US-Israel-Iran War Live: Trump Says Iran Had A New Site For Developing Nuclear Weapons Protected By 'Granite'

Trump described the conversation as “very good” and said he and Putin discussed the “never-ending fight” between Russia and Ukraine, reports AP. He said it was a “positive call on that subject.” Trump said Putin “wants to be helpful” on the Mideast. He said he told the Russian leader that “you could be more helpful by getting the Ukraine Russia war over with.” “But we had a very good talk and he wants to be very constructive,” Trump said.

Trump told reporters at a news conference that the war with Iran started because that country was starting work on a new site for developing material for nuclear weapons. Trump said the new site was meant to replace the facilities bombed last year by the U.S, according to AP. “But they were starting work at another site, a different site, a different kind of a site — and that was protected by granite,” Trump said.

The president added that Iran wanted to use the “exponentially growing ballistic missile threat to make it virtually impossible to prevent them from obtaining a nuclear weapon,” claiming that Iran would have otherwise been able to take over the Middle East.

The U.S. president briefly recounted what family members of the soldiers killed as part of the ongoing war with Iran told him during the dignified transfer of their remains Saturday in Dover, Delaware, reports Associated Press. “But they all said one thing to me: ‘Make sure you win, sir. Make sure you win,’” Trump said. Trump called the dignified transfer “a beautiful thing, but it’s also a very sad thing.”

According to AFP, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke by phone with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday, after an incoming Iranian missile was intercepted in Turkey's airspace. "The Islamic Republic of Iran has always declared its readiness to reduce tension in the region, provided that the airspace, soil and waters of our neighbours are not used to attack the Iranian people," Pezeshkian said in a statement about the call. The missile was the second fired from Iran to be shot down in Turkish airspace in five days.

The Israeli military said on Monday it had launched a wave of "broad strikes" on Tehran, the second of the day, reprts AFP. "For the second time today: the IDF (Israeli military) has begun a broad wave of strikes in Tehran... against terror targets," the military said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said on Monday night it downed the drones over the Empty Quarter desert, and that the drones had been fired toward its massive Shaybah oil field. According to Associated Press, the attack came in two waves; the first had three drones and the second had nine, the ministry’s spokesperson said. The ministry has repeatedly posted in recent days about intercepting drones targeting the Shaybah field.

Pope Leo XIV has expressed "deep sorrow" for victims of the Middle East war, citing the "many innocent people" who have died in the conflict, including a Lebanese priest, the Vatican said Monday.

"Pope Leo XIV expresses his deep sorrow for all the victims of the recent bombings in the Middle East, for the many innocent people, including many children," said Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.

The pope also cited "those who were helping them", naming Father Pierre al-Rai of Al-Qlayaa.

The priest died Monday from wounds sustained from Israeli tank fire that hit a house in the Christian town, according to state media and a medical source who spoke with AFP.

Last week, according to Iranian officials, a deadly strike on an Iranian elementary school killed at least 150 people. AFP has not been able to access the site to verify the circumstances surrounding the incident or to independently confirm the toll.

The US pope "is following events with concern and prays for an end to hostilities as soon as possible," Bruni said in a statement.

Although Iran’s military capabilities have taken a big hit, one analyst says it “still has a whole bunch of tools, that give it great reach.”

That’s according to Martin Sampson, executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies-Middle East. He estimated Iran is down to only 100 and 200 ballistic missile launchers, without giving details on how he arrived at that figure, reports AP.

“What is absent on the battlefield are cruise missiles at the moment,” he explained. “They’re arguably the target set that poses the most challenges, particularly for the Arabian Peninsula. They’re fast-moving, they have low radar signature, you have less reaction time,” he said.

Iran is “focusing clearly on regionalising the war and internationalising the economic costs,” he said. “That does not necessarily require a significant ballistic missile depth.”

Australia has granted asylum to five players in Iran's visiting women's football team over fears they faced persecution if they returned home, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Tuesday, reports AFP.

"They are welcome to stay in Australia, and they are safe here, and should feel at home here," Burke told reporters. Players refused to sing Iran's national anthem during a tournament match in Australia last week, widely seen as an act of defiance against the Islamic republic.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump on Monday discussed the Iran war and Ukraine conflict during a "frank and constructive" telephone call, the Kremlin said, reports AFP.

Putin and Trump held a one-hour call in their first talks since December and Washington sought the discussion, Putin's diplomatic advisor Yuri Ushakov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

"The accent was placed on the situation surrounding the conflict with Iran and the bilateral negotiations underway with the representatives of the United States on settling the Ukrainian question," Ushakov said.

Ushakov said Putin called for a "quick political and diplomatic settlement" to the US-Israeli war against Iran, which has been a key ally for Russia. The Russian leader also gave Trump "a description of the current situation on the line of contact where Russian troops are progressing with a lot of success", he added, referring to the Ukraine war. Read more

President Donald Trump indicated for the first time Monday that US military operations in Iran could be coming to an end, saying the war was "very complete" and progressing ahead of schedule.

The war had sent stock markets slumping and oil prices soaring again on Monday as Tehran, under new leader Mojtaba Khamenei, fired a new barrage of missiles at its Gulf neighbours and signalled that the strategic Strait of Hormuz would likely remain closed. But Wall Street vaulted into positive territory Monday after Trump's remarks, despite the lack of details on any solution to the conflict still raging in the Middle East, reports AFP.

"I think the war is very complete, pretty much. They have no navy, no communications, they've got no air force," Trump told CBS News by phone, repeating battle damage assessments that he has given in previous days.

Trump told the US broadcaster that the United States was "very far" ahead of his initially stated timeframe for the war of four or five weeks. He is set to give a press conference shortly at around 5:30 pm (2130 GMT) in the ballroom of his Doral golf club near Miami.

A foreign policy adviser to the office of the supreme leader told CNN on Monday that Iran is prepared for a long war with the United States, ruling out that diplomacy could end the conflict that started over a week ago.

“I don’t see any room for diplomacy anymore,” said Kamal Kharazi in an interview from Tehran. “There’s no room unless the economic pressure would be built up to the extent that other countries would intervene to guarantee (the) termination of the of Americans and Israelis against Iran”.

The head of the International Maritime Organisation says they were killed in “recent” attacks on merchant vessels. Arsenio Dominguez spoke earlier Monday and said several other mariners had been injured, “some of them gravely," reports AP.

He did not say who was behind the attacks and urged shipping companies to use “maximum caution” in the region. He said all parties must respect the freedom of navigation.

The head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc Mohamed Raad vowed to continue fighting Israel "whatever the cost", on Monday, in remarks broadcast by Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV, reports AFP.

Defending his party, and blasting the Lebanese government, Raad said the group's goal is to "to drive the enemy out of our occupied land... And quite plainly, we have no other option to preserve honour, pride and dignity than the option of resistance".

His address came hours after Lebanese president Joseph Aoun lashed out at the political party and militant group, saying it "wanted to bring about the collapse of the Lebanese state".

Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq on Monday congratulated Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on his appointment as Iran's new supreme leader, the official Oman News Agency reported.

"His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq -- may God protect and preserve him -- sent a cable of congratulations to His Eminence Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on the occasion of his selection as Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the agency said.

Oman was a mediator in recent talks between Iran and the United States, which collapsed during the war triggered by joint US-Israel strikes on Iran. (AFP)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday accused Hezbollah of working to "collapse" the state and expressed Beirut's readiness for "direct negotiations" with Israel, drawing the backing of his Syrian counterpart for his goal of disarming the Iran-backed group.

Lashing out at Hezbollah over its March 2 attack against Israel, which has drawn a devastating Israeli retaliation, Aoun told European officials "Whoever launched those missiles wanted to bring about the collapse of the Lebanese state, plunging it into aggression and chaos... all for the sake of the Iranian regime's calculations".

To stop the war, the Lebanese president proposed a four-point initiative and called on the international community to help implement it.

The plan included "establishing a full truce" with Israel, "logistical support" for the army to disarm Hezbollah, and "direct negotiations (with Israel) under international auspices".

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa endorsed his Lebanese counterpart on Monday saying, "We stand alongside Lebanese president Joseph Aoun in disarming Hezbollah".

Turkey requested an “explanation” over the firing of the ballistic missile during the meeting and conveyed its “reaction and concerns,” a Turkish official said.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations, reports AP. Since the US-Israeli attacks began, Iran has retaliated with strikes across the Middle East in a bid to hit American assets. But Turkey appears to have been spared, despite the presence of US troops, including at Incirlik airbase just outside the southern city of Adana.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after the missile incident, the country would "take the necessary measures to defend our nation".

"Despite our sincere warnings, extremely wrong and provocative steps continue to be taken that will jeopardise Turkey's friendship," he said after a cabinet meeting.

Hezbollah said on Monday that it had targeted the Israeli Home Front Command base in Ramla, near Tel Aviv, with "advanced missiles" as the war between the pro-Iranian group and Israel hit the one-week mark, reports AFP.

In a statement, the group said it had targeted the base with a "salvo of advanced missiles" in response to "the criminal Israeli aggression that has struck dozens of Lebanese cities and towns and the southern suburbs of Beirut".

President Donald Trump is reviewing "all credible options" for controlling oil prices amid the joint US-Israeli operation against Iran, the White House said Monday, insisting that the current spike was "short-term."

"President Trump and his entire energy team have had a strong game plan to keep the energy markets stable well before Operation Epic Fury began, and they will continue to review all credible options," White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement to AFP.

The toll from Israeli strikes on Lebanon rose to 486 people killed and 1,313 wounded since the start of fighting last week, the Lebanese health ministry said Monday, reports AFP.

"The toll of the Israeli aggression from dawn on Monday, March 2, until Monday afternoon, March 9, has risen to 486 martyrs and 1,313 wounded," the ministry said in a statement. The ministry had previously reported a death toll of 394. AFP could not independently verify these figures.

France's Emmanuel Macron said Monday that "profound" changes to Iranian leadership could not occur "through American-Israeli bombings alone", adding that war in the Middle East could continue for "several weeks", reports AFP. "I don't think you can achieve profound regime change or changes in the political system through bombings alone," Macron said aboard France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, currently stationed in the Mediterranean. The war triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran, "in this intense phase", could last "several days, perhaps several weeks", he said.

The UN said a second Iranian nuclear site has been struck. However, any damage to the Isfahan site appears to be minor, said Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog.

He didn’t say when the site was struck or by which countries’ forces. Satellite images of Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility have also shown damage to buildings and additional damage across the facility’s complex, reports AP.

“Since the beginning of this campaign, we’ve seen some impacts in Natanz — a couple — and one in Isfahan. Not a very major one, I should say,” Grossi said, speaking to reporters in Paris. “What we saw was an impact close to one axis, to one of the tunnels there and this is all we saw,” he said.

Throngs of people poured into Enghelab, or Revolution, square in Tehran to pledge their backing for the choice of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s former supreme leader, after his father Ali Khamenei was killed in the opening salvoes of the war on February 28, reports AP.

Demonstrators waved flags of the Islamic Republic and chanted slogans like “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” 10 days into a devastating war that has engulfed the wider Middle East. Many shook their fists and held aloft photos of both father and son at the rally under blue skies.

“Today we are here to pledge to Grand Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei that we will sacrifice our blood to the leadership,” said demonstrator Assad Assadi. “We also want to tell the criminal America not to interfere in the affairs of Iran and the region.”

Israel's foreign ministry said Monday that Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei was a 'tyrant' like his slain father, and would continue what it described as the Iranian "regime's brutality".

In a post on X featuring a picture of Mojtaba Khamenei and his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, holding guns, the ministry wrote: "Mojtaba Khamenei. Like Father Like Son".

"Mojtaba Khamenei's hands are already stained with the bloodshed that defined his father's rule. Another tyrant to continue the Iranian regime's brutality," the ministry said, in Israel's first reaction to Mojtaba Khamenei's selection as supreme leader following the killing of his father on February 28 in Israeli strikes.

US President Donald Trump said he would hold a news conference Monday, his first formal question-and-answer session with reporters since launching military operations against Iran.

Trump said on his Truth Social network that the news conference would take place at around 5:30 pm in the ballroom of his Doral golf club near Miami, where he spent the weekend, before returning to Washington.

The Israeli Air Force claimed that it attacked three Lebanese launchers, which were used to launch rockets towards Israel.

The EU's top diplomat called for a ceasefire to prevent Lebanon from "sliding into chaos," saying Israel's "heavy-handed" response to Hezbollah attacks was further destabilising the region.

"Israel should cease its operations in Lebanon," EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said in a statement after crisis talks with a dozen Middle East leaders, including Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

She likewise called for Hezbollah to "disarm and cease all actions against Israel," saying: "Diplomacy and a return to the ceasefire offer the best chance of averting Lebanon from sliding into chaos."

Israel Defence Forces targeted the IRGC drone headquarters, according to an Israeli military spokesperson. On an X post, spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated that "the Defence Army targeted the Revolutionary Guards' drone headquarters. The Iranian terrorist regime had launched drones from this headquarters toward the State of Israel, and additional drones ready for launch were stored at the headquarters, posing a threat to the state's citizens. (SIC)"

He further stated that, "The Defence Army continues to deepen its strikes on all systems and capabilities of the Iranian terrorist regime, as the Air Force completed a wave of additional airstrikes targeting dozens of infrastructures belonging to the Iranian terrorist regime in several areas inside Iran. (SIC)"

Lebanon’s Health Ministry has reported that since Israeli attacks began on March 2, at least 486 people have been killed and 1,313 others have been wounded.

Russia would supply oil and gas to European buyers, provided such co-operation was "long-term" and did not put political pressure on Moscow, President Vladimir Putin said Monday.

"If European companies and European buyers suddenly decide to reorient themselves and provide us with long-term, sustainable cooperation, free from political pressures, free from political pressures, then go ahead. We've never refused," Putin said in a televised meeting.

"We're ready to work with Europeans, but we need some signals from them that they're ready and willing to work with us and will ensure this sustainability and stability," he added. (AFP)

The Turkish president says he and senior officials have assessed the potential effects of the Middle East crisis across a wide spectrum, including the economy and trade, to border security.

“We have been on high alert with all our units since February 28. We have mobilised all institutions of our state,” Erdogan said, after a cabinet meeting in Ankara.

“Our primary goal is to keep our country away from this fire,” he added.

The comments come after NATO air defences earlier intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran towards Turkey, as concerns grow that the US-Israel war against Iran will escalate regionally, as reported in Al Jazeera.

Kuwait’s emir says the country reserves the right to respond after what he described as a violation of its sovereignty.

In further remarks, the emir said Kuwait asserts its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, adding that any response would be proportionate to the violation, according to AFP.

He also stated that "the country was attacked by a neighbouring state it considers a sister nation, despite not allowing its territory or airspace to be used against it."

President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X that “solving the country’s problems can be achieved through his wise leadership and by creating an atmosphere built on people’s trust and participation.”

The Pentagon has identified the seventh U.S. service member killed in combat during the Iran war as Army Staff Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky.

Pennington died Sunday after being wounded during an attack on March 1 at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, a Pentagon statement said.

He was assigned to the 1st Space Battalion, 1st Space Brigade, which is based at Fort Carson, Colorado. The unit’s mission focused on “missile warning, GPS, and long-haul satellite communications,” according to its website.

Pennington was posthumously promoted to staff sergeant, according to an Army press release.

Six Army reservists were killed in Kuwait when an Iranian drone struck an operations centre at a civilian port

Israeli air attacks have hit several areas in southern Lebanon, as per Al Jazeera.

The strikes targeted the areas of Arab Salim, Barghaz and Majdal Selm, in the south of the country.

Meanwhile, projectiles were launched from southern Lebanon towards Israel, our correspondent said.

According to an X post by the Indian embassy in Qatar, Qatar Airways operated a Doha-New Delhi flight this morning on which more than 300 Indian passengers stranded in Doha travelled to India.

"Altogether, close to 1000 Indians stranded in Doha on transit or short-term visits have departed on Qatar Airways flights over the last three days," stated the post.

Checkpoints on the border between Iran and Turkmenistan have begun operating 24 hours a day to facilitate the transit of those seeking to leave Iran amid the war with the U.S. and Israel, Turkmenistan’s officials said Monday.

So far, some 250 people from 16 countries have crossed into the Central Asian nation from Iran, officials said. Those crossing into Turkmenistan are being offered food and assistance in contacting their families or embassies.

Turkmenistan, a former Soviet country that has remained largely isolated under autocratic rule since it gained independence, shares a 1,148-kilometre (713-mile) border with Iran. During the Israel-Iran war in 2025, Turkmenistan, despite its harsh visa policies, provided an evacuation corridor for more than 4,000 people from 52 countries who sought to leave Iran.

US President Donald Trump on Monday told the New York Post he was "not happy" with the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his slain father as Iran's supreme leader

"Not going to tell you. I’m not happy with him," Trump told the Post from his Doral golf club near Miami, when asked about his plans for the younger Khamenei. (AFP)

The United Arab Emirates decried Monday that it was being targeted "in a very unwarranted manner" in the Middle East war, stressing it would "not partake in any attacks against Iran".

"We've been very clear before and leading up to the current events we are witnessing in the region that as the UAE, we will not partake in any attacks against Iran from our territory, and that we will not be involved in such a conflict," the UAE ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Jamal Al Musharakh, told reporters. (AFP)

As surging oil prices triggered by the war continue to ripple across markets, the White House stated that all possible options are being reviewed, according to an Al Jazeera report. “The White House is in constant coordination with the relevant agencies on this important issue, as it is a top priority to the President,” spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said.

She added that Trump and his energy team have had a “strong game plan to keep the energy markets stable” well before the attacks on Iran began, adding that “they will continue to review all credible options”.

Rogers reiterated Trump’s claim that “this is a short-term change in oil prices, which will drop dramatically” once the objectives of the operations are achieved.

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said Monday the G7 was "not there yet" in terms of any release of strategic oil reserves, after talks with his counterparts of the world's leading industrialised nations.

Asked if they had agreed on releasing stockpiles, Lescure said: "We're not there yet. What we've agreed upon is to use any necessary tools, if need be, to stabilise the market, including the potential release of necessary stockpiles", according to AFP.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday accused Hezbollah of working towards the "collapse" of the state for the sake of Iran's interests, a week after it launched an attack on Israel, starting a new war in Lebanon.

"Whoever launched those missiles wanted to bring about the collapse of the Lebanese state, plunging it into aggression and chaos... all for the sake of the Iranian regime's calculations," Aoun told top European officials in an online meeting.

Aoun described Hezbollah as "an armed group outside the state, which places no value on the interests of Lebanon or the lives of its people", calling for "direct negotiations under international auspices" with Israel to stop the war. (AFP)

Iran's security chief Ali Larijani said Monday that security in the strategic Strait of Hormuz cannot be restored as long as the war with the United States and Israel continues.

"It is unlikely that any security can be achieved in the Strait of Hormuz amid the fires ignited by the United States and Israel in the region," said Larijani in a post on X, after France said it and its allies were preparing a "defensive" mission to reopen the waterway.

US President Donald Trump urged Australia on Monday to grant asylum to the visiting Iranian women's football team, after players refused to sing the national anthem while playing there.

"Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman’s Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social network.

"Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. The US will take them if you won't," added Trump, referring to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

According to the US Central Command (CENTCOM), "an Iranian drone struck a residential neighbourhood, injuring 32 civilians in Bahrain, including children." CENTCOM on X debunked the Russian and Iranian claim that "a U.S. patriot missile missed while intercepting an Iranian missile or drone and inadvertently hit a neighbourhood in Bahrain.

A long war in the Middle East could unleash a "substantial stagflationary shock on the global and European economy", top EU official Valdis Dombrovskis said Monday.

"In a more benign scenario where the conflict is contained within a couple of weeks, one can expect that it would not have major effect on the global and European economy," the EU economy commissioner told reporters.

But he said if it became "more protracted" with continued maritime disruption and attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure, it could result in an "inflationary shock" with higher energy prices. (AFP)

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi on Monday also urged de-escalating the conflict in the region to avoid further “unprecedented repercussions” that could impact the global economy and energy security.

“The national security of Arab countries is an integral part of Egyptian national security,” he said during an EU video conference held with some Arab leaders to discuss the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, according to a statement by the president’s office.

El-Sissi also called for supporting Lebanon and exerting efforts to “prevent Israel from invading Lebanon during this difficult stage” and targeting the country’s infrastructure. (AP)

The Trump administration has designated the Sudan branch of the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, accusing it of getting training and other support from Iran. It’s the fourth chapter of the group the U.S. has hit with the label.

The State Department said Monday that the Sudan branch would be classified as a “specially designated global terrorist” group with immediate effect and would be labelled a “foreign terrorist organization” once a congressional review of the move is complete on March 16. It said the group was responsible for “mass executions of civilians” among other things.

The SDGT designation imposes sanctions, but the FTO designation ramps up those penalties to include making it a crime to provide material support for the group or its members.

The administration has previously designated the Lebanese branch of the group an FTO and the chapters in Egypt and Jordan as SDGTs. (AP)

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday that “it is up to this regime and the so-called Revolutionary Guard alone to stop the fighting.”

He added that “so long as this is not the case, I assume that Israel and America will continue their defence against this regime.”

Merz said the threat posed by the Iranian government reaches far beyond the region, pointing to its support for Russia in the war in Ukraine. He said that “Iran is the centre of international terrorism, and this centre must be closed. And the Americans and Israelis are doing that in their way.” (AP)

NATO confirmed Monday it had intercepted a missile headed for Turkey, in the second such incident since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran.

"NATO has again intercepted a missile heading to Türkiye," NATO spokesperson Allison Hart posted on X, using the country's official name. "NATO stands firm in its readiness to defend all Allies against any threat," she added. (AFP)

Qatar's Defence Ministry stated that it shot down 17 ballistic missiles and 6 drones launched from Iran towards Qatar. According to the X post by the Ministry, there were no casualties in the incident.

Croatia's prime minister Andrej Plenkovic said Monday his country would cap petrol and diesel prices as the war in the Middle East squeezes the global oil supply.

Plenkovic said his government would cap prices from Tuesday, one of the first European Union countries to restrict rises in pump prices.

"Today, we will take steps to ease the rise in energy prices and protect the living standards of Croatian citizens," he told an extraordinary government meeting.

President Emmanuel Macron said on a visit to Cyprus on Monday that France and its allies were working to put together a "purely defensive" mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

He said the mission would be aimed at escorting vessels "after the end of the hottest phase of the conflict" in the Middle East to ensure the flow of oil and gas, according to AFP.

The United States says its military operation against Iran is aimed at dismantling the country’s ability to threaten the region and global security.

In remarks made by foreign secretary Marco Rubio, a US official described the operation as targeting what he called “the world’s leading hostage taker – Iran”, while praising American forces involved in the mission, according to Al Jazeera.

“Take a moment to offer thoughts and prayers to brave Americans,” he said. “We are all in awe of their service.”

He said the goals of the mission were to destroy Iran’s ability to launch missiles, eliminate the factories producing them and target the country’s navy.

The official added that the operation was intended to counter what he described as the threat posed by Iran’s clerical leadership to the region and the wider world.

Hezbollah on Monday welcomed the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's new supreme leader, pledging allegiance after his predecessor and father, Ali Khamenei, was killed in US-Israeli attacks.

"We in Hezbollah extend our warmest congratulations and blessings on this occasion. We renew our pledge of loyalty to this blessed approach and our steadfastness on the path of allegiance," the group said in a statement.

Hezbollah entered the Middle East war a week ago by attacking Israel in response to the killing of Ali Khamenei.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that an attack on Cyprus was an attack on all of Europe as he spoke during a visit to the island nation after it was targeted by Iranian-made drones.

"When Cyprus is attacked, it is Europe that is attacked," Macron said in Paphos alongside the leaders of Cyprus and Greece, as reported in AFP.

"The defence of Cyprus is obviously a key issue for your country, for your neighbour, partner and friend, Greece, but also for France and, with it, the European Union," he added.

“We are concerned about the development ⁠of energy prices,” Merz told a news conference.

“⁠We know that this could potentially ⁠have an impact ⁠on the ⁠German economy,” he said, according to Al Jazeera.

Last week, Merz voiced support for the US-Israeli war on Iran during a visit to the White House, but said he hopes it ends soon because the attack is hurting the global economy.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that Ukraine had received 11 requests from countries seeking assistance in countering threats linked to Iran. They include Iran’s neighbors, European countries and the United States.

Writing on social media, Zelenskyy said the requests focus on Ukraine’s experience in defending against drones, including interceptor systems, electronic warfare and training.

He said Kyiv is ready to help those who helped defend Ukrainian lives and independence. He added that Kyiv had already responded to some requests with specific decisions and support, and would consider further assistance as long as it does not weaken Ukraine’s own defences.

“Ukraine’s priority is clear: the Iranian regime must not gain any advantage over those defending lives, and everyone must work together to achieve tangible stabilization both in the region and in global markets,” the Ukrainian leader said. (AP)

According to an X post by the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a "congratulatory message to the newly elected Supreme Leader of Iran – Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei." He stated, "I am confident that you will unite the Iranian people in the face of the severe trials ahead."

On an X post, the Israeli Air Force stated that it "has completed additional waves of strikes in Lebanon in the past day. During the strikes, dozens of rocket and missile launchers belonging to the terrorist organization Hezbollah were destroyed. The launchers that were attacked were positioned south of the Litani River and were used by the terrorist organization Hezbollah to launch rockets and missiles toward the territory of the State of Israel."

It released footage of the strikes.

In a statement, the Indian Embassy in Iran stated that "Indian nationals are hereby advised not to approach any of the land borders of Iran for travel outside the country without prior coordination with the Embassy. Any movement towards land border points should be undertaken only after obtaining explicit guidance from the Embassy."

Thousands of people flocked on Monday to a central square in the Iranian capital to pledge allegiance to the Islamic Republic's new leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, AFP journalists said.

The crowds which gathered in Tehran's Enghelab Square saw many carrying the Iranian flags and portraits of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US and Israeli strikes on February 28.

Turkish Defence Ministry stated that 'a ballistic munition launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was neutralized by NATO air defence assets'. According to the statement, some debris from the munition fell onto vacant land in Gaziantep and there were no casualties or injuries.

In a statement, China's Foreign Ministry stated that it "strongly condemns the attack against the UNIFIL. Our hearts go out to the injured Ghanaian peacekeepers. (SIC)". It also stated that any attack on UN peacekeeping personnel "amounts to a grave violation of international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701," adding that the attack is unacceptable and must stop at once.

On an X post, UAE's Ministry of Defence stated that it "detected today (March 9, 2026) 15 ballistic missiles, of which 12 ballistic missiles were destroyed, while 3 ballistic missiles fell into the sea."

It also stated that, "Since the start of the blatant Iranian aggression, 253 ballistic missiles have been detected, of which 233 ballistic missiles were destroyed, while 18 of them fell into the sea, and 2 missiles fell on the country's territory. Additionally, 1,440 Iranian drones were detected, and 1,359 of them were intercepted, while 81 drones fell within the country's territory, and 8 cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed."

An air strike hit a base of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi near the northern city of Mosul on Monday, according to two officials from the former paramilitary organisation now integrated into the country's regular forces.

One of the officials blamed the strike on the United States, saying it hit a base in the Bartella area of Iraq's Nineveh province, according to AFP.

Since the start of the Middle East war, there have been multiple strikes on bases of the Hashed, an umbrella organisation of armed groups, many of which have strong ties to Iran.

The EU insisted Monday there was "no imminent oil supply" shortage in Europe as the Middle East war sent energy prices soaring.

The benchmark price for a barrel of crude has soared beyond $100 for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine four years ago.

"There is no imminent oil supply shortage in Europe. Per our rules, all member states must have the 90-day emergency stocks," European Commission spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said, according to AFP.

Iran’s IRGC says in a statement carried by local media that its navy targeted al-Adiri helicopter airbase in Kuwait with drones and cruise missiles.

It claimed to have destroyed the base’s fuel and gas tanks, US helicopter ramps, logistics and support facilities, according to Al Jazeera.

In an X Post, an Israeli military spokesperson stated that, "The Air Force has begun launching a wide wave of airstrikes against the infrastructure of the Iranian terrorist regime in three regions in Iran simultaneously. (SIC)"

Washington has advised non-essential staff to leave its consulate near the southern Turkish city of Adana, near a key NATO base and ordered US citizens to leave "southeast Turkey", the US embassy in Ankara said Monday.

"On March 9, 2026, the Department of State ordered non-emergency US government employees and US government employee family members to leave Consulate General Adana due to the safety risks," it said on X, referencing a travel advisory saying: "Americans in southeast Turkey are strongly encouraged to depart now".

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of European Commission, which is the executive cabinet of the European Union, stated that the "people of Iran deserve freedom, dignity, and the right to decide their own future. Even if we know this will be fraught with danger and instability during and after the war."

She also stated that, "we (European Commission) reaffirm our full solidarity with Cyprus."

France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot says France has asked the UN Security Council to convene an emergency meeting on the situation in Lebanon, which has faced fierce bombardment from Israel over the last week, killing nearly 400 people, according to local health authorities.

Barrot says France has also released some $6.9 million “in emergency aid for humanitarian organisations already operating on the ground” in Lebanon and is getting ready to ship 20 additional tonnes of humanitarian aid due to arrive in the country tomorrow.

“We are continuing our exchanges with the Lebanese and Israeli authorities to prevent the country from descending into chaos, secure a ceasefire, and continue the essential process of Hezbollah’s disarmament,” added the top French diplomat, according to Al Jazeera.

President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Cyprus on Monday to discuss regional security, as France deployed warships to the Mediterranean and the US-Israeli war against Iran stretched into a second week.

Macron, who landed in Paphos earlier Monday, met Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for talks.

On an X post, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez stated that he spoke to the President of the United Arab Emirates, and stated that the UAE has Spain's support. Sanches posted, "I just called the President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Mohamed bin Zayed. The Emirati people and the Spaniards who are there have all our support in these difficult times. We condemn the aggressions that have caused victims and damage to civilian infrastructure in the country."

He further stated that Spain continues to work tirelessly to defend regional stability and international law.

The UN agency for children, UNICEF, says at least 83 children have been killed and 254 injured in Lebanon since March 2 as the war between Israel and Hezbollah intensified, according to Al Jazeera.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry has said two paramedics were killed and six were injured in two separate Israeli air strikes.

According to a statement carried by the National News Agency, the attacks took place in Tyre and Jwaya in the country’s south.

The ministry said the Israeli army deliberately targeted them as part of what it described as the “systematic targeting of ambulance teams, said an Al Jazeera report.

According to an X post by Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee, "a (Israeli) brigade combat team has initiated a focused raid operation to eliminate operatives and terrorist infrastructure belonging to the terrorist Hezbollah organization in southern Lebanon"

"The forces are working to detect and eliminate terrorist operatives and destroy infrastructure belonging to the terrorist Hezbollah organization. Prior to the forces' entry, intense fire was activated, and numerous terrorist targets in the area were struck from the air and ground," said Adraee in the post.

Lebanon's parliament on Monday postponed legislative elections, initially due to be held in May, by two years, according to a statement from the parliament speaker, due to the war between Israel and Iran-backed group Hezbollah.

MPs convened on Monday including Mohammed Raad, head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, even as Israeli warplanes flew above the nearby southern suburbs of Beirut.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday pledged "unwavering support" to Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, appointed after his father and predecessor was killed in US-Israeli strikes.

"I would like to reaffirm our unwavering support for Tehran and solidarity with our Iranian friends," Putin said in a message to Khamenei, adding that "Russia has been and will remain a reliable partner" to Iran.

"At a time when Iran is confronting armed aggression, your tenure in this high position will undoubtedly require great courage and dedication," the Russian leader said, according to AFP.

French President Emmanuel Macron says the Group of Seven nations could dip into their emergency oil stockpiles in response to soaring energy prices, according to Associated Press.

Speaking to reporters en route to a visit to Cyprus, Macron said, “The use of strategic reserves is an envisaged option.” He said G7 leaders could meet this week to coordinate a response to climbing energy prices, expected via a call or a video conference. France currently holds the rotating presidency of the G7 group.

Separately, finance ministers from the G7 nations are meeting Monday afternoon by video conference to discuss the repercussions of the Iran war.

In an X post, the Singaporean Ministry of Defence announced that they would be dispatching the Singapore Air Force's A330 MRTT aircraft to bring back Singaporeans from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 10 March.

"The IDF has identified that a short time ago, missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel," stated the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on X. It also added that "The public is requested to exercise responsibility and act in accordance with the directives - they save lives. One must enter protected spaces upon receiving the alert and remain in them until a new announcement. Exit from the protected space will be permitted only after receiving an explicit directive; continue to act in accordance with Home Front Command directives (SIC)."

Al Jazeera reported that one person has been killed and two others injured at the site of an attack in the Yehud area in central Israel, according to the country’s Magen David Adom ambulance service.

The Iranian foreign ministry spokesman, Esmaeil Baghaei, responded to reports of Iranian munitions being launched towards Turkiye, Cyprus and Azerbaijan in the last week. He “no offensives were initiated from Iranian territory” towards these countries, as per a report in Al Jazeera.

He also suggested some of the reported attacks may have been “staged”, saying “we have warned repeatedly that the enemy may stage certain attacks to drive a wedge between us and other countries.”

He also said that “we are doing our best to maintain the security and provide the necessary protection to all” diplomatic missions in the country, over 100 of which he says still remain.

“However, the belligerent parties have crossed all red lines,” he added.

Heavy explosions rocked the Iranian capital on Monday, AFP journalists said, as the war with Israel and the United States raged.

It was not immediately clear what was targeted in Tehran, but the blasts were heard across several parts of the city, the reporters said.

Israel on Monday said it has carried out airstrikes in Beirut, shortly after the Israeli army said it would operate against targets associated with the Hezbollah-linked financial institution al-Qard Al-Hasan, Associated Press reported. Israel claims Hezbollah uses al-Qard al-Hasan to finance its military activities.

The first strike destroyed a building housing an office of al-Qard al-Hasan in the southern suburb of Chiyah, the AP report added. Israel’s military targeted several branches of al-Qard al-Hasan in southern and eastern Lebanon last week.

Israeli Air Force stated on X that, "The Air Force has begun to attack the infrastructure of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in Dahiyeh in Beirut."

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, came under Iranian attack Monday, with two people hurt by shrapnel from interceptions, Associated Press reported, quoting local authorities.

Amid the worsening situation in the Middle East and its impact on energy markets, Bangladesh has closed all universities, bringing forward the break for Eid al-Fitr as part of emergency measures to conserve electricity.

The country, which depends on imports for 95% of its energy requirements, has already experienced instances of panic buying, Associated Press reported. Car owners and drivers have struggled to collect fuel as shortages are reported. The government has shut most fertiliser factories, redirecting available gas to power plants to avoid widespread outages. Eid is expected to be held either March 20 or 21, depending on the moon sighting, at the end of a month-long fasting ritual.

China on Monday said that Iran's decision to name Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader, succeeding his late father following his killing, was an internal matter. "This is a decision by the Iranian side based on its constitution," foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular press conference, AFP reported.

The spokesperson said China opposes any targeting of the new supreme leader, after threats by the Israeli military against a successor to his slain father, Ali Khamenei. "China opposes interference in other countries' internal affairs under any pretext, and Iran's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity should be respected," the spokesperson said.

Human Rights Watch, in its report on Monday, has accused the Israeli military of "unlawfully" hitting a village in southern Lebanon with shells containing white phosphorus, a controversial incendiary munition.

Through geolocating and verifying seven images, Human Rights Watch said Israel fired white phosphorus using artillery at residential areas in the southern Lebanese village of Yohmor, Associated Press reported. It happened hours after the Israeli military warned the residents of the village and dozens of others in southern Lebanon to evacuate.

Human Rights Watch said it couldn’t independently identify if any residents were still in the area or if anyone was harmed. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Human rights advocates say the use of white phosphorus is illegal under international law when the white-hot chemical substance is fired into populated areas. It can set buildings on fire and burn human flesh down to the bone. Survivors are at risk of infections and organ or respiratory failure, even if their burns are small.

Iran targeted Bahrain's sprawling Al Ma'ameer oil facility, causing a fire at the complex along with material damage, state media said on Monday, in the latest attack against Gulf energy installations.

"Outbreak of a fire due to the Iranian aggression targeting a facility in Al Ma'ameer, with material damage reported but no casualties recorded, and the competent authorities have begun firefighting procedures," Bahrain News Agency said, according to AFP.

Turkey's defence ministry on Monday said it had deployed six F-16 fighter jets to Northern Cyprus as a security measure, days after the island was targeted by a drone attack.

"In light of recent developments in our region, six F-16 fighter aircraft and air defence systems have been deployed to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) as of today," it said in a statement, referring to a territory which is only recognised by Ankara.

Iraq's pro-Iran groups welcomed on Monday the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's new supreme leader after his predecessor and father was killed in US and Israeli strikes. The powerful Badr organisation said the new leadership represents "blessed continuity of the path of the Islamic revolution".

The Asaib Ahl al-Haq faction said choosing Mojtaba Khamenei shows "continuity" and "reinforcement of the Islamic republic's role as a central pillar in the axis of resistance", while Kataeb Hezbollah said it reflects a profound understanding "of the existential challenges confronting the nation". (AFP)

Escalating conflict in the Middle East has driven oil prices above $100 per barrel, marking the most significant "quantity shock" to global supply since the 1970s. The crisis, driven by the war between US-Israel and Iran, threatens to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, potentially further driving oil prices to as high as $150 a barrel.

Bahrain's state oil company declared force majeure on Monday for its shipments after an Iranian attack set its refinery ablaze. The state-run Bahrain News Agency carried the announcement of the force majeure, a legal manoeuvre that releases a company of its contractual obligations because of extraordinary circumstances.

It said the company’s operations “have been affected by the ongoing regional conflict in the Middle East and the recent attack on its refinery complex.” It insisted local demand could be met.

On day 1 of the second phase of Parliament's Budget Session, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar read out a statement in the Rajya Sabha on the situation in West Asia, amid sloganeering by Opposition members.

"Our government had issued a statement on 20th February expressing deep concerns and urging all sides to exercise restraint. We continue to believe that dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate the tensions," he said

The ongoing conflict, he said, is of particular concern to India. "We are a neighbouring region, and have obvious stakes that West Asia remains stable. There are one crore Indians who live and work in the Gulf nations. In Iran, too, there are a few thousand Indians for study or employment. The region is key to our energy security and includes many important suppliers of oil and gas."

"Serious supply chain disruptions and a climate of instability are serious issues. The conflict has continued to intensify, and the security situation in the region has deteriorated significantly. The conflict has spread to other countries with mounting destruction. Normal life and actitivites in are visibly affected," he said.

Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues to closely monitor the emerging developments, and relevant ministries are coordinating to ensure effective responses.

The Israeli military claimed strikes on Monday on targets in Iran’s city of Isfahan, targeting security forces there, Associated Press reported. The Israelis described hitting command centres for Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its all-volunteer Basij force there, it said.

The military also said it hit a rocket engine production facility and missile launch sites. Iran did not immediately acknowledge the strikes. Iran has not provided any details on its materiel losses since the war started Feb. 28.

A Chinese envoy to the Middle East has called on all sides to stop their military actions and said attacks on non-military targets and civilians should be condemned.

Special Envoy Zhai Jun, meeting in Saudi Arabia with Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said Sunday that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of all Gulf countries must not be violated, a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said. China is a major importer of oil and natural gas from the region.

Zhai also met Jassim Mohammed al-Budaiwi, the secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Foreign Ministry said.

Iran's Foreign Ministry has issued a formal declaration of allegiance to Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei following his appointment as the country's new supreme leader.

In a statement shared on X by the Iranian Embassy in India, the ministry confirmed its support following the transition of power. The post, titled "Declaration of Allegiance by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and All Diplomats of the Islamic Republic of Iran, at Home and Abroad, to the Third Leader of the Islamic Revolution," marks a significant consolidation of internal governance.

Qatar said more than 300 people from different nationalities have been arrested over allegations of inciting public concern amid the war in the Middle East, Associated Press reported on Monday. The Interior Ministry said they were detained for “filming, circulating, and publishing misleading information.”

Authorities in Saudi Arabia said on Monday that the two people killed in an attack in a central city in the Kingdom were from Bangladesh. The Civil Defense said in a statement that 11 other Bangladeshi people were injured along with an Indian national.

An earlier statement from the Saudi agency incorrectly stated the dead included an Indian national. The attack occurred in Kharj on Sunday when a military projectile fell on the residential building of a maintenance and cleaning firm, it said.

Israel Defence Forces chief Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has said the war with Iran "will take a very long time" and the forces "need to be prepared for that". Zamir, according to a report by Times of Israel, warned on Sunday that there was “no safe place” for the Iranian regime to hide as Israel and the US continued to strike targets across Iran.

Zamir made the remarks during a situational assessment at the Home Front Command and addressed the fighting against Hezbollah and Iran.

"This war will determine our future and security for many more years....We need to show perseverance and patience. This will take a very long time, you need to be prepared for that, and however long it takes, it takes," he was quoted as saying in the report.

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates reported a missile attack early Monday that its air defence systems were responding to, as Iran continues its retaliatory strikes across the Gulf.

"Air defence systems are currently responding to a missile threat," the country's National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority said in a post on X.

The Saudi defence ministry said Monday it had thwarted a drone attack targeting an oil field in the kingdom's east, near the Emirati border. "Four drones heading towards the Shaybah oil field were intercepted and destroyed," a defence ministry statement said.

The Indian stock market started the week in red with Nifty trading below 24,000 and Sensex falling over 2,400 points as the Iran-Israel-US war continues to intensify. As of 9.27 am, NSE Nifty50 was trading 23,718, down 732.30 points or 2.98%. BSE Sensex plunged 2,400 points or 3.05% to open at 76,513.55.

Ending war with Iran will be a "mutual" decision made with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump ​said on Sunday while speaking to The Times of ⁠Israel.

"I think it’s mutual ... a little ‌bit. We’ve been talking. I’ll make ⁠a ⁠decision at the right time, but everything’s going to be taken into account," said ​Trump.

US President Donald Trump offered assurance to consumers as oil prices eclipsed $100 per barrel for the first time in more than three and a half years early Monday (India time), with the Iran war hindering production and shipping in the Middle East.

“Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace,” Trump said in a social media post. “ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY," he said in a post on Truth Social.

An Iranian drone attack, which targeted the island of Sitra in Bahrain overnight, has left 32 civilians wounded, Bahrain's Ministry of Health said on Monday, reported AFP. All of the wounded were Bahraini citizens, and there were four "serious cases", including children, said the ministry in a statement carried by the Gulf nation's state news agency.

Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index has plunged more than 6% after oil prices soared to over $100 a barrel due to disruptions from the war in the Middle East. The Nikkei tumbled 6.2% to 52,166.92 shortly after trading began early Monday.

South Korea’s Kospi sank 6.3% and shares in Australia and New Zealand more than 3%. Crude prices are at their highest level in more than three and a half years as the war ensnares major oil-producing countries and hinders exports from the Persian Gulf.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude was at $109.46 a barrel, and U.S. benchmark crude traded at $107.37 a barrel. Both were 18% above their Friday closing prices. (AP)

The Israeli military said it has launched a wave of fresh strikes targeting "regime infrastructure" in central Iran on Monday, the first such announcement since the Islamic Republic appointed a new supreme leader.

Israeli forces have "begun an additional wave of strikes on Iranian terror regime infrastructure in central Iran", the military said in a brief statement, shortly after announcing strikes on Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, in a post on X, the Israeli Defence Forces claimed that the IRGC's Air Force Headquarters, the main command-and-control centre used to direct the regime’s air force activity, was targeted during wide-scale IDF strikes on dozens of regime targets.

A member of the US National Guard died during a medical emergency in Kuwait on March 6, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said early Monday (India Time), marking the eighth US military death since the Iran war began.

In a statement posted on the US social media company X’s platform, CENTCOM said the guardsman died in a "health-related incident." "The exact cause of death is under review,” it said. CENTCOM referred further inquiries to the US National Guard Bureau. No additional details about the guardsman’s identity or the circumstances surrounding the incident were immediately released.

The US military announced an American service member has died of injuries sustained during an Iranian attack on troops stationed in Saudi Arabia. The seventh American service member killed in the Iran war was an Army soldier, Associated Press reported on Monday, quoting an unnamed US official.

The service member died on Saturday from injuries sustained during a March 1 Iranian attack on the kingdom, it said. The American death toll since the start of combat operations now stands at seven. Six Army reservists were also killed in the March 1 attack on Kuwait. All seven casualties from the war in Iran were Army soldiers. The first six deaths were Army reservists killed in a March 1 attack on a command centre in a Kuwaiti port.

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said on Monday that no Indian was killed in the incident at Al Kharj in Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

"It is a matter of relief that there has been no Indian fatality in the unfortunate incident at Al Kharj yesterday evening. The Embassy has been in touch with the concerned Saudi authorities regarding this issue. Counsellor (CW) Y. Sabir visited Al Kharj last night and met the injured Indian national involved in this unfortunate incident. He is currently receiving treatment at a government hospital in Al Kharj," the Embassy said in a post on X.

Earlier, there were reports that an Indian national was among two killed after a projectile fell on a residential location in Saudi Arabia. The military projectile fell in a residential area in Saudi Arabia’s al-Kharj Governorate on Sunday, killing two people and injuring 12 others, the Saudi Civil Defence said.

The price of the main US benchmark for oil surged more than 30 percent on Monday over concerns that the Middle East war could create prolonged supply disruptions, AFP reported.

At 0230 GMT, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up 30.04 percent at $118.21 per barrel, before easing slightly, while Brent Crude was 27.54 percent higher at $118.22.

Iran fired missiles at Israel early Monday in the name of the Islamic Republic's new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was selected to succeed his slain father despite threats by the United States and Israel to target him next.

Nine days after US-Israeli strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and plunged the Middle East into war, Shiite clerics convened to choose the country's third supreme leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

An announcer on state television solemnly read a statement from the 88-member Assembly of Experts next to a picture of the new 56-year-old leader, who bears a striking resemblance to his father.

State media soon afterwards showed a projectile said to be launched at Israel bearing the slogan, "At Your Command, Sayyid Mojtaba", using an Islamic honorific.