US-Israel-Iran War Live Updates: US ground forces not expected to be used in Iran, White House says
Kartavya Desk Staff
US-Israel-Iran War Highlights: The US Senate has voted down a resolution to check President Donald Trump’s war powers that would have limited Trump’s military action on Iran, voting 53 to 47 against it, the BBC reported. The House is expected to vote on the same question soon, and some senators might be more inclined to back a war powers resolution in future if the war continues for more than a few weeks.
US-Israel-Iran War Today LIVE News: Follow Latest Updates Here
Meanwhile, the Israeli military says it has launched a new “wave of strikes” across Tehran. “The IDF has begun an additional wave of strikes targeting military infrastructure belonging to the Iranian regime across Tehran,” the Israel Defense Forces says in a statement. Following the confirmed death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in a targeted strike on February 28, joint US and Israeli forces have intensified “Operation Epic Fury”. Over 1,250 targets across Iran, including ballistic missile hubs, naval assets, and intelligence headquarters, have been struck as part of a campaign to dismantle Tehran’s nuclear and military infrastructure.
As Tehran vows a “scorched earth” retaliation, the global economy remains in a state of high alert. While international gold prices saw a slight correction today from record highs, they remain elevated near $5,100 per ounce, reflecting deep market anxiety over the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
What’s happening? 5 current developments
• Front line: Heavy explosions continue to rock government districts in Tehran. Reports from Iranian state media indicate that strikes in the port city of Minab have resulted in at least 165 casualties.
• Power vacuum: Following Khamenei’s death, President Masoud Pezeshkian has activated Article 111 of the Iranian Constitution, establishing a provisional Leadership Council to manage the transition.
• US involvement: President Donald Trump has defended the offensive as a “last chance” to ensure regional stability and prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. CENTCOM has confirmed the first American casualties during ongoing ground and air operations.
• Global fallout: France has mobilised Rafale jets to secure regional assets. In a significant blow to energy markets, Qatar has halted LNG production, and drone strikes have been reported on fuel infrastructure at Oman’s Duqm port.
• Economic alert: Oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz is at “extreme risk” as the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency suggests the waterway may be closed to all commercial shipping.
In this rapidly evolving kinetic environment, The Indian Express Global Desk prioritises official military briefings from IDF and CENTCOM, corroborated by satellite intelligence. All casualty figures are attributed to specific reporting agencies. Given the fluid situation in Tehran and the Gulf, we advise readers to follow official government travel advisories.
Israel and the United States have made “historic gains” in the war against Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said, reports The Times of Israel.
“Israel and the United States have together made historic gains to protect our citizens and the civilized world,” a spokesperson for Netanyahu, Shosh Bedrosian, says in a video message.
She added that the attack was necessary as Iran was rebuilding its atomic bomb program in “new underground bunkers,” which could've been used to attack US and Israeli military bases in the Middle East.
Our live tracking has been shifted here: https://indianexpress.com/article/world/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-trump-oil-attacks-middle-east-crisis-10565234/
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Thursday that his country’s military may nevertheless be drawn into the fighting, The New York Times reported.
“One could never categorically rule out participation,” Carney told reporters in Canberra, Australia, after speaking to Australia’s parliament. “We will stand by our allies. It makes sense.”
The UK Ministry of Defence Thursday said that the “Shahed-type drone” that targeted a British base in Cyprus was not launched from Iran, reported Iranian state media.
Breaking 🚨The UK Ministry of Defence says that the “Shahed-type drone” that targeted a British base in Cyprus was not launched from Iran.First a British military base, then a Saudi oil refinery, and now Turkey. Israel is involved in all of these attacks and is trying to drag… pic.twitter.com/QpreNCvafu— Iran Times (@IranTimes9) March 4, 2026
Breaking 🚨The UK Ministry of Defence says that the “Shahed-type drone” that targeted a British base in Cyprus was not launched from Iran.First a British military base, then a Saudi oil refinery, and now Turkey. Israel is involved in all of these attacks and is trying to drag… pic.twitter.com/QpreNCvafu
Indian embassy in Qatar issued a new advisory on Thursday, urging all Indian citizens to strictly follow the safety guidance issued by the competent Qatari authorities.
"Flight operations from Hamad International Airport remain temporarily suspended due to closure of Qatari airspace. Flights of Qatar Airways and others also remain suspended. Qatar Airways announced on March 4 that they will provide next update at 0900 hrs (Doha Time) on March 6, 2026. Passengers are advised to remain in close contact with their respective airlines for rescheduling of their travel," the advisory said.
New helpline numbers were provided by the embassy in view of the current situation: +974 55647502, +974 55362508. The queries can also be raised with the Embassy on email address: cons.doha@mea.gov.in.
Important Advisory pic.twitter.com/yCu4oJFMSa— India in Qatar (@IndEmbDoha) March 4, 2026
Important Advisory pic.twitter.com/yCu4oJFMSa
The US Senate has voted down a resolution to check President Donald Trump’s war powers that would have limited Trump’s military action on Iran, voting 53 to 47 against it, the BBC reported. The House is expected to vote on the same question soon, and some senators might be more inclined to back a war powers resolution in future if the war continues for more than a few weeks.
The US Senate has voted against a measure that would have checked President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran, voting 53 to 47 against it.
US Senate Republicans have backed President Donald Trump's military campaign against Iran. The latest effort by Democrats and a few Republicans to rein in President Trump's repeated foreign troop deployments, sponsors described the war powers resolution as a bid to take back Congress' responsibility to declare war, as spelled out in the US Constitution. Reuters reports
Iranian authorities have indefinitely postponed the scheduled nationwide ceremonies mourning Ayatollah Khamenei. The government official in a statement to the state TV announced the develoment. The official however did not cite any specific reasons but emphasized that the preparations for the mourning rites remain underway. Reuters reports
Information on Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's whereabouts impacted the timing of the US-Israeli strike on Iran that killed the supreme leader, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters.
US President Donald Trump believes Americans support US military strikes on Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday.
"The president is smart enough to read past many of the fake news headlines produced by people in this room that his action was unjustifiable," Leavitt told a news briefing. "This is a rogue terrorist regime that has been threatening the United States, our allies and our people for 47 years and the American people are smart enough to know that.
US President Donald Trump launched strikes on Iran based on a "good feeling" that the Iranian regime was planning to attack the US, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
“The president was faced with a choice: does the United States of American use our military and our capabilities to strike first to take out this threat that has been threatening our country and our people for 47 years, or is he going to, as commander in chief, sit back and watch as the rogue Iranian regime attacks our people in the region,” she said.
US ground forces are not expected to be used in Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
US President Trump will attend the dignified transfer of the six U.S. soldiers killed in the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said.
The United States has seen reports that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's slain supreme leader, has emerged as a frontrunner to succeed him, and U.S. intelligence agencies are closely monitoring this, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a news briefing on Wednesday.
Spain has agreed to cooperate with the US miliary, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says.
This comes hours after Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticised the US and Israel’s military actions in Iran, standing firm against trade threats from Washington and warning that the war in the Middle East risked “playing Russian roulette” with millions of lives.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the United States will have "complete and total dominance" over Iranian airspace in the next few hours.
"We expect to have complete and total dominance over Iranian airspace in the coming hours, clearing the skies for our brave warriors to continue achieving these noble and long sought after objectives," Leavitt said in the press conference.
The US military asked mining companies last Friday to help boost domestic supplies of 13 critical minerals used to make semiconductors, weapons and other products, a document reviewed by Reuters showed.
The request, the day before the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, is the latest example in recent weeks of Washington's push for more access to the materials used widely in warfare.
The Ministry of External Affairs rebuffed claims that Indian ports are being used by the US for its war against Iran. Terming it as baseless and fabricated, the MEA Fact check unit set aside claims made by Douglas McGregor, a former adviser to the secretary of defense in the US on the channel OAN.
External Affairs Ministry's Fact Check Unit says claims being made that Indian ports are being used by the US Navy are fake and false. https://t.co/xnhMRfcH0v— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) March 4, 2026
External Affairs Ministry's Fact Check Unit says claims being made that Indian ports are being used by the US Navy are fake and false. https://t.co/xnhMRfcH0v
Since the war began on February 28, more than 17,500 Americans have returned to the US from the Middle East. More than 8,500 arrived on Tuesday alone, said US State Department official Dylan Johnson.
Since February 28, over 17,500 American citizens have returned to the United States from the Middle East — with over 8,500 American citizens returning to the U.S. yesterday alone. Many more Americans have left the Middle East to other countries in Europe and Asia, and others…— Dylan Johnson (@ASDylanJohnson) March 4, 2026
Since February 28, over 17,500 American citizens have returned to the United States from the Middle East — with over 8,500 American citizens returning to the U.S. yesterday alone. Many more Americans have left the Middle East to other countries in Europe and Asia, and others…
A torpedo fired by a US submarine sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka, whose navy said Wednesday it recovered 87 bodies and rescued 32 people, AP reported.
The Iranian vessel sunk in the Indian Ocean was the Islamic Republic’s “prize ship,” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez criticised the US and Israel's military actions in Iran, standing firm against trade threats from Washington and warning that the war in the Middle East risked "playing Russian roulette" with millions of lives.
"We are not going to be complicit in something that is bad for the world and is also contrary to our values and interests, just out of fear of reprisals from someone," Sánchez said in a televised address.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani that Iranian missile attacks US bases in the region and not Qatar.
Qatar's top diplomat "categorically rejected" that claim and called for an immediate halt to Iran's attacks, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said on X.
Freight rates for crude tankers have spiked dramatically and doubled over the week as the conflict in West Asia continues to unsettle traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil shipping corridor, pushing up crude oil prices.
Daily earnings for a very large crude carrier (VLCC) on the benchmark Middle East-China route hit a record high and nearly doubled $423,000 on Monday in a week, marking an unprecedented surge, according to Lloyd’s List data. It was $218,000 per day last week.
(Read full report)
US forces have struck or sunk more than Iranian 20 ships since the conflict with Tehran began last week, the US Central Command said on Wednesday.
The Israeli Air Force on Wednesday said that it has dropped more than 5,000 bombs on Iran in its current military operation.
In a post on X, the Israeli Air Force said, "Additional Footage from the Missile's Eye: Air Force Strikes Iran with Over 5,000 Munitions Since Start of Operation. Air Force fighter jets continue to deepen air superiority across all of Iran, with an emphasis on the Tehran area."
תיעוד נוסף מעין הטיל: חיל-האוויר תקף עם יותר מ-5,000 חימושים באיראן מתחילת המבצעמטוסי קרב של חיל-האוויר ממשיכים להעמיק את העליונות האווירית בכל רחבי איראן, בדגש על מרחב טהרן. צה"ל חושף כעת תיעוד נוסף מתוך עין הטיל, מתקיפה שבוצעה להשמדת מערכת הגנה של משטר הטרור האיראני בטהרן. pic.twitter.com/bs1CuQInO8— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) March 4, 202
תיעוד נוסף מעין הטיל: חיל-האוויר תקף עם יותר מ-5,000 חימושים באיראן מתחילת המבצעמטוסי קרב של חיל-האוויר ממשיכים להעמיק את העליונות האווירית בכל רחבי איראן, בדגש על מרחב טהרן. צה"ל חושף כעת תיעוד נוסף מתוך עין הטיל, מתקיפה שבוצעה להשמדת מערכת הגנה של משטר הטרור האיראני בטהרן. pic.twitter.com/bs1CuQInO8
The US–Iran war widened on Wednesday after a US strike hit an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka, deepening a crisis that has paralysed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz for a fifth day and choked off vital Middle East oil and gas flows.
The US submarine strike on the Iranian vessel came as US President Donald Trump pledged to provide insurance and navy escorts to ships exporting oil and gas from the Middle East in a bid to contain soaring energy prices.
At least 200 ships, including oil and liquefied natural gas tankers as well as cargo ships, remained at anchor in open waters off the coast of major Gulf producers including Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, according to Reuters estimates based on ship-tracking data from the MarineTraffic platform.
- •Reuters
The United States' Department of War on Wednesday released a video wherein it destroyed an Iranian ship in the Indian Ocean off the Sri Lankan coast with a torpedo.
"In the Indian Ocean—an American submarine sunk an Iranian warship, that thought it was safe in international waters. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo—Quiet Death. The first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War 2. Like in that war—back when we were still the War Department—we are fighting to win," US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a Pentagon's press briefing.
https://t.co/PiqQpVIrMu pic.twitter.com/Wc1e0B0um7— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) March 4, 2026
https://t.co/PiqQpVIrMu pic.twitter.com/Wc1e0B0um7
UK's naval vessel HMS Dragon will not be deployed to Cyprus until next week, Western officials said on Wednesday.
At least 80 people killed in a US submarine strike on an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka's deputy foreign minister told local television on Wednesday.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine on Wednesday said that Iran was firing fewer missiles as the war progressed and added that US strikes will now expand inland inside Iran.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said that in under a week, the “two most powerful air forces in the world” the US and Israel “will have complete control of Iranian skies, uncontested air space.”
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, during a press briefing at the Pentagon on Wednesday, said that the "leader behind effort to assassinate President Donald Trump has been killed."
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said that American submarine sunk Iranian ship in the Indian Ocean after firing a torpedo.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, during a press briefing at the Pentagon on Wednesday, said that "America is winning, decisively, devastatingly and without mercy."
An independent United Nations probe investigating rights violations in Iran condemned on Wednesday attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran as well as Tehran's retaliatory strikes across the region, saying they violated the UN Charter.
The United Nations Charter bans the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.
"These attacks, which were followed by Iran's retaliatory strikes across the region, run counter to the UN Charter," the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran said in a statement.
- •Reuters
Three US officials confirmed to Reuters that the US military carried out a strike that hit Iranian ship near the Sri Lankan coast on Wednesday, wherein over 150 people are reported to be missing.
The western military alliance NATO has condemned Iran's targeting of Turkey after reports emerged that a ballistic missile was destroyed by the NATO air defences in eastern Mediterranean on Wednesday.
"We condemn Iran’s targeting of Turkey. Nato stands firmly with all allies, including Turkey, as Iran continues its indiscriminate attacks across the region. Our deterrence and defence posture remains strong across all domains, including when it comes to air and missile defence," NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said, The Guardian reported.
The Turkish defence ministry issued a statement following Iranian missile being destroyed by the NATO air and missile defence systems stationed in the eastern Mediterranean on Wednesday.
"A ballistic missile, launched from Iran and detected heading towards Turkish airspace after crossing Iraqi and Syrian airspace, was timely engaged and neutralised by Nato air and missile defence elements deployed in the eastern Mediterranean. It has been determined that the ordnance that fell in Dörtyol district of Hatay province belonged to an air defence munition that intercepted the threat in the air. There were no casualties or injuries in the incident," Turkey's defence ministry said in a statement.
Britain needs to keep a cool head over the conflict in the Middle East to address the public's concerns about escalation, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday.
"I know the whole country is worried about the potential for escalation. We need to act, therefore, with clarity, with purpose and with a cool head," Starmer told the UK parliament.
A ballistic missile fired from Iran was destroyed by the NATO air and missile defence systems stationed in the eastern Mediterranean as it headed into Turkish airspace, passing through Iraq and Syria, Turkish Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.
"We warn all parties to refrain from actions that would lead to further escalation of conflict in the region. In this context, we will continue to consult with NATO and our other allies," the Turkey's defence ministry said.
US President Donald Trump, during an interview with Politico, said that he "doesn't really care" if Iran plays in the FIFA World Cup scheduled in June-July this year in US, Canada and Mexico.
"I really don’t care. I think Iran is a very badly defeated country. They’re running on fumes," Trump said.
Death toll from the US-Israeli attacks on Iran has risen to 1,045, Tehran's semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported.
Operatives from Iran's Ministry of Intelligence signalled openness to the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to talks on ending the war, according to a New York Times report, citing officials.
The offer was made through an unnamed country's spy agency, the NYT added, citing Middle Eastern officials and officials from a Western nation.
According to Iranian state media reports, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's state funeral has been postponed. The three-day funeral was set to begin today.
A European Union official on Wednesday said that the 27-nation bloc doesn't see any impact from the conflict in Iran on its oil supply, however, the official added that soaring prices are a strong concern.
Member states are currently not planning measures in response to the impact of oil market developments, the european commission official added.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday said that nuclear power plant in UAE, research reactors in Jordan and Syria are operating normally amid Iran's strikes in the Middle East region.
At least two buildings near Iran's Isfahan nuclear site have been damaged, however, there has been no damage to facilities containing nuclear material and no risk of radiological release, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday.
Lawmakers in the US Senate are poised to vote on Wednesday on a resolution which has bipartisan war powers aiming to stop the military campaign against Iran and require that any hostilities against it be authorised by the Congress.
UAE defence ministry has said that it intercepted 121 drones and three ballistic missiles and out of which at least eight drones fell inside the country, Reuters reported.
A United Nations panel of experts said on Wednesday it was "deeply disturbed" by the deaths of children, after the bombing of the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' school in southern Iran, which it said killed more than 160 children, citing reports.
The school in Minab was hit on Saturday, the first day of US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that the country's forces "would not deliberately target a school". Israel has said it is investigating the incident. (Reuters)
Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura, which has the largest domestic refinery and is a key crude export terminal, was struck again on Wednesday by an unknown projectile, Reuters reported quoting sources. This comes two days after a drone attack on the complex shut the refinery.
Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has long been considered a contender to the post of the country's next paramount ruler, even before an Israeli strike killed his father at the start of the war last week and despite the fact he's has never been elected or appointed to a government position.
A secretive figure within the Islamic Republic, Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen publicly since Saturday, when the Israeli airstrike targeting the supreme leader's offices killed his 86-year-old father.
*Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.*
Also killed were the younger Khamenei's wife, Zahra Haddad Adel, who came from a family long associated with the country's theocracy. Khamenei is believed to still be alive and has likely has gone into hiding as American and Israeli airstrikes continue to pound Iran, though state-run Iranian media have not reported on his whereabouts.
Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura, which houses its largest domestic refinery, was struck again Wednesday by an unknown projectile, four sources said.
It was not immediately clear what was struck at the complex, which a source told Reuters shut on Monday due to a drone attack.
(Reuters)
Airspace closures across multiple Middle Eastern countries have forced airlines to either cancel services or reroute aircraft along significantly longer paths. Because Gulf airports function as major international transit hubs linking Europe, Africa and Asia, these operational changes are having global consequences. Read the full story here
At least 101 people were missing and 78 wounded after a submarine attack on an Iranian ship off Sri Lanka's coast, sources in Sri Lanka's navy and defence ministry told Reuters Wednesday.
(Reuters)
Iran does not intend to negotiate with the US and has no contacts with Washington in any form, Mohammad Mokhber, a senior aide to late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, said on Iranian state television.
Mokhber, who previously served as Iran’s acting president and first vice president, said Iran had “no trust in the Americans, and we have no basis for any negotiations with them”, adding that Tehran could continue the war “as long as we want”.
(Al Jazeera)
Mohammad Mokhber, a senior aide to late supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s judiciary chief Wednesday threatened “those who say or do anything” in support of the US-Israeli airstrike campaign now targeting the Islamic Republic.
Gholam Hosseini Mohseni Ejehei made the comments in an interview with Iranian state television. His remarks raised the possibility of those detained facing death-penalty charges, as cooperating with an enemy can carry execution if convicted.
“As we said during the unrest, riot cases are a priority,” Ejehei said, referring to January’s nationwide protests that Iran violently suppressed.
“We have now also announced that those who cooperate with the enemy in any way will be considered an enemy.”
The US Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the US Consulate General in Dubai are closed, and services cannot be provided in those facilities until further notice, the US Embassy announced Wednesday.
(Gulf News)
French fighter jets have neutralised Iranian drones targeting the United Arab Emirates, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Wednesday, reported France24.
Barrot also said France plans several repatriation flights for French nationals in the Middle East. “One will depart from the United Arab Emirates, another from Egypt... and one from Israel,” he told.
More than 470 Chinese citizens have been evacuated since the conflict in Iran broke out, Mao Ning, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, told reporters.
(France24)
Romania's Foreign Ministry said late Tuesday it summoned Iran's ambassador to protest against Tehran's strikes on Middle Eastern countries and Cyprus, underlining their impact on regional security and maritime safety.
"Romania firmly appeals for the urgent de-escalation of tensions and protection of civilians," it said in a statement.
"The Romanian side conveyed its deep concern for the violation of the sovereignty of the states in the region that were the target of Iran's indiscriminate attacks, and Romania's full solidarity with these countries."
(Reuters)
Oil prices rose 3% Wednesday as the US-Israeli war on Iran disrupted Middle East supplies, but the pace of gains slowed from past sessions after President Donald Trump suggested the US Navy could escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent rose $2.67, or 3.3%, to $84.07 a barrel by 0659 GMT, after closing Tuesday at its highest since January 2025.
US West Texas Intermediate crude rose $2.24, or 3%, to $76.8, after settling at its highest since June. Both benchmarks have risen about 5% or more in the past two sessions.
"The primary near-term driver for oil prices remains the US-Iran conflict," said OANDA senior market analyst Kelvin Wong.
"At this stage, only clear signs of de-escalation could mitigate or reverse the current bullish trend for WTI, and such signals are currently lacking."
Supporters of Ali Khamenei, later Supreme Leader of Iran, will gather at the prayer hall of the Grand Mosalla of Tehran tonight at 10pm (18:30 GMT), starting a three-day commemoration ceremony, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
Details are still being finalised for Khamenei’s funeral, which will soon be announced, the report added.
(Al Jazeera)
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they control the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for oil and gas, and any vessels seeking to pass through the waterway risk damage from missiles or stray drones.
"Currently, the Strait of Hormuz is under the complete control of the Islamic Republic's Navy," said Guards Navy official Mohammad Akbarzadeh in a statement issued on Fars news agency.
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday the US Navy was ready to escort oil tankers through the crucial Gulf shipping route.
(France24)
SpiceJet will operate eight special flights from Fujairah in the UAE Wednesday to bring passengers who are stranded due to the Middle East crisis.
In a statement, the airline said it would operate four services to Delhi, three to Mumbai and one to Kochi from Fujairah.
On Tuesday, the carrier operated four special flights from Fujairah to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi.
The escalating Middle East conflict involving US, Israel and Iran has significantly disrupted flight operations in the region.
Continuing our support efforts, 8 more special flights will operate from Fujairah to India.🇮🇳 #flyspicejet #spicejet pic.twitter.com/xgZLov4vKS— SpiceJet (@flyspicejet) March 3, 2026
Continuing our support efforts, 8 more special flights will operate from Fujairah to India.🇮🇳 #flyspicejet #spicejet pic.twitter.com/xgZLov4vKS
US and Israeli airstrikes pounded Iran on Wednesday, with attacks reported across the country. Iranian state television showed the ruins of buildings in central Tehran, with interviewees complaining that the attacks damaged their homes during the night.
Witnesses also said airstrikes intensely targeted western Tehran, as well as further out to the city of Karaj. Strikes also had been reported in the holy Shia seminary city of Qom, as well as Behbahan, Kermanshah, Khorramabad, Shiraz and Tabriz.
State TV has begun referring to the conflict as the “Ramadan war". That likely reflects that it is happening during the holy Muslim fasting month, while also trying to prepare the public for the war to continue for some time.
The Ministry of External Affairs has established a Special Control Room to address concerns related to the current situation in West Asia and the Gulf region.
A Special Control Room has been set up in the Ministry of External Affairs in view of the current situation in West Asia and the Gulf region. Details are as below ⬇️ 🔗 https://t.co/nK3d6SY9Pa pic.twitter.com/v2EhUI5B1x— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) March 4, 2026
A Special Control Room has been set up in the Ministry of External Affairs in view of the current situation in West Asia and the Gulf region. Details are as below ⬇️ 🔗 https://t.co/nK3d6SY9Pa pic.twitter.com/v2EhUI5B1x
The latest alert that came from the Israeli Home Front to the phones of Israelis – including going to shelters – went to almost all areas in Israel, mostly focusing in the centre and the north but it was also further south as well.
And from where we are right now in Ramallah, we heard very loud explosions and they could be because of interceptions.
But it seemed to be like a wide salvo, which hugely disrupts the ability of the Israeli defences to intercept all of these missiles.
With inputs from Aljazeera
Iranian Kurdish militias have consulted with the United States in recent days about whether, and how, to attack Iran's security forces in the western part of the country, according to three sources with knowledge of the matter.
The Iranian Kurdish coalition of groups based on the Iran-Iraq border in the semiautonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan has been training to mount such an attack in hopes of weakening the country's military, as the United States and Israel pound Iranian targets with bombs and missiles, reported by Reuters.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has emerged as the leading contender to take over the country’s highest post, according to a report by The New York Times.
The newspaper, citing three Iranian officials familiar with internal discussions, said Iran’s powerful clerical body, the Assembly of Experts, met on Tuesday to deliberate on succession. Mojtaba Khamenei was described as the “clear front-runner”, though a final announcement was still under consideration. *Read more about Mojtaba Khamenei here. *
Saudi Arabia's defence ministry has said that it intercepted two cruise missiles south of its capital, Riyadh, news agencies Reuters.
Separately, the official Saudi Press Agency is reporting that nine drones have been intercepted.
Saudi officials did not say where the missiles and drones were launched from.
The Israeli military has said in the past hour that they identified several projectiles from Lebanese territory and that most of the projectiles were intercepted, except for one that fell in an open area.
This came minutes after the military said Iran has also launched missiles towards Israeli territory.
Six US service members were killed in an Iranian strike on an American military site in Kuwait on Sunday, US officials confirmed. According to the US military, an unmanned aerial system breached air defences and struck a bunker at Port Shuaiba on Sunday.
Initial statements from US Central Command reported three fatalities. However, by Monday, authorities revised the toll to six after one injured soldier died and two additional bodies were recovered from the debris. Read more
The Korean Stock Exchange called a temporary trading halt after the Kospi and Kosdaq each plunged more than 8% in Seoul morning trade.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 continued to fall on Wednesday, and was down about 1.7% during early trading. But Wall Street looks set to open only marginally lower in New York, according to pre-market trading data.
Worries over the widening war with Iran have hammered most world markets. Higher oil prices and how much they might worsen inflation are among the central fears for investors
Lebanon’s NNA state news agency has reported that several people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the city of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon.
NNA reported that rescue workers are trying to help families trapped beneath the rubble.
A ship off the coast of Fujairah, UAE, was hit by an unknown projectile, damaging its steel plating, but thankfully, the crew is safe and there's no fire or water intake. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) is investigating the incident as reported by the BBC.
Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen television is reporting that an Israeli air attack on Aramoun and Saadiyat in the Mount Lebanon area has killed at least six people.
The news outlet cited the Lebanese Ministry of Heath.
It said eight others were wounded in the attack.
Earlier, Lebanese authorities said the death toll from Israel’s “aggression” has risen to 50, while 335 people have been wounded.
At least 50 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon in the past two days, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health.
At least 335 people have been wounded in that time, the ministry added in a statement.
Israeli bombardments in Lebanon continued Wednesday morning. An airstrike in Aramoun, south of the capital Beirut, killed at least six people and wounded eight in the early hours, the ministry reported. (CNN)
This image provided by Planet Labs PBC shows showing a Tactical Operations Center at Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, on Monday, March 2, 2026, where U.S. service members were killed Sunday, March 1, 2026, in an Iranian strike. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)
Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed nine drones that entered its airspace, state media reporrted early Wednesday local time.
The report from the Saudi Press Agency, which was attributed to the defense ministry spokesman, said the drones were destroyed “immediately” upon entering the kingdom’s airspace.
It did not say whether any casualties or damage to infrastructure had resulted.
The Lebanese armed group says it has fired rockets at Israeli forces in the town of Metula in northern Israel.
The claim came after it announced carrying out a missile attack on the naval base in Haifa. -Aljazeera
The Kuwaiti Ministry of Health has reported the death of a girl from shrapnel-induced injuries.
“A girl was injured after shrapnel fell in a residential area in the capital governorate,” ministry spokesman Dr Abdullah Al-Sund said in a statement.
“And she passed away as a result of her injuries despite resuscitation attempts.”
At least three others have been killed in Kuwait since the start of the conflict between US, Israel and Iran.
| المتحدث الرسمي باسم وزارة الصحة الدكتور عبدالله السند: إصابة طفلة إثر سقوط شظايا في منطقة سكنية بمحافظة العاصمة… ووفاتها متأثرة بإصابتها رغم محاولات الإنعاش. pic.twitter.com/u2kCQBWvlM— وزارة الصحة (@KUWAIT_MOH) March 4, 2026
| المتحدث الرسمي باسم وزارة الصحة الدكتور عبدالله السند: إصابة طفلة إثر سقوط شظايا في منطقة سكنية بمحافظة العاصمة… ووفاتها متأثرة بإصابتها رغم محاولات الإنعاش. pic.twitter.com/u2kCQBWvlM
Four of the six US soldiers killed in the Iran war were identified Tuesday by the Pentagon as members of the Army Reserve from different states who worked in logistics and kept troops supplied with food and equipment.
They died Sunday when a drone hit a command centre in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, just a day after the US and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones against Israel and several Gulf Arab states that host US armed forces.
Those killed were Capt Cody Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, lowa, who was posthumously promoted from specialist. No other names were released.
"These men and women all bravely volunteered to defend our country, and their sacrifice will never be forgotten," Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll said.
*(With inputs from Reuters)*
Israel said it launched airstrikes against Iranian missile launchers and a nuclear research site on Tuesday, and Iran struck back against Israel and across the Gulf region, targeting US embassies and disrupting energy supplies and travel.
Four days into a war that President Donald Trump suggested would last several weeks or perhaps longer, nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran, including some Trump said he had considered as possible future leaders of the country.
Explosions rang out on Tuesday in Tehran and in Lebanon, where Israel said it retaliated against Hezbollah militants.
The American embassy in Saudi Arabia and the US consulate in the United Arab Emirates came under drone attacks. Iran has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel, though most of the incoming fire has been intercepted. Eleven people in Israel have been killed since the conflict began.
Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, on Tuesday said Operation Epic Fury is achieving unprecedented success less than 100 hours into execution, with US and Israeli forces targeting Iran’s ballistic missiles, drones, naval vessels, and command infrastructure.
Update from CENTCOM Commander on Operation Epic Fury: pic.twitter.com/epEohq64Vf— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 3, 2026
Update from CENTCOM Commander on Operation Epic Fury: pic.twitter.com/epEohq64Vf
The Tasnim news agency has reported new sounds of explosions in the Iranian capital in the past hour.
We’ll bring you more when we have it.
This comes after the Israeli military said it has “begun a wave of extensive strikes against launch sites, defence systems, and additional infrastructure” in Iran
Saudi Arabia says it will take all necessary measures to defend its security and protect residents, according to the state press agency.
The kingdom's cabinet emphasised its "readiness to mobilise all capabilities to support" ally countries as they respond to any potential attacks from Iran, the Saudi Press Agency said in a statement.
House Speaker Mike Johnson refused to call the US military action a war.
“I think it’s an operation,” he said when asked by CNN’s Manu Raju if he would call it a war.
“It’s a dangerous operation and an important one. We had to act because there was an imminent threat, but there’s not a declaration of war,” he added.
Congress hasn’t voted to authorize war with Iran, prompting sharp criticism from Democrats and some Republicans who compare the conflict to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars where lawmakers voted to authorize it. Republican defenders of Trump’s action say the Iran campaign is like President Obama’s intervention into Libya where he did not seek congressional approval.
The Senate will vote as soon as Wednesday on a resolution to require Trump get congressional approval to continue the military campaign. The House will vote on a similar measure on Thursday. Both are expected to fail.
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday called on the people of Iran to take advantage of what he described as a historic opportunity for freedom, emphasizing US support for the Iranian people while stressing that America will not engage in nation-building.
🚨BREAKING: "It is time for the people of Iran to step up and seize this moment of opportunity for them, the one that they have long awaited to have freedom there... we are not the world's policeman"Speaker of the House Mike Johnson talks to reporters live about the future of… pic.twitter.com/oYKLqKG3re— Special Report (@SpecialReport) March 3, 2026
🚨BREAKING: "It is time for the people of Iran to step up and seize this moment of opportunity for them, the one that they have long awaited to have freedom there... we are not the world's policeman"Speaker of the House Mike Johnson talks to reporters live about the future of… pic.twitter.com/oYKLqKG3re
The US military has destroyed 17 Iranian ships, including a submarine, and struck nearly 2,000 targets in Iran, the commander of the US Central Command said on Tuesday.
"Today, there is not a single Iranian ship underway in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, or Gulf of Oman," US Central Command's Brad Cooper said in a video posted to X.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday called for de-escalation in the Middle East and said all countries engaged in hostilities, including the US and Israel, must respect international rules of engagement. "Canada calls for a rapid de-escalation of hostilities and is prepared to assist in achieving this goal," Carney told reporters in Sydney, Australia while on a foreign visit.
Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand says she has asked her Omani counterpart Badr al-Busaidi to use Oman’s airspace “if necessary” to evacuate Canadians from the Gulf region.
“Our top priority right now is the 100,000 Canadians that are in the region,” Anand said during an event in Toronto.
Anand said she’s speaking to her counterparts from Gulf nations as well as the wider Middle East, and affirmed Ottawa is “making sure that there are possibilities for Canadians” to receive the support they need in those countries.
However, Anand’s office said she’s urging Canadians to leave the region by their own means, and there’s no current plan for Ottawa to co-ordinate evacuations.
The Israeli military says it has launched what it described as a new “broad wave” of strikes against Iran.
It is targeting launch sites, aerial defense systems and other infrastructure.
The announcement comes after Iran carried out a new wave of attacks against Israel overnight.
The Central Intelligence Agency's station at the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia was hit on Monday by a suspected Iranian drone, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.
There is no indication the station was the target, the source said.
The CIA declined to comment. -Reuters
US President Donald Trump welcomed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to the White House on Tuesday, thanking the German leader for his support of the widening US-Israel war against Iran in talks that also touched on trade and Russia's war in Ukraine.
Trump, speaking in the Oval Office alongside Merz, told reporters that Germany had been "helping out" by allowing US forces to access certain bases, and drew a sharp contrast to the actions of two other European countries: Britain and Spain.
Merz told Trump that Germany and the United States shared a desire to get rid of Iran's current regime, and said Berlin wanted to see a rapid end to the war. He later cast doubt on whether the US and Israeli military strikes would spark political change in Iran, saying the plan posed some risks. (Reuters)
The Israeli military has begun a series of strikes in Iran, targeting nuclear facilities, military commanders, and soldiers. The operation, dubbed "Operation Rising Lion," involves dozens of Israeli jets and has resulted in the destruction of dozens of radars and surface-to-air missile launchers. Reuters
The flight from Abu Dhabi with passengers returning to Italy arrives at Fiumicino Airport, in Rome on Tuesday.
France has condemned Hezbollah’s attacks against Israel as “irresponsible” during a call between French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam.
Barrot “expressed France’s solidarity in the face of the ordeal Lebanon is going through due to the irresponsible decision of Hezbollah to join the Iranian attacks against Israel”, the Foreign Ministry said in a post.
Barrot also spoken with Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar and expressed “solidarity with the civilians affected by the Iranian attacks”.
President Trump said in post on Truth Social the US Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as possible”.
“No matter what the United States will ensure the free flow of energy to the world,” he said. “The United States’ economic and military might is the greatest on Earth – more actions to come.”
The price of oil has shot up by more than 15 percent since the US and Israel launched strikes on Tehran that started a war with Iran three days ago.
Former Pakistani diplomat Maleeha Lodhi has called for Pakistan to withdraw from the US-led Board of Peace, criticizing its establishment and leadership, citing concerns over aggression against multiple countries and complicity in Israel's actions in Gaza.
Time for Pakistan to leave the Board of Peace which it should not have joined in the first place, set up and headed by a man who has launched attacks against 7 countries and whose admin is complicit in Israel's genocide in Gaza— Maleeha Lodhi (@LodhiMaleeha) March 3, 2026
Time for Pakistan to leave the Board of Peace which it should not have joined in the first place, set up and headed by a man who has launched attacks against 7 countries and whose admin is complicit in Israel's genocide in Gaza
Israel said it launched airstrikes against Iranian missile launchers and a nuclear research site Tuesday, and Iran struck back against Israel and across the Gulf region, targeting US embassies and disrupting energy supplies and travel.
Four days into a war that President Donald Trump suggested would last several weeks or perhaps longer, nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran, including some Trump said he had considered as possible future leaders of the country.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has reiterated Canada's support for the US operation in Iran, condemning Iran's strikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Middle East.
He emphasized the need for all parties, including the US and Israel, to respect international engagement rules. Carney called for a rapid de-escalation of hostilities and offered Canada's assistance in achieving this goal, highlighting the importance of diplomatic engagement and a broader political solution to resolve the crisis.
President Donald Trump intensified his criticism of Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday, saying his lack of immediate support for US strikes on Iran showed "this is not Winston Churchill we're dealing with". Trump has lashed out at Starmer three times this week after he said neither the British military, or its air bases, were involved in the initial US and Israeli strikes on Tehran that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Starmer told parliament that the government had learnt from its mistakes in backing the U.S. in the 2003 Iraq war, and said any military action must have a "viable, thought-through plan". (Reuters)
US President Donald Trump welcomed German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House on Tuesday, thanking the German leader for his support of the widening U.S.-Israel war against Iran.
Trump, speaking in the Oval Office alongside Merz, told reporters that Germany had been "helping out" by allowing US forces to access certain bases, and drew a sharp contrast to the actions of two other European countries: Britain and Spain.
Merz said Germany and the United States shared a desire to get rid of Iran's current regime and said he would discuss with Trump what happened once the military operation ended.
- •Reuters
US President Donald Trump is reportedly open to support groups in Iran which are ready to take up arms and dislodge the current clerical regime, the Wall Street Journal reported quoting US officials.
A senior Trump administration official told reporters on Tuesday the United States is not using any country as interlocutor with Iran. "So we're not using anyone as an interlocutor. This is a military action, and it's got to run its course,' the official said.
Due to ongoing regional tensions, US has announced the closure of its Embassy at Beirut until further notice. It also cancelled all other regular and emergency consular appointments.
The Israeli military said late on Tuesday it had identified several projectiles crossing from Lebanon towards central and northern Israel. It said the majority of the projectiles had been intercepted, while another fell in an open area.
The United States is securing military and charter flights to evacuate Americans from the Middle East, a U.S. State Department official said on X on Tuesday, adding that it was in contact with nearly 3,000 US citizens. In Israel, US officials are in contact with about 500 Americans seeking to leave, the department said in a separate statement. More than 130 citizens have left already and another 100 more are expected to depart on Tuesday, it said.
Iraqi authorities downed a drone on Tuesday which had attempted to target the U.S consultate in Erbil, two security sources told Reuters.
According to AP, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that 'someone from within' Iranian regime might be best choice to take power once US-Israel campaign is finished.
According to CNN, the US military has hit an additional roughly 700 targets in Iran since Sunday and has introduced new bombers and fighter aircraft to the operation, a fact sheet released on Tuesday said. "US Central Command said Tuesday that more than 1,700 targets have been struck throughout the operation dubbed Operation Epic Fury. As of Sunday, more than 1,000 targets had been struck. A listing of US assets involved also added B-1 Bombers, long-range B-52 bombers, and F-15 fighter jets," the report said.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the United States would cut off all trade with Spain after the European country refused to let the U.S. military use its bases for missions linked to strikes on Iran. "Spain has been terrible," Trump told reporters during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, adding that he had told Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to "cut off all dealings" with Spain. "We're going to cut off all trade with Spain. We don't want anything to do with Spain," he added. (Reuters)
Embassy of India in Iran tweets, "Due to the heightened risk perception in Tehran city, the Embassy of India has relocated most Indian students who were in Tehran to safer locations outside Tehran. The Embassy has made arrangements for their transportation, food, and accommodation. Only a small number of students who declined the Embassy's offer remain in Tehran. For other Indian students and Indian nationals who still remain in Iran, the advisory issued earlier remains unchanged: Stay where you are, remain indoors as far as possible, and stay away from windows. Exercise due caution at all times..."
pic.twitter.com/4Tlu6E9fN7
— India in Iran (@India_in_Iran) March 3, 2026
US President Donald Trump will review a set of policy options on Tuesday aimed at controlling energy prices amid the escalating Middle East conflict, including a proposal for the government to help oil tankers in the region obtain insurance, two sources said. Global crude oil prices have spiked since Israeli and U.S. forces began striking Iran over the weekend, leading to fighting that has interrupted Middle East oil tanker shipments. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Energy Secretary Chris Wright are expected to meet with Trump on Tuesday afternoon to present a list of proposals to address the issue and finalize a response, the sources said on condition of anonymity. (Reuters)
US President Donald Trump, while meeting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday, said that America is going to end all trade with Spain and that he isn't happy with Keir Starmer led UK government as well.
Trump said, "We are going to end all trade with Spain, not happy with UK either."
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that the joint military strikes with Israel against Iran has an objective to first "finish off the military."
"First we have to finish off the military, will then see what happens in Iran," Trump said on Tuesday.
US President Donald Trump, while meeting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, called out Iran for attacking countries in the Gulf which had nothing to with the ongoing situation.
Trump said, "Iran attacking countries that had nothing to do with what’s going on."
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday Britain was sending helicopters with counter-drone capabilities to Cyprus, and was deploying the air defence destroyer naval vessel HMS Dragon to the region.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel will “continue to strike Iran with force,” adding that Israeli pilots were “over the skies of Iran and Tehran, and also over the skies of Lebanon.”
(Iran International)
Israel’s military said its air force has struck industrial sites “throughout Iran” that are used to produce weapons, including ballistic missiles.
“During strikes conducted throughout Iran, the IDF (military) targeted industrial sites used by the Iranian regime to produce weapons, particularly ballistic missiles,” the military said in a statement.
(Al Jazeera)
A worldwide sell-off for stocks is slamming onto Wall Street Tuesday, and oil prices are leaping even higher as worries rise that the war with Iran is widening and may do more sustained damage to the global economy than feared. The S&P 500 dropped 1.8% in early trading.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 907 points, or 1.9%, as of 9:35 am Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 2.1% lower. It was just a day ago that US stocks opened with sharp losses, only to recover all of them and end the day with slight gains.
But that was with the caveat that oil prices did not jump too high, like to more than $100 per barrel. On Tuesday, oil prices got closer to that mark and raised more alarms. The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, leaped another 8.2% to $84.14.
It was sitting near $70 less than a week ago. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude, meanwhile, rose 8% to $76.92.Oil prices made the leap as Iran struck the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia, part of a widening of targets that also includes areas critical to the world’s oil and natural gas production.
Iran's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Tuesday ruled out for now any negotiations with the United States, three days after the US and Israel launched joint strikes on his country.
Explosions rocked Tehran again Tuesday, and financial markets around the world tumbled amid fears of a prolonged disruption to global energy supplies. US President Donald Trump and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have given open-ended answers when asked how long the war might last.
Ali Bahreini, ambassador of the Iranian mission to the UN in Geneva, told reporters that Iran had not contacted the US either directly or indirectly about holding talks to de-escalate the conflict or about resuming negotiations over Tehran's nuclear programme.
(Reuters)
US and Israeli forces struck the office of Iran’s Assembly of Experts in the city of Qom on Tuesday, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported, in the latest attack on senior state institutions.
Tasnim, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, also confirmed that the Assembly’s compound in Tehran – located at the former parliament building – had also been struck overnight.
Separately, a Telegram channel known as Zed TV reported that an airstrike had targeted a formal session of the Assembly of Experts convened to select the Islamic Republic’s next supreme leader. The channel claimed that many members of the body had been killed or wounded.
The Assembly of Experts is the clerical body responsible under Iran’s constitution for appointing and overseeing the supreme leader.
(Iran International)
BREAKING:Israel has struck the HQ of the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for picking Khamenei’s successor. Iran's Supreme Leader is chosen by an 88-member body of senior Shiite clerics. The process is outlined in the Constitution and has only occurred once before.… pic.twitter.com/G2YUn7TVMd— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) March 3, 2026
BREAKING:Israel has struck the HQ of the Assembly of Experts, the body responsible for picking Khamenei’s successor. Iran's Supreme Leader is chosen by an 88-member body of senior Shiite clerics. The process is outlined in the Constitution and has only occurred once before.… pic.twitter.com/G2YUn7TVMd
The killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 36 years, involved painstaking intelligence gathering by Israeli secret services, with crucial technological resources and manpower provided over the last six months by the CIA and other US intelligence services. Read the full story here
The Muslim World League on Tuesday strongly condemned what it described as “treacherous Iranian aggression” targeting the United States Embassy in Riyadh.
In a statement, the MWL said, “The Muslim World League (MWL) has strongly condemned the treacherous Iranian aggression targeting the Embassy of the United States in the city of Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of its continued criminal attacks against countries in the region.”
The Muslim World League releases a statement from its X handle. It reads: "The Muslim World League (MWL) has strongly condemned the treacherous Iranian aggression targeting the Embassy of the United States in the city of Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of its… pic.twitter.com/neRFifQspv— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 3, 2026
The Muslim World League releases a statement from its X handle. It reads: "The Muslim World League (MWL) has strongly condemned the treacherous Iranian aggression targeting the Embassy of the United States in the city of Riyadh, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of its… pic.twitter.com/neRFifQspv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he has offered to help the United Arab Emirates protect itself against Iranian aerial attacks.
Ukraine has built significant expertise in countering Iranian-designed Shahed drones that Russia has launched almost daily at Ukrainian targets since Moscow’s invasion more than four years ago.
Zelenskyy said on X that he spoke by phone with the United Arab Emirates president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and “discussed how we can help” protect lives in the UAE.
On Sunday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Ukrainian and British experts will work together to help Middle East countries shoot down Iranian drones.
The UK government plans to offer a chartered flight for British citizens out of Oman “in the coming days,” Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said. Cooper said “vulnerable nationals” will get priority for evacuation. She didn’t elaborate on what that means or when flights would depart.
The government has said there are 200,000 British nationals in the Middle East and 130,000 have registered with the Foreign Office to get travel updates.
Nearly 1,900 out of more than 5,450 flights scheduled to the Middle East were cancelled Tuesday, aviation analytics company Cirium said.
The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia has warned of an “imminent” missile and drone attack on the oil-rich eastern Saudi city of Dhahran.
“Do not come to the US Consulate” in Dhahrab, the embassy advised. “Take cover immediately in your residence on the lowest available floor and away from windows.” It did not provide further details.
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Tehran wanted to talk but it was too late, as the United States continued its military operation against Iran.
"Their air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said “Too Late!" Trump said in a Truth Social post commenting on an opinion piece.
Israel has carried out airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs which Israeli Army Radio said targeted Hezbollah leaders meeting in the area.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the raids, carried out without prior warning, had caused “extensive damage to buildings”, while AFP news agency footage showed plumes of smoke rising from the area.
(Al Jazeera)
Israeli air defences have intercepted four Iranian ballistic missiles over Jordan and areas near Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera reported, citing Israeli media reports.
The reports indicate that the missiles were shot down before reaching their intended targets.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
(Al Jazeera)
The UNESCO has voiced concerns about the Golestan Palace, a world heritage site in the Iranian capital, which was reportedly damaged due to an airstrike in its vicinity. Monday’s strike hit Tehran’s Arag Square in the buffer zone of the palace, the UN agency reported. The palace was damaged by debris and shock waves from the strike, it said.
Saudi Arabia said early Tuesday that the US Embassy in Riyadh came under attack from two drones, which caused a “limited fire” and minor damage.
Debris at the historical monument Golestan Palace after it was damaged in an Israeli and US strike, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, on March 3, 2026. (Reuters photo)
Entrances to Iran's underground and previously bombed uranium-enrichment plant at Natanz have been struck as part of the US-Israeli military attacks on the country, the UN nuclear watchdog confirmed Tuesday.
The underground Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP) is one of Iran's three uranium-enrichment plants that are known to have been operating when Israel and the United States carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last June.
"Based on the latest available satellite imagery, IAEA can now confirm some recent damage to entrance buildings of Iran's underground Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant," the International Atomic Energy Agency said on X.
"No radiological consequence expected and no additional impact detected at FEP itself, which was severely damaged in the June conflict," it added.
*A satellite image shows a closer view of the Natanz Nuclear Facility, near Natanz, Iran, on March 1, 2026. (Reuters)*
The IAEA's findings fit with those of the US think-tank the Institute for Science and International Security, published Monday after Iran said Natanz was hit on Sunday and the IAEA responded that any military strikes were not major.
(Reuters)
US stock index futures fell Tuesday as investors assessed the fallout of US and Israeli strikes on Iran and the repercussions it could have on inflation and global trade.
Tehran vowed to close the Strait of Hormuz and said it would fire on any ship trying to pass, pushing up global crude prices and shipping rates. The strait handles about a fifth of the world's total oil consumption.
Industries exposed to crude prices, such as airlines and travel, were knocked back for a second day. Delta and Royal Caribbean fell about 3% each.
Investors worried that higher oil prices could stoke inflation across the broader economy and further complicate policy decisions for central bank officials already contending with price increases driven by tariffs.
(Reuters)
An Iranian flag is placed among the ruins of a police station struck Monday during the US Israeli military campaign in Tehran. (AP photo)
Emergency personnel work at the site of an Israeli strike on Beiruts southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, (REUTERS photo)
Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, early Tuesday. (AP Photo)
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Tuesday that the war launched by the US and Israel against Iran could prompt not only Iran but also its Arab neighbours to seek to acquire nuclear weapons.
The widening war in the Middle East increased the risk that nuclear proliferation issues could spin out of control, Lavrov said.
(Reuters)
The Israeli government Tuesday said its soldiers are "operating in southern Lebanon" as it continues strikes against Hezbollah. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli military is authorised to advance and take control of additional positions in Lebanon on Tuesday.
He said the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) 's move to advance in southern Lebanon is intended to prevent "direct fire" on Israeli communities.
"To prevent the possibility of direct fire at Israeli communities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorised the IDF to advance and hold additional dominant terrain in Lebanon and defend the border communities from there," Katz said in a statement.
Earlier, as the conflict escalated in West Asia, Israel conducted strikes in both Tehran and Beirut.
The Israeli Defence Forces said in a post on X that it is currently conducting simultaneous targeted strikes against military targets in Tehran and Beirut.
According to Al Jazeera, the IDF strikes took place in Beirut's Haret Hreik area.
Etihad Airways has urged people not to travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly and provided with confirmed ticket details. Access may be restricted for those without verified travel documentation.
Passengers are advised to check their flight status at etihad.com and await further communication from the airline.
The airline emphasised that safety remains the highest priority and thanked travellers for their cooperation.
Etihad extends flight suspension
Etihad Airways has extended the suspension of all scheduled commercial flights to and from Abu Dhabi until 2:00 pm UAE time Wednesday, March 4, citing ongoing regional airspace disruptions.
(Al Jazeera)
Pakistan defence minister said Khawaja Asif called Zionism a driving force behind instability in the Muslim world and a “threat to humanity”, warning that the war on Iran threatens Pakistan’s security.
“From the establishment of Israel on the land of Palestine until today, every catastrophe that has befallen the Islamic world, every war imposed upon it, will show the direct or indirect hand of Zionist ideology and the state,” the defence minister said as he hailed Pakistan’s nuclear capability as a shield against external threats.
Asif argued that the current conflict had been “imposed upon” Iran despite its readiness to reach an agreement in negotiations with the US.
US Democratic senator Mark Warner said there was no “imminent threat” from Iran to the US, after receiving a briefing on the attacks on Iran. He called for President Donald Trump to explain the goal of the US’s military action, reported Al Jazeera.
About 400,000 metric tons of Indian basmati rice are backed up at ports and in transit, and export deals have dried up as freight rates have more than doubled since the US and Israel attacked Iran at the weekend, trade officials said.
India is the world's largest exporter of aromatic, premium basmati rice, with buyers in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, accounting for more than half of its shipments.
"Around 200,000 tons of basmati rice are stuck in transit, and an equal amount is stranded at Indian ports as the war has disrupted shipping routes across the Middle East," said Satish Goel, president of the All India Rice Exporters' Association (AIREA).
(Reuters)
Asian shares mostly declined, and oil prices surged higher Tuesday as investors eyed risks to the region’s energy supply because of the Iran war. Shares in South Korea sank 7.2% as markets reopened after a holiday on Monday, to 5,791.91.Benchmark
US crude rose $2.03 to $73.26 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, added $2.58 to $80.30 a barrel. They jumped Monday, and then fell back, although still at higher levels than before, because of worries that the war could clog the global flow of crude. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 sank 3.1% to finish at 56,279.05. Like other resource-poor countries in the region, Japan could be especially hit by the lack of access to the Strait of Hormuz, since much of its oil and natural gas is shipped through there.
Analysts say Japan has a sizable stockpile lasting more than 200 days, and so the threat isn't immediate. Japanese energy stocks plunged, with Eneos Corp. down 3.4% and Idemitsu Kosan down 3.1%. Defence-related issues, which have risen recently on expectations of more military spending by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, sank back as traders sold to lock in gains from the day before.
Mitsubishi Heavy plunged 5.3%, and IHI lost 4.9%. In the rest of the region, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 1.3% to 9,077.30, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng shed 1.2% to 25,737.86 and the Shanghai Composite index lost 1.4% to 4,122.68.
Stocks of airlines, including American Airlines, United and Delta, were some of Monday’s biggest losers on Wall Street.
A fuel tank at Oman's Duqm commercial port was hit Tuesday when the facility came under attack from several unmanned aircraft, the state news agency said, citing a security source, on the fourth day of US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which has responded by targeting neighbouring countries.
The attack comes a day after Qatar halted its production of liquefied natural gas - about a fifth of global supply - while Saudi Arabia suspended production at its largest domestic refinery.
Major Israeli gas fields, including Leviathan, were offline, and most output in the Iraqi Kurdish region had been shut down as Iran continued to target infrastructure, including energy facilities, ports and airports, over recent days.
France is ready to defend its partners if they request help after Iranian retaliatory strikes and reserves its right to intervene, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday. "This war... is dragging a number of countries in the region into the conflict with which we have relations, defence agreements, and interests, including military bases," Barrot told French broadcaster BFM TV.
He added that French Rafale fighter jets carried out air operations to secure the skies above France's bases in the region.
Around 400,000 French nationals are currently in the countries affected by the crisis in the Middle East and the French government is ready to fly back those most at risk using both commercial and military flights, Barrot said.
Airstrikes targeting an air base in southeastern Iran killed at least 13 Iranian troops there, local media reported. The semiofficial Tasnim news agency and the Hammihan daily newspaper reported the strike in Kerman, 800 kilometres (500 miles) southeast of Iran's capital, Tehran.
The Kerman Air Base is known to house military helicopters.
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake hit Gerāsh in Iran Tuesday, the United States Geological Survey said.
Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah claimed that it has attacked three Israeli military sites "in response to the criminal Israeli aggression that targeted dozens of Lebanese cities and towns", reported the BBC.
In three separate posts on Telegram, Hezbollah said it hit the Nafah base in the Golan Heights with a "large missile salvo", as well as the Meron and Ramat David air bases, in northern Israel, with drones.
The Israeli military has not commented on the apparent attacks.
Explosions were heard in the Iranian cities of Isfahan and Shiraz, reported Iran’s Mehr news agency.
China has strongly condemned the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling it a "grave violation of Iran's sovereignty and security" and a breach of UN Charter principles. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson stated that China "firmly opposes and strongly condemns" the attack, urging an immediate halt to military operations and a joint effort to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East.
The attack and killing of Iran’s supreme leader is a grave violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security. It tramples on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms in international relations. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it. We urge for an… pic.twitter.com/zKYJxslH3S— CHINA MFA Spokesperson 中国外交部发言人 (@MFA_China) March 1, 2026
The attack and killing of Iran’s supreme leader is a grave violation of Iran’s sovereignty and security. It tramples on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and basic norms in international relations. China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it. We urge for an… pic.twitter.com/zKYJxslH3S
The mission said it is closing today “due to the current security situation” and said that all in-person appointments are cancelled through Friday, March 6.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed Class X and XII board exams in the Middle East regions, including Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, due to the current security situation.
Exams scheduled for March 2, 2026, are postponed, and new dates will be announced later. The Board will review the situation on March 5 to decide on exams from March 7 onwards.
Important Update on Class X/XII Exams – Middle East RegionsCBSE has issued Circular-2 today regarding the Class X & XII Board Exams in the Middle East regions.Details are in attached Circular pic.twitter.com/JAHPj3SBjW— CBSE HQ (@cbseindia29) March 3, 2026
Important Update on Class X/XII Exams – Middle East RegionsCBSE has issued Circular-2 today regarding the Class X & XII Board Exams in the Middle East regions.Details are in attached Circular pic.twitter.com/JAHPj3SBjW
The diplomatic mission has updated its travel advisory in Iraq, ordering non-emergency US government employees to leave the country “due to security reasons”.
It also said US government personnel in Baghdad were prohibited from using the city’s international airport over security risks.
As we’ve reported State Department official Mora Namdar said on X earlier that US citizens should “DEPART NOW” from more than a dozen countries using available commercial transportation “due to serious safety risks”.
These are Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is conducting targeted strikes against military targets in Tehran and Beirut, following Hezbollah's rocket attacks on Israel.
The strikes are part of Operation Roaring Lion, aiming to dismantle Iranian and Hezbollah infrastructure. Casualties include senior Hezbollah and Iranian officials, with reports of over 30 Iranian officials killed.
⭕️ The IDF is currently conducting simultaneous targeted strikes against military targets in Tehran and Beirut.— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 3, 2026
⭕️ The IDF is currently conducting simultaneous targeted strikes against military targets in Tehran and Beirut.
US Special Envoy Steven Witkoff revealed that Iran insisted on its "inalienable right" to enrich nuclear fuel during recent talks, prompting the US to respond that President Trump believes they have the right to stop them. The discussions, which included a proposal for 10 years of no uranium enrichment in exchange for fuel payments, were flatly rejected by Iran. (Aljazeera)
Iran’s Shargh newspaper is reporting that an area near Iran’s old parliament building has been hit by air strikes.
The report said that attack took place near the intersection of Valiasr and Jami Streets in downtown Tehran, where several cultural sites and museums are located.
However, there were no immediate reports on casualties from the strike.
President Donald Trump asserts that the US has a "virtually unlimited" supply of medium and upper-medium grade weapons, claiming they can sustain wars for an extended period.
He criticized former President Joe Biden for allegedly depleting high-end reserves by sending aid to Ukraine without replenishing stocks.
Trump stated that he rebuilt the US military during his first term and maintains that the country is "stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG".
The Israeli military said it has successfully intercepted two drones launched from Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia has intercepted and destroyed at least eight drones heading towards Riyadh and the nearby city of Al-Kharj, according to the country’s Defence Ministry.
There were no additional details.
Early on Tuesday, the ministry confirmed that the US Embassy in Riyadh was subjected to at least two drone attacks, resulting in “a limited fire and minor material damage” to a building inside the embassy complex.
| المتحدث الرسمي لوزارة الدفاع اللواء الركن تركي المالكي: اعتراض وتدمير 8 مسيَّرات بالقرب من مدينتَي الرياض والخرج. pic.twitter.com/deZwg9DK7r— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) March 3, 2026
| المتحدث الرسمي لوزارة الدفاع اللواء الركن تركي المالكي: اعتراض وتدمير 8 مسيَّرات بالقرب من مدينتَي الرياض والخرج. pic.twitter.com/deZwg9DK7r
The US Embassy in Islamabad has cancelled all visa appointments until March 6 due to security concerns, following violent protests in Pakistan over the reported killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The cancellation affects the embassy in Islamabad and consulates in Lahore and Karachi. At least 10 people were killed in Karachi when security personnel fired on demonstrators storming the consulate.
Oil prices rose for a third day on Tuesday as the widening US-Israeli conflict with Iran and threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz heightened fears of supply disruptions from the key Middle East producing region.
Brent crude futures were at $78.83 a barrel, up $1.10, or 1.4%, by 0107 GMT. On Monday, the contract surged to as high as $82.37, its highest since January 2025, though it pared those gains to settle 6.7% higher.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude jumped 74 cents, or 1%, to $71.97 a barrel. In the previous session, the contract initially climbed to its highest since June 2025 before sliding back to still settle up 6.3%. (Reuters)
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has weighed in on his American counterpart’s justification for attacking Tehran.
“Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: US has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian ‘threat’,” Araghchi said in a post on X.
“Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters. American people deserve better and should take back their country,” he added.
Rubio told reporters that the US was aware Israel was going to attack Iran and joined in because Washington felt that Tehran would retaliate against American assets in the region.
Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: U.S. has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian "threat". Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters.American people deserve better and should take back their country.— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 3, 2026
Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: U.S. has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian "threat". Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters.American people deserve better and should take back their country.
Taiwan supports the international community's efforts to help Iran's people pursue freedom and democracy and hopes that they can enjoy these things soon, the island's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, offering its backing to the US and Israel.
Taiwanese leaders, including President Lai Ching-te, have drawn parallels between Israel's security situation and Taiwan's own, given the stepped-up military pressure that the Chinese-claimed island has faced from Beijing in recent years.
Taiwan views Israel as an important democratic partner and offered strong support to the country after the October 2023 Hamas attack in southern Israel and subsequent war in Gaza. Since then, there has been an increased level of engagement.
Smoke rises and explosions are heard in Beirut's southern suburbs as Israel attacks Hezbollah targets, following Hezbollah's drone strike into Israel in retaliation for Israeli bombings in Lebanon. The Israeli Air Force intercepted two drones from Lebanon, amid escalating tensions between the two sides. CNN
Hezbollah launched an attack on Israel's Ramat David Air Base, targeting radar sites and control rooms with a swarm of drones at dawn, in retaliation for Israel's strikes on Lebanon.
The IRGC says it has carried out a “massive drone and missile attack” on a US air base in the Sheikh Isa area of Bahrain this morning.
It said it deployed 20 drones and three missiles, “destroying the main command and headquarters building of the US air base and setting its fuel tanks on fire”.
Read all the latest developments here.
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