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<\/p>\nCall to care for stranded seafarers<\/p>\n
The International Maritime Organisation said it would work on a \u201csafe maritime corridor\u201d for the 3,000 vessels and 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n
The agency urged countries to provide those crews with food, water and fuel. However, its resolutions are non-binding.<\/p>\n
Arsenio Dominguez, the IMO secretary-general, said naval escorts for shipping would not be fully safe or sustainable, and stressed that only an end to fighting will solve the issue.<\/p>\n
Watch: Pete Hegseth\u2019s update on the war <\/p>\n
\u201cPlease pray for our troops, every day, on bended knee, with your family\u201d<\/p>\n
US approves arms sales worth billions<\/p>\n
The United States has announced the approval of $16 billion in military sales to the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.<\/p>\n
Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, has \u201cdetermined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale\u201d of materiel, thereby waiving the requirement that Congress give its approval.<\/p>\n
The biggest single sale is of lower-tier air and missile defence sensor radars, designed to track high-speed targets and give data to a missile defence network, to Kuwait for $8 billion, the State Department said. <\/p>\n
The next largest was to the United Arab Emirates for a long-range discrimination radar, to track ballistic missile threats, and related equipment at a cost of $4.5 billion. The UAE also received approval to buy systems to defeat small, unmanned aircraft for $2.1 billion, advanced air-to-air missiles for $1.22 billion and F-16 warplane munitions and upgrades for $644 million.<\/p>\n
Iran hits Israeli refineries <\/p>\n
An Iranian missile attack has hit oil refineries in the northern Israeli port city of Haifa, Israeli media report. Rescue services say there have been no reports of injuries.<\/p>\n
IRGC \u2018damages F-35\u2019 over Iran <\/p>\n
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims to have \u201cdamaged\u201d a F-35 US stealth fighter which was flying a mission over Iran. <\/p>\n
The incident was confirmed by Captain Tim Hawkins of US Central Command, who told CNN that a jet was \u201cflying a combat mission over Iran\u201d when it was forced to make an emergency landing. \u201cThe aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,\u201d Hawkins said.<\/p>\n
The plane was said to have landed at a US Middle East base. <\/p>\n
Pete Hegseth, the US secretary of war, says America has control of the skies over Iran.<\/p>\n
Sanae Takaichi is first in the line of fire<\/p>\n
The Iran war is set to overshadow Sanae Takaichi\u2019s three-day visit to Washington and make for an awkward meeting with President Trump<\/p>\n
Summits with President Trump are fraught at the best of times, and none of the United States\u2019s closest partners would choose to meet him this week of all weeks. Having been largely turned down in his appeal for military help in the Gulf, the president has done nothing to disguise his peevishness.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer \u2018need,\u2019 or desire, the NATO Countries\u2019 assistance \u2014 WE NEVER DID!\u201d he wrote on Truth Social. \u201cLikewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea.\u201d Imagine then the discomfort of Sanae Takaichi, prime minister of Japan,<\/a> who by sheer bad timing becomes the first leader of the Hormuz refuseniks to meet Trump face to face.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Trump is angry over Iran. Japan\u2019s leader is the earliest of the hesitant allies to meet him<\/b><\/a> <\/p>\n Trump brings up Pearl Harbor while sitting next to Japanese PM Sitting beside Sanae Takaichi, Trump drew comparison between his attack on Iran and Pearl Harbor in 1941<\/p>\n ALEX WONG\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Trump made reference to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor when he was asked why he had not informed allies that he was about to launch the war in Iran. He said he had wanted an element of surprise.<\/p>\n \u201cWho knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn\u2019t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?\u201d he said. \u201cYou believe in surprise much more than us.\u201d<\/p>\n The 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, a US naval base in Hawaii, left more than 2,000 dead and led to the US joining the Second World War. It was the deadliest attack on US soil until 9\/11.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t attack energy fields, Trump told Netanyahu<\/p>\n Trump said he had told Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, not to attack Iranian energy fields, adding that he had agreed not to.<\/p>\n \u201cI told him, \u2018Don\u2019t do that\u2019, and he won\u2019t do that,\u201d Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.<\/p>\n \u2018Too late\u2019 for Nato to get back into good books<\/p>\n Trump has again attacked Nato countries \u2014 including the UK \u2014 for their lack of contribution towards the war effort in Iran and said it was \u201ctoo late\u201d for Nato countries to get back in his good books.<\/p>\n \u201cNato, they are getting much nicer, because they see my attitude, but as far as I am concerned, it\u2019s too late.\u201d <\/p>\n He attacked Britain again for an offer of aircraft carriers, which he had previously criticised as coming too late because they were needed at the start of the war, not after it was \u201cwon\u201d.<\/p>\n Extra cash needed to keep US military \u2018tippy-top\u2019<\/p>\n Trump has confirmed that because of the war in Iran, he is going to ask for more money for the US military. <\/p>\n He blamed his predecessor, President Biden, for money he \u201cgave away, so stupidly\u201d to Kyiv.<\/p>\n Trump added that the extra money was needed so the US military could remain \u201ctippy-top\u201d. <\/p>\n Defections mean regime will \u2018probably collapse\u2019 The White House press conference<\/p>\n JIM WATSON\/AFP\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Scott Bessent, the US Treasury secretary, says leading figures in the Iranian government are defecting.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are seeing defections and the regime will probably collapse in itself,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are going to give it back to the Iranian people.\u201d<\/p>\n Bessent is in the White House press conference with Trump and Takaichi.<\/p>\n Trump \u2018not putting troops anywhere\u2019 <\/p>\n President Trump said again that he was \u201cnot putting troops anywhere\u2033 when a reporter in the White House asked if he was considering sending in ground forces. \u201cIf I did, I wouldn\u2019t tell you.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump wanted to \u2018put out fire\u2019 of Iranian threat<\/p>\n President Trump has said he launched the war on Iran because it posed a \u201cserious threat\u201d to the world and \u201cI wanted to put out that fire\u201d.<\/p>\n He defended the war\u2019s impact on the global economy, claiming he thought it \u201cwould be worse\u201d. The conflict would be over soon, he added. <\/p>\n Japanese PM puts faith in Trump Sanae Takaichi gave a press conference in the Oval Office with President Trump<\/p>\n ALEX BRANDON\/AP<\/p>\n Sanae Takaichi, the recently-elected prime minister of Japan, said she \u201cstrongly believes\u201d that President Trump can bring about peace despite the turmoil in the Middle East.<\/p>\n Speaking in the White House, sitting next to the US president, Takaichi said: \u201cAgainst this background, I firmly believe it\u2019s Donald Trump who can achieve peace across the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump said Japan was \u201cstepping up to the plate\u201d in the fight against Iran, \u201cunlike Nato\u201d.<\/p>\n Tehran \u2018not just targeting US interests\u2019 <\/p>\n Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar\u2019s prime minister, said Iran\u2019s attack on the world\u2019s largest gas facility in Qatar, Ras Laffan, was \u201cclear proof\u201d that Tehran was not, as it had claimed, targeting only US interests in the Gulf.<\/p>\n There were \u201cpersistent Iranian claims that these attacks are against American interests \u2026 and this claim is rejected and cannot be accepted,\u201d he said. \u201cThe clear proof of this is the attack that took place yesterday that targeted a natural gas facility in the State of Qatar.\u201d.<\/p>\n In pictures: prayers in Lebanon Father Pierre leads mass at a church in Fanar, northeast of Beirut<\/p>\n WAEL HAMZEH\/EPA<\/p>\n A woman prays during the mass<\/p>\n WAEL HAMZEH\/EPA<\/p>\n Israeli jets hit Caspian Sea targets<\/p>\n The Israeli military says its fighter jets have struck several Iranian naval vessels in the Caspian Sea, including ships equipped with anti-submarine missiles and aerial surveillance systems, support vessels and patrol craft. A port command centre was also hit.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is one of the most significant strikes conducted by the IDF since the start of Operation Roaring Lion,\u201d the military said. <\/p>\n Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, a spokesman, said the strikes on Wednesday were the first to be carried out in the Caspian Sea. <\/p>\n Ras Laffan attack to affect global energy supply<\/p>\n Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar\u2019s prime minister, said Iran\u2019s attacks on Ras Laffan had \u201csignificant repercussions for global energy supplies\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cSuch attacks bring no direct benefit to any country, rather, they harm and directly impact populations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n US may drop sanctions on stranded Iranian oil<\/p>\n The US may soon remove sanctions from Iranian oil that is stranded on tankers to boost global supplies and reduce prices, Scott Bessent, the US Treasury secretary, has said.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the coming days, we may unsanction the Iranian oil that\u2019s on the water. It\u2019s about 140 million barrels,\u201d he told Fox Business Network. \u201cSo, depending on how you count it, that\u2019s 10 days to two weeks of supply.\u201d<\/p>\n Adding sanctioned Iranian oil to global supplies would help keep oil prices down for the next 10 to 14 days, he said. Oil prices have been above $100 per barrel for much of the past fortnight. <\/p>\n The US Treasury has allowed the sale of sanctioned Russian oil stranded in tankers, saying it added 130 million barrels to global supplies.<\/p>\n Bessent said the US would take other actions to increase supply, including a unilateral release of stocks from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve on top of last week\u2019s joint G7 release of 400 million barrels.<\/p>\n Israel co-ordinated South Pars attack with US <\/p>\n Israel\u2019s attack on an Iran\u2019s South Pars gasfield, which led to retaliatory attacks on energy facilities across the Gulf, was co-ordinated with the United States, Israeli officials have said.<\/p>\n Smoke and flames rise from the South Pars gas field following an Israeli strike<\/p>\n REUTERS<\/p>\n President Trump said in a social media post on Wednesday night that Washington \u201cknew nothing about this particular attack\u201d and that Israel would not attack the gas field further unless Iran again attacked Qatar. Israel has not publicly acknowledged responsibility. <\/p>\n The three Israeli sources told Reuters that Israel was not surprised by Trump\u2019s comments and described a situation similar to that following Israeli strikes on Iranian fuel depots several weeks ago. After those attacks, Pete Hegseth, the US secretary of war, said in \u201cthat particular case those weren\u2019t our strikes\u201d.<\/p>\n \u2018Lebanon death toll passes 1,000\u2019<\/p>\n The death toll from Israeli attacks in Lebanon has passed 1,000, the health ministry in Beirut has said. A total of 1,001 people have been killed, official announced, since March 2.<\/p>\n Damage from an Israeli strike in Tyre, Lebanon, this week<\/p>\n CHIARA WETTMANN FOR THE TIMES<\/p>\n The new ministry statement said the toll included 79 women, 118 children and 40 health workers. More than 2,500 have been injured.<\/p>\n Attack on Qatar\u2019s energy hub was Iran showing \u2018restraint\u2019<\/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 once<\/p>\n Abbas Araghchi, Iran\u2019s foreign minister, has claimed the attack on Qatar\u2019s Ras Laffan energy hub only employed a \u201cFRACTION of our power\u201d \u2014 and that Tehran was showing restraint.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ONLY reason for restraint was respect for requested de-escalation,\u201d he wrote on X.<\/p>\n In an apparent threat to the US, Israel and Gulf nations, he added that there would be \u201cZERO restraint\u201d if Iranian infrastructure is struck again.<\/p>\n He also says any end to the war \u201cmust address damage\u201d to Iran\u2019s civilian sites.<\/p>\n War threatens global food security, warns World Trade Organisation chief<\/p>\n The war in the Middle East poses a dire threat to global food security, the World Trade Organisation chief has warned, and appealed for global supply chains to remain open.<\/p>\n The Middle East conflict \u201cthreatens global food security, since shipping disruptions and higher energy costs reduce the supply and raise the cost of fertiliser\u201d, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told reporters in Geneva.<\/p>\n \u201cA prolonged interruption in supply could ripple through food systems, prompting farmers to reduce their use of fertilisers and plant less input-intensive crops,\u201d she said, insisting it was \u201cessential to keep global food trade channels open and predictable, allowing food supplies to flow to where they are most needed\u201d.<\/p>\n US and Israeli military objectives not the same, says intelligence director<\/p>\n America\u2019s national intelligence director Tulsi Gabbard has said during the second day of a hearing in front of the House intelligence committee that the American and Israeli objectives during the military campaign in Iran are not the same.<\/p>\n \u201cThe objectives that have been laid out by the president are different from the objectives that have been laid out by the Israeli government,\u201d Gabbard said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can see through the operations that the Israeli government has been focused on disabling the Iranian leadership. The president has stated that his objectives are to destroy Iran\u2019s ballistic missiles launching capability, their ballistic missile production capability, and their navy,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Qatar gas facilities will take three to five years to repair<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s attacks on Qatar have damaged facilities that produce 17 per cent of the company\u2019s liquefied natural gas export capacity and it will take three to five years to repair them, QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi told Reuters.<\/p>\n \u201cI never in my wildest dreams would have thought that Qatar would be \u2014 Qatar and the region \u2014 in such an attack, especially from a brotherly Muslim country in the month of Ramadan, attacking us in this way,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Analysis: Trump is angry over Iran. Japan\u2019s leader is first in firing line<\/p>\n Summits with President Trump are fraught at the best of times, and none of the United States\u2019s closest partners would choose to meet him this week of all weeks. Having been largely turned down in his appeal for military help in the Gulf, the president has done nothing to disguise his peevishness.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer \u2018need,\u2019 or desire, the NATO Countries\u2019 assistance \u2014 WE NEVER DID!\u201d he wrote on Truth Social. \u201cLikewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea.\u201d Imagine then the discomfort of Sanae Takaichi, prime minister of Japan,<\/a> who by sheer bad timing becomes the first leader of the Hormuz refuseniks to meet Trump face to face.<\/p>\n The summit, arranged before the attack on Iran, should have been an opportunity to build on the high-spirited camaraderie established during Trump\u2019s visit to Japan in October, when he called Takaichi \u201ca winner\u201d and Japan \u201can ally at the strongest level\u201d<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Trump is angry over Iran. Japan\u2019s leader is first in firing line<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Starmer joins France and Germany to condemn Iran\u2019s oil attacks<\/p>\n In a joint statement, the leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan said: \u201cWe 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.<\/p>\n \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n The countries said the effects of Iranian actions will be felt in all parts of the world, especially by the most vulnerable people.<\/p>\n \u201cWe express our readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the strait. We welcome the commitment of nations who are engaging in preparatory planning,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n Analysis: What Iran\u2019s attack on source of Qatar\u2019s wealth means for the war<\/p>\n Locals call Ras Laffan Industrial City, 55 miles north by a single road across flat desert from Doha, \u201cthe gas capital of the world\u201d. They are not far wrong.<\/p>\n It is certainly at the heart of Qatar\u2019s dramatic rise to riches, power and influence in the past two decades.<\/p>\n It also turned Qatar into a target for retaliation by Iran<\/a> after its own biggest gas field, South Pars, was blasted by the Israelis on Wednesday. On Thursday morning Ras Laffan was ablaze, the latest and most visible sign yet of the effect on the Arab Gulf states of the war between Iran and Israel and the US.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: What Iran\u2019s attack on source of Qatar\u2019s wealth means for the war<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Hegseth says US holds the cards when questioned on Israel<\/p>\n Hegseth was asked if he felt that Israel was pursuing its own objectives because of the attack on Iran\u2019s South Pars gasfield, which President Trump has claimed the US \u201cknew nothing\u201d about beforehand.<\/p>\n The war secretary Hegseth responded: \u201cWe hold the cards. We have objectives. Those objectives are clear. We have allies pursuing objectives as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Specifically on South Pars, Hegseth added that Israel had \u201csent a warning\u201d to Tehran. \u201cIran has weaponised energy for decades,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n That question ended the press briefing.<\/p>\n \u2018FBI was investigating Kent before his resignation\u2019<\/p>\n The FBI was reportedly investigating allegations former director of the National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent leaked classified information before the top former intelligence official resigned on Tuesday in protest over the war in Iran.<\/p>\n The probe, which predates Kent\u2019s departure, alleges he improperly shared classified information, reported Semafor, citing four people with direct knowledge of the investigation. One of source described it as being months-long.<\/p>\n In his resignation letter, Kent wrote Iran \u201cposed no imminent threat to our nation\u201d and accused President Trump of starting the war because of \u201cpressure from Israel\u201d.<\/p>\n In an interview with right-wing broadcaster Tucker Carlson posted late on Wednesday, Kent reiterated his view that Iran was not an imminent threat to the US.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was no intelligence that said, \u2018Hey, on whatever day it was \u2026 the Iranians are going to launch this big sneak attack. They\u2019re going to do some kind of a 9\/11 Pearl Harbour,’\u201d said Ken.<\/p>\n He claimed Israel \u201cdrove the decision\u201d to go to war.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that it\u2019s fine that we offer defense to Israel. But when we\u2019re providing the means for their defense, we get to dictate the terms of when they go on the offensive,\u201d he added<\/p>\n Strikes on Qatari energy facilities egregious, says PM<\/p>\n The prime minister this morning spoke to the Nato secretary-general and the French president, Emmanuel Macron. No 10 called the strikes on Qatari energy facilities \u201cegregious\u201d, and warned they risked \u201cpushing the region into further crisis\u201d.<\/p>\n While discussions are ongoing with the US, Gulf countries and the EU on how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Starmer\u2019s spokesperson said it was \u201cstill very early days\u201d. A resolution is still likely to be weeks away, given the live nature of Iran\u2019s attacks.<\/p>\n Starmer chairs Cobra meeting to discuss impact on oil<\/p>\n The prime minister chaired a ministerial Cobra meeting this morning to discuss the impact of Iran\u2019s latest strikes on oil fields, The Times understands.<\/p>\n Discussions focused on military planning and the domestic impact of further escalation. Contingency planning by ministers over the impact of the developments overnight include working with airlines and airports to ensure tickets remain \u201cfairly and appropriately priced\u201d, said Sir Keir Starmer\u2019s spokesperson.<\/p>\n Hegseth: It takes money to kill bad guys<\/p>\n Pete Hegseth has said the Pentagon requested an extra $200 billion from Congress because \u201cit takes money to kill bad guys\u201d.<\/p>\n Responding to reports about the budget request, the war secretary suggested the Pentagon could need even more, saying \u201cthat number could move\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cAn investment like this is meant to say, \u2018Hey, we\u2019ll replace anything that\u2019s been spent\u2019 \u2026 We\u2019re going to be refilled faster than anyone imagined,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He also criticised US military aid to Ukraine under Joe Biden, saying the money was \u201cbetter spent in our own interests at this point\u201d.<\/p>\n Iran still retains some capability, says top US general<\/p>\n America\u2019s top general has said Iran still \u201cretains some capability\u201d following the strikes on a Qatari natural gas exporting facility.<\/p>\n General Dan Caine, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff speaking alongside Pete Hegseth, said: \u201cAs we said and as we always said, they came into this fight with a lot of weapons. We\u2019re continuing to hunt and find and kill them \u2026They still retain some capability.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018It\u2019s at the president\u2019s choosing when the war ends\u2019<\/p>\n Asked when the war could end, Hegseth declined to give a specific date, and said it would be \u201cat the president\u2019s choosing\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe wouldn\u2019t want to set a definitive timeframe on that,\u201d he said, adding: \u201cWe\u2019re very much on plan.\u201d<\/p>\n Hegseth: We have decided to share oceans with Iran<\/p>\n The war secretary said that US objectives in the war against Iran have not changed since strikes started on February 28.<\/p>\n Pete Hegseth told reporters that the objectives remained to destroy Iran\u2019s missile launchers, its defence industrial base and navy as well as never allowing Iran to get a nuclear weapon.<\/p>\n Talking of attacking the Iranian navy, he said the US had \u201cdecided to share\u201d the oceans with Iran. \u201cWe are giving them the bottom half\u201d.<\/p>\n Pray for us, Hegseth urges Americans <\/p>\n Pete Hegseth called for Americans to support the military action and pray for the country\u2019s troops involved in the war against Iran. <\/p>\n He asked Americans to pray \u201con bended knee\u201d and in the \u201cname of Jesus Christ\u201d.<\/p>\n Today will be \u2018largest day of airstrikes so far\u2019<\/p>\n Hegseth has said today will be the largest day of airstrikes of the war so far.<\/p>\n \u201cIran has terrorised the US and our interests for 47 years,\u201d he said. \u201cToday will be the largest strike package yet.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Ungrateful Europe should thank Trump\u2019<\/p>\n Europe is \u201cungrateful\u201d and should say thank you to President Trump, the US war secretary has said.<\/p>\n Pete Hegseth condemned America\u2019s \u201cungrateful allies in Europe\u201d for not doing more to help the war in Iran.<\/p>\n \u201cThe world, the Middle East, our ungrateful allies in Europe, even segments of our own press should be saying one thing to President Trump: thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n Hegseth: This is not a forever war<\/p>\n Pete Hegseth has said the Iran war is \u201cdifferent\u201d from previous Middle East conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.<\/p>\n \u201cThe media here \u2014 not all of it, but much of it \u2014 wants you think we are spinning towards an endless abyss, or a forever war or a quagmire,\u201d the war secretary said in a briefing at the Pentagon.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not those wars.\u201d<\/p>\n Hegseth has said today will be the largest day of airstrikes of the war so far.<\/p>\n \u201cIran has terrorised the US and our interests for 47 years,\u201d he said. \u201cToday will be the largest strike package yet.<\/p>\n Hegseth: US hitting Iran \u2018overwhelming force\u2019<\/p>\n US secretary of war, Pete Hegseth, has said the US is continuing to bomb Iran with \u201coverwhelming force\u201d and enforcing \u201cdeath and destruction from above\u201d.<\/p>\n He was speaking at a press conference at the Pentagon.<\/p>\n Bank votes unanimously to hold rates <\/p>\n The Bank of England left interest rates unchanged today, but governor Andrew Bailey warned that the central bank \u201cmust respond\u201d with rate rises if there is a lasting energy crisis sparked by the war in the Middle East.<\/p>\n The Bank\u2019s nine-member monetary policy committee voted unanimously in favour of leaving the base rate at 3.75 per cent in a much more clear-cut vote than analysts anticipated ahead of the group\u2019s meeting.<\/p>\n Andrew Bailey, governor of the Bank of England, signalled that households and homeowners could suffer further financial hardship if the US-Israeli war with Iran does not end soon, keeping oil and gas prices high.<\/p>\n Starmer: We are working on swift resolution to Middle East situation<\/p>\n Keir Starmer says the government is working on a \u201cswift resolution to the situation in the Middle East\u201d.<\/p>\n In a post on X, he said: \u201cI condemn in the strongest terms the overnight Iranian strike on a Qatari gas facility.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are working towards a swift resolution to the situation in the Middle East, in the best interests of the British people \u2014 because there is no question that ending the war is the quickest way to reduce the cost of living.\u201d<\/p>\n The prime minister was referring to Shell\u2019s natural gas facility within Qatar\u2019s Ras Laffan hub, which was damaged by fire following an Iranian attack.<\/p>\n Brent crude topped $118 after Iran struck the hub, which processes about a fifth of global gas supply.<\/p>\n Badenoch: Starmer has no clear position on Iran war<\/p>\n Keir Starmer \u201cdoes not have a clear position\u201d on the Iran war and has been led by his cabinet, Kemi Badenoch has said.<\/p>\n The leader of the opposition said she was not \u201cgung-ho for war\u201d, but that the UK should do more to protect British bases and troops in the Middle East.<\/p>\n Speaking at the launch of the Conservatives\u2019 local election campaign, she said: \u201cI have not changed my position. In fact, the prime minister is the one who changed his position because after saying \u2018no\u2019 to letting the US use our air bases, he later on said \u2018yes\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy is this man constantly changing? It\u2019s because he doesn\u2019t know what he thinks. I think it was the energy secretary who told him what to do the first time and then he [Starmer] thought he might get into trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n India to deploy warships to escort vessels from Strait of Hormuz<\/p>\n India will deploy more than half a dozen warships to the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea as a precautionary measure to ensure the safe passage of its vessels from the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n The ships will not enter and remain east of the strait. Their only objective is to escort the vessels until they reach safer waters in the northern Arabian Sea, according to reporting by Bloomberg.<\/p>\n India\u2019s Ministry of Shipping has said 22 flagged vessels are stuck in the strait. Since the Strait of Hormuz has effectively been shut since the US and Israel began attacks on Iran in late February, India has managed to secure the safe transit of two state-owned tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas.<\/p>\n About 90 per cent of its liquefied petroleum gas imports are from the Middle East.<\/p>\n UK \u2018should avoid major energy bill bailout\u2019<\/p>\n The government should avoid a major energy bill bailout, a Times columnist has said.<\/p>\n Matthew Syed told Times Radio that crushing interest payments were already an \u201cAchilles heel\u201d for democracies, including the UK.<\/p>\n \u201cI worry a lot about public debt. Between about 1700 and 1970 the English and British governments didn\u2019t run deficits outside of major wars because they were very conscious of a responsibility to the future.\u201d<\/p>\n He previously wrote that Britons should \u201cstick on an extra jumper during this crisis\u201d in a Times column.<\/p>\n Are Israel and the US at odds over aims of Iran war?<\/p>\n President Trump continues to talk about a negotiated end to the war, even if neither he nor the Iranians are ready for one yet.<\/p>\n But Israel has indicated it has no intention of pausing its assault on the country, and its military is continuing to lay the ground for what it would regard as total victory: regime change.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, said an airstrike had assassinated Iran\u2019s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, in its latest attack on senior regime figures.<\/p>\n \u2022 Fact check: what is the truth behind Joe Kent\u2019s claims on Iran war?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Bank tipped to hold rates <\/p>\n The Bank of England is likely to hold interest rates steady today, amid fears of an inflation crisis sparked by the Middle East conflict, economists have predicted.<\/p>\n Andrew Wishart, an economist at Berenberg, told The Times that the Bank of England \u201ccould cause a depreciation in the pound that makes the inflation problem far worse\u201d if it surprised markets and delivered anything but a rate hold today.<\/p>\n Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, told PA: \u201cThe Fed and Bank of England are in a state of limbo while they wait to see if the Middle East crisis will trigger a long-lasting inflation shock.\u201d<\/p>\n He added: \u201cThere simply isn\u2019t enough data to make an informed decision on whether to put up rates to deal with the likely aftershock of the Middle East crisis \u2014 namely, a new inflation spike.\u201d<\/p>\n Men executed in Iran \u2018gave confessions under torture\u2019<\/p>\n Rights groups said three men, who included a teenager, who were hanged for killing police officers during protests in January were executed without a fair trial and had given confessions under torture.<\/p>\n Mehdi Ghasemi, Saleh Mohammadi, 19, and Saeed Davoudi were hanged in the city of Qom, south of Tehran, after being convicted of the capital crime of waging war against God, the Mizan news agency said.<\/p>\n They had been found guilty of involvement in the killing of two police officers and carrying out \u201coperational actions\u201d in favour of Israel and the United States.<\/p>\n There had been particular concern over the fate of Saleh Mohammadi, a teenage wrestling champion who had taken part in international competitions, who according to Amnesty International was denied \u201cadequate defence and forced to make \u2018confessions\u2019\u2026 in fast-tracked proceedings that bore no resemblance to a meaningful trial\u201d.<\/p>\n Gulf crisis leads to cricket ball shortage<\/p>\n An unexpected effect of conflict in the Middle East is growing concern that cricket in England could, quite literally, run out of balls (Elizabeth Ammon writes).<\/p>\n With key freight routes through the Gulf restricted and airline costs reportedly tripling, Dilip Jajodia, the owners of the manufacturer of the Dukes cricket ball manufacturer, has said the county game is facing a \u201cmajor crisis\u201d.<\/p>\n The 18 first-class counties set to begin the new season on April 3 with roughly half their usual stock.<\/p>\n Dukes has been producing balls since the 18th century and supplies every ball used in Tests in England, as well as the County Championship. The brand typically imports between 4,000 and 5,000 balls each summer for professional cricket in this country.<\/p>\n British cow hides are tanned in Chesterfield before being sent to south Asia, where each ball is stitched by hand. They are then flown back to the UK.<\/p>\n Help households cover energy \u2018Trump tax\u2019, campaigners say<\/p>\n Billpayers should receive immediate government support to cover the \u201cTrump tax\u201d on their energy costs, a fuel poverty campaign group has argued.<\/p>\n \u201cThese gas and oil prices haven\u2019t been seen since the winter of 2022\/23,\u201d said Simon Francis from the End Fuel Poverty Coalition. \u201cHouseholds will face a \u2018Trump Tax\u2019 on their energy bills as a result of this war and the case for government action to support households is becoming impossible to ignore.\u201d<\/p>\n However, wholesale gas prices are still less than half of their peak following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. <\/p>\n Energy secretary, Ed Miliband, wrote to energy firms this morning to demand \u201cmaximum flexibility\u201d and \u201cfair, transparent and fully justifiable\u201d pricing.<\/p>\n Macron demands halt to strikes on energy plants <\/p>\n President Macron has called on both sides in the Middle East war to agree on a halt to strikes against oil, gas and other civilian facilities. <\/p>\n In a post on X, the French president said he had \u201cjust spoken\u201d with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, and President Trump following the strikes on gas production sites in Iran and Qatar. <\/p>\n \u201cIt is in the common interest to implement without delay a moratorium on strikes targeting civilian infrastructure, particularly energy and water infrastructure,\u201d Macron added. <\/p>\n Iran has threatened to intensify their strikes in neighbouring states after the US staged further attacks on Iranian gas installations, prompting a response from Tehran. <\/p>\n Macron angered Trump on Monday when he declared that France would \u201cnever\u201d agree to the US president\u2019s request to help American forces secure the passage of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. France would only patrol the area with consent from Iran.<\/p>\n Ras Laffan: gas plants behind Qatar\u2019s wealth Ras Laffan Industrial City earlier this month<\/p>\n AFP\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n With its huge mass of industrial metal pipes, constantly burning flare stacks, docks and ships, Ras Laffan, resembles a vast James Bond film set.<\/p>\n It is located on a northerly tip of Qatar, some 85 km from the capital Doha, and accessible by one road, Route 77. Even in a country as strictly policed as Qatar, Ras Laffan is heavily guarded.<\/p>\n Inside are some 30,000 workers from a number of countries. Rules in Ras Laffan are strictly enforced. Workers who breach a speed limit on a road in the city can be sacked. It is also home to a turtle conservation project and, according to one Qatari, the best white truffles in the country.<\/p>\n Locals know it as \u201cthe gas capital of the world\u201d. Ras Laffan is where gas goes through an industrial process where it is cooled to -162C and shipped around the world as liquified natural gas.<\/p>\n The success of Ras Laffan is behind the phenomenal wealth of Qatar. When Ras Laffan opened in 1997, Qatar\u2019s exports totalled around $5 billion. In 2024, exports were estimated to be $88 billion.<\/p>\n Analysis: UK was \u2018weirdly relaxed\u2019 about energy crisis<\/p>\n The UK government was \u201cweirdly relaxed\u201d about the mounting energy crisis as recently as two weeks ago, The Times political editor, Steven Swinford, has told Times Radio.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo weeks ago I can tell you they were weirdly relaxed about [the crisis] and it would pass and move on and it wouldn\u2019t get to this situation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are not relaxed this morning, far from it, and they are extremely worried about the cost of living\u2026 particularly for energy bills in June now.\u201d<\/p>\n UK natural gas prices rose by 25 per cent this morning, and Trump has threatened to \u201cmassively blow up\u201d the South Pars field, the world\u2019s biggest.<\/p>\n Swinford continued: \u201c[The government] are drawing up plans for everything, ranging from a kind of big bazooka, full-style bailout of households, which is very unlikely, to a more targeted approach, which would only go to the kind of poorest households.\u201d<\/p>\n Shell \u2018assessing damage\u2019 at Qatar gas hub <\/p>\n Shell\u2019s natural gas facility within Qatar\u2019s Ras Laffan hub was damaged by fire following an Iranian attack. <\/p>\n It said the Pearl GTL facility was attacked, sparking a fire that has since been extinguished.<\/p>\n The British energy giant said \u201call staff on site are safe\u201d and that the facility is now in a \u201csafe state\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are currently assessing any potential damage to Pearl GTL and working with QatarEnergy and the relevant authorities to understand the damage to the wider Ras Laffan Industrial City facilities,\u201d Shell said in a statement.<\/p>\n UK natural gas prices have soared to a three-year high, and oil prices spiked after news of the attack on the Shell plant and on energy sites in Iran.<\/p>\n Watch: Iran women footballers return homeMiddle East escalation \u2018reckless\u2019, says Macron<\/p>\n President Macron has condemned a \u201creckless escalation\u201d as Iran struck a series of Gulf energy sites after an Israeli attack on its South Pars gasfield.<\/p>\n Speaking on arrival for EU talks in Brussels, Macron warned that if Middle Eastern energy \u201cproduction capacities themselves are destroyed, this war will have a much more lasting impact\u201d.<\/p>\n He called for \u201cdirect talks between the Americans and Iranians on this matter\u201d.<\/p>\n Iran MPs suggest taxing ships <\/p>\n Iranian MPs have proposed imposing tolls on ships passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, local media has reported.<\/p>\n \u201cWe in parliament are pursuing a plan under which countries will pay tolls and taxes to the Islamic Republic if the Strait of Hormuz is used as a secure route for transit, energy and food security,\u201d said Tehran politician Somayeh Rafiei, the ISNA news agency reported.<\/p>\n UK orders more missiles to protect Middle East allies<\/p>\n Britain will buy fresh supplies of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs) to support UK forces and allies in the Middle East.<\/p>\n The missiles, manufactured by Thales in Belfast and described as \u201chighly capable\u201d by the Ministry of Defence, can be used to fend off Iranian drones.<\/p>\n It comes after the defence minister, Luke Pollard, convened a meeting with UK defence companies and representatives from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, Iraq and Jordan.<\/p>\n Oil tops $118 a barrel on supply jitters<\/p>\n Brent crude has topped $118 on increased concerns about supply after Iran attacked Qatar\u2019s Ras Laffan hub, which processes about a fifth of global gas supply.<\/p>\n There are also reports of an attack on a Saudi Aramco refinery in the Red Sea port of Yanbu. Yanbu is currently the only export outlet for any crude oil out of Gulf Arab countries with the Strait of Hormuz effectively shut.<\/p>\n Iran threatened to retaliate on Gulf oil and gas infrastructure after Wednesday attack on its South Pars gasfield.<\/p>\n Malloch-Brown: Petulant Trump may escalate conflict<\/p>\n Lord Malloch-Brown, the former deputy secretary-general of the UN, called the US-Israeli offensive against Iran an \u201cillegal war\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cDoctrine has been thrown aside and there has been no effort to line up legality or international support,\u201d he told Sky News. \u201cPowerful neighbours are now eyeing up weaker ones and wondering if they too can move without the legitimate cover of a UN resolution or any pretence of international legality.\u201d<\/p>\n Malloch-Brown, who was a minister in Gordon Brown\u2019s government, also warned President Trump\u2019s \u201cpetulance and anger\u201d might drive him to strike Iranian energy infrastructure and further escalate the conflict.<\/p>\n A \u201cwar without limits\u201d could also see desalination facilities targeted, which would have devastating consequences for the region, he said.<\/p>\n Cyprus calls for talks over \u2018colonial\u2019 UK bases<\/p>\n The Cypriot president has called for \u201cfrank\u201d discussions over the future of British bases on the island, the FT has reported.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen this unfortunate situation in the Middle East is over, we need to have an open and frank conversation about the status and future of the British bases in Cyprus,\u201d Nikos Christodoulides told reporters before an EU summit in Brussels. <\/p>\n He said that the bases were a \u201ccolonial consequence\u201d, noting that more than 10,000 Cypriots live within them. <\/p>\n Cyprus is home to two British sovereign bases \u2013 Akrotiri and Dhekelia \u2013 with both considered vital to the West\u2019s regional security interests.<\/p>\n An Iranian drone hit RAF Akrotiri on March 1, with officials later saying it contained a Russian-made Kometa-B navigation system.<\/p>\n Long-haul Easter flights at risk from fuel rationing<\/p>\n Airlines have been warned that they will face jet fuel shortages as soon as next month, risking flight cancellations to long-haul destinations at the end of the busy Easter holiday period.<\/p>\n Oil traders expect to see shortages of jet fuel from the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz within the coming weeks as reserve supplies are run down and not replaced.<\/p>\n Britain is vulnerable to potential disruption if the conflict continues as the majority of the country\u2019s imported jet fuel comes from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Long-haul Easter flights at risk due to fuel rationing<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Gulf states seek urgent UN debate<\/p>\n Gulf states have requested an urgent debate at the United Nations over Iran\u2019s strikes on civilians and energy infrastructure across the Middle East.<\/p>\n A diplomatic note sent by Gulf states, seen by Reuters, describes the ballistic missile and drone strikes on Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as a \u201csituation of serious concern for international peace and security\u201d.<\/p>\n The \u201cunprovoked attacks\u201d on Gulf countries demand immediate attention, the diplomatic note said.<\/p>\n The draft resolution proposed by the Gulf states calls for Iran to immediately stop strikes on civilian infrastructure and commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, and also seeks reparations for civilian, infrastructure and environmental damage.<\/p>\n Aramco refinery is latest to be hit<\/p>\n A refinery owned by Saudi oil giant Aramco has been targeted in a drone strike.<\/p>\n The Samref facility, in the Red Sea port of Yanbu, was targeted in the attack. Yanbu has been one of two major export outlets for any crude oil out of Gulf countries since Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz after the war erupted late last month.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had issued an evacuation warning to several oil facilities across the Gulf following a strike on its South Pars gasfield, a major escalation in the war with the United States and Israel.<\/p>\n Interview: Israeli invasion of Lebanon \u2018brutal and unnecessary\u2019<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s former prime minister who went to war against Lebanon 20 years ago has described the country\u2019s latest invasion of its northern neighbour as \u201carrogant, brutal and unnecessary\u201d (Tom Ball writes).<\/p>\n Ehud Olmert, who led the country from 2006 to 2009, said that moving ground forces into southern Lebanon was doomed to fail in its objective of disarming Hezbollah, while making Israeli soldiers \u201ceasy targets\u201d for the Iranian-backed militia\u2019s elite Radwan force.<\/p>\n A similar fate befell Israeli soldiers who took part in the war of 2006, during Olmert\u2019s leadership, when Hezbollah<\/a> inflicted heavy casualties through ambushes and rocket strikes, in effect fighting Israel to a standstill.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Lebanon invasion is arrogant and brutal, says former Israeli PM<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Oil tops $114 a barrel after attack on Qatar plant<\/p>\n Oil has topped $114 barrel, gas prices have surged and stock markets have fallen after Qatar reported \u201cextensive damage\u201d around the Ras Laffan terminal, which processes about a fifth of global gas supply. <\/p>\n The attack has increased fears about higher energy prices stoking inflation and slowing economic growth.<\/p>\n The Ras Laffan energy hub is home to several international companies, including Shell. The complex is home to Shell\u2019s $18 billion Pearl gas-to-liquids plant, which it built in partnership with QatarEnergy. <\/p>\n The plant processes about 1.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, which it converts into 140,000 barrels per day of liquid products like diesel, kerosene, naphtha and base oils.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are currently assessing any potential impact on any asset operated or utilised by Shell\u2026 and will provide further information in due course,\u201d a Shell spokesperson said.<\/p>\n Iran launches strikes on Saudi and Qatari oil fields<\/p>\n UK \u2018worried\u2019 about Middle East situation<\/p>\n The trade minister has admitted he is \u201cworried\u201d about developments in the Middle East, saying the government was \u201cvery sceptical\u201d about the war <\/p>\n Chris Bryant said a call he held with counterparts in the Gulf yesterday was interrupted by an air raid warning.<\/p>\n He insisted the UK was \u201cwell supplied\u201d with energy and that the prime minister and chancellor were personally monitoring the situation.<\/p>\n However, Bryant told Times Radio of developments overnight: \u201cOf course we\u2019re worried. That\u2019s why we were always very sceptical about the whole of this war in Iran.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause I don\u2019t think you should enter into a war unless you\u2019ve actuallly got a plan and you know what you\u2019re trying to achieve.\u201d<\/p>\n Greeks flown home with their pets Danai Koukoulomati and her cat Muay Thai<\/p>\n LOUIZA VRADI\/REUTERS<\/p>\n Dozens of dogs and cats arrived in Athens on Wednesday with their owners aboard a special evacuation flight for Greeks with pets who were trapped by the war in the Middle East.<\/p>\n The government-chartered Aegean flight from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates carried 45 pets and 101 people.<\/p>\n \u201cOur pets are not luggage, they are part of our families,\u201d said the Greek interior ministry official Nikos Chrysakis.<\/p>\n He added the interior and foreign ministries had worked for days \u201cso we can have this good result, for the animals and people to return home safely.\u201d<\/p>\n Many pet owners refused to leave them behind. \u201cTo me, my pet, my cat is my family,\u201d Danai Koukoulomati said of her cat Muay Thai. \u201cThere is no chance I\u2019m going to leave him behind,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Koukoulomati said Muay Thai had been more stoic in dealing with the war than her. \u201cHe would hide in the bathroom and that would be all. He was a calm cat,\u201d Koukoulomati said. \u201cI was not as calm as my cat. I need to take some lessons from him.\u201d<\/p>\n Pets and their owners were swarmed by the media after landing in Athens<\/p>\n MILOS BICANSKI\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n Kuwaiti oil refinery damaged in drone strike<\/p>\n There has been a further attack on energy facilities in the Gulf. Kuwaiti state media said a drone attack was carried out on a refinery owned by Kuwait\u2019s national oil company, sparking a fire at one of the units. <\/p>\n \u201cKuwait Petroleum Corporation announced that one of the operational units of the Mina al-Ahmadi refinery \u2026 was the target of a drone attack, triggering a limited fire,\u201d the Kuwait News Agency said, adding that no one was injured.<\/p>\n UK gas prices surge by a quarter<\/p>\n UK natural gas prices have risen 25 per cent to 174.49p a therm this morning following fresh strikes against energy infrastructure in the Middle East. <\/p>\n Iranian strikes caused extensive damage at Qatar\u2019s main gas hub, the country\u2019s state-run energy firm said.<\/p>\n The attacks came after Iran\u2019s South Pars field, the largest in the world, was targeted by Israel on Wednesday. <\/p>\n King will visit US despite tensions with Trump<\/p>\n The King will be met with a show of American military might when he arrives for a three-day visit to the US with the special relationship at a low ebb.<\/p>\n The trip, which has been six months in the planning and has involved a \u201crecce\u201d to the US by a team of Charles\u2019s closest aides and other officials, will go ahead next month despite tensions between the president and prime minister over the war in Iran.<\/p>\n The King will spend just a day in Washington, The Times can reveal, where he will pack in engagements such as an address to Congress and an evening banquet.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: King will visit US despite tensions with Trump over Iran<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Iran did not pose nuclear threat, US intelligence director admits<\/p>\n Iran made no effort to rebuild its nuclear programme following the bombing of its enrichment facilities last year, according to a US intelligence assessment that contradicts President Trump\u2019s central justification for the ongoing war.<\/p>\n Appearing before Congress, Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, said that Tehran abandoned its pursuit of a nuclear weapon after American B-2s dropped 30,000-pound bombs on its enrichment sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan in June.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a result of Operation Midnight Hammer, Iran\u2019s nuclear enrichment program was obliterated. There has been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: Iran did not pose nuclear threat, intelligence director admits<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n How could the US safeguard Strait of Hormuz? Trump\u2019s options explained<\/p>\n President Trump has said the United States can open the Strait of Hormuz on its own but such an operation would be complex and require many ships and aircraft already assigned to taking out targets in Iran.<\/p>\n Even then, the US president will need to be prepared to take casualties given the threats and difficulties they will face, experts warn. The cost to the military would be huge and long-lasting.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s rugged mountainous coastline to the east of the strait creates natural fortifications and enables over-the\u00ad-horizon strikes that are difficult for \u00adsurveillance assets to spot.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: How could the US safeguard Strait of Hormuz? Trump\u2019s options explained<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n China: Israeli killing of civilians and leaders unacceptable Ali Larijani\u2019s funeral was held on Wednesday<\/p>\n China has condemned the killing of Iranian security chief Ali Larijani and Israeli attacks on civilians, calling them \u201cunacceptable\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have always opposed the use of force in international relations. The acts of killing Iranian state leaders and attacking civilian targets are even more unacceptable,\u201d China\u2019s foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Thursday.<\/p>\n US aircraft carrier to spend a week being repaired<\/p>\n The US navy\u2019s most advanced aircraft carrier will leave the Red Sea for repairs after being damaged in a fire. <\/p>\n The USS Gerald R Ford will head to a US naval base on Crete for a week of pierside repairs after a fire in its laundry facility on March 12 injured sailors and caused significant damage. <\/p>\n Over 200 crew members were assessed for smoke inhalation, with one sailor medically evacuated and two others treated for minor injuries.<\/p>\n The world\u2019s largest warship has been deployed for almost nine months and was sent to the region as part of US operations related to Iran. It has been beset with problems, including an earlier failure of its toilet system.<\/p>\n British military to help US plan reopening of Hormuz<\/p>\n British military officers have been dispatched to the US to help plan how to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, defence officials disclosed, after the price of oil soared as Iran warned it would strike energy infrastructure across the Gulf.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s huge Pars gasfield was hit on Wednesday, a major escalation in the US-Israeli war, prompting Tehran to announce it would respond with attacks on oil and gas targets throughout the region.<\/p>\n President Trump supported Israel\u2019s attack on the South Pars field on Wednesday but is said to want no more strikes on Iranian energy sites, unnamed US officials told the Wall Street Journal.<\/p>\n \u2022 Read in full: <\/b>British military to help US plan reopening of Strait of Hormuz<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Iran demands UAE reparations over US attacks<\/p>\n Iran is seeking reparations from the United Arab Emirates for allowing its territory to be used for US attacks against Iranian territory.<\/p>\n In a letter, Amir-Saeid Iravani, Iran\u2019s ambassador to the UN, told the secretary-general, Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, that the UAE\u2019s decision to allow its territory to be used for the strikes constituted \u201can internationally wrongful act that entailed state responsibility\u201d.<\/p>\n Tehran said the UAE had an international responsibility to provide reparations, including compensation for all material and moral damages incurred.<\/p>\n The al-Dhafra airbase, situated south of the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, and shared with the UAE Air Force, is a critical US airforce hub.<\/p>\n While not a formal military base, Dubai\u2019s Jebel Ali Port is the US navy\u2019s largest port of call in the Middle East and regularly hosts US aircraft carriers.<\/p>\n Energy prices rise after attack on South Pars field Energy markets were sent into fresh turmoil after missiles struck the world\u2019s largest gasfield, escalating the conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n The attack on Iran\u2019s South Pars field, as well as nearby refineries, was the first against Iranian energy production facilities since America and Israel launched a war on February 28.<\/p>\n Brent crude extended gains and by Wednesday night in New York, the global benchmark was trading 3.1 per cent higher at $110.70 a barrel, while UK natural gas prices rose 6 per cent to 139.4p per therm, as Iran\u2019s Revolutionary Guard warned that it would retaliate by targeting energy infrastructure across the Gulf, state television reported.<\/p>\n![\"Sitting](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/465f247d-0d38-4210-84bd-a9192dc796d0.jpg\")
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![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/c8ca1bd7-4ac8-430d-b65c-2a4552bfad09.jpg\")
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<\/p>\n![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/\/5883e5c9-5c95-4e5d-b31b-3b994a40dfe7.jpg\")
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