also, early Saturday, loud booms sounded in Jerusalem and incoming missiles from Iran had people heading to bomb shelters across Israel.
(AP)
Iranians are waking up to the eighth day of US-Israeli air strikes targeting various facilities and locations across Tehran and other cities. Overnight, Mehrabad Airport, one of Tehran's two main airports, was hit, causing explosions and shockwaves felt across the capital.
Attacks are ongoing in other cities, targeting not just military and political sites, but also residential areas, schools, and hospitals, causing widespread concern and disruption.
(With inputs from agencies)
The Israeli military said it has detected missile launches towards the Greater Tel Aviv area and large parts of central Israel.
Earlier, missiles were detected heading towards other parts of the country, including southern Israel.
(Al Jazeera)
Russia has provided Iran with information that could help Tehran strike American warships, aircraft and other assets in the region, according to two officials familiar with US intelligence on the matter. The officials, who were not authorised to comment publicly on the sensitive matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity, cautioned that the US intelligence has not uncovered that Russia is directing Iran on what to do with the information as the US and Israel continue their bombardment and Iran fires retaliatory salvos at American assets and allies in the Persian Gulf.
Still, it's the first indication that Moscow has sought to get involved in the war that the US and Israel launched on Iran a week ago. Russia is in the rare club of countries that maintains friendly relations with Tehran, which has faced years of isolation over its nuclear program and its support of proxy groups that have wreaked havoc in the Middle East, including Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.
(AP)
Here's a brief overview of the conflict:
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