News

While there are similarities with the wars against Iraq, the Iran conflict may prove to be the most dangerous and consequential yet This is the third Gulf war and umpteenth outbreak of conflict since the United States took over as the dominant power and influence in the Middle East at the end of the cold war. And it is arguably the most dangerous, consequential and confused of them all. The destruction and chaos spreading across the region confirms the Middle East’s status as the world’s pre-eminent crisis factory, but it also raises questions as to how US presidents so often declare they are ending US interference in the region, only to be lured back in. Continue reading...

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Sunday that the country's forces could fight an intense war for six months against the United States and Israel, which said it struck Tehran's commanders at a seaside hotel in the heart of Beirut. As the conflict spilled into its second week, the regional repercussions spiralled, with Saudi Arabia intercepting a wave of drones headed for targets including the diplomatic quarter in capital Riyadh and Kuwait saying an attack hit fuel tanks at its international airport.

Sri Lanka discharged 22 Iranian crew from hospital who were plucked from life rafts after their warship was sunk by a US submarine, officials said Sunday. The crew had been treated at Karapitiya Hospital in the southern port city of Galle since Wednesday after the IRIS Dena was torpedoed just outside Sri Lanka's territorial waters. The attack on Dena was the first military strike far outside the Middle East since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran a week ago.

This live blog has now closed. Our live coverage continues here The Saudi defence minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, urged Iran on Saturday to “avoid miscalculation” after missile and drone launches at the kingdom. Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said earlier in the day it had blocked repeated missile launches at an airbase housing US military personnel and drone attacks at a major oilfield. We stressed that such actions undermine regional security and stability and expressed hope that the Iranian side will exercise wisdom and avoid miscalculation. Continue reading...

SYDNEY, March 8 (Reuters) - Australia's government said on Sunday it was considering requests to help protect countries attacked by Iran in the widening Middle East conflict, but reiterated it would not take part in any military operations in Iran. "We've had many countries, which are non participants, (that) have been attacked by Iran through this. You would anticipate as a consequence that we have been asked for assistance, and we will work through that carefully," Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in televised remarks.

By Maya Gebeily, Alexander Cornwell, Nandita Bose and Parisa Hafezi BEIRUT/MIAMI/TEL AVIV/DUBAI, March 8 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said he is not interested in negotiating with Iran and raised the possibility that the Iran war would only end once Tehran no longer has a functioning military or any remaining leadership in power. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday, Trump said the air campaign could make negotiations a moot point if all potential leaders of Iran are killed and the Iranian military is destroyed.

Lebanon's health ministry said Sunday that an Israeli strike on a hotel in central Beirut killed at least four people, with Israel saying it had targeted commanders from Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on Monday, when Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during US-Israeli strikes.

The global positioning system (GPS) capabilities of cargo ships, oil tankers and other vessels stuck in the Middle East because of the widening war are likely worse than those in your cell phone. Experts say this deficiency explains why since the start of US-Israeli strikes, the jamming of satellite navigation signals has left about 1,000 ships in the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman unable to determine their location, either momentarily or continuously.

President Donald Trump on Saturday blamed Iran for what the country's authorities said was a deadly strike on a school in the southern county of Minab. "We think it was done by Iran. Because they are very inaccurate, as you know, with their munitions. They have no accuracy whatsoever," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. According to Iranian authorities, a strike hit a girls' elementary school last Saturday, killing more than 150 people, mostly students.

By Nicole Jao, Ted Hesson and Nandita Bose NEW YORK, March 7 (Reuters) - The White House has halted, at least for now, a federal security bulletin warning of a heightened threat to the U.S. in light of the conflict in Iran, a Trump administration official told Reuters.

Foreign minister says Australia ‘not participating in offensive action against Iran’ but may help protect other countries Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The Australian government is considering offering military support to assist Gulf nations facing strikes from Iran, but will not participate in any ground troop deployment into Iran, the foreign minister has said. The government confirmed nine flights had arrived in Australia from the Middle East since the US and Israeli strikes on Iran one week ago, with another three flights scheduled to arrive on Sunday. Dozens of Australians have also been bussed out of Qatar, which has limited airspace, to Saudi Arabia to fly out of the region. Continue reading...

By Costas Pitas and Andrew MacAskill March 7 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Saturday that Britain is giving "serious thought" to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East, but added that the U.S. does not need them to win the war with Iran, in the latest clash between the military allies. Trump has repeatedly criticised British Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggesting this week that he helped "ruin" the countries' historically close relationship after London blocked the U.S.'s initial use ‌of British bases to attack Iran.

US president delivers stinging criticism of UK prime minister over delayed support for Iran war Middle East crisis – follow live Donald Trump has renewed his stinging criticism of UK prime minister Keir Starmer over the lack of immediate UK support for the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. “The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East,” Trump wrote on his social media platform, adding: “That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer – But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!” Continue reading...

Trump vowed to keep American war deaths ‘to a minimum’ in the Middle East

Masoud Pezeshkian issues rare apology to neighbouring Gulf states for Iranian strikes as war enters eighth day Middle East crisis live: latest news updates The president of Iran has rejected Donald Trump’s call for the country’s unconditional surrender as a “dream”, while issuing a rare apology for Iranian attacks that hit neighbouring states, even as missiles and drones continued to strike Gulf countries. In a prerecorded address broadcast on state television on Saturday, Iran’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, said the country would never capitulate, responding to remarks by the US president, who said on Friday that only Iran’s total submission could bring the war to an end. Continue reading...

The president said he is ‘looking forward to the great change that will soon be coming to Cuba’

This week, as Trump’s war on Iran rages on and expands, an Australian Iranian journalist writes about her grandfather’s journey escaping the Islamic Republic and the fears she holds for the civilian lives caught in the crossfire. The journalist chose to write this piece anonymously, so Rafqa Touma reads it out for you instead Continue reading...

Iranian strikes continued to target the Gulf states on Saturday despite Tehran’s suggestion they would be spared from retaliatory action