US President Donald Trump insisted Wednesday that Iran was taking part in peace talks, suggesting Tehran's denials were because Iranian negotiators fear being killed by their own side.

"They are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so badly. But they're afraid to say it, because they figure they'll be killed by their own people," Trump told a dinner for Republican members of Congress.

#Iran FM Abbas #Araghchi: We permitted passage through the Strait of #Hormuz for friendly nations including China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan. pic.twitter.com/RvLtiwYB4v

— Consulate General of the I.R. Iran in Mumbai (@IRANinMumbai) March 25, 2026

US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Thursday said that the reports of possible peace talks with Iran to be held in Pakistan are 'speculation'.

Leavitt, while briefing the media, said that nothing is to be considered official unless it is announced by the White House.

"I've seen that speculation. Nothing is official until it is announced by this White House. We aren't going to get ahead of ourselves," she said.

The United States has hit two-thirds of Iran's production facilities for missiles and drones, and a similar proportion of its naval production, a top officer said Wednesday.

In a video posted on X, Admiral Brad Cooper, head of Central Command, also estimated that 92 percent of the Iranian navy's largest vessels had been damaged or destroyed.

"And my operational assessment is that they've now lost the ability to meaningfully project naval power and influence around the region and around the world."

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said Wednesday that negotiating with Israel under fire would amount to "surrender" for Lebanon, as Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu said his forces were "expanding" a "buffer zone" in Lebanon.

Netanyahu said the Israeli military had "created a genuine security zone" inside Lebanon and was "expanding this zone," as its ground forces tried to push deeper into Lebanon, on a day when Hezbollah issued dozens of statements claiming attacks on Israeli forces.

Iran state television Press TV cited an unidentified official as saying Tehran had "responded negatively" to the plan and that the war would only end on Tehran's terms.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday the Strait of Hormuz was "closed only to enemies", with the Middle East war having all but shut the vital oil and gas shipping route.

"The Strait of Hormuz, from our perspective, is not completely closed -- it is closed only to enemies," Araghchi said on state TV, adding: "There is no reason to allow the ships of our enemies and their allies to pass."

He said Tehran's armed forces had already "provided safe passage" for ships from friendly nations.

"Trump Doesn't Bluff, Prepared To Unleash Hell": US Warns Iran On Negotiations

چنان که رهبر شهیدمان تاکید داشتند بر این باوریم که در مسائل اصلی کشور باید «صدای واحد» شنیده شود. امروز نیز در مساله جنگ و اداره آن همه ارکان تصمیم‌گیری با هدایت رهبر عالیقدر با انسجام و همدلی یکصدا هستند.
این وحدت، پشتوانه مدیریت مؤثر، عبور از بحران‌ها و تأمین منافع ملی است.

— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) March 25, 2026

Iran on Wednesday dismissed an American plan to pause the war in the Middle East and launched more attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab countries, including an assault that sparked a huge fire at Kuwait International Airport.

Iran's defiance came as Israel launched airstrikes on Tehran and as the United States deployed paratroopers and more Marines to the region.

Iranian state television’s English-language broadcaster quoted an anonymous official as saying Iran rejected America’s ceasefire proposal and has its own demands for an end to the fighting. “Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its own conditions are met,” the hardliner-controlled Press TV quoted the official as saying.

Two Marine units, roughly 5,000 personnel in total, are currently en route, joining more than 50,000 American forces already deployed across the Middle East.

Iran Rejects US Proposal On Ending War, Lays Down 5 Conditions: Report

Iran rejects US proposal on ending war, lays down five conditions, including sovereignty over Strait of Hormuz: Report

India has mocked Pakistan's attempt at mediation in the Middle East war, using the strongest of languages to refer to Islamabad as it seeks a role in global diplomacy. 

At an all-party meeting in Delhi today, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar derided Pakistan as a "dalal (middleman) nation," sources said.

The Israeli military said Wednesday it had struck a submarine development facility in Isfahan, a day after its air force carried out a wave of strikes on the central Iran city.

"As part of the strikes, the IDF, guided by Iraeli navy intelligence, targeted the Iranian terror regime's Underwater Research Centre in Isfahan," the military said.

"The centre is the only facility in Iran responsible for the design and development of submarines and support systems for the Iranian navy," it said, adding that the site also produced various types of "unmanned vessels".

(AFP)

Kenya's flower industry has reported weekly losses of up to $1.4 million since the Iran war began, with growers attributing the losses to a decline in demand and shipping disruptions.

The Kenya Flower Council, a private sector organization representing growers and exporters of cut flowers and ornamentals in Kenya, said Tuesday the ongoing conflict has resulted in over $4.2 million in losses over the last three weeks.

"We are seeing a reduction in movement, delays in movement of produce, and longer routes, while pricing is extremely high. Last week, we were at $5.80 per kilo, which is the highest we've had in the last 10 years," KFC Chief Executive Officer Clement Tulezi told The Associated Press.

Kenya's horticulture sector, one of its most important industries, is worth over $800 million annually, according to the Central Bank of Kenya.

(AP)

Strikes around Iran and Israel's nuclear sites risk unleashing an "unmitigated catastrophe", the UN rights chief said Wednesday as the UN Human Rights Council discussed Tehran's attacks across the Gulf.

"Recent missile strikes near nuclear sites in both Israel and Iran underscore the immense danger of further escalation. States are flirting with unmitigated catastrophe," Volker Turk said in a video statement.

(AFP)

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned Wednesday that the Middle East war presented a "far worse" scenario than the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

"This is not the same scenario as the illegal war in Iraq. We are facing something far worse. Much worse. With a potential impact that is far broader and far deeper," he told parliament.

(AFP)

China's shipping giant Cosco said on Wednesday that it was resuming new bookings for shipments to some Gulf countries, three weeks after it halted most bookings to the region in response to the Middle East war.

The state-owned firm "resumed new bookings for general cargo containers for shipments" to the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq "with immediate effect", according to a company statement.

"New booking arrangements and the actual carriage are subject to change due to the volatile situation in the Middle East region", it added.

(AFP)

Seven Iraqi soldiers were killed and 13 others wounded in an airstrike on a site belonging to Iraq's Shi'ite Popular Mobilization Forces near an army medical centre in western Anbar, security sources and the defence ministry said on Wednesday.

The ministry said the strike, which took place at around 0900 local time, hit a military clinic and a nearby engineering unit. Rescue teams were still searching the site for possible additional casualties.

The ministry condemned the strike as a "blatant and serious violation" of international laws and norms prohibiting attacks on medical facilities and personnel, describing it as a dangerous escalation and calling for those responsible to be held accountable.

It reserved the right to respond in accordance with legal frameworks, the ministry said.

(Reuters)

Taiwan fears China will exploit the distraction of the United States by its war in the Middle East, with state media citing examples from the conflict to cast doubt on the efficiency of U.S. weapons the island would use to repel any invasion.

Taiwan officials say Beijing's resumption, since March 14 and 15, of large-scale air force incursions near Taiwan after an unusual drop-off, show China wants to take advantage of US forces redeploying from East Asia to bolster the war effort.

"This is a moment for China to exercise influence," said a senior Taiwan security official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters.

"What China is trying to create is a sense that when the U.S. shifts forces away and Indo-Pacific strength is redirected to the Middle East, tension and instability should be manufactured."

(Reuters)

The Israeli military announced on Wednesday it had struck two naval cruise missile production facilities operating under Iran's ministry of defence in Tehran.

"In recent days, the Israeli air force acting on IDF intelligence struck two key naval cruise missile production sites in Tehran," the military said.

It said the facilities were used to "develop and manufacture long-range naval cruise missiles, which are capable of rapidly destroying targets at sea and on land".

The strikes "represent another step in deepening the damage done to the regime's military production infrastructure", the military added.

Last week, the military announced its fighter jets had struck several Iranian naval ships in the Caspian Sea, including vessels equipped with anti-submarine missiles.

(AFP)

A Pakistan-bound container ship has been stopped from crossing the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces amid the escalating war in the Middle East. 

The vessel, SELEN, sailing from the United Arab Emirates' Sharjah anchorage toward Karachi, was forced to reverse course at the entrance to the crucial waterways due to the absence of transit authorisation, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). 

🔴#BREAKING | Israel hits Russia-Iran weapon supply route, reports Wall Street Journal
NDTV's @VishalV054 joins @VedikaS with more details pic.twitter.com/NDu4LciOCj

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 25, 2026

Britain's annual inflation rate was unchanged at 3.0 percent in February, official data showed Wednesday ahead of an expected jump as the Middle East war has sent oil prices surging.

Rising clothes prices last month were "offset by falls in petrol costs, with prices collected before the start of the conflict in the Middle East and subsequent rise in crude oil prices", noted Grant Fitzner, chief economist at the Office for National Statistics.

(AFP)

A new strike in western Iraq targeted the former paramilitary coalition Hashed al-Shaabi, a security official said Wednesday, a day after a similar attack killed 15 Iraqi fighters.

"Two missiles were fired from a fighter jet" at the same base in Anbar province that was struck on Tuesday, the official said.

Tuesday's strike -- the deadliest in Iraq since the start of the Middle East war -- prompted the government to grant former paramilitaries within the official armed forces a "right to respond" to any attack against them.

(AFP)

A Thai oil tanker has safely passed through the Strait of Hormuz following diplomatic coordination between Thailand and Iran, and was not required to pay to escape the blockade, a Thai official and the oil major that owns the vessel said on Wednesday.

The Bangchak Corporation-owned tanker crossed the strategic waterway on Monday after successful talks between Thai foreign minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow and Iran's ambassador to Thailand.

"I requested that if Thai ships need to pass through the strait, could they assist in ensuring safe passage?" Sihasak told reporters late on Tuesday.

"They responded that they would take care of it and asked us to provide the names of the vessels that would be transiting."

(Reuters)

Watch #BreakingGround with @VedikaS | US To Send 3,000 Troops From Elite Army Brigade To Middle East: Who Are They? pic.twitter.com/OzwGtW9BU8

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 25, 2026

Watch #BreakingGround with @VedikaS | Iran Names Mohammad Zolghadr Security Chief After Ali Larijani's Death pic.twitter.com/WByDuz7XyR

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 25, 2026

The head of the International Energy Agency said Wednesday he was "ready to move forward" with an additional release of oil reserves "if and when necessary".

Fatih Birol's comments in Tokyo came after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi asked the agency "to prepare to implement an additional release in case the situation drags on" with the war in the Middle East.

(AFP)

🔴#BREAKING | Markets in green after Trump's 'peace plan'
NDTV Profit's @PoddarNisha joins @radhika1705 with more details pic.twitter.com/L026H5NwmV

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 25, 2026

"We will control Hormuz soon" : Trump's reiteration amid Hormuz crisis pic.twitter.com/Q8kwcCLV5o

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 25, 2026

The United States is negotiating with itself, an Iranian military spokesman said according to state media on Wednesday, a day after US President Donald Trump said Tehran wants to make a deal to end the war in the Middle East.

"Has the level of your inner struggle reached the stage of you negotiating with yourself?" Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperon for the unified command of Iran's armed forces, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, taunted the US leadership.

"People like us can never get along with people like you."

Zolfaqari said US investments and pre-war energy prices would not return as long as Washington does not accept that regional stability is guaranteed by Iranian armed forces.

(Reuters)

Keep Hormuz Open, Drop Nukes: Inside Trump's 15-Point Plan To End Iran War@divyawadhwa pic.twitter.com/nFhNmB7chP

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 25, 2026

Disruptions to fertiliser supplies caused by the Middle East war pose a double threat to global food security through scarcity and high prices, a top World Trade Organization official has warned.

Iran has virtually shut the Strait of Hormuz, choking a vital transit route for oil and gas -- as well as fertilisers.

"Fertilisers are the number one issue of concern today. If there is no more fertiliser, there is an impact on quantities but also on prices," WTO Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam told AFP in an interview in Yaounde.

"The effect compounds the following year: harvests shrink and prices rise." 

(AFP)

The price of diesel in Vietnam has more than doubled since the start of the war in the Middle East, according to figures released by the trade ministry on Wednesday.

Diesel prices have skyrocketed about 105 percent from February 26, two days before the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran. The government raised the price to 39,660 dong ($1.50) per litre Wednesday, up from 19,270 dong last month, trade ministry figures showed.

The price of 95-octane petrol also jumped nearly 68 percent over the same period, from 20,150 dong to 33,840 dong.

(Reuters)

Oil prices fell more than 5% and Asian shares gained on Wednesday over possibilities of a de-escalation of the Iran war and negotiations between the United States and Iran.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 was up 2.8% to 53,721.30 in early trading. South Korea's Kospi gained 3.1% to 5,728.22.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.2% to 25,374.95, while the Shanghai Composite index was 0.9% higher at 3,914.09.

Australia's S&P/ASX 200 climbed 2.2%. Taiwan's Taiex was up 3%.

The administration of US President Donald Trump is said to have offered a 15-point ceasefire plan to Iran. 

(AP)

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had fired missiles at Israel as well as military bases hosting US forces in Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain, Iranian state television reported on Wednesday.

A Guards statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB said that "targets in the heart of the occupied territories", meaning Israel, and US military bases in the region "were struck by precision-guided liquid- and solid-fuel missile systems and attack drones."

(AFP)

Kuwaiti air defences responded to missile and drone attacks early Wednesday, the army said, as Iran continues strikes on Gulf nations in the nearly four-week regional war.

"Kuwaiti air defences are currently responding to hostile missile and drone attacks," the army posted on X, after authorities had announced drone attacks including one that sparked a fire at the country's main international airport. 

تتصدى حالياً الدفاعات الجوية الكويتية لهجمات صاروخية وطائرات مسيرة معادية.
تنوه رئاسة الأركان العامة للجيش أن أصوات الانفجارات إن سمعت فهي نتيجة اعتراض منظومات الدفاع الجوي للهجمات المعادية.
يرجى من الجميع التقيد بتعليمات الأمن والسلامة الصادرة عن الجهات المختصة.… pic.twitter.com/VO0Wu3SDJa

— KUWAIT ARMY - الجيش الكويتي (@KuwaitArmyGHQ) March 25, 2026

#BREAKING | If Iran had nuclear weapons, they would have used it, says US President Donald Trump
NDTV World's @VishalV054 reports#donaldtrump #nuclearweapon #Iran pic.twitter.com/MMbg1hUU32

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 25, 2026

#BREAKING | US President Donald Trump claims Iran gave US a 'present', suggests link to Strait of Hormuz
NDTV World's @VishalV054 joins @reetksahni with more details #donaldtrump #straitofhormuz #iranwar pic.twitter.com/OvbQL9WTbz

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 25, 2026

#BREAKING | UK's Royal Navy to lead Hormuz reopening efforts
NDTV World's @VishalV054 reports pic.twitter.com/vha4XOHOel

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 25, 2026

#BREAKING | Amid Trump's Pause, US To Send Thousands More Troops To West Asia: Report
NDTV World's @VishalV054 reports pic.twitter.com/KAoJfLvE9K

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 25, 2026

Drones hit a fuel tank and sparked a fire at Kuwait International Airport, the Gulf state's civil aviation authority said on Wednesday, reporting no casualties.

Citing preliminary information, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a statement posted online that the attack had caused only "limited" damage.

"The relevant authorities immediately implemented the approved emergency procedures" and firefighters had been deployed to bring the blaze under control, said agency spokesman Abdullah Al-Rajhi.

The Kuwait airport has come under attack several times since the regional war began on February 28, when Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran.

(AFP)

#BREAKING | Fuel tanks on fire after strikes at Kuwait airport
NDTV's @tejshreethought joins @reetksahni with details pic.twitter.com/wQYWj9DZI4

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 25, 2026

The Israeli military said early Wednesday that it was striking targets in the Iranian capital Tehran, shortly after it announced a salvo of missiles had been fired towards Israel by Iran.

"Initial report -- the IDF has begun a wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime across Tehran," the Israeli military wrote on its official Telegram channel.

Drones targeted a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, causing a fire but no casualties, Kuwait's Civil Aviation Authority said on Wednesday.

Emergency procedures were activated immediately, with firefighting teams responding to the blaze, it said, adding that initial reports indicated only material damage.

Israel's military warned late Tuesday that Iran had fired a new salvo of missiles towards the country and that anti-missile defences were active after a day of more than a dozen missile alerts.

Following the warning, sirens sounded in Jerusalem and a blast was heard in the city, while a loud explosion was also heard in the skies over the West Bank city of Jericho, AFP correspondents said.

"A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the Israeli military said on Telegram.

The New York Times, quoting two anonymous officials, said that the proposal was sent to Iran via Pakistan, which has offered to mediate.

 Lebanon's Foreign Ministry declared Iran's ambassador to Beirut persona non grata Tuesday, ordering him to leave the country by the end of the week.

The decision was the clearest sign yet of deteriorating relations between the two countries and raises tensions within Lebanon over the role of Tehran and its Lebanon-based ally, the militant Hezbollah group.

The decision is the latest step taken by Lebanon's government against Iran after the most recent Israel-Hezbollah war broke out on March 2, during which Israel's military killed several members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard in strikes around the long-suffering country.

The IAEA has been informed by Iran that another projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant today. According to Iran, there was no damage to the NPP itself nor injuries to staff, and the condition of the plant is normal. IAEA DG @rafaelmgrossi reiterates call… pic.twitter.com/PngRf4w23O

— IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency ⚛️ (@iaeaorg) March 24, 2026

 French President Emmanuel Macron called on Iran on Tuesday to "engage in good faith" in talks to end the war in the Middle East, after a call with his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian.

"I called on Iran to engage in good faith in negotiations," Macron posted on X, saying he had also urged an end to "unacceptable" attacks on countries in the region and to "restore freedom of navigation" in the vital Strait of Hormuz, whose effective closure by Iranian forces has sent global oil and gas prices soaring.

Iran's atomic energy organisation accused the US and Israel on Tuesday of attacking its Bushehr nuclear power plant, saying a projectile had landed within its compound but caused no damage.

"The American-Zionist enemy has attacked the Bushehr nuclear power plant site again," the organisation said in a statement, adding that "a projectile hit inside the enclosure of the Bushehr power plant".

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the United States was talking to "the right people" in Iran in order to reach an agreement to end hostilities.

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iran gave him a "very big present" related to oil and gas, not offering details but saying he had new faith in Tehran's leaders.

"It was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of money," Trump said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and discussed with him the evolving situation in West Asia, with particular focus on disruptions affecting global energy security.

After his telephonic conversation with the Sri Lankan leader, the prime minister said they reviewed the progress on key initiatives aimed at strengthening India-Sri Lanka energy cooperation and enhancing regional security.

"Spoke with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and discussed the evolving situation in West Asia, with particular focus on disruptions affecting global energy security," Modi said in a post on 'X'.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to France this week to try to sell America's sceptical Group of Seven allies on the strategy of the Iran war that has sent global fuel prices soaring, the State Department said Tuesday.

Rubio will attend a G7 foreign ministers meeting near Versailles outside of Paris on Friday "to advance key US interests" and "discuss shared security concerns and opportunities for cooperation," the department said.

"Areas of focus will include the Russia-Ukraine war, the situation in the Middle East, and threats across the world to peace and stability," the department said in a statement released amid conflicting accounts over whether the US and Iran are talking about a resolution to the conflict.

In a televised interview on Tuesday on Iran's state-funded news agency IRNA, Mohsen Rezaei, Iran's new military adviser said, "The final deadlines for saving America are approaching."

Iran and Israel traded strikes on Tuesday, as the Middle East war showed no sign of de-escalation despite US President Donald Trump signalling "very good talks" to end the three-week conflict.

The war, sparked by US-Israel attacks on Iran that killed its supreme leader, has upended global energy markets, roiled the world economy, and spiralled throughout the region -- even dragging in safe-haven Gulf nations.

Israel's army said it had conducted a "large wave" of airstrikes across several areas of Iran, which had earlier launched a "direct hit" on a building in an upscale area of Tel Aviv.

Iran Names Mohammad Zolghadr Security Chief After Ali Larijani's Death

Iran names Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr secretary of Supreme National Security Council after Ali Larijani's death.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump announced he had shelved plans to attack Iran's power plants in a stunning about-turn, sparked by what he said were "very good" talks with unidentified Iranian officials to bring an end to the war.

Israel's military has said that its fighter jets had carried out a large wave of strikes in central Tehran on Monday, targeting key command centres, including facilities associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ intelligence arm and the Iranian Intelligence Ministry.

In a post on X, it said more than 50 additional targets were hit overnight, including ballistic missile storage and launch sites.

⭕️ 3,000+ strikes across Iran since the start of Operation Roaring Lion
Yesterday, the IDF targeted IRGC command centers, weapons storage facilities, and aerial defense systems.
Overnight, an additional 50+ targets were struck, including ballistic missile storage and launch…

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 24, 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Rajya Sabha on the Middle East war and said it has created a "serious energy crisis".

India wants peace in West Asia through "dialogue and diplomacy", he said.

"If the West Asia crisis persists for a longer period, serious consequences are imminent," he said.

He said that his government is trying to procure gas and crude oil from all possible sources.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha. https://t.co/NAcbZLZq7P

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 24, 2026

Iranian media has reported that Israeli-US strikes targeted two gas facilities and a pipeline, a day after Donald Trump stepped back from his threat to attack power infrastructure.

"As part of the ongoing attacks carried out by the Zionist and American enemy, the gas administration building and the gas pressure regulation station on Kaveh Street in Isfahan were targeted," said the Fars news agency.

The facilities in central Iran were "partially damaged", added Fars.

It said an attack also targeted the gas pipeline of the Khorramshahr power plant.

"A projectile hit the area outside the Khorramshahr gas pipeline processing station," Fars reported, quoting the governor of the city bordering Iraq.

Trump on Monday had announced a five-day pause on targeting the Islamic republic's power plants.

Officials said six people were injured after an Iranian missile hit Israel's commercial hub Tel Aviv.

Israel's Magen David Adom emergency medical service said "six people were lightly injured at four different sites" and released videos showing a partially gutted building and vehicles on fire.

Police in Tel Aviv said they were handling "several impact sites of munitions".

Donald Trump has indicated that his defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, may have been the one who pushed the US towards launching a war on Iran.

"I called Pete, I called General [Dan] Caine. I called a lot of our great people... And I said, 'Let's talk. We got a problem in the Middle East. We have a country, known as Iran, that for 47 years has been just a purveyor of terror, and they're very close to having a nuclear weapon. We can keep going and get that 50,000 up to 55 and 60, there's no end, or we can take a stop and make a little journey into the Middle East and eliminate a big problem," Trump said at a Memphis Safe Task Force roundtable in Tennessee while sitting beside the Pentagon chief.

"And Pete, I think you were the first one to speak up, and you said, 'Let's do it, because you can't let them have a nuclear weapon'," he added, turning to Hegseth.

Vietnam's national air carrier will suspend nearly two dozen domestic flights a week starting next month because of limited fuel supplies caused by the Middle East war, the nation's aviation authority has said.

"Vietnam Airlines plans to temporarily suspend operations on several routes from April 1," totalling 23 flights a week, the country's civil aviation authority said in a statement late Monday.

"The limited supply of aviation fuel (Jet A-1) due to the conflict in the Middle East has put domestic airlines at risk of fuel shortages," prompting the flight cuts, the authority said.

Major domestic routes and international flights are being maintained, it said.

Amazon has said its Amazon Web Services region in Bahrain has "been disrupted" amid the current conflict in the Middle East. 

The disruption is due to a drone activity in the area, an Amazon spokesperson said, following a Reuters inquiry.

Amazon said it is helping to migrate customers to alternate AWS regions while it recovers.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have taken steps toward joining the Iran war, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Saudi Arabia agreed to give the US military access to King Fahd Air Base, the WSJ reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The newspaper also cited people familiar as saying the UAE closed an Iranian-owned hospital and club - undercutting a key source of support for Tehran.

Iran launched another round of missiles towards Israel early Tuesday, state television announced.

"Iran fires new wave of missiles at occupied territories," the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting posted on Telegram.

The USS Gerald R Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier that has been part of Middle East war operations, has returned to a naval base in Crete, an AFP photographer said.

The vessel, which took on food, fuel and ammunition at Souda Bay in February, reported a laundry fire on March 12 which injured two crew members.

During the phone call, Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told Donald Trump that the US and Israel might never get a better chance to kill Ali Khamenei and "to avenge previous Iranian efforts to assassinate Trump".

The Trump administration is quietly weighing Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad ⁠Bagher Ghalibaf, as a potential partner and even a future leader, Politico reported, citing two administration officials.

Ghalibaf is seen by at least some in the White House as a workable partner who could lead Iran and negotiate with the Trump administration in the war's next phase, the report said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday said that he has evidence of the fact that Russia is providing intelligence to Iran for the war.

Zelensky said that the aid is helping Iran stay afloat and prolonging the war.

"There is growing evidence that the Russians continue to provide the Iranian regime with intelligence support. This is clearly a destructive activity, and it must be stopped, as it only leads to further destabilization," Zelensky said. 

A loud blast rang out over Jerusalem early Tuesday after Israel's military said it detected another Iranian missile launch, the second of the day. 

AFP reporters in the city heard a loud explosion minutes after the military said it had detected missile launches from Iran and was "working to intercept the threat."

Iran fired missiles at Israel early Tuesday, the Israeli military said, hours after US President Donald Trump announced Washington had held talks with an unnamed Iranian official -- a report denied by Tehran.

The military said the latest Iranian missile barrage was aimed at northern Israel and that it was "working to intercept the threat".

Bahrain has put forward a draft United Nations Security Council resolution that would authorise countries to use "all necessary means" - diplomatic language for force - to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to a text seen by Reuters on Monday.

Diplomats said the draft text was backed by other Gulf Arab states and the United States, although they said it was unlikely to succeed.  

The move underscores mounting concern in the region that Iran could continue to threaten the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint that carries about a fifth of global oil supplies and underpins Gulf economies. 

 US crude futures rose more than $1 in early Asia trade on Tuesday as markets assessed the supply outlook after Iran denied holding talks with the United States, contradicting President Donald Trump's earlier claim that discussions were under way.

US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were up $1.37, or 1.6%, at $89.44 a barrel as of 2206 GMT. The contract hit a session low of $84.37 on Monday.

Iran War: Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel will continue to strike both in Iran and in Lebanon.

An Israeli strike hit Beirut's southern suburbs on Monday, state media reported, hours after the Israeli army issued a warning for residents of the area to evacuate.

AFPTV's live broadcast showed a cloud of smoke over the southern suburbs, which are considered a Hezbollah stronghold and have not been hit since Friday night.

Had a detailed telecon this evening with US @SecRubio. Our discussions focused on the West Asia conflict and its impact on the international economy. We particularly spoke about energy security concerns. Agreed to remain in touch.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) March 23, 2026

Britain is sending short-range air defence systems to the Gulf to help counter Iranian missile attacks, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday.

"We're deploying short range air defence systems to Bahrain at speed," Starmer told a parliamentary committee, adding the UK was "doing the same with Kuwait and Saudi Arabia". 

The UK is working with industry to "distribute air defence missiles to Gulf partners", which have faced waves of Iranian barrages in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes, and has embedded airspace specialists there, Starmer said.

Defence minister John Healey told parliament the country would be deploying its Rapid Sentry anti-drone system to Kuwait.

He called this a "battle-tested ground-based air defence missile system that has already proved highly effective for UK forces taking down drones in the region".

Iran's powerful parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Monday that "no negotiations" were held with the United States after US President Donald Trump announced talks were ongoing.

"No negotiations have been held with the US, and fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped," Ghalibaf said in a post on X. 

Two more Indian-flagged tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, India's shipping ministry said, marking a fresh set of exceptions in the chokepoint disrupted by the Middle East war.

Tehran, following US-Israel military strikes, has all but halted maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) normally pass.

Jag Vasant and Pine Gas, carrying LPG about 92,000 metric tonnes combined, are likely to reach Indian ports between March 26 and 28, the ministry said in a statement.

Two other Indian LPG tankers had earlier transited through the strait.

India is the world's fourth-largest buyer of LNG and second-largest buyer of LPG, which is used for cooking and predominantly sourced from the Middle East.

President Donald Trump said Monday that "regime change" was effectively underway in Iran, while warning that if talks with Iranian figures contacted by the United States do not succeed then bombing will continue.

Trump made clear talks were not with Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei but with people he described as "very reasonable," while so many top officials had already been killed in the conflict that "there's automatically a regime change."

If talks fail, he told reporters, "we'll just keep bombing our little hearts out."

The US is speaking with a lot of leaders in Iran and not just one person, President Donald Trump told CNBC today. He said it was not him who initiated the talks, but the other side.

"I didn't call them. They called. They wanted to make a deal, and we are also willing to make a deal," he said.

Trump then said something else to reporters at a press briefing, that the US has been talking to a particular senior leader in Iran, not the new supreme leader. "... Nobody has heard from him, and we don't know if he is living. I don't want the leader of Iran to be killed; nobody wants that job right now."

His fresh comments on the claimed talks came hours after Iranian media reported no conversation has taken place between the two nations.

Wall Street stocks mostly rose early Monday after US President Donald Trump said Washington and Tehran had held "very good" talks on the war in the Middle East -- despite Iran denying negotiations took place.

Oil prices -- which have spiked since February 28 when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran -- were sharply down on Monday.

Brent crude was trading down 9.8 percent, and its US-equivalent West Texas Intermediate had dropped 8.7 percent by around 1315 GMT.

US stocks meanwhile surged, with the broad-based S&P 500 up 1.4 percent to 6,596.00 about five minutes into trading.

The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 1.6 percent to 21,982.16, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.4 percent to 46,232.45.

Iranian media cited the country's foreign ministry as saying no talks with Washington had taken place.

US President Donald Trump told AFP on Monday that "things are going very well" with Iran, shortly after announcing talks with Tehran and a five-day pause on targeting the Islamic republic's power plants. "Things are going very well," Trump said in brief comments by telephone to AFP when asked about Iran, following an earlier Truth Social post on the negotiations that immediately sent oil prices tumbling.

Iranian media said on Monday there were no negotiations between Tehran and Washington after US President Donald Trump announced talks towards ending the war. 

"There are no talks between Tehran and Washington," said Mehr news agency citing Iran's foreign ministry, adding that Trump's statements were part of a push "to reduce energy prices". 

Other media carried similar reports. 

Trump has backed down again!
I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SUBJECT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ONGOING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS. pic.twitter.com/YwJH5xEpTZ

— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) March 23, 2026

The dollar plunged and stocks surged on Monday after US President Donald Trump said he had asked the Department of Defence to postpone "any and all" military strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days.

Trump says postponing Iran power plant strikes after 'very good' talks.

The USS Gerald R Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier that has been part of Middle East war operations, on Monday returned to a naval base in Crete.

The vessel, which took on food, fuel and ammunition at Souda Bay in February, reported a laundry fire on March 12 which injured two crew members.

The United States and Israel launched a massive air campaign against Iran in late February following a major US military buildup in the Middle East that included the Ford and another aircraft carrier, the Abraham Lincoln.

Both ships -- which have air wings made up of dozens of aircraft -- have played key roles in Iran operations, and the withdrawal of the Ford leaves a gap for US forces in the region.

Iran on Monday threatened to deploy "naval mines" in the Gulf if the United States and Israel were to attack any of its coasts or islands. 

"Any attempt by the enemy to attack Iranian coasts or islands will naturally, and in accordance with established military practice, lead to all access routes and communication lines in the Persian Gulf and coastal areas being mined with various types of naval mines, including drifting mines deployable from the coasts," said the country's defence council in a statement carried by state media. 

(AFP)

European stock markets extended heavy losses at the start of trading on Monday following sharp falls for Asian equities as oil prices jumped on the escalating Middle East war.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index shed 1.4 percent, Paris lost 1.7 percent and Frankfurt tumbled 2.0 percent.

(AFP)

China on Monday urged all parties involved in the Middle East conflict affecting the Strait of Hormuz to end military operations to prevent a "vicious cycle" and return to negotiations.

"Should hostilities continue to escalate and the situation deteriorate further, the entire region will be plunged into chaos," the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said when responding to a question about U.S. President Donald Trump pressuring Iran to reopen the key shipping waterway.

"The use of force will only lead to a vicious cycle," he said adding that the war should not have begun in the first place.

(Reuters)

#BREAKING | Iranian missiles feature Spain's Pedro sticker
NDTV World's @NewshoundArjun joins @radhika1705 with more details pic.twitter.com/nEjBepxcf7

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 23, 2026

#IranWar | 16 Ships attacked in Strait of Hormuz
NDTV World's @VishalV054 reports pic.twitter.com/opVNQTehbF

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 23, 2026

Israel's military said on Monday morning it was working to intercept missiles fired from Iran, and urged people to take cover.

"A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel," Israel's military posted on Telegram, using the official acronym for the country's armed forces. "Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat."

(AFP)

Iran will retaliate to an attack on its electricity sector by targeting Israel's power plants as well as power plants supplying US bases with electricity in regional countries, a statement by the Revolutionary Guards on Monday said.

The statement seemingly retracted earlier threats to desalination plants in the region, which are crucial for providing drinking water in Gulf countries.

"The lying ... US President has claimed that the Revolutionary Guards intends to attack the water desalination plants and cause hardship to the people of the countries in the region," the statement shared on state media said.

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump warned that Iranian power plants would be targeted if Tehran failed to "fully open" the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping within 48 hours.

"We are determined to respond to any threat at the same level as it creates in terms of deterrence ... If you hit electricity, we hit electricity," the Revolutionary Guards said.

(Reuters)

#BREAKING | Peace through strength, to put it mildly, says US President Donald Trump as 48-hour Hormuz deadline nears
NDTV World's @VishalV054 reports pic.twitter.com/xv0WPDcDEE

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 23, 2026

Indonesia is eyeing up to 80 trillion rupiah ($4.7 billion) in savings to cushion its economy from the fallout of the war in the Middle East, according to the government. 

Southeast Asia's largest economy is also mulling fuel-saving measures including one day of remote working per week for government and certain public sector workers as US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory response in the Gulf have sent global oil prices soaring. 

In an interview recorded last week, President Prabowo Subianto was asked about a possible shift in budget priorities for the country that heavily subsidises fuel for its population of just over 284 million.

(AFP)

A strike on a broadcast station in southern Iran killed at least one person, state television reported on Monday. 

"The 100-kilowatt AM transmitter of the Persian Gulf Radio and Television Centre was attacked by the American-Zionist terrorist army," the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported. 

"In this attack, which was against international laws, one of the centre's security colleagues was martyred and another person was injured."

(AFP)

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates reported coming under fresh attacks on Monday morning, with explosions and sirens sounding over the oil-rich Gulf.

The Saudi Ministry of Defense said it had detected two incoming ballistic missiles targeting the capital on Monday, "one of which was intercepted and the other fell in an uninhabited area".

The UAE defence ministry said it was "currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran", explaining "the sounds heard are the result of the Air Defence Systems intercepting missiles and drones".

Hours earlier, Abu Dhabi authorities reported an Indian national had been wounded by falling debris from an intercepted ballistic missile. 

And sirens were sounding in Bahrain, with residents instructed to seek shelter. 

(AFP)

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense said it detected two incoming ballistic missiles on Monday, as the kingdom and its Gulf neighbours face Iranian strikes.

"Two ballistic missiles were launched towards the Riyadh region, one of which was intercepted and the other fell in an uninhabited area," the ministry posted on social media. 

المتحدث الرسمي لـ #وزارة_الدفاع: رصد إطلاق صاروخين باليستيين باتجاه منطقة الرياض، واعتراض أحدهما وسقوط الآخر في منطقة غير مأهولة. pic.twitter.com/0OqMwQ6RuI

— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) March 23, 2026

The Qom Turbine Engine Production Plant produced gas turbine engines for attack drones and aircraft components used by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The photo dated on March 6, 2026 shows the plant before U.S. airstrikes and the second photo shows the plant three days… pic.twitter.com/wCxiE7Qnka

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 23, 2026

#BREAKING | As war enters Day 24, Iran launches barrage of missiles on Israel
NDTV's @VishalV054 reports#israeliranwar pic.twitter.com/CBPAkt4xzH

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 23, 2026

#BREAKING | Asian markets tumble amid Iran-US Hormuz threats
NDTV's @himanshundtv brings you the details pic.twitter.com/Nxkm6klGFA

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 23, 2026

Gold prices slipped more than 2% on Monday, extending their drop to a roughly four-month low, as an escalating Middle East conflict stoked inflation concerns and expectations of higher global interest rates.

Spot gold was down 2.5% at $4,372.86 per ounce, as of 0238 GMT, extending losses for a ninth consecutive session. The metal, which fell on Monday to its lowest level since January 2, lost more than 10% last week.

U.S. gold futures for April delivery fell 4.4% to $4,375.60.

(Reuters)

Explosions rang out in Tehran early Monday morning, Iranian media reported, as Israel announced it launched a fresh wave of strikes. 

"Explosion heard in Tehran," local media Mehr posted on Telegram, while Fars news agency said airstrikes had targeted five areas of the Iranian capital and that "terrible sounds of explosions have been reported".

"More details on the extent of damage and possible casualties will be announced later," Fars posted.

In its own statement, Israel's military announced it had "begun a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting Iranian terror regime infrastructure in Tehran."

(AFP)

Hong Kong stocks tumbled more than three percent Monday as markets across Asia were hit be fears over the economic impact of the Middle East war that has sent oil prices soaring past $110 a barrel.

The Hang Seng Index shed 3.3 percent to 24,435.74 in morning trade, while Shanghai stocks dived 2.2 percent to 3,871.75.

(AFP)

Iranian news agencies reported explosions in capital Tehran early Monday morning, with Fars saying airstrikes had occurred in multiple locations. 

"Explosion heard in Tehran," local media Mehr posted on Telegram. 

Fars reported that "airstrikes targeted areas of Tehran", specifying five areas and that "terrible sounds of explosions have been reported".

(AFP)

The head of the International Energy Agency said Monday that at least forty energy assets had been "severely or very severely" damaged in the Middle East due to the war in the region.

"At least forty... energy assets in the region are severely or very severely damaged across nine countries," Fatih Birol told the National Press Club in Australia's capital.

(AFP)

The war in the Middle East could see the world face its worst energy crisis in decades, International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warned Monday, describing the situation as "very severe".

"Many of us remember the two consecutive oil crises in the 1970s... at that time, in each of the crisis, the world has lost about five million barrels per day, both of them together, 10 million barrels per day," Birol told the National Press Club in Australia's capital.

"As of today, we lost 11 million barrels per day, so more than two major oil shocks put together," he said.

(AFP)

Air India and Air India Express will operate a total of 30 scheduled and non-scheduled flights to and from Middle East on March 23, even as services on several routes remain limited, according to an official statement issued by the airline.

Both carriers will continue their scheduled operations to Jeddah, with a total of 10 flights between India and the Saudi Arabian city. Air India will operate one return service each from Delhi and Mumbai, while Air India Express will run services from Bengaluru, Kozhikode and Mangaluru.

Apart from Jeddah, Air India Express will operate four scheduled flights to and from Muscat, including services from Delhi and Mumbai. It will also operate four scheduled flights to and from Riyadh from Bengaluru and Kozhikode.

In addition to scheduled operations, the Air India group will operate 12 non-scheduled flights to and from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, subject to slot availability and operational conditions. These flights are being operated with the necessary approvals from the Indian and local regulatory authorities.

Among UAE destinations, ad hoc services will be operated to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

(IANS)

Iran has decided to charge some vessels $2 million (approximately Rs 18.8 crore) to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in a bid to leverage its control over the global shipping choke point amid its ongoing war with the US and Israel. 

The massive toll has already been implemented, marking the new approach to controlling the critical waterway, Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi, who is a member of the parliament's national security committee, told state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), according to an Iran International report.

Relevant authorities in Abu Dhabi have responded to an incident involving debris falling in the Al Shawamekh area following the successful interception of a ballistic missile by air defence systems. The incident resulted in a minor injury to an Indian national.
The public is…

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) March 22, 2026

🚫 FALSE: Rumors claim the Iranian regime recently shot down a U.S. F-15 over Iran.
✅ TRUE: U.S. forces have flown more than 8,000 combat flights during Operation Epic Fury. No U.S. fighter aircraft have been shot down by Iran. pic.twitter.com/GzwyY2WktC

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 22, 2026

U.S. forces continue to eliminate the Iranian regime’s one-way attack drone capabilities, which they’ve used to indiscriminately target civilians throughout the region. pic.twitter.com/AbdLMmtoei

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 22, 2026

An Iran-backed armed group announced on Monday that it would continue its five-day pause on attacking the US embassy in Baghdad.

Since the start of the war in the Middle East, pro-Iran armed groups have claimed responsibility for near-daily attacks on US interests in Iraq and across the region, while strikes have also targeted these groups.

On Thursday, Kataeb Hezbollah, designated a "terrorist organisation" by Washington, said it would stop attacking the Baghdad embassy under certain conditions, including an end to attacks on residential parts of Iraq and the southern suburbs of Beirut. 

The latter area is a bastion of Lebanon's Hezbollah, which is also Iran-backed and is at war with Israel.

"The deadline given to the embassy of American evil will be extended by an additional five days," Kataeb Hezbollah said in a statement on Monday. 

(AFP)

Benchmark US oil contract WTI was up Monday after US President Donald Trump gave Iran a 48-hour ultimatum to open the Strait of Hormuz or face decimation of its energy infrastructure and Israel warned the war would continue for several more weeks.

At 0015 GMT, the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was up 0.44 percent to $98.66 per barrel. It had climbed to just over $100 a barrel earlier Monday.

South Korea's benchmark Kospi index and Japan's Nikkei sharply dropped in early trade.

The Kospi was down 4.69 percent at 5,509.88 points. The Nikkei 225 was down 3.54 percent at 51,483.91 points.

The price of North Sea Brent crude, the global market benchmark, was down 0.02 at $112.17 per barrel.

(AFP)

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are members of the CCS, which is headed by PM Modi.

The tit-for-tat threats came as the war entered its fourth week and continued to reverberate across the Middle East, with alarm mounting over strikes around nuclear sites.

The US military's request for $200 billion in additional funding for the Iran war faces stiff opposition in Congress, with Democrats and even some Republicans questioning the need after large defense appropriations last year.

Leon Panetta, who ran the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Pentagon under former president Barack Obama, has singled out US President Donald Trump as the only man responsible for the current situation

The military said it would also strike Israel's "power plants, energy, and information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure".

Iran's choice of target does not appear to be incidental. Striking Dimona even without penetrating the nuclear facility itself carries a message that a strike on a military airbase does not

Intelligence agencies around the world, including the CIA and the Mossad, waited on Friday to see if Mojtaba would follow his father's tradition and give a New Year's address.

For 20 years he had been an assistant butcher, but about a year ago Mahdi Mirzahosseini finally started up his own shop - one his family said he insisted on opening to serve customers for the Persian new year. 

He has not been seen since that shop was destroyed on Monday in what neighbors said was a double strike on a complex that included homes, stores and a ground-floor laundry. Every day since, two of the 41-year-old's elder brothers have come to search for him.

So far, they told Reuters on Saturday, they have found only his car key and jacket, despite a tractor and recovery teams continuously searching the site. He is the only person still missing, the family said.

(Mahdi Mirzahosseini in the middle with his father on the right and his other brother, Khalil.)

British cabinet minister Steve Reed said on Sunday that US President Trump spoke for himself when he threatened to "obliterate" Iran's power plants if Tehran did not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.

Asked what Britain's position on Trump's deadline was, Housing Secretary Reed told Sky News: "The US president is perfectly capable of speaking for himself and defending what it is that he's saying."

"We're not going to be dragged into the war, but we will protect our own interests in the region. We will work with our allies to de-escalate the situation."

The Strait of Hormuz typically sees around 120 daily transits, according to shipping industry intelligence site Lloyd's List.

From March 1 to 21, commodities carriers made just 124 crossings, according to analytics firm Kpler -- a decrease of 95 percent.

Of these, 75 were by oil tankers and gas carriers and most were travelling east out of the strait.

Since March 1, 2026, 24 commercial vessels, including 11 tankers, have been attacked or reported incidents in the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz or the Gulf of Oman, according to the British naval maritime security agency UKMTO.

Across all types of vessels, an additional four attacks claimed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have not been confirmed by international authorities.

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group said it attacked Israeli soldiers in northern Israel's Misgav Am on Sunday, where first responders said rocket fire from Lebanon killed one person.

In a statement, the group said its fighters targeted "a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers" in Misgav Am "with a rocket barrage" -- one of a series of attacks it claimed against Israeli troops in northern Israel and southern Lebanon on Sunday.

The death is the first Israeli fatality from fire from Lebanon since fighting started with Hezbollah on March 2. 

(AFP)

President Donald Trump ends the third week of the Iran war confronting a crisis that seems to be slipping out of his hands: Global energy prices are surging, the United States stands isolated from allies and more troops are preparing to deploy despite his promise the war would be only a "short excursion."

A defensive Trump called other NATO countries "cowards" for refusing to help secure the Strait of Hormuz and insisted the campaign was unfolding according to plan. But his declaration on Friday that the battle "was Militarily WON" clashed with the reality of a defiant Iran that is choking off Gulf oil and gas supplies while launching missile strikes across the region.

Trump, who took office promising to keep the US out of "stupid" military interventions, now appears to control neither the outcome nor the messaging of a conflict he helped to initiate. The lack of a clear exit strategy carries risks both for his presidential legacy and his party's political prospects as Republicans scramble to defend narrow majorities in Congress in the November midterm elections.

Qatar said on Sunday that six people have been confirmed killed in a Qatari helicopter crash in the Persian Gulf nation's territorial water.

The Interior Ministry said one person is still missing from from the crash, which took place the day before.

The Defense Ministry blamed "technical malfunction" for the helicopter crash. The Interior Ministry's statement didn't clarify the nationality of the dead or say if they were civilian or military.

(AP)

The Pentagon has formulated comprehensive strategies for the potential deployment of United States ground troops into Iran, according to various sources informed on the matter who spoke with CBS News.

High-level military commanders have reportedly put forward specific requests to ensure readiness as US President Donald Trump considers further actions within the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel.

Three weeks into the US and Israel's unilateral war on Iran, Donald Trump is considering "winding down" after Tehran's retaliatory hits at energy sites, military assets, and even distant Western bases.

The US President said on Friday that Washington was "getting very close to meeting our objectives (in the war) as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East."

This came even as the US deployed 2,500 extra personnel. At the same time, the administration eased some sanctions on Iranian oil already at sea to help control rising fuel prices.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will this evening hold a cabinet meeting to review the situation related to the petroleum, crude, power and fertiliser sectors in view of the Middle East situation.

The first analysis of the climate cost of US-Israel war on Iran has found the conflict led to 5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in its first 14 days.

An analysis by the Climate and Community Institute focuses on direct and indirect emissions during the first 14 days of war and estimate carbon emissions for five major categories of activities.

Over five million tonnes of carbon dioxide in emissions is higher than the total climate pollution of Iceland in 2024. This figure is also equivalent to the emissions from 1.1 million gas-powered cars over a year and represents over $1.3 billion in climate damage.

Israeli strikes on Iran's South Pars gas field and the Asaluyeh processing hub on March 18 triggered a wave of retaliatory attacks across the Gulf that hit refineries, gas plants and export terminals in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Multiple key facilities have been damaged or shut. Drone and missile attacks struck refineries and LNG plants in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, while missile debris forced the shutdown of the UAE's massive Habshan gas complex and repeated attacks targeted its Fujairah export terminal.

Bahrain declared force majeure after its Sitra refinery was attacked, and Iraq sharply cut output from its southern oilfields despite avoiding direct strikes. Several export hubs were spared direct damage but saw operations halted due to security threats, intercepted missiles or precautionary shutdowns.

The government has approved an additional 20 per cent allocation of commercial LPG to states and Union Territories, taking the total allocation to 50 per cent, as increased domestic output is helping the situation crawl back to normalcy.

The three-week-long war in the Middle East disrupted energy supplies to India, leading to initial curtailment in LPG supplies to commercial establishments like hotels to prioritize supplies to household kitchens.

An American-operated Patriot air defense battery likely fired the interceptor missile involved in a pre-dawn explosion that injured dozens of civilians and tore through homes in US-ally Bahrain 10 days into the war on Iran, according to an analysis by academic researchers examined by Reuters.

Both Bahrain and Washington have blamed an Iranian drone attack for the March 9 blast, which the Gulf kingdom said injured 32 people including children, some seriously. Commenting on the day of the attack, U.S. Central Command said on X that an Iranian drone struck a residential neighborhood in Bahrain.

Vibrant clothing is put on display and the smell of jalebis and chaat wafts through Israel's Dimona, a city that boasts an Indian-origin population and is situated less than 20 kilometres from the one of the key sites of Israel's nuclear arsenal.

Thirty-three people were injured in Dimona as strikes on Saturday reduced vast tracts of the city in southern Israel to mangled debris, in an action that came in retaliation of an attack on Iran's Natanz nuclear enrichment site hours earlier.

Aside from being a key nuclear site, Dimona has earned the title "Little India", with a 7,500-strong Indian-Jewish community making up for some 30 per cent of the town's population. Fluent Marathi and a smattering on Hindi can be overheard, cricket has a fervent fan base and shops sell local Indian snacks like 'sonpapdi,' 'gulab jamun,' 'papri chaat,' 'bhelpuri'.

Blasts were heard and air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem on Sunday, AFP journalists said, after the Israeli military warned of incoming missile fire from Iran.

The army issued several alerts saying it had identified that "missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel".

Israel's Magen David Adom emergency medical service said after the first warning that there were no immediate reports of casualties.

(AFP)

Iranian airstrikes on military bases used by the US in the Middle East have caused $800 million in damage -- about Rs 75 crore -- in the first two weeks of the war, an analysis by the BBC has found.

A report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a US-based think tank, and BBC's analysis found that much of this damage was caused in Tehran's retaliatory strikes in the week after the US and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on February 28.

While the full scale of damage to US assets in the Gulf region is unclear, the $800 million figure offers insight into what a prolonged conflict may cost the US.

Bitcoin touched $68,241 per coin and if the hostilities remain elevated, Bitcoin can lose even more. Otherwise, it may attempt to reclaim lost ground and reestablish its prior range above $70,000.

Iran's official IRNA news agency said on Sunday that a drone attack targeted a military base near the Baghdad International Airport.

The "military base, located near Baghdad International Airport, has again been the target of drone strikes," IRNA wrote, referring to a compound that was used in the past by the US military.

Aqua titan, a vessel carrying Russian crude oil, reached Mangaluru on Saturday. The Russian oil-laden tanker was originally bound for China but U-turned in the South China Sea, and moved to India after New Delhi began doubling down on imports from Moscow.

Considering the size of the vessel and the quantity of oil, it was decided to not dock the vessel at the Mangaluru port. It will be stationed about 18 nautical miles away from the port. 

The single point mooring system will be used to transfer the oil to the pipeline system and take it to MRPL.

Russian oil tanker 'Aqua Titan' reaches India
NDTV's @dpkBopanna brings you this report pic.twitter.com/n0mDsUPybC

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 22, 2026

Sri Lanka raised fuel prices by 25 per cent on Sunday, the second increase in two weeks, as the country prepared for more impact from the US-Israel conflict with Iran. Regular petrol was increased to Rs 398 ($1.30) per litre, up from Rs 317, while diesel, the fuel commonly used for public transport, rose by Rs 79 to 382.

Last week, the government ordered an eight percent increase in retail fuel prices and introduced rationing to limit consumption.

"We hope to achieve a 15 to 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption with the latest increase," an official at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation said.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake ordered a four-day working week from last Wednesday and asked employers to reintroduce work-from-home arrangements where possible.

Missiles Strike Israel's Dimona
Why is Dimona important?
NDTV's @reetksahni tells you pic.twitter.com/txbJk5hCbo

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 22, 2026

A British nuclear-powered submarine equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles has taken position in the Arabian Sea, giving Britain the capability to launch long-range strikes if regional conflict escalates, as per media reports.

Japan could consider deploying its military for minesweeping in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil supplies, if a ceasefire is reached in the US-Israeli war on Iran, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Sunday. 

"If there were to be a complete ceasefire, hypothetically speaking, then things like minesweeping could come up," Motegi said during a Fuji TV programme. "This is purely hypothetical, but if a ceasefire were established and naval mines were creating an obstacle, then I think that would be something to consider."

Pyxis Pioneer, a large cargo ship carrying LPG from Texas in the US, arrives at Mangalore Port.

Karnataka: Pyxis Pioneer, a large cargo ship carrying LPG from Texas in the US, arrives at Mangalore Port pic.twitter.com/OPyKSofi8q

— NDTV (@ndtv) March 22, 2026

The United Arab Emirates said it was responding to incoming aerial attacks from Iran on Sunday. 

"UAE air defences are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran," the defence ministry said in a statement explaining "the sounds heard are the result of the Air Defence Systems intercepting missiles and drones".

A ministry spokesperson said three drones had been intercepted and destroyed in the country's eastern region. 

Rescuers were searching for the crew and passengers of a Qatari military helicopter that crashed in the Gulf state's waters after a "technical malfunction", the government said early Sunday. 

"A Qatari helicopter had a technical malfunction during a routine duty, which led to its crash in the regional waters of the State," Qatar's defence ministry said in a statement posted to X. "Searching operation for its crew members and passengers is in progress."

The interior ministry said that several specialised teams have been deployed.

Qatar has not specified where the helicopter was flying or the number of people on board. 

While Qatar has been targeted by several strikes since the start of the Middle East war, no connection has been made between this chopper and the conflict triggered by US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

(AFP)

The Israeli military said Saturday that its forces had struck a facility embedded within a Tehran university that was allegedly being used to develop components for nuclear weapons.

"The Malek-Ashtar University facility was utilised by the Iranian terror regime's military industries and ballistic missiles array to develop nuclear weapon components and weapons," the military said.

"The Malek-Ashtar University was subordinate to the Iranian Defence Ministry, and is sanctioned internationally due to its activities and efforts over the years to advance the Iranian nuclear program and to develop ballistic missiles," the military added.

Top envoys for the Group of Seven advanced economies and the European Union on Saturday urged an "immediate and unconditional" end to Iran attacks against allies in the Middle East.

"We call for the immediate and unconditional cessation of all attacks by the Iranian regime," the foreign ministers for Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States as well as the EU foreign policy chief said in a joint statement.

They expressed "support to our partners in the region in the face of the unjustifiable attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran and its proxies".

"We support the right of the countries unjustifiably attacked by Iran or by Iranian proxies to defend their territories and protect their citizens," it added.

The UN nuclear watchdog on Saturday issued a call for "maximum military restraint" after Israel said an Iranian missile struck the southern town of Dimona, home to a nuclear facility.

"The IAEA is aware of reports of an incident in the city of Dimona, Israel, involving a missile impact and has not received any indication of damage to the nuclear research center Negev," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a post on X.

"Information from regional States indicates that no abnormal radiation levels have been detected," it added.

(AFP)

The Israeli military said its forces launched a wave of strikes on Tehran early Sunday, hours after Iranian missile fire hit two cities in southern Israel - Dimona, Arad.

A brief statement said Israeli forces were "currently conducting strikes on Iranian terror regime targets in the heart of Tehran".