Iran US war news highlights: Loud blasts near US embassy in Norway; Iran oil facility in flames after Israeli strikes

US Iran ‘war’ LIVE: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said the country’s interim leadership council has decided that Iran will not carry out missile strikes or attacks against neighbouring countries unless an attack on Iran originates from their territory.

Pezeshkian also apologised to neighbouring states amid rising regional tensions, Reuters reported.

US Iran ‘war’ LIVE: Azerbaijan said it has prevented several alleged sabotage operations planned by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), including a plot to attack the strategic Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline that carries crude from the Caspian region to Turkey.

According to Azerbaijan’s State Security Service, the planned targets also included the Israeli embassy in the country, an Ashkenazi synagogue, and a prominent leader of the Mountain Jewish community. Investigators said two Iranian citizens and one Azerbaijani national allegedly smuggled more than seven kilograms of C-4 explosives into the country under instructions from the IRGC, while international arrest warrants have been issued for four suspects, reported Reuters.

The BTC pipeline, which runs through Georgia and Turkey and supplies oil to Europe, is considered critical energy infrastructure and accounts for roughly a third of Israel’s oil imports.

US Iran ‘war’ LIVE: Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for an immediate halt to the conflict involving Iran, condemning what the Kremlin described as “Israeli-American aggression” and expressing condolences over the reported civilian casualties.

During a phone call late Friday with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Putin offered his sympathies for the deaths caused by the ongoing hostilities, including the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, members of his family, senior political and military officials and numerous civilians, the Kremlin said, according to Reuters.

Putin reiterated Russia’s position that force should not be used to resolve issues involving Iran or broader Middle East tensions, urging a swift return to diplomatic engagement.

US Iran ‘war’ LIVE: Finnish President Alexander Stubb has expressed concern over the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, saying he hopes tensions can be reduced even as he supports efforts to eliminate Tehran’s nuclear capabilities, reported news agency ANI.

“I just hope we can de-escalate because I am not sure what the end game is going to be,” Stubb said, while adding that he supports the need “to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities.”

US Iran ‘war’ LIVE: New information suggested that a deadly explosion at a school in the Iranian city of Minab on February 28 may have been caused by a US airstrike, according to satellite imagery, expert analysis and statements from a US official.

Iranian state media said more than 165 people, most of them children, were killed in the blast at the school located about 1,100 kilometres southeast of Tehran. Tehran has blamed both the United States and Israel for the incident, though neither country has accepted responsibility. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the matter is under investigation, reported AP.

US Iran ‘war’ LIVE: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that the conflict could see its most intense phase yet, saying the “biggest bombing campaign” of the war is still to come, reported AP.

Speaking in a television interview on Friday, Bessent suggested that military operations were expected to escalate further.

US Iran ‘war’ LIVE: Several loud explosions were heard in Abu Dhabi on Saturday amid fresh escalations, according to a witness cited by news agency Reuters.

In a separate update, the agency reported that authorities responded to a potential missile threat in the UAE capital. The UAE said its air defence systems were actively engaging the threat, though officials did not immediately provide details on the origin of the missiles or possible damage.

US Iran ‘war’ LIVE: Israel said its air force carried out a major wave of airstrikes involving more than 80 fighter jets targeting sites in Tehran and central Iran, as the conflict between the two countries continued to escalate as per AFP.

The strikes are part of a broader Israeli campaign against Iranian military assets.

US Iran ‘war’ LIVE: Taiwan has warned that the escalating US-Israel conflict with Iran could have significant economic and security repercussions for the island, particularly in energy supplies and financial markets. Vincent Yi-hsiang Chao, Deputy Secretary-General at Taiwan’s National Security Council, said the government is closely monitoring the situation while coordinating with partners, as per ANI.

“There are going to be implications and repercussions for Taiwan, whether we're talking about energy, the economy, or potentially financial markets as well, and already we are seeing some signs of that,” Chao said.

“We are going to see what is happening in the Middle East through the prism of our immediate interests, which is peace and stability over the Taiwan Strait,” he added.

“We can't be over-leveraged in any part of the world, particularly one as volatile as the Middle East,” he said, noting that Taiwan has increased imports from the United States and strengthened supply links with Southeast Asia.

(ANI)

US Iran ‘war’ LIVE: Iran’s military said it carried out strikes against Israel and US military bases in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait as regional tensions continued to escalate for an eighth day amid the widening conflict in the Middle East, reported AFP.

In a separate statement, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they are “waiting” for US forces to begin escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the situation in the key waterway remains volatile.

The strait, a vital global energy corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes, has become a flashpoint since the outbreak of the US-Israel war with Iran, with Tehran repeatedly warning that vessels linked to the US or Israel could be targeted.

(AFP)

US Iran ‘war’ LIVE: Families and supporters of Americans detained in Iran say their loved ones face growing risks as the conflict intensifies, warning they could become unintended victims of bombardment or retaliation by Iranian authorities.

Siamak Namazi, an Iranian-American who was held in Iran for nearly eight years before being released in a 2023 prisoner swap, said the situation is deeply alarming for families. “For Americans imprisoned in Iran, this is about as terrifying a moment as it gets,” he said, noting that relatives are now facing a prolonged war with no clear end.

While the US government has not confirmed the number of Americans currently held in Iran, the James W Foley Legacy Foundation, a hostage advocacy group, said six US citizens are detained and could face “unprecedented danger” due to the escalating military conflict, according to AP.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Lebanon’s Hezbollah group said its fighters clashed with Israeli troops after Israeli forces attempted a landing operation near the Lebanon-Syria border, according to Lebanese official media reports on Saturday, cited by AFP.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA), citing the country’s health ministry, said Israeli strikes on the town of Nabi Sheet killed at least three people and wounded 16 others.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the reported clashes.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: In the first message posted from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s X account after his assassination, the account issued a warning directed at Israel, stating: “The Zionist regime has made a big mistake, and its consequences will make the regime desperate, by God's grace.”

The post also included imagery highlighting Iran’s missile capabilities, depicting missile launches, military personnel and weapons production facilities, signalling a message of retaliation amid the escalating conflict in the region.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: The United States has struck more than 3,000 targets in Iran in the first week of its ongoing military campaign, known as “Operation Epic Fury,” according to US Central Command.

In a statement posted on X, the command said American forces had carried out thousands of strikes across Iran as part of the expanding operation. “U.S. forces have struck over 3,000 targets in the first week of Operation Epic Fury, and we are not slowing down,” the statement said.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Saudi Arabian air defences intercepted and destroyed a fresh wave of aerial attacks targeting the strategic Shaybah oil field early Saturday, according to the country’s Ministry of Defence.

Ministry spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki said 16 drones launched in four separate waves were neutralised over the Empty Quarter desert before they could reach the vital energy facility. The unmanned aircraft were reportedly heading toward the Shaybah oil field when Saudi forces intercepted them, Arab News reported.

Al-Maliki also said Saudi defences intercepted and destroyed both a ballistic missile and a cruise missile that had been launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base in Al-Kharj.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Iran’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani, has accused the United States and Israel of carrying out “brutal and massive” attacks on Iran and deliberately targeting civilians and critical infrastructure.

Speaking at the United Nations, Iravani said Iranian cities were being attacked “indiscriminately,” with densely populated residential areas and key civilian facilities such as airports, hospitals, schools and mosques among the sites hit. He alleged that 2,000-pound bombs were being dropped in populated areas, rejecting claims that only military targets were being struck.

According to Iravani, at least 1,332 civilians, including women and children, have been killed so far and thousands more injured. He added that more than 180 children have died in the conflict and that over 20 schools and 13 healthcare facilities have been damaged, while calling on the UN Security Council to act to halt what he described as a “criminal war.”

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: After Dubai authorities confirmed a limited incident occurred after debris fell following a successful air defense interception over the city, flight tracking platform FlightRadar24 said the object seen over the city was shrapnel.

It added that several aircraft had moved into closer holding patterns near the airport, although arrivals had not yet resumed.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Dubai authorities said a minor incident caused by falling debris following an interception had been successfully contained, adding that no injuries were reported.

Officials also dismissed claims circulating on social media about any incident at Dubai International Airport, saying the reports were inaccurate.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: A fresh blast was heard in Jerusalem after an Iran missile alert on Saturday as the ongoing conflict between US, Israel and Iran raged on for the eighth day, entering its second week, news agency AFP reported.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has received backing from countries including Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates for his proposal to mediate in the ongoing conflict involving Iran, according to a senior Indonesian official.

Indonesia’s agrarian affairs minister Nusron Wahid said Prabowo and leaders from several Muslim-majority nations are aligned in their efforts to prevent the Middle East conflict from escalating further.

“The president wants to meet with Iran,” Wahid told reporters after a meeting between Prabowo and local Islamic leaders, adding that the Indonesian leader had received support from Pakistan and the UAE for the initiative, Bloomberg reported.

(Bloomberg)

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Heavy air attacks struck Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport early Saturday, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, as the conflict in the region continues to intensify.

Tasnim reported that the airport in the Iranian capital was hit during the strikes, though details about the extent of damage or possible casualties were not immediately available.

There was no immediate comment from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps or from Hezbollah regarding the reported attack, Reuters reported.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Welcome to this live blog where you can get all the latest developments on the ongoing Middle East conflict in one place.