&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "US-Israel-Iran war highlights | Iran envoy ‘refuses’ to leave Lebanon despite expulsion")
US-Iran-Israel war LIVE | The war in West Asia began on February 28, when the United States, alongside Israel, launched a series of pre-emptive strikes inside Iran. The aftermath of those attacks led to the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, pushed Tehran into a full-scale retaliation, targeting Israel as well as American military installations across the Gulf region. Several Iranian leaders have been killed as strike continue. Iran-backed groups in the Gulf, namely Houthis and Hezbollah - have joined the war. Iran has blocked the strategic oil route the Strait of Hormuz, while Israel has expanded its attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon.
After almost a month, US President Donald Trump has indicated a willingness to engage and is said to have put forward a 15-point proposal aimed at ending the conflict. However, Iran has maintained that any communication so far has been indirect. Speaking on March 25, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi noted that messages have been exchanged through “friendly countries,” while emphasising that this does not amount to formal negotiations.
At the same time, Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary, reportedly preparing to host top diplomats from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt in Islamabad for crisis talks. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has publicly appreciated Islamabad’s efforts to ease tensions, while Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has expressed optimism about a possible face-to-face meeting between US and Iranian officials in Pakistan in the near future. Echoing this, US envoy Steve Witkoff said such a meeting could take place as early as this week.
The major question that arises amid the ongoing operation in West Asia is that what future holds? How the Iran-US relations will pan out and what it will mean for regional security in specific and world geopolitics at large? All updates and analysis on the ongoing situation as Israel-US war on Iran continues
Iran’s ambassador will not leave Lebanon despite being declared persona non grata and ordered to leave the country by Sunday, an Iranian diplomatic source told AFP.
“The ambassador will not leave Lebanon in accordance with the wishes of the speaker of parliament Nabih Berri and of Hezbollah,” the unnamed source said.
A senior United Arab Emirates (UAE) official has called for Iranian compensation for the damage caused to the country due to Tehran’s strikes. It comes after Iran has demanded compensation from the US and Israel for war damages from the conflict.
“Any political solution addressing Iran’s aggression against the Gulf Arab states must include clear guarantees to prevent future attacks, enshrine the principle of non-aggression, and incorporate Iranian compensation for the targeting of civilian populations and vital civilian infrastructure,” Anwar Gargesh, adviser to the UAE president, wrote in a post on X.
Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu says 'no malicious intent' in preventing Latin Patriarch from entering Holy Sepulchre.
US economist Jeffrey Sachs attributed the US miscalculations in the Iran war to 'gangster-like' thinking by top leaders, including Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said on Sunday, citing the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, that two LPG carriers- BW TYR and BW ELM carrying a combined LPG cargo of about 94,000 MT have safely transited and are moving towards India shores.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday he was on a visit to Jordan, the latest stop on his whirlwind tour of the Middle East where he signed defence agreements with Gulf states in recent days.
Doha-headquartered news network Al Araby TV on Sunday criticised a strike on the building hosting its Tehran office, as Israel and the United States pressed an aerial campaign against Iran.
Bahrain announces curfew for maritime traffic: ministry.
The European Union's maritime security body has warned ships against entering the Yemeni territorial waters as the Iran-backed Houthis could resume attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. On Saturday, Iran-backed Houthis had fired missiles at Israel for the first time since the outbreak of the ongoing conflict.
The Houthis hold sway in northwest Yemen and can disrupt traffic through Bab al-Mandeb, the maritime chokepoint linking the Red Sea to global trade routes
An IRGC spokesman accused US President Donald Trump of sending inconsistent signals on the war, saying Washington was alternating between threats, negotiations and military action.
Bahrain said it has so far intercepted 174 missiles and 391 drones launched from Iran, according to official figures.
As we reported earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he has received intelligence on Russia conducting surveillance of US bases in the Middle East and Gulf regions.
Witnesses told Iran International that Iraqi forces had been stationed in residential housing used by Revolutionary Guards personnel on Autobusrani Street in Bandar Abbas.
Shops, restaurants and shopping malls in Egypt have been asked to close early in a bid to curb energy bills that have more than doubled because of the Iran war.
Iranian parliament speaker Qalibaf says US speaks of negotiations but plans ground attack in secret.
Qatari news channel Al Araby reported on Sunday that an Israeli missile had hit the building housing its office in Tehran, causing damage.
"An Israeli missile targets the Al Araby TV channel building in the capital, Tehran... extensive damage and the suspension of live broadcasting," the channel said in a post on X.
Footage from inside the office showed broken windows, shattered glass and debris. Outside the building, images showed the streets covered in debris along with damage to surrounding buildings.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday condemned Israel's alleged killing of three journalists in Lebanon the day before.
On his official Telegram channel, Araghchi said the killings amounted to "targeted assassination" and "flagrant violation of international law".
US-Israeli strikes on Sunday hit a quay at an Iranian port city near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, killing five people, Iranian state media reported.
"The American-Zionist enemy carried out a criminal attack at the quay of Bandar Khamir, killing five people and injuring four others," the official IRNA news agency reported.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued an ultimatum to the United States following alleged strikes on Iranian educational institutions. Tehran has set a deadline of 12:00 noon (Tehran time) on Monday, March 30, 2026. The demand is that the US government must issue an official statement condemning the bombings of two Iranian universities.
Video posted by Iranian state media claims to show the aftermath of an attack on a residential neighborhood in western Tehran
Air strikes have reportedly struck positions linked to Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in two separate areas, according to local sources.
An Iraqi police official stated that one attack targeted a PMF site in the Rashidiya district of Mosul in northern Iraq.
The Fars news agency reported that five people were killed and four others wounded in a US-Israeli attack on a pier in the city of Bandar e Khamir in the province of Hormozgan. It said two vessels and a vehicle were hit and damaged in the attack.
Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry said that it intercepted and destroyed 10 drones over the past few hours.
Iranian Red Crescent rescuers, aided by a sniffer dog, searched through debris-covered streets of Tehran on Saturday (March 28) following a strike in the capital. Footage shared by the group showed rescuers combing through the rubble in a residential area to locate survivors trapped under the rubble. The video also showed a damaged building and damaged cars on the street. Local media reported that nearby houses had also been damaged and destroyed by the attack. Reuters was able to verify the location by the buildings, business signs and structure which matched the file and satellite imagery of the area. The date the video was filmed was not verified, however, Iranian Red Crescent Society and corroborating reports from Iranian media confirmed the damage in the area on March 28. No old results were found posted online before March 28.
In a distasteful remark, US President Donald Trump has claimed that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), was effectively “kissing my a**”, while describing the current dynamics between Washington and Riyadh. His comments come at a time when US is involved in a month-long war with Iran. While Saudi Arabia in its public statements have called for end of conflict, some reports suggest that the Saudi leadership was in favour of the war. Even as Trump mocked MBS, his statements suggested strong alignment with Gulf allies.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday (Mar 28) claimed that Russia took satellite images of a US air base in Saudi Arabia three times in the day before Iran launched attacks on the site, wounding American troops. Zelensky added that he believes it was in Moscow’s interest to help Iranians. He said that he was “100 per cent” confident that Russia was sharing such intelligence with Tehran to help target US forces across the Gulf amid the ongoing war. This comes after a wave of Iranian ballistic missiles struck Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, wounding ten American service members and damaging several critical US refuelling aircraft.
Two powerful explosions shook northern Tehran early Sunday, an AFP journalist reported.
The blasts occurred in the Iranian capital around 7:20 am (0350 GMT) as air defences operated, although it was not clear what was targeted.
The Israeli army announced on Sunday the death in combat of a soldier in south Lebanon.
"Sergeant Moshe Yitzchak hacohen Katz, aged 22, from New Haven, Connecticut, a soldier of the 890th battalion, Paratroopers Brigade, fell during combat in southern Lebanon," a military statement said.
Five Israeli soldiers have now been killed in fighting in south Lebanon since Hezbollah began launching rocket attacks against Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader.
The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said it launched a missile strike on Israel’s Mahava Alon base and deployed drones against the Berea base near Safed earlier today. It also reported firing multiple rocket barrages at Israeli troops and vehicles at the Al-Malikiyah site, and targeting an Israeli armoured unit in Deir Siryan in southern Lebanon.
Thousands of Americans have poured into the streets nationwide as part of the “No Kings” protests, voicing opposition to Donald Trump and his policies. Demonstrations across major cities highlighted concerns over expanding presidential powers, immigration crackdowns, and the ongoing Iran war, amid rising economic and political tensions.
An Iranian missile strike on the Prince Sultan Air Base damaged a US E-3 Sentry—a crucial airborne warning and control system used to track drones, missiles and aircraft over long distances and coordinate battlefield operations.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, late on Saturday, spoke to his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi and called for “an end to all attacks and hostilities” in the region.
A major water source in the city of Haftgel, in Iran’s western Khuzestan province, was reportedly targeted in a strike by the United States and Israel, according to Iran’s Fars news agency, citing a local security official.
Aluminum Bahrain, a major smelter in the country, was targeted in an Iranian attack that injured two employees, its state news agency reported.
The UAE’s air defence systems are actively intercepting incoming missiles and UAVs, with the Defence Ministry confirming that the sounds heard nationwide are due to ongoing engagement operations against these aerial threats.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a phone call that India strongly condemns the repeated Iranian attacks that threaten Saudi Arabia’s security and sovereignty. He also said they discussed recent regional developments, warning that the ongoing military escalation poses serious risks to regional and global stability, maritime security, and the world economy.
Channel 12 reported that Israeli air defenses intercepted an Iranian missile, triggering sirens across the Negev and Dead Sea areas in southern Israel.
The Government of Pakistan raised the price of jet fuel for commercial passenger aircraft for the fifth time in just 28 days, attributing the sharp increase to the ongoing oil crisis triggered by the ongoing conflict in West Asia, The Express Tribune reported.
The US State Department strongly condemned the strike, calling it “despicable.” Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in a statement carried by Mehr News Agency, denounced the drone strike as an “act of terrorism.”
Reacting to the incident, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani said the attack was not just against a residence but against the entire Kurdistan region. He described it as an act of aggression and called for a firm and decisive response.
The residence of Iraqi Kurdistan President Nechirvan Barzani was targeted in an attack on Saturday, according to a statement from the office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani. Al-Sudani’s office said the government remains committed to preventing “outlaw actors,” whether regional or international, from drawing Iraq into the wider regional conflict.
Kuwait's military said it was responding to "hostile missile and drone" threats. "The general staff of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces confirms that any explosions that may be heard are the result of air defense systems intercepting hostile targets," it said in a post on X.
US Vice President JD Vance has said that the United States has achieved the majority of its military objectives in the Iran war, which President Donald Trump plans to continue “for a little while longer” to ensure Iran’s government is severely hampered. Vance signalled that Washington does not intend to prolong the military engagement in Iran but admitted the short-term economic impacts of the conflict. “The president is going to keep at it for a little while longer to ensure that once we leave, we don’t have to do this again for a very, very long time,” Vance said during an interview with conservative podcaster Benny Johnson.
Israeli police scuffled with hundreds of anti-war demonstrators in Tel Aviv, while millions took to the streets across US cities as part of the “No Kings” protests, many voicing opposition to President Donald Trump and the war with Iran.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on Sunday (Mar 29) said that they carried out a second attack on Israel in less than 24 hours using missiles and drones, hinting that the war in West Asia is widening. The group vowed to continue military operations in the coming days. Houthis launched their first attack on Mar 28 and fired a missile on Israel a day after it warned of intervention if attacks on Iran continued. Israel said it intercepted the missile. The Iranian-backed group said it fired a barrage of ballistic missiles “targeting sensitive Israeli military sites” in response to the targeting of Iran, Lebanon, Iraq, and Palestinian territories. It added that its operations will continue until the “aggression” on all fronts ends.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on Sunday (Mar 29) has threatened to target US universities in the West Asia after saying US and Israeli strikes had destroyed two Iranian universities. A number of American universities operate campuses across the Gulf region, including Texas A&M University in Qatar and New York University in the United Arab Emirates.
While expressing readiness to return to Iran after 47 long years, Pahlavi also said that the regime is not the “true partners for peace” and negotiating with them would mean confronting security threats from the country “every two years." Addressing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Texas on Saturday (Mar 28), he said that he would call for nationwide protests again in an effort to "reclaim the homeland, their dignity and their future." “Imagine a new Middle East where Iran is a friend of Israel,” he said. “Where the Abraham Accords are extended into the Cyrus Accords.”
Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former shah of Iran has appealed to US President Donald Trump and said that Washington should not seal a deal with the Iranian regime. Batting for regime change, Pahlavi projected himself as a future leader and said that he wants to make Iran “great again.”
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) says some 3,500 additional troops have arrived in the Middle East on board the USS Tripoli
