Shocking video: The moment Israel’s Iron Dome intercepts Iranian missiles over Tel Aviv (Updated)
Tehran vows ongoing retaliation after Donald Trump warns of “death, fire and fury” if Iran disrupts oil flows through the strategic maritime passage
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The UAE shuts down the largest oil refinery in the region after a drone attack
The United Arab Emirates are shutting down the largest oil refinery in the Middle East following a drone strike, according to Bloomberg.
The attack caused a fire at the facility, which has a processing capacity of 922,000 barrels per day.
Abu Dhabi’s press office reported that there were no injuries in the attack.
A fire broke out at a facility inside the Al-Ruways Industrial Complex in Abu Dhabi after it was targeted by a drone, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office.
Strait of Hormuz, the maritime choke point that drives up freight, insurance, and energy prices
The sun is just rising over the horizon of the Persian Gulf. On the deck of a massive VLCC tanker, the sailors’ eyes are fixed on the radar screens as the Iranian coast emerges to the north and that of the United Arab Emirates to the south.
Before them lies the planet’s gateway for energy and trade: the Strait of Hormuz. A natural passage through which, in peacetime, billions of dollars’ worth of goods pass every day, on which nations, economies, and the entire global energy market depend.
Hagel: Iran Is Isolated and Losing Badly
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hagel stated during a press briefing on Tuesday that Iran is accelerating its efforts to acquire a nuclear weapon, emphasizing that “President Trump will never allow it—neither now nor ever.”
Hagel also added: “Iran stands alone and will lose badly—we will win,” reiterating the stated objectives of the operation that the United States has outlined.
“Today will once again be the most intense day of attacks on Iran. More fighters, more bombers, more attacks—more precise and better than ever,” Hagel further declared.
The U.S. Secretary of War noted that over the past 24 hours, Iran has launched the fewest number of missiles it has been capable of firing since the start of the war.
Israel launched a series of airstrikes on Tehran and southern Lebanon overnight, targeting underground weapons development facilities and military infrastructure linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). One key strike hit a research complex at Imam Hossein University, where the IRGC was reportedly testing ballistic missiles. The IDF also targeted the Quds Force headquarters and other weapons production and air defense sites, describing the attacks as part of a new phase aimed at crippling the core mechanisms of Iran’s “terrorist regime.”
צה״ל השלים במהלך הלילה גל תקיפות נוסף בטהרן: הותקף מתחם תת-קרקעי בו התבצעו תהליכי מחקר ופיתוח של אמצעי לחימה
צה"ל ממשיך להעמיק את הפגיעה בכלל מערכיו ויכולותיו של משטר הטרור האיראני.
חיל האוויר, בהכוונת אמ"ן, השלים במהלך הלילה (ב') גל תקיפות נוסף לעבר תשתיות חיוניות של משטר… pic.twitter.com/rh8kM0adSj
Meanwhile, tensions escalate regionally. Turkey has announced that NATO deployed a Patriot missile battery near the Turkey-Syria border, while Iran has threatened retaliatory missile strikes “for as long as necessary.” Oil prices fell and stock markets rose following U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement that “the war in Iran will end fairly soon,” with Trump adding that the U.S. is “well ahead of schedule” in the conflict.
Putin’s Offer to Mediate on the Iran War Remains on the Table, Kremlin Says
Russia continues to propose mediation options to de-escalate the war in Iran, the Kremlin announced, stating that Vladimir Putin’s related proposals remain on the table.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow had offered mediation initiatives even before the start of the military operations.
“From the beginning of this situation, even before the military phase began, President Putin proposed various options for mediation and our good offices, which could contribute to reducing tensions. Many of these proposals remain on the table,” Peskov said.
He added that “Russia is ready to assist to the extent of its capabilities and will do so willingly, but this requires multiple consultations and agreements, so a bit of patience will be needed.”
Peskov’s comments came a day after a phone call between Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, during which — according to the Kremlin — the Russian president presented proposals aimed at ending the war in Iran more quickly.
The Kremlin spokesman declined to provide further details on the content of the proposals.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump told reporters yesterday that Putin “wants to help” in the conflict over Iran, but added that he pointed out the Russian leader “could be more useful if the war between Russia and Ukraine were over.”
Russia, which maintains a strategic partnership agreement with Iran, has condemned the U.S.-Israeli attacks against the Islamic Republic that began on February 28. However, as a major energy exporter, it has benefited from the subsequent rise in oil prices.
At the same time, Trump’s special envoy, Steve Whitkov, said over the weekend that he requested Russia not to provide intelligence to Iran, following a Washington Post report suggesting that Moscow had been supplying Tehran with targeting data for attacks against U.S. forces in the Middle East.
Peskov emphasized that Russia does not comment on such reports and refused to clarify whether the issue was raised during the phone call between Putin and Trump.
Bahrain Intercepts 105 Missiles and 176 Drones
In a statement, Bahrain’s General Command of Defense Forces said it had intercepted and destroyed 105 missiles and 176 drones since Iran launched retaliatory attacks on countries hosting U.S. forces and assets in the region.
Israeli strikes on Hezbollah may continue even after the Iran war ends, officials say
Israel’s military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon could extend beyond the conclusion of the current US-Israeli air operations against Iran, according to a Financial Times report citing sources familiar with the discussions.
The international outlet, quoting “people informed of the talks,” notes that Israeli strategy appears to anticipate that the conflict with Hezbollah could be prolonged, even after the US and Israel finish their air campaign targeting Iranian sites.
The report echoes information Reuters published last week, indicating that Israel is considering a longer military operation in Lebanon.
One source speaking to the Financial Times said Israel aims “to inflict enough damage so that there is no constant worry about having to evacuate residents in northern areas.”
An Arab diplomat also conveyed a similar assessment, noting that “Israel is preparing international actors for the possibility that the war with Hezbollah may last longer than the war with Iran.”
The diplomat added that Israel has already sent messages to regional partners regarding the potential duration of the campaign.
For now, Israeli forces are mainly operating near the border and have not advanced deep into Lebanese territory. One reason is the concurrent conflict with Iran. An Israeli security official noted, “Most of the air assets are being used on that front.”
Reports of incident involving bulk cargo ship off Abu Dhabi
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an incident in the Persian Gulf, approximately 36 nautical miles (67 kilometers) north of Abu Dhabi and southwest of the Strait of Hormuz.
The captain of a vessel reported an object falling into the sea and a loud explosion near a bulk cargo ship.
UKMTO did not provide further details on the cause of the incident, nor has it been confirmed whether there were any damages or injuries.
EasyJet Suspends Resumption of Flights to Tel Aviv Until Winter
The British low-cost airline EasyJet announced that it will not resume flights to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport at least until winter, due to the ongoing war with Iran.
The airline had planned to restart the route on March 29 after multiple postponements but decided to delay it again in light of developments in the region.
“We have decided not to operate flights to and from Tel Aviv this summer, as part of our ongoing review of the flight schedule,” EasyJet said in a statement sent via email.
The company added that it is “closely monitoring the situation with a view to resuming flights in winter.”
All passengers who had booked trips were notified in advance and offered alternatives, including full refunds or rebooking options.
Fidan to Araghchi: Turkish Airspace Violation Unacceptable
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke by phone with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, stating that violations of Turkish airspace are unacceptable. He emphasized that Ankara will take all necessary measures to protect its territory.
Fidan also stressed that all parties must avoid actions that could undermine regional security or endanger civilians. Araghchi responded that the missiles entering Turkish airspace did not originate from Iran and promised a full investigation.
Meanwhile, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced that ballistic projectiles launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace were neutralized by NATO air and missile defense forces stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Parts of the projectiles fell in uninhabited areas of Gaziantep province, with no casualties or injuries reported. The statement emphasized Turkey’s commitment to good-neighborly relations and regional stability while affirming that the country will act decisively against any threats to its territory or airspace.
Costa: Russia So Far the Only Beneficiary of Middle East War
European Council President Antonio Costa stated that Russia appears to be the only country benefiting from the Middle East conflict, as rising energy prices and diverted international attention from the war in Ukraine favor Moscow.
Speaking to EU ambassadors in Brussels, Costa said the conflict in the Middle East creates conditions that advantage Russia:
“So far, there is only one winner in this war – Russia.”
He explained that Russia gains new financial resources to fund its war against Ukraine due to rising energy prices and benefits from the diversion of military capabilities that could otherwise support Kyiv. Costa also warned that the reduced attention on the Ukrainian front favors Russia.
He stressed the need for the EU to defend the rules-based international order, now challenged even by the United States, and urged all Middle Eastern parties to return to negotiations.
“Freedom and human rights cannot be achieved with bombs. Only international law guarantees them,” he said, while warning of the risk of further escalation threatening the Middle East, Europe, and beyond.
Cyprus Denies Macron’s Claim of Multiple Drone and Missile Attacks
Cyprus’ government spokesperson Konstantinos Letympiotis denied President Emmanuel Macron’s recent claims that Cyprus faced multiple drone and missile attacks. According to official reports, Cyprus only experienced a single drone strike at the British base in Akrotiri, causing damage to a hangar. Two additional drones were intercepted the following day, with F-16s scrambled, but no further incidents were confirmed.
De-escalation Move from Azerbaijan: Sends Humanitarian Aid to Iran
Azerbaijan has sent humanitarian aid to Iran in an apparent move to de-escalate tensions following a recent drone attack that raised fears of conflict spreading to the Caucasus.
Baku, a close partner of Israel, had accused Tehran of “terrorism” after Iranian drones targeted an airport and exploded near a school, injuring four people in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan, which borders Iran.
Following the incident, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev ordered the armed forces to prepare for possible retaliation and heightened their mobilization level, while diplomatic staff were withdrawn from Iran.
Iran denied launching the drones, blaming Israel for provocations.
As a sign of potential de-escalation, Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed it sent tons of food and medicine to Iran after a March 8 phone call between the two presidents. During the conversation, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian pledged to investigate the drone attack, maintaining that Iran was not involved. The leaders also discussed prospects for joint economic projects, signaling both sides aim to prevent further escalation.
Tensions in the Middle East continue as military moves and political statements shape the course of the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran.
NATO has deployed a MIM-104 Patriot missile system battery in Malatya in eastern Turkey, near the border with Syria, according to the Turkish Ministry of Defense. The move is aimed at strengthening the air defense of the alliance member as missile threats linked to the war with Iran increase.
At the same time, Tehran warned it will continue launching missiles “for as long as necessary,” responding to threats by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has warned that the United States would respond with “death, fire and fury” if Iran attempts to block oil shipments through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that the Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on nuclear-related laboratories in Tehran as part of ongoing military operations. The developments highlight the growing regional impact of the conflict.
Despite the tensions, global markets reacted positively to Trump’s statement that the war could end soon. European stock markets opened higher while energy prices fell sharply, with natural gas futures dropping about 16% and oil prices declining nearly 10%.
The body of a U.S. soldier returned to the United States
JD Vance, the Vice President of the United States, accompanied the family of a man from Kentucky who was the seventh American service member killed in combat during the war with Iran, as his remains were returned to the United States.
The transfer took place Monday evening at Dover Air Force Base.
Israel intercepts missile from Iran
Israeli media report that one of the missiles launched from Iran was intercepted, while another fell into the sea off the coast of Tel Aviv.
Sirens sound in Israel after Iranian missile launch
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that missiles had been launched from Iran toward Israel.
IDF urges residents of Tyre and Sidon to evacuate ahead of strikes
The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings for residents of Tyre and Sidon in Lebanon ahead of planned attacks against Hezbollah.
“The Israel Defense Forces will soon strike military infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization,” said IDF spokesperson Colonel Avichay Adraee.
Netanyahu: The overthrow of Iran’s regime is in the hands of the Iranian people
The fall of the regime in Iran ultimately depends on the Iranian people, said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Our ambition is to help the Iranian people shake off the yoke of tyranny,” Netanyahu said during a visit to Israel’s National Health Operations Center. “In the end, it depends on them. But there is no doubt that with the actions we have taken so far we are breaking their bones—and our hand is still extended.”
“If we succeed together with the Iranian people, we will bring a permanent end—if such things exist in the life of nations—and bring about change,” he added.
Iranian strikes overnight in Gulf countries
As the United States and Israel continue airstrikes in Iran—with Israel also targeting sites in Lebanon—countries in the Gulf region continue intercepting apparent retaliatory attacks from Iran.
Saudi Arabia announced it intercepted one ballistic missile and five attack drones overnight.
The military of Kuwait said it successfully intercepted and shot down six drones.
In Bahrain, a 29-year-old woman was killed in an attack late Monday in the capital, Manama.
The Ministry of Defense of the United Arab Emirates said it continues to intercept missile and drone threats from Iran and has deployed air-defense systems and fighter jets.
The UAE also reported that its consulate in Erbil, in northern Iraq, was targeted by a drone, causing damage but no injuries.
U.S. Embassy in Beirut urges citizens to leave Lebanon
The U.S. Embassy in Beirut is urging American citizens to shelter in place if they do not plan to leave Lebanon.
In a security alert issued Tuesday morning, the embassy advised U.S. citizens to “seriously consider” leaving the country on flights operated by Middle East Airlines departing from Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport, if they believe it is safe to do so.
Patriot missile battery deployed in southeastern Turkey
Turkey’s Ministry of Defense announced Tuesday that a MIM-104 Patriot missile system battery has been deployed in the southeastern province of Malatya as part of measures taken by NATO to strengthen the air defenses of the alliance member amid missile threats linked to the war with Iran.
The NATO radar base in Kürecik, which provides vital data to the alliance and helped detect two Iranian ballistic missiles heading toward Turkey, is also located in the Malatya region.
In a statement, the Turkish ministry said the country will continue coordinating with NATO allies and assessing regional developments.
Iran has warned that it will continue launching missile strikes “for as long as necessary,” responding to strong statements by Donald Trump, who threatened Tehran with “death, fire and fury” if it attempts to block oil shipments through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. Trump said the United States would respond with force “20 times stronger” if Iran disrupts global oil flows through the key maritime route.
Malatya’da Konuşlandırılan Patriot Sistemi ile İlgili Açıklama
— T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı (@tcsavunma) March 10, 2026
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Tehran is ready to continue missile attacks for as long as required, adding that negotiations with the United States are no longer on the agenda. Officials and members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also insisted that Iran—not Washington—will determine when the war ends.
The conflict has already spread across the region. Gulf states such as Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates reported intercepting drones and missiles, while air-raid sirens sounded in Bahrain. Iran also claimed it launched five missiles at a U.S. military base in Iraqi Kurdistan, while Israel reportedly carried out airstrikes on nuclear-related facilities in Tehran.
IDF issues evacuation order for civilians south of the Litani River in Lebanon. (AI translated image) pic.twitter.com/wSD7EHFbSY
The escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have shaken global markets and disrupted shipping in the Persian Gulf. Hundreds of vessels remain trapped in the area as tanker freight rates surge to record levels and insurers raise war-risk premiums. Oil prices initially spiked but later fell after Trump suggested the war could end “very soon.”
אחד מיעדי התקיפה של חיל האוויר בלילה היו מעבדות גרעין במרחב טהראן. חלקן הותקפו במבצע "עם כלביא" – וכעת הותקפו בשנית @ndvori
צה"ל השלים גל תקיפות נוסף נגד נכסי אגודת "אלקרצ' אלחסן" של את ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה: כ-30 נכסים של האגודה הותקפו בשבוע האחרון
מטוסי קרב של חיל האוויר בהכוונת אמ"ן, השלימו אתמול סדרת תקיפות נוספת נגד נכסים ומחסני כספים של אגודת "אלקרצ׳ אלחסן", ששימשו למימון הפעילות של ארגון הטרור… pic.twitter.com/N4P1RQXnQV
Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Proto Thema on the crisis in the Middle East: The country in wartime needs political stability
"Our compass for navigating the uncharted waters opening up before us is political stability, a comparative advantage that we must preserve so that the country’s course is not threatened amid geopolitical and economic storms”
Mitsotakis: The fiscal discipline of recent years gives us room to intervene depending on how the crisis develops
Dendias: The sacrifice of Evagoras Pallikaridis is an emblematic example of the bravery of our Cypriot brothers and sisters
PM Mitsotakis: Greeks can trust the Armed Forces in these troubled times
Kyriakos Pierrakakis: Europe must act in a coordinated way to address economic pressures, Greece remains resilient
