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‘Markets may tolerate uncertainty for now, but prolonged uncertainty will be harder to look through,’ one expert said

Comments from defense secretary come as number of US service members killed in conflict has climbed to seven Pete Hegseth, the US defense secretary, has said “there will be more casualties” in the US military from the Trump administration’s war in Iran after officials confirmed on Sunday that the number of US service members killed had climbed to seven. Hegseth made the statement during an appearance Sunday night on CBS’s 60 Minutes, during which he portrayed Donald Trump’s decision for the US to join Israeli attacks on the Middle East country as essential “to advance American interests, and protect American lives”. Continue reading...

The election of a new Iranian supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is a sign that the ayatollahs have survived the first wave of attacks by Team America, and may endure even longer. World Affair Editor Sam Kiley looks at whether US foreign policy is now a satire of itself

A newly released video suggests a US Tomahawk missile likely struck an Iranian elementary girls’ school in Minab.

Israel expands gun permits to residents of Jerusalem Jewish neighbourhoods Nadav Rapaport on Mon, 03/09/2026 - 12:31 Policy drive by Ben Givr doubles civilian firearm licences, raising safety and domestic violence concerns Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir shakes hands with a volunteer of the new civilian guard unit while handing out M5 automatic assault rifles in Ashkelon on 27 October 2023 (AFP/Menahem Kahana) Off Israel's Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir has authorised residents of Jewish neighbourhoods in Jerusalem to carry firearms, local media reported on Monday. Under Ben Gvir’s order, residents of 41 Jewish neighbourhoods in the city can now apply for a licence to carry a gun, part of the far-right minister’s wider policy of expanding civilian gun permits.  Reports suggest that around 300,000 Jewish residents of Jerusalem could now be eligible. Previously, only those living near the separation wall were permitted to carry firearms, as the areas were deemed high-risk due to their proximity to the occupied West Bank. The latest expansion now includes the western neighbourhoods of the city. "Especially amid the war and during Ramadan, Jerusalem residents have a basic right to defend themselves and their families," Ben Gvir told Israel Hayom on Sunday before issuing the order the day after. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "My policy is clear: a weapon in the right hands saves lives," he added.  On Monday, he wrote on X that the move aimed “to strengthen the personal security of Israel’s citizens,” noting that more than 240,000 Israeli civilians have obtained gun licences since he took office in December 2022. "In many cases, it has already been proven that weapons in the hands of civilians helped thwart attacks and save lives," Ben Gvir said. "I call on the residents of Jerusalem: go obtain a gun license. A weapon saves lives," the leader of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party concluded. Ever-expanding gun licenses According to the Freedom of Information Movement, an Israeli NGO promoting transparency, Ben Gvir’s “Arming Israel” policy has led to a doubling of civilians holding gun licences since he took office. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); As of November 2025, over 330,000 Israelis held a gun licence, almost half of whom had no prior shooting experience, after Ben Gvir eased the eligibility criteria.  Israel's Ben Gvir proposes prison ‘encircled by crocodiles’ for Palestinians Read More » The NGO noted that 99 percent of applicants now pass their shooting tests, in part because they are allowed to complete the required interview over the phone rather than in person. Haaretz reported that last month, Israeli authorities admitted in a High Court hearing that 195 licence holders were asked to return their firearms due to irregularities in their applications. In 2023, police launched an investigation into allegations that Ben Gvir’s office had illegally approved gun licences. Three employees were questioned over the issuance of thousands of permits. The Freedom of Information Movement also highlighted the public safety risks of the policy, noting that “all firearm murders of Jewish women were carried out with legally licensed weapons”. Data from the Michal Sela Forum, an NGO tackling domestic violence, shows a sharp rise in family-related killings: since 7 October 2023, 53 women were murdered by a family member, a 33 percent increase compared with the period before Ben Gvir took office. In 2025 alone, 30 women were killed by a relative, averaging roughly one death every 11 days. According to Israel’s Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, around 280,000 women are currently exposed to physical or non-physical violence from partners, underscoring concerns about the broader social impact of the expanded civilian gun permits. Inside Israel Tel Aviv, Israeli News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

The Pentagon has not yet released an official estimate of the cost of the US war on Iran.

Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon kill 16, health ministry says Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon have killed at least 16 people and wounded dozens more, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. Officials said the attacks targeted the towns of Tayr Debba and Jouaya. The ministry reported that 40 people were wounded in the strikes, which come as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues to intensify across the border region.

Rural households struggle with rising oil prices during Iran war  BBC

Iran names Khamenei’s son to succeed him, signaling no letup in war as oil prices surge  AP News

Iran’s deputy health minister, Dr Ali Jafarian, says more than 1,255 people have been killed and that most are civilians

By Parisa Hafezi and Angus McDowall DUBAI, March 9 (Reuters) - Iran's new supreme leader faces a massive external assault and growing internal anger at a time when the backing of the diehard ideologues who supported his predecessors is less clear than before. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who has deep influence inside Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and their vast business networks, survived the ‌U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran in which his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed more than a week ago.

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa says “unprecedented attacks” by Iran against Bahrain “cannot be justified".

The US-Israel war against Iran threatens to engulf Türkiye and Azerbaijan  World Socialist Web Site

TEHRAN, Mar. 09 (MNA) – The UN agency for children, UNICEF, says at least 83 children have been killed and 254 injured in Lebanon since March 2 as the war between Israel and Hezbollah intensified.

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Lindsey Graham criticises Israel over targeting Iranian oil facilities MEE staff on Mon, 03/09/2026 - 10:04 Republican senator says oil economy is 'essential' and that US will make a 'tonne of money' when Islamic republic falls US Senator Lindsey Graham speaks to members of the media at the US Capitol on 3 March 2026 in Washington, DC (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images North America/Getty Images via AFP) Off Hawkish US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has expressed concern over Israeli strikes on Iranian oil facilities.  On Sunday, Graham, a strong supporter of the US and Israel's war on Iran, wrote on X that Israel had shown “amazing capability when it comes to collapsing the murderous regime in Iran,” adding the US was appreciative.  “However, there will be a day soon that the Iranian people will be in charge of their own fate, not the murderous ayatollah’s regime,” he said. “In that regard, please be cautious about what targets you select. Our goal is to liberate the Iranian people in a fashion that does not cripple their chance to start a new and better life when this regime collapses. The oil economy of Iran will be essential to that endeavour." Israel struck over 30 oil depots in Iran on Saturday, including in Tehran and Karaj.  (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Video footage showed streets on fire near a depot in Tehran, and huge flames engulfing the skies. Iranian authorities said they were monitoring air quality and called on residents to stay home.  As black, oily rain fell on the Iranian capital, which is home to ten million people, residents described waking up with their eyes burning and pain in their throats.  'Venezuela and Iran have 31 percent of the world’s oil reserves. We’re going to have a partnership' - US Senator Lindsey Graham The strikes on depots went far beyond what the US expected when Israel notified it in advance, according to a report in Axios, citing officials with knowledge on the matter.  The report said it was the first significant disagreement between the US and Israel since the war began over a week ago.  An Israeli military official told Axios the strikes were partly intended as a warning to Iran to stop targeting Israeli civilian infrastructure.  But the US military was reportedly surprised at how wide-ranging the onslaught was. "We don't think it was a good idea," a senior US official said. An adviser to US President Donald Trump told Axios: “The president doesn't like the attack. He wants to save the oil. He doesn't want to burn it. And it reminds people of higher gas prices.” US will make a 'tonne of money' Tehran has warned that if such attacks continue, it will respond with similar attacks across the region.  In separate remarks on Sunday, Graham said that the US was going to make a “tonne of money” from the war on Iran.  Tensions soar as Hegseth and Rubio feud over US troops in Iran Read More » “When this regime goes down, we are going to have a new Middle East, and we are going [to] make a tonne of money,” he told Fox News.  “Venezuela and Iran have 31 percent of the world’s oil reserves. We’re going to have a partnership with 31 percent of the known reserves. This is China’s nightmare. This is a good investment,” said Graham.  His remarks suggested that the US abduction of former Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, and the Iran war were linked to gaining control over oil supplies.  Graham said that attacks on Iran would escalate in the coming two weeks, saying the US would “blow the hell out of these people”.  “This regime is in a death throes now, it is gonna be on its knees, it’s going to fall, and when it falls we’re going to have peace like no other time, we’re going to have prosperity unlike anyone could ever imagine,” he told Fox News host Maria Bartiromo. War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Starmer calls Trump in bid to mend fraught ties over Iran war MEE staff on Mon, 03/09/2026 - 09:47 British prime minister had initially denied US use of UK base at Diego Garcia in its attacks on Iran UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meets US President Donald Trump at the White House on 27 February 2025 (AFP) Off British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Sunday in a move widely seen as an attempt to clear the air after tensions over the US-Israeli war on Iran. According to a Downing Street statement summarising the conversation, Starmer discussed the UK's role in the ongoing war and offered his condolences over the deaths of US soldiers in Iranian attacks on US bases in the Gulf states. The statement said the pair spoke about "the latest situation in the Middle East and the military cooperation between the UK and US through the use of RAF bases in support of the collective self-defence of partners in the region". Starmer initially prevented the United States from using a British airbase in the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia after the US and Israel began the bombardment of Iran on 28 February. He has since allowed US military operations for "defensive" reasons, including the targeting of Iranian missile sites involved in attacks against US bases in Arab Gulf states. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); That concession came after heavy criticism from Trump and pro-war politicians in the UK, including from the Conservative and Reform parties. Before Sunday's conversation with Starmer, Trump launched a series of invectives against the prime minister over his belated support for the US war. 'We will remember' Responding to reports that Britain was mulling sending two aircraft carriers to the region to support the US-Israeli campaign to overthrow or subdue Iran's government, Trump claimed the help was no longer needed. "That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember," he wrote on his personal social media platform Truth Social on Saturday. What 'special relationship'? Ten other occasions when the US and UK fell out Read More » "We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!" Earlier, on 3 March, he said he was "not happy with the UK" because it was "uncooperative". Describing Starmer, he said: “This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.” Starmer, who before entering politics was a strong critic of the US-led invasion of Iraq, has sought to steer clear of a military entanglement with Iran. The war, which was initially slated by US officials to last a few days, is reportedly now expected by the Pentagon to go on until at least September. Washington has acknowledged that at least eight of its personnel have been killed as a result of Iranian retaliatory attacks, and has suffered extensive damage to military installations and equipment dotted around the Gulf area. The Iranian strategy has focused on inflicting geopolitical, infrastructure and economic damage on the US. US and Israeli military planners have targeted Iran's civilian and military infrastructure, seeking to snuff out its missile-launching capability and hoping that the attacks will encourage an uprising against the Iranian government. So far, such a rebellion has yet to materialise, but at least 1,300 people in Iran have been killed in US-Israeli attacks. War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Israel used white phosphorus in Lebanon: Report Human Rights Watch said on Monday that the Israeli military fired white phosphorus munitions over residential areas in southern Lebanon earlier this month which is illegal under international law. According to the rights group, the incident occurred on March 3 in the town of Yohmor. Investigators said they verified and geolocated seven images showing airburst white phosphorus munitions detonating above a populated neighbourhood. The images also showed civil defence crews responding to fires in at least two homes and a car in the affected area. “The Israeli military’s unlawful use of white phosphorus over residential areas is extremely alarming and will have dire consequences for civilians,” said Ramzi Kaiss, Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The incendiary effects of white phosphorous can cause death or cruel injuries that result in lifelong suffering.” White phosphorus is a chemical substance delivered through artillery shells, rockets or bombs. It ignites when it comes into contact with oxygen and can rapidly spread fires. Human Rights Watch said the use of airburst white phosphorus in populated areas is considered indiscriminate under international humanitarian law and fails to meet legal obligations requiring forces to take all feasible precautions to protect civilians.

TEHRAN, Mar. 09 (MNA) – Iran’s ambassador to the UN said the United Kingdom is not in a legal position to receive or act upon a request from the US to exercise the so-called right of collective self-defense and take part in the military aggression.