&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "US-Israel-Iran war highlights: Iran military warns of full Hormuz closure if US strikes power plants")
US-Iran-Israel war LIVE | The conflict in West Asia has entered its 23rd day on March 22. Hostilities began on February 28 when the US and Israeli military launched strikes on Iran, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and several other top Iranian officials. The operation was named ‘Epic Fury’ by the US and ‘Lion’s Roar’ by Israel. The attacks came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and ongoing talks over Iran’s nuclear program. In retaliation, Iran launched attacks on Israel and US military bases in the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Iraq, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Azerbaijan.
In a recent development, the US struck Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility. Following the attack, Iran launched an attack on Israel’s Dimona, which houses a nuclear facility. Tehran’s state media reported that Iran’s missile attack on Dimona was a “response” to an earlier strike on its own nuclear site at Natanz. Amid the escalation, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has called for restraint, particularly “in the vicinity of nuclear facilities”.
Iran has ruled out any possibility of a ceasefire, while US President Donald Trump has claimed victory multiple times, suggesting that the objective is nearly met. Meanwhile, Israel has expanded its operations in Lebanon, targeting Iran’s ally Hezbollah and has ruled out diplomacy with the Lebanese government.
Following Khamenei’s death, Iran has named his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the Islamic Republic's new supreme leader. While the new leader has made several statements, he has not made any public appearances. Since then, rumours have circulated about his health, with claims that he was injured in the strikes that killed his father.
Amid the escalating tensions in West Asia, Iran has shut down the Strait of Hormuz and warned that any vessel attempting to pass could be targeted and set on fire, with several oil tankers being hit in recent days. In recent days, at least 3 India-flagged LPG tankers have crossed the strait after discussions with Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz is the only maritime outlet for ports located in the Persian Gulf. Its blockage has significantly affected global energy supply, triggering a sharp rise in oil prices.
Follow WION for all the updates, analysis and developments on the US-Israel-Iran war
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Sunday demanded the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and the preservation of all the energy sites of the Middle East. “The Government of Spain demands the opening of Hormuz and the preservation of all the energy sites of the Middle East,” he wrote on social media.
“We stand at a global tipping point. Further escalation could trigger a long-term energy crisis for all humanity. The world should not pay the consequences of this war,” PM Sánchez added.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Sunday its air defence systems intercepted multiple Iranian aerial threats, including 25 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 4 ballistic missiles. In a post on X, the Ministry of Defence said, "UAE air defences engaged Iranian ballistic and cruise missiles and UAVs attacks," intercepting 25 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and 4 ballistic missiles in the latest wave of Iranian attacks.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that US threats against Iran show the latter’s desperation. In a post on X, Pezeshkian wrote, “The illusion of erasing Iran from the map shows desperation against the will of a history-making nation.”
“Threats and terror only strengthen our unity. The Strait of Hormuz is open to all except those who violate our soil. We firmly confront delirious threats on the battlefield,” he added.
Iran is continuing to fire drones at Saudi Arabia, the Saudi defence ministry said on Sunday, adding that it has downed several of them.
The defence ministry published a number of posts on social media over the course of the day, saying drones have been shot down and intercepted over the country’s eastern region.
The United States may need to "escalate" its attacks against Iran to be able to wind down the war, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Sunday slammed Israeli strikes on bridges and other infrastructure in the country's south, calling such attacks a "prelude to a ground invasion".
Iran's military threatened on Sunday to completely shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz, among other measures, if US President Donald Trump acts on threats to target the country's power plants.
Israel said it had begun striking Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon on Sunday, shortly after the military was ordered to destroy bridges used by the Iran-backed militant group across the Litani River.
Israel's military said on Sunday that Iran had fired more than 400 ballistic missiles at Israel since the start of the war, and it intercepted 92 per cent of these missiles.
Iran now has the capability to strike deep into Europe, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, as he visited the site of a missile strike in the southern city of Arad.
An acting intelligence minister was appointed immediately after the killing of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, a communications aide to President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday (March 22).
Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that any attack on the country’s power plants or infrastructure would trigger strikes on energy and oil facilities across the region.
"We stand ready to take necessary measures to support global supply of energy such as the stockpile release decided by international energy agency member on March 11."
Two communities in southern Israel were struck by Israeli missiles leaving buildings shattered and dozens injured
Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group said it attacked Israeli soldiers in northern Israel's Misgav Am on Sunday, where first responders said rocket fire from Lebanon killed one person.
Eight overnight attacks targeted a US diplomatic and logistics centre at Baghdad's International Airport, an Iraqi security official told AFP on Sunday.
PM Modi to hold key meet with ministers on Sunday (March 22) amid West Asia Tension.
An Iranian lawmaker said the Islamic Republic is charging a few vessels $2 million to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The lawmaker described it as the start of a new approach to control over the waterway.
Nearly 200 people were injured by Iranian strikes in the southern cities of Dimona and Arad on Saturday, 11 of them seriously, medics said, after Israeli air defenses failed to intercept at least two ballistic missiles.
Iran is ready to cooperate with the International Maritime Organisation to improve maritime safety and protect seafarers in the Gulf, the Iranian representative to the UN maritime agency said, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported on Sunday.
Ali Mousavi said the Strait of Hormuz remains open to all shipping except vessels linked to “Iran’s enemies”, adding that passage through the narrow waterway was possible by coordinating security and safety arrangements with Tehran.
“Diplomacy remains Iran’s priority. However, a complete cessation of aggression as well as mutual trust and confidence are more important,” Mousavi said, adding that Israeli and US attacks against Iran were at the “root of current situation in Strait of Hormuz”.
Sri Lanka raised fuel prices by 25 percent on Sunday, the second increase in two weeks, as the country prepared for more impact from the war in the Middle East.
Regular petrol was increased to 398 rupees ($1.30) per litre, up from 317 rupees, while diesel, the fuel commonly used for public transport, rose by 79 rupees to 382.
Last week, the government ordered an eight percent increase in retail fuel prices and introduced rationing to limit consumption.
"We hope to achieve a 15 to 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption with the latest increase," an official at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation said.
Iran’s state broadcaster says the death toll from the US-Israeli attacks on the country has now topped 1,500, according to the Health Ministry
The Japanese government has confirmed the release of one of the two Japanese nationals who had been detained in Iran, according to a report by Kyodo News.
In a development shared on Sunday, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi confirmed that the individual, who had been in custody since June, departed via Azerbaijan last Wednesday and arrived in Japan in good health. Addressing the status of the remaining detainee, Motegi stated, “We are working toward the early release of the other individual.” Reports from a non-profit organisation suggest the second individual is the Tehran bureau chief of the public broadcaster NHK, who was taken into custody by local authorities on 20 January.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has indicated that the country could consider deploying its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) for minesweeping operations within the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report by Kyodo News.
Leaders of over 20 countries, including the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Japan, have issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that escalating attacks on commercial vessels and critical infrastructure pose a serious threat to global security and energy supplies. "We condemn in the strongest terms recent attacks by Iran on unarmed commercial vessels in the Gulf, attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations, and the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces. We express our deep concern about the escalating conflict. We call on Iran to cease immediately its threats, laying of mines, drone and missile attacks, and other attempts to block the Strait to commercial shipping, and to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 2817," reads the statement
The Israel Defense Forces said on Saturday (local time) that Iranian missiles can reach a distance of almost 4,000km, which brings London, Paris or Berlin within its radar. The IDF on X wrote: "The Iranian terrorist regime launched a long-range missile for the first time since the start of Operation Roaring Lion that could reach a distance of ~4,000 km. During Operation Rising Lion in June 2025, the IDF revealed that the Iranian regime has intentions to develop missiles with a range of 4,000 km, which pose a danger to dozens of countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. The Iranian regime denied this."
The Pentagon has formulated comprehensive strategies for the potential deployment of United States ground troops into Iran, according to various sources informed on the matter who spoke with CBS News. High-level military commanders have reportedly put forward specific requests to ensure readiness as US President Donald Trump considers further actions within the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel.
Saudi Arabia has declared several Iranian Embassy staff, including the military attache, as persona non grata and ordered them to leave the country within 24 hours.
A senior Iranian official said that Iran is not responsible for the missile attacks on Diego Garcia. Diego Garcia, which is about 4,000km (2,500 miles) from Iranian territory, is one of two bases the UK has allowed the US to use for “defensive operations” in the war against Iran.
Trump said that Iran wants to make a deal but he does not, arguing he’s met his goals “weeks ahead of schedule” and that the US has “blown Iran off of the map.”
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said early Sunday that an unknown projectile caused an explosion “in close proximity” to a bulk carrier off the central northern coast of the United Arab Emirates,
Qatar's Defense Ministry said that a helicopter suffered a "technical malfunction" during a routine mission and crashed in the country's regional waters. A search operation was launched for crew members and passengers
Israel’s PM Netanyahu says he is “strengthening the emergency and rescue forces currently operating in the field”
Israel’s Education Ministry has cancelled all in-person classes across the country for Sunday and Monday. This comes after two missile attacks – on Arad and Dimona in southern Israel – injured almost 100 people.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has issued a stern warning against any military action targeting its domestic energy and fuel sectors. According to Iranian state media, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the threat was articulated by Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters. The military official indicated that Tehran's retaliatory scope would extend beyond traditional military targets to include critical civilian and technological infrastructure.
Iranian missile strikes on two southern Israeli towns wounded more than 100 people on Saturday, medics said, after Israeli air defence systems failed to intercept the projectiles.
The two direct hits tore open the fronts of residential buildings and carved craters into the ground.
Magen David Adom first responders said 84 people were wounded in the town of Arad, 10 of them seriously, hours after 33 were wounded in nearby Dimona.
Iranian state TV said the missile attack on Dimona, which houses a nuclear facility, was a "response" to an earlier strike on its own nuclear site at Natanz.
The United Arab Emirates said it was responding to incoming aerial attacks from Iran on Sunday.
"UAE air defences are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran," the defence ministry said in a statement explaining "the sounds heard are the result of the Air Defence Systems intercepting missiles and drones".
A ministry spokesperson said three drones had been intercepted and destroyed in the country's eastern region.
Iran's military renewed threats on Sunday against the region's infrastructure after the US president vowed to "obliterate" power plants in the Islamic republic if the Strait of Hormuz is not swiftly reopened.
"Following previous warnings, if Iran's fuel and energy infrastructure is violated by the enemy, all energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US and the regime in the region will be targeted," the Iranian military's operational command Khatam Al-Anbiya said in a statement carried by Fars news agency.
The statement comes after Donald Trump gave Iran a 48-hour deadline to open the vital route in the Gulf to shipping traffic after it was effectively closed in response to the Middle East war.
The Israeli military said its forces launched a wave of strikes on Tehran early Sunday, hours after Iranian missile fire hit two cities in southern Israel.
A brief statement said Israeli forces were "currently conducting strikes on Iranian terror regime targets in the heart of Tehran".
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Saturday to continue striking Iran after what he called a "very difficult evening", as two direct missile hits in southern Israel left scores wounded.
"This is a very difficult evening in the battle for our future," Netanyahu said in a statement. "We are determined to continue striking our enemies on all fronts".
Israeli medics said 59 people were wounded in an Iranian missile strike Saturday on the southern town of Arad, raising initial casualty figures.
"Paramedics are providing medical treatment and transporting 59 patients to hospitals via dozens of ambulances," Israel's Magen David Adom first responders said.
"Among them are 6 patients in serious condition, 13 patients in moderate condition, and 40 patients in mild condition," it added.
Israeli firefighters reported a direct hit on a town in southern Israel on Saturday, causing extensive damage to several buildings, after the military had warned of an incoming missile attack from Iran.
"Further to the report of a hit in the city of Arad, this is a strike in the city centre between residential buildings," the service said in a statement, adding it was a "direct hit".
"Extensive damage was caused at the site."
Saudi Arabia on Saturday ordered an Iranian diplomat and three members of his team to leave the country, as the kingdom and its Gulf neighbours face Iranian strikes in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks.
In a statement condemning "repeated Iranian attacks", Riyadh said it "decided to declare persona non grata the military attache of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, along with three members of the embassy's military mission".
They were given 24 hours to leave the country, the foreign ministry said in a message posted on social media.
The UN nuclear watchdog on Saturday issued a call for "maximum military restraint" after Israel said an Iranian missile struck the southern town of Dimona, home to a nuclear facility.
"The IAEA is aware of reports of an incident in the city of Dimona, Israel, involving a missile impact and has not received any indication of damage to the nuclear research center Negev," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a post on X.
"Information from regional States indicates that no abnormal radiation levels have been detected," it added.
Iranian state TV said a missile attack on the Israeli town of Dimona, home to a nuclear facility, was a "response" to an earlier strike on its own nuclear site at Natanz.
Iran's atomic energy organisation had said earlier in the day that the "Natanz enrichment complex was targeted this morning", though there was "no leakage of radioactive materials reported", according to a statement carried by local media.
The missile strike in Dimona wounded at least 39 people, according to Israeli emergency services.