&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "US-Israel-Iran war highlights: Iran foreign minister accuses Israel of drone attack in Azerbaijan, says plot to harm ties")
US-Israel-Iran War LIVE: The US and Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on Iran on February 28, with Israel calling the campaign Operation Lion’s Roar and Washington naming it Operation Epic Fury. Both described the assault as preemptive, carried out amid rising tensions and ongoing nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington. The strikes came eight months after a brief but intense 12-day confrontation between Israel and Iran.
Iran responded with missile attacks on Israel and targeted US military bases in Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. On March 1, it was confirmed that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the joint strikes, along with several senior Iranian figures. Tehran has since escalated its retaliation, warning that US bases in the region would be treated as American territory. Gulf states have cautioned against further escalation, even as Washington and Tel Aviv signal that operations could continue for weeks.
The conflict is widening, with Iran-aligned groups joining the fight. International leaders have condemned the US-led action, while several European allies voiced support for Washington.
Stay tuned to WION for all the LIVE updates and analysis on the US-Israel-Iran War
The Indian Embassy in Oman has warned people about a fake message circulating on WhatsApp as an advisory. The Embassy of India in Muscat clarified that no such advisory has been issued by it.
“Kindly refrain from forwarding or circulating such unverified messages and rely only on the official handles of the Embassy of India, Muscat for authentic updates,” it said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday accused Israel of launching a drone attack in Azerbaijan that was blamed on Iran, and termed it as an attempt to harm Tehran's relations with its neighbour.
In a phone call with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov, Araghchi denied that Iran fired any projectiles at Azerbaijan. He also condemned the role of the Israeli regime in such attacks in order to divert public opinion and destroy Iran’s good relations with its neighbours, said a statement issued by Iran’s foreign ministry.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday to discuss the escalating situation in West Asia. Both leaders shared concern over the ongoing conflict and called for a return to dialogue and diplomacy.
“Spoke with my friend President Emmanuel Macron today. We discussed our shared concerns over the evolving situation in West Asia and the need for a return to dialogue and diplomacy. We will continue to engage closely and coordinate efforts towards the early restoration of peace and stability in the region,” PM Modi wrote on X.
India's External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday. It was the second call between the two leaders. jaishankar had earlier called Aragchi on February 28, the day the United States and Israel launched their opening strikes on Iran.
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday that he spoke with his Omanian counterpart Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi regarding the ongoing conflict in West Asia.
Jaishankar wrote in a post on X, “Spoke with FM Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi of Oman on the ongoing conflict in West Asia.”
Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said on Thursday that he held a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on March 4 to discuss the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East. Herath said Sri Lanka expressed grave concern over the escalating hostilities in the region and stressed the importance of diplomatic dialogue to restore peace and stability.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri signed the Condolence Book at the Embassy of Iran in New Delhi on Thursday on behalf of the Government of India, met Iranian Ambassador Dr. Mohammed Fathali, and offered condolences for the slain Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Misri’s visit to the Iranian Embassy and formal signing of the condolence book mark India’s first official response to the airstrike that claimed Khamenei’s life.
Sri Lanka Deputy Minister said Iran has sought its help to repatriate bodies of sailors in warship attack.
3,000 Iranian soldiers and personnel killed in current conflict according to Israeli estimates
The Kremlin speaking on the joint strike by Israel and the United States on Iran said, "In this case, there have been no requests from the Iranian side,"
The Air Force, guided by Military Intelligence, completed overnight a wave of strikes targeting missile storage sites above and below ground.
Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said, "We are operating according to a structured plan and are focused on achieving the objectives of the operation: severely damaging the Iranian terror regime and removing existential threats to the State of Israel over time. Our air superiority and freedom of action in Iranian skies allow us to reach any location and strike any target."
Missiles and drones flying from the direction of Iran fell on the territory of the airport in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan on Thursday, a source close to the Azerbaijani government told Reuters.
A fire has started as a result of the incident, the source said, adding that an official statement would soon follow. It was not immediately clear how many missiles and drones fell in the area.
The Israeli military said it identified a fresh round of missiles launched from Iran on Thursday, the sixth day of a war engulfing the Middle East.
"A short while ago, the IDF (military) identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the military said in a statement.
Iran's internet is "around 1 percent of ordinary levels" with a communication blackout sparked by the war with Israel and the United States entering a fifth day, monitor Netblocks said on Thursday.
"Iran's internet blackout has now exceeded 120 hours with connectivity still flatlining around 1 percent of ordinary levels," Netblocks said in a message posted on social media platform X.
"Meanwhile, an increasingly Orwellian environment is emerging as telcos threaten users who try to connect to the global internet with legal action."
A second Iranian warship was heading towards Sri Lanka's territorial waters Thursday, a day after a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate, killing at least 87 sailors, a minister told parliament.
Media minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the second Iranian warship was just outside Sri Lankan waters, but gave no further details.
Official sources said the vessel was carrying more than 100 crew and feared they too could be targeted the same way a sister vessel was sunk by a US submarine just off Sri Lanka's southern coast on Wednesday.
The sinking came as the war sparked by a joint US-Israel attack on Iran continued to spread across the Middle East and beyond.
Italy will send air defence assistance to Gulf countries hit by Iranian strikes in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Thursday.
"Italy, like the UK, France and Germany, intends to send aid to the Gulf countries. We are clearly talking about defence, air defence, not just because they are friendly nations but because there are tens of thousands of Italians in that area and around 2,000 soldiers that we must protect," she told RTL 102.5 radio..
"And the Gulf is vital for supplies."
Israeli strikes killed six people in two southern Lebanese villages on Thursday, state media reported.
The mayor of a village in the Nabatieh region and his wife were killed in one strike, the National News Agency reported, adding that in a nearby village a strike killed two children and their parents.
Explosions echoed over the Qatari capital Doha and Bahrain's Manama on Thursday, AFP journalists reported.
The Gulf countries have been targeted by repeated waves of Iranian drone and missile attacks following in retaliation for the massive US-Israeli air campaign against Iran.
The first two repatriation flights bringing home Israelis stranded abroad by the Middle East war landed in Tel Aviv on Thursday, the transport ministry said.
The flights landed at Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday morning. Transport Minister Miri Regev said: "We are doing everything possible to bring every Israeli home safely."
Iran Revolutionary Guards say they hit a US tanker in northern part of the Gulf, ship currently in fire. “If they are observed, they will certainly be hit,” IRGC said.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said his US counterpart Pete Hegseth assured him of Washington's firm backing for their joint military campaign against Iran and urged him to continue the operation "to the end".
Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi has issued another appeal to end the war
The IDF said that it has begun a broad wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian regime throughout Tehran
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that "military assets" had been deployed to the West Asia as a contingency plan.
Lebanese state media says Israeli strike kills Hamas official
Qatar Airways says it will run some relief flights for stranded passengers from Muscat and Riyadh starting today.
China has urged restraint and diplomatic engagement amid rising tensions in West Asia, with Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi holding phone conversations with political leaders from the Gulf region, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.
IRNA news agency reported that Iran has targeted headquarters of Kurdish groups in Iraqi Kurdistan
European Union members are sending military aid to bolster defences in Cyprus, fearing the conflict escalation
A tanker was hit by a "large explosion" in waters off Kuwait, causing an oil spill, British maritime security agency UKMTO said
Iran launched several rounds of missiles at Israel early Thursday, the Israeli military said
The Lebanese National News Agency reported that a drone targeted an attack on the Tyre-Naqoura road, near the town of Qalila, killing at least three people
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has condemned the "open aggression" of the United States and Israel against Iran and urged the United Nations and the international community to take immediate, effective, and concrete steps
The IRGC has begun a “combined missile and drone operation” against Israel and US bases in West Asia, according to the Tasnim news agency.
The Iranian Tasnim news agency says several explosions have been heard in Tehran in the past hour
Qatar has begun evacuating residents of its capital living near the US embassy, the interior ministry said Thursday, after Iranian strikes hit the Gulf country.
The United Arab Emirates has stated that since the start of the "blatant Iranian aggression", 189 ballistic missiles launched towards the UAE have been detected, with 175 missiles destroyed, 13 falling into the sea and one landing within the territory of the state.
"A total of 941 Iranian drones have also been detected, of which 876 were intercepted, while 65 fell within the country. Eight cruise missiles were also detected and destroyed," the Ministry of Defence said.
The Indian Embassy in Doha has issued a fresh advisory for Indian nationals in Qatar, urging them to strictly adhere to safety instructions issued by local authorities.
“In view of the prevailing situation and in line with the Public Notice issued by the Ministry of Interior, State of Qatar, all Indian nationals in Qatar are advised to strictly follow the safety guidance issued by the competent Qatari authorities,” it said.
The advisory asked Indian nationals to "Remain indoors and avoid unnecessary movement. Step out only in cases of absolute necessity. Stay away from windows, balconies and exposed areas. Rely only on official sources for updates."
The State Department says that charter flights for American citizens stranded in the Middle East since the start of joint military operations against Iran have begun. It revealed that one plane has already left the Middle East to bring Americans home.
It did not say where the flight originated from or where it was going, although the department has said it is arranging charter aircraft from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Israel.
It has said Americans wanting to leave those countries should register online at mytravel.state.gov/s/crisis-intake or contact the State Department’s 24/7 Task Force at +1-202-501-4444.
Saudi Arabia said its air defences intercepted and destroyed three drones east of Al Kharj Governorate.
The Pentagon has identified two of the troops killed in an Iranian drone attack in Kuwait as Maj. Jefferey R. O’Brien of Indianola, Iowa, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, of Sacramento. Six soldiers were killed in the attack. The other four were identified Tuesday.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that he couldn't rule out his country's military participation in the escalating war in the Middle East.
"One can never categorically rule out participation," he said alongside local counterpart Anthony Albanese in Canberra.
"We will stand by our allies," added Carney, who had said the US-Israeli strikes on Iran were "inconsistent with international law".
Beirut: 75 people killed (AFP)
Iranian Warship Sunk: 87 bodies recovered so far, 61 still missing.
Iran: 1,045 military personnel (IRNA)
Gulf: 13, including seven civilians killed
US: Six soldiers killed tilll now
"Missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel," said the IDF in an X post.
The US president described the early days of the conflict as a major success for the US. “We’re doing very well on the war front, to put it mildly,” Trump said at an unrelated White House event. “I would say, somebody said on a scale of 10, where would you rate it? I said about a 15.”
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In a post on X, US Sentaor Lindsey Graham slammed Spain and said, “To our friends in Spain: Getting a shout out from the Iranian regime should be a wakeup call.”
"If not, that’s so sad. You’ve lost your way."
Israel's military said air defences were responding to missiles launched from Iran on Thursday, the first such report in over seven hours, triggering alerts in several areas including Tel Aviv.
The military said in a statement it had "identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat".
A diplomatic clash intensified on Wednesday (March 4) after the White House claimed Spain had agreed to cooperate with the US military, only for Madrid to deny any policy shift hours later publicly. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Spain had “heard the president’s message loud and clear” and agreed to work with US forces, following threats from Donald Trump to cut off trade with Madrid.
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The Israeli Air Force said it conducted “large-scale” airstrikes in Tehran, targeting an expansive Iranian military compound that housed key headquarters and personnel from across the country’s security establishment. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the operation, involving more than 100 fighter jets, was completed a short while ago. The military said over 250 bombs were dropped on the compound and the headquarters located within it.
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The War Powers Resolution (WPR), enacted in 1973 after Congress overrode President Richard Nixon’s veto, was designed to reinforce Congress’s constitutional authority over decisions to send US forces into armed conflict. Rather than granting new powers, the law seeks to ensure that the legislative branch retains its Article I authority to declare war and oversee military engagements.
What does the War Powers Resolution mean as the US Senate rejects an Iran-focused measure, outlining Congress’s authority and fast-track procedures today?
Senate Republicans on Wednesday (March 4) voted down a resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s military authority in Iran, signaling continued GOP support for the administration’s escalating operations in the Middle East and underscoring Democrats’ limited ability to restrain the White House. The measure failed 47-53, largely along party lines. Senator Rand Paul was the only Republican to side with nearly every Democrat in backing the proposal. Senator John Fetterman was the lone Democrat to oppose it.
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An air strike hit the Hezbollah stronghold of south Beirut early Thursday, AFPTV images showed, shortly after Israel issued a warning ahead of an attack.
Israel's military earlier told residents to leave a Beirut suburb, warning it was about to strike targets it said were linked to Hezbollah.
Israel and the United States have made "historic gains" in the war against Iran, which began when the allies launched strikes on the Islamic Republic, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Thursday.
"Israel and the United States have together made historic gains to protect our citizens and the civilised world," a spokesperson for Netanyahu, Shosh Bedrosian, said in a video message.
She also claimed the attack was needed as Iran was rebuilding its atomic bomb programme in "new underground bunkers", and because there were indications of an Iranian plan "to attack Israel and American forces in the Middle East."