US-Israel-Iran War LIVE | Israel Vows To Find And 'Neutralise' Iran's New Supreme Leader Mojtaba

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, said counter to some analysts he also expects the U.S. relationship with Gulf countries “to be much, much stronger," reports AP.

He said Gulf countries have become much more realistic and see that they are being attacked by Iran, not by Israel. He noted that the nearly 2,000 Iranian attacks on the UAE so far are more than the Islamic Republic’s attacks on Israel. Iran says it is retaliating for U.S. and Israeli airstrikes that have killed its supreme leader and other leading officials and commanders and claims it is targeting U.S. assets in the Gulf. Gargash and others insist Tehran is hitting civilian facilities.

Gargash said relations between Gulf nations and the U.S. will be much stronger because “we see the United States as a major, major pillar in our defense strategy,” though in the case of the UAE not as “our sole defense shield.” Gulf countries are responding to Iran’s aggression with American equipment and the war “solidifies that,” he said. “We are seeing a relationship that is on an upward trajectory,” he said in a video event at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council on Tuesday confirmed the death of its chief Ali Larijani, after Israel said it had killed him in an air strike, reports AFP.

"The pure souls of the martyrs embraced the purified soul of God's righteous servant, Martyr Dr. Ali Larijani," the council said, adding that his son and his bodyguards had died with him.

"After a lifetime of struggle for the advancement of Iran and of the Islamic Revolution, he ultimately attained his long-held aspiration, answered the divine call, and honourably achieved the sweet grace of martyrdom in the trench of service," it added.

Iraq was in contact with Iran to try to arrange passage for some of its oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, the country's oil minister told local media, reports AFP.

A founding member of the OPEC cartel, crude oil sales make up 90 percent of Iraq's budget revenues. Before the outbreak of war on February 28, Iraq mainly shipped its oil -- roughly 3.5 million barrels per day -- from the southern Basra fields via the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has closed the strait, through which as much as a fifth of the world's global crude oil and liquefied natural gas is normally shipped, to vessels from most countries.

"Communications are underway with the relevant authorities to authorise the passage of certain oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, in order that we can resume our exports," Iraqi oil minister Hayan Abdel Ghani told local TV station al-Sharqiya, referring to the Iranians.

"We need to provide them with the identity of these ships, their name, their affiliation, who owns them," he added.

Iraq has been scrambling to find a solution to export its oil, and there have been long-running talks with Iraqi Kurdistan to export oil through the autonomous region.

Israel's military on Tuesday vowed to hunt down and "neutralise" Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, after saying it had killed the Islamic republic's powerful national security chief in an airstrike, reports AFP.

If confirmed, the death of Ali Larijani would represent a major blow to Iran, whose long-serving leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed less than three weeks ago in US-Israeli strikes that ignited a war in the Middle East.

The reported assassination came as Iran's speaker vowed that shipping in the Strait of Hormuz would not return to its pre-war norm, and Donald Trump blasted allies for rebuffing his call to help escort oil tankers through the blockaded waterway.

Tehran has not confirmed the death of Larijani, described as a key figure close to the late ayatollah, but urged Iranians across the country to rally Tuesday in a show of defiance against enemy "plots".

Israel's military vowed it would also eliminate Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late ayatollah who took power after his father's death on February 28.

"We don't know about Mojtaba Khamenei, we don't hear him, we don't see him, but I can tell you one thing: we will track him down, find him, and neutralise him," military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin told reporters.

Several loud explosions were heard Tuesday evening in Iraq's capital Baghdad, AFP journalists reported, with a security official reporting a drone and rocket attack on the US embassy.

In a restaurant in the city, where diners did not react to the initial sounds of the blasts, a witness told AFP he saw detonations caused by the embassy's air defences intercepting projectiles. Another witness saw a fire on the edge of the embassy grounds from her balcony, with the blaze also reported by the security official, who said it was caused by a drone.

"The embassy was the target of a drone and rocket attack," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Another drone, targeting the US diplomatic and logistics centre at Baghdad airport, was shot down, according to a security official.

Shortly after the incidents, the powerful Iranian-backed Kataeb Hezbollah group issued a statement demanding that every "foreign soldier" leave the country. "Iraq's instability is due to the malicious American presence, and security will not be achieved until the last foreign soldier leaves Iraqi territory," the group's new security chief, Abou Moujahed al-Assaf, said.

He added: "Either everyone enjoys security, or no one does." Iraq was drawn into the Middle East war after having long been a proxy battleground between the United States and Iran. Strikes have targeted Iran-backed groups, which in turn have claimed daily attacks on US interests in Iraq and across the region.

Three Lebanese soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes on Tuesday, the Lebanese army said, as Israel carried out new raids and again ordered residents of vast parts of southern Lebanon to evacuate, reports AFP. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when pro-Iran Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel in response to US-Israeli strikes that killed Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Israel has responded with intense strikes in multiple Lebanese regions and ground operations in the south, with its finance minister saying this month that Beirut's suburbs would soon "resemble" the badly damaged Gazan city of Khan Yunis.

From Geneva, the UN rights office said Tuesday that threats by Israeli officials "to impose the same level of destruction on Lebanon as inflicted in Gaza are wholly unacceptable".

Iran's parliament speaker on Tuesday warned that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would not resume on the same terms even after the current conflict is over, reports AFP.

"The Strait of Hormuz situation won't return to its pre-war status," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, in an English-language social media post.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Tuesday confirmed the death of the commander of the affiliated Basij paramilitary force in an US-Israeli strike, according to AFP.

"Commander Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij Organization, has been martyred," the Guards said on their Sepah News website, after Israel said it had killed him in an air strike.

President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said France would "never" help secure the Strait of Hormuz "in the current context" of hostilities, rebuffing his US counterpart Donald Trump's call for help, reports AFP.

Speaking at a defence council meeting, Macron said France could help escort vessels in the strategic waterway, through which around 20 percent of global seaborne oil passes, but only after the situation has calmed down.

Last week, Macron said France and its allies were preparing a "defensive" mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively shut by Iran in response to the war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.

The French president stressed at the time that such operations would be possible "after the end of the hottest phase of the conflict".

"We are not a party to the conflict, and therefore France will never take part in operations to open or liberate the Strait of Hormuz in the current context," Macron said on Tuesday.

"Once the situation is calmer, meaning once the core of the bombings has stopped, we are ready, along with other nations, to take responsibility for the escort system," Macron added.

A tanker anchored off the UAE’s eastern coast was hit by a projectile early Tuesday morning as the nation came under several waves of Iranian attacks, reports AP.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, run by the British military, reported the attack, saying the vessel was in the Gulf of Oman off Fujairah.

It said the tanker sustained “minor structural damage” and no one was hurt.

Since the Iran war started, some 20 vessels in the region have come under attack as Iranian fire effectively halts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all oil and natural gas traded passes.

The wrangling between Iran, FIFA and Trump over the World Cup shifted Tuesday to Mexico. Iran’s embassy in Mexico City said Iran is negotiating with FIFA to move its three group-stage matches from the United States to Mexico after Trump last week discouraged the team from attending the 48-nation tournament, reports AP.

Trump cited safety concerns. Iran says the U.S. hasn’t been cooperating on visas. FIFA responded in a statement saying that planning continues and “FIFA is looking forward to all participating teams competing as per the match schedule announced on Dec. 6, 2025.”

Two drones were shot down by the defense system at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday, while a third drone crashed inside the embassy compound, two Iraqi security officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment.

An AP journalist in the area saw a massive fire that appeared to be engulfing a structure in the compound. There was no immediate statement from the embassy. U.S. facilities in Iraq have frequently come under attack by Iran or Iran-backed Iraqi militias since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran, triggering the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that 201 Ukrainian anti-drone military experts were in the Middle East to help defend the region against Iranian-designed Shahed drones, and another 34 were "ready to deploy", reports AFP.

"These are military experts, experts who know how to help, how to defend against Shahed drones. Our teams are already in the Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and on the way to Kuwait," Zelensky told British lawmakers during an address in the UK parliament.

A diplomatic advisor to the UAE president, Anwar Gargash, says that his country could join an international effort led by the USS to ensure the safety and security of the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking in an online event organised by the US think tank Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), Gargash said that the UAE does not currently have active talks with Iran, reported Al Jazeera.

In a lengthy statement on X, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt aggressively disputed Kent's argument that Iran did not pose an imminent threat.

“As President Trump has clearly and explicitly stated, he had strong and compelling evidence that Iran was going to attack the United States first,” Leavitt said. “This evidence was compiled from many sources and factors. President Trump would never make the decision to deploy military assets against a foreign adversary in a vacuum.”

As for the allegation that Trump acted against Iran under the influence of Israel, Leavitt called it “both insulting and laughable.”

Days after launching the war, Trump administration officials told congressional staff in private briefings that U.S. intelligence did not suggest Iran was preparing to launch a preemptive strike against the U.S. (AP)

The Lebanese presidency has said in a statement on X that Joseph Aoun made calls to top security officials, offering his condolences for the soldiers killed today in Israeli air strikes.

“President Aoun emphasised that targeting the military institution, which plays a unifying national role in protecting stability and preserving sovereignty, blatantly contradicts the calls by Lebanon and the international community to empower the army to extend state authority over all Lebanese territory and to confine weapons to the legitimate armed forces,” the statement said, according to Al Jazeera.

Israel and the US have made it clear that they expect the Lebanese Army to confront and disarm Hezbollah or face the open-ended wrath of an intensified Israeli military campaign.

Rocket and drone attacks on the US embassy and a diplomatic facility in Iraq have resumed after a series of strikes earlier today, according to security sources.

Rockets and an explosive drone targeted the US Embassy in Baghdad, triggering sirens, and an explosion was heard near the compound, according to Al Jazeera.

At least three explosive drones also targeted a US diplomatic facility near Baghdad International Airport, activating C-RAM air defence systems, the sources added.

The trip to China had been planned for months, but began to unravel as he pressured Beijing and other world powers to use military might to protect the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump said Tuesday while meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the Oval Office that he would be going to China in five or six weeks’ time instead of at the end of the month. He said he would be “resetting” his visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, without elaborating.

Soon after pressing China and other nations to send warships to secure access to Middle Eastern oil over the weekend, Trump indicated his travel plans were up in the air, though he also indicated Tuesday that the U.S. didn’t need any help after being rebuffed by other allies. (AP)

US President Donald Trump said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made the wrong choice in not supporting Washington over the war in the Middle East.

"He hasn't been supportive, and I think it's a big mistake," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "I'm disappointed with Keir, I like him, I think he's a nice man, but I'm disappointed." (AFP)

Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has lashed out at Israel after it claimed to have killed Iran’s powerful national security chief Ali Larijani, denouncing its targeting of Tehran’s leaders as “illegal”.

“Israel’s political assassinations, especially those targeting Iranian statesmen and politicians, are truly illegal activities outside the normal laws of war,” Fidan told a news conference, reported Al Jazeera.

"The assassination of Larijani was made possible thanks to valuable intelligence that Israeli intelligence services received from residents of Tehran over the past 24 hours," an Israeli official was quoted by Iran International.

"In recent days, Larijani had behaved arrogantly, appearing frequently in public (including at Quds Day rallies), engaging with both local and international media, and thereby exposing himself to public view, which ultimately led to his identification," the official said, according to Iran International.

On the US-Israel vs Iran conflict, Philipp Ackermann, German Ambassador to India, said, "We want this war to end sooner rather than later. I think we have a very strong desire to see this war end because it has a direct impact on us, and therefore, we plead for diplomatic initiatives and diplomatic means to end this war as quickly as possible. That's the way forward." (ANI)

Trump is still speaking at the White House, promising that it won’t be “too long” before ships can move freely through the Strait of Hormuz.

“We’re knocking the hell out of the coast,” he said. “It won’t be too long.”

“The Middle Eastern states, including Israel, by the way – who has been terrific – have been helping us a lot,” he added, according to Al Jazeera.

He also said rising oil and gas prices amid the US-Israel war on Iran are temporary.

“As soon as that war’s over – which will be soon – your prices are gonna drop like a rock,” he said. “You watch.”

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says he will visit countries around the Middle East to seek an end to the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Speaking in Ankara, Fidan said he will share Turkiye’s view on how to ensure a lasting peace, reported Al Jazeera.

Turkey has strongly opposed the US-Israeli war, condemning it as a violation of sovereignty and a “circle of fire” threatening regional stability.

The European Union’s top diplomat says the 27-nation bloc rejects Trump’s demand to send warships to the Straits of Hormuz.

“This is not Europe’s war. We didn’t start the war. We were not consulted,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told lawmakers on Tuesday, a day after chairing talks among the member countries about Trump’s warship demand.

“We don’t know what the objectives of this war are,” Kallas said. “The member states do not have the wish to be dragged into this.” (AP)

On an X post, PM Modi stated that he spoke to 'Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and conveyed advance Eid greetings.'

"We discussed the current situation in West Asia. Reiterated India’s strong condemnation of all attacks on the UAE that have resulted in loss of innocent lives and damage to civilian infrastructure. We agreed on the importance of ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. We will continue to work together for the early restoration of peace, security and stability in the region," stated Modi.

In response to a question about the resignation of the US National Counterterrorism Centre’s director, Joe Kent, Trump said he was “very weak on security”, reported Al Jazeera.

“When I read his statement, I thought it was a good thing he’s out, because he said Iran was not a threat,” the president continued. “Every country realized what a threat Iran was – the question was whether they wanted to do something about it.”

Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported that the country's Haj Qasem missile, which was unveiled in August 2020, is going to be launched for the first time in an operational context in the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict. The missile has a reported range of about 1200 kilometres.

After several NATO states stated they wouldn't be taking part in this conflict, US President Donald Trump said that he is "not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one way street — We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need."

"Speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!" he further stated on a post on Truth Social.

According to Marine Traffic data, a total of 15 vessels transited the strait over the past three days, including 8 dry bulk vessels, 5 tankers, and 2 LPG carriers. Around 87% were outbound transits, with many vessels taking unusual routes through Iranian territorial waters. Only 13% entered the Gulf, highlighting the continued imbalance in traffic flows.

Britain’s Government Security Group has opened an inquiry into a leak from the National Security Council’s discussions about the US using British military bases, according to an official letter from the cabinet secretary posted on social media.

The leak is related to allegations that Energy Minister Ed Miliband led calls to stop the US from using British military bases for its initial action against Iran in early March.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says that her country would have no problem hosting Iran’s matches in the 2026 World Cup, if football’s governing body FIFA agrees.

Iran’s football federation has asked FIFA to move its World Cup matches to Mexico from the United States due to concerns about the safety of its players after the US launched joint air strikes on the country, reported Al Jazeera.

Turkey on Monday condemned Israel's ground operation in Lebanon, cautioning against "another humanitarian catastrophe" unfolding in the Middle East.

"We firmly condemn the Israeli ground operation in Lebanon, which is worsening instability in the region," the ministry said in a statement.

"The implementation by the (Benjamin) Netanyahu government of genocidal and collective punishment policies, this time in Lebanon, will lead to yet another humanitarian catastrophe in the region," it said. (AFP)

Since March 2, Israeli attacks have killed 912 people in Lebanon and wounded 2,221 more, the country’s Ministry of Public Health says in its latest update, according to Al Jazeera.

According to an X post by the Indian Embassy in Qatar, "Qatar Airways operated five flights to India today. These included two flights to Delhi and one each to Mumbai, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. In total, about 1600 Indian nationals travelled on Qatar Airways flights today."

"Embassy of India, Doha continues to facilitate temporary transit visas for Saudi Arabia for stranded Indian nationals who wish to travel to India via Saudi Arabia through land route across the Salwa border. Embassy of India, Doha, will be open on all days in the coming week for consular services, including the issuance of passports. Embassy’s Control Room with its helplines, email and WhatsApp continues to function on a 24/7 basis," the Embassy stated further.

On an X post, Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated, "The Defence Army attacked rocket launch platforms and dozens of infrastructures belonging to the terrorist Hezbollah in three different areas in Lebanon.

"Just moments ago, the Defence Army raided command headquarters belonging to Hezbollah in Beirut, in addition to a number of other headquarters that were targeted during the hours of the past night in the city. Three rocket launch sites were also targeted in the Bekaa area deep in Lebanon, which Hezbollah elements use to launch rockets toward the State of Israel. Launch platforms and warehouses of combat means prepared for use by Hezbollah elements to carry out terrorist plans against the Defence Army forces and citizens of the State of Israel were also targeted," the post further stated, sharing visuals of the strikes.

Lebanon’s Army says two of its soldiers have been killed in an Israeli air strike in southern Lebanon, according to Al Jazeera.

In a post on X, it said the soldiers were attacked when they were travelling on motorcycles on the road between Zebdin and Nabatieh.

The Israeli Defence Forces, on X, stated that it has detected expanded preparations by Hezbollah to launch rocket barrages towards Israel in the coming hours. "The IDF is operating in order to thwart Hezbollah's activities."

The Lebanese Health Ministry’s emergency operations centre says one person has been killed and nine others wounded in an Israeli air strike on Beirut’s Airport Road, the country’s state-run National News Agency is reporting.

Hezbollah on Tuesday denied it had any members in Kuwait, a day after the Gulf country announced the arrest of 14 Kuwaitis and two Lebanese nationals allegedly affiliated with the group over a "sabotage plot".

"Hezbollah categorically denies the allegations and accusations issued by the Kuwaiti interior ministry," the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group said in a statement, calling the allegations "baseless" and adding: "There are no Hezbollah cells, members or networks in Kuwait." (AFP)

On an X post, Karoline Leavitt, the White House Press Secretary, stated that, "More than 60,000 American citizens have left the Middle East since President Donald Trump launched Operation Epic Fury in Iran, according to the State Department."

The UAE Ministry of Defence stated that the nation's air defence systems are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats, and said that the public is requested to adhere to security protocols.

Joe Kent, the director of the American National Counterterrorism Center announced his resignation, stating, "I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby." In a letter addressed to President Donald Trump, Kent said, "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation", and further added, "As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a video released on X, stated, "This morning we eliminated Ali Larijani. Ali Larijani is the boss of the Revolutionary Guards, which is the gang of gangsters that actually runs Iran. Alongside him, we also eliminated the commander of the Basij - these are the gangsters' assistants, who spread terror in the streets of Tehran and other cities in Iran against the population."

Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported that the Commander of the Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Brigadier General Majid Mousavi announced "We have begun a round of crushing strikes against the American-Zionist enemy in the region, and we will break the back of the arrogant powers."

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen stated that NATO is a defensive alliance and " we won't be dragged into any war of choice." Valtonen added that "There's a collective interest to have the oil flowing and also the situation to de-escalate. That's what we are calling for."

Germany’s Lufthansa Group says it has extended its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv through April 9 due to the significant air traffic restrictions in the Middle East, reported Al Jazeera.

For operational reasons, the flagship carrier has also stopped flights to Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh through April 5, though ITA Airways’ scheduled flights will continue as scheduled, it added.

Poland’s PM Tusk has said his country will not send troops to participate in the Iran war, after President Trump asked allies to help form a coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Poland’s government “does not plan any expedition to Iran, and this does not raise any doubts on the part of our allies”, Tusk said ⁠before a government meeting.

He ⁠said this covered Poland’s land, air and naval forces, which are still being built up in the face of ⁠the conflict over the border in Ukraine, according to Al Jazeera.

Spain says it has cleared the release of up to 11.5 million barrels of oil reserves over the next three months, amid growing fears of supply shortages and surging prices caused by Iran’s threats in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Al Jazeera.

The release, in ⁠line with the International Energy Agency’s effort to ⁠free up to 400 ⁠million barrels, ⁠will take place in phases, the first starting in 15 days, said Spain’s Energy Minister Sara Aagesen.

Hezbollah says it has fired a rocket salvo at a group of Israeli soldiers in the town of Khiam in southern Lebanon, according to Al Jazeera.

In a post on X, it said the Israeli soldiers were near a municipal building in the town when they were targeted.

Amidst rumours that Benjamin Netanyahu was killed, he released a video on his official X profile, wishing the people of Iran on Nowruz. "To the brave people of Iran, I wish you, as I do every year, a happy holiday season, beginning with the festival of lights, signifying age old belief of the Iranian people, that light will triumph over darkness, good over evil. Celebrate with friends and loved ones. I wish you a happy Nowruz, a year of freedom and a new beginning of hope for all of you, my dear friends."

Israeli rescue workers are “responding to reports of impact sites” after sirens in central Israel alerted to incoming Iranian missiles, The Times of Israel is reporting.

It said there have been no reports of injuries from the attack, which involved a “small number of missiles”, according to Al Jazeera.

"Over the past few weeks, 11 countries have requested Ukraine’s assistance in protecting their people from aerial attacks. Some of them have already thanked us for tangible support," stated Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on X, adding, "The Middle East escalation has profoundly changed perceptions of Ukraine not only for the Gulf but around the world. This might have surprised someone. In fact, we have been saying it for months: Ukraine is no longer only a country asking for support but a security contributor for Europe and other regions."

According to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC announced that "a new round of Operation True Promise IV began at dawn today in an impact-based and targeted manner, using super-heavy and precision-guided systems, multiple warheads with solid and liquid fuel, and suicide drones."

The Israeli military launched an air strike near Beirut's airport, in the city's southern suburbs, on Tuesday, according to state media, after several raids hit the area earlier in the day.

"Israeli warplanes launched a raid, the third today, on the southern suburbs, targeting the old airport road near the Ansar Stadium in the Burj al-Barajneh area," a short distance from Beirut International Airport, state media reported.

The Lebanese civil aviation authority, in a statement to state media, said the airport continued to operate normally and that the road leading to it remained passable. (AFP)

"The Ministry of Defence of the State of Qatar announces that the Armed Forces successfully intercepted a second wave of missile attacks, which targeted Qatar," stated the Qatari Ministry of Defence on X.

Israeli Defence Forces spokesperson Lt. Col. Ella Waweya, on X, stated that the Defence Army operates against the terrorist Hezbollah and not against the Lebanese army or Lebanese citizens. Waweya stated this in the context of five Lebanese soldiers being injured, with one succumbing to injuries, and said that, "The incident is currently under investigation."

"Missile launches from Iran again, less than an hour after the previous wave," stated Tasnim News Agency.

"The UAE air defence systems on 17th March 2026 engaged 10 ballistic missiles and 45 UAVs launched from Iran," stated the country's Ministry of Defence on X.

"Since the onset of the blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 314 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,672 UAVs," added the post.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar welcomed Albania's decision to declare the IRGC a terrorist organization. On an X post, Sa'ar stated, "I praise Albanian PM and the Parliament of Albania for the historic resolution adopted today declaring the Islamic Republic of Iran a state sponsor of terrorism. In the resolution's words: Terrorism in all its forms constitutes one of the most serious threats to democratic societies. This is yet another demonstration of the clear moral dimension in Albania's foreign policy."

Iran’s Intelligence Ministry says it has seized hundreds of Starlink systems, which can connect to the internet via a network of satellites, claiming they were smuggled into the country by the US and Israel.

In a statement cited by Iran’s Tasnim news agency, the ministry said it would continue to track down illicit Starlink systems until “all satellite internet terminals serving the enemy are fully identified”.

It added that acquiring or using Starlink systems is a “crime” that can be punished with “the severest penalties” during wartime, especially for those “connected to or acting on behalf of the enemy”, according to Al Jazeera.

Iran’s ⁠ambassador ⁠to Russia, Kazem Jalali, has denied a media ⁠report that the country’s new Supreme ⁠Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, is receiving medical treatment in Moscow, the state ‌TASS news agency is reporting.

Reports said the 56-year-old, who was ⁠reported to have been ⁠severely injured in a US-Israeli airstrike that killed his ⁠father, had been moved to ⁠Moscow for ⁠medical treatment following President Putin’s personal invitation, according to Al Jazeera.

The Kremlin declined ‌to comment on the original media report.

Albania’s Parliament adopted a resolution Tuesday declaring Iran’s Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization, with 79 lawmakers from Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party voting in favour of the measure.

The resolution also labels Iran a state sponsor of terrorism.

Taulant Balla, head of the Socialist parliamentary group, said the resolution aims to denounce state support for terrorism, the use of proxy groups for destabilization and hybrid tactics, including cyberattacks on sovereign institutions.

“For Albania, this is not just a distant geopolitical issue,” Balla said, noting it has been a target of cyberattacks.

Albania blamed Iran’s Foreign Ministry for a July 2022 cyberattack that disrupted government information technology systems and shut down online public services for several days.

Officials said the attack was likely retaliation for Albania hosting members of an Iranian opposition group. Albania’s government then severed diplomatic ties with Iran. (AP)

The Red Cross says civilians in Iran are paying “a heavy price” as the U.S.-Israel war against the Islamic Republic shows no sign of abating.

Vincent Cassard, head of the Red Cross delegation in Iran, said the war has placed “heavy strain” on Iranians.

“The heavy loss of life is alarming,” he said. “Daily life in Tehran has been profoundly disrupted.”

He said damaged schools and hospitals, as well as facilities of the Iranian Red Crescent, show “the heavy price that civilians are paying as a result of hostilities.” (AP)

In a follow-up statement regarding five soldiers being injured in Lebanon, the Lebanese army stated that one of the five succumbed to his injuries.

Iran’s Tasnim news agency, quoting the Iranian army, is reporting that Iran “targeted cyber technology centres and weapons manufacturing facilities belonging to the Israeli police”.

The report said that the army “targeted the Zionist regime’s cyber-technology centers and Rafael weapons manufacturing complex with drone attacks since this morning”, according to Al Jazeera.

Seyyed Abbas Araghchi, Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, held a phone conversation on Monday night with António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, during which they discussed and exchanged views on the latest regional developments, the continuation of U.S. and Israeli military aggression against Iran, and developments in Lebanon.

An X post by Iranian Foreign Ministry said that Araghchi pointed "to the flagrant violation of the fundamental principles and rules of the United Nations Charter and international law due to the military aggression of America and the #Zionist regime against Iran, reminded the United Nations and the Secretary-General personally of their responsibility to decisively and explicitly condemn this aggression, hold the aggressors accountable in accordance with Chapter Seven of the Charter."

Investor morale in Germany, Europe's largest economy, has plunged to its lowest level in almost a year as the Mideast war rattles market nerves, according to a ZEW survey released Tuesday.

Sentiment among investors on the future of the German economy fell 58.8 points in the past month, the survey said, leaving it at its lowest level since US President Donald Trump first imposed sweeping global tariffs last April.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva, a spokesman for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights ⁠said, “Israeli air ‌strikes have destroyed entire residential buildings in dense urban environments with multiple members ⁠of the same family, ⁠including women and children often killed together.”

“Such attacks raise ‌concerns under international humanitarian law,” Thameen al-Kheetan said, according to Al Jazeera.

Civilians ⁠are ⁠paying a heavy price as the war in Lebanon continues to ⁠expand, driving death, injuries and displacement, the UN said.

“Displacement is increasing incredibly quickly. Right now, hundreds of thousands of people have left their homes. Many are leaving with very ‌little, just the clothes they were wearing,” said the UN Humanitarian Coordinator Imran Riza, reported Al Jazeera.

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz cannot be considered in isolation because the disruption to shipping is a result of the war imposed by the US and Israel, Iran’s foreign minister said.

In a phone conversation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Araghchi said every country and international institution concerned about peace and security must condemn the US and Israel and demand an “end to their military aggression against the Iranian nation”, according to Iran’s semiofficial Tasnim news agency.

In a statement by the foreign ministry, the United Arab Emirates categorically "rejected any justifications offered by the Iranian government for its aggressive escalation against countries in the region, stressing that these justifications are merely attempts to mislead the international community and legitimize its treacherous and illegal attacks on the UAE and other countries in the region.

The UAE further stated that targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure constitutes a grave violation of the principles of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and undermines international efforts to establish security and stability in the region.

The statement was delivered by Jamal Al Musharakh, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva.

The Israeli military said Tuesday it targeted Akram al-Ajouri, head of the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, in a strike in Iran.

"We conducted a strike against Akram al-Ajouri," a military official told reporters during a briefing, adding that the "senior commander in the Islamic Jihad of Gaza" had been living in Iran and had not been confirmed killed.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas backed by Iran that is active in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, took part in its ally's unprecedented October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.

In the inter-ministerial briefing on the West Asia situation, the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "Our External Affairs Minister visited Brussels. He was invited by the EU High Representative and Vice President, Kaja Kallas, to attend the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting. At the meeting, apart from discussing India-EU ties, he and other ministers of the European Union, foreign ministers of the various countries of the EU, discussed global challenges, particularly the situation in West Asia, including its effects on energy security. The ministers also underlined the need for dialogue and diplomacy to be drafted to bring an early end to this particular conflict."

Iran’s President Pezeshkian has called on Tehran residents to attend the funerals of 84 sailors who were killed when the Iranian Navy’s IRIS Dena was sunk by a US torpedo off the coast of Sri Lanka earlier this month.

In a message carried by the Tasnim news agency, Pezeshkian said Iran’s enemies “should know that in the shadow of the name of each of these high-ranking martyrs, thousands of other brave men will rise”, according to a report in Al Jazeera.

"All our sailors and ships are safe in the Gulf region. In the last 24 hours, 161 Indian sailors have been repatriated and brought back to India after signing off in the Gulf region," stated a Shipping Ministry spokesperson.

According to intelligence data company Kpler, "GPS interference in and around the Strait of Hormuz has continued to rise since the crisis began, suggesting a persistent and geographically dispersed campaign of electronic disruption."

Kpler stated that, "This interference is triggering false AIS positioning, causing ships to appear in locations where they are not. For operators and analysts, that means greater uncertainty around vessel tracking, maritime safety and the reliability of situational awareness in one of the world’s most strategically significant waterways," sharing a visual of ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, with signal spoofing.

Wishing the people of Iran on the Festival of Fire (Charshanbeh Suri), Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated, "May this festival, which is a unique and ancient tradition of your people, bring with it best wishes, warmth, and happiness, and change that you so well deserve. You deserve better, you deserve better, you deserve good. I hope this Charshanbeh Suri will bring with it reak change in the region, Iran, and a change in the future of our children."

Israel’s Defence Minister Katz has delivered a televised statement after claiming Israel assassinated Iran’s top security chief Larijani and Basij force commander Soleimani.

“The leaders of the regime are being killed and their capabilities terminated,” said Katz, according to Al Jazeera.

“Our army is working with strength to continue to hit and terminate the missile capabilities as well as the strategic infrastructure.”

Israel claimed that it targeted Iranian security chief Larijani, but minutes after that, there was an X post from his account, paying tribute to fallen navy personnel. Larijani's X account shared a handwritten note, with the caption, "On the occasion of the funeral ceremony for the valiant martyrs of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Navy: Their memory will forever remain in the heart of the Iranian nation, and these martyrdoms will strengthen the foundation of the Islamic Republic's Army for years to come within the structure of the armed forces. I beseech the Almighty God for the highest ranks for these dear martyrs. (SIC)"

In an inter-ministerial briefing, a spokesperson from the Ministry of Petroleum stated that India has adequate crude oil inventories and no dry out at any retail outlet. The spokesperson further stated, "LPG supplies to domestic consumers have been prioritised. The sale of commercial LPG cylinders, which was initially curtailed to prioritize domestic LPG supply, has been partially restored. More than 12000 raids to prevent black marketing and more than 15000 cylinders seized."

Lebanon's army said five of its soldiers were hurt after the Tuesday morning airstrike on the village of Kfar Sir.

Two of the five soldiers were seriously wounded.

The army said the troops were hurt while travelling in a car and a motorcycle. They were all taken to the hospital for treatment.

An Israeli military spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, stated on X that, "The Air Force raided yesterday (Monday) in the Kfara area in southern Lebanon on a vast underground terrorist infrastructure that was being used to store a stockpile of combat means, including cruise missiles and hundreds of rocket projectiles."

Sharing visuals of the bombing, he also stated, "Since the beginning of the week, command centres and terrorist infrastructures in Beirut have been targeted, which Hezbollah was using to plan and execute numerous terrorist plots against the Israel Defence Forces and the State of Israel."

On an X post, the Russian Foreign Minister stated that "Those who launched strikes on Iran believed it would be subdued within 24 hours. They now know how seriously they were mistaken. We call to end the hostilities & return to the negotiating table, if talks have any credibility left. (SIC)"

Israel targeted Iran's powerful national security chief Ali Larijani in an overnight strike, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.

Public broadcaster Kan said that Larijani was the "target of an assassination attempt", while television station N12 reported the results of the strike were "still being reviewed".

There was no official confirmation from Israeli officials. Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir said "significant preventive achievements were recorded overnight" in a statement released by the military.

As tensions rise in the Middle East, a new report from the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission highlights the growing partnership between China and Iran.

According to the report, this relationship has become a key part of an informal “Axis of Autocracy,” a group that also includes Russia and North Korea. These countries are working together more closely to challenge U.S. influence around the world and to promote their own style of government, which favours authoritarian rule over democratic norms.

China has become Iran’s main economic supporter, buying about 90 per cent of the oil that Iran sells abroad. Just in 2025, this trade gave Tehran around USD 31.2 billion—making up nearly half of Iran’s government budget and helping fund its military activities in the region. To get around international restrictions, China and Iran use an elaborate network of old tankers and front companies—many based in Hong Kong—to move money and carry out transactions that would otherwise be blocked.

Israel targeted Iran's powerful national security chief Ali Larijani in an overnight strike, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.

Public broadcaster Kan said that Larijani was the "target of an assassination attempt", while television station N12 reported the results of the strike were "still being reviewed".

There was no official confirmation from Israeli officials. Israel's military chief Eyal Zamir said "significant preventive achievements were recorded overnight" in a statement released by the military.

The UN on Tuesday urged Israel to immediately halt its dramatic settlement expansion in the West Bank, raising concerns of "ethnic cleansing" with over 36,000 Palestinians displaced in a single year.

"The displacement of more than 36,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank (over a 12-month period) represented the mass expulsion of Palestinians on a scale previously unseen... (and) appears to indicate a concerted Israeli policy of mass forcible transfer throughout the occupied territory, aimed at permanent displacement, raising concerns of ethnic cleansing," the United Nations rights office said in a report.

China said on Tuesday it will provide humanitarian assistance to Middle Eastern countries, including Iran and Lebanon, targeted in US and Israeli strikes in the now three-week conflict.

"China has decided to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq. It is hoped this will help alleviate the humanitarian plight faced by the local populations," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a press conference. (AFP).

Iran and Iraq are holding talks about allowing transit of Iraq’s oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdul-Ghani said Tuesday. The comments were carried by the country’s state-run Iraq News Agency.

The war and the virtual closure of the strait have severely impacted Iraq, where the economy depends overwhelmingly on oil. The news agency said Iraq’s oil production has been reduced to 1.2 million barrels daily, down from 4.3 million barrels daily prior to the war. (AP).

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday their forces had arrested 10 "foreign spies" as the war with Israel and the United States continued.

"Ten mercenary, treacherous elements were identified and arrested," the Guards' intelligence organisation in the northeastern Razavi Khorasan province said, according to ISNA news agency, without identifying their nationalities. The Guards said four among them were gathering information "on sensitive sites and economic infrastructure," while others were linked to a "monarchist terrorist group." (AFP).

The Israeli military says it conducted a “combined wave of strikes” against infrastructure in Tehran, Shiraz and Tabriz on Monday.

The military says the strikes in Tehran hit command centres, launch sites and air defence systems. In Shiraz, the internal security forces’ command centre and a ballistic missile site were hit. In Tabriz, the strikes “dismantled” additional air defence systems, the military says. (AP).

China said on Tuesday it had "noted" clarifications from the United States about the reasons for a possible delay to a planned visit to Beijing by US President Donald Trump.

"We have noted that the US side has publicly clarified these false reports by the media, stating that the relevant reports are completely wrong, and emphasised that the visit has nothing to do with the issue of the open navigation of the Strait of Hormuz," foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said during a regular news briefing. (AFP).

Loud explosions shook Iran's capital on Tuesday, an AFP journalist said, after a night of bombing in the war with the United States and Israel. It was not immediately clear what the targets were, but the blasts were heard in Tehran city centre, and followed a night of heavy explosions mixed with thunder and rain across the city, the reporter said. (AFP).

Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani, Iran’s ambassador in Turkmenistan, says it will defend the Strait of Hormuz and called for U.S. forces to withdraw. “I have a proposal for Trump: if he wants stability and passage through the Strait of Hormuz, he must ensure that his military forces withdraw from the strait,” the ambassador said in Ashgabat on Monday.

“The Strait of Hormuz is not currently closed. But as a result of this aggression, no ships can pass through the strait, and we will defend its stability and security,” he said. The ambassador added that U.S. and Israeli forces “have other targets in the region.”

“They’ve targeted water treatment plants, fuel storage facilities, and other facilities. These ongoing threats must end,” he said. (AP).

South Korea says 26 of its vessels and 183 crewmembers remain in waters around the Strait of Hormuz. Park Il, spokesperson of South Korea’s Foreign Ministry, said Tuesday that officials are in close contact with port authorities in nearby countries to facilitate the provision of food and other supplies.

Park said they plan to take unspecified additional steps if the situation worsens. South Korea has been cautious about discussing support for U.S. efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump urged several governments, including Seoul, to deploy naval assets.

“The government will maintain close communication with the U.S. side and conduct a close and careful review of the issue, taking into account various factors and the changing regional situation,” Park said. (AP).

The speaker of Iran’s parliament told Iranian state television that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be “as it was before” as Iranian fire keeps nearly all traffic out of the strategic waterway. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made the comment in an interview aired Tuesday as Iranian fire continues to target shipping in the region.

“They are flying, launching missiles, should we just sit back and do nothing in response, or not? Naturally, it is our undeniable right. We must do this,” Qalibaf said. “Certainly, from now on, with the interventions that have taken place, the strait can no longer be, from a legal standpoint and in terms of transit, as it was before,” Qalibaf said. “It no longer has the necessary security. It does not have the necessary security.”

The Strait typically sees 20% of all oil and natural gas traded pass through it. (AP).

Mehdi Taj, President of the Iranian Football Federation, on Tuesday said that Tehran is negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran's matches for the upcoming Football World Cup in Mexico. In a statement posted on the X handle of the Iranian Embassy in Mexico, he said," When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America/We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran's matches in the World Cup in Mexico."

Australian and New Zealand government ministers agree the Middle East war should end as quickly as possible. Australian and New Zealand foreign and defense ministers met for annual talks Tuesday in Australia’s capital Canberra.

“We discussed the escalating situation in the Middle East. We want this crisis to end as quickly possible and move to a negotiated solution,” New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters told reporters at a joint press conference after the meeting. (AP).

The price of oil jumped more than five percent Tuesday as several countries pushed back against Donald Trump's demand that they help secure the key Strait of Hormuz, while Iran targeted crude-producing neighbours.

At around 0615 GMT, US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was up 5.16 per cent at $98.32 a barrel while Brent Crude also rose above five per cent before easing back. (AFP).

Kuwaiti security forces arrested 16 people suspected of having links with Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant group allied with Iran, the state-run Kuwait News Agency reported. The interior ministry said in a statement late Monday that the 14 Kuwaiti and two Lebanese suspects sought to “create chaos, and disrupt public order,” during the war, the agency reported.

The ministry did not identify the people arrested. It was not immediately clear if they had lawyers. It said authorities found firearms, ammunition, weapons for training and assassinations, and encrypted communication devices and drones. The ministry said the suspects aimed to recruit others to join Hezbollah. Kuwait has, for years, experienced attacks that authorities linked to Iran. (AP).

The head of the International Maritime Organisation has said that naval escorts through the Strait of Hormuz will not "100 per cent guarantee" the safety of ships attempting to transit the waterway, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

Military assistance was "not a long-term or sustainable solution" to opening up the strait, Arsenio Dominguez was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

In Iran’s capital, Tehran, witnesses heard airstrikes in the night even as heavy rain and a thunderstorm swept across the area. (AP).

Falling shrapnel from an intercepted missile killed a Pakistani national in Abu Dhabi, the government media office said Tuesday.

The incident took place in the Bani Yas area "following the interception of a ballistic missile by air defences", the Abu Dhabi Media Office said.

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday issued a strong statement condemning the recent escalation of violence in the Middle East, blaming the United States and Israel for what it described as a "treacherous and unprovoked attack on Iran" and calling for an immediate end to hostilities.

The ministry accused Washington and Tel Aviv of instigating an "unprecedented spiral of violence" that has caused extensive civilian casualties and widespread damage to infrastructure across the region.

A fire broke out in an industrial area on Tuesday morning in Qatar after a missile was intercepted over the gas-rich country, the interior ministry said.

The spokesman for Kuwait’s National Guard said armed forces took down the drone in line with “ongoing efforts to enhance security, protect vital sites and confront any potential threats,” Al Jazeera reported.

Three explosions echoed across Dubai after a missile alert early on Tuesday, according to an AFP correspondent. The blasts followed a mobile phone alert to residents to "immediately seek a safe place" over "potential missile threats". (AFP).

Iran has dismissed as a “pure lie” a report claiming that Iran has sought communication with the US in recent days, Tasnim news agency reported, quoting informed sources. The informed Iranian official told Tasnim that the claim by the media outlet Axios that Tehran has recently sought communication with Washington is false and unrealistic.

France is running low on MICA air-to-air missiles as its Rafale fighter jets continue intercepting Iranian drones over the United Arab Emirates, Turkish news agency Anadolu reported citing French media reports. The high tempo of operations has significantly reduced available stocks, raising concerns within defense circles, the La Tribune said.

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced that air navigation has returned to normal across the UAE’s airspace, following the stabilisation of the situation and the lifting of the temporary precautionary measures that had been implemented, state news agency WAM reported.

The Authority confirmed that the decision was taken after a comprehensive assessment of operational and security conditions, and in coordination with relevant authorities, emphasising that continuous real-time monitoring remains in place to ensure the highest levels of safety of air navigation.

Several explosions were heard in Doha on Tuesday, an AFP journalist said, a day after several blasts resounded across the Qatari capital. Qatar, like several Gulf nations, has been targeted by drones and missiles in recent days as Tehran presses a retaliatory campaign over attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran.

Iranian Navy commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani on Tuesday said that it will retaliate against the killing of at least 87 sailors off Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean, Press TV reported. “We will not forget the enemy’s crime, and we will exact retribution for the blood of our martyrs,” Irani was quoted as saying by Iran’s English-language news channel Press TV.

“The enemy should know that we will punish it with deadly strikes from where it least expects,” he said. “Although today we mourn our loved ones, by the grace of God, we have brought the enemy to its knees,” he added. On March 4, a US submarine sank the Iranian Navy’s IRIS Dena vessel in international waters off the coast of Galle in Sri Lanka, while sailing back to Iran after participating in a joint navy exercise with India.

Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, has been texting Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, asking to start talks, US media outlet Dropsitenews reported, citing Iranian officials. Tehran, in its response, said the war will end only when Iran believes it has established long-term deterrence.

Drop Site quoting two Iranian officials reported that Trump’s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff personally sent messages to officials in Tehran, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, last week exploring possibilities for resuming negotiations. Iran has not replied to Witkoff. The Iranian officials told Drop Site that Iran has also received messages from the White House via third countries. However, White House dismissed the report as fake news.

Footage released Tuesday by a pro-Iran Shiite militia in Iraq appears to show the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, one of the country’s most-secure facilities. The footage came from Saraya Awliya al-Dam, or “Companies of the Guardians of Blood,” a group that has claimed several attacks since the start of the Iran war.

The footage, dated Monday and shot from a quadcopter, showed the drone swooping over the complex. Details of the facility in the footage, including an American flag at the compound, corresponded to satellite pictures and known features of the complex.

The footage ends without showing any attack by the drone. This marks the second “first-person-view” drone footage coming from militias in Iraq during the war. The first was an attack on an American facility at Baghdad International Airport. Such footage has become common in Russia’s yearslong war on Ukraine. (AP).

A tanker anchored off the UAE’s eastern coat was hit by a projectile early Tuesday morning as the nation came under several waves of Iranian attacks. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, run by the British military, reported the attack, saying the vessel was in the Gulf of Oman off Fujairah.

It said the tanker sustained “minor structural damage” and no one was hurt. Since the Iran war started, some 20 vessels in the region have come under attack as Iranian fire effectively halts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all oil and natural gas traded passes.

Israeli attacks in Iran's Arak killed a family of four, including a 3-day-old baby and a 2-year-old girl, Iran said. In a post on X, the Iranian Embassy in the Netherlands said, "Horrific news from #Arak: #US & Israeli attacks killed a family of four today, including a 3-day-old baby and a 2-year-old girl. Innocent lives lost. Innocent dreams destroyed."

Lebanese state media said Tuesday that Israel carried out dawn airstrikes on three Beirut neighbourhoods, hitting a residential building.

"A series of raids and artillery shelling targeted southern towns at dawn," Lebanon's National News Agency reported.

"Israeli warplanes carried out two airstrikes targeting the Kafaat and Haret Hreik areas. In another raid, the aircraft struck a residential apartment on the upper floors of a building located at the end of Venice Street in the Doha Aramoun area." (AFP).

The state-run WAM news agency said a drone attack again sparked a fire in an oil tank farm in Fujairah, a UAE emirate that repeatedly has been targeted on the country’s east coast with the Gulf of Oman. It said no one had been injured in the blast. (AP).

Israel’s emergency services said no casualties or missile impacts were known to have occurred in the latest launch of missiles from Iran early on Tuesday. (AP).

Shortly after reopening the UAE’s airspace, authorities sent a missile warning alert to people in Dubai. The sound of explosions could be heard in Dubai as the military worked to intercept the incoming fire. (AP).

Sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and to its north as Israel’s military said early Tuesday morning its air defences were working to intercept a second launch of missiles from Iran.

Israel’s emergency services said no casualties or missile impacts were known to have occurred in the latest launch of missiles from Iran early on Tuesday. (AP).

A strike on a house in Baghdad killed four people early Tuesday, two Iraqi security officials said, with initial reports suggesting that two of those killed are Iranian advisors. Another source from an Iran-backed faction confirmed that four people were killed in the strike on a house hosting Iranian advisors in the al-Jadiriyah neighbourhood.

The sources were revising an earlier death toll of two. (AFP).

Amid rumours related to his status, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday extended greetings to the people of Iran on the holiday season, expressing hope for the triumph of good over evil amid ongoing regional tensions. In a video message shared on X, Netanyahu said, "To the brave people of Iran, I wish you, as I do every year, a happy holiday season, beginning with the Festival of Lights. It signifies the age-old belief of the Iranian people that light will triumph over darkness, that good will triumph over evil."

A drop in oil prices on Monday helped send the U.S. stock market to its best day since the war in Iran began. The S&P 500 climbed 1% for its biggest gain in five weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 387 points, or 0.8%, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 1.2%.

The driver for markets once again was the price of oil. A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude fell 5.3% to settle at $93.50, easing some pressure off the economy after topping $102 earlier in the morning. Brent crude, the international standard, fell 2.8% to $100.21 per barrel after earlier getting as high as $106.50.

It’s a reprieve, for now at least, after oil prices spiked from roughly $70 before the United States and Israel began their attacks on Iran. In response, Iran has nearly halted traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world’s oil typically sails from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide. That has oil producers cutting production because their crude has nowhere to go. Read more...

Israel's military said on Tuesday that missiles launched from Iran were heading towards its territory, calling on people in affected areas to head to shelters. "A short while ago, the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the military posted on Telegram. (AFP).

Israel's army said Tuesday it had launched a "wide-scale wave of strikes" in the Iranian capital, Tehran, as well as strikes against Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

"The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) has begun a wide-scale wave of strikes against the Iranian terror regime infrastructure across Tehran," the military posted on Telegram.

"Additionally, the IDF has begun an additional wave of strikes on Hezbollah terror infrastructure in Beirut." (AFP).

A fresh drone and rocket attack targeted the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday, a security official said. An AFP journalist reported seeing black smoke rising after an explosion in the embassy complex, as well as air defences intercepting another drone.

The security official said that "three drones and four rockets attacked the embassy, with at least one drone crashing inside it." Hours earlier, air defences thwarted a rocket attack at the embassy. (AFP).