Israel said the missiles dispersed multiple submunitions mid-air, complicating interception efforts. The overnight attack killed two people in Tel Aviv, bringing the total death toll in Israel since the start of the war to at least 14, according to Israeli authorities.

Iran described the strike as a direct response to the assassination of Larijani, one of the most senior figures killed since the conflict began more than two weeks ago. Tehran confirmed his death on Tuesday, following earlier Israeli statements that he had been targeted in an airstrike.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, which Larijani had previously headed as secretary, said his son and deputy, Alireza Bayat, were also killed in a separate Israeli attack on Monday night.

In a separate development, Iran said a projectile struck near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on Tuesday evening but caused no damage or injuries. The country informed the International Atomic Energy Agency of the incident.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi renewed calls for maximum restraint, warning of the risk of a nuclear accident if strikes continue near sensitive facilities.

The United States and Israel have said their campaign aims in part to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapons programme. The strikes have killed multiple senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening phase of the conflict.

Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has rejected proposals to de-escalate, according to a senior Iranian official. Speaking at his first foreign policy meeting since taking office, he said it was not the right time for peace and that Iran would continue its confrontation until its adversaries accepted defeat and paid compensation.

The exchange of strikes underscores the intensifying trajectory of the conflict, with both sides expanding targets and rhetoric while international agencies warn of broader regional and nuclear risks.

The Dubai Media Office said emergency services were dealing with the blaze after what it described as a “drone-related incident” near the airport. In a post on X, the office said authorities were taking necessary steps to secure the area and ensure public safety.

Videos circulating on social media showed a large column of smoke rising from the area near the airport, though officials did not immediately report casualties or provide details on the extent of the damage.

The attack occurred hours after Iran issued warnings calling for the evacuation of three major ports in the United Arab Emirates, signaling an expansion of threats to infrastructure in neighboring Gulf states.

Iranian officials accused the United States of using facilities in the UAE, including ports and docking areas, to launch strikes against Kharg Island, which hosts Iran’s primary oil export terminal.

Tehran did not provide evidence to support the allegation.

The drone strike comes amid an intensifying regional confrontation following the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran on Feb. 28.Officials say Gulf Arab states have faced more than 2,000 missile and drone attacks since the conflict began, targeting U.S. diplomatic facilities, military bases and key civilian infrastructure including oil installations, ports, airports and commercial areas.

The UAE, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, has experienced a significant share of the attacks, though governments across the Gulf have reported incidents and have condemned Iran over the strikes.

The Iran-backed movement, which controls large parts of Yemen and possesses significant missile and drone capabilities, has previously demonstrated its ability to strike targets across the Gulf and disrupt maritime navigation around the Arabian Peninsula. Despite those capabilities, the group has not issued any formal declaration indicating it has joined the current conflict.

The Houthis, a Shi’ite political and armed movement, expanded their influence after unrest linked to the Arab Spring protests in 2011 destabilised Yemen’s political system.

Capitalising on the turmoil, the group captured the Yemeni capital Sanaa in 2014, triggering a wider conflict that drew in regional powers. In 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of Arab states in a military intervention aimed at pushing the Houthis from power.

During years of fighting, the Houthis developed significant missile and drone capabilities and carried out attacks on oil facilities and infrastructure in both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The conflict created one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises before the United Nations brokered a truce between the warring sides in 2022. The ceasefire has largely held since then.

The Houthis demonstrated their regional reach after the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel led by the Palestinian militant group Hamas and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

In response, the Houthis launched attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea, saying their actions were intended to support Palestinians. They also fired drones and missiles toward Israel, prompting retaliatory air strikes on Houthi targets.

Houthi attacks on shipping subsided after a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in October 2025.

Despite remaining outside the current conflict, the group’s leadership has signalled it is prepared to act if circumstances change.

On March 5, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said in a televised address that the group was ready to escalate militarily if developments warranted.“Regarding military escalation and action, our fingers are on the trigger at any moment should developments warrant it,” he said.

Unlike Iran-aligned groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and armed factions in Iraq, the Houthis do not follow the religious authority of Iran’s supreme leader in the same doctrinal structure.

While Iran promotes the Houthis as part of its regional “Axis of Resistance,” Yemen specialists say the movement remains primarily driven by domestic political priorities, even as it maintains political and strategic ties with Tehran and Hezbollah.

The temporary licence was granted as benchmark Brent crude traded around $101 per barrel by 1000 GMT, reflecting continued volatility in energy markets despite Washington’s move. Oil prices have surged nearly 40% since the start of the conflict, driven by fears that escalating hostilities could disrupt global supplies.

Financial markets in Asia also came under pressure as traders weighed the risks of prolonged instability in the Middle East, a region that remains central to global energy production and transportation.

Oil prices jumped about 9% to around $100 a barrel on Thursday as concerns intensified over the durability of supply chains during the ongoing conflict. Traders have been particularly focused on the security of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow maritime corridor through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes.

Iran has attacked vessels in the strategic waterway during the current confrontation, heightening fears that further disruptions could ripple across global energy markets.

The waiver issued by Washington allows countries to buy Russian petroleum cargoes already at sea, where shipments frequently change ownership during transit. The measure is intended to increase short-term supply availability and reduce upward pressure on prices.

“The temporary increase in oil prices is a short-term and temporary disruption that will result in a massive benefit to our nation and economy in the long term,” said Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury secretary.

The energy market turbulence comes as the conflict between Israel and Iran entered its third week with continued missile exchanges.

Iran launched another barrage of missiles and drones toward Israel on Friday, while the Israeli military said it conducted air strikes across Tehran and continued operations against the Iranian-aligned Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, including strikes around the capital, Beirut.

Iranian media reported that rallies marking Quds Day began across Iran in support of Palestinians. Residents in Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj reported hearing explosions and fighter jets during Israeli strikes, according to local media coverage.

Energy traders have closely followed comments by Donald Trump regarding the likely duration of the conflict, which has added to volatility in oil markets and global equities.

The sharp rise in crude prices has contributed to declines in U.S. stocks and broader market unease as investors assess the potential for prolonged disruptions to energy flows.

The waiver allowing limited Russian oil transactions reflects Washington’s attempt to cushion global markets while the conflict continues to unfold across the region.

The war, which has intensified over the past several weeks, has moved beyond traditional military confrontations and now threatens critical economic lifelines that sustain the global economy.

Attacks on oil infrastructure, commercial shipping routes, and strategic maritime corridors have begun to disrupt international trade and energy markets.
At the center of global concern is the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints.

Nearly a fifth of the global oil supply normally passes through the narrow waterway linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. Any disruption to shipping in this corridor can have immediate and far-reaching effects on energy prices and global economic stability.

Recent days have seen a sharp rise in attacks on merchant vessels and oil tankers moving through the region. Maritime security officials say explosive-laden boats and drones have targeted several ships, forcing many commercial vessels to alter their routes or suspend operations altogether. Shipping companies have grown increasingly cautious, and insurance costs for vessels operating in the Gulf have surged dramatically.

The disruptions have already had a significant impact on energy markets. Oil prices climbed sharply after reports that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz had slowed dramatically, with analysts warning that sustained interruptions could push prices far higher.
Governments around the world have begun preparing emergency measures to prevent a broader energy crisis.

Several major economies have discussed releasing oil from their strategic reserves in an attempt to stabilize markets and reassure investors. However, analysts caution that such measures would only provide temporary relief if the conflict continues to escalate.
The military dimension of the crisis is also intensifying. Israeli and American forces have carried out a series of airstrikes targeting Iranian military installations, missile sites, and logistical infrastructure.

The strikes, officials say, were aimed at degrading Iran’s military capabilities and preventing further attacks on regional allies and international shipping.
Iran has responded with a mix of conventional and asymmetric tactics.

Iranian forces and allied groups have launched missile and drone strikes against military positions and strategic infrastructure across the region. Some attacks have targeted energy facilities, including refineries and storage installations, further amplifying fears of a broader supply disruption.

The conflict has also raised concerns about the potential involvement of additional regional actors. Neighboring countries across the Middle East are closely monitoring the situation, wary that the fighting could spill across borders or provoke retaliatory actions that would widen the war.

Beyond the military and economic consequences, the conflict is already producing serious humanitarian impacts. Airstrikes and missile attacks have caused significant damage to urban infrastructure in several areas, forcing civilians to flee their homes in search of safety. Hospitals and emergency services are struggling to cope with the growing number of casualties.

International organizations have warned that continued escalation could produce a large-scale humanitarian crisis, particularly if critical infrastructure such as power plants, water systems, and hospitals becomes further damaged.

The war is also intensifying geopolitical tensions between major global powers. Governments in Europe and Asia are increasingly concerned about the impact of rising energy prices and potential supply shortages. Several countries have called for diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict before it spreads further.
Despite these appeals, diplomatic progress has been limited.

Deep political divisions between the parties involved, combined with the strategic importance of the region, have made negotiations extremely difficult.
Analysts say the conflict reflects broader shifts in the Middle East’s geopolitical landscape. Long-standing rivalries, unresolved political disputes, and competing security interests have created a volatile environment where even small incidents can escalate rapidly into wider confrontations.

The economic implications extend far beyond the Middle East. Energy-importing nations are particularly vulnerable to prolonged disruptions in Gulf oil supplies. Higher fuel costs can quickly translate into rising inflation, increased transportation expenses, and higher prices for goods and services around the world.

Financial markets have already begun reacting to the uncertainty. Investors are closely watching developments in the region, and volatility in oil prices has spread to stock markets and currency exchanges.
Some economists warn that a prolonged conflict could contribute to a global economic slowdown, particularly if energy prices remain elevated for an extended period.

High oil prices have historically been associated with economic downturns, as they increase production costs and reduce consumer spending power.

The aviation and shipping industries are also facing growing challenges. Airlines have begun adjusting flight routes to avoid potential conflict zones, while shipping companies are reassessing the risks of operating in the Gulf region. These adjustments increase operating costs and could disrupt global supply chains.

Despite the mounting tensions, some analysts believe the conflict may eventually stabilize if both sides seek to avoid a full-scale regional war. However, they caution that the situation remains highly unpredictable.

Much will depend on whether diplomatic efforts can gain momentum and whether regional actors choose to exercise restraint. Even small miscalculations could trigger further escalation, potentially drawing additional countries into the conflict.

For now, the war between Iran, Israel, and the United States stands as one of the most serious geopolitical crises in recent years. Its outcome will not only shape the future of the Middle East but could also influence global economic stability for years to come.

The Israeli military said in a statement on its official Telegram account that missiles had been launched from Iran toward the State of Israel and that defensive systems were operating to counter the threat.

Air raid sirens sounded across Jerusalem, according to AFP journalists on the ground, who also reported hearing explosions in the distance during the interception attempts.

A short time after the alert, Israel’s military said civilians were permitted to leave protected shelters, indicating the immediate threat had passed.

Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency services said there were no immediate reports of direct casualties from the missile fire. However, emergency teams were treating a small number of people who sustained injuries while moving toward protected areas during the alert.

Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported that several people were injured near Tel Aviv following the Iranian missile strikes, though the extent of the damage was not immediately clear.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had targeted a satellite communications center in Haifa as well as Israeli military bases during the missile attack.

The Guards also said they struck U.S. targets elsewhere in the Middle East, including locations in Iraqi Kurdistan and the U.S. Fifth Fleet naval base in Bahrain, according to a statement published on the Sepah News website.

In the statement, the Guards said they would continue sustained attacks against what they described as enemy targets during the conflict.

Brent crude futures rose as much as $18.35, or 19.8%, to $111.04 a barrel and were up $15.24, or 16.4%, at $107.93 by 0014 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $16.50, or 18.2%, to $107.40 a barrel after earlier jumping as much as $20.34, or 22.4%, to $111.24.

The sharp gains followed steep rises last week, when Brent advanced 27% and WTI climbed 35.6%, as escalating hostilities in the Middle East disrupted production and heightened concerns over global energy supplies.

Several major producers in the region have begun reducing output as the war affects export routes and storage capacity.

Oil production in Iraq from its main southern fields has dropped by about 70% to roughly 1.3 million barrels per day because exports through the Strait of Hormuz have been blocked by the conflict, according to three industry sources.An official with the state-run Basra Oil Company said crude storage facilities had reached maximum capacity.

Meanwhile, Kuwait Petroleum Corporation began cutting oil production on Saturday and declared force majeure on shipments, although it did not disclose the scale of the reductions.Earlier supply disruptions also included reductions in liquefied natural gas shipments from Qatar as the regional conflict affected export logistics.

Market participants have focused on the security of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit chokepoints.

Analysts say prolonged disruptions could leave global consumers and businesses facing elevated fuel prices for weeks or months even if the conflict ends quickly, as producers cope with damaged facilities, logistical disruptions and increased risks to tanker traffic.

“I think prices have rallied this morning on the reports that Middle East producers are now reducing output due to storage facilities filling up fast,” said Daniel Hynes, senior commodity strategist at ANZ.

Hynes added that producers could soon be forced to shut down wells if storage limits are reached, which would further tighten supply and delay any recovery in output once the conflict eases.

Energy infrastructure across the region has also faced security threats.The Fujairah Media Office said a fire broke out in the UAE’s Fujairah oil industry zone after debris fell in the area, though no injuries were reported. Separately, Saudi Arabia said its defence ministry intercepted a drone heading toward the Shaybah oilfield.

The market reaction has also been influenced by political developments in Iran. Tehran on Monday named Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, signalling continued hardline leadership amid the conflict.

“With the appointment of the late leader’s son as Iran’s new leader, U.S. President Donald Trump’s goal of regime change in Iran has become more difficult,” said Satoru Yoshida, a commodity analyst at Rakuten Securities.

Yoshida said the development could intensify concerns that Iran will continue actions affecting shipping routes and energy infrastructure, a scenario that could push oil prices higher.

As prices climbed, U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called on the administration to release crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to stabilise markets and reduce price pressures on consumers.

The strike marked the first attack within the city limits of Beirut since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah resumed last week. It came amid continued airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs as well as southern and eastern Lebanon, areas where Israel says militant infrastructure linked to Iran-backed groups is concentrated.

Israel’s military said the operation targeted senior commanders from the Quds Force, the overseas arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The military did not publicly identify those killed.

“The commanders of the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps operated to advance terror attacks against the state of Israel and its civilians, while operating simultaneously for the IRGC in Iran,” the Israeli military said in a statement.

An Israeli military source said the strike targeted five senior Quds Force members involved in intelligence and financial operations connected to Iranian activity in Lebanon.

Lebanon’s health ministry said four people were killed in the drone strike in the capital. The ministry said the cumulative death toll from Israeli strikes across Lebanon since the escalation began has reached 394 people.

The health ministry said those killed include at least 83 children and 42 women. Lebanese authorities do not differentiate in official tallies between civilians and fighters.

The attack in Beirut represents a significant expansion of Israel’s operations, which had previously focused largely on Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon and areas near the Syrian border.

Israel’s military said it has killed approximately 200 Hezbollah militants since the start of the conflict, according to military spokesman Nadav Shoshani, who provided the figure during an online briefing. Hezbollah has not released an official count of its fighters killed.

The Israeli army also reported its first battlefield losses since the war began, announcing on Sunday that two Israeli soldiers had been killed in southern Lebanon.Military officials did not provide details about the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

The latest escalation follows Hezbollah rocket fire into northern Israel earlier in the week, which drew large-scale Israeli airstrikes across Lebanese territory.

Lebanon became directly involved in the broader confrontation between Iran and a U.S.-Israel alliance after Hezbollah, which is backed by Tehran, launched attacks toward Israel on Monday.

Israel responded with extensive bombardment targeting southern and eastern Lebanon and areas near Beirut.

Earlier in the conflict, Israel also carried out a rare airborne raid deep inside Lebanese territory that Lebanese authorities said killed 41 people.

The expansion of Israeli operations into Beirut highlights the widening geographic scope of the conflict as regional tensions linked to Iran continue to intensify

The outbreak of war in the Middle East has placed hundreds of ballistic missiles and attack drones into airspace near major regional hubs, raising safety concerns for commercial aviation as retaliatory strikes and military activity disrupt normal flight operations.

Iran’s response to U.S. and Israeli attacks has included strikes that hit airports and forced the grounding of numerous flights across the Gulf, from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and prompting emergency rescue flights to evacuate some travelers.

Industry experts and pilots say the risks confronting civilian aviation have steadily increased as armed conflicts across multiple regions have restricted available flight corridors and introduced new military threats into commercial airspace.

Reuters interviewed eight airline pilots and more than half a dozen aviation and security specialists who said the accumulation of wars in regions including Ukraine, Afghanistan and Israel has tightened airspace and forced pilots to operate in increasingly complex conditions.

These constraints require pilots to navigate around restricted zones, rapidly changing security advisories and new hazards posed by unmanned aerial systems and missile activity far beyond traditional combat areas.

The pressure is compounded by the need to make quick operational decisions to ensure passenger safety while maintaining adherence to strict aviation protocols.

The aviation sector has also seen a surge in disruptive technologies affecting air navigation, including drones and GPS spoofing, a form of electronic interference that can mislead aircraft navigation systems about their location.I

ndustry specialists say these factors have worsened airspace safety over the past two and a half years as conflicts expand and new technologies are increasingly deployed in military and hybrid warfare.

Drone incursions have not been limited to conflict zones. European airports have also experienced disruptions linked to unauthorized drones, adding to safety concerns for commercial aircraft operating in busy flight corridors.

Pilots say the growing overlap between military operations and civilian aviation is creating a challenging environment for crews trained primarily for commercial transport.

“We are not military pilots. We are not trained to deal with these kinds of threats in the air,” Tanja Harter, president of the European Cockpit Association and a pilot with experience in the Middle East, told Reuters.

Harter said the succession of global crises affecting aviation in recent years could create fear and anxiety among pilots responsible for passenger safety.Airlines have increasingly introduced peer support programs to help pilots cope with stress related to security threats and operational uncertainty, she added.

The intensifying conflict has already caused disruptions to international flight operations.An Air France flight dispatched to repatriate stranded French nationals from the United Arab Emirates turned back on Thursday due to missile activity in the region.A pilot for Lufthansa diverted a flight from Riyadh to Cairo on Friday after assessing potential security risks linked to the regional escalation.

Aviation analysts say such diversions reflect the broader challenge facing airlines attempting to maintain operations amid rapidly evolving security conditions.With missile launches, drone activity and shifting conflict lines affecting large sections of Middle Eastern airspace, pilots and airlines are increasingly reliant on real-time intelligence and international coordination to avoid potential threats.

The growing overlap between military operations and civilian flight paths is forcing aviation authorities and airlines to continually reassess risk calculations as the conflict reshapes the security landscape for global air travel.

-Israeli war with Iran pushed global oil prices above $100 a barrel and intensified military and diplomatic tensions across the Middle East.Iran’s Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body responsible for selecting the supreme leader, said it had voted decisively to appoint Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third leader of the Islamic Republic, according to a statement issued shortly after midnight Tehran time.

Mojtaba Khamenei replaces his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in one of the first strikes launched against Iran during the conflict that erupted more than a week ago between Iran and a U.S.-Israeli alliance.The supreme leader holds ultimate authority over Iran’s political system, armed forces and strategic decision-making.

Mojtaba Khamenei, a cleric known to wield influence within Iran’s security establishment and the vast economic networks built during his father’s rule, had long been viewed as a leading contender to succeed the elder Khamenei.The Assembly of Experts said the vote followed deliberations over the succession after the death of the longtime leader.

The appointment signals continuity in Iran’s ideological leadership during a period of escalating military confrontation.Iran’s armed forces leadership pledged allegiance to the new supreme leader following the announcement, reinforcing the authority of the office at a moment when the country is engaged in active conflict with regional and Western adversaries.The war has already produced significant military and economic repercussions. Oil markets reacted sharply, with U.S. crude futures surging more than 20% amid fears the conflict could disrupt energy flows from the Middle East, a region that accounts for a substantial share of global oil supply.

U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier suggested Washington should influence the selection of Iran’s next leader, remarks that risked inflaming tensions further.“If he doesn’t get approval from us, he’s not going to last long,” Trump told ABC News on Sunday when asked about the succession.

After Mojtaba Khamenei was named, Trump declined to comment directly on the appointment in an interview with the Times of Israel, saying only, “We’ll see what happens.”Trump also told the newspaper that any decision to end the war would be made jointly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.Israel had previously warned it could target whoever emerged as Iran’s next supreme leader, underscoring the stakes surrounding the succession during wartime.

The military confrontation has continued to escalate across the region. Israel struck major fuel storage facilities near Tehran as part of its campaign against Iranian infrastructure.Iran has also launched retaliatory strikes against U.S. facilities in the Middle East.The U.S. military said a seventh American service member had died from wounds sustained during Iran’s initial counter-attack a week ago. The announcement came a day after Trump oversaw the return to the United States of the remains of six other U.S. personnel killed in the same attack.Amid mounting security concerns, Washington on Sunday ordered the departure of non-emergency employees from its embassy in Saudi Arabia, the latest drawdown of American diplomatic staff in the region as the conflict deepens.