UAE, Saudi Arabia intercepting attacks The UAE defence ministry said that its air defences are dealing with missile and drone attacks coming from Iran. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia announced that it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile that was headed towards the Eastern Province.

Centcom says it struck 12,300 targets in Iran since February TheUS Central Command (Centcom) announced that it struck over 12,300 targets in Iran since the start of the war in late February. It added in its update that more than 155 vessels belonging to Tehran were "damaged or destroyed".

Fuel prices surge in Somalia and Tanzania amid supply disruption Somalias government said it has limited control over fuel prices as imports are handled by private companies in a largely liberalised market. Petroleum Minister Dahir Shire Mohamed said prices have risen sharply due to external shocks, linking the increase to regional tensions affecting global supply routes. Fuel prices have climbed from $0.70 to $1.75 per litre, a 150 percent increase. In Tanzania, the energy ministry announced a ..

PMF says strike on Tal Afar brigade killed commander, wounded four Iraqs Iran- aligned Popular Mobilisation Forces said one of its units in Tal Afar, northern Iraq, was hit by what it described as a double US-Israeli air strike. In a statement, the group said the attack killed the commando battalion commander and another soldier, while four others were injured. Reports of similar incidents have emerged amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, with strikes targeting PMF positions in Iraqs Nineveh ..

US assures UN of support but stresses reform needed to 'exceed' potential Submitted by Yasmine El-Sabawi on Wed, 04/01/2026 - 21:09 The Trump administration's UN reform envoy said peacekeeping missions must be reined in Peacekeepers with the United Nations interim force in Lebanon drive past firefighters clearing the road at the site of an overnight Israeli air strike in the area of Naqura in southern Lebanon, on 27 March 2026 (Kawnat Hajju/AFP) Off US President Donald Trump still believes in ..

Iraq begins oil exports via Syria amid disruptions Iraqs oil ministry said it has started exporting crude via tankers through Syria to support the national economy. In a statement, the ministry said it is working with the Syrian government to ensure safe passage to export points. It added that shipments will be gradually increased to boost export volumes.

Iraqi group says it carried out 41 attacks on US bases The Islamic Resistance in Iraq said it launched 41 operations targeting US bases in Iraq and across the region. In a statement on Telegram, the group said it used dozens of drones in the attacks carried out today.

Saudi Arabia rerouted nearly 1 million barrels a day of crude away from Hormuz strait Nearly 4 million barrels of crude oil per day passed through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in March, up from about 3 million the previous month and the highest level since October 2023, according to Kpler. The increase came as Saudi Arabia rerouted crude via its East-West pipeline to the Red Sea port of Yanbu following the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz. The pipeline has allowed Riyadh to maintain some exports, ..

Iranian president says it does not view American people as enemies Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said ordinary Americans are not considered enemies despite longstanding tensions. In a letter, he said Iranians harbor no enmity toward people in the US, Europe or neighbouring countries. He added that Iran distinguishes between governments and the people they represent, describing it as a deeply rooted principle rather than a temporary political position.

IEA, IMF and World Bank form group to address wars economic impact The heads of the International Energy Agency, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank said they will form a coordination group to respond to the economic and energy fallout from the US-Israeli war on Iran. In a joint statement, the organisations said the group will assess the scale of the impact across countries, coordinate responses and mobilise support for those most affected.

Trump mulls Nato withdrawal, stopping weapons to Ukraine over Europe's response to Iran war Submitted by MEE staff on Wed, 04/01/2026 - 19:33 US president threatens to quit decades-old European alliance, as he fails to address Iran's control of Strait of Hormuz US President Donald Trump, right, speaks with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on 21 January 2026 (Mandel Ngan/AFP) Off US President Donald ..

US offers $3m reward for information on Iraq attacks The US State Departments Rewards for Justice programme has called for information on recent attacks targeting US diplomatic sites in Iraq. In a post on X, it referred to strikes on the US embassy in Baghdad, the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Centre and the US Consulate General in Erbil. The programme offered a $3m reward for information on those responsible, including Iran-aligned armed groups.

Heavy fighting and strikes intensify along Lebanons southwest coast Explosions have been reported repeatedly throughout the afternoon along Lebanons southwestern front, where Israeli military activity has intensified over the past 48 hours. An air strike killed two people riding a motorcycle in the coastal town of al-Mansouri, an area that has been hit more than once in recent days. Clashes are also ongoing in Biyyada, just above the coastal road, where Hezbollah and Israeli forces have ..

Trump says ceasefire tied to Hormuz reopening, vows continued strikes US President Donald Trump said he would consider a ceasefire with Iran only if the Strait of Hormuz is open, free, and clear. In a social media post, Trump said: Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion.

Kuwait says airport fuel tank fire extinguished after drone attack Kuwaiti authorities said firefighters have put out a blaze that broke out in fuel tanks at Kuwait airport, following an Iranian drone strike. No casualties were reported, with damage limited to property.

Rescue operations continue in Tehran, Zanjan, Iranian Red Crescent says The Iranian Red Crescent Society says its aid workers have launched rescue operations in Tehran and the northwestern city of Zanjan following US-Israeli strikes. In statements on X, the group said that injured people were transferred to a hospital in Tehran. Following this mornings U.S.Israeli airstrike on Zanjans Husseiniya Azam, Red Crescent relief teams are conducting search and rescue operations at the ..

Dalai Lama warns 'violence begets violence', urges peace in Mideast Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama warned Tuesday that violence only results in more conflict, urging peace as conflict rages in the Middle East and Ukraine. "History has shown us time and again that violence only begets more violence and is never a lasting foundation for peace," he wrote in a letter on Tuesday. "An enduring resolution to conflict, including the ones we see in the Middle East or between Russia and ..

US amphibious assault ship with 1,800 Marines deployed to Indian Ocean A US amphibious assault ship carrying about 1,800 Marines is operating in the Indian Ocean as speculation grows over a possible ground operation against Iran, US Central Command said. The USS Tripoli, part of an amphibious ready group, was shown in a recent image sailing in the region, though its exact distance from Iran was not disclosed. CNN reported that the ship is carrying troops from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, ..

Iran says it shot down MQ-9 drone near Isfahan Iran said its air defence units shot down a United StatesMQ-9 drone near Isfahan,according to the semi- official Tasnim news agency. The report said the drone was intercepted and destroyed earlier Tuesday. Iranian officials said the downing marked the 146th drone shot down during the conflict. The MQ-9 Reaper, widely used for surveillance and strike missions, has an estimated cost of about $30 million per unit.

Attack on Irans Mahallat kills eleven people An air strike killed 11 people and injured 15 others in the city of Mahallat in the Markazi province last night, Al Jazeera reported, citing Irans Isna news agency. Three residential units in Mahallat city were directly hit by projectiles, causing significant damage, Isnasaid.

Trump repeating past policy mistakes, former US official says A former senior US State Department official said President Donald Trump is repeating decades of foreign and domestic policy mistakes, sharply criticising his approach to governance. Richard Stengel, who served as under secretary of state during the Obama administration, said Trumps actions lack precedent. In a post on X, Stengel said Trump is acting with a gracelessness, cluelessness, and corruption that has no precedent. He has ..

Strikes in central Iran hit 'military sites', Iranian media reports Iranian media reported that initial investigations indicated strikes in centralIranhad hit some "military sites", without specifying the locations. "Initial investigations indicate that some military locations in Isfahan were targeted," the Fars news agency quoted Akbar Salehi, a security official at the governor's office in Isfahan province, as saying. The official also said the extent of the damage and any casualties were not ..

Video: Bishop Joseph Strickland says Gaza genocide holocaust of our time Speaking to Tucker Carlson, Bishop Joseph Strickland said that Israels genocide in Gaza is a Holocaust of our time, highlighting the loss of innocent life in the besieged strip. He also addressed the expulsion of Carrie Prejean Boller from Donald Trumps commission on religious freedom, stating that she was removed for expressing a verboten truth about Israels actions in Gaza. Strickland pointed out that her criticism of ..

US hits 'ammunition bunkers' near Isfahan, explosions seen in footage The US military carried out strikes on Iranian ammunition bunkers near Isfahan overnight, with footage circulating online showing large secondary explosions. President Donald Trump shared one of the clips on his Truth Social platform.The videos appear to show multiple blasts following the initial strikes, though the details could not be independently verified. There was no official confirmation from US authorities, and ..

No oil leakage after Iranian attack on Kuwaiti oil tanker, Dubai media office says The Dubai media office said there is no oil leakage after firefighters have extinguished a fully loaded Kuwaiti oil tanker that was hit in an Iranian attack. Dubai authorities confirm that response teams have successfully contained the incident involving the Kuwaiti oil tanker in Dubai waters, with no oil leakage and no injuries reported, it said on X. Dubai authorities confirm that response teams have ..

Indonesia urges respect for international law after peacekeepers killed Indonesia urged warring parties in the Middle East "to respect international humanitarian law" after three of its peacekeepers were killed in Lebanon. "The safety of peacekeeping troops must be the top priority. All parties to the conflict are urged to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the security of peacekeeping personnel," defence ministry spokesman Rico Ricardo Sirait said in a statement. Smoke rises ..

CNN: Pentagon to hold first Iran war briefing in weeks The Pentagon is set to hold a press briefing on the war in Iran on Tuesday morning, its first such briefing in nearly two weeks, CNN reported. Defencesecretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine are scheduled to speak. According to CNN, only six Pentagon briefings have been held since strikes in Iran started on 28 February, compared with more frequent updates in past conflicts. The report added that the Trump ..

Shrapnel damage causes power cuts in Tehran, local media reports Power outages in parts of Tehran were caused by shrapnel damage to electrical infrastructure, Irans Fars news agency reported. It said shrapnel striking the inlet facilities of an electrical substation located in East Tehran led to the disruption. Electrical operational teams are currently on-site and are working to restore the power flow in the shortest time possible, the report added. The extent of the damage and the number of ..

UN peacekeeper killed in southern Lebanon United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil), says one of its peacekeepers was killed after a projectile struck a position in southern Lebanon late on Sunday. "A peacekeeper was tragically killed last night when a projectile exploded in a Unifil position near Adchit Al Qusayr," the force said in a statement. "Another was critically injured. No one should ever lose their life serving the cause of peace," it added.