Iran-Israel War: Ukraine to send military experts to Gulf nations to help down Iranian drones

Iran said four of its diplomats were killed in an Israeli airstrike that hit the Ramada hotel building in Beirut, Lebanon, on March 8, according to Iranian state media and officials. The strike targeted a room in the hotel located in the Raouche district of central Beirut. 

Ukraine President Zelenskyy said military experts will be sent to Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia to help down Iranian drones.

UN health agency warns of risks from 'black rain' after Israeli attacks on Iran oil facilities.

 Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Tuesday that Israel does not intend to pursue an open-ended war with Iran and will work closely with the United States to determine the appropriate time to bring the conflict to an end. 

"The Iranian regime is firing cluster bombs at Israeli civilians. Their deliberate and repeated use against civilians shows that the Iranian terror regime is seeking to maximize civilian deaths and harm," Israeli Foreign Ministry posted on X.

As many as 13 flights from Middle East countries to Hyderabad were cancelled on Tuesday following the ongoing conflict there, airport sources said. The sources further said 12 flights scheduled for leave to various countries in the Middle East were also cancelled.

The ⁠Netherlands has announced it will transfer its Iran-based embassy staff to Azerbaijan "due to increasing risks to the ⁠safety of ⁠our staff."

US President Donald Trump has suggested he might be open to discussions with Iran, depending on the conditions, during an interview with Fox News. Trump said he had heard that Tehran was eager to negotiate, but he stressed that any engagement would depend on the terms offered.

The United Arab Emirates has reported successfully intercepting eight missiles and 26 drones targeting its territory. 

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth declared that American forces will carry out intensified strikes deep inside Iran, calling the Iranian regime “barbaric savages” responsible for 47 years of attacks on American troops and allies. Hegseth asserted the conflict “hits home” for his generation and repeated claims that Iran fires missiles from schools and hospitals — a tactic he said justifies escalated action. He signaled “our most intense day of strikes inside Iran” was underway while declining to confirm specifics on the status of Mojtaba Khamenei, urging him to heed former President Trump’s warnings. 

According to media reports, Israeli military planners are operating under the belief that the US President Donald Trump may decide to end the war with Iran at short notice. With that in mind, Israel appears to be intensifying its military campaign inside Iran to inflict as much damage as possible before the window for further Western strikes potentially closes. 

Terrified by explosions shaking their homes in Tehran and other cities, tens of thousands of Iranians have packed up and left, finding refuge in small, remote towns to wait out massive bombardment by Israel and the United States.

Amid rising scrutiny over the deaths of around 170 people, including over 100 students at a girls’ school in Minab, Iran, US President Donald Trump signaled he is prepared to “live with” whatever a Pentagon investigation concludes about the incident. The strike, which occurred on February 28 during early US-Israeli operations, has sparked international outrage and drawn attention to possible use of a US-made Tomahawk missile.

Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Ali Larijani said the Ashura-inspired Iranian people do not fear Trump’s empty threats. He said powers far greater than his have failed to wipe out people in Iran. 

 The UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that its air defence systems are actively responding to incoming missile and drone threats launched from Iran. Authorities stated that loud sounds reported across parts of the country are the result of air defence systems intercepting ballistic missiles and fighter jets engaging hostile drones. Officials urged residents to remain vigilant and follow safety guidance while the defensive operations continue. 

US President Donald Trump said he was “not happy” with Iran’s decision to appoint Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ali Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader. He stated that the early outcomes of Operation Epic Fury had exceeded expectations.

Mojtaba Khamenei was selected as Iran’s next supreme leader following the death of his father, marking a significant leadership transition in the country. 

Some advisers to Donald Trump are reportedly urging him to prepare an exit strategy from the conflict with Iran, citing concerns over mounting oil prices, waning public support, and potential political fallout for Republicans.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, these advisers believe the administration should present the military campaign as a complete success and begin scaling back operations before the situation turns into a prolonged and costly conflict.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss a recent incident involving missiles approaching Turkish airspace. Fidan stressed that any breach of Turkiye’s airspace is unacceptable and reaffirmed that Ankara will take all necessary steps to safeguard its territory. Araghchi responded that the missiles in question were not launched from Iran and said a thorough investigation would be carried out to determine their origin.

The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin has put forward several proposals aimed at mediating and easing tensions in the Iran conflict. The ideas were discussed during a recent phone call with US President Donald Trump, where both leaders exchanged views on possible diplomatic solutions to the ongoing war. Moscow indicated that these proposals are still being considered as efforts continue to reduce regional tensions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, declined ⁠to offer details ⁠on the specifics.

Iranian fired drones towards Saudi Arabia and Kuwait early Tuesday as the war in the Middle East shows no sign of abating. The Saudi Defence Ministry said it has destroyed two drones over the kingdom's oil-rich eastern region, while in Kuwait, the National Guard said it shot down six drones attacking the county's northern and southern areas.

Iran carried out a fresh wave of attacks on Tuesday targeting Israel and several Gulf Arab nations, intensifying tensions across the Middle East. The ongoing conflict has shaken the region and had global repercussions, pushing oil prices higher and unsettling international markets.

Warning sirens sounded in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and in Bahrain after reports of incoming missiles. Saudi Arabia reported that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed two drones over its oil-producing eastern region. Meanwhile, Kuwait’s National Guard said it successfully shot down six drones approaching its territory.

Iraq’s PM Al Sudani told US Secretary of State Rubio that Iraq should not be used as a launch pad for attacks in the Middle East war. He also stressed in a phone call with Rubio “the importance of ensuring that Iraqi airspace, territory, and waters are not used for any military action targeting neighbouring countries or the region”, the PM’s media office said.

Iran said not a single litre of oil will be supplied as Trump has threatened to take over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit route for global oil, if Iran attacked tankers and continued to target American and Israeli assets in the Middle East.

The Israeli army on Tuesday stated that it has targeted about 30 sites of al-Qard al-Hassan, a Hezbollah linked financial association, over the past week. Israel also added that it has previously struck locations linked to the group, which it accuses of funding Hezbollah activities, including the purchase of weapons and payments to its fighters.

A drone was on Tuesday intercepted over Israel’s northern border after sirens warning of a potential UAV intrusion were heard in towns in the western Galilee region, Israeli media is reporting. Israel’s Channel 12 later reported, citing the army, that the incident is now over.

Israel’s Channel 12 is quoting reliable sources saying that Israeli attacks hit nuclear labs in Iran’s capital, Tehran, last night. There has been no comment from Iran yet, and Al Jazeera has not been able to verify the report.

Kamal Kharazi, foreign policy adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, on Tuesday there is no room for diplomacy with the US and that the Iranian army is ready for a long war.

US President Donald Trump had a call on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Iran and other issues, which according to the Kremlin was a "frank and businesslike" conversation that lasted about an hour.

On reports of alleged shortage of commercial LPG cylinders in Maharashtra & Karnataka, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav says, "There is a shortage in the whole world, but our government is misleading the public by saying there are adequate stocks of LPG, petrol, diesel. 80% of crude oil coming into India comes from the Strait of Hormuz, which is shut right now. Due to the govt's wrong policies, the country is facing a loss."

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior on Tuesday warned people to head to their nearest “safe place” and remain calm amid the latest air raid sirens. In the meantime, the IRGC says it is Iran, not US, will determine end of Iran war.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that Iran “will get hit at a much, much harder level” if it continues to “attempt to stop the globe’s oil supply”.

The Iranian Mehr news agency on Tuesday stated the body of a one-year-old girl has been recovered from the rubble of a residential building in Tehran after it was hit by US and Israeli missiles. The news agency posted a video on Telegram of emergency workers digging through debris to retrieve the infant’s body.

Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group on Tuesday said it launched a missile attack on the Givaa drone control base, east of the Israeli city of Safed and fired rockets at the Yiftah barracks near the border in the early hours of this morning. The group also stated that it carried out a drone attack on the Tziporit base east of Haifa and a missile attack on the Tel Hashomer base near Tel Aviv in the evening.

The UNICEF on Monday decried the rise in child casualties amid rising hostilities in Lebanon and called on all parties to protect civilians and infrastructure. The international body urged immediate efforts to de-escalate the situation and prevent further harm to children. The statement by UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, highlighted how the continuous escalation of hostilities in Lebanon and the devastating toll it is taking on children are gravely concerning.

"According to the latest reports, at least 83 children have been killed and 254 wounded since 2 March, as hostilities have intensified. On average, more than 10 children have been killed every day across Lebanon over the past week, with approximately 36 children injured each day," he said.

Iran's Ambassador to India, Mohammad Fathali, emphasised the resilience of the country's governance system, stating that Iran continued to function smoothly even under war-like conditions. He said public services and wartime management proceeded without disruption, demonstrating that the Islamic Republic of Iran operates through established laws and institutions rather than relying on any single individual.

US President Donald Trump has indicated that Washington could implement temporary waivers on specific oil-related sanctions to mitigate the impact of surging global energy costs caused by the escalating conflict involving Iran. 
He noted that his administration is exploring the short-term removal of certain economic restrictions until the regional situation reaches a point of stability.
"We're also waiving certain oil-related sanctions to reduce prices. So we have sanctions on some countries. We're going to take those sanctions off until this straightens out," Trump said.