US Iran news highlights: US Senate backs Trump's Iran strikes; Tehran says over 1,000 killed

By Priyanjali Narayan, Akansha Purohit, Sana Fazili

Mar 5, 2026, 07:21:42 IST

US Iran news highlights: As the military faceoff between US-Israel and Iran continued for the fifth day on Wednesday, White House said that ‘rogue Iranian terrorist regime is being absolutely crushed’.

Key Events

4:18 AM IST, March 5US-Spain faceoff over Middle East ops
4:15 AM IST, March 5Iraq foils missile launch bid
3:40 AM IST, March 5Israel asks Lebanese to leave the south 'immediately' as fighting with Hezbollah intensifies
3:38 AM IST, March 5US extends support to Turkey after missile incident
3:34 AM IST, March 5Israel kills 3 in Beirut strikes
3:32 AM IST, March 5Senate blocks bid to end strikes
2:07 AM IST, March 5US in a strong position, says Trump
2:03 AM IST, March 5Trump calls Iran a ‘nation out of control’
1:39 AM IST, March 5US asks non-emergency staff in Pakistan to leave country
1:29 AM IST, March 5US says Spain agreed to join Middle East ops, Spain denies claim
1:28 AM IST, March 5US claims to get control of Iranian air space in some hours
12:45 AM IST, March 5US denies attacking girls' school in Tehran
12:37 AM IST, March 5Iran attack based on cumulative effect of various direct threats Iran posed to US, says White House
12:35 AM IST, March 5Spain agrees to join US in ops against Tehran, says White House
12:33 AM IST, March 5Trump "actively considering" a US role in Iran after war, says White House
12:19 AM IST, March 5White House press secy accuses Obama of sending funds to Iran Supreme Leader
12:14 AM IST, March 5White House hints at taking control of Strait of Hormuz
12:09 AM IST, March 5Over 1,000 killed, says Iran
12:08 AM IST, March 5Iran's top submarine hit, says White House
11:56 PM IST, March 417,500+ American citizens left Middle East since conflict erupted
11:29 PM IST, March 4Khamenei's funeral postponed
10:55 PM IST, March 4Qatar rejects Iran's claim it only targeted US interests there
10:44 PM IST, March 4Israeli strikes on Lebanon kill 72 people since Monday,says health ministry
10:36 PM IST, March 4Hegseth says US spared ‘no expense’ to enhance air defence
10:30 PM IST, March 4'Completely unacceptable' UK Foreign Secy slams Iran's strike in US Embassy in Riyadh
10:21 PM IST, March 4Iran kept loading crude at Kharg Island two days after US air strikes
10:17 PM IST, March 4Explosion rocked city in Iran's Kurdistan province
10:12 PM IST, March 4Iran says it targeted over 10 ships and tankers in current conflict
10:07 PM IST, March 4Air India plans to commence operations to and from Jeddah from March 5
10:03 PM IST, March 4Iran making case for demise with indiscriminate attacks, EU's Kallas says
9:57 PM IST, March 4Israel army says struck major Iran military compound in Tehran
9:49 PM IST, March 4Iran says US ‘agression’ left Tehran no other choice
9:43 PM IST, March 4Israel initially planned to strike Iran in mid-2026, says minister
9:40 PM IST, March 4Iran threatens to target Israeli embassies if Israel targets its Lebanon mission
9:36 PM IST, March 4Iran FM says strikes targeted US, not Qatar; Doha rejects claim
9:32 PM IST, March 4Turkey has prepared plans for possible migrant flow from Iran, minister says
9:22 PM IST, March 4Iran says Trump dragged American people into 'unfair war' with Iran
9:08 PM IST, March 4US will take 'all the time we need' to win Iran war, Hegseth says
8:59 PM IST, March 4Turkey summons Iranian envoy to protest ballistic missile heading toward airspace
8:54 PM IST, March 4A look at US stock of weapons used against Iran
8:44 PM IST, March 4US Senate likely to reject bid to curb Trump's Iran war powers
8:36 PM IST, March 4IndiGo cancels more than 500 flights to Middle East in past 4 days
8:35 PM IST, March 4US defence secretary says ‘can't stop everything’, some missile may hit target
8:31 PM IST, March 4Air India to operate more flights to Toronto, Frankfurt & Paris amid high demand
8:30 PM IST, March 4Israeli military orders immediate evacuations in southern Lebanon as strikes on Beirut intensify
8:28 PM IST, March 4Hegseth boasts of ‘historic’ campaign against Iranian military
7:50 PM IST, March 4Israel army says two soldiers injured by anti-tank fire in south Lebanon
7:41 PM IST, March 4US says Iran firing fewer missiles, US strikes to expand inland
7:25 PM IST, March 4Hegseth says US sank Iranian warship with torpedo in Indian Ocean
7:13 PM IST, March 4Hormuz shutdown worsens after US hits Iranian warship; tankers stranded for fifth day
7:08 PM IST, March 4US says Iran has no intention of negotiating a nuclear deal
6:59 PM IST, March 4Hegseth says a torpedo from a US submarine sank an Iranian warship
6:47 PM IST, March 4US says it is winning against Iran, can fight as long as needed
6:37 PM IST, March 4NATO condemns Iran's 'targeting' of Turkey after missile downed
6:27 PM IST, March 4Explosions heard in Tehran, Jerusalem on fifth day of war
6:22 PM IST, March 4Damage to Israeli economy from Iran war could top $2.9 billion a week, finance minister says
6:16 PM IST, March 4Ship in Strait of Hormuz struck by ‘unknown projectile’
6:07 PM IST, March 4Iran state media says more than 1,000 killed in strikes
5:58 PM IST, March 4Kuwait says 11-year-old girl killed as Iran targets Gulf
5:55 PM IST, March 4Turkey protest Iranian ballistic missile heading toward its airspace
5:47 PM IST, March 4Trump pledges safe mideast oil transit as Iran war rages on
5:39 PM IST, March 4Scott Bessent pledges to take out Iran's missiles and bunkers
5:33 PM IST, March 4Canadian PM supports strikes on Iran with ‘some regret’
5:16 PM IST, March 4Sri Lanka navy rescues 32 sailors from Iranian warship that sank off the coast
5:10 PM IST, March 4Sri Lanka navy recovers bodies of Iranian sailors in ship that sank
4:59 PM IST, March 4Iran postpones state funeral for late supreme leader Khamenei
4:48 PM IST, March 4US lawmakers set to vote on war powers as Iran conflict widens
4:37 PM IST, March 4Air India announces deployment of additional flights to Toronto, Frankfurt, Paris
4:33 PM IST, March 4IAEA says 'no radiological release' risk from Iran;s nuclear facilities yet
4:20 PM IST, March 4Qatar says it intercepted 10 drones 2 cruise missiles from Iran
4:16 PM IST, March 4Sudi Aramco's oil refinery hit again in drone attack
4:11 PM IST, March 4Drones attack Iranian Kurdish opposition group's headquarters in Iraq
4:03 PM IST, March 4Israeli military tells residents in south Lebanon to hear north
3:55 PM IST, March 4Iran's guards claim total control of Strait of Hormuz
3:51 PM IST, March 4Who is Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran's late supreme leader
3:47 PM IST, March 4Saudi Arabia intercepts drone attack targeting huge refinery
3:40 PM IST, March 4Iranian residents face fear and uncertainty amid continuous strikes
3:30 PM IST, March 4Flight cancellations top 12,000 as Iran targets more sites
3:22 PM IST, March 4Saudi's larest oild refinery struck again by
3:11 PM IST, March 4Iran says the new supreme leader will be identified in ‘closest opportunity’
3:04 PM IST, March 4Iran assembly ‘close’ to choosing new supreme leader
3:01 PM IST, March 4When and where will the farewell of Khamenei take place
2:56 PM IST, March 4Kuwait army deals with fresh wave of missiles
2:41 PM IST, March 4Mojtaba Khamenei survives assault, seen as potential next supreme leader
2:30 PM IST, March 4Drone targets Iranian Kurdish opposition headquarters in Iraq’s Kurdistan
2:23 PM IST, March 4Iran says no plans for US talks, vows to continue war as long as needed
2:22 PM IST, March 4Iran judiciary chief warns against support for US-Israeli airstrikes
2:14 PM IST, March 4Israeli F-35 shoots down Iranian fighter jet over Tehran, military says
1:43 PM IST, March 4Israel launches ‘broad-scale strikes’ in Tehran
1:30 PM IST, March 4Heavy explosions heard in east Tehran
1:18 PM IST, March 48 Repatriation flights to arrive in India's Mumbai today
12:54 PM IST, March 4US orders non-emergency staff to leave Pakistan consulates amid Iran tensions
12:53 PM IST, March 4French Rafale jets intercept Iranian drones targeting UAE, says foreign minister
12:38 PM IST, March 4Trump vows to ensure safe Gulf oil flows amid escalating Iran conflict
12:20 PM IST, March 4Israel warns Iran’s next supreme leader will be 'target for elimination'
11:51 AM IST, March 4Iran Guards say they launched over 40 missiles at US, Israeli targets
11:45 AM IST, March 4Iranians to bid farewell to Khamenei on Wednesday at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Musallah
11:32 AM IST, March 4Israel says it struck dozens of Iranian targets, including security sites in Tehran
11:16 AM IST, March 4Drone shot down near Baghdad airport a day after similar attack
10:52 AM IST, March 4US strikes Iran ahead of schedule as Israel targets launch sites
10:42 AM IST, March 4Iran Guards claim ‘complete control’ of Hormuz Strait
10:17 AM IST, March 4Saudi Arabia intercepts two cruise missiles over Al-Kharj
10:03 AM IST, March 4Four killed in strike on building in eastern Lebanon
9:59 AM IST, March 4Iranian Kurdish militias discuss possible attacks on Iran forces with US
9:54 AM IST, March 4Trump aides brief Congress on US–Israel war with Iran, troop deployment not ruled out
9:51 AM IST, March 4Trump considers backing militias to topple Iran regime, no final decision yet, claims report
9:26 AM IST, March 4Macron to deploy aircraft carrier to Mediterranean amid war in Middle East
9:20 AM IST, March 4US commander says 2,000 targets hit in Iran
8:54 AM IST, March 4Funerals held in Iran’s Minab after school blast that killed 150
8:30 AM IST, March 4Khamenei's representative to India says Trump contradicts claim of ‘obliterating’ nuclear programme
8:16 AM IST, March 4Israeli airstrike hits residential building in Lebanon’s Baalbek
7:53 AM IST, March 4Israel issues ‘urgent warning’, asks residents to evacuate 16 south Lebanon towns
7:37 AM IST, March 4Operation Epic Fury disrupted Iran’s nuclear missile plans, says Israeli envoy to US
7:32 AM IST, March 4Israel strikes Qom building during clerics’ meeting to choose Khamenei successor
7:23 AM IST, March 4US identifies four Army Reserve soldiers killed in Kuwait drone strike
6:51 AM IST, March 4Nearly 2,000 targets hit in Iran, first 24 hours ‘double’ Iraq 2003 scale, says US commander

US Iran news LIVE updates: Iraqi Shiite carry a replica of a coffin of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by a U.S. airstrike in Tehran, during a symbolic funeral, in Najaf, Iraq.

US Iran news highlights: Iraqi security forces reportedly foiled a rocket launch bid by seizing a mobile rocket launch platform carrying two missiles ready to fire at a neighboring country in the area of Zubair district, south of Basra, Reuters reported, quoting, adding that the operation was carried out based on precise intelligence provided by the Iraqi National Security Service....Read More

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) called Iran a country ‘out of control’, claiming that the pre-emptive strikes were carried out to prevent them from attacking Israel first. He said that the US is in a strong position against Iran now, adding that everyone who wants to be a leader ‘ends up being dead’. Earlier, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had indicated that Trump was a seeking a ‘bigger role’ in post-war Iran.

The United States has confirmed that it destroyed over 20 Iranian ships, including one of its top submarines, in the ongoing strikes against Tehran. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said this on Wednesday (local time) during a press briefing as

Over 1,000 people have been killed in the Israel-US strikes on Iran that started last weekend, Iranian state media said on Wednesday. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family, along with several top leaders of the Iran, were killed in the US-Israel joint strikes as talks failed to remove the confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday told the head of neighbouring Gulf nations that Iran wanted to resort to diplomacy to avoid war, but the ‘American-Zionist military aggression’ left no choice but to defend itself.

“We respect your sovereignty, and we believe that the security and stability of the region must be achieved through the collective efforts of its states,” he said in a statement.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said the US and Israel are on the cusp of taking ‘complete control of Iran’s airspace’ as he laid out plans to step up attacks deeper in the country as its defenses are destroyed.

A member of Iran's Assembly of Experts said that they are ‘close’ to choosing the new supreme leader to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"The Supreme Leader will be identified in the closest opportunity, we are close to a conclusion; however, the situation in the country is a war situation," Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami told state TV.

Iranians will begin paying their respects to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from 22:00 on Wednesday at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Musallah, according to state media.

The public mourning ceremony will allow people to bid farewell to Khamenei at the large prayer complex in the capital, Tehran. Authorities said the gathering will start late Wednesday night as the country prepares for additional mourning events in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had launched around 40 missiles at US and Israeli targets on the fifth day of the Middle East war.

“Several hours ago, the 17th wave of Operation Honest Promise 4 was carried out with the launch of 40 missiles by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ aerospace forces toward American and Zionist targets,” a statement broadcast on state television said, without providing further details.

Attack on Lebanese capital

Explosions shook the Lebanese capital as Israel announced a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, with the war spreading across the Middle East into Wednesday.

The United States has so far struck nearly 2,000 targets in Iran as part of what it describes as the largest military buildup in the Middle East in a generation, the top American commander in the region said.

"We've already struck nearly 2,000 targets with more than 2,000 munitions. We have severely degraded Iran's air defenses and destroyed hundreds of Iran's ballistic missiles, launchers and drones," Admiral Brad Cooper, head of US Central Command, said in a video message.

"The first 24 hours of this operation were nearly double the scale" of the first day of shock-and-awe strikes on Iraq in 2003, "and we continue with 24/7 strikes into Iran," he added.

Middle East conflict intensified

The conflict intensified on Tuesday, with explosions reported in Tehran and in Lebanon, where Israel said it had retaliated against Hezbollah militants.

The American embassy in Saudi Arabia and the US consulate in the United Arab Emirates came under drone attacks. Iran has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel, though most were intercepted.

Eleven people in Israel have been killed since the conflict began.

The Pentagon identified four US Army Reserve soldiers killed in a drone strike on Sunday at a command centre in Kuwait.

Two other service members were also killed in the attack.

‘Broad wave of attacks’ have started: Israeli military

Israel’s military said it had begun a “broad wave of attacks” across Iran, targeting missile launch sites, air defence systems and other infrastructure linked to what it described as the Iranian “terror regime”.

Days after joint US-Israeli strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the conflict shows no signs of easing, pushing West Asia closer to an all-out war.

Tehran has responded with retaliatory attacks on US-linked installations in Gulf countries.

Khamenei's son selected as successor

Iran’s Assembly of Experts has reportedly selected Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the country’s next Supreme Leader.

Trump on future of Iran: A leader ‘as bad as’ Khamenei

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the “worst case” would be a new Iranian leader “as bad as” the late Supreme Leader. “I guess the worst case would be, we do this, and then somebody takes over who's as bad as the previous person, right?” he told reporters.

Trump also alleged that Iran was “hitting civilian areas” and said Tehran was targeting “countries which have nothing to do with what's going on.” He claimed he believed Iran would strike first and revealed that he “might have forced Israel's hand” on launching strikes.

Explosion in Tehran, Mehrabad and retaliation in Tel Aviv

Fresh explosions were reported in Tehran, as well as in the northwestern cities of Tabriz and Urmia, according to Iranian news agencies cited by Reuters.

Israel struck Tehran’s Mehrabad airport after issuing evacuation warnings in parts of the capital. An Iranian air carrier was destroyed on the ground in an Israeli strike on Bushehr airport.

Iran, in turn, launched strikes in the Tel Aviv area, Israel’s military said. First responders reported treating 12 people for injuries, while police confirmed multiple impact sites.

Iran’s foreign ministry rejected talks with the US and Israel, saying it was “standing against evil.” Earlier, Iran targeted the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia with drones. The attack by two drones caused a “limited fire” and minor damage at the US Embassy in Riyadh, according to Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry.

Too late for talks now: Trump

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said it was “too late” for talks. “Their air defence, air force, navy, and leadership is gone. They want to talk. I said: ‘Too late!’” he wrote. The US President had earlier said operations in Iran could last another four to five weeks and that he was prepared “to go far longer than that.”

Briefing members of Congress on ‘Operation Epic Fury,’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio was quoted as saying that the “hardest hits are yet to come from the US military".

Not an endless war: Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes would continue but insisted it would not be an “endless war”.

India is closely monitoring the evolving airspace situation across parts of West Asia and its impact on flight operations. So far, 1,221 flights operated by Indian carriers and 388 by foreign carriers have been cancelled due to the conflict.

Indian carriers operated 24 flights

On Tuesday, Indian carriers operated 24 flights, while Emirates and Etihad operated nine flights from the Gulf.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation said Indian carriers are planning 58 flights on March 4, including 30 by IndiGo and 23 by Air India and Air India Express. Foreign carriers operating between India and the Gulf are also conducting limited services, subject to operational and airspace considerations.

Follow all the updates here:

Mar 5, 2026, 07:15:21 IST

The live updates to the blog are closed.

Mar 5, 2026, 04:18:52 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: US-Spain faceoff over Middle East ops

US Iran news LIVE updates: Soon after the White House said that Spain had agreed to join Washington in its operations in the Middle East, Spain has denied the claim. “I can refute (the White House spokesperson),” Spanish minister José Manuel Albares told radio station Cadena Ser, AP reported. “The position of the Spanish government regarding the war in the Middle East, the bombing of Iran and the use of our bases has not changed one iota.”
Read full report

Mar 5, 2026, 04:15:27 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Iraq foils missile launch bid

US Iran news LIVE updates: Iraqi security forces reportedly foiled a rocket launch bid by seizing a mobile rocket launch platform carrying two missiles ready to fire at a neighboring country in the area of Zubair district, south of Basra, Reuters reported, quoting, adding that the operation was carried out based on precise intelligence provided by the Iraqi National Security Service.

Mar 5, 2026, 03:40:08 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Israel asks Lebanese to leave the south 'immediately' as fighting with Hezbollah intensifies

US Iran news LIVE updates: Israel warned residents to immediately leave a swathe of south Lebanon on Wednesday, ordering them to move north of the Litani River on the third day of full-blown hostilities with the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah. Lebanon has emerged as a theatre in the war that has engulfed the region since the United States and Israel attacked Iran. Hezbollah launched drones and rockets at Israel on Monday, prompting Israeli retaliation that has killed dozens of people.

via Reuters

Mar 5, 2026, 03:38:07 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: US extends support to Turkey after missile incident

US Iran news LIVE updates: US extended support to Tukey after a ballistic missile launched from Iran was headed towards Turkish airspace via Iraq and Syria. It was destroyed by NATO air defence systems, Turkish officials said Wednesday. Following the incident, US secretary of state Marco Rubio said in a call with Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan "that attacks on Turkey's sovereign territory were unacceptable and pledged full support from the United States," State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said, AFP reported.

Mar 5, 2026, 03:34:45 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Israel kills 3 in Beirut strikes

US Iran news LIVE updates: Three people have been killed in Israeli strikes near Beirut in Lebanon, news agency AFP reported, quoting sources.

Mar 5, 2026, 03:32:49 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Senate blocks bid to end strikes

US Iran news LIVE updates: As voting continues, majority of US Senate has blocked the effort to force Trump to end Iran strikes without Congress' approval, Reuters reported.

Mar 5, 2026, 02:07:17 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: US in a strong position, says Trump

US Iran news LIVE updates: Trump has said that US is in a strong position against Iran. "We're in a very strong position now, and their leadership is just rapidly going. Everybody that seems to want to be a leader, they end up dead," Trump said at White House, AFP reported.

Mar 5, 2026, 02:03:13 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Trump calls Iran a ‘nation out of control’

US Iran news LIVE updates: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) called Iran a country ‘out of control’, claiming that the pre-emptive strikes were carried out to prevent them from attacking Israel first.

Mar 5, 2026, 01:39:21 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: US asks non-emergency staff in Pakistan to leave country

US Iran news LIVE updates: The United States has ordered the non-emergency staff at consulates in Pakistan's Karachi and Lahore to leave the country. It also granted permission for staff to leave missions in Saudi Arabia, Cyprus and Oman, AFP reported. Things turned volatile in Pakistan following the US-Israel strikes on Iran after which protesters clashed with security forces resulting in the killing of at least 25 people, according to reports.

Mar 5, 2026, 01:29:32 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: US says Spain agreed to join Middle East ops, Spain denies claim

Read full story here

Mar 5, 2026, 01:28:05 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: US claims to get control of Iranian air space in some hours

US Iran news LIVE updates: The United States expects to have "complete" control of Iranian airspace in the coming hours, the White House said on Wednesday. "We expect to have complete and total dominance over Iranian airspace in the coming hours," press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Mar 5, 2026, 00:45:44 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: US denies attacking girls' school in Tehran

US Iran news LIVE updates: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that a girls' school in Tehran was targeted in US-Israel joint strikes last week leading to death of over 160 people. “Not that we know of... The United States of America does not target civilians, unlike the rogue Iranian regime that kills children,” Leavitt said as she accused Tehran of using propaganda against the US.

Mar 5, 2026, 00:37:01 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Iran attack based on cumulative effect of various direct threats Iran posed to US, says White House

US Iran news LIVE updates: Iran attack based on cumulative effect of various direct threats Iran posed to US, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Mar 5, 2026, 00:35:14 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Spain agrees to join US in ops against Tehran, says White House

US Iran news LIVE updates: Spain has agreed to cooperate with US operations against Iran, White House said on Wednesday after Trump threatened to cut off trade with Madrid.

“With respect to Spain, I think they heard the president’s message yesterday loud and clear,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “And it’s my understanding over the past several hours, they’ve agreed to cooperate with the U.S. military. And so I know that the U.S. military is coordinating with their counterparts in Spain," press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Mar 5, 2026, 00:33:18 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Trump "actively considering" a US role in Iran after war, says White House

US Iran news LIVE updates: President Donald Trump is "actively considering" a US role in Iran after the American-Israeli operation against the country concludes, the White House said Wednesday.

"I think it's something the president is actively considering and discussing with his advisors and his national security team," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said of any post-war US role.

Mar 5, 2026, 00:19:40 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: White House press secy accuses Obama of sending funds to Iran Supreme Leader

US Iran news LIVE updates: White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dubbed former US president Barack Obama as weak and accused him of “sending cash” to slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “Prior leaders have been too weak and ineffective to address this threat. Some, like Barack Hussein Obama, sent cash that ultimately financed this terrorist crusade against the United States and our people,” Leavitt said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

Mar 5, 2026, 00:14:26 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: White House hints at taking control of Strait of Hormuz

US Iran news LIVE updates: US on Wednesday hinted at taking control of the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical oil chokepoint, saying that Iran will no longer be controlling the key point. “Ultimately, the energy industry will benefit from Trump’s actions with respect to Iran, because Iran will no longer be controlling the Strait of Hormuz and restricting the free flow of energy,” US press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

Mar 5, 2026, 00:09:16 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Over 1,000 killed, says Iran

US Iran news LIVE updates: Over 1,045 people have been killed so far in the US-Israel air strikes that began last Saturday, Al Jazeera reported citing Iranian state media.

Mar 5, 2026, 00:08:01 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Iran's top submarine hit, says White House

US Iran news LIVE updates: US press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Wednesday confirmed that the US destroyed 20 Iranian ships, including its top submarine, in the ongoing strikes. “We have destroyed more than 20 Iranian ships so far, including their top submarine last night,” Leavitt said while briefing the media.

Mar 4, 2026, 23:56:30 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: 17,500+ American citizens left Middle East since conflict erupted

US Iran news LIVE updates: Over 17,500 American citizens have left Middle East since conflict erupted after US and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran last Saturday, killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The escalation soon spiralled into a regional conflict. “Since February 28, over 17,500 American citizens have returned to the United States from the Middle East — with over 8,500 American citizens returning to the U.S. yesterday alone. Many more Americans have left the Middle East to other countries in Europe and Asia, and others have safely departed the Middle East but are still in transit back to the U.S,” US official Dylan Johnson, wrote on X.

Mar 4, 2026, 23:29:21 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Khamenei's funeral postponed

US Iran news LIVE updates: Funeral of the slain Iran Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28, has been postponed on account of expectations of large crowds. The three-day ceremony had been scheduled to start at 10 p.m. local time at the Imam Khomeini Mosalla, a mosque in Tehran, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported Wednesday. State television later said the proceedings were being delayed “due to the expected unprecedented presence of mourners,” and a new time would be announced soon.

via Bloomberg

Mar 4, 2026, 22:55:58 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Qatar rejects Iran's claim it only targeted US interests there

US Iran news LIVE updates: Qatar on Wednesday rejected Iran's claim that it only targeted US interests there.

Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi made the claim during a phone call earlier in the day.

Qatar's prime minister and foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani "categorically rejected" it, according to a readout released by the foreign ministry. The minister said attacks also have targeted residential areas and critical infrastructure, including near the main airport and liquefied natural gas facilities.

Mar 4, 2026, 22:44:00 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Israeli strikes on Lebanon kill 72 people since Monday,says health ministry

US Iran news LIVE updates: Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed 72 people and displaced more than 83,000 since the start of a new round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, Lebanese officials announced Wednesday.

In a statement, the health ministry said "the toll of the Israeli aggression since dawn on Monday... has risen to 72 martyrs and 437 wounded", while the minister of social affairs announced that the number of displaced in official shelters was 83,847.

Mar 4, 2026, 22:36:10 IST

US Iran news LIVE updates: Hegseth says US spared ‘no expense’ to enhance air defence

US Iran news LIVE updates: Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged on Wednesday that some Iranian air attacks may still hit their targets even as he asserted that US military superiority is quickly giving it control of the Islamic Republic's airspace.

The US has spared "no expense or capability" to enhance air defence systems to protect American forces and allies in the Middle East, Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon days after the US and Israel attacked Iran in a war that has widened throughout the region.