Death toll in Lebanon rises to 77
The number of people killed in Lebanon from the renewed clashes between Israel and Hezbollah on Monday has risen to 77, with 527 injured, the Lebanese Ministry of Health announced on Thursday.
Russia says Iran has not asked it to supply weapons
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia has not received a request from Iran to send weapons during the ongoing war.
Asked by a journalist whether Moscow plans to provide material support to Iran, including arms, Peskov replied: “In this case, there have been no requests from the Iranian side. Our longstanding position is known to all, and there have been no changes on this matter.”
Last year, Iran signed a 20-year strategic cooperation agreement with Russia.
Russia is building two new nuclear units at Bushehr, home to Iran’s only nuclear power plant, while Iran has supplied Russia with Shahed drones for use against Ukraine.
Six injured in Abu Dhabi from debris after drone interception
A drone interception in the capital of the United Arab Emirates caused debris to fall to the ground, injuring six people.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the injuries occurred in the ICAD II industrial area, near the Al Dhafra Air Base, where U.S. forces are stationed.
The injured are reportedly from Nepal and Pakistan.
Another repatriation flight likely tomorrow, Friday, again from Oman, where capacity is less restricted
03/05/2026 12:40
Alert over in Akrotiri
The alert that was sounded shortly after 12:00 in Akrotiri, Cyprus, when sirens went off, has ended.
03/05/2026 12:40
France grants US aircraft permission to use its bases in the Middle East
American aircraft have received permission from the French military to use the country’s bases in the Middle East.
03/05/2026 12:40
Nikos Christodoulides thanks Giorgia Meloni in Italian for her support of Cyprus
Israel Strikes Two Indoor Sports Centers in Tehran
Israeli airstrikes hit two indoor gyms in Iran’s capital, Tehran, on Thursday.
Although no explanation has been provided for the choice of these targets, the Associated Press notes that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and the Basij organization use such facilities as gathering points, following previous airstrikes that destroyed their other bases.
03/05/2026 12:23
Netherlands Sends Naval Forces to Cyprus
As announced to the Italian Parliament by Italy’s Defense Minister, Guido Crosetto, Italy, Spain, France, and the Netherlands are sending naval forces to Cyprus to help protect the island.
03/05/2026 12:10
Greek Foreign Ministry Responds to Turkey on Patriots in Karpathos: Greece’s Defense Posture Is Non-Negotiable
“Unilateral claims regarding the demilitarization of the Aegean islands are unfounded and have been repeatedly rejected in their entirety. The status of the Greek islands in the Eastern Aegean is governed by the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, the 1936 Montreux Convention, and the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty, to which Turkey is not even a party,” said Lana Zochiou, spokesperson for the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commenting on the Turkish MFA’s statement today.
“These treaties leave no doubt about the status of the islands. Greece’s defensive arrangements are non-negotiable. The state of conflict in our wider neighborhood necessitates the country’s necessary defensive preparedness. The prevailing uncertainty and the risk of further escalation of the war call for prudence and calm, not weak statements,” Zochiou concluded.
How Many People Have Died in the U.S.-Israel War Against Iran
Hundreds of people have been killed across the Middle East since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, with Gulf states hosting American military bases and personnel, as well as Lebanon, quickly drawn into the conflict.
Below are the death tolls reported so far by the countries involved, as of March 5, the sixth day of the war. Reuters has not independently verified these deaths.
IRAN
1,045 dead, including 175 schoolgirls and staff killed in a strike on a school in Minab in southern Iran on the first day of the war, according to the nonprofit humanitarian organization Iranian Red Crescent. It is unclear whether the total includes casualties among the Revolutionary Guards.
ISRAEL
10 civilians have been killed, including nine in an Iranian missile strike on Beit Shemesh near Jerusalem on March 1, according to Israel’s emergency service Magen David Adom. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have not reported any military casualties.
LEBANON
77 people have been killed in Israeli strikes, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
BAHRAIN
One person died after a fire in Bahrain’s Salman Industrial City, which broke out following a missile interception, according to the Ministry of Interior.
KUWAIT
Three people, including two Kuwaiti soldiers, were killed in Iranian attacks in the country, according to Kuwait’s Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs.
OMAN
One person was killed when a missile struck the Marshall Islands–flagged tanker MKD VYOM off the coast of Muscat.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Three people were killed, according to the UAE Ministry of Defense.
U.S. MILITARY
Six U.S. service members were killed in a strike on a facility in Kuwait, according to U.S. Central Command.
SYRIA
Four people were killed when an Iranian missile struck a building in the city of Sweida in southern Syria on Saturday, according to state news agency SANA.
05/03/2026 11:22 – Azerbaijan: We Have the Right to Respond After Iranian Drone Strike
Azerbaijan is demanding a clear explanation and investigation from Iran regarding the drone attack, calling for measures to prevent similar attacks in the future, while warning that it reserves the right to take appropriate retaliatory measures.
05/03/2026 11:20 – Explosions Over Qatar
Multiple explosions are heard in the sky over Qatar’s capital, Doha.
Al Jazeera journalists report that Qatar’s defense systems are intercepting missiles entering the country’s airspace.
BBC: British Defense Secretary in Cyprus Today
The British Defense Secretary, John Healy, is expected to arrive in Cyprus today, following a drone strike on the British base at Akrotiri.
05/03/2026 10:44
New alert in Israel over missile launches from Iran
05/03/2026 10:33
Cypriot official to Associated Press: The drone that hit the Akrotiri base took off from Beirut
A Cypriot official who spoke to the Associated Press on Thursday stated that the drone which caused damage to the British military base at Akrotiri on Monday night took off from Beirut.
05/03/2026 10:30
Azerbaijani government sources to Reuters: Iranian drone hit the airport of the city of Nakhchivan
Revolutionary Guards: The Strait of Hormuz is closed only to ships from the U.S., Israel, and Europe
The Revolutionary Guards stated on Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz is closed only to ships from the U.S., Israel, Europe, and other Western allies.
“We had previously stated that, according to international laws and resolutions, during times of war, the Islamic Republic of Iran will have the right to control passage through the Strait of Hormuz. If ships belonging to the U.S., Israel, Europe, and their supporters are observed… they will certainly be attacked,” said a spokesperson for the Revolutionary Guards.
05/03/2026 10:10
Meloni: We are sending air defense aid to Gulf countries
Italy plans to send air defense assistance to Gulf countries, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday.
“Like the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, Italy intends to provide assistance to Gulf countries, specifically in defense and particularly in air defense,” Ms. Meloni said on the radio station RTL 102.5.
“This is not only because they are friendly countries, but mainly because tens of thousands of Italians live in the region, and around 2,000 Italian soldiers have been deployed there – people we want and need to protect,” she added.
05/03/2026 10:01
Al Jazeera: Explosions heard in Bahrain and Qatar
05/03/2026 09:59
Photo from preparations for the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
U.S. Reaffirms Support for Israel Amid Rising Middle East Tensions
The United States has reaffirmed its strong support for Israel as tensions escalate across the Middle East. During a phone call on Wednesday evening, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz to “continue until the end — we are with you,” according to a statement from the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The conversation highlighted the close coordination between the two countries as the regional security situation remains volatile.
In the same statement, Katz expressed gratitude to the United States and especially to President Donald Trump for what he described as strong and consistent support for Israel. He also emphasized the strategic cooperation between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming their joint stance against Iran is reshaping the geopolitical balance in the region and beyond.
Meanwhile, Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that 162 Greek citizens and their family members have already been repatriated from the broader Middle East due to the ongoing conflict. The evacuations took place through a series of coordinated operations. Ninety-three Greek nationals were flown from Oman via a special flight by Aegean Airlines, organized by Greek embassies in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.
Additional evacuations included 42 Greek citizens transported overland from Bethlehem to Egypt under the supervision of the Greek Consulate in Jerusalem. Another 27 members of a youth team from Aris Thessaloniki traveled by air from the United Arab Emirates to Istanbul before continuing by road to Thessaloniki.
Reports from regional media have also added to the sense of instability. The Iranian news agency Mehr News Agency reported that a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet crashed early Wednesday in southwestern Iran. According to the report, the pilot and weapons systems officer safely ejected before being rescued in a joint U.S.–Israeli operation and transferred to a military base in Saudi Arabia.
At the same time, Israeli media outlet N12News claimed that satellite imagery shows an Iranian missile base in Kermanshah has been destroyed. The reports have not been independently verified, but they further underline the escalating confrontation and the growing risk of broader regional conflict.
Tensions in the Middle East have sharply escalated as the war between Iran, Israel, and the United States enters its sixth day. Iranian officials warned that the United States will “bitterly regret” the sinking of the Iranian frigate Dena near Sri Lanka, which was reportedly struck by an American submarine. According to Iranian sources, at least 87 sailors were killed and dozens remain missing, marking one of the deadliest incidents of the conflict so far.
Meanwhile, Israel has continued its military campaign against Iranian targets. The Israeli military announced new waves of airstrikes on the capital, Tehran, claiming it has destroyed around 300 Iranian missile launch systems since the beginning of the war. Iranian media reported explosions in several areas of the city, while air defense systems were activated in response to the attacks.
Iranian officials also issued a stark warning, saying that if the United States and Israel attempt to overthrow the government in Tehran, Iran could target Israel’s nuclear reactor in Dimona. At the same time, regional tensions have continued to rise, with Saudi Arabia intercepting cruise missiles and Iranian aircraft reportedly shot down before they could strike the major U.S. military installation at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
The conflict is increasingly drawing in other countries. Australia has deployed military aircraft to the region, while the prime minister of Canada said participation in the conflict cannot be ruled out. With attacks spreading across multiple fronts and threats targeting key infrastructure and embassies, the crisis risks expanding into a wider regional confrontation.
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