Updated on: Mar 13, 2026 9:12:39 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: A plume of smoke covers the city skyline following reported Israeli strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, after an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon,
…Read More
Iran’s new Supreme Leader defiant
Iran’s new leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, issued his first public statements Thursday, resolving to keep fighting, promising more pain for Gulf Arab states and threatening to open “other fronts” in a war that has already disrupted world energy supplies, the global economy and international travel.
The stance revealed by the Supreme Leader came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country’s attacks were creating conditions for the Iranian population to topple the government.
“It is in your hands,” Netanyahu said at a news conference, addressing the Iranian people. “We are creating the optimal conditions for the fall of the regime.”
Since the start of the war, US and Israeli strikes have targeted security checkpoints in Iran to undermine the government’s ability to suppress dissent, according to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, the US-based independent monitoring group known as ACLED.
Saudi Arabia intercepts drones
Saudi Arabia intercepted dozens of drones entering its airspace, the defence ministry said Friday, as Iran carries out attacks on oil-rich Gulf countries in response to US-Israeli strikes.
“Twelve drones were intercepted and destroyed after entering Saudi airspace,” a ministry spokesperson posted on X, after authorities reported at least 16 other drones were also shot down.
Oil prices down
Oil prices dropped on Friday morning after the US issued a 30-day license for countries to buy Russian oil and petroleum products currently stranded at sea, easing supply concerns.
Brent futures dropped 71 cents, or 0.71%, to $99.75 a barrel by 0123 GMT, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 88 cents, or 0.92%, to $94.85.
Follow all the updates here:
Mar 13, 2026 9:10:44 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: More drones intercepted in Saudi Arabia
The spokesperson for Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry said that air defences have shot down four more drones over its eastern and central regions.
Mar 13, 2026 9:08:42 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Trump asks ships to ‘show some guts’ in Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump said on Friday he believes Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is still alive “in some form,” despite not being seen publicly since taking office after the war in Iran began.
Trump’s remarks come after the new Iranian supreme leader’s first public remarks were run by news portals, in which he resolved to keep fighting, promising more pain for Gulf Arab states and threatening to open “other fronts” in a war that has already disrupted world energy supplies, the global economy and international travel.
“I think he probably is. I think he is damaged, but I think he’s probably alive in some form, you know,” Fox News quoted Trump as saying in an interview on “The Brian Kilmeade Show” scheduled to air Friday at 10:06 am ET.
Addressing the difficulties vessels seeking to sail through the key Strait of Hormuz are facing, Trump suggested the ships should show some “guts” and continue their journey.
“They should go through the Strait of Hormuz and show some guts.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of. They have no Navy and we sunk all their ships,” the president was quoted as saying. Read more here.
Mar 13, 2026 9:01:18 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: UAE airlines resume ‘limited flights’ with updated timetables
As UAE airlines gradually resume operations amid ongoing regional airspace restrictions, passengers are urged to stay informed about flight schedules, booking options, and potential scams.
Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, and Air Arabia are all operating limited flights, with updated timetables and safety guidance in place. Travellers are advised to verify all flight details through official channels and avoid sharing personal information online.
Mar 13, 2026 8:47:55 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Blasts heard, smoke seen over central Dubai
News agency AFP reported that several blasts were heard in central Dubai, with smoke also seen rising over the area.
Mar 13, 2026 8:44:00 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Conflict and rising fuel costs could boost Panama Canal traffic, administrator says
Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez said Thursday that the conflict in the Middle East and rising fuel costs could ultimately benefit the interoceanic waterway as global shippers adjust routes.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Vásquez said that higher energy, fuel and navigation costs could make the Panama Canal a more attractive option for commercial traffic.
“When costs increase, in general when the price of marine fuel rises, the Panama Canal becomes a more attractive route,” Vásquez said.
Mar 13, 2026 8:32:35 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Israeli strike in Tehran kills a woman and child
Al Jazeera Arabic reported that a woman and a child were killed overnight during an Israeli air strike targeting a residential building in the city of Arak, western Iran.
The city’s deputy governor said that 35 other people were also injured in the attack.
Mar 13, 2026 8:24:44 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: US Senator demands accountability for airstrike on Iranian school
US Senator Raphael Warnock has said that the killing of more than 170 schoolchildren in Iran “should shock our conscience and cause us to recoil in horror”.
The senator, who is also a Pastor and a member of the Democratic Party, called for accountability and lessons learned from the tragedy, which has been blamed by Iran on US-Israeli forces.
“A nation whose leaders can so easily shrug off the death of children, no matter the cause, is in need of moral repair,” Warnock said in a post on social media.
“We must never forget that Iranian children, too, are children of God,” he added.
Mar 13, 2026 8:21:00 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: 3 Iranian Red Crescent aid workers injured in airstrike on Tehran freeway
Iran’s Red Crescent Society said three of its aid workers were wounded in an attack at the Tehran-Qom toll station early Friday.
The toll station is a major freeway exit point from the capital, leading to the city of Qom.
The attack damaged one of the organisation’s relief posts, and the three wounded aid workers were transferred to the hospital, the Red Crescent said.
Mar 13, 2026 8:16:46 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Moscow says global energy market ‘cannot remain stable’ without Russian oil
Russia’s economic envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, said Friday that the global energy market “cannot remain stable” without Russia’s oil.
His comments came after the United States said it would temporarily allow the sale of Russian oil that is at sea, as energy prices soared after US-Israeli strikes on Iran plunged the oil-rich Middle East into war.
“The United States is effectively acknowledging the obvious: without Russian oil, the global energy market cannot remain stable,” Dmitriev posted on Telegram.
Mar 13, 2026 8:14:39 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: IRGC says it targeted several Israeli cities in fresh wave of missile attacks
The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has announced its 44th wave of attacks against Israeli and US forces in the region, according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.
The IRGC said it had targeted with “a multitude of missiles” locations in the “north of the occupied territories”, including the Israeli cities of Kiryat, Shmona, Hadera and Haifa, as well as US bases in the region and the US Fifth Fleet, Fars reports.
Mar 13, 2026 8:04:55 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Several explosions in Tehran
The Iranian state media is reporting several explosions in the country’s capital, Tehran, as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues to intensify.
Mar 13, 2026 7:58:45 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Trump administration denounces CNN for airing message from Iranian Supreme Leader
The Trump administration denounced CNN on Thursday for airing a portion of the new Iranian supreme leader’s public statement, the second time in three days that it targeted the network for reporting on how the regime is responding to the American attacks.
The attack illustrated the care news outlets must take when reporting during wartime, and the responsibilities of American journalists to report the perspectives of countries whose governments they view as enemies. It also exposed inconsistencies.
The message of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei during his first public statement since he succeeded his father, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike, was widely available elsewhere.
The White House said on social media that “fake news CNN just aired four straight minutes of uninterrupted Iranian state TV, run by the same psychotic and murderous regime that prided itself on brutally slaughtering Americans for 47 years.”
Mar 13, 2026 7:53:15 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: How much money has US spent in Iran operation?
US officials told lawmakers that the first six days of the war with Iran cost more than $11.3 billion, a person familiar with the matter said, providing the most detailed assessment yet of the expense of President Donald Trump’s military campaign.
Pentagon officials gave the estimate in a closed-door briefing with Senate appropriations staff this week, according to the person, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. The actual cost is likely much higher because the number doesn’t include the expense of operating ships and maintaining personnel deployed in the region.
The figure — nearly $1.9 billion a day — is far higher than unofficial numbers floated by outside groups, including the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, which had released a paper last week estimating the first four days of the operation, which began on February 28, had cost $3.7 billion, or $890 million a day.
(Bloomberg)
Mar 13, 2026 7:43:31 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Iraqi group claims responsibility for attacks on US bases
Iraqi militant group Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed responsibility for six coordinated attacks on US military bases across Iraq, according to a statement released on their official Telegram channel.
Mar 13, 2026 7:39:15 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Strike in Israel’s Zarzir injures at least 30
Israeli public broadcaster Kan News has reported that 30 people were injured in a strike on a building in Israel’s northern Zarzir city.
Quoting emergency services, Kan said two people were injured by shrapnel, and others were lightly injured by broken glass.
Six of those injured have been sent to the hospital, including two children aged 12 and 13, according to Kan.
Mar 13, 2026 7:23:26 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Saudi Arabia says it shot down 10 more Iranian drones
The spokesperson for Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry has said that the country’s air defences have intercepted and shot down 10 more drones over the eastern region.
Mar 13, 2026 7:19:31 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Qatar condemns Israeli attacks in Lebanon
The State of Qatar strongly condemns the Israeli attacks on southern Lebanon, considering them a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on the international community to fulfil its responsibilities by compelling the Israeli occupation authorities to cease their repeated attacks on Lebanon and to respect international conventions and laws,” the statement said.
“The Ministry affirms the State of Qatar’s unwavering stance towards the Republic of Lebanon, its unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and its full support for all efforts that enhance its stability and prosperity,” it added.
Mar 13, 2026 7:15:44 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: US says it hit 6,000 targets in Iran
The US has struck 6,000 targets in Iran during Operation Epic Fury, according to new numbers released by US Central Command.
They included about 60 ships and 30 minelaying vessels, the US said it had damaged or destroyed.
Other targets were command centres, weapons production facilities, ballistic missile sites, submarines and air defence systems in Iran.
Mar 13, 2026 7:11:50 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Fire on USS Gerald Ford leaves two sailors injured in Red Sea, US Navy says
A fire in the main laundry area of the US Navy’s newest and largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, has left two sailors injured, the Navy’s 5th Fleet said in a statement Thursday.
The fire is contained and not combat-related, and the 100,000-ton carrier remains fully operational, the statement said.
The injured sailors are in stable condition and being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, the Navy said.
Mar 13, 2026 7:04:12 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Oil prices drop after US nod on Russian crude
Oil prices dropped on Friday morning after the U.S. issued a 30-day license for countries to buy Russian oil and petroleum products currently stranded at sea, easing supply concerns.
Brent futures dropped 71 cents, or 0.71%, to $99.75 a barrel by 0123 GMT, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 88 cents, or 0.92%, to $94.85.
Mar 13, 2026 7:00:29 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Saudi Arabia says it intercepted dozens of Iranian drones
Saudi Arabia intercepted dozens of drones entering its airspace, the defence ministry said Friday, as Iran carries out attacks on oil-rich Gulf countries in response to US-Israeli strikes.
“Twelve drones were intercepted and destroyed after entering Saudi airspace,” a ministry spokesperson posted on X, after authorities reported at least 16 other drones were also shot down.
Mar 13, 2026 6:58:30 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: New missile wave launched at Israel
The Israeli military said early Friday that Iran fired a new barrage of missiles toward Israel, instructing people in affected areas to head to shelters.
“A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the military posted on Telegram.
Mar 13, 2026 6:56:30 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: UN rights experts condemn US, Israel actions in Iran and Lebanon
Twelve independent UN human rights experts have issued a joint statement condemning the “ongoing military assaults on Iran and Lebanon by the United States and Israel as flagrant violations of international law”.
“The conflict risks engulfing the wider region in catastrophic armed violence and threatens to set yet another precedent of total impunity for some of the world’s strongest military powers,” the statement said.
Mar 13, 2026 6:54:18 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: French soldier killed in Iraq’s Erbil, Macron says
France’s President Emanuel Macron has announced that a Chief Warrant Officer died during an attack in Iraq’s Erbil region that also injured “several” other French soldiers, and which he linked to the war with Iran.
Macron said in a post on X: “To his family, to his brothers in arms, I want to express all the affection and solidarity of the Nation”.
“Several of our soldiers have been wounded. France stands by their side and with their loved ones,” he added.
The president said French troops were based in Iraq as part of the fight against the ISIL (ISIS) group.
“The war in Iran cannot justify such attacks,” he added.
Mar 13, 2026 6:52:08 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: Islamic Resistance in Iraq claims responsibility after US aircraft crash
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, has claimed responsibility for downing a US KC-135 refuelling aircraft in western Iraq.
In a statement posted to its official Telegram channel, the group asserted that its fighters targeted the aircraft with air defence systems, causing it to crash.
Mar 13, 2026 6:45:37 AM IST
US-Iran war live updates: US military plane down in Iraq
A US military refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, in an incident US Central Command said involved another aircraft but was not the result of hostile or friendly fire.
The United States has deployed a large number of aircraft into the Middle East to take part in operations against Iran and the incident highlights the risk of operations, even over friendly skies.
In a statement, US Central Command said it was carrying out rescue efforts after the US KC-135 refueling aircraft went down. The second aircraft landed safely.
“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury,” the statement said, using the military name of the US operation against Iran.
A US official told Reuters the other aircraft involved in the incident was also a KC-135 and the one that crashed had as many as six service members on board.
Load More