The Pentagon has asked the White House to approve a more than $200 billion request to the US Congress to fund the war in Iran, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing a senior administration official.

President Donald Trump's administration is considering deploying thousands of US troops to reinforce its operation in the Middle East, as the US military prepares for possible next steps in its campaign against Iran,

 The death toll from an Israeli air strike on a residential building in Chaat, eastern Lebanon, has climbed to six, Al Jazeera reported, citing National News Agency.

Earlier IDF said on Wednesday that it began a wave of strikes targeting the infrastructure of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. 

Qatar has declared the military and security attaches at the Iranian Embassy, along with their staff, "persona non grata" and has requested that they leave the country within 24 hours.

A man was killed in central Israel after the latest round of Iranian missile fire, medics said Thursday, describing the victim as a "foreign worker."

The Magen David Adom emergency services said they responded to an area where "metal shrapnel was scattered across the scene," and found a man "unconscious and suffering," who they later pronounced dead. 

Iran warned on Wednesday that it would destroy the oil and gas industry of its Gulf neighbours, which it considers American interests, it its own energy sector is harmed again.

Falling shrapnel that struck a hair salon in the occupied West Bank killed at least three women on Wednesday, marking the first Palestinian deaths of the ongoing Middle East War

The deaths came shortly after Israel's military reported another round of Iranian missile launches.

The Palestinian Red Crescent had initially confirmed four deaths, but the medics then said that one woman remained in critical condition. 

Saudi Arabia intercepted four ballistic missiles on Wednesday, with a fragment falling near a refinery south of Riyadh, its defence ministry said, as Iran threatened Gulf gas facilities following US-Israeli attacks on its own infrastructure.

"Four ballistic missiles launched toward the city of Riyadh were intercepted and destroyed, a fragment of one of the ballistic missiles landed near a refinery south of Riyadh," the ministry said in a statement on X.

Qatari civil defence on Wednesday brought a fire caused by an Iranian attack on the country's main gas facility under control, the ministry of interior said, reporting no casualties.

"Civil Defence has initially brought the fire in Ras Laffan under control, with no injuries reported," the ministry said, in a social media post.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday it would not stop its "series of eliminations" of senior Iranian officials, after the country announced it had killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib.

Khatib's killing came soon after Israel killed Iran's powerful security chief Ali Larijani, and another powerful figure, Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force.

Qatar's state-run energy company said on Wednesday that fires set by Iranian strikes on its main gas facility had caused "extensive damage", after Tehran said it would retaliate in kind for an attack on its own energy infrastructure.

"QatarEnergy confirms that Ras Laffan Industrial City this evening has been the subject of missile attacks," the firm said in a statement. "Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the resulting fires, as extensive damage has been caused. All personnel have been accounted for and no casualties have been reported at this time." 

Iranian state television confirmed the killing of Khatib, who the US sanctioned in 2022 for alleged cyber-related activities against the U.S. and its allies. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian calling Khatib's killing "an unfair assassination." On Tuesday, Israel killed top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and the head of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard's Basij force, Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani.

(AP)

🔴#BREAKING | Israel claims attack on Iran's intel minister Esmaeil Khatib; No confirmation from Iran so far
NDTV's @ghazalimohammad joins @divyawadhwa with more details pic.twitter.com/Qt0McWyvCn

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 18, 2026

Israeli strikes on central Beirut on Wednesday morning killed at least 12 people, the Lebanese health ministry said in updated tolls.

The ministry said that the strikes on the Basta and Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhoods in central Beirut killed at least 12 people and wounded 41.

(AFP)

Iranian media said on Wednesday that Israel and the United States had launched fresh strikes in across several areas of the country, including the capital Tehran. 

Among the locations hit were areas in Lorestan province and Hamedan city, both in the west of Iran, as well as Fars province in the south. 

Tasnim news agency said "seven people were killed and 56 were injured in an American-Zionist attack on residential areas in Dorud town" in Lorestan province. 

AFP could not independently verify the figures. 

The judiciary's Mizan Online website said US-Israeli strikes hit a judiciary building in Fars province.

(AFP)

🔴#BREAKING | "We believe in ending the war" : Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rules out ceasefire as war continues on day 19
NDTV's @ghazalimohammad joins @divyawadhwa with more details pic.twitter.com/cJicI2vVjE

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 18, 2026

An Israeli strike on Wednesday hit a car in the centre of Sidon, southern Lebanon's largest city, state media reported.

An AFP correspondent at the scene said the strike hit near the city's civil defence headquarters and the seaside road, where many displaced people are sleeping in their cars.

(AFP)

Air Strikes in West Asia - Nearly 1500 Strikes Reported In The Region Since The War Broke Out #Datafy pic.twitter.com/K5tMEC4rgY

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 18, 2026

At least four explosions were heard on Wednesday in the city of Erbil in the autonomous Kurdistan region, AFP journalists reported.

It was not immediately clear what the target was. From a suburb of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region, AFP journalists saw interceptions of projectiles over the city, which is home to a major US consulate complex, while its airport houses US-led coalition troops.

(AFP)

Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it had intercepted two drones targeting the diplomatic quarter of its capital, Riyadh, as Iran pressed on with its attacks on the Gulf.

Two drones were downed as they attempted "to approach the embassy quarter", the defence ministry posted on X.

The authorities had earlier said they intercepted several drones over the country's Eastern Province, as well as a ballistic missile close to the major Prince Sultan air base housing US forces south east of Riyadh.

(AFP)

A Russian oil-laden tanker that was bound for China has U-turned in the South China Sea, and is now hurrying to India after New Delhi began doubling down on imports from Moscow. 

The Aqua Titan is set to arrive in New Mangalore on March 21 with its Urals cargo that it loaded from a Baltic Sea port in late January, according to ship-tracking data. The Aframax vessel originally signaled the Chinese port of Rizhao as its destination before making an about-face in Southeast Asian waters in mid-March, days after the US gave the green light for India to temporarily increase Russian purchases. 

(Bloomberg)

Iran vowed on Wednesday a "decisive" retaliation for the death of its security chief Ali Larijani, firing off a wave of missiles at Israel which said it killed him in an air strike. 

"Iran's response to the assassination of the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council will be decisive and regrettable," Iranian army chief Amir Hatami said in a statement.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards, which said Wednesday they launched missiles at central Israel as retaliation, warned in a statement that Larijani's death would spur further attacks.

The "pure blood of this great martyr... will be a source of honour, power and national awakening against the front of global arrogance," the powerful military force said in a statement.

(AFP)

🔴#BREAKING | Building turns into rubble as Israeli strikes pound Beirut
NDTV's @ghazalimohammad joins @ParmeshwarBawa with more details pic.twitter.com/G3HrVI3SRu

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 18, 2026

🔴#BREAKING | "Killings will only strengthen Iran" : Video of Ali Larijani's last warning before being killed surfaces
NDTV's @NewshoundArjun joins @ParmeshwarBawa with more details pic.twitter.com/Q36fHw0jur

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 18, 2026

Statement on strikes on Al Minhad Air Base
On the morning of 18 March 2026 (AEDT), an Iranian strike impacted an area at the Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, where the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has a long‑standing presence.
No ADF personnel were injured in… pic.twitter.com/mNdcfOYgPx

— Defence Australia (@DefenceAust) March 18, 2026

Qatar's Ministry of Defence has said that its armed forces have intercepted a missile attack targeting the country.

It comes as countries across the Gulf region have been reporting drone and missile attacks throughout the night.

An Iranian missile barrage killed two people near Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv, medics said Wednesday, with the national railway company announcing shrapnel impact disrupted train services.

Authorities reported that falling munitions had hit multiple sites in central Israel in the overnight barrage that triggered air raid sirens across the area, after another day of heavy Israeli bombardments in Iran and Lebanon.

The latest deaths took the toll from missile attacks on Israel since the start of the Middle East war late last month to 14 people.

Police spokesman Dean Elsdunne said that, according to an initial assessment of the deadly impact, a residential building was hit by a cluster bomb in Ramat Gan, a city just outside Tel Aviv. 

(AFP)

🔴#BREAKING | Iran mounts offensive against US Embassies in the Gulf, strikes US Embassy in Baghdad
NDTV's @ghazalimohammad joins @ParmeshwarBawa with more details pic.twitter.com/PZcOnxU1n8

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 18, 2026

Watch #TheBreakfastShow with @ParmeshwarBawa | Iran Says Its Defence Won't Fall After Ali Larijani's Killing@AdityaRajKaul @ghazalimohammad pic.twitter.com/Op2Rsyxjf9

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 18, 2026

Lebanon said Israeli strikes on central Beirut early Wednesday without warning killed at least six people, as Israel's military warned it would strike a third district in the capital.

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on March 2 when Iran-backed militant group 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, and has hit central Beirut several times, with and without warning.

Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said a strike in the early hours of Wednesday hit an apartment in the central Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhood, a densely populated area close to the government's headquarters and several embassies.

It said the strike occurred near where the Israeli military last week hit a Beirut branch of the Hezbollah-linked financial firm Al-Qard Al-Hassan.

(AFP)

Saudi Arabia intercepted several drones and Kuwait's air defences responded to a rocket and drone attack, authorities from both countries said on Wednesday. 

The Saudi defence ministry said in two statements it had destroyed a total of six drones in the east of the country. 

Two people were killed near Tel Aviv during an Iranian missile barrage, Israeli emergency responders said on Wednedsay, after police reported they were responding to "several" impact sites around the city and its surrounding areas. 

"We saw smoke rising from a building with extensive damage and shattered glass. From among the debris, we saw two unconscious casualties, with no pulse and not breathing, with severe injuries to their bodies," the Magen David Adom emergency responder said in a statement, adding medics had pronounced the two people dead at the scene. 

A series of explosions were heard in Jerusalem early Wednesday after Israel's military said it had identified another round of missiles launched from Iran. 

AFP reporters in the city heard multiple explosions and saw bright flashes in the sky, moments after the army said its air defence systems were "operating to intercept the threat" from the latest Iranian barrage. 

Air raid warnings rang out across multiple parts of Jerusalem, as the military's Home Front Command ordered residents into shelters. 

The recent tense situation in the Strait of Hormuz and waters nearby has impacted the route for international goods and energy trade, disrupting peace and stability in the region and beyond.
China once again calls on parties to immediately stop military operations, avoid further… pic.twitter.com/rDvMQcuRj4

— Lin Jian 林剑 (@SpoxCHN_LinJian) March 17, 2026

Israel's military on Tuesday urged residents of the south Lebanon city of Tyre to leave, warning it was about to strike targets in the area it said are linked Hezbollah.

The military's Arabic language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, issued an "urgent alert" to residents of the city and surrounding areas, saying it planned to "act forcefully" against Hezbollah, in a social media post that included a proposed evacuation route. 

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.

"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. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, discussed with him the current situation in West Asia and agreed on ensuring safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

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. 

"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.

"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.

"This morning, we eliminated Ali Larijani. Ali Larijani is the boss of the Revolutionary Guards, that group of gangsters that effectively runs Iran. Alongside him, we also eliminated the commander of the Basij - they are the gangsters' assistants who are terrorising the population in the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities. We are operating there as well; operating from the air with Air Force jets and UAVs.

We are undermining this regime in the hope of giving the Iranian people an opportunity to remove it. It will not happen all at once, and it will not happen easily. But if we persist, we will give them the chance to take their destiny into their own hands", he wrote.

Joseph Kent, the head of the United States' National Counterterrorism Center, has resigned from his position over the US-Israel war against Iran.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has rejected proposals for reducing tensions or for a possible ceasefire with the United States that were conveyed to Tehran by two intermediary countries.

As the war broke out on February 28 with massive bombing on Tehran, borders were closed, flights were suspended and communications were severely hit.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has rejected proposals for reducing tensions or for a ceasefire with the United States that were conveyed to Tehran by two intermediary countries, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday.

Khamenei's stance for revenge against the U.S. and Israel was "very tough and serious" in his first foreign policy session, the official said, without clarifying whether the leader attended in person.

(Reuters)

Iran's security chief Ali Larijani has been killed in overnight strikes, the Israeli defence minister has claimed.

Two medical staff members were injured when shrapnel fell on an emergency medical centre in Kuwait, the health ministry has said, as Iran continued attacks across the Gulf.

"Two members of the emergency medical teams sustained injuries while at their workplace at an emergency medical centre when shrapnel fell on the site," the health ministry said.

The Israeli military has said it has killed Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' all-volunteer Basij force, in a strike on Tehran.

🔴 COMMANDER OF THE BASIJ UNIT ELIMINATED
Yesterday, the IDF targeted & eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who operated as commander of the Basij unit for the past 6 years.
Under Soleimani, the Basij unit led the main repression operations in Iran, employing severe violence,… pic.twitter.com/aJ0dNtCFz0

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 17, 2026

Israeli media has reported that the military has targeted Iran's security chief Ali Larijani, adding that it was not immediately clear whether he was killed or injured.

Iran has not yet commented on the report.

China has said it will provide humanitarian assistance to Middle Eastern countries, including Iran and Lebanon, targeted in US and Israeli strikes.

"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 spokesperson Lin Jian told a press conference.

Iran has released images of the sailors of the IRIS Dena who were killed in a strike by the US military off the coast of Sri Lanka this month.

Images of the heroic martyrs from the Dena vessel.
We are a nation of Shahadat (martyrdom), and it is our eternal source of dignity. pic.twitter.com/P2xLuwbvex

— Iran in India (@Iran_in_India) March 17, 2026

Amid the escalating tensions, India's naval warships deploying in the Gulf region under 'Operation Sankalp' are maintaining a constant watch and protecting the India-bound vessels passing through key passages.

The move is aimed at reducing daily commuting and overall fuel usage, particularly as the country braces for potential shortages.

Iran has said that its forces had arrested 10 "foreign spies" amid a war with Israel and the United States.

"Ten mercenary, treacherous elements were identified and arrested," the Iran's Revolutionary Guards intelligence organisation in the northeastern Razavi Khorasan province said, according to the 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".

The price of oil has jumped more than five per cent amid Iran war.

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. 

Indian-flagged carrier Nanda Devi, carrying about 46,000 metric tonnes of LPG, has arrived in Gujarat. It crossed the Strait of Hormuz early on Saturday following negotiations between India and Iran.

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

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.

Iran's newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, survived the US-Israeli strike that killed his father and other members of his family, as he stepped outside the compound for some work minutes before the blast, according to leaked audio obtained by The Telegraph.

The audio also revealed other gruesome details about the strike, which reportedly reduced Iran's military chief to "a few kilos of flesh" and left Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's son-in-law's head split in two.

Several explosions have been heard in Qatar's Doha, according to an AFP journalist.

An unknown projectile struck a tanker 23 nautical miles east of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, causing minor structural damage, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has said.

There were no injuries reported to the crew, the agency said in an advisory, adding no environmental impact was reported.

Since the war has triggered a sell-off of equities (considered riskier), investors are scrambling to park their money in safe-haven assets. Traditionally, gold or the US dollar has been the go-to asset for investors looking to hedge their risks during times of crisis. While the trend continues this time as well, there is another asset that has overtaken both in terms of price rise. Since the fresh conflict in Iran, which began on February 28, Bitcoin (BTC USD) has crossed the $72,000 mark, according to an Investopedia report.

Israel's army has said it has launched a "wide-scale wave of strikes" in the Iranian capital, Tehran, and started striking Hezbollah targets in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

The United Arab Emirates has lifted its brief airspace closure over Iranian attacks.

A fresh drone and rocket attack has targeted the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday, news agency AFP reported, citing a security official.

An AFP journalist also 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 had thwarted a rocket attack at the embassy.

The United Arab Emirates has closed its airspace as military reported "responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran".

Loud blasts were heard in Dubai again, with officials saying it was the sound of "successful interceptions".

Authorities in Dubai confirm that the sounds heard in various areas of the city are the result of successful interceptions.

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 16, 2026

President Donald Trump on Monday demanded that US allies help secure the Strait of Hormuz, but European powers pushed back on a possible mission to reopen the vital waterway shut by Iran in response to US-Israeli attacks.

Trump criticised the lukewarm response to his call for world powers to send warships to escort tankers through the strait, which normally carries a fifth of global crude oil, demanding a more enthusiastic response.

Global oil prices have surged by 40 to 50 percent as Iran attacks shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and launches waves of missile and drone strikes in the Gulf in retaliation for the war launched by the United States and Israel on February 28.

Trump said preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons was essential for global security and argued that the country would use such weapons immediately if it possessed them.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent wishes to Iranians Monday for the upcoming Nowruz holidays, marking the Persian new year, as his country presses its war on Iran.

US President Donald Trump said Monday he had asked China to delay his summit with Xi Jinping at the start of April by around a month while he deals with the war in Iran.

"We're speaking to China," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "Because of the war I want to be here, I have to be here, I feel. And so we've requested that we delay it a month or so."

Israel's President Isaac Herzog told AFP on Monday that Europe should back his country's fight against Hezbollah, as Israeli forces carried out ground operations in Lebanon. 

"Europe should support any effort, any effort, to eradicate Hezbollah now," Herzog said in an exclusive interview at his Jerusalem residence. 

"They should understand that if you want to get anywhere, sometimes you need to win war," he added. 

Israel's military launched what it called a "limited" ground operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon on Monday, as Beirut said more than one million people had been displaced in two weeks of fighting.
Israel's defence minister warned that those displaced in Lebanon would not return home until northern Israel was secure, while Hezbollah said it targeted a north Israel city where first responders reported a man was wounded.

A loud explosion was heard in Iraq's capital Baghdad late Monday, AFP journalists said, with smoke seen near the city's heavily fortified Green Zone.

Hezbollah on Monday said it targeted Israeli troops and vehicles in at least three Lebanese border towns, after the Israeli army announced it had begun limited ground operations in Lebanon.

In three separate statements, the group said it targeted an Israeli site "in the border town of Aitaroun with a rocket salvo" as well as "a gathering of Israeli vehicles and soldiers" in Odaisseh with artillery shells, and "a gathering of Israeli vehicles and soldiers" and a Merkava tank in the town of Taybeh with a rocket salvo.

US President Donald Trump said Monday that he does not know whether Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is still alive, adding that Washington was unclear whom it could negotiate with in Tehran.

"We don't know... if he's dead or not," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"A lot of people are saying that he's badly disfigured. They're saying that he lost his leg -- one leg -- and he's, you know, been hurt very badly. Other people are saying he's dead. Nobody's saying he's 100 percent healthy. You know he hasn't spoken."

"We don't know who we're dealing with" in Iran, Trump said. "We don't know who their leader is."

US President Donald Trump stepped up the pressure on Britain and France on Monday, saying he expected them to help secure shipping in the Strait of Hormuz during the war against Iran.

Trump said he had talked with French President Emmanuel Macron about it and his response had been "an eight, not perfect."

"I think he's going to help," Trump said, adding that he also believed Britain would be involved in a Hormuz mission.

Trump also repeated his call to nations to help reopen the shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

"Numerous countries have told me they're on the way. Some are very enthusiastic about it," he said.

"Some are and some aren't. Countries that we've helped for many, many years. We've protected them from horrible outside sources, and they weren't that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm, it matters to me," he added.

"We have destroyed Iran's ship. They're all at the bottom of the sea. We strongly encourage other nations whose economies depend on this trait far more than ours. You know, we get less than 1% of our oil from the Strait, and some countries get much more. Japan gets 95%. China gets 90%. Many of the Europeans get quite a bit. South Korea gets 35%, so we want them to come and help us with the Strait," Trump said.

"The country, as I said, we've already taken care of Iran, but now because literally a single terrorist can put something in the water or shoot something or shoot a missile, a small missile, and it's fairly close range because it is a tight area and which is one of the reasons they they've always used that as a weapon. Iran has always used that as an economic weapon," Trump added.

The US president is participating in a lunch meeting with board members of the Trump Kennedy Center.

Iran's new supreme leader has appointed the former chief of the Revolutionary Guards as a military adviser, local media reported on Monday. 

"General Mohsen Rezaei was appointed as military adviser by the order of commander-in-chief Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei," Mehr news agency reported. 

Other media also reported the appointment. 

Rezaei, 71, previously headed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the ideological arm of Iran's military. He has since held several senior positions within Iran's political system.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, was named Iran's supreme leader earlier this month, succeeding his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US and Israeli strikes on February 28. 

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.

Iran has asked India to release three tankers seized in February as part of talks seeking the safe passage of Indian-flagged or India-bound vessels out of the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol said Monday more strategic oil stocks could be released if necessary to limit the fallout of the virtual blockage of supplies through the Strait of Hormuz owing to the war on Iran.

"In terms of government stocks and industry stocks held under government obligation, if you combine them, there will be still over 1.4 billion barrels remaining, which means we can do more later as and if needed," Birol said in a video statement.

International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol said Monday more strategic oil stocks could be released if necessary to limit the fallout of the virtual blockage of supplies through the Strait of Hormuz owing to the war on Iran.

"In terms of government stocks and industry stocks held under government obligation, if you combine them, there will be still over 1.4 billion barrels remaining, which means we can do more later as and if needed," Birol said in a video statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has shared another video on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) after Grok, the AI chatbot created by Elon Musk, labelled one of his earlier videos as "AI-generated".

A Pakistani oil tanker transited the Strait of Hormuz with its automatic transponder system activated, despite major disruption to shipping in the crucial waterway from the Middle East war, monitor Marine Traffic said Monday.

Since the peak of disruptions due to the war, "the Aframax tanker Karachi, carrying Abu Dhabi's Das crude, has become the first non-Iranian cargo to transit the chokepoint while broadcasting its AIS signal, suggesting that select shipments may be receiving negotiated safe passage," Marine Traffic said on X.

It said the 237-metre-long Pakistani-flagged oil tanker had a draft of 11.5 metres, indicating it was heavy and likely loaded.

It entered Iranian waters on Sunday and "is currently sailing in the Gulf of Oman at around 9.6 knots, having successfully passed through the strait with AIS active," MarineTraffic said in a post on Monday at 1028 GMT.

"The transit follows weeks of significantly reduced traffic through the strategic waterway."

The Shivalik, an India-flagged LPG tanker belonging to the Shipping Corporation of India, docked in Gujarat's Mundra Port Monday after safely transiting the Strait of Hormuz.

שומרים על ההנחיות ומנצחים ביחד >> pic.twitter.com/HC5w3PqKuV

— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 16, 2026

Iran said it was ready to take the Middle East war "as far as necessary" as it launched strikes across the region Monday, while Donald Trump piled pressure on world powers to help reopen a shipping lane choked off by the Islamic republic.

Global oil prices have surged by 40 to 50 percent as Iran has attacked shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and launched waves of strikes in the Gulf, in retaliation for the war launched against it by the United States and Israel. 

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Monday they had targeted Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, as well as military bases used by US forces in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. 

"By now they have learned a good lesson and understood what kind of nation they are dealing with, one that does not hesitate to defend itself and is ready to continue the war wherever it may lead, and take it as far as necessary," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters in Tehran. 

Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Monday informed the Rajya Sabha that Indian airlines have cancelled 4,335 flights and foreign carriers 1,187 flights so far in the wake of the Middle East conflict.

The escalating conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran has significantly disrupted flight operations due to airspace closures in the Middle East region.

Replying to a supplementary query during Question Hour, the minister asserted that the safety of airline operations is the topmost priority.

"Regarding the cancellations that have happened because of airspace closure in the Middle East, almost till now, in a cumulative, Indian carriers have cancelled up to 4,335 flights, and foreign carriers have cancelled up to 1,187 flights," Naidu said.

The Israeli Air Force destroyed the aircraft used by the Iranian leadership at Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran, marking a significant blow to the regime's strategic mobility.

In a post on X, the air force confirmed the strike, stating that they "destroyed the plane of the leader of the Iranian terror regime at the 'Mehrabad' airport in Tehran."

חיל-האוויר השמיד את מטוסו של מנהיג משטר הטרור האיראני בשדה התעופה ״מהאראבד״ שבטהר - המטוס שימש את עלי ח׳אמנהאי, מנהיג משטר הטרור האיראני, בכירים נוספים ממשטר הטרור וגורמים בצבא איראן, לקידום רכש צבאי ולניהול קשרים עם מדינות הציר באמצעות טיסות פנים וחוץ.
השמדת המטוס פוגעת… pic.twitter.com/lOtRRIHTff

— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) March 16, 2026

A drone attack on oil infrastructure on the UAE's east coast sparked a fire on Monday, authorities said as Iran presses its campaign of strikes against Gulf states. 

"A large fire broke out in the Fujairah Oil Industries Zone as a result of being targeted by a drone, with no injuries reported," Fujairah authorities said, adding "efforts continue to bring it under control".

The site sits on the UAE's Gulf of Oman coast, beyond the Strait of Hormuz, which has effectively been closed by Iran.

US fighter jets have reportedly struck military facilities near Iran's Chabahar Free Trade Zone. The sound of intense explosions was heard on a mountain behind Iran's critical trade zone, Voice of America's Persian-language service reported.

The Chabahar Free Trade Zone is located in Iran's southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan Provinces along the border with Pakistan.

A uniquely located port at Chabahar, which means 'four springs', is strategically important for India, giving it easy access to Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Europe. 

In 2024, India signed a 10-year contract with Iran under which the state-run India Ports Global Ltd (IPGL) committed investments of $370 million in Chabahar, underscoring the long-term nature of New Delhi's plans at the port.

A Palestinian civilian was killed on the outskirts of the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi when a missile hit their car on Monday, authorities said, as Iran pressed on with strikes on the Gulf following US-Israeli attacks.

"Authorities in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi responded to an incident in the Al Bahia area involving a missile strike on a civilian vehicle, which resulted in the death of one Palestinian national," the Abu Dhabi Media Office said in a statement, reported AFP.

Dubai Civil Aviation Authority has announced the gradual resumption of some flights to and from Dubai International Airport to selected destinations, following the temporary suspension implemented as a precautionary measure.

A fire broke out near Dubai International Airport on Monday after a drone-related incident struck a fuel tank in the area, prompting a rapid response from emergency teams and the temporary suspension of flights. 

Authorities said Dubai Civil Defence crews were immediately deployed to tackle the blaze and that no injuries were reported as safety measures were activated across the vicinity.

Officials also noted that this is not the first drone-related threat reported near the airport, underlining rising concerns over the security of critical infrastructure in the region. They urged the public to follow official updates as response teams continue their work.

The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi has expressed gratitude to Indian citizens who have shown interest in providing humanitarian aid to Iranians affected by the ongoing conflict, but noted that technical difficulties have made it challenging to accept contributions via online banking.

In a post on X, the embassy thanked "our dear Indian brothers and sisters for their continued support" while acknowledging problems with online transfers. "Due to some reported difficulties in transferring funds to the Embassy's account, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to our dear Indian brothers and sisters for their continued support," the post read.

Due to some reported difficulties in transferring funds to the Embassy’s account, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to our dear Indian brothers and sisters for their continued support. We are currently working to resolve the issue. In the meantime, please note the… https://t.co/INmftqudcC

— Iran in India (@Iran_in_India) March 15, 2026

"Cash donations may be made directly at the Embassy," it said, adding thanks for the solidarity and patience shown by Indian supporters. Embassy officials also said they are working to resolve the online transfer issues.

An Emirates flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Dubai returned midway following the closure of Dubai International Airport and has landed back at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. Passengers will be shifted to the terminal, the airport authorities said.

Air India and Air India Express have cancelled all flights to and from Dubai after Iranian drone strikes caused fire near the complex. "We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused by these unavoidable operational constraints. Air India Express' ad-hoc flight operations to and from Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, and Sharjah will continue as announced," it said in a post on X.

#ImportantUpdate
Dubai Flight Operations Suspended
Dubai International Airport has temporarily suspended all flight operations to and from the airport.
As a result, Air India and Air India Express flights to and from Dubai have been cancelled for the day.
We are offering all…

— Air India (@airindia) March 16, 2026

US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning regarding the future of NATO, suggesting the alliance could face a "very bad" outlook if member nations do not assist in securing the Strait of Hormuz.

"It's only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the Strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there," Trump told the newspaper. He further cautioned that "if there's no response or if it's a negative response, I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO," he told Financial Times.

Japan and Australia said on Monday they were not planning to send navy vessels to the Middle East to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, after US President Donald Trump called on allies to create a coalition to reopen the vital waterway.

Talks have yielded "some results", and this is an "ongoing" process, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said after Iran allowed two Indian-flagged gas tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has blocked amid its war with the US and Israel.

"I am at the moment engaged in talking to them, and my talking has yielded some results. This is ongoing. If it is yielding results for me, I would naturally continue to look at it," Dr Jaishankar told Financial Times. "Certainly, from India's perspective, it is better that we reason and we coordinate and we get a solution."

The External Affairs Minister clarified that there was no "blanket arrangement" with Iran for Indian-flagged ships and that "every ship movement is an individual happening".

He also denied that Iran received anything in exchange and said Delhi and Tehran have a "history of dealing with each other... which is the basis on which I engaged".

Iran's foreign minister has said that Israeli strikes on Tehran fuel depots constituted "ecocide" due to the long-term risks to residents' health.

"Israel's bombings of fuel depots in Tehran violate international law and constitute ecocide," Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X.

"Residents face long-term damage to their health and well-being. Contamination of soil and groundwater could have generational impacts," the post added.

All flights to and from Dubai have been temporarily suspended after a drone struck a fuel tank near the airfield.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has ordered the arrest of 35 individuals, including 19 Indians, for posting videos on social media that contained misleading or fabricated content amid the Middle East war that began late last month after US-Israeli forces launched airstrikes on Iran. Authorities in the UAE said the suspects will face an expedited trial after a probe revealed they used digital platforms to circulate manipulated footage and narratives linked to ongoing regional tensions.

The action came in two parts. The latest list includes 25 individuals of various nationalities, including 17 Indians, listed under different sections. It was separate from the 10 people, including two Indians, who were named and ordered to be arrested on Saturday.

Multiple rockets and drones hit the Baghdad International Airport -  which houses a US diplomatic facility. At least five people have been wounded, reported news agency AFP.

A huge fire erupted near the Dubai international airport after a drone struck one of the fuel tanks.

Large fire reported in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport after an Iranian drone attack tonight. pic.twitter.com/XmIvEq2KTu

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) March 16, 2026

A drone incident in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport (DXB) affected one of the fuel tanks. Dubai Civil Defence teams are currently working to bring the fire under control. No injuries have been reported so far.

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 16, 2026

A rocket attack on Baghdad International Airport, which houses a US diplomatic facility, wounded five people on Sunday including security personnel, Iraqi authorities said.

"Five rockets targeted Baghdad International Airport and its surrounding area, injuring four airport employees and security personnel, and an engineer," the security media cell said in a statement. 

It added that rockets "struck the airport and a water desalination plant", while others crashed near a prison where Islamic State group suspects are detained and an Iraqi airbase base next to a US diplomatic facility.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran was not interested in talks with the United States, pushing back on President Donald Trump's stance that Tehran wants a deal to end the war.

"We are stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people," Araghchi told CBS's "Face The Nation," in an interview aired Sunday. "We don't see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because we were talking with them when they decided to attack us.

"There is no good experience talking with Americans." Trump on Saturday said Iran wanted a deal, but that he was not prepared to make one on current terms, without giving further details. "We never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiation," Araghchi said.

He added that Iran was ready to talk to countries who want to negotiate for selected oil tankers to pass through the key Strait of Hormuz export route. "I cannot mention any country in particular, but we have been approached by a number of countries who want to have a safe passage for their vessels," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video on X after conspiracy theories circulated on social media claiming he had been killed in an Iranian strike.

Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, has warned of what he described as a possible conspiracy aimed at blaming Iran for a major terrorist attack.

Iran on Sunday launched a series of advanced missiles targeting Israeli and US positions, including the Sejjil missile, which has been used for the first time since the war began on February 28, Iranian news outlet PressTV reported.

Iran's army said on Sunday it had targeted a police unit and a satellite communications centre in Israel with drone strikes.

In a statement, carried by the official IRNA news agency, the army said "it has targeted the security centres and police headquarters of the Zionist terrorist regime, including the regime's special police unit called 'Lahav 433' and the 'Gilat Defence' satellite communications centre with powerful drone attacks".

Israel has approved an $827-million emergency budget allocation for military purchases, Israeli media reported Sunday, as the war with Iran entered its third week.

The 2.6-billion-shekel package was approved over the weekend by cabinet ministers during a telephone meeting, the daily Haaretz reported.

It will be used for "security purchases" and to address "urgent needs", it said, without providing further details.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged other countries on Sunday to refrain from any action that could widen the scope of the war with Israel and the United States.

In a phone call with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Araghchi called on other countries to "refrain from any action that could lead to escalation and expansion of the conflict", according to an Iranian foreign ministry statement.

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump called for other nations' warships to help protect world oil supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been virtually blocked by the threat of Iranian attacks.

Iran has fired over 1,800 missiles and drones at the UAE, more than any other country targeted by Tehran in the war.

Iraq has warned that drone attacks near Baghdad airport threatened the security of the nearby prison housing Islamic State group suspects recently brought from Syria. 

They have been held since in Baghdad's al-Karkh prison, once a US Army detention centre known as Camp Cropper, which is part of Baghdad airport's complex that has been subjected to repeated strikes.

Israel's military said it began a broad wave of strikes on western Iran on Sunday.

"A short while ago, the IDF began a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting the infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in western Iran," the army said in a statement.

Qatar Airways has resumed limited flight operations to and from Doha as the situation in West Asia continues to remain tense.

The limited flight operations to Delhi, Mumbai, Istanbul, Dhaka, Kuala Lumpur, Algiers, Melbourne, New York, Jeddah, Cairo, Madrid, Hong Kong, London, Casablanca, Rome, and Paris have been resumed.

Qatar Airways clarified that these are the select flights in the coming days to support passengers affected by the disruption in the Gulf region.

Schedule Update: Qatar Airways Operates Limited Flight Schedule to and from Doha.
With Qatar Airways flights still temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace, we are doing everything possible to support affected passengers and help reunite them with family and… pic.twitter.com/SCphUPgLlS

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) March 14, 2026

The Israeli military has said that Iran has launched a new barrage of missiles toward Israel.

It said sirens are alerting residents in areas under attack, and air defences have been activated.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has cancelled the Class 12 board examinations for students studying in several Middle East countries in view of the ongoing regional crisis.

In its sixth circular issued since March 1, the board clarified that even the examination papers that had earlier been postponed will now stand cancelled.

The examinations scheduled from March 16 to April 10, 2026, for CBSE-affiliated schools located in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been cancelled.

The board further stated that examinations which had been postponed earlier will also remain cancelled as part of the latest decision. CBSE added that the procedure for declaring results for the affected students will be announced separately at a later stage.

"Examinations which were earlier postponed vide circular dated 01.03.2026, 03.03.2026, 05.03.2026, 07.03.2026 and 09.03.2026 shall also stand cancelled. The mode of declaration of results for Class XII candidates in these countries will be notified separately in due course," the circular issued by Sanyam Bhardwaj, Controller of Examinations at CBSE, stated.

From the jet fuel used in bombing raids to acrid smoke from burning oil depots, the conflict in the Middle East is inflicting a significant toll on nature and the climate.

Switzerland has said it had refused two US requests to fly over its territory in operations linked to the current Middle East war, citing its neutrality under international law.

"In total, two requests linked to the war in Iran were refused, while a maintenance flight and two requests for transport aircraft were approved" on Saturday, the government said in a statement.

The two Swiss flight refusals concerned reconnaissance flights on March 15, the government said.

"The law of neutrality prohibits overflights by parties to a conflict for military purposes related to that conflict," it said, citing the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Flights for humanitarian or medical purposes, including the transport of wounded people and flights unrelated to the conflict remain permitted, it said.

Switzerland has been officially recognised as a neutral country by the international community since 1815.

Loud sounds were heard in Dubai's Marina and Al Sufouh areas, while several drones struck Kuwait's international airport.

Oil-loading operations at a key port in the UAE have reportedly resumed a day after a drone strike and fire forced a halt to exports.

Operations at Fujairah - which sits outside the Strait of Hormuz - resumed after the fire was extinguished early Sunday morning, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the situation.

Clouds of dark black smoke were seen coming from Fujairah, which is the outlet for about 1 million barrels per day of the UAE's Murban crude oil, on Saturday.

(Photo Credits: Reuters)

Donald Trump has said he was "very surprised" by Iran attacking Middle Eastern countries.

It was "the biggest surprise I had of this whole thing", he told a news channel.

The Iranian Space Research Centre has reportedly been destroyed in a strike.

Captain Ariana G Savino was the Chief of Current Operations Pilot at the 99th Air Refuelling Squadron at Birmingham, Alabama.

She was responsible for the unit's $21 million flying hour program.

Savino was a "great human, a future senior leader, a mentor to Latina youth and current Air Force superstar" who died "doing what she loved", her friend, Ernesto Nisperos, said in a Facebook post.

The United Arab Emirates reported a new missile attack Sunday morning, a day after Iran called for the evacuation of three major UAE ports, threatening for the first time a neighbouring country’s non-US assets.

Authorities urged residents to remain in safe locations.

تتعامل حالياً الدفاعات الجوية الإماراتية مع اعتداءات صاروخية وطائرات مسيرة قادمة من إيران وتؤكد وزارة الدفاع أن الأصوات المسموعة في مناطق متفرقة من الدولة هي نتيجة اعتراض كل من منظومات الدفاع الجوي للصواريخ البالستية، والمقاتلات للطائرات المسيرة والجوالة.
UAE air defences are… pic.twitter.com/MR1kcPLGhg

— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) March 15, 2026

Tehran had accused the US of using “ports, docks and hideouts” in the UAE to launch strikes on Kharg Island.

South Korea is evacuating 204 of its citizens and seven other nationals from the Middle East using a military aircraft, the foreign ministry said, calling the operation "unprecedented".

The evacuees are due to arrive in South Korea on Sunday afternoon.

Iran has vowed to "pursue and kill" Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

"If this child-killing criminal is alive, we will continue to pursue and kill him with full force," the Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement amid social media posts raising questions about the whereabouts of Netanyahu, who has reportedly not been seen in public for a few days.

Thirty-eight years before US forces targeted military targets on Iran's Kharg Island, he had said in an interview that he "would be harsh on Iran" and that "one bullet shot" on a US soldier or ship would invite an attack on the island, critical to Iran's oil exports. At the time, Trump was a 41-year-old business tycoon exploring a political entry.

In a 1988 interview with The Guardian's Polly Toynbee, he said, "I'd be harsh on Iran. They've been beating us psychologically, making us look a bunch of fools. One bullet shot at one of our men or ships, and I'd do a number on Kharg Island. I'd go in and take it. Iran can't even beat Iraq, yet they push the United States around. It'd be good for the world to take them on'."

And nearly four decades later, amid a spiralling conflict in the Middle East, President Trump announced that the US Central Command had executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the history of the Middle East and obliterated every military target in "Iran's crown jewel, Kharg Island".

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "fine", his office claimed after social media posts suggested he had died. A correspondent from the Anadolu Agency asked the office if they had a statement on the increasing claims on social media that "Netanyahu has been assassinated."

"These are fake news; the Prime Minister is fine," the office replied.

The US has released the identities of six crew members killed during the crash of a refueling aircraft in Iraq this week.

The Pentagon said the six members killed in the accident on Thursday were: John "Alex" Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama; Ariana Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky; Seth Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana; Curtis Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio.

They died when a KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, with the US officials saying that "the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire."

While Klinner, Savino and Pruitt were members of the US Air Force, Koval, Angst and Simmons were stationed with the US Air National Guard.

Donald Trump has threatened more strikes on Iran's Kharg Island oil export hub.

He said the US strikes had "totally demolished" most of Kharg Island and warned that more could follow.

"We may hit it a few more times just for fun," he told NBC News.

The US has posted a video showing its Air Force B-52 Stratofortress taking off for a "night mission" during Operation Epic Fury.

"Strikes from U.S. forces continue to be unpredictable, dynamic, and decisive," the US Central Command said on X.

A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress takes off for a night mission during Operation Epic Fury. Strikes from U.S. forces continue to be unpredictable, dynamic, and decisive. pic.twitter.com/LU9zogVy7C

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 15, 2026

Two drones targeted an airbase in Kuwait housing US military staff, injuring Kuwaiti personnel and causing damage, the defence ministry said.

A drone attack late Saturday targeted the Baghdad airport complex, which houses a military base and a US diplomatic facility, two security sources told the news agency AFP.

The drones "targeted the military base" but were brought down just outside the complex, one source said, while a second source said a crashed drone sparked a huge fire outside.

Formula 1 and its governing body FIA said the Grand Prix races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will not happen in April because of safety concerns related to the Iran war.

“Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East region, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in April,” F1 said. “While several alternatives were considered, it was ultimately decided that no substitutions will be made in April.”

F1 was due to race in Bahrain on April 12 and in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on April 19.

“While this was a difficult decision to take, it is unfortunately the right one at this stage considering the current situation in the Middle East," said Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of F1.

“The FIA will always place the safety and well being of our community and colleagues first. After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind,” FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said.

Explosions rang out over Bahrain's capital of Manama early on Sunday, according to two AFP journalists.

In a post on X at around 1 am, Bahrain's Ministry of Interior said the "siren has been sounded".

"Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place," it had said.

Bahrain has said it has intercepted 125 missiles and 203 drones since the start of Iran's attacks.

Iran has attacked Gulf countries housing American bases as the war in the Middle East entered day 16 on Sunday.