US Iran News highlights: Trump seeks say in picking Iran's next leader after Khamenei; blasts reported in Tel Aviv

US Iran News highlights: Iraqi Shiite clerics hold portraits of Iran's slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and chant slogans during a protest against the attacks by Israel and the US on Iran, as they march towards the US embassy in Baghdad on March 5, 2026.

US Iran News highlights: Israel has said that it has launched strikes against infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in Beirut's southern suburb of Dahiyeh. The offensive came after residents were asked to evacuate the area. As the conflict in the Gulf region continues to rage on, the US and Qatar are in discussions with Kyiv about acquiring Ukrainian interceptor drones as a cheap alternative to down Iranian Shahed UAVs, Reuters reported. The early-stage talks are taking place between government officials, not companies, and the technology being discussed includes systems to listen out for incoming enemy drones and disrupt their communication signals, the report added quoting sources.

New missile attacks were reported from eastern Tehran on Thursday after the Israeli military warned residents to leave areas in the eastern zone.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Thursday said that it continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in West Asia. As of 5 March, a total of 281 flights scheduled to operate today by Indian domestic carriers have been cancelled, it said.

Iran's army on Thursday said it had carried out drone strikes in Israel, including a radar site. The strikes hit "targets in Tel Aviv as well as Meron radar base" in Israel's north, the army was quoted as saying.

Azerbaijan accused Iran of firing two drones at its territory, injuring two people, and said it had summoned the Iranian ambassador to issue a strong protest. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said one drone fell on an airport in Nakhchivan, near the border with Iran, and another landed near a school.

In a statement, Azerbaijan condemned the attacks, demanded an explanation from Iran, and said it reserved the right to take "appropriate response measures".

The Israeli military is planning at least one to two more weeks of operations against Iran, aiming to strike thousands more regime and military targets.

The plan comes days into an extensive bombing campaign. As of Wednesday, the Israeli Air Force said it had dropped more than 5,000 bombs on targets in Iran since the conflict began, according to a report by Times of Israel.

Massive explosions were reported on Thursday in Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas. Reports said the blasts occurred near Bandar-e Bahonar in the First Naval Zone of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, close to the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Iran reported fresh wave of strikes beginning around midnight. Loud explosions were heard in eastern Tehran, with shockwaves felt across parts of the capital, though the exact targets were not immediately clear.

Overnight strikes were also reported in the Kurdish cities of Sanandaj, Saqqez and Bukan. Iranian authorities say more than 150 cities across the country have been attacked since Saturday.

Meanwhile, the IRGC said it has launched a 19th wave of retaliatory attacks targeting Israel and US bases in the region, Al Jazeera reported.

Iran launched a new round of missiles toward Israel on Thursday, according to the Israeli military and Iranian state media, triggering air raid alerts in several areas including Tel Aviv. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The Israeli military said the launches came after a lull of more than seven hours in attacks.

“The Israeli Air Force has identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel,” the military said, adding that air defence systems were operating to intercept the threat.

Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB also confirmed the missile launches.

Trump on Iran: It is ‘out of control’

US President Donald Trump described Iran as a country “out of control,” saying the pre-emptive strikes were carried out to prevent Tehran from attacking Israel first. He said Washington was now in a strong position against Iran, adding that those who try to become leaders in the country “end up being dead.”

The United States also said it had destroyed more than 20 Iranian vessels, including one of Tehran’s top submarines, in the ongoing strikes. Leavitt confirmed the development during a press briefing on Wednesday.

Iran on US and Israel attacks

Iranian state media reported that more than 1,000 people have been killed in Israeli and US strikes that began last weekend. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, members of his family and several senior Iranian leaders were also killed in the joint attacks after efforts to de-escalate tensions between Washington and Tehran collapsed.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran had sought diplomacy to avoid war but had been forced to defend itself following what he called “American-Zionist military aggression.” Speaking to leaders of neighbouring Gulf countries, he said Iran respected their sovereignty and believed regional security should be achieved through collective efforts.

Khamenei's successor to be ‘identified’ soon

Meanwhile, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts said the process of selecting a new supreme leader to replace Khamenei was nearing completion.

“The Supreme Leader will be identified at the closest opportunity. We are close to a conclusion, however the situation in the country is a war situation,” Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami told state television.

Iranians were expected to begin paying their respects to Khamenei from 10 pm on Wednesday at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Musallah, where a public mourning ceremony will allow citizens to bid farewell to the late leader. Authorities said additional mourning events would follow in the coming days.

Over 40 missiles launched at US, Israeli targets: Iran

Amid the escalating conflict, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had launched around 40 missiles at US and Israeli targets on the fifth day of the war. In a statement broadcast on state television, the Guards said the “17th wave of Operation Honest Promise 4” had been carried out by its aerospace forces, though no further details were provided.

The conflict also expanded into Lebanon. An Israeli air strike targeted Hezbollah’s stronghold in south Beirut early Thursday after Israel warned residents to evacuate.

Two other Israeli strikes on vehicles along Beirut’s airport highway killed three people, according to Lebanon’s health ministry. Officials said at least 72 people had been killed and more than 83,000 displaced since the latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah began.

Historic gains in the war: Israel

Israel said it and the United States had made “historic gains” in the war against Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the latest strike was necessary because Iran was rebuilding its atomic bomb programme using “new underground bunkers.”

Turkey said NATO air defence systems intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched from Iran that was heading toward Turkish airspace via Iraq and Syria. Officials did not specify the missile’s intended target. Iran has been striking locations across the region in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks on its territory.

‘We are doing well’: Trump on the US-Iran war

Trump praised the campaign, saying Iranian leaders were being eliminated and vowing to continue military operations. “We’re doing well on the war front, to put it mildly,” he said while addressing technology executives.

Spain rejected a White House claim that it had agreed to allow US operations against Iran to use Spanish bases. Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said Madrid’s position on the war and on the use of its bases “has not changed at all.”

The White House said Trump was considering what role the United States might play in Iran after the military campaign ends. Leavitt said the issue was being discussed with the president’s advisers and national security team.

Heightened tensions in the US-Israel-Iran war

Tensions spread further across the region. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani accused Iran of trying to drag neighbouring countries into the conflict during a call with Tehran’s foreign minister. Turkey also summoned the Iranian ambassador after a missile believed to be targeting a base in Cyprus landed inside Turkish territory.

Global shipping disruptions deepened as Danish shipping giant Maersk suspended new bookings in the Gulf following a risk assessment. The company had already halted routes through the Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments, with several other shipping companies taking similar measures.

The Omani navy said it rescued 24 crew members from a container ship struck by missiles in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian forces later claimed they had taken “complete control” of the strait, a day after Trump said the US Navy was ready to escort tankers through the waterway.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka said its navy had recovered 87 bodies after a US submarine torpedoed and sank an Iranian warship off its coast. Search operations were continuing for others still missing.