US Iran ‘war’ news highlights: Saudi Arabia intercepts ballistic missile fired at air base

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Iran’s foreign minister publicly thanked Sri Lanka for its role in rescuing and assisting Iranian sailors following the sinking of the IRIS Dena warship by a US submarine off the Sri Lankan coast, which triggered a major search and rescue operation. Sri Lankan naval forces responded to a distress call, recovering 32 survivors and 87 bodies from the Indian Ocean as part of a humanitarian effort, earning appreciation from Tehran for its swift action.

The Iranian government characterised Sri Lanka’s involvement as crucial in a time of crisis, recognising Colombo’s efforts to safeguard lives amid escalating hostilities in the broader US-Israel-Iran conflict, as per Reuters.

(Reuters)

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Israeli air strikes caused widespread destruction in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Friday, targeting Hezbollah sites, the military said. The attacks followed an unprecedented evacuation warning for the densely populated area, home to hundreds of thousands of residents. Streets were deserted, with rubble and dust covering main roads, while apartment buildings sustained heavy damage, AFPTV footage showed.

In Lebanon, smoke rose from flattened buildings, and bulldozers worked to clear debris amid the devastation. Entire neighbourhoods in Dahiyeh were left in ruins, with multi-storey structures targeted as part of Israel’s ongoing campaign, the AFP reported.

The Israeli military said it carried out 26 waves of air strikes in the southern suburbs over four days, including Thursday night’s raids on “command centres and multi-storey structures in which were terror sites.”

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Some prominent figures in the UAE business community have openly criticized US President Donald Trump, warning that Washington’s actions are destabilizing the region and its economies.

Dubai billionaire Khalaf Al Habtoor posted on X: “Who gave you the authority to drag our region into a war with Iran? You have placed the Gulf countries at the heart of a danger they did not choose.”

The UAE, a close US ally with over $1.4 trillion in pledged investments linked to the Trump family, has faced repeated attacks, with its armed forces intercepting most missiles, reported Bloomberg. Still, the conflict is unsettling global investors, disrupting supply chains, and pressuring key sectors like travel, tourism, and finance.

(Bloomberg)

US-Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Several explosions were heard over Tel Aviv on Friday after missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel, according to AFP.

The Israel Defense Forces said it had detected incoming missiles and activated its air defence systems to intercept them. “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 military said, as per the agency.

US-Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: The government of Indonesia has put discussions on Donald Trump’s proposed “Board of Peace” on hold as it prioritises the safety of its nationals in the Middle East, officials said on Friday. Authorities said the immediate focus is on monitoring the security situation and assisting Indonesians living across the conflict-hit region, reported AP.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang said any decision on Indonesia’s participation in international mechanisms would be guided by the country’s foreign policy principles and national interests. More than 5,19,000 Indonesians live across the Middle East, including 329 in Iran, most of them students. Indonesia is planning to begin evacuating its citizens from Iran on Friday.

US-Iran ‘War’ News Day 7 LIVE Updates: Residents in Dubai received an emergency alert on their mobile phones on Friday warning of possible missile threats, according to AFP. The notification was issued by the interior ministry of the United Arab Emirates as tensions escalated during Iran’s ongoing retaliatory attacks across the Gulf region.

“Due to the current situation, potential missile threats, seek immediate shelter in the closest secure building and steer away from windows, doors and open areas,” the alert said.

(AFP)

US-Iran ‘War’ News Day 7 LIVE Updates: Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh on Friday sharply criticised US President Donald Trump, questioning Washington’s calls for leadership change in Iran. He called the demand a “colonial approach,” saying it was ironic for Trump to talk about shaping Iran’s leadership. “President Trump is asking for a leadership change in Iran, while he can't even appoint the mayor of New York. Can you imagine this colonial approach?” he said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Khatibzadeh also rejected claims that Iran had shut the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that Tehran remained a stabilising force in the Gulf despite the war involving Israel and the United States. “Iran is an anchor of stability in the Strait of Hormuz. We will announce if we close it. We have not closed it,” he said, adding that diplomacy remained the only path forward.

Calling the conflict an “existential war,” Khatibzadeh accused the United States and Israel of launching aggression against Iran based on “flat lies.” “This is an existential war on Iran… we are fighting a heroic, nationalistic war to push back those aggressors,” he said, adding that Tehran was acting in self-defence and would respond to attacks originating from foreign soil.

(ANI)

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has accused the United States of being fully responsible for the escalating violence and casualties across the region. Speaking amid the ongoing conflict, Araghchi said Washington’s policies and actions had directly contributed to the current crisis, according to reports by Islamic Republic News Agency, cited by ANI.

Araghchi issued a sharp condemnation of US involvement, stating that American actions were the main driver behind the bloodshed linked to the conflict involving Iran and its adversaries. “The US is fully responsible for the bloodshed,” he said.

(ANI)

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesperson Ali-Mohammad Naini said on Friday that new initiatives and weapons by the Islamic Republic are “on the way” and have not yet been deployed on a large scale, according to Iran International.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Iranian media reported that multiple explosions hit the western city of Kermanshah on Friday morning, according to Iran International.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Israel’s military said its air force destroyed six Iranian ballistic missile launchers overnight, striking them before they could be fired at Israeli territory, according to Al Jazeera.

The military also said that three advanced Iranian air defence systems were destroyed in recent strikes.

US-Iran ‘War’ News Day 7 LIVE Updates: Here is the list of airlines affected by the Middle East conflict:

1. Air India
2. Air France
3. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
4. British Airways
5. Cathay Pacific
6. China Southern
7. Delta Air Lines
8. Emirates
9. Etihad Airways
10. Finnair
11. IndiGo
12. Korean Air
13. Lufthansa (Lufthansa Group airlines)
14. Malaysia Airlines
15. Oman Air
16. Qantas
17. Qatar Airways
18. Aeroflot (and other Russian commercial airlines involved in evacuations)
19. Singapore Airlines
20. SpiceJet
21. Virgin Atlantic

(Bloomberg)

US-Iran ‘War’ News Day 7 LIVE Updates: The war involving Iran has triggered major disruption across global aviation, with more than 27,000 flights to Middle East hubs cancelled since the conflict began. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium Ltd, over half of the 51,600 flights scheduled to operate to or from the region since February 28 have been scrapped, reported Bloomberg.

The cancellations have stranded thousands of passengers across the Gulf, forcing many travellers to take longer and more expensive routes to reach operational airports in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Some recovery efforts are underway, with the United Arab Emirates creating safe air corridors that could allow up to 48 flights an hour, while Emirates has begun operating a reduced schedule after parts of regional airspace reopened for commercial flights, the report stated.

(Bloomberg)

US-Iran ‘War’ News Day 7 LIVE Updates: Iran has imposed a nationwide internet shutdown shortly after the United States and Israel launched strikes on February 28, cutting off most online access across the country. About a week into the conflict, estimates suggested only around 1% of normal internet traffic remains available, making it one of the rare cases in modern times where a government has almost completely disconnected its population during an active military crisis, as per a report by The Conversation, cited by PTI.

The blackout has raised serious concerns for civilian safety, as people are unable to access real-time information about incoming attacks or emergency updates. At the same time, Iranian authorities are reportedly running online propaganda campaigns aimed at US audiences, creating a stark contrast as citizens inside Iran remain largely cut off from the global internet, the report stated.

US-Iran ‘War’ News Day 7 LIVE Updates: After the death of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei, attention has quickly shifted to his likely successor, his son Mojtaba Khamenei. The possibility of a father-to-son succession has also sparked debate over whether the republic founded to end dynastic rule is now evolving into something resembling it.

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei?

He is a cleric who has largely stayed out of public office and has long operated behind the scenes within the Office of the Supreme Leader. He briefly served in the Iran-Iraq War as a teenager and later gained influence through close ties with Iran’s security establishment, especially the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as per PTI.

Known for opposing reformist politics and engagement with the West, he has also been linked by critics to the crackdown following Iran’s disputed 2009 election and is believed to wield influence over state media. In 2019, the administration of Donald Trump sanctioned him, accusing him of acting on behalf of the supreme leader despite holding no official government post.

US-Iran ‘War’ News Day 7 LIVE Updates: Saeed Khatibzadeh, deputy foreign minister of Iran, called the sinking of an Iranian warship a “very sad and unfortunate incident,” saying the vessel had been participating in an international exercise at the invitation of India.

Khatibzadeh said the ship’s presence was purely ceremonial and that it had no weapons on board at the time, as per news agency ANI. It was unloaded and unarmed, he said, stressing that the vessel had travelled to take part in the drills with other navies.

"Many of the young Iranian sailors who were attending these exercises lost their lives. It cannot go with impunity for those who actually did that," he said.

(ANI)

US-Iran ‘War’ News Day 7 LIVE Updates: US President Donald Trump said he is not currently considering deploying American ground forces in Iran, calling such a move a “waste of time,” according to NBC News, cited by news agency AFP.

Trump reportedly told NBC that Iran had already “lost everything,” including its naval strength, and dismissed comments by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warning that any US or Israeli ground invasion would end in disaster for the invading forces.

"It's a waste of time. They've lost everything. They've lost their navy. They've lost everything they can lose," Trump said, as quoted in the report. Trump said Araghchi’s remarks were a “wasted comment”.

(AFP)

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: The conflict has killed at least 1450 people across the world, including 1,230 people in Iran, more than 120 in Lebanon, and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials in those countries.

In addition, six US troops have been killed during the fighting. Separately, at least 87 crew members died when the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena was sunk in the Indian Ocean, while 32 sailors were rescued, authorities said.

(AP)

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Here are 10 major attacks reported on Friday amid the ongoing Middle East conflict -

1. Israeli airstrikes on Tehran: Israel launched a “broad-scale wave of strikes” on Tehran early Friday, with witnesses reporting powerful explosions that shook homes across the city.
2. Strikes near Kermanshah: Explosions were also reported around Kermanshah, an area believed to host multiple Iranian missile bases.
3. US strike on Iranian drone carrier, underground ballistic missile launchers: The United States Central Command said it struck the Iranian drone carrier IRIS Shahid Bagheri, setting the vessel on fire at sea. The United States B-2 stealth bombers also dropped dozens of 2,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on deeply buried ballistic missile launchers in Iran.
4. Strike on Iran’s military command capability: US forces also hit what officials described as Iran’s equivalent of a Space Command facility, aimed at weakening its ability to threaten US forces.
5. Iran attacks Gulf states: Iran launched missile and drone attacks toward Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, all of which host US military bases.
6. Drone intercepted in Qatar: Qatar said it intercepted a drone targeting Al Udeid Air Base, a major US military hub.
7. Missiles intercepted in Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia said it intercepted three ballistic missiles fired toward Prince Sultan Air Base south of Riyadh, and also intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile and a drone east of Al-Kharj Governorate.
8. Strikes in Bahrain: Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain after Iranian strikes hit a hotel and two residential buildings.
9. Airspace breach in Kuwait: Kuwait activated air defences after missile and drone attacks entered its airspace.
10. Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon: Israel carried out at least 11 airstrikes from late Thursday into Friday on the southern suburbs of Beirut, triggering fires and evacuations near a gas station.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had launched a wave of missiles toward Tel Aviv on Friday, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.

The report said the operation involved a combined missile and drone attack targeting locations in the centre of the Israeli commercial hub, as fighting between Iran and Israel continued to escalate for the seventh day.

(AFP)

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Heavy explosions were reported in Tehran on Friday after Israel said it had launched attacks on “regime infrastructure” in the Iranian capital.

Iranian media reported multiple strikes across the city shortly after Israel announced the operation, marking what Israeli officials described as a “new phase” of the conflict with Iran.

Israel’s military chief, Eyal Zamir, said the campaign was entering its next stage and would further weaken Iran’s leadership and military capabilities, adding that more operations were planned.

(AFP)

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has rejected reports claiming it plans to take part in attacks against Iran as the regional conflict intensifies.

Government spokesman Peshawa Hawramani said allegations that the Kurdish region would arm opposition groups and send them into Iranian territory were “completely unfounded” and deliberately misleading.

He added that the KRG and its political parties are not part of any effort to widen the war, stressing that the region supports peace and stability while condemning recent attacks targeting the Kurdish region.

“…the Kurdistan Regional Government and the political parties within it are not part of any campaign to expand the war and tensions in the region…We strongly condemn the cowardly attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region,” Hawramani stated in an X post.

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: The United Arab Emirates said it had faced more than 1,000 attacks from Iran in recent days, describing the scale of the strikes as unprecedented. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said the country had never expected such an aggressive campaign from Tehran.

"We never expected Iran to launch such an aggressive war against us," Gargash stated. "But we have always been, and will continue to be, ready to defend our homeland and its achievements."

(ANI)

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: Azerbaijan said it was preparing retaliatory measures after four Iranian drones crossed into its territory and injured four people in the Nakhchivan exclave. President Ilham Aliyev called the incident an “unprovoked act of aggression” during a meeting of the country’s security council.

Iran denied responsibility for the drone attack, despite Azerbaijan’s accusations. (Reuters)

US Iran ‘war’ news LIVE updates: US President Donald Trump said Washington should play a role in selecting Iran’s next leader following the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in recent airstrikes.

While speaking with Reuters, Trump said the United States would need to be involved in deciding who succeeds Khamenei. “We're going to have to choose that person along with Iran,” he said.

However, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington was not expanding its military objectives in Iran, stressing that the United States remained focused on its existing goals in the conflict. “There's no expansion ​in our objectives. We know exactly what we're trying to achieve,” he stated.

(Reuters)