• US Central Command says it has struck approximately 200 targets in Iran over the past 72 hours, including deeply buried ballistic missile launchers and at least 30 Iranian naval vessels.
• Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced what it said was a combined drone and missile attack on Israel’s Tel Aviv and areas in the central part of the country.
• The Republican-led US House of Representatives has voted 219 to 212, rejecting an effort to halt President Donald Trump’s war on Iran and require that any hostilities against Iran be authorized by Congress.
• President Trump said he wants to be involved in choosing the next Supreme Leader of Iran, reiterating his goal of giving rise to a new leadership in Tehran that is friendly to the US.
• Trump has also called on Iranian diplomats at embassies around the world to defect and seek asylum, while also renewing his message to the commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps to defect, or face possible killing.
• US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has denied criticisms that the US and Israel have created regional instability, saying “nothing could be further from the truth”.
• Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has warned the country is in a “state of near-emergency” economically as the Middle East war threatens to drive up prices.
• Iran’s government has condemned a US and Israeli strike on the Azadi Sports Complex, a 12,000-seat stadium on the outskirts of Tehran, calling it a violation of international law and the Olympic Charter.

Bahrain: Iranian attack overnight causes property damage in Manama

The Bahrain Interior Ministry has reported that an Iranian attack has targeted three separate locations in the capital city of Manama.

According to official statements posted on X, the strikes hit two hotels and a residential building.

While the attacks caused material damage, authorities said there were no casualties.

Activists protest US military’s use of AI in war on Iran

Activists are protesting the use of AI in the attack on Iran by the US military.

They are also calling for a boycott of ChatGPT over OpenAI’s partnership with the US Department of Defense.

Trump urges Iranian diplomats and IRGC commanders to defect

US President Donald Trump has called on Iranian diplomats at embassies around the world to defect and seek asylum.

Trump also repeated his earlier threat to commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, calling on them to lay down their arms: If they did, they would get complete immunity, he said.

If they do not, they will be killed, he added.

UAE eyes freeze of Iranian assets: Report

The United Arab Emirates is considering freezing billions of dollars of Iranian assets held in the Gulf state, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The report said that such a move against what it described as Iran’s shadow financing networks could potentially choke off Tehran’s access to foreign currency.

The report comes after Iran has repeatedly struck sites across the region and the UAE in retaliation for the joint US-Israel war on the country that began on Saturday, killing the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, many senior officials and hundreds of civilians.

Saudi Defense Ministry thwarts ballistic missile attacks targeting airbase

The official spokesperson for the Saudi Ministry of Defense has announced the successful interception of a multi-missile attack.

According to a statement released on X, Saudi Air Defense Forces have intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles that targeted the Prince Sultan Air Base.

Qatar: Security threat level elevated

Authorities have sent an alert warning that the security threat level has been elevated.

“Everyone is required to remain indoors, refrain from going out, and stay away from windows and exposed areas,” the alert states.

Residents in the Qatari capital, Doha, reported the sound of explosions.

More Iranian attacks reported across the Gulf region

More Iranian attacks across the Gulf region, including here in Qatar and the UAE. But most of those attacks have been intercepted by air defences.

These attacks appear to be part of a wider campaign across the Gulf.

In Saudi Arabia, the Defense Ministry said that its air defences have intercepted three ballistic missiles heading towards Prince Sultan Air Base, the second such attack reported over the last couple of days.

In Bahrain, two hotels and a residential building where targeted in the capital. There have been no reports of casualties in that incident.

In Kuwait, the military has reported missiles and drones being directed at the country overnight. There have been some videos circulating online about an explosion and a fire near an airbase south of Kuwait City.

Also, the US embassy in Kuwait has announced it is temporarily shutting down its services, citing safety concerns.

In Qatar, officials said the country’s air defences have intercepted 13 missiles, while one missile fell into its territorial waters.

Air raid sirens sound across Kuwait amid reports of powerful explosions

Air raid sirens have begun wailing across Kuwait, coinciding with the sounds of powerful explosions.

 

Three Australians on board US submarine that sank Iranian ship: PM Albanese

Three Australian nationals were on board a nuclear-powered US submarine that hit an Iranian military vessel in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in an interview with Sky News.

“We wouldn’t normally confirm such an issue, but given our NSC [National Security Committee] meetings and the public interest, I can confirm that there were three Australian persons on board that vessel. I can confirm also, though, that no Australian personnel have participated in any offensive action against Iran,” Albanese was quoted as saying.

He added that the three Australians were “getting experience” with allied militaries as part of the trilateral Australia-UK-US military pact, known as AUKUS.

At least 87 Iranian sailors were killed and 32 others were rescued when the US launched an unprovoked torpedo attack on the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena.

Several sailors remain missing after the US attack.

If no Australian "personnel" where on board the American submarine, what kind of Australian "persons" were they which give the commander a reason to allow them at least to be present during the attack?

Oil price down more than 2 percent in early Asian trade

Despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and threats to global fuel supplies, oil prices have fallen more than 2 percent in early Asian trade after strong gains in recent days.

West Texas Intermediate was down 2.09 percent at $79.32 per barrel at around 00:15 GMT on Friday, having soared 8.5 percent on Thursday to $81.01, according to the latest data reported by the AFP news agency.

On stock markets, Japan’s Nikkei index was down 0.8 percent shortly after the open on Friday, while South Korea’s benchmark Kospi slipped 1.2 percent.

How US sinking of Iranian warship blew hole in Modi’s ‘guardian’ claims

A ⁠United States submarine sank an Iranian warship with a torpedo in international waters off Sri Lanka’s coast earlier this week, leaving at least 87 Iranian sailors dead and several others missing. At least 32 were rescued by the Sri Lankan navy.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the torpedoing of the Iranian ship in the Indian Ocean as the “first such attack on an enemy since World War II”.

Iran said it was an unprovoked attack.

The Iranian warship IRIS Dena had participated in naval exercises hosted by India before heading out into international waters in the Indian Ocean on its way home, according to New Delhi.

Yet, it took the Indian navy more than a day after the Iranian warship was sunk to respond formally to the news.

Retired Indian naval officers and analysts said the incident has raised questions about India’s role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean. They said the US submarine attack has exposed the limits of India’s power and influence in its own maritime backyard.

Malaysia’s Petronas says temporarily relocating staff from UAE

Petronas, Malaysia’s state energy company, has announced the temporarily relocation of staff ⁠from its Abu Dhabi and Dubai operations due to the conflict in the Middle East.

“All ⁠operations in the ⁠UAE continue to be managed through alternate ⁠arrangements. Operations outside ⁠of the ⁠UAE across the region continue as usual,” the company said in a statement.

Qatar air defense thwarts drone attack targeting airbase

The Qatari Ministry of Defense has announced that its air defense forces successfully intercepted a drone attack targeting the Al Udeid airbase in Doha.

Earlier, authorities issued an alert warning that the security threat level had been elevated, requiring people to remain indoors and to stay away from windows and other exposed areas.

US says it hit an Iranian drone carrier

The US military said it struck an Iranian vessel, described as a “drone carrier”, which “is now on fire”.

“US forces aren’t holding back on the mission to sink the entire Iranian Navy,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X, as the joint US-Israeli military attack on Iran enters its seventh day.

CENTCOM described the drone carrier as “roughly the size of a WWII aircraft carrier”.

It was unclear in the post where the attack was carried out.

A video of the attack posted by CENTCOM showed the purported Iranian vessel engulfed in thick smoke after being hit by the US.

We are waiting for your ground troops, Iran FM Araghchi tells US

In an interview with US broadcaster NBC, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that his country is ready for a potential ground invasion by US troops.

Analysts are predicting that the US could ramp up its military operation against Iran in the coming days, but it remains unclear if that would involve deploying ground troops to an invasion aimed at toppling the leadership in Tehran.

Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry says cruise missile intercepted

The Saudi Defense Ministry said a cruise missile was intercepted and destroyed to the east of the country’s central al-Kharj governorate.

The ministry provided no additional information.

Latest on US attacks in Iran

Voice of America’s Farsi news service is also reporting explosions in the early hours of Friday in the central Iranian city of Isfahan.

Military investigation says US likely responsible for Iran school attack: Report

The Reuters news agency reports that US military investigators believe it is likely that US forces were responsible for an attack on an Iranian girls’ school that reportedly killed 165 children.

Reuters cited two US officials in its report, adding that more details regarding the US investigation into the school bombing were not available, and the probe has yet to reach a final conclusion or complete its work.

The elementary school in Minab in southern Iran was hit on Saturday by either US or Israeli missile fire, with Iran’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, reporting that the attack killed 150 students. The death toll was later increased to 165.

Iran held a mass funeral ceremony this week for the schoolgirls and staff killed in the strike.

Deliberately attacking a school, hospital or any other civilian structure would be a war crime under international humanitarian law.

Trump says US public behind Iran war, opinion polls beg to differ

President Donald Trump is saying that the US public is right behind this war and right behind him.

The opinion polls that are coming out, at least a couple of them, indicate that is not the case. There is no widespread support for this war within the US public.

Both he, President Trump, and also Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that the Iranian calculation is that the US can’t stick at it.

Iran ready to fight a prolonged war, warns of new weaponry: IRGC spokesman

Iran is fully prepared for a “prolonged war” and is set to introduce advanced weaponry that has not yet been used in the conflict, a spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said.

In a statement, Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini said Iran’s enemies “should expect painful blows” in the coming new wave of attacks.

“Iran’s new initiatives and weapons are on the way,” he said.

“These technologies have not yet been deployed on a large scale.”

Naeini said that Iran is more prepared now compared with last year’s 12-day war launched by the US and Israel, describing the ongoing military confrontation as “sacred and legitimate war”.

Saudi Arabia says downs three drones east of Riyadh

Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry says it has intercepted three drones to the east of the Riyadh region.

US not currently mulling deployment of ground troops in Iran, Trump tells NBC

US President Donald Trump has told the US broadcaster NBC that it would be a “waste of time” currently to consider sending US ground troops into Iran.

“It’s a waste of time. They’ve lost everything. They’ve lost their navy. They’ve lost everything they can lose,” Trump told NBC by telephone.

He also dismissed as a “wasted comment” the warning by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi that a deployment of foreign troops into Iran would spell disaster for the invaders.

UNICEF says almost 200 children killed in attacks since Saturday

Almost 200 children have been reported killed across the Middle East since the weekend’s US and Israeli military escalation against Iran, according to UNICEF.

At least 181 have been killed in Iran, seven in Lebanon, three in Israel and one in Kuwait, it said.

“Children do not start wars, but they pay an unacceptably high price. The military escalation across the Middle East has already had a devastating impact on children,” UNICEF said.

During the first day of the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, a girls’ school was hit in Minab, southern Iran, killing at least 175 schoolchildren, according to the IRGC.

Drones shot down in Jordan

Air defences have shot down several drones in the Jordanian city of Irbid, according to our correspondent on the ground.

Etihad to resume several flights from Abu Dhabi today

Etihad Airways, one of the UAE’s two flag carriers, has announced it will “resume a limited commercial flight schedule” between Abu Dhabi and key destinations today.

In a post on X, the airline advised passengers to go to the airport if they have a confirmed booking on a newly resumed flight or “have been contacted directly by Etihad”.

More than 3,000 homes in Iran damaged by US-Israeli attacks: Red Crescent

Pir Hossein Kolivand, president of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, says the US-Israeli attacks have damaged 3,643 civilian sites, including 3,090 homes. Also damaged are 528 commercial and service centers, 14 medical or pharmaceutical facilities and nine Red Crescent facilities, he said.

Most of the targets, he added, were in “densely populated residential areas”.

Saudi Arabia shoots down another drone

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry says it has intercepted and destroyed another drone, this time to the northeast of Riyadh.

The incident comes after the ministry announced the downing of three drones earlier to the east of Riyadh.

War on Iran cost Washington $3.7bn in first 100 hours: Report

The first 100 hours of the US war on Iran are estimated to have cost $3.7bn, or $891.4 million each day, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

With both US President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicating the war could go on for weeks, the Washington DC-based think tank notes that the Defense Department will need more money than currently budgeted to fund the war.

“The cost of munitions will decline as the United States switches to lower-cost munitions,” the CSIS said, explaining that the start of an air campaign is more expensive because of the sophisticated weaponry required.

“Nevertheless, the unbudgeted costs here will be substantial … That means that the DOD [Department of Defense] will need additional funds at some point because the level of budget cuts needed to fund this conflict internally would likely be politically and operationally difficult,” it said.

Japan says two citizens being held in Iran

Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has announced that two Japanese nationals are being detained in Iran, as he pledged to work through diplomatic channels to secure their early release.

Motegi told parliament that the government was able to communicate with the two individuals and confirmed that they are currently safe.

According to Japan’s Kyodo news agency, one of the two is believed to be the Tehran bureau chief of public broadcaster NHK, Shinnosuke Kawashima.

The identity of the second Japanese person held and the details of the detention were unclear.

Two drones destroyed in Lorestan and near Tehran: Iranian TV

Iranian television is reporting the destruction of an MQ-9 drone in the skies of Lorestan and another Hermes drone in the vicinity of Tehran.

Two paramedics killed in Shiraz, Iran: Report

Iran’s Tasnim news agency reports that US-Israeli attacks have killed two paramedics in the Iranian city of Shiraz.

It said the two emergency responders worked at the Shiraz Emergency Medical Service (EMS) base.

Spain expresses solidarity with Oman, Qatar in face of attacks

Spain’s PM Sanchez said he has spoken with the leaders of Oman and Qatar “to convey to them all of Spain’s solidarity and support in the face of the unjustifiable attacks that their countries have suffered”.

Spain has pledged to keep opposing the war waged by the US and Israel on Iran after President Trump said Washington would cut off all commercial links with Madrid. Trump’s rebuke on Tuesday came after Washington’s European ally refused to let the US military use Spanish bases for missions linked to strikes on Iran.

Gulf carriers resume limited flights amid uncertainty from missile fire

Emirates and Etihad Airways are resuming limited flight schedules to key global cities from their UAE hubs today despite the ongoing threat of missile fire.

Etihad said on Friday it would resume a limited flight schedule through March 19. The flights will operate to and from Abu Dhabi and about 70 destinations, including London, Paris, Frankfurt, Delhi, New York, Toronto and Tel Aviv.

Emirates will be operating a reduced flight schedule to 82 destinations, including London, Sydney, Singapore and New York, until further notice, and customers transiting in Dubai would only be accepted if their connecting flight was operating.

A government-chartered Air France flight to bring French nationals back from the UAE was forced to ⁠turn back yesterday due to missile fire in the area.

Britain’s first repatriation flight from Oman landed at London’s Stansted Airport early on Friday after being rescheduled due to operational issues, including delays in boarding passengers.

As of ‌Thursday, traffic at Dubai airport had almost doubled from Wednesday, but remained only about 25 percent of normal levels, flight-tracking website Flightradar24 said.

Indonesia to start evacuating citizens from Iran today

Indonesia will begin evacuating its citizens from Iran today, according to a Foreign Ministry official responsible for the welfare of citizens abroad.

Speaking to reporters, Heni Hamidah said the evacuation process “will begin gradually today, and this first phase will be carried out via Azerbaijan”.

A first group of 32 Indonesians are due to arrive in Jakarta on Monday or Tuesday, she said.

In total, there are 329 Indonesians in Iran, most of them students in the city of Qom.

About half a million Indonesians live in the Middle East countries, but Indonesia’s government is not, for the moment, considering evacuations from other countries in the region, according to the ministry.

India invokes emergency powers, orders refiners to boost LPG output

India has invoked emergency ⁠powers and directed ⁠refiners to maximise production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to prevent a shortage of the cooking fuel after ⁠supply disruptions caused by the Middle East crisis, a government order showed.

The world’s second-biggest importer of LPG last ⁠year consumed 33.15 million metric tonnes of cooking gas, which is a mixture of propane and butane. Imports account for about two-thirds of LPG consumption, with the Middle East making up about ‌85 to 90 percent of that supply.

All oil refiners are asked to “maximise and ensure that propane and butane available with them are utilized for production of LPG”, the order issued late on Thursday showed.

The country has about 332 million active LPG consumers, government data showed.

Dubai residents get ‘potential missile threats’ alert on phones

Residents of Dubai have just received an Emirati interior ministry alert on their phones, urging them to shelter from potential missile threats.

“Due to the current situation, potential missile threats, seek immediate shelter in the closest secure building and steer away from windows, doors and open areas,” the alert read.

US, Israeli attack kills 20 in Iran’s Shiraz

Jalil Hasani, deputy governor of Iran’s Fars province, has said recent US and Israeli strikes have killed 20 people and injured 30 in the city of Shiraz.

He was quoted in Iranian state media as saying the attack took place in a residential part of the city’s Zibashahr area, killing “innocent citizens”.

Earlier, two paramedics also being killed in a recent attack in Shiraz.

Death toll in Iran reaches 1,332

At least 1,332 people in Iran have been killed by the US-Israeli attacks since Saturday, the Iranian Red Crescent is reporting.

Lufthansa warns of heightened ‘uncertainty’

German aviation giant Lufthansa has warned it faces heightened uncertainty because of the unfolding conflict, adding the fallout showed how vulnerable air traffic remains to geopolitical shocks.

The war has caused the biggest disruption to air travel since the COVID pandemic. Airspace across the region was forced to close, and airports, including Dubai and Doha, crucial transit hubs for passengers on long-haul flights, were shuttered.

“The war in the Middle East proves once again how exposed air traffic is and how vulnerable it remains, even though the industry is now more resilient to crises than it used to be,” Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said.

The group said that “developments in the Middle East and the associated geopolitical consequences for the global economy increase the medium- and long-term forecast uncertainty”.

Fifty-two French ships stuck in the Gulf, minister says

A total of 52 ⁠French ⁠ships are currently blocked in the Gulf ⁠and another eight in the Red Sea, ⁠France’s Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said, as Paris seeks support ‌to build a coalition of countries to secure shipping traffic in the region.

“There are about 50 ships – 52 ⁠to be precise – ⁠in the Persian Gulf and eight in the Red Sea, ⁠and we are also ⁠in permanent contact ⁠with the crews, as there are French sailors on board a number ‌of these vessels,” Tabarot told French broadcaster CNews/Europe ‌1.

Anger in Cyprus over UK bases

Chants of “British bases out” have rung out in recent days in Limassol, as protesters call for the removal of UK military bases from Cyprus’s sun-drenched south coast island.

Demonstrations erupted after a suspected Iranian-made drone struck RAF Akrotiri earlier this week, two days after US-Israeli attacks on Iran began.

Nico, a resident and activist, described the bases as “unsinkable launch pads” that allow the UK to treat the island like an aircraft carrier for military campaigns.

Sri Lanka’s president urges peace, ready to aid ‘every step towards ending hostilities’

The president of Sri Lanka, which has taken in 200 Iranian sailors who sought help after a deadly US torpedo strike on another Iranian ship, has urged for peace and the protection of civilian life.

“No civilian should die in wars,” said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. “We call upon all parties to demonstrate a firm commitment to peace. As a state, Sri Lanka stands ready to support every step toward ending hostilities.

“All our actions are aimed at saving lives and ensuring that humanity prevails.”

“No civilian should die in wars”

In 2009, there was a war that the then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa was waging against the Tamil Tigers. GLOSM/ASIA documented more than 100 war crime cases on members of the group AND civilians under this president's watch.

Iran to gradually restore administrative activities

Iran has announced that it will gradually restore administrative activities, with all ministries, organizations and executive bodies based in Tehran province to operate with 20 percent of their employees present on-site from Sunday, March 8. The announcement also said:

• All female employees in the province will work remotely.
• Certain banks will remain open.
• Operational units of service‑providing bodies, municipalities, medical centers, and military, law‑enforcement, and security institutions are exempt from this directive.
• All managerial ranks in Tehran province are also excluded from remote work and are required to be present at their workplace.

The directive comes despite ongoing US-Israeli attacks on the country.

Protests expected in several Pakistani cities after Friday prayers

Several cities in Pakistan, including the capital Islamabad, are expected to see protests after Friday prayers.

Islamabad police announced that most entry points to Islamabad’s Red Zone, which houses important government buildings as well as the diplomatic enclave, will be blocked off.

In addition, protests are expected in Karachi, Quetta and other cities later in the day.

Last Sunday, a day after US-Israel attacks began on Iran, at least 23 people were killed at protests across Pakistan. Of those, 10 were killed as a group of protesters tried to enter the US consulate in Karachi.

Unrest was also present in Gilgit-Baltistan, a mountainous northern region with a significant Shia population. At least 13 people, including a security personnel, were killed while several office buildings were torched.

Cost of Iran war ‘coming as a shock’ in US

How much this air war is costing the US government is probably coming as a shock to members of Congress and the general public. It’s an estimated $1bn a day.

The Pentagon apparently has put together a $50bn supplemental budget request to replace the Tomahawk missiles, the THAAD missiles and Patriot missiles that have been used in the first seven days of this war, as well as replacing other equipment that may have been damaged or worn out because the military burn rate has been rather high.

Congress has already been concerned about the budget deficit and the interest on the federal debt. Another $50bn request might give some legislators pause.

Bahrain says it has destroyed 78 missiles, 143 drones during war

In a statement, the General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force said it had destroyed 78 missiles and 143 drones targeting Bahraini territory in what it described as “treacherous” attacks by Iran.

War could ‘bring down the economies of the world’: Qatar’s energy minister

Qatar’s ⁠Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi ⁠says that ⁠even if the war ended ‌immediately, it would take Qatar “weeks to months” to return ⁠to a ⁠normal cycle of deliveries.

In an interview with The ⁠Financial Times, he said the war could “bring down the economies of the world”, predicting that all Gulf energy exporters would shut down production within weeks and drive oil to $150 a barrel.

Azerbaijan says it is withdrawing its diplomats from Iran

Azerbaijan ⁠is withdrawing its diplomats from Iran ⁠for their own safety, ⁠Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said.

The move comes a ‌day after Baku said four Iranian drones had crossed its border and injured ⁠four people ⁠in the Nakhchivan exclave.

He said Azerbaijan was ⁠evacuating employees ⁠from its ⁠embassy in Tehran and its consulate general in ‌Tabriz.

Iran denied launching the drone attack.

UN urges Middle East warring parties to ‘give peace a chance’

The UN rights chief has called for cool heads to prevail in the Middle East and urged the warring sides to pull back and give peace a chance.

“The world urgently needs to see steps to contain and extinguish this blaze. But instead we are only seeing more inflammatory, bellicose rhetoric, more bombings, more destruction, killings and escalation, that fuels it further,” Volker Turk told reporters.

“I urge the states involved to take immediate steps to de-escalate, to give peace a chance. And on other states to call clearly on those involved to pull back. Cool heads must prevail if we are to prevent further terror and devastation for civilians.”

UN rights chief urges quick probe, accountability after deadly Iran school attack

The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has called on the US to carry out its announced probe into an attack that killed 175 people at an Iranian girls’ primary school “very quickly”.

“What we have asked for is obviously prompt, transparent and impartial investigations, which we understand has been announced by the USA,” Turk told reporters in Geneva.

He emphasized that “we need this to happen very quickly and we need to also make sure that there is accountability as well as redress for the victims”.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the US is “investigating” the attack in Minab.

Kremlin says the war on Iran fuelling significant demand for Russian energy

The Kremlin says the war in Iran has fuelled demand for Russian energy products, a day after the ⁠US Treasury issued a 30-day waiver allowing India to buy Russian oil currently stuck at sea.

The conflict has left the Strait ‌of Hormuz, a critical shipping passage, all but shut, with countries around the world cut off from a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia has been and remains a reliable supplier of oil ⁠and gas, both via pipelines and ⁠in liquefied form.

“We are seeing a significant increase in demand for Russian energy resources in connection with the war in Iran,” he said.

Iran concerned attacks in northwest aimed at creating ‘vacuum’ for rebel fighters

Tehran came under bombardment earlier today, including the Pasteur area. That’s where the presidential palace is, as well as the residence of the late supreme leader.

There is no clarity on why strikes are hitting the area again.

There have also been strikes on the northwestern city of Mahabad. This is a very sensitive area. It’s near the border with Iraq, and there are threats of Kurdish fighters who have their hideouts in Iraqi Kurdistan coming into Iran.

Iran’s Defense Council has issued a warning that if Iraqi Kurdistan allows those people to cross the border … there will be consequences, including disruption of ties between Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan, and retaliation.

It’s a very complicated situation at the border because Iran perceives that Israel is targeting those areas to create a kind of vacuum and to weaken the grip of Iranian power there, so separatists have an opportunity to invade.

Iran says targeted US facilities in Kuwait

Iran’s army said its recent strikes in Kuwait targeted US bases and that more attacks will follow.

“Over the past few hours, various types of destructive drones of the army’s ground forces have targeted American military bases in Kuwait in large numbers,” Iranian state TV cited the army as saying.

“These attacks will continue in the coming hours.”

Iran’s president says mediation should address those who ‘ignited this conflict’

Mediation efforts should be directed at the US and Israel, says Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian.

“Let’s be clear: we are committed to lasting peace in the region yet we have no hesitation in defending our nation’s dignity & sovereignty. Mediation should address those who underestimated the Iranian people and ignited this conflict,” Pezeshkian said on X.

Iran intercepts aircraft in country’s northeast

A “hostile” aircraft was intercepted in the skies of Mashhad city, northeastern Iran, the semiofficial Mehr news agency is reporting.

IRGC says new missiles hit US bases in Gulf, Israeli sites

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps says its “new-generation missiles struck American bases in Gulf countries” and Israeli sites including “Ben Gurion Airport, Haifa and Tel Aviv”.

Iranian army says it attacked ‘US-owned’ oil tanker off Kuwait

Iran’s armed forces said on Friday they attacked a “US-owned” oil tanker off the coast of Kuwait.

The vessel was hit and is on fire, state radio reported, citing the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which assumes operational command of Iran’s armed forces during wartime.

Emirates says it transported 30,000 passengers out of Dubai yesterday

Emirates says it flew about 30,000 passengers out of Dubai yesterday.

An Emirates spokesperson, quoted by the Reuters news agency, said the airline, the biggest in the Middle East, expects a return to 100 percent of its network in the coming days.

UK tells Bahrain its jets can provide extra defensive cover

The UK’s Prime Minister Starmer has told the king of Bahrain that ⁠four jets the UK is deploying to ⁠Qatar could be used to help defend the kingdom from Iranian missile and ‌drone strikes against Gulf states.

“The prime minister also offered further defensive air cover from these jets for Bahrain to ⁠bolster their security,” ⁠Starmer told Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in a call ⁠late on Thursday, according to a ⁠readout from ⁠Starmer’s office on Friday.

Kuwait says ‘dealing with’ incoming missile and drone attacks

Kuwait’s army says its air defences are currently “dealing with hostile missile and drone attacks” that have breached its airspace.

Amid Iran war, Russia to exploit Ukraine’s shortage of Patriot missiles

As Washington’s Middle Eastern allies use US-made Patriot air defense systems to shoot down Iranian missiles and drones, Ukraine is about to face a dire shortage of ammunition for them.

And Putin is sure to exploit the shortage of pricey guided missiles the truck-mounted Patriots launch at machinegun speed to down his pride and joy, Russia’s ballistic missiles that he once declared were “indestructible”, experts are saying.

UAE says intercepted nine ballistic missiles, 109 drones today

The UAE’s Defense Ministry says it has intercepted nine ballistic missiles and 109 drones today, with three other drones falling within Emirati territory.

This brings the total number of intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles in the UAE during the conflict to 190 and the total number of intercepted drones to 1,110, according to the ministry, adding that it has also destroyed eight cruise missiles from Iran.

Updates from Iranian Health Ministry

Iranian Health Ministry Spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour has shared these updates:

• More than 2,000 injured people are currently receiving hospital treatment.
• More than 625 surgeries have been performed so far.
• The youngest patient is a four-month-old baby girl from Poldokhtar in Lorestan province, western Iran. The oldest is a 94-year-old woman from Saqqez in Kurdistan province, northwestern Iran.
  198 of those killed are women.
• Those killed include eight healthcare workers.
• 30 healthcare workers have been injured.
• 11 hospitals, eight emergency medical centers and 12 ambulances have been damaged by missiles.

Trump demands ‘unconditional surrender’ from Iran

President Trump says that “there will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!”

On a social media post, Trump went on to call for new Iranian leaders he deems “acceptable”, after which he said the US and its allies would work to help Iran recover.

German chancellor warns prolonging war not in Europe’s interest

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned that prolonging the war would pose risks to regional stability and Europe’s security.

Merz said a protracted conflict threatens the security of Israel and its partners in the region.

He added that continuing the war is not in their interest, warning of dangers that could threaten Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

According to Merz, instability in Iran could threaten Europe’s energy security and trigger uncontrolled waves of migration.

‘Elevated’ security threat level in Qatar

Qatar authorities have just sent out another “elevated” security threat level, telling residents to “remain indoors”.

Vessel hit by a drone in Strait of Hormuz

Iranian Press TV is reporting that a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz is on fire after being hit by a drone.

Iran fires missiles at US base in Kuwait: State TV

Iran has fired missiles at a US base in Kuwait, Iranian Press TV is reporting.

Iran education minister urges UNICEF to condemn attacks on schools

Iran’s education minister has written to UNICEF calling for condemnation of what he described as attacks on schools, students and educational infrastructure across the country.

In the letter, Alireza Kazemi accused the US and Israel of carrying out strikes that he said targeted residential areas, healthcare facilities and schools.

Kazemi said the attacks had killed and injured students and teachers in several provinces, including Minab, Fars, Ilam, East Azerbaijan, Tehran and Qazvin, as well as counties around the capital.

According to the letter, about 20 educational centers have been severely damaged, with some completely destroyed, disrupting schooling for thousands of students.

Earlier, we reported that almost 200 children have been killed across the Middle East since the weekend’s US and Israeli military escalation against Iran, according to UNICEF.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it targeted US bases in UAE, Kuwait

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it has targeted United States forces at two military bases in the Gulf, according to Iranian state media.

The report said the attacks targeted al-Dhafra airbase in the United Arab Emirates and Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, both of which host US military personnel.

No immediate details were provided about possible damage or casualties.

Spain’s PM calls for cooperation with US despite tensions over Iran strikes

Spain’s Prime Minister Sanchez has called for “loyal cooperation” with the US despite growing tensions between the two allies over Washington’s strikes on Iran.

Speaking alongside Portuguese Prime Minister Montenegro, Sanchez said relations with Washington should take place “with respect, in a spirit of loyal cooperation and on an equal footing”.

Sanchez again criticised the strikes by the US and Israel on Iran, describing them as an “extraordinary mistake” and saying they were “not in accordance with international law”.

President Trump previously criticised Sanchez’s government, calling Spain a “terrible” ally and threatened to sever trade ties.

Sanchez responded by reiterating his opposition to the war and his refusal to allow the US to use bases in southern Spain to launch strikes on Iran.

`Countries, Trump had ordered to attack

On X:

While Trump promised to be the “president of peace”, he has launched US military operations in eight different countries while in office.

His latest attacks in Iran have triggered a broad conflict drawing in many Middle East nations and have drawn accusations of international law violations.

US moving ‘thousands’ of citizens out of Middle East: Trump

In his latest Truth Social post, US President Donald Trump has claimed that the Department of State is “moving thousands of people out of various Countries throughout the Middle East”.

“It is being done quietly, but seamlessly”, the president said, praising Secretary of State Marco Rubio for “doing a great job!”

The State Department said yesterday that 20,000 Americans had returned home and that it was ramping up chartered flights, without providing more details.

The Trump administration has received criticism over evacuations after urging Americans to leave more than a dozen countries in the Middle East on Tuesday.

US military forming plan to move ships through Strait of Hormuz

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett has told CNBC and Bloomberg that the US military is considering ways to get ships moving again through the strait, but did not provide more details on timing or approach.

The conflict has effectively cut off access to the waterway, a key route for roughly one-fifth of the world’s supply of oil and liquefied natural gas.

UAE says industrial fire caused by drone debris is under control

A fire at Fujairah Oil Industry Zone in the United Arab Emirates was sparked by falling debris after air defences successfully intercepted a drone, state media reports.

Emirates News Agency (WAM) wrote in a brief social media post that the flames are now under control.

The zone flanks the Port of Fujairah and comprises the Middle East’s largest commercial storage capacity for refined oil products, according to its website.

Saudi Arabia says intercepts missile

The Saudi Ministry of Defence says on X that a cruise missile was intercepted and destroyed “east of Al-Kharj Governorate”.

Canada says 3,500 nationals seek assistance to leave Middle East, Gulf regions

Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand says that approximately 3,500 nationals requested to leave the Middle East and Gulf regions.

“As of this morning, more than 108,000 Canadians in the region have registered with Global Affairs. Of these, approximately 3,500 Canadians have contacted Global Affairs to request assistance in departing”, Anand told a virtual briefing on the latest situation of Canadians in the region.

“At this time, our government continues to provide three types of departure options: first, charter flights, second, block bookings and third, ground transportation, when and where it is safe to do so.”

Describing the situation in the region as “volatile and unpredictable”, the minister stressed that Ottawa has “no intention to participate in Operation Epic Fury”.

“We were not consulted on this military operation and have not participated,” she said.

Germany withdraws more troops from Middle East

Germany has pulled additional Bundeswehr troops out of the Middle East as tensions rise during the seventh day of the US–Israeli war on Iran, according to a German military spokesperson.

The spokesperson told Reuters that soldiers deployed with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) are being withdrawn because of the security situation. Germany had already sharply reduced its military presence in Erbil in northern Iraq.

German media outlet RND reported that troops stationed in Bahrain have already returned to Germany and that preparations for withdrawals from Kuwait are under way.

RND also said soldiers and staff from the German embassy in Baghdad were being relocated to Jordan. Germany’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

About 500 German soldiers are deployed across the region, mainly in Iraq and Jordan, though officials have recently moved personnel out of some camps and reduced contingents amid rising security risks.

Iranian military claims attack on US base in Bahrain results in casualties

An Iranian attack on a US base in Bahrain has resulted in deaths and injuries, the Tasnim news agency is reporting, citing the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, which assumes operational command of Iran’s armed forces during wartime.

The US has yet to comment on the alleged incident.

Prominent satellite firm to hold back Gulf state images

Planet Labs PBC, a leading provider of high-resolution images taken from space, says it would hold back images of Gulf states for 96 hours.

“All new imagery collected over the Gulf States and adjacent conflict zones [not including Iran] will be subject to a mandatory 96-hour delay before it is made available in our archive”, the company said.

“This measure is intended to prevent adversarial actors endangering the safety of allied and NATO-partner personnel and civilians there,” it added.

The satellite images produced by the California-based company are normally available almost immediately to its clients, including media outlets, companies and researchers.

It did not say if it had acted at the request of US authorities. “As the conflict evolves, the area impacted may change,” it added.

CENTCOM claims Iran used attack drones in residential Bahrain areas

Iranian forces fired seven attack drones at residential neighbourhoods in Bahrain on Thursday evening, the head of the US military’s Middle East-based Central Command (CENTCOM), Brad Cooper, has said.

In a statement published on social media, Cooper accused Iran of “deliberately” targeting civilians across the Middle East.

“This is unacceptable and will not go unanswered,” he said.

Qatar’s PM discusses Iran attacks with Poland’s top diplomat

Qatar’s prime minister has spoken with the foreign minister of Poland about Iran’s attacks on Doha, calling them a “blatant violation” of sovereignty.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani told Poland’s Radoslaw Sikorski that Iran’s recent moves in the region are inconsistent with “good neighborliness” and have no justification, according to a readout from Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For his part, Sikorski expressed Poland’s concern over the escalating conflict in the Middle East and called for a return to negotiations and the “rule of reason”.

India gives refuge to Iranian ship, 183 sailors

Indian authorities have said that they gave shelter to sailors on Iranian ship IRIS Lavan after the vessel reached out in distress on February 28, the day the US and Israel began their ongoing war on Iran.

The Narendra Modi government in India has come under criticism this week after an Iranian ship, IRIS Dena, which participated in Indian-hosted naval exercises, was torpedoed by a US submarine. More than 80 sailors on the Dena died, 32 were rescued and hundreds are missing — but the Indian government has avoided criticizing the US for bombing a ship it had invited to its shores.

On Friday, though, the Indian government said that it had helped a different Iranian warship that had also participated in the naval drills along with the Dena.

“A request was received on February 28 indicating that a berthing at Kochi was urgent as the vessel had developed technical issues,” a government official said. The docking was approved on March 1, and the ship has been berthed at Kochi since March 4.

The Indian government has provided accommodation in Kochi to the ship’s 183 sailors, the official said.

Saudi Arabia says its fiscal position is strong amid Iran war

Saudi Arabia’s Finance Ministry says ⁠the kingdom’s ⁠fiscal position is strong and it has access to multiple export routes, including the Red Sea, a week ⁠into the US-Israeli war on Iran.

“Economic activity across Saudi Arabia continues to ⁠operate normally,” the Finance Ministry’s spokesperson said in a statement that referred to “recent developments” but did not directly mention the conflict.

“We continue to assess economic and fiscal indicators on an ongoing basis, and ‌current data confirm that our fiscal position and medium-term outlook remain solid”, the statement added.

Oil prices have surged ⁠20 percent since last Friday, and the war ⁠has slashed vital hydrocarbon exports via the Strait of Hormuz and halted output at facilities including Saudi Aramco’s biggest domestic oil refinery.

Qatar condemns Iranian attack on buildings housing its naval personnel in Bahrain

Qatar has condemned what it described as an Iranian attack targeting buildings in Bahrain that housed personnel from the Qatar Amiri Naval Forces.

In a statement released earlier today, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the buildings in Bahrain are under the Gulf Cooperation Council’s unified military command.

Doha described the incident as a “blatant act of aggression” and a violation of Bahrain’s sovereignty, warning it posed a threat to regional security.

The ministry said Qatari personnel present in the targeted buildings were safe and that no injuries had been reported.

‘The stakes could not be higher’: UN chief

The United Nations secretary-general has called to “stop the fighting and get to serious diplomatic negotiations”.

“All the unlawful attacks in the Middle East and beyond are causing tremendous suffering and harm to civilians throughout the region – and pose a grave a risk to the global economy, particularly to the most vulnerable people,” Antonio Guterres wrote on X. “The situation could spiral beyond anyone’s control.”

“The stakes could not be higher,” he added.

The UN Secretary-General stops short what he means. Iran did not start the war, and it was targeting those countries which are host countries of a foreign war belligerent

Iranian Red Crescent facilities damaged in war: IRC head

Several Iranian Red Crescent facilities, including “relief posts and warehouses”, have sustained significant damage since the war on Iran began a week ago, Jagan Chapagain of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), has said.

“Communities on all sides are already paying a heavy price, with deaths and injuries, and damage to homes, schools, hospitals, and other vital civilian infrastructure,” he said in a post on X.

“These and all Red Cross Red Crescent personnel and infrastructures must be protected during this challenging time.”

United States aims to control Iranian airspace within six weeks: White House

The United States is well ⁠on its ⁠way toward controlling Iranian airspace, White ‌House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has told reporters, adding ⁠that Washington ⁠expects the achievable US ⁠objectives to be ⁠completed ⁠in four to six weeks.

Iranians, not ‘Epstein’s gang’, will determine nation’s fate: Speaker Ghalibaf

“Trump still doesn’t realize what calamity he has brought upon himself and the American soldiers by martyring our Imam, and he wants to dictate terms to a nation,” Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament, has said.

The US, he said, would now understand, that “the fate of dear Iran, which is more precious than life, will be determined solely by the proud Iranian nation, not by Epstein’s gang.”

US looking at potential leaders for Iran, says White House press secretary

Speaking to reporters, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Washington was looking at potential candidates to lead Iran, a day after President Trump said the US must be involved in choosing ‌the next leader of Iran.

“I know there’s a number of people that our intelligence agencies and the United States government are looking at, but I won’t get any further on that”, she added.

Earlier, we reported Trump saying there would be no deal struck with Iran ⁠except “unconditional surrender”.

“What the president means is ⁠that when he, as commander-in-chief of the US Armed Forces, determines that Iran no longer poses a threat to the United States of ‌America, and the goals of Operation Epic Fury has been fully realized, then Iran will essentially be in a place of ‌unconditional ‌surrender, whether they say it themselves or not,” Leavitt said.

Chapter I: Purposes and Principles

Article 2
The Organization and its Members, in pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in accordance with the following Principles.

4. All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.

Iran, US ‘not ready’ for negotiations

The Iranian president (Masoud Pezeshkian) said that those who are trying to mediate should first talk to the aggressors, to those who initiated this war against the Iranian people.

He said that our priority now is to preserve our beloved nation; our priority now is to defend the country. And it’s not just him.

The (Iranian) foreign minister also said yesterday that there is a lack of trust in the Americans, in their promises and their initiatives. This is because twice, when the two sides were around the negotiating table, and there were hopes for peace, for an imminent deal, the Americans began a war on Iran.

So the Iranians are talking about this bitter experience with the Americans and saying that right now they are not seeking a ceasefire, and they are not seeking mediation.

Basically, that is the message here in Iran. I think it’s because the Iranians know that whatever the Americans say now is just maneuvering.

‘We do not trust the Americans’: Iran’s deputy FM

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi has justified Tehran’s latest moves as defensive, saying that “this war was imposed on us” by the US and Israel.

In a fiery interview with France 24, the diplomat said that “we were negotiating in good faith” before the US changed its tune.

“We do not trust the Americans,” he said. “Not only did they betray us, but they betrayed diplomacy.”

UN experts call for urgent investigation into targeting of Iran girls’ school

A panel of United Nations experts says the targeting of a girls’ school in southern Iran that killed 165 people raises “the most serious concerns under international law”.

The attack – which left mostly girls between ages seven and 12 dead – unfolded on February 28, when missiles destroyed the Minab building during school hours.

Seven experts emphasized that schools are civilian objects and children are expressly protected under international humanitarian law, urging for the incident to be “urgently, independently, and effectively investigated, with accountability for any violations”.

“The killing of girls in a classroom is among the most flagrant examples of how conflict can steal girls’ futures in an instant, extinguishing not only young lives, but also the hopes, agency, and opportunities education makes possible,” the panel added.

Iranian deputy FM again denies drone targeted Azerbaijan

Iran’s deputy foreign minister has unequivocally pushed back on Azerbaijan’s assertion that an Iranian drone targeted the autonomous Nakhchivan exclave yesterday.

“Iran was not responsible for such an attack,” Takht-Ravanchi told France 24, but said Iran was “investigating”.

If Iran continues to insist that it did not carry out a drone attack on the Azerbaijani airport, then one of the two attacking belligerents, Israelis or the US, have carried out a false flag.

The US is using LUCAS kamikaze drones on Iran, which is a copy of the Iranian Shahed 136. Then, the Israelis might be in the possession of LUCAS drones.

The drone that we saw in the video hitting the airport had exactly the shape of an Shahed 136 aka LUCAS drone.

Iran again denies drone strike on Azerbaijan

An Iranian security official has dismissed accusations that Tehran was behind a reported drone incident involving neighbouring Azerbaijan, saying Iran would not use a “small drone” if it chose to carry out what it called a defensive operation.

“If Iran decides to carry out defensive operations against any country, it will act in the same way it dealt with other countries in southern Iran, not through a small drone,” the official was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency, known to be close to the Revolutionary Guard.

The source added that “self-restraint towards neighbouring countries is a fundamental principle in Iranian national security”, but said the limits of that restraint depend on “the extent of the other party’s cooperation with external enemies”.

European countries ‘legitimate targets’ if they join US, Israel: Iran’s deputy FM

Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, warns EU.

“We have already informed the Europeans and everybody else that they should be careful not to be involved in this war of aggression,” he told France 24.

“If any country joins in the aggression against Iran … definitely, they will also be legitimate targets for Iran’s retaliation,” he warned.

Chapter I: Purposes and Principles

Article 2
The Organization and its Members, in pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in accordance with the following Principles.

5. All Members shall give the United Nations every assistance in any action it takes in accordance with the present Charter, and shall refrain from giving assistance to any state against which the United Nations is taking preventive or enforcement action.

Qatar resumes partial air navigation traffic via ’emergency routes’

Qatar’s General Authority of Civil Aviation has announced the partial resumption of air traffic in the country via “dedicated emergency air routes with limited capacity, in full coordination with the Qatari Armed Forces and the relevant authorities in the country”, Qatar News Agency is reporting.

US and Israeli strikes on Iran, and retaliation by Tehran on targets across the region, have forced much of the Middle East’s airspace to shut down.

“This phase includes operating a limited number of flights dedicated to evacuating passengers, in addition to operating cargo flights, in light of the current circumstances in the region and to ensure the continued provision of essential air services,” Qatar News Agency said.

“The General Authority of Civil Aviation emphasises the importance of passengers with confirmed bookings with airlines checking the latest information regarding their flights, while confirming that the flights mentioned do not include scheduled flights to and from Doha, which will resume as soon as an official announcement is issued by the Authority regarding reopening.”

USS Gerald Ford moves to the Red Sea from the Mediterranean

The Gerald Ford, the US aircraft carrier that is the world’s largest, has now moved from the Eastern Mediterranean, where it was based in recent days, to the Red Sea, crossing the Suez Canal.

The aircraft carrier has been a central part of two of US President Donald Trump’s recent military campaigns: The abduction of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro at the start of the year, and now, the war on Iran.

Iran’s Pezeshkian speaks with Russia’s Putin

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has spoken on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin within the past hour, Iran’s government news service reports.

10 Iranian drones fired at Qatar on Friday: Defence Ministry

Qatar’s Ministry of Defense has said that the country’s air defense systems battled waves of Iranian drones on Friday, starting at dawn and continuing until evening.

Of the 10 drones that were launched towards Qatar, nine were intercepted, while the tenth hit an uninhabited area, causing no injuries.

Iran military says Strait of Hormuz remains open, but any US, Israeli ship will be targeted

A spokesperson for the military says that Iran does not plan to close the vital maritime route, but rather the reason for a decrease in traffic through the strait is the danger posed by the ongoing war.

“We will not prevent any ship wishing to cross the Strait of Hormuz, but the responsibility for its security lies with the ship itself”, the spokesperson said.

“We will target any ship belonging to the Zionist entity [Israel] and America if it attempts to cross the Strait of Hormuz.”

Middle East airspace closures affect passengers

Earlier, Qatar’s General Authority of Civil Aviation says it will resume air traffic along emergency routes for “limited” evacuation and cargo flights.

The partial reopening adds to the small group of gateways that are currently operational – including Dubai, Riyadh, and Muscat – in what is usually one of the world’s busiest airspaces.

Since the US and Israel launched attacks on Saturday, more than 23,000 flights have been cancelled, according to analytics firm Cirium – leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded.

Efforts from the US, the UK and European countries to repatriate citizens have been hampered by logistical challenges, with a government-chartered Air France flight forced to turn back to the UAE due to missile fire near Dubai yesterday.

Some have even turned to private jet brokers to charter their way out of the region, with companies reporting soaring demand from deep-pocketed travelers.

US launches attacks from Arab nations to ‘target children and innocent’

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has accused the US of using Arab countries as launch pads for attacks.

“Iran and the Arab brothers have lived side by side for centuries in a spirit of affection, friendship, and mutual respect,” he posted on X.

“The American aggressors launch from the lands of our Arab friends to target children and the innocent.”

He said that any Iranian response would be directed at “the bases of the United States and its institutions”.

Chapter I: Purposes and Principles

Article 2
The Organization and its Members, in pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in accordance with the following Principles.

5. All Members shall give the United Nations every assistance in any action it takes in accordance with the present Charter, and shall refrain from giving assistance to any state against which the United Nations is taking preventive or enforcement action.

Iranian diplomats slam Trump’s call for them to defect

In a joint open letter, Iranian ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions around the world have hit out at United States President Donald Trump, who on Thursday had called on them to defect amid the intensifying US-Israeli war on Iran.

“The disgraceful remarks that have recently been voiced by American officials regarding the diplomatic apparatus and the honorable and patriotic Iranian diplomats constitute yet another clear indication of their failure to understand the fundamental realities of Iran and the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the letter says, “as well as the depth of their hostility and animosity toward the Iranian nation and the national and religious values of the Iranian people – particularly the principle of loyalty to the homeland and steadfastness in defending Iran even at the cost of one’s life.”

Trump’s comments violate Iran’s sovereignty: Iran’s UN envoy

The Iranian ambassador to the UN has said US President Donald Trump’s statements about picking Iran’s next leader violated the principle of non-interference.

“Iran is a sovereign and independent state,” Iravani said. “It does not accept, and will never allow, a foreign power to interfere” in its affairs.

Chapter I: Purposes and Principles

Article 2
The Organization and its Members, in pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in accordance with the following Principles.

7. Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter; but this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter Vll.

Iran’s UN envoy accuses US and Israel of war crimes

Amir-Saeid Iravani, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, has said that the US and Israel “have demonstrated that they recognize no red line in committing their crimes”.

Speaking to the UN Security Council in New York, Iravani said the duo are attacking “densely populated” civilian areas and infrastructure, including schools, medical, recreational and sports facilities.

“These acts constitute clear war crimes and crimes against humanity,” he said.

UN ‘must act now’ to prevent ‘catastrophic consequences’: Iran envoy

Iran’s UN envoy has concluded his remarks by warning the UN Security Council to “act now, without delay”.

“Failure to act will have catastrophic consequences,” Amir-Saeid Iravani said. “Today, it is Iran. Tomorrow it could be any [UN] member state.”

Qatar’s Hamad airport to operate limited evacuation, cargo flights

Qatar’s has decided to partially reopen air navigation traffic, which will include evacuation and cargo flights.

The country’s Hamad international airport (HIA) has confirmed it will operate a limited number of flights on Saturday, March 7, to evacuate stranded passengers and support air cargo operations.

However, HIA stressed that any further increase in flight operations will depend on continuous security assessments by the relevant authorities.

“Hamad International Airport clarifies that the operation of additional flights in the coming days will remain subject to ongoing assessment of the security situation by the competent authorities, with the safety of passengers and employees remaining at the forefront of our priorities, noting that normal flight operations will resume immediately upon the General Civil Aviation Authority in the State of Qatar announcing the safe reopening of the airspace”, it added.

The statement highlights the challenges ahead before commercial flying in the region commences, as the US-Israel war on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes in the region show no signs of stopping.

Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE today all reported incoming missiles and drones fired into their territories.

Qatar Airways repatriation flights to five European cities announced for March 7

Qatar Airways has announced it will operate a series of special repatriation flights on 7 March, following temporary authorization from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority confirming a safe operating corridor.

The flights will depart from Hamad international airport in Doha to the following destinations:

• London Heathrow (LHR)
• Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)
• Madrid Barajas (MAD)
• Rome Fiumicino (FCO)
• Frankfurt (FRA)

According to the airline, priority on these services has been given “to stranded passengers with families, elderly passengers, and those with urgent medical and compassionate needs”.

“These flights do not constitute a confirmation of resumption of scheduled commercial operations,” it added.

US army says more than 3,000 targets hit in Iran this week

The US military’s Central Command also claims it has destroyed 43 Iranian warships since it launched its war on Iran with Israel one week ago in an update posted on X.

UK ‘ready to support’ Riyadh, Starmer tells crown prince

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has spoken with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the region’s escalating conflict.

Starmer noted that additional British fighter jets, helicopters and a destroyer were being sent to the Middle East, Downing Street said in a statement, and pledged that the UK is “ready to support” the defense of Riyadh.

The duo also discussed increasing their intelligence sharing, the statement said.

Trump says US arms manufacturers will ‘quadruple’ weapons production

Donald Trump said US defense companies had agreed to “quadruple production” of what he called “exquisite class” weaponry following a White House meeting.

In a post on Truth Social, the president said expansion of production facilities had already begun three months ago and that new plants were already under way.

He added that the “US want to reach, as rapidly as possible, the highest levels of quantity”.

It comes despite Trump also claiming in the same post that the US had a “virtually unlimited supply” of munitions, which he said are currently being used on Iran.

Washington’s ‘war of choice’ with Iran undermines Gulf relationships

The US has harmed its relationships with Gulf states by pursuing war with Iran, an expert says.

Omar Rahman, a fellow at the Doha-based Middle East Council on Global Affairs, said that Gulf nations – particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE – spent recent years “building bridges” with Iran.

“Nonetheless, the US brushed those concerns aside from the Gulf and pursued what’s widely seen as – both in the US, and around the world, including the Middle East – a war of choice,” Rahman said.

Meanwhile, the idea that having a US military installation in the region offered protection has been shattered.

“That really undermines the feelings of trust that these states have in the US,” Rahman said.

Iranian spokesperson criticizes UN response to US–Israel attacks

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson has accused the United States and Israel of carrying out what he described as an “unprovoked act of aggression” against Iran.

In a post on X addressed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Esmaeil Baghaei outlined the risk the conflict poses to the global economy, saying the focus should also be on civilian casualties in Iran.

He said civilians, including 165 children and school staff in the city of Minab, had been killed during the past week of what he described as US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Baghaei also called on the United Nations to “shoulder its legal and moral responsibilities” over what he described as an illegal war against Iran.

Chapter I: Purposes and Principles

Article 2
The Organization and its Members, in pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in accordance with the following Principles.

2. All Members, in order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits resulting from membership, shall fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed by them in accordance with the present Charter.

UAE expresses solidarity with Bahrain, Qatar

The UAE has condemned Iran’s attack that targeted buildings in Bahrain that housed personnel from the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed in a statement that this attack represents a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Bahrain and a threat to its security and stability, as well as a dangerous escalation that affects the security of the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] countries and the security of the region,” the ministry said.

Tehran seeking to contain regional fallout: Analyst

Iran has been trying to manage the fallout from its recent attacks on US military bases in the region by reassuring neighbouring countries that they were not the intended targets, according to a Tehran-based analyst.

Abas Aslani, a senior research fellow at the Centre for Middle East Strategic Studies, said Iranian officials have been attempting in recent days to contain potential damage to relations with regional capitals following the strikes.

Aslani said Iranian leaders have stressed in their contacts with foreign counterparts that the actions were defensive.

“In a phone conversation with the Russian president, Iranian officials described these actions as defensive in nature,” he said.

Aslani added that Iran’s foreign minister and other senior military officials have also sought to underline that the attacks were aimed at US bases and assets rather than regional countries.

Stock markets, US economy roiling as oil prices surge: Report

The US economy is on a “roller-coaster” ride as the stock market reacts to the war on Iran, the New York Times reports.

The S&P 500 dropped 1.3 percent Friday, bringing this week’s losses to 2 percent – the index’s worst week of 2026.

At the same time, the international oil benchmark Brent crude sat at $92 a barrel, a rise of almost 30 percent since last Friday. The figure marks the biggest weekly jump since the coronavirus pandemic rocked markets in April 2020.

And finally, the US Labor Department reporting the unexpected loss of more than 90,000 jobs in February has placed the US Federal Reserve “between a rock and a hard place”, one analyst told the Times, as it must consider whether to cut interest rates or hold them steady in light of rising oil prices.

Trump has repeatedly attacked Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell over interest rates, and in January nominated a preferred replacement.