Israel-Iran war highlights: Trump says war will 'end soon' even as Israel launches new 'broad wave' of strikes on Tehran

Bahrain’s interior ministry said early Tuesday (March 10, 2026) an Iranian attack on a residential area in the capital Manama killed one person and injured others.

“Initial reports indicate one person died and others were injured in a blatant Iranian attack targeting a residential building in the capital,” the ministry said.

AFP

U.S. President Donald ⁠Trump ‌also ‌told ⁠reporters ⁠the United States ‌is “very much on top” ‌of tracking whether ⁠Iran ‌has activated “sleeper cells” ‌in the country. 

Reuters

President ‌Donald Trump said 100 ‌million barrels ‌of ‌oil ⁠from ⁠Venezuela was brought ‌to the refineries in Houston ‌and that an ⁠additional 100 ‌million barrels of oil from ‌there was also ⁠coming.

Reuters

Australia will deploy a military surveillance aircraft to West Asia and send missiles to the United Arab Emirates but will not put troops ‌on the ground in Iran, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday (March 10, 2026)

Australia’s ‌military support would help the ‌Gulf ⁠countries defend themselves against unprovoked attacks ⁠from Iran, PM Albanese said, stressing Australia was “not a protagonist”.

“Our involvement is purely defensive,” PM Albanese told reporters. “And it’s in defence ‌of Australians who are in the region as well as in defence of our friends in the United Arab Emirates.”

Reuters

In a press conference, U.S. President Donald Trump ⁠said ‌once the ‌United ‌States ⁠is ⁠done with the military operation ‌against Iran, Tehran will no ‌longer have any capacity ⁠of weaponry against ‌the United States, Israel ‌and any U.S. allies for a ⁠long time.

Reuters

UAE’s foreign ministry ‌condemned a drone attack on ⁠its consulate in Iraqi ‌Kurdistan’s Erbil, it said ‌in ‌a ⁠statement ⁠early on Tuesday (March 10, 2026).

Iraqi Kurdistan’s counter-terrorism service ‌said that it ‌had downed three drones in ⁠Erbil, with debris from one ‌of the drones falling near the UAE ‌consulate. It said no casualties were ⁠reported.

Reuters

The United States struck more than 5,000 targets during the first 10 days of the Iran war, the U.S. military said.

Among the targets were more than 50 Iranian vessels, U.S. Central Command -- which is responsible for American forces in the region -- said in a fact sheet.

Other targets include air defence systems, ballistic missile sites, missile and drone manufacturing, and military communications, the military command said.

Reuters

The U.S. stock market careened through a manic Monday (March 9, 2026), going from a steep early loss to a solid gain as worries turned into hope that the war with Iran may not last that long. Oil prices whipped from nearly $120 per barrel, their highest since 2022, back toward $90.

U.S. stocks erase big early loss and rise after oil prices whip back below $₹90

U.S. stocks rebound after early losses as oil prices drop below $90 amid easing tensions over the Iran conflict.

The Israeli military said it had launched a wave of “broad strikes” on Tehran, the second of the day. “For the second time today: the IDF (Israeli military) has begun a broad wave of strikes in Tehran... against terror targets,” the military said in a statement.

AFP

U.S. President Trump is set to give a press conference shortly at around 3 a.m. (2130 GMT) in the ballroom of his Doral golf club near Miami.

He has indicated for the first time that U.S. military operations in Iran could be coming to an end, saying the war was “very complete” and progressing ahead of schedule.

AFP

Iran Deputy ‌Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi ⁠said that some ‌countries, ‌including ⁠China, Russia ⁠and France, have contacted Tehran ‌regarding a ceasefire, Iranian state ‌TV reported.

Mr. Gharibabadi said Iran’s first ⁠condition for ‌a potential ceasefire would be the ‌end of further aggression against ⁠the country.

Reuters

The Israeli military said it had completed a “wave of strikes against six military airfields” in Iran as part of efforts to solidify its air superiority over the Islamic republic.

“Numerous aircraft were dismantled, including Quds Force aircraft belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian combat helicopters,” the military said.

“In addition, runways and defence and detection systems intended to operate against (Israeli air force) aircraft operating in Iranian airspace were struck.”

The strikes appeared to include attacks announced on Saturday (March 7, 2026) on Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport, that the Israeli military said destroyed 16 aircraft used by the Revolutionary Guards.

AFP

Australia on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) agreed to provide ‌visas to five Iranian women’s soccer ⁠players to stay in the country, after ‌U.S. President Donald Trump urged ‌Canberra not ‌to ⁠send them back ⁠to Tehran due to concerns over their safety.

Australia to grant visa to five Iranian women soccer players after Trump appeal

Australia grants visas to five Iranian women soccer players amid U.S. intervention for their safety during the Asian Cup tournament.

A Kentucky man who joined the Army straight out of high school is the seventh U.S. service member to die in combat during the Iran war, the Pentagon announced Monday (March 9, 2026).

Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Kentucky, died Sunday after being wounded during a March 1 attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, a Pentagon statement said.

AP

Russian President ‌Vladimir Putin held a phone ⁠call with U.S. President ‌Donald Trump on ‌Monday (March 9, 2026) and ‌shared ⁠his ⁠proposals, aimed at a quick settlement ‌to the Iran war, Kremlin foreign ‌policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters. 

The ⁠leaders also discussed the ‌Ukrainian conflict and the situation in Venezuela in ‌the context of the global ⁠oil market situation, Mr. Ushakov ⁠said.

Reuters

U.S. ‌President Donald Trump told in an ‌interview he ‌thinks ‌the ⁠war ⁠against Iran “is very complete” and ‌that Washington was “very far ‌ahead” of his initial four ⁠to five week ‌estimated time frame, according ‌to a CBS reporter on X.

​

Trump says war against Iran is 'very complete’: report

Trump claims the war against Iran is "very complete," stating the U.S. is ahead of schedule, with no message for Khamenei.

The force ‌and frequency of Iranian ⁠missile launches will increase, ‌and their ‌range ‌will become ⁠wider, state ⁠media cited the commander of ‌the Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Force as ‌saying on Monday (March 9, 2026).

From now ⁠on, no missiles ‌will be launched with warheads lighter than ‌one ton, Majid Mousavi said. 

Reuters

The stranded West Indies and South Africa squads will leave India on Tuesday (March 10, 2026) on a shared charter flight to Johannesburg following their exits from the T20 World Cup.

From Johannesburg, the West Indies squad will continue to Antigua.

This shared flight was arranged after both teams were stranded in India for several days due to international airspace restrictions amid the conflict in the Middle East.

The number of players currently remaining in India are 12 from the West Indies plus 10 support staff and 12 from South Africa plus two support staff.

The flight will depart for Johannesburg at 2.30 p.m.

PTI

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday (March 9, 2026) unveiled a raft of austerity measures designed to save fuel, as oil prices soar due to the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Oil prices have jumped above $100 a barrel for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, as Iran launched retaliatory strikes at crude-producing Gulf nations.

PM Sharif, who described the decision as “difficult”, said he was keen to avoid further increases that would hit the population, many of whom live in poverty.

But he said in a televised address that action was necessary, warning: “The energy crisis is the new crisis.”

AFP

U.S. President Trump said it’s “too soon to ‌talk about” seizing Iran’s ⁠oil. 

He also said he ⁠thinks Iran “made a big mistake” choosing Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader, the U.S. ‌President told ‌ NBC News ‌in ‌an ⁠interview ⁠on Monday (March 9, 2026). Mr. Trump had previously dismissed the younger Khamenei as a “lightweight”, and had insisted again that he should have a say in appointing a new leader.

President Donald Trump is reviewing “all credible options” for controlling oil prices amid the joint U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran, the White House said on Monday (March 9, 2026), insisting that the current spike was “short-term.”

“President Trump and his entire energy team have had a strong game plan to keep the energy markets stable well before Operation Epic Fury began, and they will continue to review all credible options,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement to AFP.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Monday (March 9, 2026) declared his support for his Lebanese counterpart Joseph Aoun in the latter’s effort to disarm Hezbollah, state media reported.

“We stand alongside Lebanese president Joseph Aoun in disarming Hezbollah,” Mr. Sharaa said during a video conference with top European officials.

The Syrian army has bolstered its troop deployments on the country’s borders with Lebanon and Iraq, a Syrian government source told AFP on Wednesday (November 4, 2026).

- AFP

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday (March 9, 2026) that Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei was a “tyrant” like his slain father, and would continue what it described as the Iranian “regime’s brutality”.

In a post on X featuring a picture of Mojtaba Khamenei and his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, holding guns, the ministry wrote: “Mojtaba Khamenei. Like Father Like Son”.

“Mojtaba Khamenei’s hands are already stained with the bloodshed that defined his father’s rule. Another tyrant to continue the Iranian regime’s brutality,” the ministry said, in Israel’s first reaction to Mojtaba Khamenei’s selection as supreme leader following the killing of his father on February 28 in Israeli strikes.

- AFP

Ships anchored in the Gulf or transiting the Strait of Hormuz are changing their tracking data to boast links to China in an attempt to evade Iranian attacks, according to data from shipping tracker Marine Traffic analysed by AFP.

Iran has effectively closed the vital waterway since U.S.-Israeli strikes on it began on February 28, and at least 10 vessels have been attacked since.

But by claiming to have an “all-Chinese crew” aboard, or changing their destination to “Chinese owner”, vessels are linking themselves to Iran’s most important economic partner, Beijing.

- AFP

Human Rights Watch on Monday (March 9, 2026) accused Israel of “unlawfully” using white phosphorus over residential parts of a southern Lebanese town last week.

“The Israeli military unlawfully used artillery-fired white phosphorus munitions over homes on March 3, 2026, in the southern Lebanese town of Yohmor,” the New York-based rights group said in a report.

HRW added that it “verified and geolocated seven images showing airburst white phosphorus munitions being deployed over a residential part of the town and civil defense workers responding to fires in at least two homes and one car in that area”.

In response, the Israeli military said it “is currently unaware and cannot confirm use of shells that contain white phosphorus in Lebanon as claimed.”

- AFP

The Dutch government ‌on Monday (March 9, 2026) said it would ⁠send a frigate to the Mediterranean ‌at France’s request to ‌help protect ‌Cyprus ⁠and ⁠other allies and secure maritime traffic imperilled by ‌the escalating crisis in West Asia.

The government ‌said last week that France had ⁠asked it to provide an ‌air defence and command frigate to support the Charles de ‌Gaulle aircraft carrier that President Emmanuel Macron said ⁠would be ⁠sent to the Mediterranean.

- Reuters

France’s Emmanuel Macron said Monday that “profound” changes to Iranian leadership could not occur “through American-Israeli bombings alone”, adding that war in the Middle East could continue for “several weeks”.

“I don’t think you can achieve profound regime change or changes in the political system through bombings alone,” Mr. Macron said aboard France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier currently stationed in the Mediterranean.

The war triggered by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, “in this intense phase”, could last “several days, perhaps several weeks”, he said.

- AFP

The toll from Israeli strikes on Lebanon rose to 486 people killed and 1,313 wounded since the start of fighting last week, the Lebanese Health Ministry said on Monday (March 9, 2026).

“The toll of the Israeli aggression from dawn on Monday, March 2, until Monday afternoon, March 9, has risen to 486 martyrs and 1,313 wounded,” the ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry had previously reported a death toll of 394. 

- AFP

The United Arab Emirates ambassador to the United Nations in ‌Geneva called on Monday for a de-escalation of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran ⁠and a return to negotiations.

“De-escalation, de-escalation, de-escalation. ⁠This is a standing position we have, and we will continue to offer that,” Ambassador Jamal Jama al Musharakh told reporters in Geneva.

The UAE ‌is among the six Gulf states that have been subjected to Iranian drone and missile strikes since the war began.

There have been more ‌than 1,400 attacks on the UAE in recent days that killed four civilians and injured 114 others, the ambassador said.

- Reuters

Air India and Air India Express will operate a total of 60 flights to and from cities in West Asia, including 32 non-scheduled services connecting the UAE.

On Tuesday (March 10, 2026), Air India and Air India Express will together operate 14 flights to and from Jeddah, while Air India Express will operate 14 services to and from Muscat.

“In addition to the scheduled services, Air India and Air India Express would operate a total of 32 ad hoc non-scheduled flights between Indian cities and the United Arab Emirates [UAE] on 10 March 2026, subject to the availability of slots and other conditions prevailing at the respective point of departure at the time,” a statement said on Monday (March 9, 2026).

These 32 flights will connect to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al-Khaimah from different Indian cities.

- PTI

President Donald Trump said on Monday (March 9, 2026) that he was “nowhere near” deciding ‌whether to send U.S. troops into Iran to ⁠secure the stockpile of highly enriched uranium there.

“We haven’t made any ‌decision on that. We’re nowhere near it,” Mr. Trump ‌told the New York ‌Post ⁠when asked about ⁠reported discussions between Israel and the United States on possibly deploying special forces to Iran ‌to seize and secure the material. A longstanding dispute over Iran’s nuclear program escalated into ‌military conflict ten days ago, with the U.S. and Israel launching strikes ⁠against Iran and Iran responding with attacks across the Middle ‌East.

Without providing evidence, Mr. Trump said last month that Tehran was beginning to rebuild the nuclear program that he claimed had been “obliterated” by ‌U.S. strikes in June last year.

Iran denies seeking a nuclear arsenal, saying its ⁠enrichment of uranium – a process that ⁠produces fuel for power plants and nuclear warheads depending ‌on its duration – is strictly for civilian use.

- Reuters

Kuwait’s emir on Monday (March 9, 2026) condemned Iran’s attacks on his country, where 12 people have been killed so far, as Tehran strikes out at the Gulf in response to U.S.-Israeli attacks.

“Our country has been subjected to a brutal attack by a neighbouring Muslim country, which we consider a friend, even though we have not permitted the use of our land, airspace, or coasts for any military action against it, and we have repeatedly informed them of this through our diplomatic channels,” said Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah in a televised speech.

He also insisted on Kuwait’s “full and inherent right to self-defence”, speaking for the first time since Iran’s attacks began on February 28.

- AFP

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja ‌Kallas said on Monday (March 9, 2026) that ⁠Israel should cease its operations in Lebanon and ‌that diplomacy offers the ‌best chance of preventing ‌Lebanon ⁠from sliding ⁠into chaos.

“Hezbollah’s decision to attack Israel in support ‌of Iran endangers the entire region and adds a deadly ‌dimension. Israel has the right to self-defence in ⁠line with international law,” Ms. Kallas said in ‌a statement.

“At the same time, Israel’s response has been heavy-handed. Its retaliation is ‌causing mass displacement and is further destabilising a fragile situation,” ⁠she said, adding ⁠that “Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity ‌must be respected.” 

President Donald Trump on Monday (March 9, 2026) said Australian Prime ‌Minister Anthony Albanese told him five ⁠members of the Iranian national women’s soccer team had ‌been “taken care of” amid fears they ‌could be punished.

Australia’s ‌SBS ⁠News earlier said ⁠five players had “broken free” after the team was eliminated from the ‌Asian Cup tournament and were now under the protection of the ‌federal police, seeking assistance from the government.

“Five have already been ⁠taken care of, and the rest are ‌on their way,” Mr. Trump said in a Truth Social Post after talking to Albanese. “Some, however, feel they ‌must go back because they are worried about the safety of ⁠their families, including threats ⁠to those family members if they ‌don’t return.” 

- Reuters

Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Danny Danon, said on Monday (March 9, 2026) that the new Supreme Leader of Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei, ‌has the same radical ideas as in the past, and Israel will target anyone ⁠who promotes radical ideas against it.

“Changing the man at the top does not change the regime,” Mr. Danon told ‌reporters at the United Nations when asked about Iran’s naming of Khamenei to ‌replace his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed ‌on ⁠the first day of the war ⁠the U.S. and Israel launched against Iran at the end of last month.

“The new leader, unfortunately, is more of the same ideology, the same ‌radical ideas, and ... anyone who will promote those radical ideas against us, we will target them, we will find them,” Mr. Danon said.

- Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday (March 9, 2026) ‌that the Iran war had ⁠triggered a global energy crisis and cautioned that ‌oil production dependent on transport through ‌the Strait ‌of ⁠Hormuz could ⁠soon come to a complete halt.

Russia is the world’s second ‌largest oil exporter and holds the world’s biggest reserves of ‌natural gas.

“If European companies and European buyers suddenly decide to reorient themselves and provide us with long-term, sustainable cooperation, free from political pressures, free from political pressures, then go ahead. We’ve never refused,” Mr. Putin said in a televised meeting.

“We’re ready to work with Europeans, but we need some signals from them that they’re ready and willing to work with us and will ensure this sustainability and stability,” he added.

- Reuters and AFP

President Tayyip ‌Erdogan said on Monday (March 9, 2026) that ⁠Turkey’s main goal is to ‌keep the ‌country out of ‌the “blaze” ⁠of ⁠the Iran war.

Speaking after a cabinet meeting, he warned Tehran against taking “provocative steps” after NATO defence systems intercepted a second Turkey-bound ballistic missile launched from Iran.

“Despite our sincere warnings, extremely wrong and provocative steps continue to be taken that will jeopardise Turkey’s friendship. One should not engage in such behaviour,” he said, adding: “Persistence and stubbornness in wrongdoing should be avoided”.

- Reuters

Israel announced on Monday (March 9, 2026) that its military had killed the head of Hezbollah’s Nasr unit operating in part of southern Lebanon during renewed fighting with the Iran-backed armed group.

Defence Minister Israel Katz “was briefed on the elimination of the commander of Hezbollah’s Nasr Unit”, Abu Hussein Ragheb, during an overnight strike, a statement from the Defence Ministry said.

The Nasr unit operates in an eastern sector south of Lebanon’s Litani River and opened Hezbollah’s cross-border attacks on Israel following Hamas’s attack in October 2023.

- AFP

U.S. Democratic lawmakers on Monday (March 9, 2026) urged the Pentagon to conduct an impartial probe of a reported attack on a school in Iran that left dozens dead, after allegations that American forces were to blame.

Iran has accused Israel and the United States of conducting the strike on the elementary school in the southern city of Minab at the start of the war. Iran says the blast killed more than 150 people, most of them students.

President Donald Trump has blamed Iran, while the Pentagon has said it is investigating.

“Independent analysis credibly suggests the strike may have been conducted by US forces, which if true, would make it one of the worst cases of civilian casualties in decades of American military action in the Middle East,” several high ranking senators said in a joint statement.

- AFP

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday told the New York Post he was “not happy” with the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his slain father as Iran’s supreme leader

“Not going to tell you. I’m not happy with him,” Mr. Trump told the Post from his Doral golf club near Miami, when asked about his plans for the younger Khamenei.

- AFP

Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani said on Monday (March 9, 2026) that it is “unlikely” that any security can be achieved in the Strait of Hormuz as long as the war with the United States and Israel continues.

“It is unlikely that any security will be achieved in the Strait of Hormuz amid the fires of the war ignited by the United States and Israel in the region, especially if that is by the design of parties that were not far removed from supporting this war and contributing to its fanning,” he posted on X.

- Stanly Johny

The United Arab Emirates decried on Monday (March 9, 2026) that it was being targeted “in a very unwarranted manner” in the West Asian war, stressing it would “not partake in any attacks against Iran”.

“We’ve been very clear before and leading up to the current events we are witnessing in the region that as the UAE we will not partake in any attacks against Iran from our territory, and that we will not be involved in such a conflict,” the UAE ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva Jamal Al Musharakh told reporters.

- AFP

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday (March 9, 2026) visited the Iranian Embassy and Cultural Centre in New Delhi and expressed condolences over the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, while also raising concerns about Kashmiri students stranded in the country amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia.

The conflict in West Asia entered its tenth day on Monday (March 9, 2026). Iran has named Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader following the death of his father Ali Khamenei, signalling defiance amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel.

The war has so far killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, 397 in Lebanon and 11 in Israel.

In a post on X, Ms. Mufti said she called on Iran’s Ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali, along with Budgam MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi.

- PTI

There was broad agreement among the Group of Seven Finance Ministers on ‌Monday (March 9, 2026) not to release strategic oil reserves just yet, ⁠a G7 official said.

G7 Finance Ministers held a teleconference earlier ‌on Monday (March 9, 2026) to discuss a response to the overnight ‌surge in oil prices caused ‌by ⁠the U.S.-Israeli war ⁠on Iran.

They said in a statement they were ready to take “necessary measures” to support the ‌global supply of energy, including the release of stockpiles, but stopped short of doing ‌it now.

“There was broad consensus on this,” one G7 official with insight into ⁠the G7 Finance Ministers’ discussions told Reuters. “It was not that ‌someone was against, it’s just about timing. More analysis is needed,” the official said.

- Reuters

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday ‌(March 0, 2026) called for a ceasefire in the ⁠Gulf region as soon as possible, stressing that ‌the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity ‌of Gulf countries ‌should ⁠be fully respected, according ⁠to statements from his Ministry.

Mr. Wang made the remarks in ‌a phone call with his Kuwaiti counterpart Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad ‌Al-Sabah on Monday (March 9, 2026) as Iran answered a U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign ⁠with strikes around the Gulf region.

In a ‌separate call, Mr. Wang told Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani that China was ‌deeply concerned about the rapidly escalating situation and would play a constructive ⁠role in maintaining ⁠peace and stability in the region. 

- Reuters

Iran launched fresh strikes on energy installations in the Gulf on Monday (March 9, 2026), including a petroleum complex in Bahrain, as oil prices soared on fears over supply disruptions due to the West Asia war.

Bahrain’s sprawling Al Ma’ameer oil facility was hit, causing a fire and damage, with the country’s state-owned energy firm Bapco declaring force majeure -- the latest Gulf producer to activate the legal clause.

Energy producers in Qatar and Kuwait earlier made similar declarations, which are a warning that events beyond their control may lead them to miss export targets.

- AFP

A south Lebanon parish lost its priest on Monday (March 9, 2026) when Father Pierre al-Rai of Al-Qlayaa died of wounds sustained from Israeli tank fire, according to state media and a medical source.

The border village had not previously been caught up in the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. It was not clear why Israeli forces targeted the house, which is located on the outskirts of the town.

The National News Agency (NNA) reported that a house in the Christian town was “hit twice in succession by artillery shelling from a hostile Merkava tank” on Monday (Mrch 9, 2026). - AFP

President Emmanuel Macron on Monday (March 9, 2026) warned that an attack on Cyprus was an attack on all of Europe and said France and its allies were preparing a “defensive” mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as the West Asian war entered its second week.

Speaking during a visit to Cyprus to discuss regional security, Mr. Macron said the mission would be aimed at escorting container ships and tankers in order to gradually reopen the Strait of Hormuz “after the end of the hottest phase of the conflict”.

“This is essential for international trade, but also for the flow of gas and oil, which must be able to leave this region once again,” said Mr. Macron in Paphos on the southwestern coast of Cyprus.

- AFP

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday (March 9, 2026) accused Hezbollah of working towards the “collapse” of the state for the sake of Iran’s interests, a week after it launched an attack on Israel, starting a new war in Lebanon.

“Whoever launched those missiles wanted to bring about the collapse of the Lebanese state, plunging it into aggression and chaos... all for the sake of the Iranian regime’s calculations,” Mr. Aoun told top European officials in an online meeting.

Mr. Aoun described Hezbollah as “an armed group outside the state, which places no value on the interests of Lebanon or the lives of its people”, calling for “direct negotiations under international auspices” with Israel to stop the war.

- AFP

Pakistan’s authorities warned that the country’s air quality could worsen due to pollution across the border in Iran in the wake of the recent U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran’s oil sites.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) in a statement said the western parts of the country could be hit by the air pollution.

“Due to [the] recent situation in Iran, the winds may carry pollutants and deteriorate air quality in the western parts of the country,” the PMD stated in a press release.

- PTI

U.S. ‌President Donald Trump ⁠said on Monday (March 9, 2026) ‌that Australia ‌was “making ‌a ⁠terrible ⁠humanitarian mistake” by allowing Iran’s national ‌women’s soccer team to ‌be sent back to ⁠Iran and called ‌on Australia’s Prime Minister ‌to give asylum to team ⁠members.

- Reuters

India on Monday (March 9, 2026) issued an advisory, asking its citizens in Bahrain to remain vigilant, take due care and adhere to the safety guidelines of the local authorities in view of the prevailing situation in the region.

“Indian citizens are requested to follow updates and advisories issued by the Embassy of India in Bahrain and the local authorities,” the Embassy of India in Bahrain said in an advisory.

The advisory further said that the Embassy of India in Bahrain is continuing to function as usual.

- PTI

The Israeli military on Monday (March 9, 2026) said that it was unaware of ‌any clash with Hezbollah fighters in eastern Lebanon, ⁠after the Iran-backed Lebanese group said it had fought Israeli soldiers approaching ‌from Syria.

Hezbollah said in a statement that its ‌fighters had observed 15 helicopters ‌flying ⁠over eastern Lebanon just ⁠after midnight, dropping Israeli troops who were observed approaching Lebanese territory from an area on ‌the Syrian side of the border.

It said that its fighters “confronted the helicopters and the infiltrating ‌forces with appropriate weapons”. The Israeli military, however, said that it was ⁠unaware of any such incident.

- Reuters

A long war in West Asia could unleash a “substantial inflationary shock on the global and European economy”, top EU official Valdis Dombrovskis said on Monday (March 9, 2026).

“In a more benign scenario where the conflict is contained within a couple of weeks, one can expect that it would not have major effect on the global and European economy,” the EU Economy Commissioner told reporters.

But he said if it became “more protracted” with continued maritime disruption and attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure, it could result in an “inflationary shock” with higher energy prices.

- AFP

Iran had sought India’s permission for three of its ships to dock at Indian ports and the approval was granted the next day, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on Monday (March 9, 2026), amid tensions in the Indian Ocean region following the sinking of an Iranian warship by the U.S. last week.

In a statement in the Parliament, Mr. Jaishankar said one Iranian vessel, IRIS LAVAN, docked in Kochi on March 4 and its crew members are currently staying in Indian naval facilities.

It was for the first time a senior minister said that Iran requested for docking of three of its ships in Indian ports.

Read more here

Talks to advance President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Gaza war have been on hold since last week when the U.S. and Israel jointly attacked Iran, sparking ‌a broader West Asia war, three sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations said.

The pause threatens to stall implementation of Mr. Trump’s flagship West Asia peace initiative, which he has cast as a major foreign policy objective. ⁠It comes less than a month after he secured billions of dollars in pledges for Gaza from Gulf Arab states -- countries that are now facing Iranian attacks as the conflict widens.

Mr. Trump’s Gaza plan has hinged in part on whether Hamas militants would lay down their arms in exchange for amnesty, a step ‌intended to pave the way for reconstruction and further Israeli military withdrawals. White House mediators have been backchanneling between Israel and Hamas on the disarmament question.

- Reuters

NATO confirmed ‌on Monday (March 9, 2026) that it had ⁠intercepted another missile heading ‌to Turkey.

“NATO stands ‌firm ‌in ⁠its readiness ⁠to defend all allies against any threat,” ‌NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said ‌in a post on X.

Turkey’s Defence ⁠Ministry said earlier that NATO air defences had shot down ‌a ballistic missile fired from Iran. 

- Reuters

Two UAE servicemen were killed on Monday (March 9, 2026) after their helicopter crashed because of a “technical malfunction”, the defence ministry said, as Iran keeps up its campaign in the Gulf.

“The Ministry of Defence announces the martyrdom of two members of the armed forces following the crash of a helicopter due to a technical malfunction while performing their national duty in the country on Monday,” it said in a statement on X.

- AFP

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Monday (March 9, 2026) postponed the Class 12 board exams till March 16 in West Asia amid the Iran-Israel conflict, officials said.

The fresh dates were not immediately announced.

“After a critical review of the current situation in parts of the Middle East -- Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE -- mental agony of the students and the prevailing uncertainties, the board has decided to postpone (Class) 12 exams scheduled from March 12 to 16,” said CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj.

The new dates will be announced later, and for further exams, the situation will be reviewed on March 14, he said.

- PTI

The ripples from war in the Middle East are already being felt in Europe, with rising energy prices and NATO allies targeted, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said Monday (March 9, 2026).

Oil prices soared on Monday (March 9, 2026), peaking just short of $120 a barrel as the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran continued into a second week, with Tehran launching fresh retaliatory strikes in the Gulf.

“We are now seeing a regional conflict with unintended consequences. And the spillover is already a reality today,” the European Commission president told EU ambassadors, ahead of a midday call with Middle Eastern leaders.

Iran war’s effects already a reality in Europe: EU chief

EU chief warns of the war's immediate impact on Europe, with soaring oil prices and rising energy costs amid regional conflict.

Hezbollah on Monday (March 9, 2026) welcomed the selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new Supreme Leader, pledging allegiance after his predecessor and father, Ali Khamenei, was killed in U.S.-Israeli attacks.

“We in Hezbollah extend our warmest congratulations and blessings on this occasion. We renew our pledge of loyalty to this blessed approach and our steadfastness on the path of allegiance,” the group said in a statement.

Hezbollah entered the West Asia war a week ago by attacking Israel in response to the killing of Ali Khamenei.

- AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron said that an attack on Cyprus was an attack on all of Europe as he spoke during a visit to the island nation after it was targeted by Iranian-made drones.

“When Cyprus is attacked, it is Europe that is attacked,” Mr. Macron said in Paphos alongside the leaders of Cyprus and Greece.

“The defence of Cyprus is obviously a key issue for your country, for your neighbour, partner and friend, Greece, but also for France and, with it, the European Union,” he added.

- AFP

Greece will seek support ⁠from other ‌European states ‌to ‌boost ⁠the ⁠European Union’s naval force Aspides ‌amid the Iran conflict, ‌Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ⁠said on Monday ‌in Cyprus. 

- Reuters

France will ‌send two frigates as part ⁠of the European Union’s naval ‌mission Aspides in the Red ‌Sea, ‌French ⁠President Emmanuel ⁠Macron said on Monday (March 9, 2026).

“We are in ‌the process of setting up a purely ‌defensive, purely escort mission, which must be ⁠prepared together with both European ‌and non-European states,” Mr. Macron said after meeting with Cypriot ‌President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos ⁠Mitsotakis in Cyprus. 

- Reuters

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday (March 9, 2026) the government was monitoring the economic fallout of the U.S. and Israel’s war in Iran, as energy prices soared due to supply disruptions.

“The longer this goes on, the more likely the potential for an impact on our economy, impact on the lives and households of everybody and every business,” Mr. Starmer said, speaking at a community centre in London.

“Our job is to get ahead of that, to look around the corner, assess the risk, monitor the risks, and work with others in relation to that.”

- AFP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday (March 9, 2026) that 11 countries had tapped Kyiv for help in how to counter Iranian drones, being launched by Tehran across the Middle East as retaliation for U.S.-Israeli strikes.

“As of now, there are 11 requests from countries neighbouring Iran, European states, and the U.S. There is clear interest in Ukraine’s experience in protecting lives, relevant interceptors, electronic warfare systems, and training,” Mr. Zelenskyy said.

Ukraine touts itself as having world-class drone defence capabilities, built up through fending off nightly barrages of Iran-style attack drones launched by Russia.

- AFP

British Finance Minister Rachel Reeves ‌will give an update ⁠on the government’s economic response to ‌the situation in West Asia ‌in Parliament later on ⁠Monday (March 9, 2026), a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir ‌Starmer said.

The spokesperson said that the statement ‌would include an update on a virtual ⁠G7 Finance Ministers’ meeting, ‌where countries were due to discuss co-ordinating their responses after U.S.-Israeli strikes ‌against Iran, and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes against several ⁠Gulf nations prompted ⁠a spike in oil ‌prices. 

- Reuters

The first group of Thais evacuated from Iran since the start of its war with the United States and Israel arrived in Bangkok on Monday (March 9, 2026), with some lauding Tehran and its slain Supreme Leader.

The group of 29, including domestic workers, university students and children, landed at Thailand’s main international airport on Monday (March 9, 2026) afternoon, after crossing into Turkey from Iran over the weekend.

- AFP

Several more explosions were heard across Doha and warning sirens sounded in Manama on Monday (March 9, 2026), according to AFP journalists, as Iran pressed its aerial campaign against Gulf neighbours.

The oil-rich Gulf states have been targeted by waves of drones and missiles since Tehran launched its retaliation campaign in the wake of the U.S. and Israeli attacks against Iran.

- AFP

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban called on the European Union to suspend sanctions on Russian energy on Monday (March 9, 2026) and ‌convened an emergency government meeting to address rising fuel prices just five weeks before a pivotal election. Soaring ⁠oil prices, fuelled by the war in Iran, drove diesel and petrol prices in Hungary higher, adding to challenges Orban faces in ‌the run-up to a parliamentary election on April 12 where he is fighting to retain his 16-year ‌grip on power.

Despite having launched a string of ‌voter-pleasing ⁠measures, which have widened the budget deficit, Orban’s ⁠Fidesz party is behind the centre-right Tisza in most polls, although the outcome of the vote remains highly uncertain. Figures released earlier on Monday showed that a pension top-up, increased ‌family benefits, and wage hikes pushed the deficit close to half of the full-year target in the first two months of 2026.

- Reuters

NATO air defences ‌in the eastern Mediterranean have shot ⁠down a second ballistic missile that was ‌fired from Iran and ‌entered Turkey’s airspace, ‌the Turkish ⁠Defence Ministry ⁠said on Monday (March 9, 2026), warning that it will take necessary ‌steps without hesitation.

This marks the second Iranian ballistic ‌missile that has targeted NATO member Turkey in ⁠the last week.

In a statement, the ‌Ministry said some ammunition parts had fallen in the southeastern province of ‌Gaziantep and that there were no casualties in the ⁠incident. It called on ⁠all parties to adhere to ‌Ankara’s warnings. 

- Reuters

Kuwait held a military funeral on Monday (March 9, 2026) for two Interior Ministry officials ‌it said were killed “while performing their duty”.

The state -- ⁠which hosts U.S. military installations and has come under Iranian drone and ‌missile fire during Tehran’s war with Israel and ‌the U.S. -- said the ‌two ⁠men died early ⁠on Sunday (March 8, 2026), but did not go into further details.

Kuwait’s army separately said areas near the ‌international airport were hit on Sunday (March 8, 2026) and its forces had intercepted missiles and drones.

The Interior ‌Ministry said on Sunday (March 8, 2026) it mourned “the martyrs of duty, Lieutenant Colonel Staff Abdullah ⁠Emad Al-Sharrah and Major Fahad Abdulaziz Al-Mejmed, from the General ‌Administration of Land Border Security, who were martyred at dawn”.

- Reuters

An air strike hit a base of Iraq’s Hashed al-Shaabi near the northern city of Mosul on Monday (March 9, 2026), according to two officials from the former paramilitary organisation now integrated into the country’s regular forces.

One of the officials blamed the strike on the United States, saying it hit a base in the Bartella area of Iraq’s Nineveh province.

Since the start of the Middle East war, there have been multiple strikes on bases of the Hashed, an umbrella organisation of armed groups, many of which have strong ties to Iran.

- AFP

The investigative group Bellingcat says the newly released video “appears to contradict” U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran was responsible for an explosion at an Iranian school that killed over 165 people at the start of the war raging in the Mideast.

It comes as mounting evidence points to U.S. culpability for the February 28 strike, which hit a school adjacent to a Revolutionary Guard base in Minab, Iran, in the country’s southern Hormozgan Province. Experts interviewed by The Associated Press, citing satellite image analysis, say the school was likely struck amid a quick succession of bombs dropped on the compound.

The video shared by Bellingcat is a three-second clip of a video taken the day the school was struck and circulated Sunday by Iran’s semiofficial Mehr news agency. The video shows a munition falling on a building, sending a dark plume into the air that mingles with smoke that likely came from earlier strikes on the compound. Trevor Ball, a Bellingcat researcher, geolocated the video to a site near the school, something also done by the AP.

- AP

The European Union insisted on Monday (March 9, 2026) there was “no imminent oil supply” shortage in Europe as the Middle East war sent energy prices soaring.

The benchmark price for a barrel of crude has soared beyond $100 for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine four years ago.

“There is no imminent oil supply shortage in Europe. Per our rules, all member states must have the 90 days emergency stocks,” European Commission spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said.

- AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Cyprus on Monday (March 9, 2026) to discuss regional security, while Paris deployed warships to the Mediterranean and the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran stretched into a second week.

Mr. Macron, who landed in Paphos,, met Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for talks.

European Union member Cyprus was targeted last week by Iranian-made drones, leading Macron to order France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean, as well as a frigate and air defence units to the island nation.

- AFP

Bangladesh has tightened security at filling stations, sent students home and even scrapped light displays for independence and Ramadan celebrations, officials said Monday, as the Middle East war worsens the country’s energy crunch.

The South Asian nation of 170 million people imports 95% of its oil and gas needs.

Following the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes throughout the Gulf, the national oil company, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), restricted fuel sales for most vehicles on Sunday (March 8, 2026).

- AFP

Thousands of people flocked on Monday (March 9, 2026) to a central square in the Iranian capital to pledge allegiance to the Islamic republic’s new leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, AFP journalists said.

The crowds which gathered in Tehran’s Enghelab square saw many carrying the Iranian flags and portraits of Mojtaba Khamenei, son of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who was killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28.

- AFP

The Israeli military said it had launched new “wide-scale” strikes on Tehran, Isfahan and southern Iran on Monday (March 9, 2026), shortly after one man was killed in Israel following missile launches from Iran.

“The IDF has just begun a wide-scale wave of strikes against infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime across Tehran, Isfahan, and southern Iran,” the military said in a statement.

- AFP

Washington has advised non-essential staff to leave its consulate near the southern Turkish city of Adana near a key NATO base and ordered U.S. citizens to leave “southeast Turkey”, the U.S. embassy to Ankara said on Monday (March 9, 2026).

“On March 9, 2026, the Department of State ordered non-emergency U.S. government employees and U.S. government employee family members to leave Consulate General Adana due to the safety risks,” it said on X, referencing a travel advisory saying: “Americans in southeast Turkey are strongly encouraged to depart now”.

- AFP

Lebanon’s Parliament on Monday (March 9, 2026) postponed legislative elections by two years, according to a statement from the Parliament Speaker, due to the war between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.

Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during U.S.-Israeli strikes.

“Parliament approved the extension of its term for two years,” a statement from parliament speaker and key Hezbollah ally Nabih Berri read, after the polls were initially due to be held in May.

MPs convened even as Israeli warplanes flew above the nearby southern suburbs of Beirut.

- AFP

Saudi oil giant Aramco has begun cutting ‌output at two of its ⁠oilfields, two sources said on Monday, after the ‌vital Strait of Hormuz ‌was choked ‌by ⁠the U.S.-Israeli war on ⁠Iran and subsequent attacks on the waterway.

It was ‌not immediately clear at which fields and by how ‌much production was being curtailed. Aramco, which has ⁠been rerouting some of its crude ‌cargoes to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, did not immediately respond to ‌an emailed request for comment.

Several of Saudi Arabia’s neighbours, ⁠which have also ⁠been subject to attacks, have also ‌cut production. 

-Reuters

An Indian national in Israel was injured after shrapnel from an Iranian missile struck him in the neck, officials said on Monday.

The man, who was injured on Sunday, underwent surgery at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv and is now in stable condition.

“He arrived yesterday in critical condition with a neck injury. The medical team at Ichilov fought to save his life, and he underwent a long surgery. Thankfully, he is now stabilising,” a spokesperson for the hospital said. 

-PTI

Iran on Monday accused European countries including France of creating the conditions that led to the United States and Israel attacking the Islamic republic and triggering a war.

“European countries have unfortunately helped create these conditions,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei during a weekly press briefing.

“Instead of insisting on the rule of law, instead of standing up to the bullying and excesses of the United States, they spoke and agreed with them at the UN Security Council regarding the discussion on restoring sanctions, and all these things together emboldened the American and Zionist parties to continue committing their crimes.”

-AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin ‌congratulated Mojtaba Khamenei ⁠on his appointment as Iran’s new ‌leader, the Kremlin ‌said ‌on ⁠Monday.

Mr. Putin said ⁠he was confident Khamenei would continue ‌his father’s work “with honour” and unite the ‌Iranian people “in the face of severe ⁠trials.”

He added that Russia ‌would continue to stand by Tehran, saying he ‌wished to “confirm unwavering support for Tehran ⁠and solidarity with our ⁠Iranian friends.” 

-Reuters

Iran’s Foreign Mministry spokesperson downplayed the ‌likelihood of a ceasefire as ⁠long as attacks continue, Iran’s Student News ‌Network reported on Monday, adding ‌that Iran ‌would ⁠continue to ⁠defend itself.

“There is no point to talks about ‌anything but defence and crushing retaliations against enemies,” Esmaeil ‌Baghaei said, before reiterating that Tehran has no ⁠war to fight with its Muslim neighbours ‌but must target “facilities used by aggressors” for its legitimate defence.

The Foreign Ministry ‌spokesperson also denied any Iranian attack against Turkey, Azerbaijan ⁠and Cyprus, pointing ⁠instead at what he called “false ‌flag attacks.” 

-Reuters

Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday condoled the death of Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and called for peace in West Asia, asserting that war is not a solution to any problem, but a problem in itself. 

The former Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi visited the Embassy of Iran here and met Ambassador Mohammad Fathali to offer his heartfelt condolences on the death of Khamenei.

Mr. Naqvi said that war is not a solution to any problem, but is a problem itself.

“Peace is essential for the safety of humanity. I pray that may ‘amrit’ of peace emerge from this ‘sea of crisis’,” the BJP leader said.

Mr. Naqvi said that peace must be restored to ensure safety of lakhs of Indians, residing in Iran and other Gulf nations, and common people. 

-PTI

More than 10 explosions were heard by AFP journalists in Tel Aviv on Monday, after the Israeli military said it had detected new missiles launched from Iran.

“A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran towards the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the military said. 

Israel’s first responders said one person was killed by shrapnel as several blasts rocked central Israel on Monday, shortly after the military reported detecting new missiles launched from Iran.

“After performing resuscitation efforts, we had to pronounce the death of a man, approximately 40 years old,” Magen David Adom said in a statement, adding that the death occurred at a construction site in central Israel.

It added that another man was seriously injured and evacuated for treatment, with both casualties having sustained “several shrapnel injuries to their bodies”.

-AFP

In light of the evolving geopolitical situation in West Asia, Nasscom has on Monday (March 9, 2026) issued another advisory to member companies urging heightened cyber vigilance and preparedness across business continuity and cybersecurity frameworks.

While business operations currently remain stable, organisations are proactively reviewing contingency plans and strengthening resilience measures to mitigate potential disruptions, the apex body said in a media communique. 

According to Nasscom, the member companies have already taken various measures to support business continuity in affected geographies. Companies are also reviewing and activating contingency frameworks to ensure operational continuity and uninterrupted service delivery in the event of regional disruptions.

To ensure safety of employees, organisations are prioritising employee well-being by enabling remote work arrangements and closely monitoring the situation for employees located in affected geographies, the apex body said. 

Read more here: 

Nasscom calls for strengthening operational, cyber resilience amid evolving West Asia situation

Nasscom urges member companies to enhance cyber resilience and operational preparedness amid rising threats from the West Asia geopolitical situation.

Sri Lanka will grant free one-month visas to a group rescued from Iranian vessels, allowing them to remain in Sri Lanka under humanitarian protection, a senior minister said on Sunday (March 8, 2026).

Speaking on the matter, Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala said similar decisions could be taken in the future if necessary, stressing that such measures are not intended to support or harm any particular party. 

“They will be granted one month gratis visas,” Mr. Wijepala told reporters.

“We will not be taking any sides but will act on a humanitarian basis in terms of international law,” Mr. Wijepala stressed.

There are 32 who had survived the U.S. submarine attack on the sunk ‘Iris Dena’ frigate. Another 186 were evacuated from ‘Iris Bushehr’. 

There was no Indian fatality in the projectile incident that struck a residential compound in Saudi Arabia, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said on Monday.

It added that an Indian national injured in the incident on Sunday is undergoing treatment at a government hospital.

“It is a matter of relief that there has been no Indian fatality in the unfortunate incident at Al Kharj yesterday evening,” the mission said in a social media post.

The Embassy said it has been in touch with the concerned Saudi authorities regarding the matter. 

-PTI

An air strike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday (March 9, 2026), Lebanese state media reported, after Israel warned it would target branches of a firm linked to Hezbollah.

Footage on AFPTV’s live broadcast showed large plumes of smoke rising from the area, a stronghold of the Iran-backed armed group.

Earlier on Monday (March 9), the Israeli military warned it would strike branches of Al-Qard al-Hassan, a Hezbollah-linked financial firm mainly operating in the group’s strongholds. --AFO

Qatari authorities have arrested more than 300 people for sharing images and “misleading information” during days of attacks by Iran, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.

The people arrested “filmed and circulated video clips and published misleading information and rumours that could stir public opinion”, a statement said. 

-AFP

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has spoken to Donald Trump to discuss the situation in West Asia after the U.S. President had been extremely critical of the U.K.’s response to the strikes on Iran.

Mr. Trump took to social media to dismiss Mr. Starmer’s plan to send aircraft carriers to the region as an attempt to join wars “already won”.

Downing Street released a readout of the Mr. Trump-Mr. Starmer call on Sunday, seen as an effort to smooth over the so-called U.K.-U.S. “special relationship”.

“The leaders began by discussing the latest situation in the Middle East and the military cooperation between the U.K. and U.S. through the use of RAF (Royal Air Force) bases in support of the collective self defence of partners in the region,” a 10 Downing Street spokesperson said.

“The Prime Minister also shared his heartfelt condolences with President Trump and the American people following the deaths of six U.S. soldiers. They looked forward to speaking again soon,” the spokesperson said.

It came after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed that one of the UK’s two aircraft carriers has been placed on advanced readiness, with the crew of HMS Prince of Wales docked in Portsmouth told they must be ready to leave within days. -- PTI

Heavy explosions rocked the Iranian capital on Monday (March 9, 2026), AFP journalists said, as the war with Israel and the United States raged.

It was not immediately clear what was targeted in Tehran but the blasts were heard across several parts of the city, the reporters said. -- AFP

The impact of global crude price rise on inflation is not estimated to be substantial at this point as India’s inflation is near the lower bound, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday.

In reply to a written question in the Lok Sabha, Ms. Sitharaman said the price of both global crude oil and the Indian basket has been on a declining trajectory for the past one year, till the geo-political clashes commenced in West Asia on February 28, 2026.

“Between the end of February and untill March 2, 2026, the Crude Oil FOB Price (Indian Basket) rose from $69.01/barrel to $80.16/barrel. Given that India’s inflation is near the lower bound, the impact on inflation is not estimated to be substantial at this point,” Sitharaman said.

She was replying to a question on whether the government has reviewed the impact of rising global crude oil prices on inflation in the country. 

-PTI

The situation around ‌Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant ⁠remained tense but there had ‌been no strikes on ‌the ‌facility ⁠or the ⁠construction site, Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom ‌said on Monday citing its head ‌Alexei Likhachev.

Mr. Likhachev said construction of additional units ⁠at Bushehr had been suspended, ‌though more than 600 staff remained on ‌site to maintain equipment and complete work that ⁠could not ⁠be halted. 

-Reuters

Japan will consider steps to cushion ‌the economic blow from rising fuel costs caused ⁠by the conflict in the Middle East including curbing gasoline prices, Prime Minister ‌Sanae Takaichi said on Monday. 

“Many people are worried ‌about rising gasoline prices,” Ms. Takaichi ‌told ⁠Parliament. “Taking this into account, ⁠the government has been considering since last week what steps it can take.” 

“We’re considering steps ‌to avoid gasoline prices from rising to levels intolerable for the public,” she said, adding that ‌such measures could be funded by tapping reserves. 

-Reuters

Azerbaijan said on Monday it had ‌reopened its border crossings ⁠with Iran for all cargo traffic, the ‌Russian state-run TASS news ‌agency reported.

The ‌border ⁠crossings, one ⁠of the shortest land routes connecting Iran to its ‌ally Russia, were closed last week after what Baku ‌described as an Iranian drone attack in ⁠the Nakhchivan exclave.

Late on Sunday, Iranian ‌President Masoud Pezeshkian phoned his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, telling him ‌Iran had not been involved in the Nakhchivan incident ⁠and that Tehran ⁠was investigating, Aliyev’s office said. 

-Reuters

Iranians living abroad could have property confiscated and face other legal penalties if they express ‌support for the United States and Israel, the Iranian prosecutor ⁠general’s office said on Monday (March 9, 2026).

Some members of the Iranian diaspora who want ‌political change in Tehran took to the streets of ‌European and American cities to celebrate ‌the ⁠killing of Supreme Leader ⁠Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran. Iran on Monday named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his ‌father. 

“A warning has been issued to those Iranians living abroad who in different ways sympathise, support ‌or cooperate with the American-Zionist [Israeli] enemy,” the prosecutor general’s office was quoted as saying by ⁠state media. 

China said on Monday it opposes any targeting of Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, after threats by the Israeli military against a successor to his slain father, Ali Khamenei.

“China opposes interference in other countries’ internal affairs under any pretext, and Iran’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity should be respected,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a press conference. 

-AFP

Iraq’s pro-Iran groups welcomed on Monday (March 9, 2026) the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader after his predecessor and father was killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes.

The powerful Badr organisation said the new leadership represents “blessed continuity of the path of the Islamic revolution”.

The Asaib Ahl al-Haq faction said choosing Mojtaba Khamenei shows “continuity” and “reinforcement of the Islamic republic’s role as a central pillar in the axis of resistance”, while Kataeb Hezbollah said it reflects a profound understanding “of the existential challenges confronting the nation”.

-AFP

Saudi Aramco has ‌offered more than 2 million ⁠barrels of Saudi crude in ‌rare tenders as the ‌U.S.-Iran conflict ‌disrupted ⁠exports ⁠from West Asia, trade sources said.

The state ‌company offered 2 million barrels of ‌Arab Heavy crude for March loading in ⁠one of the tenders ‌it issued last week. It also offered 650,000 barrels ‌of Arab Light crude in a separate ⁠tender, the people ⁠said.

-Reuters

Tehran is moving to restrict – or effectively close – the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, as part of the latest escalation in the war involving Iran.

Markets have reacted to the global impact of closing this incredibly busy shipping channel, focusing on the risk to oil and gas flows, the prospect of higher crude prices and the inflationary pressures that would follow.

That concern is justified. But it captures only part of the story. A sustained disruption of traffic through Hormuz would not simply constitute an energy crisis.

It would also represent a fertiliser shock (where prices go up dramatically and supply goes down) – and, by extension, a direct risk to global food security.

Read the full story here

How Iran war could create ‘fertilizer shock’ – often ignored global risk to food prices, farming

Iran's potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a global fertiliser shock, threatening food security and increasing prices.

Turkiye plans to deploy ‌six F-16 fighter jets to ⁠northern Cyprus on Monday (March 9, 2026) to ‌bolster the defences of the ‌Turkish ‌community ⁠there, broadcaster ⁠ NTV said, citing a civil aviation official from ‌the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

On Saturday (March 7), ‌a Turkish Defence Ministry source said ⁠Turkiye was considering the deployment ‌of F-16 aircraft to Cyprus, among other steps being taken ‌to ensure the security of the Turkish Cypriot ⁠state as conflict ⁠spreads in the region.

-Reuters

The ‌Group of Seven (G7) Finance Ministers will discuss on ⁠Monday (March 9, 2026) a joint release of oil from emergency reserves coordinated ‌by the International Energy Agency, the Financial ‌Times reported.

Three G7 ‌countries, ⁠including the U.S., have ⁠so far expressed support for the idea, the FT said citing sources, ‌and added that the ministers and the IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol will hold ‌a call to discuss the impact of the Iran war.

-Reuters

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday (March 9, 2026) said India remains in favour of peace, return to dialogue and diplomacy. India also advocates de-escalation, restraint, and ensuring safety of civilians. Mr. Jaishankar, who said the developments in West Asia are a deep cause for concern for all of us, said we continue to believe dialogue and discussion should be used to resolve all issues.

Making a suo moto statement on the conflict in Rajya Sabha, he said the well being and security of the Indian community in the region remains the government’s priority.

Read the full story here

Iran Israel US War: India favours peace, return to dialogue, diplomacy, says EAM Jaishankar

India advocates for peace and dialogue in West Asia while prioritizing the safety of its citizens amid ongoing conflict.

Israel’s military said it struck targets in central Iran on Monday (March 9, 2026), including internal security command centres and missile launch sites, in the first raid since the Islamic republic appointed a new supreme leader.

“The Israeli Air Force... completed an additional wave of strikes on infrastructure across Iran belonging to the Iranian regime,” a military statement said.

The targets included “a rocket engine production facility and several long-range ballistic missiles launch sites” that threatened Israel, it said.

-AFP

Bahrain’s state oil company declared force majeure on Monday (March 9, 2026) for its shipments after an Iranian attack set its refinery ablaze.

The state-run Bahrain News Agency carried the announcement of the force majeure, a legal manoeuvre that releases a company from its contractual obligations because of extraordinary circumstances.

It said the company’s operations “have been affected by the ongoing regional conflict in West Asia and the recent attack on its refinery complex.” It insisted that local demand could still be met.

-AP

Saudi Arabia lambasted Iran on Monday (March 9, 2026), calling Tehran’s attacks targeting the kingdom and their Gulf neighbours “reprehensible”, according to a statement from the Foreign Ministry.

Saudi Arabia “renews the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s categorical condemnation of the reprehensible Iranian aggressions against the Kingdom, the Gulf Cooperation Council states, a number of Arab and Islamic countries, and friendly nations, which cannot be accepted or justified under any circumstances,” the statement posted on the Ministry’s official X account read.

-AFP

Japanese Prime ‌Minister Sanae Takaichi said ⁠on Monday (March 9, 2026) the government ‌is considering what ‌steps it ‌can ⁠take ⁠to cushion the country’s economy ‌from the West Asian conflict.

“Many people are ‌worried about rising gasoline ⁠prices. Taking this into ‌account, the government has been considering since last ‌week what steps it can ⁠take,” Ms. Takaichi ⁠told parliament.

-Reuters

Surging oil prices and the escalating U.S.-Israeli war with Iran hammered airline stocks in Asia on Monday (March 9, 2026), piling pressure on ‌carriers already navigating tight airspace as travellers scramble to evade the West Asian conflict. 

Stranded passengers have been paying huge sums of money to escape West Asia, with last-minute dashes to the airport, overland trips to less impacted hubs and fighter jets at times escorting passenger planes out.

Shares in Australia’s Qantas Airways, Air New Zealand, Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Korean Air Lines and major Chinese airlines China Southern and China ‌Eastern all fell between 4% and more than 10% on Monday.

Shares of Indian carriers IndiGo and SpiceJet dropped 7.5% and 5.6%, respectively.

- Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron is traveling to Cyprus on Monday (March 9, 2026), days after dispatching a warship to the east Mediterranean island nation, where a Shahed drone struck a British air base on its southern coast last week during the Iran war.

Mr. Macron ordered the French frigate Languedoc to waters off Cyprus to bolster the European Union member country’s anti-drone and anti-missiles defences.

The French President also decided to send ground-based anti-drone and anti-missile defences to the island, which sustained the first drone attack on European territory.

France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier is also expected to arrive in the Eastern Mediterranean in the coming days.

-AP

Malaysia is in ‌a good economic position and ⁠has the capacity to absorb some ‌of the changes stemming from ‌the ongoing ‌conflict ⁠in West Asia, Second Finance Minister Amir Hamzah Aziz ‌said on Monday (March 9, 2026).

Domestic oil and gas supplies ‌were “in good shape” with no market disruptions expected, ⁠Amir Hamzah told reporters, ‌adding that the government had the capacity to keep the subsidised price ‌of RON95 transport fuel at 1.99 ringgit ⁠per litre for ⁠at least two months.

Reuters

China’s envoy to West Asia urged de-escalation in the conflict-ridden region and called for attacks on civilians to be condemned during talks with Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Beijing said on Monday (March 9, 2026).

Beijing was “deeply concerned” by the current situation in the region, special envoy Zhai Jun told Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan during talks on Sunday, according to a Chinese foreign ministry readout.

In a separate meeting with Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi, head of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Mr. Zhai called for a “return to the negotiating track as soon as possible”.

-Reuters

Educational institutions in Kashmir opened on Monday (March 9, 2026) after remaining closed for a week due to protests over the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a U.S.-Israel air strike.

“Schools and other higher educational institutions resume functioning today,” said an official.

Donned in school uniforms, students of varying age groups made their way to their institutes on Monday morning.

Read the full story here

West Asia conflict: Kashmir schools reopen after week of protests over Khamenei's death

Kashmir schools reopen after a week-long closure due to protests over the death of Iran's Supreme Leader.

Investors in Indian stock market sold big at open pushing the benchmark indices down by 3% on March 9, 2026.

Nifty opened at 23,868.05 points, down and Sensex at 77,056.75 points. As of 9:37 a.m, they’re trading at 23,769 points and 76,715.44 points. These levels are amongst the lowest in nearly 6 months.

Barring a few hundred stocks, all of them are declining since open at 9:00 a.m.

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Stock market investors sell big as crude hits $100

Investors sell off as crude oil hits $100/bbl, causing a significant decline in Indian stock market indices.

Thick smoke was seen ‌rising from the direction ⁠of the Bapco oil refinery ‌in Bahrain on ‌Monday (March 9, 2026), a witness ⁠said.

Smoke ⁠surrounded the refinery after the government ‌earlier said injuries and damage were sustained ‌in the Sitra area as a result ⁠of an Iranian ‌drone attack, the witness added.

Bapco is Bahrain’s ‌main oil refinery and a key ⁠facility in the country’s ⁠energy sector.

-Reuters

Ukraine sent interceptor drones ‌and a team of drone ⁠experts to protect U.S. military ‌bases in Jordan, President ‌Volodymyr ‌Zelenskyy ⁠said in ⁠an interview with The New York Times ‌published on Monday (March 9, 2026).

The U.S. made the ‌request for help on Thursday (March 5), and ⁠the Ukrainian team left the ‌next day, Mr. Zelenskyy said adding that it was ‌expected to arrive in West Asia soon, according ⁠to the report.

-Reuters

Human Rights Watch on Monday (March 9, 2026) accused Israel of “unlawfully” using white phosphorus over residential parts of a southern Lebanese town last week.

HRW added that it “verified and geolocated seven images showing airburst white phosphorus munitions being deployed over a residential part of the town and civil defence workers responding to fires in at least two homes and one car in that area”.

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Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of using white phosphorus in new Lebanon attacks

Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of unlawfully using white phosphorus munitions in residential areas during recent attacks in Lebanon.

China’s yuan on Monday (March 9, 2026) dropped to its weakest level in a month as the dollar reasserted its safe haven status with the escalating West Asia war roiling ‌global markets and boosting oil prices.

Authorities’ measures to prevent one-way currency bets also contributed to the ⁠yuan’s pullback, but analysts say China’s economic restructuring should support the yuan in the long term. 

The onshore yuan opened at 6.9300 per ‌dollar, 0.3% away from the last close and the weakest level since February 9. It changed hands ‌at 6.9217 around midday.

-Reuters

The government of Qatar has strongly condemned an attack attributed to Iran that targeted a residential facility in Al-Kharj. 

In an official statement released on Sunday (March 8, 2026) on X, Qatar described the strike as a serious violation of international norms and warned that such actions could further destabilise an already tense regional environment. The statement emphasised that attacks targeting civilian locations undermine international law and risk escalating conflict across West Asia.

Bahrain said on Monday (March 9, 2026) that an Iranian drone attack on the island of Sitra injured 32 people overnight, as Gulf nations reported new attacks with Tehran pressing its retaliatory strikes across the region.

All of the wounded were Bahraini citizens and there were four “serious cases”, including children, the Health Ministry said in a statement carried by the state news agency.

The wounded included a 17-year-old girl who suffered severe head and eye injuries, and a two-month-old baby, according to the Ministry.

-AFP

Bangladesh will close all universities from Monday (March 9, 2026), bringing forward the Eid al-Fitr holidays as part of emergency measures to conserve electricity and ‌fuel amid a worsening energy crisis linked to the conflict in West Asia. 

Authorities ⁠said the decision applies to all public and private universities across the country, a move that officials said will ‌not only reduce electricity consumption but also ease traffic congestion, which leads to fuel ‌wastage.

Officials said university campuses consume large ‌amounts ⁠of electricity for residential halls, classrooms, laboratories ⁠and air conditioning, and the early closure would help ease pressure on the country’s strained power system.

-Reuters

Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has extended his support to the country’s new leadership, following the official appointment of Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution.

The Foreign Minister expressed his sentiments in a post on X, formally welcoming the transition which took place during a significant period in the Islamic calendar.

In his post, Mr. Araghchi stated, “Congratulations on the worthy selection of His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, coinciding with the first blessed night of Qadr.”

Building on this sentiment, the Foreign Minister went on to issue a formal commitment on behalf of the diplomatic and security apparatus to the new Leader of the Revolution.

-ANI

There was no Indian fatality in the projectile incident that struck a residential compound in Saudi Arabia, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said on Monday (March 9, 2026). 

It added that an Indian national injured in the incident on Sunday is undergoing treatment at a government hospital.

“It is a matter of relief that there has been no Indian fatality in the unfortunate incident at Al Kharj yesterday evening,” the mission said in a social media post.

-PTI

Japan’s Nikkei average fell 7% to a two-month low on Monday (March 9, 2026) amid a broad selloff, as a ‌surge in oil prices fanned fears of inflation and an economic slowdown. The Nikkei fell 6.98% to 51,740.46, ⁠its lowest level since January 9 by the midday break, while the broader Topix slipped 5.6% to 3,508.72.

The Nikkei average futures fell ‌as much as 7.8%, close to a level that could have triggered the circuit breaker to suspend ‌trading. Just two weeks ago, both the Nikkei and ‌Topix ⁠hit record highs on expectations of profit growth, backed ⁠by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s stimulus and an artificial intelligence-driven rally.

-Reuters

The Pune Municipal Corporation has temporarily closed the city’s gas crematoriums following restrictions on the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) components such as propane and butane amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.

According to the Pune civic body, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued an order on March 5 directing that available propane and butane be prioritised for domestic LPG supply across the country.

In view of the resulting gas shortage, the Pune Municipal Corporation has decided to keep its gas crematoriums closed from March 5 until further orders, a civic official said on Sunday (March 8, 2026).

Read the full story here

West Asia crisis: Pune gas crematoriums shut temporarily

Pune gas crematoriums temporarily closed due to LPG restrictions amid West Asia conflict, with electric options still available.

A loud explosion was heard in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday (March 9, 2026), an AFP correspondent said, amid the latest outbreak of war between Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and Israel.

Plumes of smoke were seen rising from the southern suburbs after the blast was heard, the AFP journalist reported.

The area, a Hezbollah stronghold whose residents the Israeli military ordered to evacuate, has been pounded by Israel over the past week but had not suffered any strikes since Saturday (March 7).

-AFP

Asian stock markets plunged on Monday (March 9, 2026) as oil prices soared 30% on fears about supplies from West Asia as the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran continued into a second week with no sign of letting up.

Investors, already spooked by concerns over extended tech valuations and the huge spending on AI, ran for the hills as crude rocketed to its highest level since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Read the full story here

Asian equities plunge as oil soars 30% on Iran-Israel war crisis

Asian equities drop sharply as oil prices surge 30% amid escalating West Asia conflict, raising inflation and economic concerns.

The dollar surged on Monday (March 9, 2026) as soaring oil prices sent investors scrambling ‌for cash on worries that a protracted West Asia war could severely disrupt energy supplies and hurt global growth.

Against the surging greenback, the euro and sterling were ⁠down roughly 1% in Asia, while the Aussie and even the safe-haven Swiss franc similarly tumbled, as the dollar proved king.

The euro last traded 0.9% lower at $1.1517, having slid to a 3-1/2-month low earlier in the session, while sterling slid 1% to $1.3294.

Against the Swiss franc, the dollar was ‌up 0.75% at 0.7817. The Australian and New Zealand dollars slid 0.77% and 0.5%, respectively.

-Reuters

South Korean President ‌Lee Jae Myung said ⁠on Monday (March 9, 2026) that authorities would ‌cap domestic fuel prices ‌for ‌the ⁠first time ⁠in nearly 30 years to contain ‌a spike in prices after the conflict ‌in West Asia sent global crude ⁠prices sharply higher.

Speaking ‌at an emergency cabinet meeting, Lee said in ‌the government would “swiftly implement and boldly implement” ⁠a maximum price system ⁠on petroleum products.

-Reuters

France will host a video meeting of G7 finance ministers on the West Asia crisis on Monday (March 9, 2026), as the war fuels fears for the global economy.

The French finance ministry said in a statement the meeting at 1:30 p.m. (1230 GMT) would “review the situation in the Gulf from an economic point of view” and “events of recent days”.

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure earlier told Franceinfo radio he had agreed with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other G7 finance ministers to hold the meeting over a week after the start of the U.S.-Israel war against Iran.

-AFP

Oil prices eclipsed $114 per barrel for the first time since 2022 on Monday (March 9, 2026) as the Iran war intensified, threatening production and shipping in West Asia. 

The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, surged past $114 after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. That was up 23% from its Friday (March 6) closing price of $92.69.

West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, also was selling for about $114 a barrel. That’s 25% higher than its close on Friday (March 6) at $90.90.

-AP

Japan should operate all of its nuclear power plants available to offset the impact of the Iran ‌war on electricity bills, Yuichiro Tamaki, the leader of a Japanese ⁠opposition party, said. 

Japan relies on West Asia for around 95% of ‌its oil supplies and 11% of its liquefied natural gas imports ‌with around 70% and 6% respectively ‌coming ⁠via the Strait of Hormuz, which ⁠is effectively closed due to the war.

“Unless we make full use of nuclear power as a carbon-free power source ‌with less dependence on overseas sources, electricity bills will inevitably rise,” Mr. Tamaki, who heads the Democratic Party for the ‌People, said in a statement on X.

-Reuters

Vietnam is planning to remove its import tariffs on fuels ‌to ensure supplies amid disruptions caused by the ⁠military conflict in West Asia, the government said. 

The tariff removal ‌is expected to last until the ‌end of April, the government ‌said ⁠in a statement issued ⁠late on Sunday (March 8, 2026), adding that a resolution is being prepared by the Ministry ‌of Finance.

-Reuters

Bahrain’s Ministry of Health said on Monday (March 9, 2026) that an Iranian drone attack which targeted the Gulf nation’s island of Sitra overnight wounded 32 civilians.

All of the wounded were Bahraini citizens and there were four “serious cases”, including children, said the Ministry in a statement carried by the Gulf nation’s state news agency.

-AFP

The Israeli military said it launched a wave of strikes targeting “regime infrastructure” in central Iran on Monday (March 9, 2026), the first such announcement since the Islamic republic appointed a new supreme leader.

Israeli forces have “begun an additional wave of strikes on Iranian terror regime infrastructure in central Iran”, the military said in a brief statement, shortly after announcing strikes on Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.

-AFP

Hezbollah on Monday (March 9, 2026) said it was engaging Israeli forces who landed in eastern Lebanon by helicopter across the Syrian border, the second such operation since the outbreak of the latest conflict with Israel.

Israel, which has kept up strikes targeting Hezbollah despite a 2024 ceasefire, launched multiple waves of strikes last week across Lebanon and sent ground troops into border areas.

In a statement on Monday (March 9), Hezbollah said it detected “the infiltration of approximately 15 Israeli enemy helicopters” from the Syrian side of the border in eastern Lebanon, an area where Hezbollah holds sway.

-AFP

U.S. President Donald Trump ‌said on Sunday (March 8, 2026) that ⁠when to end the war ‌with Iran will ‌be a “mutual” decision ‌made ⁠with Israeli ⁠Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Speaking by phone with ‌ The Times of Israel, Mr. Trump said Netanyahu will ‌have input on resolving the ⁠conflict.

“I think it’s mutual ... ‌a little bit. We’ve been talking. I’ll make a decision ‌at the right time, but everything’s ⁠going to be taken ⁠into account,” said ‌Mr. Trump.

-Reuters

The son of Iran’s late shah urged Canberra on Monday (March 9, 2026) to protect the Iranian women’s football team, who were branded “wartime traitors” after refusing to sing the national anthem while playing in Australia.

Australia is facing mounting pressure to offer asylum to the side, who are due to return to Iran after bowing out of the Asian Cup.

Reza Pahlavi, who has positioned himself as an alternative if the Islamic republic falls, said the team faced “dire consequences”.

“The members of the Iranian Women’s National Football Team are under significant pressure and ongoing threat from the Islamic Republic,” Mr. Pahlavi said on X.

-Reuters

Japan’s Nikkei average fell more than 6% in a ‌broad selloff on Monday (March 9, 2026) after oil prices surged, stoking fears of ⁠inflation and economic slowdown.

The Nikkei fell 6.3% to 52,091.74 as of 0033 GMT. The ‌broader Topix slipped 5.39% to 3,514.97.

All but three of the Nikkei’s 225 components fell.

-Reuters

The United States said on Sunday (March 8, 2026) that it was ordering embassy staff to leave Saudi Arabia as Iran strikes the kingdom in retaliation for the attacks by Washington and Israel.

The State Department said in a travel advisory it had “ordered non-emergency U.S. Government employees and U.S. Government employee family members to leave Saudi Arabia due to safety risks.”

Read the full story here

Iran Israel War | U.S. orders embassy staff to leave Saudi Arabia

U.S. orders embassy staff to leave Saudi Arabia amid escalating tensions with Iran following retaliatory strikes.

Malaysian logistics firm MISC ‌Berhad said it has ⁠activated an emergency response centre across key ‌offices in West Asia to ⁠closely monitor the ⁠evolving situation there, though there was no ‌indication of any immediate threat to its crew ‌or assets.

The war risk premium has ⁠increased for vessel anchorage within or ‌on transit to the Persian Gulf region, though only for ships ‌trading in the area, it said in ⁠an emailed statement ⁠to Reuters.

-Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump warned on Sunday (March 8, 2026) that Iran’s next supreme leader would not last long without his approval. 

Mr. Trump had previously demanded a say in the appointment and dismissed the younger Khamenei as an unacceptable “lightweight”.

“He’s going to have to get approval from us,” Mr. Trump told ABC News on Sunday (March 8), referring to Iran’s next leader. “If he doesn’t get approval from us he’s not going to last long.”

-AFP

Several explosions were heard on Monday (March 9, 2026) in the Qatari capital Doha, AFP journalists said, as Gulf nations reported new attacks with Iran pressing its retaliatory strikes across the region.

Doha has been targeted by waves of Iranian drones and missiles since Iran launched a sprawling retaliation campaign across the Gulf in the wake of U.S. and Israeli attacks against the Islamic republic.

Qatar’s Defence Ministry said on Monday (March 9) that its forces had intercepted a missile attack.

-AFP

The U.S. military on Sunday (March 8, 2026) announced that a service member had died after being wounded in Saudi Arabia by an Iranian attack, the seventh American combat death since the war began.

US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees American military forces in West Asia, said in a statement that the service member died on Saturday (March 7) night “from injuries received during the Iranian regime’s initial attacks across the Middle East” on March 1.

It did not provide further details about the circumstances of the attack and said the service member’s identity was being withheld until 24 hours after notification of the person’s family.

-AFP

Stock markets in South Korea and Japan fell sharply in early trade on Monday (March 9, 2026) after oil prices soared above $100 per barrel for the first time in almost four years.

South Korea’s Kospi was down 6.7% while the Nikkei 225 in Tokyo was off around 5.8%, after trading more than 6% lower earlier in the session.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the main U.S. oil benchmark, was trading at $106.80 per barrel, up 17.4%.

U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the spike as a “small price to pay” to eliminate Iran’s nuclear threat, reiterating the White House’s insistence that the rise is temporary.

-AFP

An Indian national is among two killed after a projectile fell on a residential location in Saudi Arabia on Sunday (March 8, 2026), officials said.

The military projectile fell in a residential area in Saudi Arabia’s al-Kharj Governorate on Sunday (March 8), killing two people and injuring 12 others, the Saudi Civil Defence said.

A Civil Defence spokesman said the projectile struck a residential compound belonging to a maintenance and cleaning company in Al-Kharj.

Read the full story here

​​

Indian national among two killed after projectile falls in Saudi residential area

An Indian national and a Bangladeshi were killed by a projectile in Saudi Arabia, injuring 12 others.

Oil prices eclipsed $100 per barrel for the first time in more than three-and-a-half years on Sunday (March 8, 2026) as the Iran war hinders production and shipping in West Asia.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, was at $107.97 after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, up 16.5% from its Friday (March 6) closing price of $92.69.

West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, was selling for about $106.22 a barrel. That is 16.9% higher than it closed Friday (March 6) at $90.90.

Both could rise or fall as market trading continued.

Read the full story here

Iran Israel War | Crude oil prices surpass $100 a barrel as West Asia conflict impedes production and shipping

Crude oil prices exceed $100 per barrel as the Iran war disrupts production and shipping in West Asia.

Iran fired its first missiles towards Israel on Monday (March 9, 2026) after the appointment of the Islamic republic’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, state broadcaster IRIB said.

“Iran fires first wave of missiles under Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei towards occupied territories,” IRIB said on its Telegram channel.

It posted a picture of a projectile bearing the slogan “At Your Command, Sayyid Mojtaba,” a Shiite religious reference.

-AFP

The 56-year-old mid-ranking cleric, who has survived the U.S.-Israeli air war on Iran, was named as the successor after the council had more or less reached a “majority consensus”. Assembly of Experts member Ayatollah Mohsen Heidari Alekasir, said in a video on Sunday (March 8, 2026) that a candidate had been selected based on Khamenei’s guidance that Iran’s top leader should be “hated by the enemy”.

Mojtaba Khamenei is the second son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh. He was born on September 6, 1969, in Mashhad, a major Shia religious centre in northeastern Iran. He has five siblings — three brothers and two sisters. 

Mr. Mojtaba spent most of his childhood amid his father’s active resistance against the Shah of Iran’s monarchy, which eventually led to the election of Ali Khamenei as the country’s Supreme Leader and the exercise of significant political and military power. 

Read the full story here

​​

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei? Iran’s new Supreme Leader set to succeed his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Mojtaba Khamenei, named Iran's next Supreme Leader, marks a historic shift in the nation's leadership tradition.