This blog has now closed – our ongoing live coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran is continuing here.
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Iran laying mines in strait of Hormuz surprised Trump administration – reports
Iran started to lay mines on Thursday in the strait of Hormuz, a crucial Gulf passage for 20% of the world’s oil supply, US officials told the New York Times.
While Donald Trump has boasted that the US military has destroyed Iran’s navy, officials said Iran had started using smaller boats to place mines and enforce the closure of the strait it had imposed on its Gulf neighbours, sending oil prices sky high.
Iran’s move to close the narrow passage has long been an expected move by war planners in previous administrations but apparently took the Trump administration by surprise.
CNN reported on Thursday that senior Trump administration officials told lawmakers in recent classified briefings that they did not plan for the possibility of Iran closing the strait in response to strikes by the US and Israel.
“Planning around preventing this exact scenario … has been a bedrock principle of US national security policy for decades,” a former US official who served in Republican and Democratic administrations told CNN. “I’m dumbfounded.”
Israel’s emergency services is reportedly saying two people have been injured in the country’s north after the military warned that Iran had fired missiles towards Israel.
One of the injured was a 34-year-old woman who was hospitalised with shrapnel injuries to her back, the Magen David Adom posted on social media.
The military warnings were followed by night-time rocket and missile alerts across Israel.
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Macron says French soldier killed in attack in Iraq
Emmanuel Macron has confirmed on social media that a French soldier has been killed in an attack in Erbil in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region – marking the first French military death of the Middle East war.
The French president named him in a post on X as Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion of the 7th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins from Varces, saying he “died for France”.
To his family, to his brothers in arms, I want to express all the affection and solidarity of the Nation.
Macron also said in the post that several French soldiers had been wounded. He added:
This attack against our forces engaged in the fight against Daesh [Islamic State] since 2015 is unacceptable. Their presence in Iraq is part of the strict framework of the fight against terrorism. The war in Iran cannot justify such attacks.
As mentioned, France’s army said earlier that six French soldiers in training with Iraqi partners had been wounded and taken to medical centre after a drone attack in the region.
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Emmanuel Macron has said a French soldier has been killed and several others wounded in an attack in Iraqi Kurdistan.
The French president is also quoted as saying the attack against French forces in the Erbil region was unacceptable.
France’s army was reported earlier as saying that six French soldiers engaged in counter-terrorism training with Iraqi partners were wounded after a drone attack in the region.
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More airlines hike flight prices amid oil supply disruption
Cathay Pacific, AirAsia and Thai Airways are among a growing number of airlines hiking air fares as conflict in the Middle East boosts oil prices and sends travellers flocking to alternative stopover destinations in Asia.
The US and Israel’s war on Iran has sent the price of oil soaring while restricting access to refineries, with experts predicting air fares could be elevated for months even if the conflict ends.
Some airlines have locked in the price of a portion of their crude oil purchases but not the costs of refining that into jet fuel, leaving them exposed to price shocks.
Cathay Pacific planned to increase fuel surcharges for travellers as it had hedged none of the refiner’s margin and only 30% of its fuel costs.
You can read more here:
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US suspends sanctions on Russian oil sales amid Iran war
The US temporarily suspended sanctions on the sale of Russian oil on Thursday, issuing a Treasury Department license to allow the sale of Russian crude oil and petroleum products loaded on vessels until 11 April, according to a letter posted online by the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, which oversees sanctions.
The sale of Russian oil has been sanctioned by the US in retaliation for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, cast the windfall for Russia as one of a series of steps taken by Donald Trump “to promote stability in global energy markets and working to keep prices low as we address the threat and instability posed by the terrorist Iranian regime”.
The new license, which covers oil and petroleum products loaded on vessels as of 12 March, comes a day after the US announced it would release 172m barrels of oil from its strategic petroleum reserve in an effort to keep oil prices from further spiking after Iran closed the strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the globe’s oil supply normally passes.
The International Energy Agency earlier on Wednesday ordered its largest-ever release of government oil reserves – about 400m barrels.
Iran has reportedly continued to export oil, which is now more valuable since it responded to the US and Israeli attack by blocking other Persian Gulf countries from shipping their oil to the rest of the world.
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Israel’s military is saying missiles were launched at the country’s territory from Iran a short while ago and that defence systems are operating to intercept them.
The Israel Defence Forces also said in a post on X that it had directed people in relevant areas via mobile phone to head to shelters.
The public is requested to exercise responsibility and act in accordance with the directives – they save lives.
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US plane in Iraq crash had six troops onboard – report
The US air force refuelling aircraft that went down in Iraq had six service members onboard, Reuters has quoted a US official as saying.
The other aircraft involved in the crash of the US air force KC-135 aircraft was also a KC-135, the news agency quoted the official – speaking on condition of anonymity – as saying.
US Central Command (Centcom) earlier said it was carrying out rescue efforts after the KC-135 aircraft went down in “friendly airspace” in western Iraq in an incident that was “not due to hostile fire or friendly fire”. The second aircraft landed safely.
The KC-135, built by Boeing in the 1950s and early 1960s, has served as the backbone of the US military’s air refueling fleet and is critical to allow aircraft to carry out missions without having to land.
News of the crash comes the same day as two US sailors were injured after the USS Gerald Ford suffered a non-combat-related fire onboard.
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The US military refuelling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq on Thursday is the fourth US aircraft downed since the US and Israel began attacking Iran on 28 February.
It wasn’t immediately clear if there were casualties in the latest incident, which US Central Command said involved another aircraft but was not the result of hostile or friendly fire. Rescue efforts were under way after the US KC-135 aircraft went down, it said.
Earlier this month three US air force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down in a “friendly fire” incident by Kuwait air defences. All crew members in those jets ejected safely.
Seven US troops have been killed in the war on Iran, while Reuters reported on Tuesday that as many as 150 US troops have been wounded. The death toll in Iran is more than 1,300, according to the country’s UN ambassador.
You can read more on the refuelling plane crash in our report here:
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Aoun condemns Israeli attacks on Lebanese University as 'new chapter in targeting of civilians'
The Lebanese health ministry has said that 70 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Thursday.
Among the dead were two academics, Hussein Bazzi and Murtadha Sarour, killed in an attack on the campus of Lebanese University.
Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, condemned the attack as a “flagrant violation of international laws and norms”.
What happened today at the Faculty of Sciences is a crime condemned by all standards, and a flagrant violation of international laws and norms that prohibit attacks on educational institutions and civilians. It is a new chapter in the targeting of civilians.
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The day so far
US Central Command said it is carrying out rescue efforts after it lost a military refuelling aircraft in “friendly airspace” in Iraq, while saying neither hostile or friendly fire were to blame. A statement said “rescue efforts are ongoing” after an incident involving two planes, the second of which landed safely.
Israel launched fresh strikes on Tehran and Beirut.
Donald Trump said his war on Iran is “moving along very rapidly” and “doing very well”. He called Iran “a nation of terror and hate”, and said it is “paying a big price right now”.
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a veiled threat to kill Iran’s new supreme leader, saying he “wouldn’t take out life insurance policies” on Iran’s new ayatollah or the leader of Hezbollah. Using his first press conference since the start of the war to defend his joint military assault with the US against Iran, he said Israel aims to stop Iran from moving its nuclear and ballistic projects underground, and that some Israeli strikes have killed top Iranian nuclear scientists.
The US Navy, perhaps with an international coalition, will escort vessels through the strait of Hormuz when it is militarily possible, US treasury secretary Scott Bessent told Sky News. The plan to escort ships would go ahead as soon as the US has “complete control of the skies and ... [Iran’s] rebuilding capabilities for the missiles completely degraded,” Bessent said.
Trump said the Iranian national football team was “welcome” to participate at this summer’s World Cup - which is taking place in the US, Canada and Mexico - but, extraordinarily, added: “I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.” The US president didn’t elaborate on the nature of the risk.
Six French soldiers engaged in counter-terrorism training with Iraqi partners were wounded after a drone attack in the region, France’s army said, as reported by Reuters.
A US defence official has told BBC News that there were no significant injuries and all American soldiers stationed there remain on duty after a base, also in Erbil, northern Iraq, housing UK and US forces came under attack from an Iranian drone last night. No British soldiers were injured in the attack either, BBC News understands.
A ballistic missile fired from Iran hit an open area in central Israel, causing no injuries, the IDF’s Home Front Command said, as quoted by Haaretz.
Saudi Arabia’s defence forces said it intercepted a drone heading towards the Shaybah oil field (drones have been targeting the area regularly this week), as well as a ballistic missile and three drones launched towards the country’s eastern region.
Qatar’s defence ministry has said that it intercepted two ballistic missiles, one cruise missile and multiple drones launched from Iran.
US carrying out rescue effort after losing refuelling plane in Iraq, US military says
US Central Command has said it is carrying out rescue efforts after it lost a military aircraft in “friendly airspace” in Iraq. In a statement it said:
US Central Command is aware of the loss of a US KC-135 refuelling aircraft. The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely.
This was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.
Updated
Meanwhile, also in Erbil, Iraq, six French soldiers engaged in counter-terrorism training with Iraqi partners were wounded after a drone attack in the region, France’s army said on Thursday, as reported by Reuters.
They were immediately taken to the nearest medical centre, the army said in a statement, without elaborating.
A US defence official has told BBC News that there were no significant injuries and all American soldiers stationed there remain on duty after a base in Erbil, northern Iraq, housing UK and US forces came under attack from an Iranian drone last night.
The official said US forces at the base have been defending against strikes since the beginning of the war. No British soldiers were injured in the attack either, BBC News understands.
A ballistic missile fired from Iran hit an open area in central Israel, causing no injuries, the IDF’s Home Front Command said on Thursday, as quoted by Haaretz.
Trump says war on Iran is 'moving along very rapidly' and Tehran 'paying a big price'
Donald Trump has been speaking at a White House event with his wife, Melania, to mark Women’s History Month. Naturally, he quickly segued into touting his war on Iran.
The situation with Iran is moving along very rapidly. It’s, doing very well. Our military is unsurpassed. There’s never been anything like it, nobody’s ever seen anything like it. And we’re doing what has to be done, should have been done during a 47 year period. Could have been done by a lot of different people. They chose not to do it, but they really are a a nation of terror and hate. And they’re paying a big price right now.
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Saudi Arabia intercepts drones over its eastern region
Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s defence forces said it intercepted a drone heading towards the Shaybah oil field (drones have been targeting the area regularly this week), as well as a ballistic missile and three drones launched towards the country’s eastern region.
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Netanyahu threatens new supreme leader and says Israeli strikes have killed top Iranian nuclear scientists
Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a veiled threat to kill Iran’s new supreme leader, as he used his first press conference since the start of the war to defend his joint military assault with the US against Iran.
Netanyahu said that Iran was “no longer the same” after nearly two weeks of US-Israeli bombardment and that Tehran had suffered blows to its elite Revolutionary Guards Corps and Basij paramilitary force.
Further, Netanyahu said that Israel aims to stop Iran from moving its nuclear and ballistic projects underground, and that some Israeli strikes have killed top Iranian nuclear scientists.
The Israeli leader also vowed to keep hitting Hezbollah after the Iran-backed group opened fire on 2 March to avenge the US-Israeli assassination of Iran’s supreme leader at the start of the war.
We will exact a hefty price of Hezbollah, and it’s better for the Lebanese government to move ahead of us and participate in this move.
Asked about what actions Israel might take against Iran’s new ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem, Netanyahu issue a veiled threat:
I wouldn’t issue life insurance policies on any of the leaders of the terrorist organization ... I don’t intend to give an exact message here about what we are planning or what we are going to do.
He also said Khamenei “cannot show his face in public,” referring to him as “the puppet of the Revolutionary Guards”.
Tehran and Hezbollah no longer pose the same threats that they once did, he went on.
The Israeli PM repeated his line that they can create conditions for a regime change, but that it was up to the Iranian people to take to the streets. “At the end of the day, it depends on you. It is in your hands,” he said.
Netanyahu added that he and Donald Trump speak daily and “freely”.
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Here are some images coming out of Beirut amid the latest wave of Israeli strikes on the Lebanese capital.
A reminder that at least 687 people have been killed and over 1,500 others injured in Israeli airstrikes across Beirut’s southern suburbs and the IDF’s ground invasion of villages in southern Lebanon.
More than 800,000 people have been displaced since Israel began its deadly assault on 2 March, after Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israeli territory following the US-Israeli assassination of Iran’s supreme leader at the start of the war.
The Israeli military claims it is targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and personnel with its widespread aerial and ground assault on Lebanon.
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Qatar intercepts more missiles and drones from Iran
Qatar’s defence ministry has said that it intercepted two ballistic missiles, one cruise missile and multiple drones launched from Iran on Thursday.
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US Navy could escort vessels through strait of Hormuz with international coalition, Bessent says
The US Navy, perhaps with an international coalition, will escort vessels through the strait of Hormuz when it is militarily possible, US treasury secretary Scott Bessent has told Sky News.
My belief, that as soon as it is militarily possible, the US Navy, perhaps with an international coalition, will be escorting vessels through.
The plan to escort ships would go ahead as soon as the US has “complete control of the skies and ... [Iran’s] rebuilding capabilities for the missiles completely degraded,” he said.
Bessent added:
There are, in fact, tankers coming through now, Iranian tankers, I believe some Chinese flag tankers have come through. So we know that they have not mined the straits.
Earlier, US energy secretary Chris Wright told CNBC that the navy cannot escort ships through the strait of Hormuz now - but it was “quite likely” that could happen by the end of the month.
US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s subsequent response have paralysed shipping through the critical waterway, disrupting vital oil and gas flows and sending global energy prices soaring.
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Israel launches ‘extensive’ strikes on Tehran
The IDF has announced it has launched an “extensive wave” of strikes across Tehran. It claims it is targeting the infrastructure of the regime.
Trump says Iran competing in World Cup wouldn't be appropriate 'for their own safety'
Earlier, Donald Trump said the Iranian national football team was “welcome” to participate at this summer’s World Cup - which is taking place in the US, Canada and Mexico - but, extraordinarily, added:
I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety.
The US president didn’t elaborate on the nature of the risk.
Iran are scheduled to play three group matches in the international football tournament, which begins on 11 June. They’re due to face New Zealand and Belgium in LA on 15 and 21 June respectively, and Egypt in Seattle on 26 June.
Trump’s warning comes after Iran’s sports minister Ahmad Donyamali told state media on Wednesday that “under no circumstances” could the country’s football team participate in the competition, given that US-Israeli strikes on Iran have killed the supreme leader and more than 1,348 civilians.
Considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup.
Our children are not safe and, fundamentally, such conditions for participation do not exist.
Given the malicious actions they have carried out against Iran, they have forced two wars on us over eight or nine months and have killed and martyred thousands of our people.
Therefore, we certainly cannot have such a presence.
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Middle East war creating ‘largest supply disruption in the history of oil markets’
Jillian Ambrose and Callum Jones
Oil markets are facing the “largest supply disruption in history” as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues to block tankers from producing and shipping millions of barrels of crude each day, the world energy watchdog has warned.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) said the supply shock ignited by Iran’s effective blockade of the strait of Hormuz meant the world faced a deeper crisis than after the Yom Kippur war of 1973 and the 2022 outbreak of war in Ukraine.
The warning came as Iran issued a statement that was said to be the first from its new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, to call for the vital trade artery to “remain closed”, in a blow to hopes of a resolution to the crisis.
In response, global oil prices again passed $100 (£75) a barrel on Thursday as widespread Iranian attacks on energy facilities in the Middle East overshadowed a vast release of government reserves.
Here’s the full report:
Pentagon tells US lawmakers that war on Iran cost over $11.3bn in the first week - reports
US defense officials told senators on the armed services committee that the cost of the war on Iran totaled more than $11.3bn in the first six days alone, according to multiple reports.
The New York Times was first to break the news about the conflict’s price tag, citing three people familiar with the closed-door briefing on Tuesday.
According to the Times, the figure did not include many of the costs associated with the operation, such as the buildup of military hardware and personnel ahead of the first strikes. For that reason, lawmakers expect the number to grow considerably as the Pentagon continues to calculate the costs that accumulated during the first week of military action on Iran.
Several reports note that the White House is expected to submit additional funding requests for the conflict, despite the fact that Donald Trump claimed last week the US has a “virtually unlimited supply” of medium and upper grade ammunition that is primarily being used in the war.
The administration has not provided a public estimate of the cost of the conflict, and has offered confusing messages about its timeline. Trump said on Wednesday that “we won” the war but that the US will stay in the fight to “finish the job”.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke to Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian, Modi said in a post on X.
“The safety and security of Indian nationals, along with the need for unhindered transit of goods and energy, remain India’s top priorities,” he wrote.
The day so far
In his first public remarks as Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei apparently called for national unity and said that all US bases in the region should close or face attacks. The strait of Hormuz will remain closed in order to pressure Iran’s enemies, Khamenei reportedly said. He was not seen in the broadcast and the statement was delivered by a newsreader.
Khamenei said Iran will avenge the those who were killed in US-Israeli airstrikes, including the dozens of seven to 12-year-old girls who were killed in an airstrike that hit a school in Minab. He also offered financial compensation for Iranians who suffered damage from the attacks.
Iran appeared to have set two tankers ablaze on fire in Iraqi waters, killing one crew member, as it stepped up strikes on oil and transport facilities around the Middle East.
Thailand’s foreign ministry on Thursday said it had requested an apology from after a Thai bulk carrier was attacked in the strait of Hormuz yesterday. Three ships were hit by unknown projectiles in the strategic strait abutting Iran. While two of the ships sustained damage, the crew was forced to evacuate the Thai bulk carrier after it caught fire.
US energy secretary Chris Wright told CNBC on Thursday that the navy cannot escort ships through the strait of Hormuz now but it was “quite likely” that could happen by the end of the month. The issues with protecting oil tankers in the strait were discussed by US military officials in a classified briefing to top lawmakers on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter.
As many as 3.2m Iranians have fled their homes to find safety from the joint US-Israeli aerial bombing campaign bombarding the country, according to preliminary assessments by the the UN refugee agency. “Most of them are reportedly fleeing from Tehran and other major urban areas towards the north of the country and rural areas to seek safety,” the UNHCR said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.
Oman’s foreign minister, and the mediator in the US Iran nuclear talks, has claimed the US will not achieve as much through war as it could have achieved in the peace talks. Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi was speaking to Omani reporters in Muscat and appears to challenge the premise that the war is about Iran’s nuclear program, arguing it was designed to weaken Iran politically.
Oil prices, which shot up earlier in the week to nearly $120 a barrel before retreating, jumped almost 10% back above $100 a barrel before dropping to $98 a barrel amid renewed fears about supply disruption. A spokesperson for Iran’s military command had earlier warned in remarks directed at the US: “Get ready for oil to be $200 a barrel, because the oil price depends on regional security, which you have destabilised.”
Vladimir Putin’s “hidden hand” lies behind Iran’s military methods, the UK defence secretary, John Healey, has said, after a night in which drones struck a camp used by western forces in Erbil, northern Iraq. Healey was speaking after British officers at the UK’s military headquarters in north-west London had told him that Iranian and Iranian proxy drone pilots were increasingly adopting tactics “from the Russians”.
Iran wants to ensure that a war will not be imposed on it again in the future, deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told AFP, as the conflict raged with the United States and Israel. “We want to see that war is not going to be imposed again on Iran,” said Takht-Ravanchi in an interview with AFP in Tehran.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) will convene an “extraordinary session” next week to discuss threats to shipping in the Middle East and particularly in the strait of Hormuz, the agency said Thursday. The meeting, scheduled for 18-19 March at the IMO headquarters in London, was requested by several council members.
Israeli forces conducted a drone strike on an area of Beirut where displaced residents were sheltering in tents. At least eight people were killed in the attack on the capital’s beachfront.
The Israeli military issued a warning on Thursday to residents of a village in Lebanon located about 64 kilometres (40 miles) east of Beirut. It also announced that it had begun yet another widescale wave of strikes on Iran. The IDF also said that Israeli forces had struck a nuclear program site in Iran earlier this week, but the Guardian was not able to independently verify that statement.
Amid the Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Iran, displaced Palestinians in a tent encampment near Gaza City said they received a call from the Israeli military on Wednesday night ordering them to evacuate in five minutes. Video shows the camp then getting struck.
Drones struck Kuwait international airport on Thursday, causing some material damage. It is unclear who is responsible for the attack, which came one day after four people were injured when air defences intercepted two drones near Dubai airport in the United Arab Emirates. Soon after the attack, the Dutch carrier KLM canceled all flights to Dubai up to and including 28 March.
An Italian military base in the Kurdish region of Iraq was attacked, Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said in a post on X. Tajani said he strongly condemned the attack in Erbil, but didn’t say if authorities knew who was responsible for it. He said all soldiers on the base were safe.
About 2,000 people have reportedly been killed in the war launched almost two weeks ago, while Unicef said more than 1,100 children had been killed or injured.
Iran security chief says will not relent until US “sorry for grave miscalculation”.
Iranian security chief Ali Larijani said Thursday that his country would not give up fighting until the United States came to regret the “grave miscalculation” of launching its war against the Islamic republic.
“Trump says he is looking for a speedy victory. While starting a war is easy, it cannot be won with a few tweets. We will not relent until making you sorry for this grave miscalculation,” Larijani said on X.
As two tankers burn in the waters, Greenpeace has warned that the 85 tankers currently sitting in the Persian Gulf, carrying a cumulative 21bn litres of oil, are an environmental disaster waiting to happen.
Greenpeace Germany has been mapping oil tankers trapped in the area and potential impacts of an oil spill if they are damaged.
The strait of Hormuz and the adjacent waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman contain sensitive ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows, which provide vital habitats.
Even in peacetime, these ecosystems are exposed to extreme and significant human pressures from the vast scale of the shipping oil extraction, seawater desalination, and coastal development in the region.
On Thursday, filmed from the shore of the port of the Iraqi oil port of Basra showed two ships engulfed in massive orange fireballs that lit up the night sky, after attacks which Iraqi authorities blamed on explosive-laden Iranian boats.
“Right now, there are dozens of tankers carrying billions of litres of oil trapped in the Persian Gulf as mines are being laid and missiles are hitting ships,” said Nina Noelle, a spokesperson for Greenpeace Germany.
“This is an environmental disaster waiting to happen. A single oil spill in the Gulf could damage this fragile marine habitat beyond repair with devastating consequences for people, animals, and plants in the region, adding to the terrible human toll this illegal war has already taken on local communities.”
Greenpeace have produced an interactive map simulating the potential consequences of oil spills in the Persian Gulf if tankers are damaged. Noelle said: “The strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters are home to pristine coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows.
“This is an ecological ticking time bomb and represents an enormous risk that further increases instability and human suffering in the region.”
Iran wants to ensure that a war will not be imposed on it again in the future, deputy foreign minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi told AFP, as the conflict raged with the United States and Israel.
“We want to see that war is not going to be imposed again on Iran,” said Takht-Ravanchi in an interview with AFP in Tehran.
“When the war started last June, after 12 days there was so called cessation of hostilities... but after eight or nine months, they regrouped and they did it again,” he said, referring to the US and Israel.
“We do not want to be treated like this again in the future.”
Iran issued its first message in the name of its new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, on Thursday, saying it would keep the strait of Hormuz closed and continue to attack US bases in the region.
The missive was read out on state TV rather than delivered live or on video, however, and will do little to satisfy those seeking proof that the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is actually alive.
In the message, Khamenei said he would demand compensation from the US for its attacks, and that if Washington refused he would order the destruction of its assets equivalent to the amount Iran is owed.
With doubts circulating about his health after the lethal attack on his father’s compound on the first day of the US-Israeli assault, the message read out on state TV is bound to be examined closely for the first clues of the kind of leadership the previously backroom politician intends to provide.
Described as a hardliner close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Khamenei, 56, said little in his message about the recent internal divisions in the country save to praise “the masses of people who have gathered in magnificent assemblies to reaffirm their allegiance to the system”.
“There must be no harm to the unity of the nation among the individuals and groups of the nation which usually becomes specially evident in times of hardship,” he said, calling for “points of disagreement” to be overlooked. He also showered praise on the Iranian people for standing up to the aggressor, saying it had brought admiration from friends and astonishment from enemies.
Oman’s foreign minister, and the mediator in the US Iran nuclear talks, has claimed the US will not achieve as much through war as it could have achieved in the peace talks.
Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi was speaking to Omani reporters in Muscat and appears to challenge the premise that the war is about Iran’s nuclear program, arguing it was designed to weaken Iran politically.
In the official account of the meeting it is said “in describing the background of the war, the minister stated that the decision was not fundamentally linked to the Iranian nuclear program”.
He noted that recent negotiations had reached a very advanced stage, including an Iranian pledge not to possess nuclear material capable of producing a bomb, a commitment not to accumulate or store enriched materials and to convert existing stockpiles into irreversible fuel.
He emphasised that the United States could not have obtained greater concessions through war than those achieved through negotiation.
He added that the true objective of the war was to weaken Iran, reshape the region, and advance the normalisation process within a broader context that also included attempts to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state and to weaken any country or institution that supports or stands with the Palestinian statehood project.
In response to a question about Oman’s position on the ‘peace council’, he stated that Oman would not join the council and would not normalise relations with Israel.
The minister considered the American and Israeli attacks on Iran a new link in a “dangerous chain of violations witnessed in recent years” and said they threatened to undermine the legal framework that had provided protection and stability to the countries of the region for decades.
IDF launches new strikes on Beirut
The Israeli military said it had begun a wave of strikes across Beirut on Thursday, after it warned residents of a central neighbourhood of the Lebanese capital it would target a building there.
“The IDF has begun a wave of strikes targeting Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure across Beirut,” a military statement said, as AFPTV footage showed a strike hitting a central Beirut building.
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Italy is temporarily withdrawing all personnel from a military base in Iraqi Kurdistan which came under a drone attack, completing a retreat that was already underway, ministers said on Thursday.
“A retreat was already planned” before Wednesday’s attack that caused no injuries, defence minister Guido Crosetto told Italian news programme TG1, a withdrawal confirmed by foreign minister Antonio Tajani.
Vladimir Putin’s “hidden hand” lies behind Iran’s military methods, the UK defence secretary, John Healey, has said, after a night in which drones struck a camp used by western forces in Erbil, northern Iraq.
Healey was speaking after British officers at the UK’s military headquarters in north-west London had told him that Iranian and Iranian proxy drone pilots were increasingly adopting tactics “from the Russians”.
Iran has already fired more than 2,000 Shahed drones – long-range weapons heavily used by Russia against Ukraine – across the Middle East in response to the US-Israeli attack launched on 28 February.
Lt Gen Nick Perry, the chief of joint operations, told Healey it appeared that Russia had since passed back tactical advice to Iran and its proxies on how to fly them.
Iranian drone pilots were now “flying them much lower, and therefore they are more effective” in hitting targets, Perry said. That had “proven problematic”, he said, because Shahed drones were becoming one of Tehran’s more effective weapons as the conflict heads towards a third week.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) will convene an “extraordinary session” next week to discuss threats to shipping in the Middle East and particularly in the strait of Hormuz, the agency said Thursday.
The meeting, scheduled for 18-19 March at the IMO headquarters in London, was requested by several council members.
The IMO’s secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez has held briefings with industry groups and member states to discuss developments in the US-Israel war in Iran over the past two days, the statement added.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has released his first public statement since he was appointed supreme leader of Iran, after his father and late supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed in a 28 February attack – but he did not appear on camera and a news anchor read his statement out loud on state television.
Mojtaba Khamenei was injured in that same attack that killed his father – as well as his wife, one of his sons, his mother, a sister, a brother in law and a niece. The attack incinerated the entire supreme leader’s office.
At minimum, the Guardian’s Patrick Wintour writes, such an attack would have left an indelible emotional if not physical mark – and it appears that some of the delay around his election was not over logistical issues, but over doubts about Khamenei’s capacity and willingness to take on the job.
More here:
‘We make a lot of money’: Trump spins spiking oil prices as benefit for US
In a Truth Social post, Donald Trump suggested that the skyrocketing price of oil – which jumped back above $100 a barrel before dropping to $98 a barrel – would ultimately be beneficial for Americans who are facing increased gasoline prices at the pump.
“The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money,” the president – who campaigned on bringing down costs – wrote. “BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stoping an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World. I won’t ever let that happen!”
On Wednesday Trump tried to assuage concerns over spiking gas prices. “I would say it went up a little bit less than we thought. It’s going to come down more than anybody understands,” the president told reporters in Ohio.
The national average for a gallon of fuel is currently $3.59 – up from $2.94 a month ago.
For our live coverage on US politics, follow here.
Here are some images coming out of Tehran today:
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran will avenge the those who were killed in US-Israeli airstrikes, including the dozens of seven to 12-year-old girls who were killed in an airstrike that hit a school in Minab.
He also offered financial compensation for Iranians who suffered damage from the attacks.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei did not did not appear on camera for his first public remarks as the newly appointed supreme leader of Iran – a news anchor read his statement out loud on state television.
Tehran’s ambassador to Cyprus confirmed on Wednesday that Khamenei was injured in the 28 February attack that killed six of his family members, including his father, Ali Khamenei, the late supreme leader of Iran. Mojtaba’s wife, Zahra, and his teenage son, Mohammad Bagher, were also killed in the attack.
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Statement released 'from new supreme leader'
In his first public remarks as Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei apparently called for national unity and said that all US bases in the region should close or face attacks.
The strait of Hormuz will remain closed in order to pressure Iran’s enemies, Khamenei reportedly said. He was not seen in the broadcast and the statement was delivered by a newsreader.
Iran wants good relations with its neighbouring countries, Khamenei’s statement said, and asked them to close down their US bases as that is what Iran is targeting.
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UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper has flown to Saudi Arabia for her first official visit to the Gulf since the war between ther US and Iran started.
She said upon her arrival: “The situation in the Middle East remains highly volatile, and our priority is the safety and security of British people, alongside supporting our partners across the region who face continuing strikes.
“This is why it is so important for me to be here in Saudi Arabia – an essential partner for the UK in the Gulf, who have been targeted by reckless attacks by the Iranian regime, and who have supported British nationals to come home and is working to maintain energy security and supply.
“Everyone wants to see a swift resolution that brings security and stability back to the region and stops this Iranian threat to its neighbours.”
As many as 3.2m Iranians have fled their homes to find safety from the joint US-Israeli aerial bombing campaign bombarding the country, according to preliminary assessments by the the UN refugee agency.
“Most of them are reportedly fleeing from Tehran and other major urban areas towards the north of the country and rural areas to seek safety,” the UNHCR said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.
“This figure is likely to continue rising as hostilities persist, marking a worrying escalation in humanitarian needs.”
The UNHCR has a longstanding presence in Iran supporting refugees from neighbouring Afghanistan, who it said were “particularly vulnerable” to the current displacement crisis, “given their already precarious situation and limited support networks”.
US energy secretary Chris Wright told CNBC on Thursday that the navy cannot escort ships through the strait of Hormuz now but it was “quite likely” that could happen by the end of the month.
The issues with protecting oil tankers in the strait were discussed by US military officials in a classified briefing to top lawmakers on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter.
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The first official message from the new supreme leader in Iran, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, is due to be published shortly.
It will be his first official public remarks since he was made supreme leader and, depending on the format, may go some way to allay reports that he was seriously injured in the attack at the outset of the war
Iranian press reported this strategic message, issued in seven important chapters, contains special points regarding the martyred leader of the revolution, the role and duties of the people, armed forces, executive bodies and resistance front, as well as regional countries and dealing with enemies.
Thailand demands apology from Iran after ship struck in strait of Hormuz
Thailand’s foreign ministry on Thursday said it had requested an apology from after a Thai bulk carrier was attacked in the strait of Hormuz yesterday.
Three ships were hit by unknown projectiles in the strategic strait abutting Iran. While two of the ships sustained damage, the crew was forced to evacuate the Thai bulk carrier after it caught fire.
According to Reuters, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a statement carried by the Tasnim news agency that the ship was “fired upon by Iranian fighters“.
DPS Sirilak met with Amb. of Iran to raise concerns regarding the incident of the Thai-flagged cargo ship “Mayuree Naree,” which was hit and damaged in the Strait of Hormuz. Thailand conveyed its strongest protest and requested the Iranian authorities issue a statement of apology… pic.twitter.com/QLte85JUvd
— กระทรวงการต่างประเทศ | MFA of Thailand (@MFAThai) March 12, 2026
Today so far
Iran appeared to have set two tankers ablaze on fire in Iraqi waters, killing one crew member, as it stepped up strikes on oil and transport facilities around the Middle East.
Oil prices, which shot up earlier in the week to nearly $120 a barrel before retreating, jumped almost 10% back above $100 a barrel before dropping to $98 a barrel amid renewed fears about supply disruption. A spokesperson for Iran’s military command had earlier warned in remarks directed at the US: “Get ready for oil to be $200 a barrel, because the oil price depends on regional security, which you have destabilised.”
Israeli forces conducted a drone strike on an area of Beirut where displaced residents were sheltering in tents. At least eight people were killed in the attack on the capital’s beachfront.
The Israeli military issued a warning on Thursday to residents of a village in Lebanon located about 64 kilometres (40 miles) east of Beirut. It also announced that it had begun yet another widescale wave of strikes on Iran. The IDF also said that Israeli forces had struck a nuclear program site in Iran earlier this week, but the Guardian was not able to independently verify that statement.
Amid the Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Iran, displaced Palestinians in a tent encampment near Gaza City said they received a call from the Israeli military on Wednesday night ordering them to evacuate in five minutes. Video shows the camp then getting struck.
Drones struck Kuwait international airport on Thursday, causing some material damage. It is unclear who is responsible for the attack, which came one day after four people were injured when air defences intercepted two drones near Dubai airport in the United Arab Emirates. Soon after the attack, the Dutch carrier KLM canceled all flights to Dubai up to and including 28 March.
An Italian military base in the Kurdish region of Iraq was attacked, Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said in a post on X. Tajani said he strongly condemned the attack in Erbil, but didn’t say if authorities knew who was responsible for it. He said all soldiers on the base were safe.
About 2,000 people have reportedly been killed in the war launched almost two weeks ago, while Unicef said more than 1,100 children had been killed or injured.
Israeli airstrike sets fire to camp sheltering displaced Palestinians near Gaza City
Amid airstrikes on Lebanon and Iran, video shows Israeli forces targeting a tent camp sheltering displaced Palestinians west of Gaza City on Wednesday night.
Palestinians in the Al-Ansar camp said they received phone calls from Israeli military personnel ordering them to evacuate the area within five minutes. After two initial warning strikes, the camp was struck a third time.
More here:
Israeli air force strikes nuclear site in Iran, IDF says
The Israeli military announced today that it had struck a nuclear program site in Iran.
The strike on the Taleghan compound was part of a wave of strikes conducted over the past few days, the IDF said.
The Guardian was not able to immediately verify this statement.
According to Reuters, Taleghan is a facility at the Parchin military complex, located about 30 kilometres (19 miles) southeast of Tehran. From the beginning of the US-Israeli war with Iran, Donald Trump has said that one of his war aims was to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Tehran has long insisted that its nuclear programme was for civilian purposes but in 2002, two undeclared sites, for uranium enrichment and heavy water plutonium production, were discovered, raising suspicion.
The Israeli military said that IDF intelligence had determined that the Taleghan compound was utilized by Tehran to develop weapons and conduct experiments as part of Amad, an Iranian scientific project aimed at developing nuclear weapons that was believed to have ended in 2003.
The Israeli military had announced last week that it had struck Minzadeheian, another nuclear site in Iran where it said scientists were covertly developing a key component for nuclear weapons.
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Here are some images coming out of the Middle East:
Bahrain:
United Arab Emirates:
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The Australian government has directed all “non-essential” diplomats to leave Israel and the United Arab Emirates because of the conflict, the foreign minister, Penny Wong, said on Thursday.
Essential Australian officials will remain to support Australians who need it, she added.
“We continue to advise Australians not to travel to Israel and the UAE,” Wong said. “We urge you to leave the Middle East if you can and if it’s safe to do so. Don’t wait until it’s too late. It may be the last chance for some time.”
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Earlier today, Iran appeared to set ablaze two tankers in Iraqi waters.
Here are some images of the aftermath:
The Guardian has published a video showing the tankers in Iraqi waters bursting into flames.
Israeli drone strikes area in Beirut where displaced people had been sheltering
The aftermath of Israel’s drone strike last night on the central Beirut neighbourhood of Ramlet al-Baydaa was still evident on Thursday morning. Two bombs from a drone had fallen in quick succession on the beachfront corniche where displaced people had been sleeping for the past week, killing eight people and injuring 21.
It was the third time that Israel bombed central Beirut in recent days, striking areas previously thought as safe. The strike came a few hours after Hezbollah launched its most intense bombing of Israel yet, launching waves of rockets and drones in tandem with Iran.
The sand had turned red where bodies had lay just a few hours ago, and the wreckage of a motorcycle leaned against two bombed out cars. The bombs had bore two deep holes into the sidewalk, and Lebanese soldiers peered inside with a flashlight, seeing if any of the explosives remained.
“It was terrifying. We heard them hit once and then once again almost immediately. We didn’t think they would hit here. What’s here? It’s just the sea,” said Riyadh al-Lattah, a 57-year-old woodworker from the southern suburbs of Beirut who was camped out with his wife and five children across the street from the impact site.
Al-Lattah was one of hundreds of residents who turned to the city’s beachfront when Israel ordered Beirut’s southern suburbs to be evacuated last week. With nowhere else to go, al-Lattah set up two tents along the beach, joining the growing tent encampment in front of the usual upscale neighbourhood.
He did not expect, however, that Israel would strike without warning.
“This war is harder. At least last time they would warn you. They’d tell you before they hit; now it’s just random bombings,” said al-Lattah. Another man who was camped out, 18-year-old Hussein al-Atrash, said that he would soon leave Beirut, afraid of more strikes to come.
“We came here because we thought we would be safe. Wherever we go, they bomb,” said al-Atrash, a displaced resident of Dahiyeh.
As he spoke, the army began to yell for crowds to stand back – they had found an unexploded bomb in one of the holes in the sidewalk.
The Israeli military announced that it has begun another widescale wave of attacks on Iran.
Israeli forces earlier today launched a wave of strikes on Lebanon, killing at least seven people on central Beirut’s seafront.
Drones strike Kuwait airport, causing material damage
Kuwait international airport was struck by several drones on Thursday, according to Kuwait News Agency.
The drones caused some material damage, but no injuries. It is still unclear who was responsible for the strike.
On Wednesday, four people were injured after air defences intercepted two drones near Dubai airport in the United Arab Emirates. Soon after the attack, the Dutch carrier KLM canceled all flights to Dubai up to and including 28 March.
Updated
The Israeli military issued an urgent warning on Thursday to the residents of Qasr Naba, a town in Lebanon about 64 kilometres (40 miles) east of Beirut.
Israeli forces will be attacking at least one building in the village believed to be Hezbollah military infrastructure, IDF spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X.
The warning came shortly after an Israeli strike on central Beirut’s seafront killed at least seven people.
Oil prices top $100 before dropping back slightly
Oil prices topped $100 a barrel on Thursday before falling back as Iran stepped up its attacks on energy infrastructure around the Middle East.
The Guardian’s Callum Jones reports that the price of Brent crude – the international benchmark – show up by 9% to $100.29 per barrel on Thursday, despite efforts by governments across the world to allay fears of a sustained supply crunch.
That price has since dropped to $98 a barrel, according to the Associated Press.
On Wednesday. the International Energy Agency ordered the largest release of government oil reserves in its history in an effort to calm the oil price shock triggered by the conflict.
Italian base in Kurdish region of Iraq attacked, says Italian foreign minister
An Italian military base in the Kurdish region of Iraq was attacked, Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani said in a post on X.
Tajani said he strongly condemned the attack in Erbil, but didn’t say if authorities knew who was responsible for it. He said all soldiers on the base were safe.
Summary
In case you’re just tuning in to our live coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran, here’s a snapshot of the latest key developments. It’s now 10.30am in Tehran, 9am in Beirut and Tel Aviv and 3am in Washington DC.
Iran appeared to have set two tankers ablaze on fire in Iraqi waters, killing one crew member, as it stepped up strikes on oil and transport facilities around the Middle East.
About 2,000 people have reportedly been killed in the war launched almost two weeks ago, while Unicef said more than 1,100 children had been killed or injured.
Donald Trump said at a rally in Kentucky that the US had won the war but didn’t want to have to go back every two years. “We don’t want to leave early do we? We’ve got to finish the job.”
Oil prices, which shot up earlier in the week to nearly $120 a barrel before retreating, jumped almost 10% back above $100 a barrel in Asian trade on Thursday amid renewed fears about supply disruption.
A spokesperson for Iran’s military command warning in remarks directed at the US: “Get ready for oil to be $200 a barrel, because the oil price depends on regional security, which you have destabilised.”
British prime minister Keir Starmer said the government would “step in” if companies exploited rising heating oil prices amid the Middle East conflict.
US intelligence indicates that Iran’s leadership is still largely intact and is not at risk of collapse any time soon, the Reuters news agency reported, citing three sources. A “multitude” of intelligence reports provide “consistent analysis that the regime is not in danger” of collapse and “retains control of the Iranian public”, one of the sources said.
Lebanon said an Israeli strike on central Beirut’s seafront killed at least seven people early on Thursday – another attack in the heart of the capital as Hezbollah launched more missiles at Israel. The Israeli military earlier said it launched a “large-scale wave of strikes” on Beirut’s densely populated suburbs after the Iran-backed militant group fired what the IDF said were “dozens” of rockets.
The International Energy Agency ordered the largest release of government oil reserves in its history – 400m barrels – in a bid to calm concerns over supplies and dampen one of the worst fuel shocks since the 1970s. The US said it would release 172m barrels of oil from its strategic petroleum reserve.
An attack on Iraq’s Basra port early on Thursday killed at least one person and forced authorities to halt operations at all the country’s oil terminals, officials said.
Other reports of Iranian attacks included the targeting of fuel tanks at a facility in Bahrain’s Muharraq and drones striking oil storage facilities at Salalah port, while another container vessel reported being struck near the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait reported a drone hitting a building, injuring two, and Dubai authorities responded to a drone that fell on a building.
With news agencies
Updated
Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will hold a special meeting on the situation in the Middle East on Friday, a Philippine foreign ministry official has been quoted as saying.
Donald Trump has been at pains in recent days to reassure the world that the economic impact of his war on Iran can be contained, but across Asia – the world’s top crude oil importing region – the rhetoric around the ramifications of this conflict is less important than the reality.
Asian countries from Pakistan to South Korea have been forced to confront a brewing energy supply crisis.
You can read more in this analysis from Callum Jones here:
An Iranian source is denying the country will allow India-flagged tankers to pass through the vital strait of Hormuz, Reuters is reporting.
The news agency a little earlier quoted an Indian source as saying Iran would in fact allow such tankers to pass through the strait, a key artery for global oil trade.
The regime in Tehran has weaponised geography in retaliation for the attacks by the US and Israel, choking the flow of Middle Eastern crude oil through the strait.
Here’s a visual guide explaining why the narrow waterway south of Iran has become such a focal point:
Updated
Here are some of the latest images coming in from the war in the Middle East.
Iran will allow India-flagged tankers to pass through the strait of Hormuz, Reuters is quoting an Indian source as saying.
Israeli strike kills seven on Beirut seafront, says Lebanon
Lebanon said an Israeli strike on central Beirut’s seafront killed at least seven people early on Thursday – another attack in the heart of the capital as Iran-backed Hezbollah launched more missiles at Israel.
The Israeli military said separately it had carried out strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs overnight against Hezbollah, which had announced a major new operation against Israel.
Agence France-Presse is reporting that local media aired footage showing smoke rising along the seaside road area after the strike in central Beirut, which state-run National News Agency (NNA) said targeted a car.
The Israeli strike on Ramlet al-Bayda in Beirut led to an initial toll of seven dead and 21 wounded, the health ministry said.
It was the third attack in the heart of the capital since the Middle East war began. Israel has also repeatedly hit the southern suburbs of Beirut, where the Israeli military said on Thursday it had hit 10 Hezbollah targets.
The NNA reported on Thursday that Israeli strikes had also hit several towns in southern Lebanon, including Taybeh and al-Sultaniyya as well as Qana, near the city of Tyre.
Hezbollah said early on Thursday that it had fired missiles at an Israeli military intelligence base in the suburbs of Tel Aviv.
The US embassy in Muscat says it has lifted its “shelter in place” guidance for the whole country of Oman.
It also said in a statement on its website that the embassy “continues to advise sheltering in place if you are located within or near Duqm or within a 100km radius of Salalah and it is unsafe to leave”.
To the extent possible, remain in a secure structure, and stay away from windows.
Oil prices top $100 a barrel again
Oil prices are on the rise again, with the international benchmark Brent crude back above $100 per barrel, as concern over the US-Israel war with Iran intensifies. Asian stock markets are back under pressure, too.
In a bid to calm concerns over oil supplies, the International Energy Agency (IEA) ordered the largest release of government reserves in its history on Wednesday. But the announcement was overshadowed by widespread Iranian attacks on energy facilities across the Middle East.
Several merchant ships were struck in and around the strait of Hormuz, one of the most important arteries in global trade. Iraq halted all operations at its oil ports after an attack on two nearby oil tankers. Bahrain told residents to stay home after an Iranian attack on fuel tanks in the Muharraq Governorate.
Oman has meanwhile shifted all vessels out of its main oil export terminal at Mina Al Fahal after drone strikes at another of its ports, Bloomberg reported, citing sources who received a notice from a port agent.
The disruption continues.
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The Australian government has announced a temporary downgrade in the country’s fuel quality standards, a move designed to put an extra 100m litres a month into the system.
Federal energy minister Chris Bowen told parliament that in order to assist with putting downward pressure on prices, the government would allow a 60-day change to allow higher sulfur levels in fuel.
The petrol supply would be prioritised for regional areas. It would otherwise have been exported to countries overseas.
Bowen said:
While Australian fuel consumption has not changed, this will help relieve pressure on distribution chains disrupted by elevated demand.
The government has been unequivocal – this additional supply must help the people who need it, including farmers, fishers and regional communities.
Bowen has also activated a national coordination mechanism to work with fuel producers and retailers during the growing conflict in the Middle East.
Updated
New Zealand mulls car restrictions if fuel supplies run low
Officials in New Zealand say they are considering using decades-old laws restricting vehicle use if fuel supplies dwindle due to the war in the Middle East.
Finance minister Nicola Willis told reporters on Thursday that officials had discussed using legislation introduced to restrict fuel use in the wake of the Iranian revolution in 1979 in response to the crisis.
Under those laws, car owners had to nominate one day per week when they would not use their vehicle and faced hefty fines if caught driving. They also allowed the government to authorise the sale of coupons to restrict fuel use, and restrict the amount that could be sold, Agence France-Presse is reporting.
The so-called “carless days” were in effect from July 1979 to May 1980.
The minister’s comments came as oil prices surged back above $100 a barrel on Thursday.
Updated
Iraq halts oil terminal operations as Iran widens attacks on regional energy sites
An attack on Iraq’s Basra port early Thursday killed at least one person and forced authorities to halt operations at all the country’s oil terminals, officials said – as Iran stepped up its attacks on the region’s energy infrastructure.
Farhan al-Fartousi, director general of the General Company for Ports of Iraq, made the announcement in a statement carried by the state-run Iraqi News Agency on Thursday.
He said the attack targeted a ship engaged in a ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Basra port on the Persian Gulf. He said it remained unclear if the ship was targeted by a flying or seaborne drone or a missile.
Rescuers recovered one dead body and helped 38 others after the attack. Al-Fartousi said commercial ports in Iraq remained open, though the oil terminals had been shut.
Meanwhile, Bahrain told residents to stay home after an Iranian attack on fuel tanks.
The interior ministry told residents in three parts of Muharraq to “remain in their homes, close windows and ventilation openings as precaution against potential effects of smokes from the fire currently being fought”.
And Oman shifted all vessels out of its main oil export terminal at Mina Al Fahal outside the Strait of Hormuz in a precautionary move, Bloomberg News reported.
Updated
Welcome summary
Hello and welcome to our continuing live coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran and its impact on the region, and the world.
Iran set ablaze two tankers in Iraqi waters early on Thursday as it stepped up attacks on oil and transport facilities across the Middle East, warning the world should be ready for oil at $200 a barrel – in defiance of President Donald Trump’s claim that the United States had already won the war.
Unleashed with joint US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran almost two weeks ago, the war has so far killed about 2,000 people and thrown global energy markets and transport into chaos.
At a campaign-style rally in Kentucky, Trump said the US had won the war but didn’t want to have to go back every two years.
“We don’t want to leave early do we?” he said on Wednesday. “We’ve got to finish the job.“
Oil prices, which shot up earlier in the week to nearly $120 a barrel before settling back to around $90, rose nearly again on Wednesday and extended gains in Asian trade on Thursday amid renewed fears about supply disruption.
Here are the other latest developments:
The US will release 172m barrels of oil from its strategic petroleum reserve in a bid to reduce oil prices that have soared due to supply shocks from war, the US energy secretary has said. Chris Wright said the release was part of a broader release of 400m barrels of oil agreed to by the 32-country International Energy Agency earlier in the day.
US intelligence indicates that Iran’s leadership is still largely intact and is not at risk of collapse any time soon, the Reuters news agency reported, citing three sources. A “multitude” of intelligence reports provide “consistent analysis that the regime is not in danger” of collapse and “retains control of the Iranian public”, said one of the three sources familiar with the matter, all of whom were granted anonymity to discuss US intelligence findings.
Two foreign tankers carrying Iraqi fuel oil are in flames after being attacked by Iranian boats laden with explosives, killing one foreign crew member, Iraqi port security officials told Reuters on Wednesday.
Trump said the US was “not finished yet” when asked about the war in Iran. He boasted that the US has hit Iran “harder than virtually any country in history has been hit”, before adding: “We’re not finished yet.” Earlier he had told Axios that the war would end “soon” since the there was “practically nothing left to target” in Iran.
The Israeli military launched a “large-scale wave of strikes” on Beirut’s densely populated suburbs after Hezbollah launched what the IDF said were “dozens” of rockets. The IDF claimed the strikes targeted what it described as “Hezbollah infrastructure” in the Dahieh suburb of southern Beirut. Israel’s renewed bombing campaign across Lebanon and its invasion of border areas with ground troops have killed more than 570 people, according to Lebanese authorities. This includes at least 83 children, according to Unicef. About 750,000 people have been displaced after being forced to flee the violence, sparking a growing humanitarian disaster.
The Israeli military said it was prepared to continue its war with Iran for as long as needed. “We as an army are prepared to continue the campaign as long as necessary,” a spokesperson said. Earlier, the Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, conveyed similar sentiments, saying that the war “will continue without any time limit”.
Iran’s UN ambassador said a UN security council resolution demanding that Tehran stop its “egregious” attacks on Gulf nations was an “injustice against my country” – adding that Iran was the “main victim of a clear act of aggression”. “The decision distorts the facts on the ground and ignores the root causes of the current crisis,” Amir Saeid Iravani said. “The attack on us began with the assassination of the supreme leader and officials, which led to the deaths of thousands of victims.”
Condemning “heinous crimes and lethal aggression” from the US and Israel, Iravani said more than 1,348 civilians have been killed and more than 17,000 injured since Washington and Tel Aviv launched their joint attack on 28 February. More than 19,000 civilian sites – including 16,191 residential homes, 77 medical facilities and 65 schools – had been damaged, he said.
Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, demanded that reparations and security guarantees be included in any agreement to end the war started by the US and Israel. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has said that Donald Trump will decide when to end the war on Iran, and the US president has demanded Tehran’s “unconditional surrender” before that happens.
Trump evaded a question about the bombing of an Iranian girls’ school that killed at least 175 people, most of them children. A preliminary investigation found that the US is to blame for the strike, according to a report from the New York Times. When asked whether he takes responsibility for the attack, Trump replied: “I don’t know about it.” More on that here.
Oman’s civil defence is working on containing a fire in fuel tanks at the port in Salalah, Oman’s state news agency reported, after drones struck oil storage facilities there.
Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates all said they had successfully intercepted Iranian drones and missiles against their territories.
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