US-Israel-Iran War LIVE: Trump Says Considering 'Winding Down' Iran War But Rules Out Ceasefire

The US-Israel-Iran war entered its 21st day on Friday, with fears growing across the region as there are no signs of slowing down of hostilities. A day after Israel struck Iran's vital South Pars gas field, the world's largest, its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Iran is being "decimated" and has lost its ability to produce key weapons, even as Tehran has intensified its response, launching fresh strikes targeting energy facilities and warning of even stronger retaliation if its infrastructure is hit again.

Late Thursday night, Iran fired multiple rounds of missiles towards Israel, with blasts heard over Jerusalem and damage reported in parts of Haifa, though no casualties were confirmed. The attacks came hours after Netanyahu asserted that Israel, along with the United States under President Donald Trump, was "winning" the war and that it could end sooner than expected.

Meanwhile, heavy explosions were reported in Dubai early Friday as air defences intercepted incoming fire over the city, where people were observing Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States was considering "winding down" military operations against Iran but was not seeking a ceasefire with the Islamic republic, according to AFP.

Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei meanwhile claimed in a message to mark the first day of the Persian New Year to have delivered a "dizzying blow" to enemies in the three-week-old Middle East war.

Fresh blasts hit Tehran on Friday and Israel accused Iran of attacking holy sites in Jerusalem after a strike left a crater in the Old City near the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Western Wall and Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

On Wall Street, stocks ended sharply lower after oil prices shot up on fears that lengthy supply disruptions could lead to a global economic downturn.

All three major indices were firmly in the red, with the broad-based S&P 500 down 1.5 percent and the price of Brent crude, the international benchmark, rising 3.3 percent to $112.19 per barrel.

Turkey lashed out at Israel meanwhile, for striking Syrian army camps in southern Syria, calling it a "dangerous escalation" and urging the international community to intervene.

Syria has so far avoided being dragged into the regional war that began on February 28 when Israel and the United States began striking Iran, which has hit back by firing ballistic missiles and drones at countries across the region.

Lebanon has also been targeted by Israeli airstrikes against Iranian ally Hezbollah, which have left more than 1,000 people dead according to the Lebanese health ministry.

International Rescue Committee President David Miliband said the Iran war “has explosive consequences globally, and it is the world’s most vulnerable who risk paying the highest price.”

According to Associated Press, the former UK foreign minister warned that the war is creating a surge in humanitarian needs, pointing to over one million people displaced in Lebanon in the past few weeks. The war has also created economic shock waves with food, fuel and fertiliser markets disrupted, Miliband said. He said up to 30% of the fertiliser trade is at risk, which could threaten more than 300 million people now facing acute food insecurity.

Miliband said the war is adding to more than 60 other conflicts, taking attention and funding away from crises in Gaza, Sudan and elsewhere.

US defence officials have told The Associated Press that a sizable number of Patriot air defence interceptor missiles have moved from Europe to the Middle East as Washington diverts resources toward its war in Iran.

Two officials say this leaves concerning gaps in Europe’s air defences against Russia. A third said there is still “plenty” of capacity in NATO to defend Europe. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.

Asked to comment on the missiles being moved, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to AP: “The US military has more than enough munitions, ammo, and weapons stockpiles to achieve the goals of Operation Epic Fury laid out by President Trump — and beyond.”

The president said as he prepared to leave the White House that Iran “from a military standpoint, they’re finished” but they’re “clogging up” the Strait of Hormuz, according to AP.

Trump said it would be a “simple military manoeuvre” to keep the vital shipping lane open but it requires help, which he described as “ships” and “volume.” He said, “it would be nice” if the countries that rely on the strait would get involved in helping to keep it open.

Since becoming defence secretary, Pete Hegseth has found no shortage of ways to bring his strand of conservative evangelicalism into the Pentagon. From employee worship services to speeches and interviews, he often argues the U.S. is a Christian nation, and troops should embrace God.

Now Hegseth’s Christian rhetoric has taken on new meaning after the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran, an Islamic theocracy. “The mullahs are desperate and scrambling,” he said at a recent Pentagon press briefing, referring to Iran’s Shiite Muslim clerics. He later recited Psalm 144, a passage of Scripture that Jews and Christians share: “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war and my fingers for battle.”(AP)

US President Donald Trump said the US could end Iran's military operations “right now” but chose not to allow Tehran to rebuild its military capabilities. “That’s not an acceptable situation,” Trump told MS Now.

He added, “If we left right now, it would take them at least 10 years to rebuild, but rebuild they will.” According to him, if the US stays longer, Iran can never rebuild. Trump’s comments came after multiple media houses reported that the Pentagon is sending up to 2,500 more Marines to the Middle East from San Diego. Trump said in the Oval Office that he would not put boots on the ground in Iran.

US President Donald Trump on Friday ruled out reaching a ceasefire agreement with Iran, saying Washington has the upper hand in the three-week-old war, according to AFP.

"I don't want to do a ceasefire. You know you don't do a ceasefire when you're literally obliterating the other side," Trump told journalists at the White House.

Turkey on Friday lashed out at Israel for striking army camps in southern Syria, urging the international community to intervene, according to AFP.

"We view Israel's attack targeting military infrastructure in southern Syria as a dangerous escalation and strongly condemn it," a foreign ministry statement said, urging the international community "to stop the Israeli attacks".

Syria has so far avoided being dragged into the regional war that began on February 28 when Israel and the United States began striking Iran, which has hit back by firing ballistic missiles and drones at countries across the region.

But on Friday, Israel's military said it had struck Syrian army camps in response to what it called attacks against the Druze community in the southern Sweida province. Since the war began, Turkey has repeatedly accused Israel of pursuing an "expansionist policy" and seeking to drag other nations into the war.

Lebanon was pulled into the conflict on March 2 when Iran-backed Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, with Israel hitting back with a sustained bombing campaign that has killed more than 1,000 people and displaced over a million.

Iran threatened to target recreational and tourist sites worldwide and insisted it was still building missiles, according to Associated Press. Its supreme leader issued another defiant statement on Friday, nearly three weeks into US-Israeli strikes that have killed a slew of Tehran's top leaders and hammered its weapons and energy industries.

The United States was meanwhile deploying three more warships and roughly 2,500 additional Marines to the Middle East, a US official told The Associated Press. Iran fired on Israel and energy sites in neighbouring Gulf Arab states as many in the region marked one of the holiest days on the Muslim calendar. Iranians were also celebrating the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally festive holiday that is more subdued this year.

With little information coming out of Iran, it was not clear how much damage its arms, nuclear or energy facilities have sustained since the war began on February 28 or even who was truly in charge of the country. But Iran has shown it is still capable of attacks that are choking off oil supplies and denting the global economy, raising food and fuel prices far beyond the Middle East. Read more...

Hours after Israel killed the top commander of Iran’s Basij this week, it struck again — this time at the rank and file of the feared force that helped crush widespread protests this year, according to AP. A drone blasted one of the Basij’s many temporary roadblocks erected around the capital, Tehran.

Israel and the U.S. say they aim to break the Islamic Republic’s tools of domestic control in their campaign of bombardment, now nearly three weeks old. Since the war began, monitors estimate that up to a third of strikes have targeted the top echelons and major bases of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its Basij volunteers, who are tasked with enforcing loyalty to Iran’s theocratic rulers.

But the Basij, police and Revolutionary Guard have maintained their grip, and there has been no sign yet of Iranians heeding U.S. and Israeli calls to rise up, as many seek refuge from the airstrikes and uncertainty.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Friday that 20 deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, and that 57 more people were wounded, raising the total injured to 2,641, according to AP.

Israel renewed its offensive in Lebanon after Iran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel, two days after the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran triggered the widening war. Israel has since ordered evacuations from large parts of Lebanon, displacing more than 1 million people.

The U.N. refugee agency said last week that more than 3.2 million people inside Iran have been displaced as U.S. and Israeli airstrikes target Tehran and other major cities. And on Thursday, the U.N. migration agency said more than 80,000 people had fled to neighbouring countries, mostly Afghanistan.

Captain Tim Hawkins, the spokesman for U.S. Central Command, told The Associated Press that 232 service members have been injured in the Middle East, according to Associated Press. That’s 30 more than a previous military tally of roughly 200 from Monday.

Hawkins said 207 of the 232 injured have already returned to duty. The number of service members who are considered seriously wounded has remained at 10. Since the war in Iran began, 13 U.S. service members have been killed.

British ministers have agreed to allow the U.S. military to use the U.K.'s bases in operations to prevent Iran from attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Associated Press.

In a statement, No. 10 Downing Street said ministers met Friday afternoon and “confirmed that the agreement for the U.S. to use U.K. bases in the collective self-defence of the region includes U.S. defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.”

The statement follows President Donald Trump’s labelling of NATO partners as 'cowards' for not directly joining operations to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer allowed the U.S. to use U.K. bases in the region for defensive operations a few days after the start of the war on Feb. 28, when Iran started launching missiles and drones around the Middle East, notably those on the other side of the Persian Gulf. Under that agreement, U.S. armed forces could use the bases to target Iran’s missiles and missile facilities.

The United States could "take out" Iran's Kharg island whenever it wanted, the White House said on Friday, after a report that President Donald Trump's administration was considering plans to occupy or blockade the oil hub, reports AFP.

Axios reported that Trump was mulling an operation against Kharg to pressure the Islamic republic to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial shipping lane that Tehran has largely blocked.

The United States is at the same time deploying additional Marines to the Middle East, US media reported, possibly signaling a coming ground operation three weeks into the US-Israeli campaign.

"The United States Military can take out Kharg Island at any time if the President gives the order," White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly wrote in a statement to AFP when asked about the Axios report.

"Thanks to a detailed planning process, the entire administration is and was prepared for any potential action taken by the terrorist Iranian regime," added Kelly.

"President Trump knew full well that Iran would try to stop the freedom of navigation and free flow of energy, and he has already taken action to destroy over 40 minelaying vessels."

An effective Iranian blockade has paralyzed commercial shipping through the crucial maritime chokepoint, contributing to the spike in global oil prices since the start of the war on February 28. Read more...

Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has hit out at the United States' communication regarding the ongoing regional conflict, comparing Washington's official updates to the discredited briefings of the Vietnam War era.
The Foreign Minister accused American officials of presenting an overly optimistic narrative that fails to align with the actual situation on the ground. Araghchi remarked that US messaging currently echoes the Vietnam War-era "Five O'Clock Follies," suggesting a systematic misrepresentation of military progress, according to ANI.

He was referring to the daily US military press briefings in Vietnam in the 1960s, claiming America's win even after the death of its 50,000 soldiers. This critique comes as Washington maintains that its recent operations have significantly degraded Iranian military capabilities. However, Araghchi challenged these claims, noting that while US authorities assert that Iran's air defences and navy have been neutralised, recent tactical developments suggest a different reality.

Pointing to specific incidents to support his argument, the Foreign Minister highlighted reports of an F-35 being hit and the strategic movements of the USS Gerald Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln. According to Araghchi, these events indicate that the conflict is far from the one-sided victory portrayed by the West.

NATO's mission in Iraq has been fully relocated to Europe because of the Middle East war, the alliance said, with the last staff from a non-combat force of several hundred leaving the country on Friday, according to AFP.

The mission was in an Iraqi military base in Baghdad's Green Zone near the US embassy, which has been targeted several times since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran three weeks ago.

A statement from the alliance's European command said: "NATO Mission Iraq has adjusted its posture, safely relocating all its personnel from the Middle East to Europe."

NATO's mission in Iraq provides assistance, advice and training to the Iraqi security forces involved in counter‑jihadist operations, aiming in particular to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State (IS) militant group.

The mission will continue to operate from NATO's regional command in the Italian city of Naples, the alliance said.

General Alexus Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, offered thanks to the Iraqi government and allies "who assisted in the safe relocation of NATO personnel from Iraq."

"I would also like to thank the dedicated men and women of NATO Mission Iraq, who continued their mission throughout this period. They are true professionals," he said.

NATO said earlier Friday it was "adjusting" its mission in Iraq, with a French military source confirming the force was being temporarily relocated because of the regional war. Read more...

US President Donald Trump said the US was doing well in the Iran war and destroyed the navy of that country. "We are doing extremely well in Iran. The difference between them and us is that they had a Navy two weeks ago but they have no Navy now. It's all at the bottom of the sea, 58 ships knocked down in 2 days... We are not going to let them have nuclear weapons because if they had them, they are going to use them and we are not going to let that happen," Trump said.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei on Friday said that Iranians had dealt a "dizzying blow" to the country's enemies during the war with Israel and the United States, according to AFP.

By showing unity and resolve, Iranians had "dealt him (the enemy) a dizzying blow so that he now starts uttering contradictory words and nonsense," Khamenei said in a written message for Persian New Year.

He also said Iran and allied forces in the region were "in no way" behind attacks on Oman and Turkey during the war, instead blaming "deception by the Zionist enemy" in reference to Israel.

In his Nowruz, New Year for Iranians, message, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country does not seek war with its neighbours, and reiterating that it does not wish to acquire nuclear weapons, According to the country's media.

“Our difficulties are the result of the interference of enemies. Our dear neighbours who surround us, you are our brothers… We have come to resolve all these differences with you,” he said.

According to him, Iran proposed that “to establish peace and stability in the region, a regional security structure be formed from Islamic countries”. “We do not need the presence of outsiders in the region.”

President Donald Trump lashed out at the NATO allies on ‌Friday ⁠over ⁠their lack of support for the US-Israel war ⁠against Iran, ‌calling the longtime ⁠US allies "cowards."

"Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER! They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices. So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!" Trump ‌said in a social media post. Trump has ‌been calling ⁠for ⁠major U.S. allies and others, none of which were consulted or advised on the war, to help secure the safety of shipping through the Iran-controlled Strait of Hormuz. The conflict has roiled global markets, killed thousands and displaced millions since U.S.-Israel strikes began on Feb. 28.

The United States and Australia’s political tug of war against Iran over the fates of seven members of the Iranian women’s soccer squad appears to have ended with the depleted team returning home, minus the two players who defected last week, reports AP.

Critics now say politics trumped concern for the women’s best interests as the drama played out. The evidence is that of seven Iranian women who initially accepted asylum in Australia, five changed their minds within days and returned to the team for reasons undisclosed. Iranian media showed them wearing head coverings as they signed soccer balls Thursday during a welcome home ceremony in Tehran.

“We ended up with an outcome that is certainly far from ideal,” said Graham Thom, advocacy coordinator for the Refugee Council of Australia, a nonprofit umbrella organization representing asylum-seekers. “Hopefully the two who are remaining get the protection they need, but we just hope that those who have returned are also safe.”

Hezbollah’s statement on Friday came a day after authorities in the oil-rich country said they dismantled a “terrorist network” working undercover, reports AP. UAE state media reported that authorities detained members of an Iran-backed network involved in money laundering and financing terrorism.

Hezbollah called the allegations a “baseless” attempt to harm its image, and said it has no presence in the Emirates. Earlier Friday, Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry condemned “the terrorist plot targeting the United Arab Emirates.” The statement noted that the Lebanese government declared on March 2 that all military and security activities by Hezbollah are illegal.

A British naval expert says it’s “fanciful” to try to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while fighting still rages., according tp AP. Trump has criticized other countries for failing to send naval ships to unblock the key oil route, which has been effectively shut by Iran. But Retired Royal Navy Commodore Steve Prest said Friday that “the idea that you could force the strait, even with significant warships and firepower, against a determined enemy … is fanciful.”

Prest, an associate fellow at defense think-tank RUSI, said it’s necessary to degrade Iran’s ability to use missiles, drones, attack craft and mines “to bring the risks down to a tolerable level, even before you start sending warships through the strait.”

To restore shipping, “you have to come to a ceasefire. The fighting has to stop and then you can create the necessary conditions of security,” he said.

Asked about Trump’s plans for the additional troops, and reports that the administration is considering plans to occupy or blockade Kharg Island, a White House official said that Trump has said he has “no plans” to send troops into Iran, but retains all options and does not broadcast his military strategy.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said the U.S. military could “take out Kharg Island at any time.”(AP)

A strike hit near Jerusalem’s Old City on Friday, close to the hilltop compound home to religious sites revered by Jews and Muslims, marking the danger facing holy sites, reports AP.

Israel’s military said it was Iranian missile fragments that smashed into a gate on a path toward the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock compound, less than 500 meters away.

The wall and hilltop compound is where Jews believe the ancient biblical temples once stood and Muslims believe Muhammad ascended to heaven. Shrapnel also fell nearby on Monday.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei praised Iranians’ steadfastness in the face of war, saying that U.S. and Israeli attacks were based on an illusion that by killing top leaders they could cause the overthrow of the government, reports AP.

Khamenei’s written statement marking the Persian New Year, Nowruz, was read on Iranian television. He commended Iranians for “building a nationwide defensive front and strongholds across cities, neighborhoods, and mosques, delivering such a bewildering blow that the enemy fell into contradictions and irrational statements.”

Khamenei has not been seen in public since he became supreme leader following the assassination of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the start of the war.

The news comes just days after the U.S. military redirected another group of amphibious assault ships carrying Marines from the Pacific to the Middle East.

Last week, U.S. officials also confirmed that the Japan-based USS Tripoli and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit have been ordered to the Middle East — shifting them from exercises in the vicinity of Taiwan. Earlier this week, the USS Tripoli and another amphibious assault ship, the USS New Orleans, were spotted sailing west of Malaysia on publicly available satellite imagery.

The pair of Marine Expeditionary Units will add about 5,000 Marines and thousands of sailors to the region where the U.S. is engaged in a war with Iran. The U.S. military says it has about 50,000 troops in the region.

One U.S. official confirmed that the USS Boxer and two other amphibious assault ships, along with roughly 2,500 Marines of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, are bound for the Middle East from their home port of San Diego. Two other U.S. officials confirmed that the ships were deploying, without saying where they were headed.

All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke to King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain and while discussing with him the current situation in West Asia, condemned attacks on the energy and civilian infrastructure in the region. During his telephonic conversation with the King of Bahrain, the prime minister reiterated the importance of ensuring freedom of navigation and keeping shipping lines open and secure.

"Had a fruitful discussion with the King of Bahrain, His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa. Conveyed warm greetings on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr to him and the people of Bahrain.

"We discussed the current situation in the West Asian region. Condemned attacks on the energy and civilian infrastructure in the region, underscoring their adverse impact on global food, fuel and fertiliser security," Modi said in a post on X.

They’re slipping under the weight of another rise for yields in the bond market, which makes borrowing more expensive for U.S. companies and households, slowing the economy and grinding down all kinds of investments. Treasury yields have climbed as the war with Iran threatens a long-term spike in oil and natural gas prices.

Worries have gotten so high that traders have canceled bets that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates multiple times this year, and some are even seeing a slight possibility of a rate hike in 2026, a nearly unthinkable scenario before the war began. Lower interest rates would give the economy and investment prices a boost, and Trump has angrily called for them, but they risk worsening inflation.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah group says it fired salvos of rockets and drones that struck Israeli military positions and towns and villages including Kiryat Shemona, Hanita, Avivim, Ramot Naftali and Shlomi.

The Iran-backed group’s statement Friday also said that its fighters attacked a group of Israeli soldiers inside the Lebanese town of Khiam, the scene of intense fighting over the past days.

The president said in a social media post Friday morning that, “NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!” He also claimed that “that fight is Militarily WON” and that NATO members are complaining about high oil prices but don’t want to help open the strait.

“We will REMEMBER!” he said.

The deployment of the Charles de Gaulle to the Mediterranean to help protect French and allied assets during the Iran war isn’t secret — reporters were briefed by video link from aboard the nuclear-powered 42,000-ton behemoth, which is also visible from space.

Still, the French newspaper Le Monde caused a stir by spotting a naval officer using the Strava exercise app, which narrowed its search for the satellite image taken that same day.

French military spokesman Col. Guillaume Vernet told The Associated Press that sailors are warned about the security risks of using apps while deployed. “Appropriate measures are being taken by the command,” he said.

Amid the escalating West Asia conflict, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday said six Indian nationals have lost their lives while one remains missing in "various incidents".

At an inter-ministerial briefing here, Additional Secretary (Gulf), MEA, Aseem R Mahajan, also said, "Late yesterday night, we received information regarding the tragic demise of an Indian national, during an attack in Riyadh on March 18." He, however, did not elaborate upon the circumstances of this death.

"We express our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. Our Mission in Riyadh is in touch with the family and closely co-ordinating with local authorities for the early return of the mortal remains to India," he said. On Friday, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh also said that an Indian national was killed in Saudi Arabia due to the “recent events of March 18”.

Iran’s top military spokesman warned Friday that “parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations” worldwide won’t be safe for Tehran’s enemies. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi made the threat as Iran continues to be hit by American and Israeli airstrikes.

It renews a concern held by analysts as the war goes on — that Iran could revert to using militant attacks beyond the Middle East as a pressure tactic in the war.

“From now on, based on the information we have about you, even parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations anywhere in the world will no longer be safe for you,” Shekarchi said in a statement published online by Iranian state television.

Iran threatened to target recreational and tourist sites worldwide and insisted it was still building missiles. Friday's show of defiance came nearly three weeks into U.S.-Israeli strikes that have killed a slew of Tehran’s top leaders and hammered its weapons and energy industries.

Iran fired on Israel and energy sites in neighboring Gulf Arab states as many in the region marked one of the holiest days on the Muslim calendar. Iranians were also marking the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz, a normally festive holiday that is more subdued this year.

With little information coming out of Iran, it was not clear how much damage its arms, nuclear or energy facilities have sustained since the war began Feb. 28 or even who was truly in charge of the country. But Iran has showed it is still capable of attacks that are choking off oil supplies and denting the global economy, raising food and fuel prices far beyond the Middle East.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday spoke to his Australian counterpart Penny Wong and discussed the West Asia crisis as well as the situation in Indo-Pacific. The Jaishankar-Wong phone conversation came against the backdrop of increasing global concerns over fresh attacks on West Asian gas hubs.

"Very pleased to speak with my Australian counterpart @SenatorWong. Shared our assessments of the ongoing West Asia conflict. Also discussed Indo-Pacific issues," the external affairs minister said on social media.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has announced a detailed assessment scheme for Class 10 exams in the Middle East region which were cancelled amid escalating West Asia conflict, according to officials. The exams were cancelled following a critical review of the prevailing situation across Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

According to CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj, examinations scheduled from February 17 to 28 were conducted successfully. "The results of students who appeared for all exams will be declared based on their performance in the examinations. The result of students who appeared in four subjects will be declared based on the average of the marks obtained in the best three performing subjects for the subjects whose examinations have not been conducted," Bhardwaj said.

"The result of students who appeared in three subjects will be declared based on the average of the marks obtained in the best two performing subjects for the subjects whose examinations have not been conducted," he added.

An Indian national was killed in Riyadh following recent events on March 18, the Indian Embassy said. Expressing deep condolences, the Embassy in a post on X, said, "The Embassy is in touch with the family and local authorities. We remain committed to extending all possible assistance in this matter."

Premium petrol prices have been increased by Rs 2 to Rs 2.3 per litre by oil marketing companies amid the rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, affecting the global fuel market.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has confirmed that its spokesperson, Ali Mohammad Naeinmi, was killed in an airstrike early Friday. The IRGC alleged the strike was carried out by US and Israeli forces, describing it as a 'criminal terrorist attack'. Before his death, Gen. Naeini issued a statement insisting Tehran was still able to build missiles despite the attacks coming from Israel and the United States.

"Naeini was martyred in the criminal, cowardly terrorist attack by the American-Zionist side at dawn," the Guards said in a statement on their Sepah News website.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Friday said its spokesperson Ali Mohammad Naini was killed in early morning strikes carried out by the United States and Israel, marking the loss of yet another top official in the conflict. Naini "was martyred in the criminal cowardly terrorist attack by the American-Zionist side at dawn", the Guards said in a statement on their Sepah News website.

The development comes just a day after the killing of Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warning that the "security" of Iran's enemies must now be taken away.

India has termed attacks on vessels in international waterways unacceptable, as the International Maritime Organisation condemned recent incidents in the Strait of Hormuz. Addressing the IMO Council session in London, Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswamy stressed India's commitment to maritime security, freedom of navigation, and protection of global trade routes.

Sri Lanka refused permission to the United States to station two of its warplanes at an airport in the island's south in early March, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake told parliament on Friday.

"They wanted to bring two warplanes armed with eight anti-ship missiles from a base in Djibouti to the Mattala International Airport from March 4 to 8 and we said 'no'," Dissanayake said. Read More

Israel carried out strikes on towns in southern Lebanon, causing multiple injuries, state media reported on Friday.

"Israeli enemy fighter jets struck at dawn, targeting the towns of Bafliyeh and Hanine in the Tyre and Bint Jbeil districts," the official National News Agency (NNA) reported, adding that Israeli forces had hit five other towns in the south of the country.

Israel’s military said Friday it struck sites in Syria in response to attacks against the Druze. The army said it struck infrastructure belonging to Syria in response to attacks on the Druze population in Sweida in southern Syria. Syria’s state-run SANA news agency did not immediately acknowledge the attack, which marks the first Israeli attack on Syria as its war with the United States targeting Iran continues.

A US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at an American air base in the Middle East after being hit y suspected Iranian fire, according to US media reports. "The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition," Captain Tim Hawkins, spokesman for US Central Command, said in a statement. "This incident is under investigation," Hawkins added.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed airline companies to avoid at least 9 airspaces in West Asia amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict, to ensure contingency planning as part of safety risk assessments.

The regulator has asked flight operations firms to refrain from operating in the airspace of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Airlines have also been advised not to operate below FL320 (32,000 feet) in designated parts of the Saudi Arabia and Oman airspace. Read More

Kuwait said its Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery again came under attack by Iranian drones, which sparked a fire at several of its units. The refinery had been hit on Thursday, sparking fires. Kuwait said firefighters on Friday were trying to control the blazes, and there were no immediate injuries from the attack. The Iranian attack came as Kuwait marked Eid al-Fitr, the celebration marking the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. The attack on Friday comes as Iran increasingly targets energy sites in Gulf Arab states after Israel on Wednesday bombed Iran’s massive South Pars offshore natural gas field in the Persian Gulf.

Air defence systems were activated across several Gulf countries early Friday following missile and drone threats. Authorities in the UAE and Kuwait confirmed they were responding to incoming attacks, while Saudi Arabia reported intercepting drones. Saudi Arabia's defence ministry said that within less than two hours, its forces had "intercepted and destroyed" 10 drones in the country's east and another in the north. In Bahrain, officials said Shrapnel from what they described as 'Iranian aggression' sparked a warehouse fire. Air raid sirens were also sounded.

Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility, stating they targeted US forces at Al-Dhafra air base in the UAE, along with sites in Israel, escalating tensions across the region.

If latest reports are anything to go by, more than 1300 people have been killed in Iran amid the ongoing war. Israeli strikes against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon have reportedly displaced more than one million people. The Lebanese government said more than 1000 people have been killed. Israel, on the other hand, said it has killed more than 500 Hezbollah militants.

In Israel, 15 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire. Four people were also killed in the occupied West Bank by an Iranian missile strike overnight. This apart, at least 13 US military members have been killed.

The Israeli military said it launched a wave of strike on Tehran early Friday, following Iranian missile fire at Israel overnight. The attacks came a day after Israel pledged to refrain from more strikes on Iran's key gas field and Iran intensified attacks on oil and natural gas facilities around the Gulf. Without elaborating much, the military statement mentioned that Israeli forces have "begun a wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime across Tehran", and the same was corroborated by activists in Iran capital.

Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani on Thursday called for an immediate end to the ongoing war in West Asia, while citing that any further escalation could make the situation worse.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, he said the war must stop immediately. He also urged Iran to halt its attacks and not expand the conflict to other parts of the region, saying this would only bring more instability. The Qatari leader also criticised Iran's claim that it was targeting US military bases in neighbouring countries, calling it "unacceptable". He said, "Iran's claims that it is targeting US bases in neighbouring nations is unacceptable and unjustified."

His reaction comes after Iranian strikes on Qatar's energy facilities damaged a significant part of its liquefied natural gas output, triggering concerns that production could be affected for years.

Qatar Energy said that the attacks reduced LNG exports by about 17 percent and will cost about $20 billion per year in lost revenue. The damage will take up to five years to repair, even though production at the facility had already been halted after earlier attacks, it said.

Late on Thursday night, Iran launched multiple rounds of missiles towards Israel, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the Islamic republic has been "decimated" by war. Israel's military said it has identified three rounds of missile fire in the hour and a half preceding midnight (2200 GMT), and another a few hours later. AFP reporters heard several loud blasts over Jerusalem as air raid sirens rang out across the city during one of the earlier attacks. The Magen David Adom emergency services reported no casualties, but police said there was damage in several locations. Israeli media said shrapnel hit the northern city of Haifa and an educational institution in its suburbs, causing damage but no casualties. Several media reports also said an oil refinery in Haifa has been hit.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday night said that Israel and the United States are "winning" the war against Iran, claiming that the country has been "decimated" and could no longer produce nuclear fuel or ballistic missiles.

Addressing a press conference, Netanyahu clarified Israel carried out the strike on Iran's South Pars gas field on its own. He also said US President Donald Trump has asked Israel to avoid hitting such energy sites again.

Further, he dismissed claims that he had pulled the United States into the conflict, indicating instead that Washington had made its own decision to join the war.