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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.

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince hoped the kingdom would soon rival the UAE as the business hub and safe haven in the region. But experts tell Tara Cobham that a protracted conflict threatens

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.

Iran struck Gulf infrastructure on Sunday, hitting fuel tanks at Kuwait's international airport and damaging a desalination plant in Bahrain as Tehran pressed its missile and drone campaign against its neighbours into a second week. Two border guards were also killed "while performing their national duty", Kuwait's interior ministry said without elaborating on the circumstances.

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...

Oil prices have soared in the week since the U.S. and Israel launched their war against Iran, but President Donald Trump on Saturday downplayed the idea of turning to America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ease the pressure

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.

Gulf nations reported on Sunday missiles and drone attacks, while Iran vowed to press on with strikes against neighbouring countries as the regional war entered its second week. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait all reported new attacks, after loud explosions were heard in Dubai and Bahrain's Manama a day earlier, and Kuwait's national oil company announced a "precautionary" cut to production.

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