US-Israel attack Iran highlights: US embassies in Riyadh, Kuwait 'struck by drones'; Americans asked to leave 14 nations
US-Israel attack Iran highlights: Israel's military said it "struck and dismantled" the headquarters of Iran's state radio and television broadcaster. Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guards commander said on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz has been shut.
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE highlights: Israel's military said it "struck and dismantled" the headquarters of Iran's state radio and television broadcaster. Meanwhile, Iran's Revolutionary Guards commander said on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz has been shut....Read More
Hegseth said the operation had a “clear, devastating, decisive mission” to “destroy the missile threat” from Iran, destroy its navy and “no nukes.”
“This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it,” Hegseth said during a press conference at the Pentagon
Iran has vowed to avenge the death of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by Israeli strikes during the joint US-Israel military operation last week. After confirming Khamenei's death on Sunday, Iran carried out retaliatory strikes across the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, escalating West Asia tensions further.
As the conflict brings the region closer and closer to a full out war, something Iran warned the US and Israel of, US President Donald Trump has stated that the bombing of Iran is expected to continue for at least another “four to five weeks”.
Meanwhile, Iran has stated that it will continue to defend itself. Security chief Ali Larijani blamed Trump and the US President's “delusional ambition” for bringing the Middle East to the brink of war.
Axis of Resistance in place as conflict spreads
The conflict has now spilt over to Lebanon as well after militant group Hezbollah, which is part of Iran's "axis of resistance", launched rocket and drone attacks against a military base near Haifa in northern Israel.
“The resistance leadership has always affirmed that the continuation of Israeli aggression and the assassination of our leaders, youth and people gives us the right to defend ourselves and respond at the appropriate time and place,” said Hezbollah in a statement. Israel has launched retaliatory strikes and has hit the Lebanese capital of Beirut.
This escalation comes after Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire agreement in November 2024.
In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have pledged to resume attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes and Israel. The last time the Houthis targeted the Red Sea was during Israel's war on Gaza and attacked US, Israel-flagged ships along with any other ship which had allied itself with Israel during 2023 to 2024.
Death toll increases
The death toll across West Asia has increased. In Iran, Iranian state media, citing the Red Crescent, said at least 555 people have been killed and more than 700 injured in the ongoing strikes. Of this around 115 were killed in Minab when a girls' school was targeted by the US, Israel military strike.
Meanwhile, three American service members were killed and five others seriously injured during the US attacks on Iran, the US military announced on Sunday.
In Lebanon, 31 people have been killed due to Israeli strikes in the southern part of the country. The health ministry has added that around 149 people were injured due to the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
In the UAE, three people, one Pakistani, one Nepalese and one Bangladeshi were killed in the attacks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
In Israel, around nine people have been killed due to Iranian strikes across the region. In Iraq, two people have been killed and one person died in Kuwait.
As the conflict spreads and bombing to continue, the death toll is expected to increase.
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- 3 Mar 2026, 07:50:38 AM IST
US Israel attack Iran: Updates to this blog have closed
Updates to this live blog have ended. Follow the latest on the US, Israel and Iran war here.
- 3 Mar 2026, 06:49:40 AM IST
US Israel attack Iran LIVE: American nationals asked to leave 14 nations as war escalates
US Israel attack Iran LIVE: American nationals in the Middle East have been asked to “DEPART NOW” from 14 nations as the war with Iran escalates. In a notice issued by the US State Department, US citizens in
Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Lebanon, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Qatar, Israel, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, have been asked to leave immediately through commercial means.
- 3 Mar 2026, 06:25:35 AM IST
US Israel attack Iran LIVE: Fire at US Embassy in Saudi Arabia after drone attack
US Israel attack Iran LIVE: Saudi Arabia said that the US Embassy in Riyadh came under attack from two drones, which caused a "limited fire" and minor damage.
This attack comes a day after the US Embassy in Kuwait issued a warning stating it was under continuous threat of drone and missile attacks.
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- 3 Mar 2026, 05:54:14 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Loud blast heard, smoke seen near US embassy in Riyadh, says report
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: A loud explosion was heard and flames were spotted at the US embassy in Riyadh early on Tuesday morning, three people familiar with the matter told news agency Reuters. One of them said the fire was minor.
Two of the people said black smoke was rising above Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, which is home to several foreign missions.
- 3 Mar 2026, 05:35:23 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Explosions near Iran's state TV headquarters
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Iran’s state broadcaster said two explosions were heard close to its Tehran headquarters on Tuesday, but added that it was still on air despite the ongoing Israeli-US strikes.
“Smoke from two explosions around IRIB’s premises / No disruption to IRIB’s operations,” the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting wrote on Telegram.
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- 3 Mar 2026, 05:06:44 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: China urges Iran to consider ‘reasonable concerns’
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi called on Iran to pay attention to the “reasonable concerns” of its neighbors, after Tehran’s retaliation against US and Israeli attacks included strikes on other Gulf nations.
Wang at the same time reaffirmed China’s support for Iran’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, according to state-run Xinhua News Agency. The foreign minister made the comments in a phone call Monday with Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.
- 3 Mar 2026, 04:53:15 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Video shows thick black smoke over Iran state TV complex after Israeli strike
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: A video shared by Iran International showed thick smoke rising from Iran’s state broadcasting complex in Tehran after Israeli strikes on the city’s centre.
The Israeli military had issued evacuation warnings for the area before the attack.
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- 3 Mar 2026, 04:16:33 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Iran launches new missiles towards Israel, claims Israeli military
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Israel’s army said its air defences are working to intercept new missiles that were launched from Iran towards the Israeli territory amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
- 3 Mar 2026, 03:56:40 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: US urges citizens to immediately depart over a dozen Middle Eastern countries
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: The US Department of State on Monday called on Americans to immediately depart more than a dozen countries in the Middle East amid US-Israeli strikes against Iran.
Americans were urged to depart using commercial means from the following countries.
Bahrain
Egypt
Iran
Iraq
Israel
The West Bank and Gaza
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Oman
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Syria
United Arab Emirates
Yemen
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- 3 Mar 2026, 03:36:26 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Israel targets complex of Iran's state broadcaster
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: The Israeli military said it has targeted the complex of Iran's state broadcaster IRIB in Tehran.
The strike follows an evacuation warning for the area.
- 3 Mar 2026, 03:23:57 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Qatar slams Iran's ‘unacceptable escalation’ in letter to UN
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: In letters sent to the UN Secretary General and the president of the UN Security Council, Qatar condemned Iran’s strikes on its territory and on other Gulf states, describing them as “an unacceptable escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region”.
The letters, written by Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, Qatar’s permanent representative to the UN, also stated that the country reserves the right to respond to the attacks.
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- 3 Mar 2026, 03:05:30 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Israel launches fresh airstrikes in Tehran
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: The Israeli Air Force has launched a new wave of airstrikes in Iran's capital Tehran, the IDF announced.
This came after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for residents in Tehran and said it would strike the Evin area.
- 3 Mar 2026, 02:42:13 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Israel issues evacuation order for Tehran residents
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: The Israeli military has issued evacuation warnings for residents of Tehran, especially those near the broadcasting headquarters, ahead of expected strikes.
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- 3 Mar 2026, 02:32:42 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: US attacked Iran ‘pre-emptively’, says Rubio
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: The United States attacked Iran "pre-emptively" on Saturday after learning that ally Israel was going to strike, which would have meant retaliation against US forces, secretary of state Marco Rubio said.
"We knew that if we didn't preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties," Rubio told reporters on Monday.
- 3 Mar 2026, 02:30:17 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Marco Rubio says hardest hits yet to come in Iran conflict
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: US secretary of state Marco Rubio on Monday told reporters that hardest hits are yet to come in the conflict with Iran.
He also said that Washington hopes the Iranian people can overthrow the government in Tehran but that the objective of the US mission was to destroy Iran's ballistic missile capability and ensure it cannot have a nuclear weapon.
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- 3 Mar 2026, 02:20:59 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: US embassy in Jordan evacuated du
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: The US embassy in the Jordanian capital Amman said it had temporarily evacuated its staff due to an unspecified threat on Monday.
"Out of an abundance of caution, all personnel at the US Embassy have temporarily departed the embassy compound due to a threat," it said in a security alert posted on social media.
- 3 Mar 2026, 02:09:19 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: What to know about the Strait of Hormuz
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Oil prices rose on Monday as the expanding conflict in Iran disrupted tanker movement through the Strait of Hormuz, drawing attention to the route’s key role in global oil supply.
The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow entrance to the Persian Gulf, and roughly one fifth of the world’s oil moves through it.
Tankers passing along the route, which has Iran along its northern side, transport oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iran. Most of these supplies are sent to Asia.
The Strait of Hormuz through history has been important for trade, with ceramics, ivory, silk and textiles moving from China through the region. In the modern era, it is the route for supertankers carrying oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE and Iran. The vast majority of it goes to markets in Asia, including Iran's only remaining oil customer, China.
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- 3 Mar 2026, 01:54:41 AM IST
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Iran warns will set on fire any ship trying to pass Strait of Hormuz
US-Israel attack Iran LIVE: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards commander said on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz has been closed and warned that Iran would set fire to any ship attempting to pass, Iranian media reported.
“Any ship that seeks to pass through the Strait of Hormuz we will set on fire,” Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari was quoted as saying.
- 3 Mar 2026, 01:41:55 AM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Iran accuses Iran’s IRGC says Strait of Hormuz closed, oil prices to reach $200
US Iran War LIVE: A senior commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned that Tehran would target vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz and hit oil facilities across the Middle East to stop exports.
“Any ship that seeks to pass through the Strait of Hormuz we will set on fire,” Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari said in comments reported by Iranian media on Monday.
“We will also attack oil pipelines and will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region,” he said, adding that “oil prices will reach $200 in the coming days.”
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- 3 Mar 2026, 01:18:32 AM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Iran minister says killing Khamenei was a ‘religious crime’
US Iran War LIVE: Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was a “religious crime” and will have serious consequences in what was a fresh warning to both the United States and Israel, Iranian state media reported.
Araghchi also said that Tehran is not “in war with regional countries”. Notably, Iran's retaliatory attacks have hit ports, airports, residential buildings and hotels along with military sites across the wealthy Gulf nation of oil giants.
- 3 Mar 2026, 12:57:12 AM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Israel says targeted Iran military intelligence offices in Tehran
US Iran War LIVE: Israel on Monday claimed that it struck Iranian military intelligence offices in Tehran.
According to a report by The Jerusalem Post, the Israeli military hit over 10 headquarters of Iran's intelligence ministry and IRGC-Quds Force positions.
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- 3 Mar 2026, 12:36:30 AM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Who was Mansoureh Khojasteh, Khamenei's wife who died on Monday?
US Iran War LIVE: Iranian media said Mansoureh Khojasteh, wife of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died on Monday. She had been in a coma since Saturday's strikes on her husband's office.
Mansoureh was born into a distinguished religious family in Mashhad, which is reportedly the second-largest city in Iran. Her father, Mohammad Esmaeil Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, was a prominent businessman in the area, and her brother, Hassan Khojaste Bagherzadeh, held the position of deputy director at Iran's state broadcaster IRIB.
She first met Ali Khamenei in 1964 during a private event. The couple got married in 1965, with their sermon reportedly delivered by the esteemed cleric Mohammad Hadi Milani.
Even though she was married to one of the most influential persons in the Islamic Republic, Bagherzadeh kept a remarkably discreet public presence. She rarely participated in official functions and primarily avoided political matters, concentrating instead on her family and religious obligations.
- 3 Mar 2026, 12:21:24 AM IST
US Iran War LIVE: ‘Big wave’ of action yet to come in conflict with Iran, warns Trump
US Iran War LIVE: US President Donald Trump said in an interview with CNN on Monday that the US military is “knocking the crap” out of Iran, adding that the “big wave” of action has not yet happened.
“We’re knocking the crap out of them,” Trump told the media outlet. “I think it’s going very well. It’s very powerful. We’ve got the greatest military in the world and we’re using it.”
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- 2 Mar 2026, 11:55:43 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Those who killed Khamenei not safe 'even at home', IRGC warns
US Iran War LIVE: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ elite Quds Force said those responsible for killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would not be safe “even at home,” according to Iranian state media reports.
The Quds Force unit led Iran’s regional policy of spreading the revolution through allied Shi’ite militias across Arab nations.
Iranian state media reported Khamenei's death on Sunday, after a major attack launched by Israel and the United States. US President Donald Trump said hours earlier that Khamenei had been killed in the joint operation.
- 2 Mar 2026, 11:38:14 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Iran attacks oil tanker in Strait of Hormuz
US Iran War LIVE: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had struck a tanker it described as linked to the United States in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it part of a series of retaliatory attacks after US and Israeli strikes.
“The ATHE NOVA tanker, one of the American allies in the Strait of Hormuz, is still on fire after being hit by two drones,” the IRGC said in a statement.
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- 2 Mar 2026, 11:19:57 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: US strikes Iran's 'biggest naval military project in decades'
US Iran War LIVE: US forces targeted the Iranian drone carrier Shahid Bagheri just hours after launching Operation Epic Fury, the US Central Command said on Monday.
The ship had earlier been introduced by Alireza Tangsiri, commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards navy, as “the largest naval military project since the revolution, and even in West Asia” at its unveiling ceremony.
- 2 Mar 2026, 10:51:49 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Emirates flight to Mumbai takes off from Dubai
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- 2 Mar 2026, 10:36:59 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Trump says he acted on 'last best chance' to hit Iran
US President Donald Trump said Monday that he took the decision to launch a war against Iran because it was the "last, best chance" to stop the country's alleged nuclear bomb program.
"This was our last, best chance to strike, what we're doing right now, and eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime," Trump said at the White House.
- 2 Mar 2026, 10:35:52 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Trump says US ‘substantially ahead of our time projections’ in Iran
President Donald Trump said Monday that the US attack on Iran is meeting its goals ahead of schedule, but also warned the war could go "far longer" than his initial estimates of about a month.
"We're already substantially ahead of our time projections," Trump said at the White House, adding, "From the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go far longer than that. We'll do it."
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- 2 Mar 2026, 10:32:05 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Trump says ‘I don’t get bored' on timeline for Iran operation
Donald Trump has said that people said he would get bored with the Iran operation. He added that the operations are likely to last 4 to 5 weeks, but says he's prepared to go far longer than that.'
“I don’t get bored,” he said on the timeline.
- 2 Mar 2026, 10:10:15 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: UK PM Starmer casts doubt on changing Iran's leadership "from the skies"
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he did not believe that an attempt to remove Iran's leadership through aerial bombardment without a land invasion would work, which was one reason the UK did not join U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran.
"This government does not believe in regime change from the skies," Starmer told lawmakers on Monday, emphasising that military action needed a lawful basis and a "viable thought-through plan, with an objective that can be achieved."
"They're the principles that I applied to the decision not to get involved in the offensive strikes of the U.S. and Israel."
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- 2 Mar 2026, 10:08:46 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Explosions hit southern suburbs of Beirut
Explosions in Beirut have caused huge plumes of smoke to rise into the sky of the Lebanese capital. The strikes took place in the southern suburbs of Beirut, according to Al Jazeera.
- 2 Mar 2026, 09:48:08 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Starmer says UK to not join US-Israeli offensive against Iran
The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, told the country's parliament that while he has allowed British bases to be used in the US response to Iran’s attacks, they will be “limited to the agreed defensive purposes”.
“We are not joining the US-Israeli offensive strikes. The basis for our decision is for the collective self-defence of longstanding friends and allies and protecting British lives,” said Keir Starmer.
He added that while the UK will not be joining the strikes, “we will continue our defensive actions in the region.”
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- 2 Mar 2026, 09:31:38 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Qatar shoots down two Iranian jets
Qatar Defence Ministry said that its forces “successfully shot down” two fighter aircraft incoming from Iran.
Defence systems also intercepted seven ballistic missiles and five drones.
- 2 Mar 2026, 09:23:22 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Trump says ‘big wave’ yet to come
The "big wave" is yet to come in the war with Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump told CNN on Monday, adding that Washington did not know who the country's new leader would be following the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"We haven't even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn't even happened. The big one is coming soon," Trump said, telling CNN it was unclear who was now leading the country.
"We don't know who the leadership is. We don't know who they'll pick," he said.
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- 2 Mar 2026, 09:19:20 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: IDF says intercepting new wave of Iranian missiles
The Israeli military said that missiles have recently been launched from Iran towards Israel, and its defence systems are working to eliminate them.
“In recent minutes, the Home Front Command distributed advance instructions directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas,” the army said in a statement.
“The public is asked to be responsible and act according to the instructions.”
- 2 Mar 2026, 08:58:20 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Israeli PM Netanyahu in Beit Shemesh amid reports of Iran's attack on his office, report says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “standing with the truth” amid the Israel-US war with Iran.
Netanyahu also said he had spoken to PM Modi yesterday, along with other regional leaders. He was reportedly in Beit Shemesh, where an Iranian missile attack resulted in the death of 9 people on Sunday.
“I spoke to my great friend PM Narendra Modi yesterday. I thank him for standing with us, standing with the truth,” Netanyahu told NDTV.
The report comes amid Iran's claims that it had targeted Netanyahu's office in an attack on Monday. It wasn't immediately clear if he was in his office at that time.
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- 2 Mar 2026, 08:57:06 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: 18 US soldiers seriously injured in Iran ops
Eighteen service members have been seriously wounded during the US military’s operation against Iran, CNN reported, quoting US Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins.
- 2 Mar 2026, 08:18:07 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Russia and UAE, in different tones, call for a ceasefire
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that President Vladimir Putin and United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during a phone call, have reiterated the need for an immediate ceasefire between Iran, the US and Israel.
According to the Russian statement, the two leaders discussed what Moscow described as “tragic developments” in the Middle East.
Both sides emphasised the importance of returning to political and diplomatic efforts.
The Russian statement described recent military action against Iran as an “unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign UN member state”.
The UAE president, according to Moscow, said Iran is attacking his country “despite the fact that UAE territory is not being used as a launchpad for attacks against Iran and [the Iranian attacks on the UAE] are therefore unjustified”.
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- 2 Mar 2026, 08:14:38 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Child among 5 civilians killed in Israeli bombing in Iran's Kermanshah province, report says
Tasnim news agency reported that five civilians, including a child, have been killed in an Israeli bombing on the village of Sarabeleh in western Iran’s Kermanshah province.
- 2 Mar 2026, 08:10:31 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: France to increase nuclear arsenal
France will increase the size of its nuclear arsenal and strengthen its deterrent, with an increasing risk of conflicts globally crossing the nuclear threshold, President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.
"We are currently experiencing a period of geopolitical upheaval fraught with risk," Macron said in a speech delivered from a submarine base in Brittany, adding that a "hardening" of the French deterrence model was needed.
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- 2 Mar 2026, 08:02:30 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Emirates to resume limited flights today
Dubai-based carrier Emirates has said it will begin operating a limited number of flights starting this evening.
“We are accommodating customers with earlier bookings as a priority, and those who have been rebooked to travel on these limited flights will be contacted directly by Emirates,” it said in a statement, urging people to “not go to the airport unless you have been notified”.
It added: “All other flights remain suspended until further notice.”
- 2 Mar 2026, 07:56:24 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: IDF kills head of Hezbollah intelligence HQ
The IDF said it had killed Hussein Makled, described as the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters, in an overnight strike on the Lebanese capital.
In a statement, the Israeli military said Makled had held several positions within Hezbollah’s intelligence apparatus over recent years and was appointed to lead the unit after his predecessor, Hussein Hazima, was killed in October 2024.
According to the Israeli military, Makled was responsible for compiling intelligence assessments on Israeli forces and coordinating with senior Hezbollah commanders to plan attacks against Israel.
The military added that it would continue operations against Hezbollah.
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- 2 Mar 2026, 07:53:42 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: US embassy in Beirut renews call for citizens to leave Lebanon
The US Embassy in Lebanon renewed its call for citizens to leave Lebanon immediately as the Middle East war expanded to Lebanon.
"We urge US citizens not to travel to Lebanon. If you are in the country, depart Lebanon NOW," the US embassy said on Monday, as Israeli strikes pounded Beirut's southern suburbs, and dozens of villages mainly in south Lebanon.
"The US Embassy strongly encourages US citizens in Southern Lebanon, near the borders with Syria, in refugee settlements, and in the Dahiyeh neighbourhood of Beirut to depart those areas immediately," the embassy said.
- 2 Mar 2026, 07:52:24 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Iraq foreign minister says country trapped in crossfire between Iran and 'opposing side'
Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said Monday that Iran continues to attack its autonomous Kurdistan region, while the other side of the conflict -- whom he did not identify -- targets the country's south.
Hussein said in a call with Hamish Falconer, UK Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, that "Iraq is now directly affected by the war" in the region.
"Iran continues to bomb areas in the Kurdistan Region, especially Erbil, while the opposing side targets sites in southern and western Iraq," without directly naming Israel and the US, which are blamed for attacks on pro-Iran groups.
The strikes expose Iraq "to escalating security challenges," Hussein said.
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- 2 Mar 2026, 07:49:11 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Gas prices surge as Qatar shuts down world's largest LNG export prices
US Iran War LIVE: Qatar on Monday shut down production at world's largest export facility for liquefied natural gas after it was targeted by an Iranian drone attack. This led to European gas prices surging more than 50% and rattling global energy markets.
QatarEnergy’s Ras Laffan plant supplies about a fifth of global LNG supply.
- 2 Mar 2026, 07:31:59 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: China backs Iran 'defending sovereignty', vows to push for peace
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Iranian counterpart on a call Monday that Beijing supports Tehran defending itself against US-Israeli strikes, as war spread across the Middle East.
Wang told Abbas Araghchi that Beijing "cherishes the traditional friendship between China and Iran, supports Iran in defending its sovereignty, security, territorial integrity, and national dignity, and supports Iran in protecting its legitimate rights and interests", state broadcaster CCTV reported.
China had "urged the US and Israel to immediately cease military operations, avoid further escalation of tensions and prevent the conflict from spreading to the entire Middle East region", Wang said, according to CCTV.
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- 2 Mar 2026, 07:25:57 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Hegseth says no US boots on the ground in Iran
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday there are currently no American troops on the ground in Iran, but left the option open, saying "we'll go as far as we need."
When asked if the United States had boots on the ground, Hegseth told a news conference: "No, but we're not going to go into the exercise of what we will or will not do," adding: "We'll go as far as we need to go."
- 2 Mar 2026, 07:23:11 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: What the US Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Iran operation
It will take time to achieve U.S. military objectives in Iran, and additional U.S. casualties are expected, US General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Monday.
The U.S.-Israeli air war against Iran expanded on Monday with no end in sight. The U.S. military said Kuwait's air defences had mistakenly shot down three American F-15E fighter jets during an Iranian attack.
"This is not a single overnight operation. The military objectives that CENTCOM and the Joint Force have been tasked with will take some time to achieve, and in some cases will be difficult and gritty work," Caine told reporters.
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- 2 Mar 2026, 07:18:30 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Hegseth says Trump to decide how long to wage Iran war
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday declined to give a timeline for the US-Israeli war on Iran, saying it was up to President Donald Trump to decide the length of the military campaign against Tehran.
- 2 Mar 2026, 07:15:38 PM IST
US Iran War LIVE: Ayatollah Khameini's wife dead
Ayatollah Khamenei's wife, who sustained injuries in US-Israel strikes, has died, said Iranian media.
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