![\"Damage](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1772896392_273_\/4146297d-3f69-4bff-aac9-ebe92c453a99.jpg\")
<\/p>\nUS attack on infrastructure \u2018will have grave consequences\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cAttacking Iran\u2019s infrastructure is a dangerous move with grave consequences,\u201d Abbas Araghchi, the Iranian Foreign Minister, said on X this afternoon.<\/p>\n
It follows a US strike on a freshwater desalination plant in Qeshm, an island in the Strait of Hormuz. Araghchi confirmed that 30 villages\u2019 water supply had been affected and added: \u201cThe US set this precedent, not Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n
Turkey is pushing for peace<\/p>\n
President Erdogan of Turkey has told Sir Keir Starmer that there are \u201cstill things that can be done\u201d to promote American-Iranian dialogue in a phone call today, according to a statement from his office.<\/p>\n
Turkey is monitoring the war and its \u201cpeace-focused efforts\u201d are continuing, Erdogan told the prime minister. The statement added that prolonged conflict could damage injure regional and global stability.<\/p>\n
Over 28,000 Americans repatriated <\/p>\n
More than 28,000 Americans have returned home from the Middle East since the start of the Iran war last week, according to the US State Department.<\/p>\n
The majority returned without assistance on commercial flights but the US government said it had arranged over a dozen charter flights to evacuate its citizens.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, President Trump said \u201cit happened all very quickly,\u201d in response to criticism of his government over the lack of an evacuation plan.<\/p>\n
MoD: Aircraft carrier being prepared to sail<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the HMS Prince of Wales, one of two UK aircraft carriers, has been ordered into a higher state of readiness. However, it is understood that no decision has been taken yet to deploy the aircraft carrier.<\/p>\n
The spokesman said: \u201cWe have been bolstering our UK military presence in the Middle East since January, and we have already deployed capabilities to protect British people and our allies in the region, including Typhoons, F-35 jets, air defence systems and an extra 400 personnel into Cyprus.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince the strikes began, we\u2019ve had British jets in the sky shooting down drones and have sent additional assets to the region to further reinforce our air defences, including more Typhoons and Wildcat helicopters with drone-busting missiles.<\/p>\n
\u201cHMS Prince of Wales has always been on very high readiness and we are increasing the preparedness of the carrier, reducing the time it would take to set sail for any deployment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kuwait cuts oil production<\/p>\n
Kuwait has cut its oil production as a precaution amid ongoing attacks from Iran and following the interception of a drone attack on the Gulf country earlier today<\/p>\n
No casualties were reported. The National Guard, which helps protect against Iranian missiles and drones, announced the interception on social media.<\/p>\n
The move to reduce oil production is part of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation\u2019s \u201crisk management and business continuity strategy\u201d. The state oil company said it would be ready to restore oil production levels once conditions allow.<\/p>\n
Marc Bennetts: Israel aims to devastate Hezbollah<\/p>\n
Damage in southern Lebanon on Saturday<\/p>\n
NIDAL SOLH\/AFP\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n
The sound of heavy machine gunfire and the distinctive thud of outgoing artillery reverberated across the grassy hills and valleys on Israel\u2019s border with Lebanon, shattering a brief, deceptive calm.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d better not stand here too long,\u201d said Arna Weinberg, a 70-year-old resident of Manara, a tiny hilltop kibbutz, as the sun dipped beneath the red-tinged horizon. \u201c[Hezbollah] can see us. We make an easy target for a sniper.\u201d<\/p>\n
Soon after, as darkness fell, Israeli forces launched missiles from a position near by, the deafening sound of the explosions mingling with the panicked howling of wild jackals.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Read in full: Israel aims to devastate Hezbollah as war spreads to Lebanon<\/a><\/p>\n More US bombers land in UK A USAF B1-B bomber arrives at RAF Fairford<\/p>\n PETER MACDIARMID<\/p>\n Three more US bombers landed at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n It follows the arrival of the first B-1 Lancer on Friday evening.<\/p>\n Sir Keir Starmer has granted permission for the US to use UK bases for \u201cdefensive action\u201d against Iranian missile sites.<\/p>\n Pre-revolutionary Iranian flags joins those of the US, UK and Israel outside RAF Fairford on Saturday<\/p>\n CHRISTOPHER FURLONG\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Iran targets tanker in Gulf <\/p>\n The Iranian navy has said an oil tanker bearing the flag of the Marshall Islands was hit by a drone in the Gulf, according to state news agencies.<\/p>\n The tanker was trading under the name \u201cLouise P\u201d. The Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it was considered \u201cone of the assets of the terrorist America\u201d.<\/p>\n Earlier this week, the IRGC\u2019s navy said all assets of the Israeli and American regimes are \u201clegitimate targets\u201d.<\/p>\n Rishi Sunak: How the conflict will play out<\/p>\n Regrettably, the most likely scenario right now is that the Iranian regime survives. Unlike Libya and Syria, which were personal dictatorships, the Islamic Republic of Iran has a broad and dispersed structure. Our assessment was always that removing the regime\u2019s leaders wouldn\u2019t collapse it.<\/p>\n Despite its deep unpopularity, there is no ready-made alternative. Revolutions require both an inspirational figurehead and organisation; neither is currently present.<\/p>\n After the brutality with which January\u2019s protests were put down, and the failure of President Trump to deliver on his promise that help was on the way, it is unlikely that people will take to the streets again.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: How the conflict in Iran will play out<\/a><\/p>\n Drones target Iraqi oil facility Photos and video show the aftermath of a suspected Iranian drone attack in Basra, Iraq, on Friday night.<\/p>\n A fire broke out at an oil facility housing foreign energy companies, including the US firm Halliburton.<\/p>\n Baghdad International Airport, which houses a military base and a US diplomatic facility, was also attacked overnight. <\/p>\n Ruined offices and warehouses used by Halliburton in Basra<\/p>\n ESSAM AL-SUDANI\/REUTERS<\/p>\n London protesters carry Khamenei portraits<\/p>\n Hundreds of protesters have gathered in central London for a demonstration against the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.<\/p>\n Some carried Iranian and Palestinian flags as well as portraits of the former supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, who was killed in the bombing of Tehran last weekend.<\/p>\n Others bore placards reading \u201cStop Trump\u2019s Wars\u201d, \u201cStop the War on Iran\u201d, \u201cStop Arming Israel\u201d and \u201cNo War on Iran\u201d.<\/p>\n The march is being led by groups including the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), Stop The War, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Muslim Association Of Britain, Palestinian Forum in Britain and Friends Of Al-Aqsa.<\/p>\n Iranian president offers olive branch to Gulf<\/p>\n President Pezeshkian of Iran suggested this morning that Iran would stop targeting nations that withdrew permission for the US to use their bases, Mark Urban writes. This appears to be a shrewd attempt to divide countries like Saudi Arabia, that have been alarmed by the US-Israeli strikes, from Trump.<\/p>\n However, there are doubts as to whether Pezeshkian, a moderate in Iranian terms, could hold sway over the more radical Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps elements of the regime firing these weapons. Furthermore, Gulf states with close military ties to the US such as Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE have already experienced such a pounding from Iran that they are unlikely to trust the Iranian president\u2019s offer.<\/p>\n UAE intercepts drone and missile wave<\/p>\n The United Arab Emirates said it had intercepted 15 ballistic missiles and 119 drones so far today.<\/p>\n Another missile fell into the sea while two drones landed within UAE territory, the country\u2019s defence ministry posted on social media.<\/p>\n The ministry claimed that Iran had launched more than 1,300 drones and 220 missiles towards the UAE since the start of the conflict.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s president has apologised for attacking neighbouring Gulf countries.<\/p>\n HMS Prince of Wales ordered to increase readiness <\/p>\n The Royal Navy has reportedly ordered the HMS Prince of Wales, one of Britain\u2019s two aircraft carriers, to increase its readiness levels.<\/p>\n This shortens the time required for the carrier to put to sea, should the government decide additional assets are necessary. The move was first reported by Navy Lookout, the military magazine.<\/p>\n It does not mean the carrier will definitely be deployed, but allows the carrier to sail within five days rather than the previous 14-day period.<\/p>\n Practice includes final maintenance tasks, as well as recalling the ship\u2019s company from leave and training courses. Stores and ammunition will be resupplied and all electronic systems are checked.<\/p>\n Drone that hit RAF Akrotiri launched from Lebanon<\/p>\n Sir Richard Knighton, the head of Britain\u2019s armed forces, confirmed that Monday\u2019s drone attack on RAF Akrotiri was launched from Lebanon.<\/p>\n He said \u201cWe also assessed that a drone had been launched from Lebanon by an Iranian-aligned group targeting Cyprus.\u201d<\/p>\n The drone hit the British military base in the Mediterranean last week, causing minimal damage to an aircraft hangar. There were no casualties. Before now, the Ministry of Defence refused to say where the attack originated.<\/p>\n It is believed the strike was launched by Hezbollah militants.<\/p>\n \u2022 Comment: Akrotiri exposes atrophy of UK military might<\/a><\/p>\n UK defence chief denies military was unprepared<\/p>\n The head of Britain\u2019s armed forces rejected the suggestion the military was unprepared for the conflict in Iran in an interview this morning.<\/p>\n Sir Richard Knighton, the chief of defence staff, said \u201cI completely reject that criticism\u201d when asked if the military had been ill-prepared.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the war started on Saturday, it became clear over the next 48 hours that Iran\u2019s response was going to be far broader and more reckless compared to what we saw in the 12-day war last summer,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, on Sunday and Monday, we assessed our options and looked at what the risks were in response to that much broader and reckless action by Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked whether the response came too late, he said: \u201cI completely disagree,\u201d adding that \u201cour posture had been built up over several weeks\u201d.<\/p>\n Jordan targeted by 119 missiles and drones<\/p>\n Jordan said it has been attacked by 119 missiles and drones since the start of the conflict in the Middle East last week.<\/p>\n A Jordanian military spokesman, Brigadier General Mustafa Hiyari, told a news conference earlier today the attacks were aimed at \u201cpurely Jordanian targets\u201d. He said no attacks against Iran originated from Jordan.<\/p>\n Police said 14 people have been injured in the attacks. Most of the casualties suffered minor injuries from falling shrapnel.<\/p>\n Israeli jet downs Iranian drone The Israeli air force has posted footage of a fighter jet intercepting an Iranian drone before it entered its territory.<\/p>\n Israel said it has intercepted over 110 drones heading towards Israel since the start of the military operation last week.<\/p>\n Starmer \u2018too scared to make decisions\u2019<\/p>\n Kemi Badenoch has accused the prime minister of \u201csitting on the fence\u201d over the conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n The Tory leader, speaking at the Conservative Party\u2019s spring conference in Harrogate, said the UK is \u201cin this war whether Keir Starmer likes it or not\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cNow Keir Starmer is too scared to make foreign interventions for fear of upsetting a tiny section of that electorate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone remembers the mistakes of the Iraq war, nobody sensible is suggesting that we should drop bombs without a second thought.<\/p>\n \u201cBut Keir Starmer spent days consulting lawyers, plucking up the courage to say whose side he was on.\u201d<\/p>\n Watch video of Dubai airport drone strikeAnalysis: Is this the beginning of the worst gas crisis the world has seen?<\/p>\n There are many important places in the world, many crucial pieces of infrastructure and, as we have learnt this past week, many critical chokepoints, but few are quite as important as the Ras Laffan complex, at the very nape of Qatar.<\/p>\n Most folks haven\u2019t heard of Ras Laffan, let alone visited it, but like it or not, our lives are bound up with this place. For this is the gateway to the single biggest store of energy anywhere in the world. It sits on the edge of the North Field, a vast underground reservoir of gas, smack bang in the middle of the Gulf.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Is this the beginning of the worst gas crisis the world has seen?<\/a><\/p>\n No other single gas field, or for that matter oilfield or coalmine or uranium mine, accounts for quite so much of the world\u2019s useful energy (in other words after you adjust for losses when burning it). The North Field is in a league of its own, as is Ras Laffan, which processes most of the gas coming out of it.<\/p>\n In pictures: strikes on Iran Rescuers works in the rubble of a destroyed building on Saturday<\/p>\n :ZUMAPRESS.COM\/AVALON<\/p>\n Mourners at the funeral of a two-year-old child in Tehran killed in the bombing<\/p>\n MAJID ASGARIPOUR\/WANA\/REUTERS<\/p>\n Analysis: how the war will affect fuel prices<\/p>\n The Strait of Hormuz, between Oman and Iran, is a busy place, carrying 20 per cent of global oil supplies. Since last weekend it has ground to a halt. With oil prices jumping to $90 a barrel \u2014 and projected to rise to $150 \u2014 fuel prices are following. The RAC said between Saturday and Thursday prices rose 3p per litre for petrol and 5p for diesel.<\/p>\n If the conflict continues, expert expect a litre of petrol to jump from an average \u00a31.34 a litre today to \u00a31.90, a price not seen since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out. Diesel prices, currently at \u00a31.44, are likely to top \u00a32.<\/p>\n Colin Walker, head of transport at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said this would add more than \u00a3500 to the average fuel bill of a British petrol car driver. Drivers of electric cars will be protected by the energy price cap until July, but then their costs are also expected to rise.<\/p>\n Trump: Iran \u2018is being beat to HELL\u2019<\/p>\n President Trump has said Iran \u201cis being beat to HELL\u201d, adding it has \u201csurrendered to its Middle East neighbors and promised that it will not shoot at them anymore\u201d.<\/p>\n In a post of Truth Socia, Trump promised Iran will be \u201chit very hard\u201d today. \u201cUnder serious consideration for complete destruction and certain death, because of Iran\u2019s bad behaviour, are areas and groups of people that were not considered for targeting up until this moment in time.\u201d <\/p>\n He added: \u201cThey were looking to take over and rule the Middle East. It is the first time that Iran has ever lost, in thousands of years, to surrounding Middle Eastern Countries. They have said, \u201cThank you President Trump.\u201d I have said, \u201cYou\u2019re welcome!\u201d Iran is no longer the \u201cBully of the Middle East,\u201d they are, instead, \u201cTHE LOSER OF THE MIDDLE EAST,\u201d and will be for many decades until they surrender or, more likely, completely collapse!\u201d<\/p>\n John Swinney, Scotland\u2019s first minister, said he would consider banning US military aircraft from using Prestwick Airport if it was confirmed they were involved in strikes on Iran,<\/p>\n Speaking to the BBC, Swinney said he was seeking clarity from the British government about the role of US planes using the airport, which is based in South Ayrshire and owned by the Scottish government.<\/p>\n Asked whether he would ban the aircraft, he said: \u201cI will consider that based on the evidence that\u2019s provided to me.\u201d<\/p>\n The first minister has previously said he was \u201cconcerned\u201d about the military action and he did not think it conformed with international law.<\/p>\n Israeli forces hunt for remains of missing soldier<\/p>\n The IDF said its special forces had been operating in Lebanon overnight to find the remains of an Israeli soldier, Ron Arad, who has been officially missing since the 1980s.<\/p>\n The military said the mission was unsuccessful, but added there were no casualties. It declined to say where the operation took place.<\/p>\n Earlier today, the Lebanese National News Agency reported that an Israeli commando raid took place overnight in the Bekaa Valley and that 26 people had been killed, including three Lebanese soldiers.<\/p>\n Ayatollahs call for rapid selection of new supreme leader The late supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei<\/p>\n YAHYA ARHAB\/EPA<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s religious clerics have called for the immediate selection of a new supreme leader, according to state media.<\/p>\n Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi told members of the Assembly of Experts, which picks the supreme leader, that the process should be resolved in a \u201ctimely\u201d manner.<\/p>\n \u201cThe timely realisation of this important matter will lead to national authority and the best possible organisation of affairs,\u201d he was reported as saying.<\/p>\n Another religious leader, Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani, told the Assembly to accelerate the election in order to \u201ccause despair to the enemy and preserve the cohesion and solidarity of the nation\u201d.<\/p>\n Qatar Airways to start repatriation flights to Heathrow<\/p>\n Qatar Airways has said it will begin repatriation flights to Heathrow and four other European airports today, after it was granted permission to travel through a \u201csafe corridor\u201d.<\/p>\n Qatari airspace remained closed on Saturday, but the airline said it received temporary authorisation from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority to travel.<\/p>\n It said priority on these flights has been given to stranded passengers with families, elderly passengers and those with urgent medical and compassionate travel needs.<\/p>\n The airline asked passengers not to travel to airports unless they have been officially asked to, adding it is working \u201caround the clock\u201d to organise further relief flights.<\/p>\n \u201826 dead\u2019 in Lebanon after Israeli ground assault A ruined building following an Israeli military operation in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon<\/p>\n NIDAL SOLH\/AFP\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n A huge crater in the town of Nabi Chit, Bekaa Valley<\/p>\n MOHAMMAD YASSINE\/REUTERS<\/p>\n Lebanon\u2019s National News Agency has said at least 26 people were killed, including three Lebanese soldiers, in overnight clashes with Israeli troops.<\/p>\n It said that an Israeli commando team had deployed to the region in four helicopters before being confronted by armed fighters from the militant group, Islamic Resistance. The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah confirmed it had also targeted Israeli forces with rockets.<\/p>\n The fighting reportedly took place in the eastern Bekaa Valley, with further clashes in the town of Nabi Sheet between local residents and armed units. The news agency claimed Israel carried out 40 airstrikes before withdrawing its units.<\/p>\n In pictures: Beirut under Israeli attack Blackened buildings in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital<\/p>\n REUTERS<\/p>\n Residents of Beirut displaced by the bombings sleep at Martyrs\u2019 Square in the city centre<\/p>\n BILAL HUSSEIN\/AP<\/p>\n The southern suburbs of Beirut have been repeatedly bombed by Israel<\/p>\n REUTERS<\/p>\n Analysis: how will the war affect UK energy prices?<\/p>\n The Iran war has caused the biggest shock to gas prices since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. <\/p>\n Wholesale prices have jumped 50 per cent and in Britain we are particularly exposed to fluctuations in the gas market because four-fifths of our homes are heated by gas boilers and a third of our electricity is generated by gas-fired power stations.<\/p>\n We will not, however, feel the impact of war on our energy bills quite yet. Our energy bills are protected by Ofgem\u2019s price cap \u2014 and that has been fixed until July. <\/p>\n But analysts project that at that point bills could rise as high as \u00a32,500 a year, up from \u00a31,641 at present. Many households are also protected by 12-month fixed contracts. Anyone looking for a new tariff, however, will find fewer good deals around, and many suppliers have stopped offering fixed deals altogether in fear of the turbulent market.<\/p>\n UAE air defences facing \u2018missile and drone threats\u2019 Smoke rising in Dubai as seen from the city\u2019s international airport on Saturday<\/p>\n REUTERS<\/p>\n Following reports of a drone strike at Dubai airport, the government confirmed \u201ca minor incident resulting from the fall of debris after an interception\u201d on Saturday morning.<\/p>\n However the Dubai government denied \u201cinformation circulating on social media regarding incidents at Dubai International Airport\u201d.<\/p>\n It followed witness reports of an explosion at the airport. Footage was posted on social media of what appeared to be a cloud of smoke rising from the scene.<\/p>\n The UAE\u2019s ministry of defence said: \u201cThe air defences of the United Arab Emirates are currently responding to missile and drone threats coming from Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n US approves emergency weapons sale to Israel<\/p>\n The US State Department has approved the emergency sale of 12,000 bomb casings to Israel. <\/p>\n The sale, which includes US contract and engineering, logistics and technical support services, has estimated total cost is $151.8 million.<\/p>\n \u201cThe proposed sale will improve Israel\u2019s capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defense, and serve as a deterrent to regional threats,\u201d the department\u2019s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs said.<\/p>\n The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, issued a waiver to bypass the needed Congressional approval for US arms sales.<\/p>\n \u201cThe secretary of state has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the government of Israel of the above defense articles and defense services is in the national security interests of the United States,\u201d the department said.<\/p>\n Iran must \u2018exercise wisdom\u2019, Saudi defence minister warns<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia\u2019s defence minister called on Iran to \u201cexercise wisdom and avoid miscalculation\u201d after a series of drone and missile attacks on the kingdom overnight.<\/p>\n Prince Khalid bin Salman said in a post on X that the Iranian attacks \u201cundermine regional security and stability\u201d.<\/p>\n The defence ministry said that a ballistic missile had been intercepted and destroyed as it headed \u201ctowards Prince Sultan Air Base\u201d southeast of the capital, Riyadh.<\/p>\n At least 17 drones targeted the Shaybah oil field near the Emirati border but were also intercepted, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.<\/p>\n Dubai airport resumes partial operations <\/p>\n Dubai International Airport has partially resumed operations this morning, less than one hour after announcing they had been suspended over \u201csafety\u201d concerns.<\/p>\n Posting on X, the airport wrote: \u201cWe have partially resumed operations from today, 7 March, with some flights operating out of DXB and DWC [Al Maktoum International Airport]<\/p>\n \u201cPlease do not travel to the airport unless you have been contacted by your airline that your flight is confirmed, as schedules continue to change.\u201d<\/p>\n Dubai airport suspends operations<\/p>\n Dubai International Airport has suspended operations this morning, citing \u201csafety\u201d concerns, after an evening which saw further Iranian strikes in the region.<\/p>\n Posting on X, the airport said: \u201cFor the safety of passengers, airport staff, and airline crew, operations at Dubai International (DXB) have been temporarily suspended. All procedures are being managed in line with established safety protocols.\u201d<\/p>\n The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said on Saturday that its temporary leadership council had approved the suspension of attacks against neighbouring countries unless an attack on Iran came from those countries.<\/p>\n Masoud Pezeshkian addresses his nation<\/p>\n The Iranian president said his country will never surrender to Israel and the US, but apologised to neighbouring countries for launching strikes on them.<\/p>\n Masoud Pezeshkian said in a speech broadcast on state TV on Saturday: \u201cThe enemies must take their wish for the surrender of the Iranian people to their graves.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI apologise\u2026 to the neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran\u201d, he added. \u201cThe interim leadership council agreed yesterday that no more attacks will be made on neighbouring countries and no missiles will be fired unless an attack on Iran originates from those countries.\u201d<\/p>\n Emirates U-turn on Dubai flights suspension<\/p>\n Emirates announced they had suspended all flights to Dubai, only to announce 30 minutes later that their service would resume.<\/p>\n The airline posted on X that all flights to and from Dubai have been suspended until further notice and said \u201cplease do not go to the airport\u201d.<\/p>\n But a later statement posted this morning said Emirates had resumed operations, advising that passengers who have confirmed bookings for this afternoon\u2019s flights may proceed to the airport, including customers transiting in Dubai, if their connecting flight is also operating.<\/p>\n It added that customers booked to travel between 28 February until and including 31 March could rebook an alternative flight or request a refund.<\/p>\n Iran \u2018suspends attacks against neighbours\u2019 <\/p>\n The Iranian president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said on Saturday that its temporary leadership council had approved the suspension of attacks against neighbouring countries unless an attack on Iran came from those countries.<\/p>\n The announcement came after Iran continued to launch attacks in the region in response to US-Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic. Iranian strikes have hit Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Dubai.<\/p>\n American bomber lands in Britain<\/p>\n An American bomber landed in Britain as questions linger over the UK\u2019s future role in the American-Israeli conflict with Iran.<\/p>\n The 146ft B-1 Lancer arrived at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire on Friday evening after Sir Keir Starmer granted permission for \u201cdefensive\u201d US action against Iranian missile sites from UK bases.<\/p>\n A second Government charter flight carrying British citizens from Oman also landed at Gatwick Airport at 12.30am on Saturday as efforts to help people trapped in the war zone continue. Around 6,500 Britons have now returned from the United Arab Emirates since widespread conflict began in the region.<\/p>\n A B1B bomber arrives at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire<\/p>\n PETER MACDIARMID<\/p>\n Explosions echoed across Iran\u2019s capital, Tehran, on Saturday morning as new airstrikes hit the city.<\/p>\n Reuters reported that explosions had been heard in several parts of the city, amid Israel\u2019s \u201cbroad-scale wave of strikes\u201d.<\/p>\n The death toll continued to rise Saturday with at least 1,230 people killed in Iran, more than 200 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials. Six US troops have been reported killed.<\/p>\n Fire and smoke billow from Tehran\u2019s Mehrabad International Airport<\/p>\n Fire and smoke billowing has been pictured billowing from Tehran\u2019s Mehrabad International Airport after it was hit, during Israel\u2019s \u201cbroad-scale wave of strikes\u201d on government sites in the Iranian capital.<\/p>\n Renewed Israeli attacks on Tehran come a day after Israel intensified its air strikes on Lebanon, striking Beirut\u2019s southern suburbs, where the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah holds sway, and Baalbeck in the east.<\/p>\n Loud booms sound in Jerusalem<\/p>\n Loud booms have sounded in Jerusalem, AP reports, after Iran launched another wave of missiles and drones.<\/p>\n People headed to bomb shelters across Israel early Saturday after hearing loud booms as Iranian missiles attacked more targets.<\/p>\n There were no immediate reports of casualties by Israel\u2019s emergency services.<\/p>\n Six Americans detained in Iran face \u201cunprecedented danger\u201d due to war<\/p>\n Families and supporters of Americans detained in Iran say their loved ones face new dangers during the intensifying war, including the risk of becoming unintended casualties of Israeli and American bombardment or victims of retaliation from Iran\u2019s repressive regime.<\/p>\n \u201cFor Americans imprisoned in Iran, this is about as terrifying a moment as it gets,\u201d said Siamak Namazi, an Iranian American who was detained for nearly eight years before being released as part of a deal with the U.S. in 2023. \u201cWhat these families are facing now is days of war with no clear end in sight.\u201d<\/p>\n The US government would not confirm how many Americans are being held in Iran, but the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, a hostage advocacy organization, said there are six and that they face \u201cunprecedented danger\u201d because of the military conflict.<\/p>\n Almost 60,000 pilgrims stranded in war travel chaos<\/p>\n The travel chaos from the war in the Middle East has ensnared many of the Muslims who have converged on Saudi Arabia for the Umrah pilgrimage, leaving them stranded and scrambling to find other ways home. Others had to scrap their planned visits altogether.<\/p>\n As of Thursday, more than 58,860 Indonesian pilgrims were stranded in Saudi Arabia, according to Indonesia\u2019s Vice Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak.<\/p>\n The government is negotiating with Saudi authorities and airlines to ease the financial burden of hotel and flight costs on the stranded pilgrims, he said. The government also is urging about 60,000 others to postpone their Umrah travel until April for safety reasons, he said.<\/p>\n Which countries were attacked overnight?<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia has said that it intercepted and destroyed 16 drones targeting a large oil field in Shaybah.<\/p>\n Dubai\u2019s media office said there was \u201ca minor incident resulting from the fall of debris after an interception has been successfully contained\u201d.<\/p>\n In eastern Lebanon, Iranian-backed Hezbollah fighters clashed with Israeli forces. Hezbollah said Israel launched airstrikes mid-fighting, although Israel has not addressed the clash. <\/p>\n The Lebanese health ministry said three people were killed and more than a dozen others were injured.<\/p>\n In Bahrain, air raid sirens sounded across the country after an Iranian attack.<\/p>\n Videos also showed explosions in the western part of Tehran, while the IDF said Iran had launched missiles targeting Israel. Israel told its citizens to seek cover.<\/p>\n Drone explodes near hotel in Iraq<\/p>\n A drone exploded near a hotel in Erbil in Iraq\u2019s Kurdistan region hours after the US embassy in Baghdad warned of potential attacks by pro-Iranian militias in the area.<\/p>\n The Kurdistan counter-terrorism service said that drone and at least three others targeting a US military base and the headquarters of an Iranian Kurdish opposition group were shot down, and that no casualties were reported.<\/p>\n \u201cIran-aligned terrorist militia groups may seek to target hotels frequented by foreigners in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region,\u201d the US embassy had said in a statement hours before the attacks.<\/p>\n \u201cUS citizens are strongly encouraged to depart as soon as they are safely able to do so, and reconsider lodging options if choosing not to depart.\u201d<\/p>\n Iran fires more missiles at Israel<\/p>\n The Israeli military said that air defences were responding to an Iranian missile attack on Saturday.<\/p>\n Forces had \u201cidentified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,\u201d the military said in a statement.<\/p>\n Air raid alerts across the country\u2019s north were lifted several minutes later.<\/p>\n Europe could be a \u2018legitimate target\u2019<\/p>\n Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran\u2019s deputy foreign minister, has said that European countries will be \u201clegitimate targets\u201d if they join attacks against Iran.<\/p>\n \u201c[We] already informed the Europeans and everybody else that they should be careful not to be involved in this war of aggression against Iran,\u201d Takht-Ravanchi told France 24. <\/p>\n \u201c[Any country that] joins America and Israel in the aggression against Iran, they will be also legitimate targets for Iran\u2019s retaliation.\u201d<\/p>\n The minister also said that Iran was striking US-backed Kurdish groups inside Iraq. President Trump to pay respects to fallen US troops<\/p>\n President Trump and his wife, Melania, will be travelling to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to pay their respects to the six US troops who have died in the first week of the US-Iran war.<\/p>\n The dignified transfer, a ritual that involves the transfer of remains of US troops killed on duty, will take place tomorrow.<\/p>\n The caskets of the fallen soldiers, draped with the American flag, will be carried by service members from the aircraft to an awaiting vehicle. The remains are transported to the base\u2019s medical examiner, where they are identified and prepared for their final rest.<\/p>\n US satellite firm delays release of Gulf state images<\/p>\n Planet Labs PBC, a California-based company that produces satellite images, said it is holding back the release of images of Gulf states targeted by Iran.<\/p>\n The company said it would delay the release of images due to its \u201ccommitment to responsible data practices and the safety of personnel on the ground.\u201d It did not say if the US government made the request.<\/p>\n \u201cAll new imagery collected over the Gulf States and adjacent conflict zones (not including Iran) will be subject to a mandatory 96-hour delay before it is made available in our archive,\u201d Planet said in a statement. \u201c<\/p>\n \u201cThis measure is intended to prevent adversarial actors from endangering the safety of allied and Nato-partner personnel and civilians there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018US to blame for strike that killed dozens of schoolgirls\u2019<\/p>\n The US military is to blame for a strike on an Iranian school that killed dozens of girls on Saturday, two US officials told Reuters. Information released by the US and Israeli militaries and an analysis of satellite images by The New York Times and the Associated Press also reached that conclusion.<\/p>\n Iranian officials said that at least 165 people, most of them schoolgirls, died in the attack.<\/p>\n While Israel is thought to have conducted strikes closer to its territory, with no reports of Israeli strikes south of Ishafan, the US is believed to be targeting other regions from its warships in the Arabian Sea, one of which is within range of the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in the town of Minab, southeast of Tehran.<\/p>\n An official also told the AP that the Pentagon\u2019s investigation into the strike, although not finished, is likely to determine US culpability.<\/p>\n The school was once part of a military base belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), but walls were built to separate it from the base in 2016, and the building was not connected to the base when it was struck. According to satellite photos, strikes hit at least five buildings in the IRGC compound. Experts have said that regardless of its proximity to the compound, the school was a civilian object and an attack to a civilian object is illegal under international law.<\/p>\n \u201cMy assumption is that probably there were some activities recently there and they detected and tracked them, but \u2026 they weren\u2019t aware or didn\u2019t have an up-to-date database that a girls\u2019 school was there, and they bombed it,\u201d Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told the AP.<\/p>\n Will the US put boots on the ground in Iraq?<\/p>\n The US Army has recently cancelled major training exercises for troops specializing in ground combat, fuelling rumours that the defence department may be preparing for a ground offensive in the Middle East, the Washington Post reported. <\/p>\n More than 4,000 soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division in North Carolina were told to stay put instead of travelling to Louisiana to join a previously scheduled training element. The 82nd division soldiers are trained in seizing airfield and can deploy within an 18-hour notice.<\/p>\n President Trump on Monday refused to rule out the possibility of deploying US ground troops to Iran, adding that he would make the order \u201cif necessary\u201d. The White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday that sending ground troops into Iran was \u201cnot part of the current plan, but I\u2019m not going to remove an option for the president that is on the table\u201d.<\/p>\n Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, said in a statement that Iranian troops are \u201cready to disgrace those corrupt American officials by killing and capturing thousands\u201d if US ground boots are sent. Iran\u2019s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi also told NBC earlier this week that ground offensive would be a \u201cbig disaster\u201d for America.<\/p>\n Ben Stiller: War is not a movie<\/p>\n The actor Ben Stiller has condemned the use of footage from a war film he starred in, Tropic Thunder, in clips by the White House about the war in Iran.<\/p>\n Clips from films and video games have been stitched together with war footage. Stiller shared his response above a video from the White House with the caption: \u201cJUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY.\u201d<\/p>\n He wrote: \u201cHey White House, please remove the Tropic Thunder clip. We never gave you permission and have no interest in being a part of your propaganda machine. War is not a movie.\u201d<\/p>\n Please enable cookies and other technologies to view this content. You can update your cookies preferences any time using privacy manager.<\/a><\/p>\n Enable cookiesAllow cookies onceSocial media clips condemned<\/p>\n Hollywood films such as Star Wars, shoot \u2019em up video games like Grand Theft Auto and cartoon jokes from Spongebob Squarepants are being used by the White House to promote airstrikes on Iran in clips that millions have viewed online.<\/p>\n The Trump administration has been criticised for supplementing grainy videos of bombs falling on Iran with comic clips from American popular culture.<\/p>\n In one video, the sinking of an Iranian warship by a US submarine, which killed 87 people, was accompanied by footage from Grand Theft Auto showing a gangster walking through the streets based on Los Angeles alongside the caption marking the death of a character: \u201cWasted\u201d.<\/p>\n Another showed US missiles destroying Iranian lorries, planes and launchers, accompanied by clips from Braveheart, Gladiator and Ironman. \u201cJUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY,\u201d the White House posted on X.<\/p>\n More than 1,300 people have died in Iran as a result of US and Israeli attacks. The death toll includes 175, many of them children, killed at a girl\u2019s school in Minab. An internal Pentagon investigation has concluded the US was probably responsible.<\/p>\n Chartered flight lands at Gatwick<\/p>\n The second government chartered flight from the Middle East landed at Gatwick Airport at 12.30am on Saturday.<\/p>\n The Titan Airways repatriation flight departed from Muscat International Airport in Oman at 5.33pm before a short layover in Cairo, Egypt, on Friday.<\/p>\n The latest evacuees join 6,500 Britons who have returned from the United Arab Emirates since widespread conflict began in the region seven days ago.<\/p>\n More than 160,000 British nationals have registered their presence in the Middle East with the UK government.<\/p>\n Kurdistan region attacked<\/p>\n Following reports that US-backed Kurdish militants would attempt to cross into Iran, strikes blamed on Tehran have hit the northern Kurdistan region in Iraq.<\/p>\n Meanwhile an oil facility where foreign energy companies operate was targeted in Iraq\u2019s southern port city of Basra, while Baghdad International Airport, which is home to a US diplomatic facility and a military base, \u201ccame under a series of attacks,\u201d a security official told AFP. <\/p>\n The official also said \u201ctwo drones were shot down over the Burjesia oil complex, but a third got through\u201d.<\/p>\n The US Central Command had dismissed reports on Thursday that a US fighter jet was shot down over Basra, calling the rumours \u201cbaseless and not true\u201d.<\/p>\n \u2018War could last four to six weeks\u2019<\/p>\n Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said on Friday that Operation Epic Fury should be finished within four to six weeks.<\/p>\n But according to a memo seen by Politico<\/a>, Central Command is asking the Pentagon to send intelligence officers to support operations against Iran for at least 100 days.<\/p>\n The notification also suggested preparations are being made for the campaign to last until September.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve hit 3,000 targets and 43 warships, US claims<\/p>\n Operation Epic Fury has struck more than 3,000 targets and destroyed or damaged 43 Iranian ships, the US Central Command said in its report of the operation\u2019s first week on Friday.<\/p>\n The agency said its focus is to dismantle Tehran\u2019s security apparatus by prioritizing the strike of targets that pose an imminent threat.<\/p>\n Targets include Iran\u2019s control and command centres, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps\u2019 joint and aerospace headquarters, integrated air defence systems, missile sites, Iranian Navy ships and submarines and military communication capabilities.<\/p>\n The commander of Central Forces, Admiral Brad Cooper, and the secretary of war Pete Hegseth, said on Thursday that the US has delivered devastating blows to Iran\u2019s military, cutting back missile attacks \u201cby 90 per cent since day one\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIn just the last few hours, we hit an Iranian drone carrier ship roughly the size of a World War Two aircraft carrier. And, as we speak, it\u2019s on fire,\u201d Cooper said at a press conference.<\/p>\n SOBHAN FARAJVAN\/PACIFIC PRESS<\/p>\n SOBHAN FARAJVAN\/PACIFIC PRESS<\/p>\n SOBHAN FARAJVAN\/PACIFIC PRESS<\/p>\n Israel has come under attack again, with explosions heard around the southern city of Beersheba as well as in Tel Aviv.<\/p>\n The Home Front Command issued an early warning to residents in central Israel alerting them to incoming missile fire from Iran, for a seventh consecutive night.<\/p>\n Several explosions were also heard above Tel Aviv as air defence systems were activated, but there was no immediate reports of damage or casualties.<\/p>\n Shortly before the alerts were raised, Israel said it was launching new \u201cbroad-scale\u201d strikes on targets in Tehran.<\/p>\n The Iranian state broadcaster reported an explosion in the western part of the city.<\/p>\n \u201cThe IDF has begun a broad-scale wave of strikes\u201d on government targets in the Iranian capital, an Israeli military statement said.<\/p>\n RAF strikes on Iranian sites \u2018would be entirely legal\u2019<\/p>\n It would be legal for RAF jets to strike Iranian missile sites which could target Britons, David Lammy said.<\/p>\n The deputy prime minister stressed that the present operations involved British planes shooting down missiles and drones which were already in the sky over allied nations.<\/p>\n But he indicated they could lawfully be used to hit targets within Iran to prevent the launch of attacks. He told BBC Breakfast: \u201cIt is entirely legal to protect our people and protect our staff, and therefore all operational capability is available to us in those circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked if that meant the UK could attack Iranian missile sites from our bases he said: \u201cI\u2019m not here to act as a lawyer, but I think your viewers will understand that in response to being attacked, yes, we can take down sites that are anticipating attacking our people across the region.\u201d<\/p>\n Analysis: UK households face a renewed energy crisis<\/p>\n If the predictions of Qatar\u2019s energy minister come to fruition, it could leave UK household budgets staring down the barrel of a renewed energy crisis, turning an international war into a serious domestic problem (Megan Harwood-Baynes writes).<\/p>\n Britain produces about 45 per cent of the gas it uses, and imports the rest. Our markets are more sensitive to disruption in the Middle East than our European counterparts, in part because we possess little long-term gas storage (holding about 12 days of winter supply compared with Germany\u2019s 89).<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/777ccbf4-b4cb-4b53-bf42-aa98c23494ce.jpg\")
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Swinney may ban US warplanes from Scottish airport<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/32a3c325-2556-4cb6-9f5b-b999c4f48212.jpg\")
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![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/ec82b48b-aa54-4c50-9c60-9b014c9a9134.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Smoke](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/7a99c234-4090-416e-b205-30ab974ed124.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/d1026df0-5767-43f1-9111-f4ed7ff25357.jpg\")
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\u201cIf there is a need to protect our sovereignty, definitely we do it,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/\/b2a72009-d900-4b0f-b358-a9a21f10d888.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"March](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/f3e9cca5-46da-4d7f-97e5-6512b9898ed8.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Tehran,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/eee096a1-4636-4ad2-a85c-2abdb383940a.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Tehran](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/442c0336-0700-45bc-ba7f-1691427a44b5.jpg\")
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