An attack on a Kuwaiti tanker laden with oil has been blamed on Tehran after US president Donald Trump threatened to obliterate Iran’s energy sources.
The Dubai Media Office said that the tanker was struck by a drone and caught fire. Officials said all 24 crew members were safe.
The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation blamed Iranian forces for the attack off Dubai, according to the Kuwait News Agency.
The White House warned Tehran Monday that the US has capabilities beyond Iran’s “wildest imagination” if peace talks fail.
The warning comes after Trump threatened to “conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran” by “obliterating” Kharg Island and other energy facilities if a deal to end the war is not reached.
Trump claimed on Truth Social that Washington was holding “serious discussions” with Tehran on how to bring a resolution to the conflict. But Tehran continues to deny that any direct talks are taking place.
Thousands of US troops have started to arrive in the region as Trump threatened an invasion of Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, which reportedly holds 90 per cent of Iran’s oil exports.
Key Points
- Kuwaiti oil tanker hit by drone, officials say
- US has 'capabilities beyond Iran's wildest imagination', White House says
- Trump says US could seize Iran's Kharg Island 'easily'
- Nato vows to 'defend all allies' after intercepting Iranian missile heading for Turkey
- US expects to achieve objectives 'within weeks'
US military shares photo of amphibious assault ship sailing the Indian Ocean
04:00 , Rachel DobkinUSS Tripoli (LHA 7) sails in the Indian Ocean, March 29. The amphibious assault ship is named after the Battle of Derna, which took place during the First Barbary War in 1805. pic.twitter.com/9JAoP1K1bP
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 31, 2026
Trump says US is negotiating with Iran's parliamentary speaker
04:02 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump has threatened widespread destruction of Iran's energy resources and other vital infrastructure, including desalination plants, if a deal to end the war with Tehran is not reached "shortly".
Trump said the US is negotiating with Iran's parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, in an interview with the New York Post.
The former Revolutionary Guard commander was previously floated as Washington's negotiating partner, but has denied Iran is talking to the US and said Pakistan-facilitated discussions were merely a cover for American troop deployments.
Meanwhile, Israel has invaded southern Lebanon to push out Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, who have fired rockets and drones across the border, in a campaign that Israeli officials suggest could become a prolonged occupation. Three UN peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon in less than 24 hours, but it's unclear who was responsible.
US stocks edged higher in shaky trading Monday as oil prices keep climbing because of uncertainty about when the war could end.
Trump tells aides he's willing to end Iran war without reopening Strait of Hormuz: report
03:34 , Rachel DobkinUS President Donald Trump has told his aides he's willing to end the Iran war without reopening the Strait of Hormuz, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing administration officials.
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that carries about a fifth of the world’s oil, as the US and Israel continue their attacks against the Middle Eastern country.
Trump has decided to use diplomatic measures to resume the free flow of oil and, as a second resort, urge allies in Europe and the Gulf to spearhead the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report.
Iran destroyed critical US radar plane in strike on airbase. Experts fear it’s a ‘serious blow’ to the battlefield
03:30 , Alex WoodwardIran’s destruction of a critical American spy plane has raised concerns among military analysts who fear the damage could impact US abilities to spot incoming threats.
Images of the wrecked US Air Force E-3 Sentry aircraft show a broken tail that appears to have been severed entirely from the body of the plane.
The Boeing aircraft — a key part of the military’s airborne warning and control system, or AWACS — is capable of tracking hundreds of targets at a time while monitoring thousands of square miles. The plane itself serves as an airborne command post with a distinctive rotating radar dome above the fuselage.
Images of the plane’s destruction surfaced over the weekend following a strike on a Saudi Arabia air base on 27 March. Several US service members were injured in the attack.
The loss of one in a fleet of 17 AWACS amounts to “a serious blow” to American surveillance capabilities, according to CNN military analyst Cedric Leighton, a former Air Force colonel who has flown on the aircraft.
Read on...
Iran destroyed critical US radar plane in strike on airbase, images show
IMF warns of serious economic disruption caused by Middle East war
03:00 , Tara CobhamThe oil market has all but discounted the prospect of a negotiated end to the war and "is bracing for a sharp escalation in military hostilities," said Vandana Hari of oil-market provider Vanda Insights.
The International Monetary Fund warned that war in the Middle East has caused serious disruption to the economies of frontline countries, and is dimming the outlook for many economies that had just started to recover from previous crises.
G7 finance leaders also said they were ready to take "all necessary measures" to safeguard energy market stability and limit broader economic spillovers from recent volatility.
US national gas price average spikes to $4 per gallon
02:30 , Rachel DobkinThe US national gas price average has spiked to $4 per gallon amid the Iran war, according to a company that provides real-time fuel cost data.
“The national average has just reached $4/gal according to GasBuddy, the highest since August 8, 2022”, Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, wrote on X.
“The rise is now the largest monthly increase GasBuddy has ever recorded: $1.059/gal for gasoline, $1.701/gal for diesel,” he added.
Israeli military says it's aware of reports about peacekeepers killed in Lebanon
02:00 , Rachel DobkinThe Israeli military has said it's aware of reports about peacekeepers killed in Lebanon.
The United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon announced Monday two of its peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon from an “explosion of unknown origin”.
“This is the second fatal incident in the last 24 hours”, UNIFIL said.
The Israeli military said it was reviewing the matter to determine whether it or the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah was responsible for the reported killings, according to the Associated Press.
Israel noted that the incidents “occurred in an active combat area”.
Jean-Noël Barrot, French minister of Europe and foreign affairs, has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over the reported killings, calling them “unacceptable and unjustifiable”.
Kuwaiti oil tanker catches fire after being hit by drone in Dubai's waters, officials say
01:30 , Rachel DobkinA Kuwaiti oil tanker has caught fire after being hit by a drone in Dubai's waters, according to officials.
The Dubai Media Office announced on X early Tuesday morning local time that the tanker was hit. It said maritime firefighters were working to control the fire.
أكدت الجهات المختصة في دبي تعاملها مع حادث ناجم عن طائرة مسيرة تعرضت له ناقلة نفط كويتية في مياه دبي (المخطاف E) من دون تسجيل أي إصابات. وتعمل فرق الإطفاء البحري حالياً على السيطرة على الحريق، والتعامل مع الحادث وفق الإجراءات المتبعة، وسيتم الإعلان عن المزيد من المعلومات لحظة…
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 30, 2026
In a follow-up post, the media office said no injuries were reported, and all 24 crew members are safe.
The Kuwaiti Petroleum Corporation blamed Iran for the attack, The New York Times reported.
Projectiles splash down near Greek vessel off Saudi Gulf coast but crew unharmed, security experts say
01:00 , Tara CobhamA Greek-owned container ship located off the coast of Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura reported two separate incidents where projectiles hit water near the vessel, maritime security experts said on Monday.
A representative from the Liberian-flagged Express Rome reported two unknown projectiles splashing into the water near the container ship approximately 22 nautical miles (40.7 km) northeast of Ras Tanura at 1352 UTC. The incidents occurred within one hour of each other and the crew was reported safe, British maritime risk management group Vanguard said.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps previously claimed to have attacked the Express Rome on 11 March, Vanguard said.
Earlier on Monday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said a company security officer of a container vessel reported two unknown projectiles had splashed into the water in proximity to the vessel within an hour of each other, adding that all crew members were reported safe.
The operator of the vessel did not immediately comment.
No group has claimed responsibility for Monday's incident. Commercial vessels have come under attack from missiles or explosive air and sea drones in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February.
Editorial: Keir Starmer must help consumers through the energy crisis
Tuesday 31 March 2026 00:30 , Tara CobhamThe prime minister seems to be suffering from a dangerous degree of complacency in the face of the mounting energy crisis. If he is not careful, he too may gain the unfortunate image of being out of touch that attached itself to another Labour prime minister, who came to office a half century ago – James Callaghan, whose reaction to widespread industrial strikes in the bitter winter of 1978-79 led to the infamous newspaper headline, “Crisis, what crisis?”
It was a misquote, but one that stuck because of the sense of a lack of urgency and grip that surrounded the government of the day.
Now, as governments around the world are implementing measures to conserve fuel stocks and support families and businesses, Sir Keir Starmer has merely urged the British people to “act as normal” – in the middle of the biggest disruption to the oil supply in decades, if not since the Second World War.
Read more here:
Watch: Leavitt says White House team 'had a little loud prayer' as she starts press briefing
Tuesday 31 March 2026 00:00 , Tara CobhamWall Street indexes end mostly lower as investors weigh Middle East conflict outlook
Monday 30 March 2026 23:30 , Tara CobhamU.S. stocks ended mostly lower on Monday as U.S. President Donald Trump's new warning to Tehran and a widening of the Middle East war offset optimism over his comments on U.S. discussions with Iran.
Trump said the U.S. was in serious discussions with a "more reasonable regime" to end the war, but repeated his threat to open the Strait of Hormuz or risk U.S. attacks on Iranian oil wells and power plants. Iran described U.S. peace proposals as unrealistic.
Investors have been focused on how oil prices will impact the global economy after they shot up since the start of the war.
"The administration continues to send mixed messages," said Rick Meckler, partner at Cherry Lane Investments, a family investment office in New Vernon, New Jersey.
"When the messages seem good, to the extent they are believed, it helps the market. If something they say implies a more aggressive approach, the market sells off."
At the same time the conflict has been escalating. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia entered the war over the weekend. All three of the major indexes started the day higher after logging sharp declines in the previous session. Since the war started, the Dow, the Nasdaq and the small-cap Russell 2000 have all confirmed correction territory, ending 10% lower from their record-high closes.
According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 lost 25.52 points, or 0.40%, to end at 6,343.33 points, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 153.16 points, or 0.73%, to 20,795.20. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 53.27 points, or 0.12%, to 45,219.91.
Comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell gave some support to stocks. Powell said longer-term inflation expectations appear to be holding despite the current energy shock, and the Fed does not yet need to make a decision on how to react to the latest troubles. Both U.S. crude oil and Brent settled higher.
Money market participants have priced out any easing from the Federal Reserve this year, compared with two cuts expected before the war began, per the CME Group's FedWatch Tool. The S&P 500 energy index was down slightly and technology stocks were among the biggest drag on the S&P 500. On the flip side, the financial index gained after the U.S. Department of Labor issued long-awaited guidelines intended to clarify how trustees can add alternative assets to 401(k) retirement plans.
Shares of asset managers climbed with Blackstone and KKR both higher.
White House won’t rule out Trump threat on Iran’s water supply that could amount to war crime
Monday 30 March 2026 23:00 , Tara CobhamThe White House is standing by President Donald Trump’s threat to cripple the desalinization infrastructure that supplies Iran’s population with drinking water and downplaying the possibility that bombing such civilian targets would constitute war crimes under both American criminal law and international treaties to which the U.S. is a party.
Asked about Trump’s warning that he would order U.S. forces to attack vast swaths of Iranian civilian infrastructure — including desalinization plants — if Tehran does not agree to his terms for a ceasefire and allow free passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a press briefing on Monday that the Iranian regime’s “best move is to make a deal or else.”
“The United States Armed Forces has capabilities beyond their wildest imagination, and the President is not afraid to use them,” said Leavitt, who dismissed a reporter’s question about why Trump’s threat was not in conflict with the administration’s position that the U.S. does not target civilians in wartime.
Andrew Feinberg reports:
White House won’t rule out attack on Iran’s water supply that could be war crime
Watch: Kemi Badenoch says Donald Trump can consider 'fundamental weakening' of Iran an 'achievement'
Monday 30 March 2026 22:30 , Tara CobhamUkraine's Zelensky says Middle East visit a success and announces accords
Monday 30 March 2026 22:00 , Tara CobhamUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pronounced his tour of Middle Eastern countries a success on Monday and said a number of security cooperation accords had been clinched or were under discussion.
Zelensky embarked on a tour of the region to offer Ukrainian expertise on how to counter attacks from drones fired by Iran in its conflict with the United States and Israel, which has spread across the Middle East.
He has promoted Ukrainian know-how acquired in its four-year-long war against Russia, which has long deployed Iranian-designed drones to strike Ukraine since Moscow's February 2022 invasion.
Speaking in his nightly video address after his return to Kyiv, Zelenskiy said "historic" security agreements had been reached with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Ukraine, he said, was also working with Jordan and Kuwait and two other countries - Bahrain and Oman - had also expressed interest.
"For Ukraine, this is not only about prestige and respect for our people," Zelenskiy said.
"This is a very concrete and practical matter. We are exporting our defence system, the skills of our warriors and the knowledge our state possesses."
He said Ukraine expected "corresponding security cooperation", which included discussions on air defence, development of defence production and energy cooperation.
Zelenskiy has stressed that arms sales must be decided at the government level, warning businesses against engaging with clients directly.
During the tour, the president said he had discussed the region's supplies of diesel, vital for Ukraine's defence needs and the agriculture sector.
Sharjah authorities say administrative building of Thuraya Telecom targeted by Iranian drone
Monday 30 March 2026 21:41 , Tara CobhamAuthorities in UAE's Sharjah said on Monday that an administrative building of Thuraya Telecommunications was targeted by a drone from Iran, the emirate's media office said in a post on X.
No injuries were reported.
Analysis: Karoline Leavitt wants you to know she loves Jesus — and that Iranians who defy Trump deserve annihilation
Monday 30 March 2026 21:30 , Tara CobhamLet's begin where Karoline Leavitt began: with God. Specifically, with a solemn prayer, shared between her and her staff members just offstage before she started today’s Iran war-heavy press briefing by boasting about killing people who lie to Donald Trump.
"Could you hear our amen in there?" she asked White House reporters, as she walked out, which is not a question you usually expect from a government spokesperson in a constitutional democracy, but anyway. The Lord has entered the briefing room. He is, one gathers, extremely supportive of Operation Epic Fury. It’s a name surely picked out from the Bible.
Yes, the regular briefings on the war that’s always been a war but also isn’t a war and has already been won but also is currently being negotiated get weirder by the week. Leavitt is sent out to repeatedly remind people that “the regime chanted ‘Death to America’” — as if that actually means anything of substance — and that “the president always said” the campaign would be over in “four to six weeks.” In response to a question about Iran war timelines today, 30 days since Israel and the United States started bombing Iran, she repeated the “four to six weeks” line and then told the reporter, triumphantly: “You do the math.”
Holly Baxter reports:
The White House loves Jesus and won’t rule out bombing Iran’s civilian water plants
Spain says it has closed its airspace to US planes involved in Iran war
Monday 30 March 2026 20:51 , Tara CobhamSpain said it has closed its airspace to US planes involved in the Iran war, another step by Europe's loudest critic of US and Israeli military actions in the month-long conflict.
The country earlier said the US could not use jointly operated military bases in the war that Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has described as illegal, reckless and unjust.
Defence minister Margarita Robles said the same logic applied to the use of Spanish airspace.
"This was made perfectly clear to the American military and forces from the very beginning. Therefore, neither the bases are authorised, nor, of course, is the use of Spanish airspace authorised for any actions related to the war in Iran," Ms Robles told reporters, describing the war in Iran as "profoundly illegal and profoundly unjust".
Mr Sanchez has called on the US, Israel and Iran to end the war, saying earlier this month: "You cannot respond to one illegality with another, because that's how humanity's great disasters begin."
After Mr Sanchez's government denied the US use of the Rota and Moron military bases in southern Spain, US President Donald Trump threatened to cut trade with Madrid.
The US made trade threats last year, too, when Mr Sanchez said his government would not increase its defence spending in accordance with a deal agreed to by other Nato members following Mr Trump's pressure.
At the time, Mr Sanchez's government said Spain could meet its military commitments by spending 2.1 per cent of gross domestic product on defence, instead of the 5 per cent the rest of the 32-nation military alliance agreed upon.
Mr Sanchez has also been among the most vocal critics of Israel's actions in the war in Gaza, which has invited criticism from Israel's government on several occasions.
Spain's new decision against a Nato ally is rare, though not unprecedented.
Trump ‘planning high-risk operation to seize Iran’s uranium using US troops’
Monday 30 March 2026 20:20 , Tara CobhamPresident Donald Trump is considering whether to launch a risky military operation to seize uranium from deep inside Iran, according to US officials, in what would represent a major escalation in the war.
The American president is yet to make a final decision as the conflict in the Middle East enters its fifth week, but he is said to be open to the idea and weighing up the danger to US troops, according to The Wall Street Journal.
On Sunday, Trump told reporters that Iran must give up its highly enriched uranium for the ongoing war to end.
Maira Butt reports:
Trump ‘planning high-risk operation to seize Iran’s uranium using US troops’
UK shadow transport secretary criticises Labour's 'energy failure' amid shortage fears
Monday 30 March 2026 20:00 , Tara CobhamUK shadow transport secretary Richard Holden criticised Labour's "energy failure" amid growing fears of fuel shortages due to the Iran war.
Mr Holden said: "Labour's energy failure is wrecking the Easter getaway before families have even packed their bags, grounding holidays and sending air fares into the skies.
"As conflict in the Middle East drives jet fuel prices higher, airlines will pass those costs straight on to British families already being hammered by Labour's hikes to air passenger duty and airport business rates.
"This is the direct consequence of Labour's net zero obsession, destroying our energy security with real and tangible consequences for people up and down the country.
"Britain is left exposed, families are left paying, and Labour sit on their hands as the dream of a family holiday vanish."
France seeks emergency UN meeting after deadly attack on UN peacekeeper in Lebanon
Monday 30 March 2026 19:40 , Tara CobhamFrance's foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Monday he has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council following "the extremely serious incidents" targeting UN peacekeepers in Lebanon that killed one Indonesian national.
"Such attacks near UN peacekeeping positions are unacceptable and unjustifiable", Barrot said, adding France is calling "for a full investigation into the circumstances of these tragedies".
The peacekeeper from Indonesia was the first from the UN's peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, to be killed in the new war between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah which erupted on 2 March.
White House won’t rule out Trump threat on Iran’s water supply that could amount to war crime
Monday 30 March 2026 19:40 , Tara CobhamThe White House is standing by President Donald Trump’s threat to cripple the desalinization infrastructure that supplies Iran’s population with drinking water and downplaying the possibility that bombing such civilian targets would constitute war crimes under both American criminal law and international treaties to which the U.S. is a party.
Asked about Trump’s warning that he would order U.S. forces to attack vast swaths of Iranian civilian infrastructure — including desalinization plants — if Tehran does not agree to his terms for a ceasefire and allow free passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters at a press briefing on Monday that the Iranian regime’s “best move is to make a deal or else.”
“The United States Armed Forces has capabilities beyond their wildest imagination, and the President is not afraid to use them,” said Leavitt, who dismissed a reporter’s question about why Trump’s threat was not in conflict with the administration’s position that the U.S. does not target civilians in wartime.
White House correspondent Andrew Feinberg reports:
White House won’t rule out attack on Iran’s water supply that could be war crime
Watch: White House plays down oil price spike amid Iran war
Monday 30 March 2026 19:20 , Tara CobhamTrump 'reveals who he is speaking with' in Iranian government
Monday 30 March 2026 18:59 , Tara CobhamUS president Donald Trump has revealed the person he is speaking with in the Iranian government.
The New York Post reported that Trump confirmed on Monday that America is negotiating with Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.
The US president told the publication’s national security correspondent Caitlin Doornbos: “We’ll ‘find out in about a week’ whether he is someone America can truly work with.”
Speculation was sparked after Trump posted on Truth Social that “VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS” were being held between the two sides.
Watch: White House says 4-6 week timeline remains as Iran war enters week 5
Monday 30 March 2026 18:54 , Tara CobhamIran has agreed to some US points in private talks, White House says
Monday 30 March 2026 18:54 , Tara CobhamIran has agreed to some of the US’s points in private talks, the White House has said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: “I'm not going to detail the private, sensitive conversations that are taking place between the United States and Iran right now, but generally speaking, the President gave you the answer. What we're hearing from them is more reasonable. They have agreed to some of the points the United States laid out, as the President said last night aboard Air Force One.”
US has 'capabilities beyond Iran's wildest imagination', White House says
Monday 30 March 2026 18:52 , Tara CobhamThe US has capabilities beyond Iran’s “wildest imagination”, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said.
She told reporters: “The United States Armed Forces has capabilities beyond their wildest imagination, and the President is not afraid to use that.”
Israel military issues evacuation warning to 6 villages in Lebanon's western Bekaa
Monday 30 March 2026 18:50 , Tara CobhamThe Israeli military on Monday issued evacuation warnings to residents of six villages in Lebanon's western Bekaa region, urging civilians to leave ahead of possible military operations, in the first such warning for those areas.
The military said the warning was prompted by what it described as militant activity in the area, without providing further details.
Four-to-six week timeline for Iran war remains, White House says
Monday 30 March 2026 18:48 , Tara CobhamThe four-to-six week timeline for the Iran war remains, the White House has said.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: “The military has been enormously successful. I think we should all be very proud of our armed forces for what they have done over the past 30 days. The mission will continue until the objectives are achieved, and that four-to-six-week timeline does remain.”
Trump interested in calling on Arab states to help pay for Iran war, White House says
Monday 30 March 2026 18:45 , Tara CobhamUS President Donald Trump would be interested in calling on Arab countries to pay for the cost of the Iran war, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday.
She added that she thinks Trump would have more to say on the issue.
UK chancellor reiterates need for 'swift solution' in Middle East at G7 meeting
Monday 30 March 2026 18:43 , Tara CobhamBritish chancellor Rachel Reeves said she reiterated the need for "a swift solution" in the Middle East at a virtual meeting of G7 finance and energy ministers and central bank governors.
Ms Reeves, Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband were all present in the meeting.
After the call, the Chancellor wrote on X: "At today's G7 talks with Bank of England (governor) Andrew Bailey and Ed Miliband, I reiterated the need for a swift resolution in the Middle East.
"This is not our war and we won't be drawn into it, but its economic impacts are global - we must work with partners to strengthen resilience."
The G7, which includes the UK, the US, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Japan, along with the European Union, were considering ways to respond to the economic hit from the war.
US 'is conducting more intense targeted strikes' against Iran, Leavitt says
Monday 30 March 2026 18:41 , Tara CobhamThe US “is conducting more intense targeted strikes” against Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said.
She told reporters: “The United States is conducting more intense targeted strikes with devastating combat power with each passing day to destroy the threat posed by the Iranian terrorist regime, as President Trump sought out to do a month ago.”
US talks with Iran 'are continuing and going well', Leavitt insists
Monday 30 March 2026 18:36 , Tara CobhamWhite House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has insisted that talks with Iran “are continuing and going well”.
She told reporters: “Despite all of the public posturing you hear from the regime and false reporting, talks are continuing and going well. What is said publicly is, of course, much different than what's being communicated to us privately.”
Iran 'increasingly eager' to negotiate deal with US to end war, Leavitt claims
Monday 30 March 2026 18:32 , Tara CobhamIran is “increasingly eager” to negotiate a deal with the US to end the war, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has claimed.
She told reporters: “It's no surprise that we are seeing the remaining elements of the regime become increasingly eager to end the destruction and come to the negotiating table while they still can.”
US claims it has struck more than 11,000 targets in Iran so far
Monday 30 March 2026 18:30 , Tara CobhamThe US claims it has struck more than 11,000 targets in Iran so far.
Speaking to reporters about America’s war against Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “More than 11,000 enemy targets have been struck to date, each strike further crippling the regime's offensive and defensive capabilities and creating more leverage for the United States and our allies.
“Compared to the start of the operation, Iran's ballistic missile and drone attacks are down by roughly 90 per cent."
US war against Iran 'is moving ahead successfully and according to plan', White House says
Monday 30 March 2026 18:27 , Tara CobhamThe US’s war against Iran “is moving ahead successfully and according to plan”, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt has said.
“Our military continues to obliterate Iran's defence industrial base,” she added.
Thousands of US Army paratroopers arrive in Middle East as buildup intensifies
Monday 30 March 2026 18:16 , Tara CobhamThousands of soldiers from the US Army's elite 82nd Airborne Division have started arriving in the Middle East, two US officials told Reuters on Monday, as President Donald Trump weighs his next steps in the war against Iran.
Reuters first reported on 18 March that Trump's administration was considering deploying thousands of additional US troops to the Middle East, a move that would expand options to include the deployment of forces inside Iranian territory.
The paratroopers, based out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, add to the thousands of additional sailors, Marines and Special Operations forces sent to the region. Over the weekend, about 2,500 Marines arrived in the Middle East.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not say specifically where the soldiers were deploying to, but the move was expected.
The additional Army soldiers include elements of the 82nd Airborne Division headquarters, some logistics and other support, and one brigade combat team.
No decision has been made to send troops into Iran, but they will build up capacity for potential future operations in the region, one of the sources said.
Iran blows hole in US aluminium supply chain with smelter strikes
Monday 30 March 2026 18:01 , Tara CobhamWith attacks on the two biggest aluminium smelters in the Middle East over the weekend, Iran struck at major suppliers to the United States of a strategic metal the world's biggest economy does not produce nearly enough of domestically, analysts said.
Before the weekend, disruption from the Iran war centred around the difficulty of shipping aluminium and raw materials through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed by Tehran.
But on Saturday, Emirates Global Aluminium said its roughly 1.5 million metric ton per year Al Taweelah site in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, had sustained significant damage from Iranian attacks. Aluminium Bahrain said its 1.6 million ton per year plant was targeted on the same day.
Neither company has since provided an update on operations. But the attacks have abruptly shifted concerns from temporary shipping snarls to a potentially more serious threat to production in the region.
"That changes the nature of the risk," Paul Adkins, head of aluminium consultancy AZ Global, wrote on LinkedIn.
London Metal Exchange aluminium prices reacted on Monday leaping 6 per cent to $3,492 a ton, close to a four-year high.
"In this sort of market, when you suddenly take out 3 million tons of capacity, it cannot be replaced," said Panmure Liberum analyst Tom Price.
Two peacekeepers killed in Lebanon were Indonesian, UN says
Monday 30 March 2026 18:00 , Tara CobhamUnited Nations peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Monday told reporters that two peacekeepers who were killed in an explosion in southern Lebanon were Indonesian.
Iran war: How countries are responding to oil price surge – from free bus travel to four-day working week
Monday 30 March 2026 18:00 , Tara CobhamWhen Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a joint American and Israeli strike four weeks ago, there were immediate hopes for peace and security in the war-torn region, as Donald Trump urged the Iranian people “to take back their country”.
But as Iran’s new leaders went underground, and missiles started firing at neighbouring Middle East countries, it soon became clear here was to be no quick resolution.
Despite the US president continuing to push a narrative around peace talks and fresh threats, markets appear to remain more skeptical than ever, with oil prices hitting $117 a barrel on Monday, triggering further fears of shortages worldwide.
The issue is that Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil supply is transported. This is forcing governments around the world to take action to safeguard their national interests. Here we take a look at what countries are doing:
UN says two peacekeepers killed in explosion in southern Lebanon
Monday 30 March 2026 17:48 , Tara CobhamThe UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said two of its members were killed in southern Lebanon on Monday after an explosion of "unknown origin" destroyed their vehicle.
It said a third peacekeeper was severely wounded and another was also injured in the incident which took place near the Bani Haiyyan municipality.
The incident is the second in 24 hours after a UNIFIL peacekeeper was killed when a projectile exploded at one of its positions in a southern Lebanese village.
France probes Iran link after bomb attack foiled outside Bank of America
Monday 30 March 2026 17:40 , Tara CobhamFrench authorities are investigating a suspected link to Iran after thwarting a bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in Paris on the weekend, the interior minister said on Monday.
The authorities suspect a link to Iran due to similarities to other recent attempted attacks in Europe, which a pro-Iran group claimed responsibility for, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said.
On Saturday morning, Paris police officers spotted two suspects carrying a shopping bag near the Bank of America in the 8th arrondissement of the French capital.
Five suspects have been arrested, including two on Monday, and the national anti-terrorism prosecutor's office opened an investigation into alleged terrorism-related offences.
Authorities are making a "direct link" with Iran because the "modus operandi is in every respect similar to actions that have been carried out in the Netherlands and in Belgium," Mr Nunez said on French radio RTL on Monday morning.
In those cases, there were claims by a pro-Iranian group that "linked them to the conflict" in the Middle East, he said.
The group, known on Telegram under the name Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia, which translates as the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right, also claimed responsibility for an attack last week in London, where four ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity were set on fire.
Two projectiles splash near vessel near Saudi Arabia, UKMTO says
Monday 30 March 2026 17:20 , James ReynoldsThe United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Monday it had received a report of an incident 22 nautical miles northeast of Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura.
A company security officer (CSO) of a container vessel reported two unknown projectiles had splashed in proximity of the vessel, each occurring within one hour of each other, UKMTO said, adding all crew members were reported as safe.
Nato vows to 'defend all allies' after intercepting Iranian missile heading for Turkey
Monday 30 March 2026 17:00 , Tara CobhamNato has vowed to “defend all allies” after intercepting an Iranian missile heading for Turkey.
Following the interception, a spokesperson for the alliance said: “Nato is prepared for such threats and will always do what is necessary to defend all allies.”
UK PM calls for 'joint effort' from insurance, oil, gas and shipping sectors over Iran war
Monday 30 March 2026 16:42 , Tara CobhamUK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer told business chiefs from the insurance, oil, gas and shipping sectors that reacting to the impact of the Iran war will "have to be a joint effort".
"But this is going to have to be a joint effort.
"The government can't do it on its own. You can't do it on your own. We're going to have to work together on this, which is why I want to have a conversation here this afternoon."
Why are the Houthis joining the war now?
Monday 30 March 2026 16:15 , James ReynoldsYemen’s Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Israel on Saturday, marking their entry into the war.
Luca Nevola, Yemen and the Gulf Senior Analyst at ACLED, said the announcement was “somewhat unexpected”, and has been framed as a war in support of Palestine.
“Just one day earlier, Abdul Malik al-Houthi’s speech — marking the 11th anniversary of the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen — was overwhelmingly focused on domestic issues, including demands for $57 billion in compensation from Saudi Arabia, while emphasising a de-escalatory stance with both Saudi Arabia and the US.
“The way the Houthis are framing their intervention is key. They are not presenting this as merely in support for Iran, which may not resonate domestically, but as a war against what they call the ‘Zionist scheme’ — positioning their actions as support for Palestine, which has far broader appeal across Yemen.”
In full: Trump says US in talks to end Iran war - but threatens to bomb energy plants if deal to end ‘lovely stay’ falls apart
Monday 30 March 2026 15:59 , James ReynoldsLess than 12 hours after claiming Iran had accepted most of his purported 15-point plan to end the month-old American-Israeli war he started, President Donald Trump is renewing his threats to attack Tehran’s civilian infrastructure if the Iranian regime does not agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
In a Monday Truth Social post, Trump said there’d been “great progress” in “serious discussions” with what he described as the “new and more reasonable regime” in Tehran - but warned of more bombings if it falls apart.
Here’s how it unfolded:
Trump threatens Iranian water system if deal to end ‘lovely stay’ in Iran falls apart
In pictures: US marines rehearse amphibious landings at Diego Garcia
Monday 30 March 2026 15:30 , James Reynolds
Ballistic missiles enters Turkish airspace, says defence ministry
Monday 30 March 2026 15:27 , James ReynoldsTurkey’s defence ministry says that another ballistic missile from Iran has been neutralised by Nato air and missile defence assets deployed in the eastern Mediterranean.
“All necessary measures are being taken decisively and without hesitation against any threat directed at our country’s territory and airspace,” the ministry says.
This news is breaking: more to follow
Oil market it 'well supplied' says US treasury secretary
Monday 30 March 2026 15:08 , James ReynoldsUS Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that the global oil market is well supplied, with more boats traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.
"Over time, the U.S. is going to retake control of the Straits and there will be freedom of navigation, whether it is through U.S. escorts or a multinational escort," Bessent said in an interview with Fox News.
Analysis: I’m a naval expert. Here’s why the US military hasn’t used force to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
Monday 30 March 2026 15:00 , James ReynoldsSince the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran in late February, Iran has retaliated by targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, effectively shutting down the narrow channel of water.
It’s caused a global fuel crisis, even though some ships are managing to get through the strait. US President Donald Trump has given Iran an ultimatum to fully reopen the waterway to oil and gas shipments, and called on NATO allies to help in the effort.
We asked naval expert Jennifer Parker, who served for 20 years with the Royal Australian Navy, to explain what kind of military force would be required to reopen the strait to commercial shipping and why the US hasn’t yet taken this step.
Why the US military hasn’t used force to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
In full: British troops will not join any ground invasion of Iran, Starmer says
Monday 30 March 2026 14:59 , James ReynoldsUK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out putting British troops on the ground in Iran, as he insisted the UK will not be “dragged in” to Donald Trump’s escalating war in the region.
“This is not our war and we’re not going to get drawn into it,” he said, adding the UK will continue to take defensive action and work to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
“What we have done is taken defensive action: so we’ve had our pilots up in the air since an hour or two after this war started, defending British lives, British interests and, of course, our allies in the region.”
Read the full story in context:
British troops will not join any ground invasion of Iran, Starmer says
Liberia-flagged container ship reporting projectiles off Saudi Arabia
Monday 30 March 2026 14:58 , James ReynoldsA Liberia-flagged container vessel is reporting projectiles impacting water nearby, northeast of Saudi Arabia's Dammam, according to risk monitor Ambrey.
No damage or injuries have been reported
More than 20 universities struck during war, says Iran
Monday 30 March 2026 14:47 , James ReynoldsAs many as 154 academic departments across 21 Iranian universities have been “destroyed” in the war so far, according to Iran’s ministry of science, via the Fars news agency.
UK chancellor urged to follow Europe’s example and protect consumers amid spiralling fuel prices
Monday 30 March 2026 14:36 , James ReynoldsUK chancellor Rachel Reeves is under mounting pressure to follow European countries and take action to protect consumers amid spiralling fuel prices, with campaigners accusing ministers of treating British drivers as a “cash cow for the Treasury”.
Oil prices – which have a significant effect on the cost of wholesale fuel – have soared in response to Iran’s stranglehold on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz, sparking rising pump prices and piling pressure on the government to abandon a planned increase in fuel duty set to take place in September.
The chancellor announced in her November 2025 budget that the fuel duty reduction – introduced by the Conservative government in March 2022 after the outbreak of the Ukraine war – would be extended until the end of August 2026, with rates then gradually returning to previous levels over the next five years.
Read the full story:
Reeves urged to follow European countries and take action amid rising fuel prices
Watch: Trump reveals military is building 'massive complex' under new White House ballroom
Monday 30 March 2026 14:24 , James ReynoldsWhich key Iranian figures have been killed?
Monday 30 March 2026 14:00 , James ReynoldsStrikes on Iran have killed several senior political and military figures, hitting the Islamic Republic's core leadership.
Among them are:
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran, killed in an airstrike on his compound on 28 February.
- Ali Larijani, secretary of the supreme national security council, killed in an air strike in the Paris area on 17 March.
- Mohammad Pakpour, commander-in-chief of the IRGC, killed in Tehran on 28 February.
- Aziz Nasirzadeh, Iran’s defence minister, killed in Tehran on 28 February.
- Abdolrahim Mousavi, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, killed in Tehran on 28 February.
- Esmail Khatib, Iran’s intelligence minister, killed in a strike on 18 March.
- Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, leading the force central to internal security, killed in strikes on 17 March.
US expects to achieve objectives 'within weeks'
Monday 30 March 2026 13:54 , James ReynoldsSecretary of state Marco Rubio said on Monday that the US would achieve its objectives “in a matter of weeks, not months”.
He described Iran’s missile stockpiles and ability to make more as “an unacceptable risk” that president Donald Trump is now “addressing”.
In comments to GMA, Rubio said, “there is a way forward here to achieve our objectives” and “we are going to achieve our objectives in a matter of weeks, not months”.
Impact of war on Europe could be as bad as Covid, says Germany's Merz
Monday 30 March 2026 13:44 , James ReynoldsGerman chancellor Friedrich Merz during a press conference in Berlin that the impact of the war on Europe and Germany could be as bad as Covid if it expands.
Merz spoke at the Chancellery during a visit from Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Meanwhile, Germany’s economy minister says that signs of a significant slowdown are already visible in Germany’s economy.
Katherina Reiche says that the government will decide after the Easter Holiday what measures to take for energy relief.
Will Trump invade Kharg Island?
Monday 30 March 2026 13:30 , James ReynoldsTrump told the Financial Times in an interview published on Sunday that he wanted to "take the oil in Iran" and could seize the export hub of Kharg Island.
Taking control of Kharg would require ground troops, which the US has rushed to the region in recent days. But most Americans are still opposed to the war and a new escalation, which would likely weigh on Trump’s already low approval ratings ahead of November midterm elections for Congress.
Officials have told Reuters the administration is weighing whether to send ground forces to the island.
Why launch a ground invasion?
The island handles 90% of Iran's oil exports, and seizing it would give the United States the ability to disrupt Iran's energy trade, placing enormous pressure on Tehran's economy.
Trump would also hope that taking Kharg Island would force Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and provide him with potential leverage in future negotiations, analysts say.
How could the US go in?
Two contingents of Marines could arrive in the region around the end of the month, and sources say the Pentagon is planning to send thousands of airborne troops as well to give Trump more options if he were to order a ground assault.
A former commander of the U.S. Central Command, Joseph Votel, told TWZ.com last week that while only 800 to 1,000 troops would be needed on Kharg Island, they would require logistical backup that would need protection as well.
How would Iran respond?
Tehran has already sent extra surface to air missiles to the island and has laid traps including anti-personnel and anti-armour mines in the waters surrounding it, CNN reported, citing people familiar with US intelligence.
US troops landing on the island would also be exposed to missile and drone attacks.
Tehran could opt to lay more mines to target shipping, including floating mines deployed from the coast, which would make the region even more hazardous for shipping, which has already been significantly disrupted by the conflict.
What has Spain said about the Middle East crisis?
Monday 30 March 2026 13:15 , James ReynoldsSpain has faced recurrent criticism from Donald Trump since his return to office last January over its low military spending relative to other Nato members.
Trump threatened to impose a full trade embargo on Spain on 3 March over its refusal to allow the US to use the jointly run bases at Morón and Rotafor to strike Iran.
Pedro Sánchez, the prime minister, stood his ground, restating in a 10-minute speech his opposition to war and what he called the “breakdown of international law”.
He said: “The question is not if we are on the side of the ayatollahs - nobody is. The question is whether we are in favour of peace and international legality.”
Sánchez also warned that Iran could follow the path of the war in Iraq, which he said had failed to achieve its goals and made life worse for ordinary people.
France’s Emmanuel Macron and the EU’s António Costa expressed their solidarity with Spain’s decision.
On 30 March, Spain extended its airbase ban by closing its airspace to US planes involved in attacks on Iran.
Defence minister Margarita Robles said: “We don’t authorise either the use of military bases or the use of airspace for actions related to the war in Iran.”
The closure will force military planes to go around Spain en route to their targets. It does not include emergency situations, reported Spanish outlet El País.
In pictures: Smoke rises over Beirut's southern suburbs as Israeli strikes continue
Monday 30 March 2026 13:00 , James Reynolds
British troops will not join any ground invasion of Iran, Starmer says
Monday 30 March 2026 12:45 , Maira ButtSir Keir Starmer has ruled out putting British troops on the ground in Iran, as he insisted the UK will not be “dragged in” to Donald Trump’s escalating war in the region.
The US sparked fears over the weekend that it is preparing launch ground operations in Iran, as fighting between Tehran and Washington continues into its second month.
The prime minister has faced criticism from both allies and enemies over his approach to the conflict, but doubled down on his position on Monday when asked if British troops could be sent to the Middle East.
“This is not our war and we’re not going to get drawn into it,” he said, adding the UK will continue to take defensive action and work to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
British troops will not join any ground invasion of Iran, Starmer says
Watch: Israel expands invasion of southern Lebanon
Monday 30 March 2026 12:30 , James ReynoldsRecap: Trump says talks progressing as Israel widens invasion of Lebanon
Monday 30 March 2026 12:00 , James ReynoldsGood afternoon,
Over the weekend, Donald Trump said that the US and Iran have been meeting directly and indirectly, appraising the new leaders of the country as being “very reasonable”.
With Iran’s top leadership decimated in four weeks of war, Trump said on Sunday he thought the US had already accomplished regime change in the country.
Pakistan, acting as an intermediary between the US and Iran, said it was preparing to host “meaningful talks” in the coming days aimed at ending the war.
US eyes possible Kharg invasion
Trump’s comments came even as more US troops arrived in the region, giving Trump the option of launching a ground offensive.
In an interview with Financial Times published on Sunday, Trump said he wanted to "take the oil in Iran" and could seize the export hub of Kharg Island. Taking control of Kharg would require ground troops.
Iran’s parliament speaker accused the US of trying to negotiate while also planning an invasion, and said Iran was ready to respond if needed.
Netanyahu greenlights wider invasion in Lebanon
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said meanwhile on Sunday that he had ordered the military to expand its operations in southern Lebanon, blaming Hezbollah rocket fire.
Israel said last week it was enlarging a ‘buffer zone’ up to the Litani River.
Houthis enter the fray
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis joined the conflict on Saturday, launching their first attacks on Israel and raising the prospect they could target and thus block a second key shipping route, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Israeli authorities said on Sunday that they had intercepted two drones launched from Yemen.
Supreme leader still out of frame
Iran’s new supreme leader thanked the Iraqi people and religious leadership for their support of Iran, according to Iran’s state media. But it was unclear how the message was conveyed.
Mojtaba Khamenei still has not been seen since his appointment as the third supreme leader of Iran in early March.
Madrid has closed its airspace to US planes involved in attacks on Iran, a step beyond its previous denial of use of jointly-operated military bases, Spain’s defence minister said on Monday.
"We don't authorize either the use of military bases or the use of airspace for actions related to the war in Iran," Margarita Robles told reporters in Madrid.
Spanish newspaper El Pais had first reported the news on Monday, citing military sources.
The closure of the airspace forces military planes to bypass NATO member Spain en route to their targets in the Middle East, but it does not include emergency situations, El Pais added.
Which key Iranian figures have been killed?
Monday 30 March 2026 11:30 , James ReynoldsStrikes on Iran have killed several senior political and military figures, hitting the Islamic Republic's core leadership.
Among them are:
- Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran, killed in an airstrike on his compound on 28 February.
- Ali Larijani, secretary of the supreme national security council, killed in an air strike in the Paris area on 17 March.
- Mohammad Pakpour, commander-in-chief of the IRGC, killed in Tehran on 28 February.
- Aziz Nasirzadeh, Iran’s defence minister, killed in Tehran on 28 February.
- Abdolrahim Mousavi, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, killed in Tehran on 28 February.
- Esmail Khatib, Iran’s intelligence minister, killed in a strike on 18 March.
- Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, leading the force central to internal security, killed in strikes on 17 March.
US proposals to end war 'unrealistic and illogical' says Iran
Monday 30 March 2026 11:19 , James ReynoldsIran branded US proposals to end the war “unrealistic, illogical and excessive” on Monday, as US troops arrived in the region and Donald Trump threatened an island invasion.
Foreign ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran had received messages from intermediaries expressing Washington’s willingness to negotiate, but said the proposals were asking too much.
Baghaei’s press conference came a day after the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey met in Islamabad for first talks aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz to shipping.
"Our position is clear. We are under military aggression. Therefore, all our efforts and strength are focused on defending ourselves," Baghaei said.
Iran vows to set US troops on fire if Trump launches ground invasion
Monday 30 March 2026 11:00 , James ReynoldsIran says it is ready and waiting for US troops to launch a ground invasion and threatened to “set fire” to Donald Trump’s forces if they enter the Islamic Republic’s territory.
Speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Tehran is “waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire”, in a published message broadcast on Iranian state media, including the official IRNA news agency, on Sunday.
It follows reports over the weekend that the Pentagon is awaiting President Trump’s approval for ground operations in Iran, according to the Washington Post.
Read the full story:
Iran vows to set US troops on fire if Trump launches ground invasion
Iran executes opposition group members convicted of plotting armed attacks in Tehran
Monday 30 March 2026 10:40 , James ReynoldsIran executed two men convicted of links to opposition group People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran and plotting armed attacks in Tehran using improvised launcher devices, its judiciary news outlet said on Monday.
In a statement, the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran, the political arm of the PMOI, confirmed the executions and said the "barbaric" act was part of a broader effort to quell resistance within Iran.
Both men had been arrested in early 2024 and had been held at Evin prison in Tehran where they were “subjected to savage torture”, according to the statement shared with The Independent.
It said a number of PMOI members and other political prisoners remained on death row and called for action to be taken to save their lives.
Trump said he'd 'do a number on Kharg Island' in 1988
Monday 30 March 2026 10:30 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump told the Guardian way back in 1988 that he would “do a number on Kharg Island”, as US-Iranian relations fell to a new low.
Trump said in the interview that he was not yet eyeing the role of president. He nonetheless aired strong opinions on how to tackle the world’s problems.
“I’d be harsh on Iran,” he said. “They’ve been beating us psychologically, making us look a bunch of fools. One bullet shot at one of our men or ships and I’d do a number on Kharg Island. I’d go in and take it.”
“Iran can’t even beat Iraq, yet they push the United States around. It’d be good for the world to take them on,” he continued, as noted by the BBC.
Recap: Trump says talks progressing as Israel widens invasion of Lebanon
Monday 30 March 2026 10:09 , James ReynoldsGood morning.
Over the weekend, Donald Trump said that the US and Iran have been meeting directly and indirectly, appraising the new leaders of the country as being “very reasonable”.
With Iran’s top leadership decimated in four weeks of war, Trump said on Sunday he thought the US had already accomplished regime change in the country.
Pakistan, acting as an intermediary between the US and Iran, said it was preparing to host “meaningful talks” in the coming days aimed at ending the war.
US eyes possible Kharg invasion
Trump’s comments came even as more US troops arrived in the region, giving Trump the option of launching a ground offensive.
In an interview with Financial Times published on Sunday, Trump said he wanted to "take the oil in Iran" and could seize the export hub of Kharg Island. Taking control of Kharg would require ground troops.
Iran’s parliament speaker accused the US of trying to negotiate while also planning an invasion, and said Iran was ready to respond if needed.
Netanyahu greenlights wider invasion in Lebanon
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said meanwhile on Sunday that he had ordered the military to expand its operations in southern Lebanon, blaming Hezbollah rocket fire.
Israel said last week it was enlarging a ‘buffer zone’ up to the Litani River.
Houthis enter the fray
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis joined the conflict on Saturday, launching their first attacks on Israel and raising the prospect they could target and thus block a second key shipping route, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Israeli authorities said on Sunday that they had intercepted two drones launched from Yemen.
Supreme leader still out of frame
Iran’s new supreme leader thanked the Iraqi people and religious leadership for their support of Iran, according to Iran’s state media. But it was unclear how the message was conveyed.
Mojtaba Khamenei still has not been seen since his appointment as the third supreme leader of Iran in early March.
Force of 3,500 Marines and sailors arrive in Middle East
Monday 30 March 2026 10:00 , James ReynoldsThousands of U.S. servicemembers have deployed to the Middle East as the war with Iran enters its second month, underscoring the scale of the American military buildup in the region.
On Friday, roughly 3,500 Marines and sailors aboard the USS Tripoli — an amphibious assault ship — entered the U.S. Central Command’s “area of responsibility,” the military command announced on Saturday. CENTCOM oversees U.S. operations in the Middle East.
The vessel also carries transport aircraft, tactical assets as well as strike fighter jets. Photos posted by CENTCOM show soldiers wearing helmets, goggles and combat fatigues.
Read the full story:
Iran confirms death of Navy commander Alireza Tangsiri
Monday 30 March 2026 09:58 , James ReynoldsIran has confirmed the death of Navy chief Alireza Tangsiri, days after Israel claimed to have assassinated him.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed the death on Monday in comments carried by state media.
He died of wounds sustained after being targeted in an airstrike in Bandar Abbas, according to the Israeli military and Iranian media.
A native of Bushehr, he rose through the ranks to lead the IRGC Navy in 2018 and oversaw what Iran calls the "smart control" of the Strait of Hormuz, restricting passage through the vital global oil route.
In full: Why Trump wants to seize tiny oil hub in Persian Gulf in risky operation
Monday 30 March 2026 09:41 , James ReynoldsDonald Trump has sent thousands of US soldiers to the Middle East, signalling that a ground invasion of a small island in the Persian Gulf remains on the table even as he touts success in supposed talks to end the war.
The president told the Financial Times that he wants to “take the oil in Iran” and might still use American troops to seize the tiny Kharg Island, the country’s main oil exporting terminal.
Kharg Island handles some 90 per cent of Iran’s oil exports, and taking it would give the US the ability to disrupt Iran’s energy trade and place enormous pressure on the economy.
Kharg Island: Why Trump wants to seize tiny oil hub in Persian Gulf
Starmer to meet energy bosses as oil prices soar to $115/b
Monday 30 March 2026 09:30 , James ReynoldsSir Keir Starmer is set to meet energy bosses in Downing Street on Monday, after the price of brent crude oil soared to $115 a barrel.
The prime minister is set to meet senior executives from the energy, shipping and financial services, including representatives from BP, Shell, Goldman Sachs and Lloyd’s of London, to discuss the impact of the Iran war.
Discussion is expected to focus on Tehran’s ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has disrupted a vital shipping route for the oil and gas industry along with supplies of other products such as fertiliser.
Follow our UK politics blog here:
Starmer to meet energy bosses after oil prices soars to $115 a barrel
Missiles launched from Iran towards northern Israel: report
Monday 30 March 2026 09:21 , James ReynoldsIsrael is facing a new barrage of missile fire from Iran, according to Israeli reporter Amit Segal, writing on Telegram.
IDF admits 'several failures' of soldiers towards CNN reporters
Monday 30 March 2026 09:17 , James ReynoldsIsrael’s chief of the general staff has concluded an inquiry into the conduct of IDF soldiers towards journalists during the evacuation of an illegal outpost in the West Bank, finding “several failures”, including deviation from orders and inappropriate communication with members of the press.
Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Monday suspended all operational activities of a reserve battalion involved in the detention and assault of a CNN team in the West Bank last week.
CNN was covering the aftermath of a violent assault by settlers in the Palestinian village of Tayasir when reporters were detained. One of the soldiers placed a photographer in a chokehold, bringing him to the ground and damaging his camera, according to the website.
Reservists who served in the ultra-Orthodox Netzah Yehuda battalion will be withdrawn and reassigned to training until further notice, an Israeli military official told CNN.
Lt. Gen. Zamir said: “This is a grave ethical incident that is out of line with IDF norms and values. We all swore the soldier’s oath upon enlistment—weapons are to be used solely for the purpose of carrying out the mission, and never for revenge. We will not accept such incidents within the ranks of the IDF.”
Who are the Houthis? How rebel group could disrupt global trade amid Strait of Hormuz chaos
Monday 30 March 2026 09:00 , James ReynoldsThe Houthis, a Yemeni rebel group known for its attacks on shipping, have joined the Iran war just as it enters its fifth week.
Their involvement escalates a rapidly worsening conflict that has already placed global oil supplies in a chokehold amid the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and reports of an impending ground invasion by US troops.
Backed by Iran, the Houthis had stayed out of the conflict until they launched attacks on Israel on Saturday.
Who are the Houthis? How rebel group could disrupt global trade and Strait of Hormuz
Where is Kharg Island?
Monday 30 March 2026 08:19 , James ReynoldsWatch: Zelensky visits Jordan as Kyiv looks to shore up Middle east defence ties
Monday 30 March 2026 08:00 , James ReynoldsWill Trump invade Kharg Island?
Monday 30 March 2026 07:53 , James ReynoldsTrump told the Financial Times in an interview published on Sunday that he wanted to "take the oil in Iran" and could seize the export hub of Kharg Island.
Taking control of Kharg would require ground troops, which the US has rushed to the region in recent days. But most Americans are still opposed to the war and a new escalation, which would likely weigh on Trump’s already low approval ratings ahead of November midterm elections for Congress.
Officials have told Reuters the administration is weighing whether to send ground forces to the island.
Why launch a ground invasion?
The island handles 90% of Iran's oil exports, and seizing it would give the United States the ability to disrupt Iran's energy trade, placing enormous pressure on Tehran's economy.
Trump would also hope that taking Kharg Island would force Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and provide him with potential leverage in future negotiations, analysts say.
How could the US go in?
Two contingents of Marines could arrive in the region around the end of the month, and sources say the Pentagon is planning to send thousands of airborne troops as well to give Trump more options if he were to order a ground assault.
A former commander of the U.S. Central Command, Joseph Votel, told TWZ.com last week that while only 800 to 1,000 troops would be needed on Kharg Island, they would require logistical backup that would need protection as well.
How would Iran respond?
Tehran has already sent extra surface to air missiles to the island and has laid traps including anti-personnel and anti-armour mines in the waters surrounding it, CNN reported, citing people familiar with US intelligence.
US troops landing on the island would also be exposed to missile and drone attacks.
Tehran could opt to lay more mines to target shipping, including floating mines deployed from the coast, which would make the region even more hazardous for shipping, which has already been significantly disrupted by the conflict.
Israel bolsters artillery stockpiles as Lebanon war widens
Monday 30 March 2026 07:45 , James ReynoldsIsrael's ministry of defence on Monday said that it had placed a $48 million order for "tens of thousands" of 155mm artillery shells from Israeli defence company Elbit Systems.
The order was part of a broader ministry strategy to reduce Israel's reliance on foreign munitions and expand domestic production, the ministry said in a statement.
It did not say when the munitions would be delivered.
Trump considering military action to seize Iran's uranium - report
Monday 30 March 2026 07:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump is reportedly considering a military operation to remove nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran.
President Trump is still weighing the risk of the operation and has yet to pass the order, US officials familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.
Trump and key allies have privately agreed a targeted operation could seize the uranium without significantly prolonging the war, the report said.
However, former US military officers and experts warned any attempt to extract the uranium would be highly complex and carry significant risks.
Iran dismisses Pakistan talks
Monday 30 March 2026 06:42 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, dismissed the talks in Pakistan as a cover after some 2,500 US Marines trained in amphibious landings arrived in the Middle East.
He said Iranian forces were “waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire and punish their regional partners forever,” according to state media.
Protest in Washington DC in support of Iranians' 'fight for freedom'
Monday 30 March 2026 06:40 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Trump calls Iran's current leaders 'very reasonable'
Monday 30 March 2026 06:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarPresident Donald Trump said the US and Iran have been meeting "directly and indirectly" and that Iran's new leaders have been "very reasonable", as more US troops arrived in the region and Tehran warned it will not accept humiliation.
Mr Trump's remarks came after Pakistan, which is acting as an intermediary between Tehran and Washington, said it was preparing to host "meaningful talks" in the coming days aimed at ending the month-long Iran war.
"I think we'll make a deal with them, I'm pretty sure, but it's possible we won't," Mr Trump told reporters last evening as he traveled aboard Air Force One to Washington.
Mr Trump said he thought the US had already accomplished regime change in Tehran after strikes killed the country's supreme leader and other top officials, but said twice that their replacements seemed "reasonable".
New Zealand warns inflation will go 'much higher' if Iran war drags on
Monday 30 March 2026 06:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarNew Zealand's finance minister said this morning that inflation was likely to rise "much higher" this year and stay outside the central bank's target range if the conflict in the Middle East drags on.
Finance minister Nicola Willis said the latest treasury department modelling had inflation peaking higher than previously expected based on a scenario with "a longer conflict with deeper disruption to supply chains".
"They think inflation will go much higher this year, and it will stay out of our target band," Ms Willis told reporters.
Data released in January showed fourth-quarter inflation of 3.1 per cent breached the central bank's target band of 1 per cent to 3 per cent. With energy prices rising, markets are increasingly pricing in a near-term policy tightening.
Trump claims US ‘destroyed’ sought-after targets across Iran
Monday 30 March 2026 05:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump this morning claimed his troops have destroyed multiple targets in Iran as the war drags on.
“Big day in Iran. Many long sought after targets have been taken out and destroyed by our GREAT MILITARY, the finest and most lethal in the World,” Trump wrote in a brief post.
Iran vows to set US troops on fire if Trump launches ground invasion
Monday 30 March 2026 05:16 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarIran says it is ready and waiting for US troops to launch a ground invasion and threatened to “set fire” to Donald Trump’s forces if they enter the Islamic Republic’s territory.
Speaker of Iran’s parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said Tehran is “waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire”, in a published message broadcast on Iranian state media, including the official IRNA news agency, on Sunday.
It follows overnight reports that the Pentagon is awaiting President Trump’s approval for ground operations in Iran, according to the Washington Post.
More here.
Iran vows to set US troops on fire if Trump launches ground invasion
Trump says US could take Iran's Kharg Island 'easily'
Monday 30 March 2026 04:45 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS president Donald Trump has raised the idea of American forces seizing Iran’s Kharg Island, its main oil terminal in the Persian Gulf.
“Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options,” Mr Trump told the Financial Times.
“It would also mean we had to be there (on Kharg Island) for a while.”
Asked about Iranian defences there, he said, “I don’t think they have any defence. We could take it very easily.”
The US already launched airstrikes once it said targeted military positions on the island.
Iran has threatened to launch its own ground invasion of Gulf Arab countries and new attacks if US troops land on its territory.
Mr Trump said that Iran’s parliament speaker authorised the passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf.
Oil heads for record monthly jump at $115 a barrel
Monday 30 March 2026 04:36 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarOil prices extended gains this morning, with Brent headed for a record monthly rise, after Yemeni Houthis launched their first attacks on Israel over the weekend, widening the U.S.-Israel war with Iran in the Middle East.
Brent crude futures jumped $3.09, or 2.74 per cent, to $115.66 a barrel by after settling 4.2 per cent higher on Friday.
US West Texas Intermediate was at $102.56 a barrel, up $2.92, or 2.93 per cent, following a 5.5 per cent gain in the previous session.
Brent has soared 59 per cent this month, the steepest monthly jump, exceeding gains seen during the 1990 Gulf War, after the Iran conflict effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for a fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies.
