Iran-Israel war highlights: Trump delays Strait of Hormuz deadline as Wall Street has biggest loss of war

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio connected Thursday said erstwhile U.S. needed assistance, determination was nary affirmative effect from NATO. 

He said, “The U.S. is perpetually asked to assistance successful wars and we have. But erstwhile we had a need, it didn’t get affirmative responses from NATO. A mates leaders said that Iran was not Europe’s war. Well, Ukraine isn’t our war, yet we’ve contributed much to that combat than anyone.”

U.S. President Donald Trump has extended his deadline for Iran to unfastened the Strait of Hormuz to April 6.

The President made the connection connected Thursday successful a societal media post. He said helium volition clasp disconnected connected bombing Iran’s vigor plants.

The update comes adjacent arsenic earlier successful the day, the 2 countries appeared astatine an impasse, hardening their positions implicit ceasefire talks. Thousands much U.S. troops neared the region, Israel poured much troops into confederate Lebanon to combat the Iran-backed militant radical Hezbollah, and Tehran tightened its grip connected the important Strait of Hormuz.

Sirens implicit Israel warned of barrages of incoming Iranian missiles, and Gulf nations worked to intercept fire. Heavy strikes were reported successful Iran’s superior and different cities.

-AP

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday helium would not yet onslaught Iranian powerfulness plants arsenic antecedently threatened aft a petition from the authorities successful Tehran, and added that talks with the Islamic republic were “going precise well.”

“As per Iranian Government request, delight fto this connection service to correspond that I americium pausing the play of Energy Plant demolition by 10 Days to Monday, April 6, 2026, astatine 8 P.M., Eastern Time,” Mr. Trump said connected his Truth Social platform.

“Talks are ongoing and, contempt erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going precise well.”

-AFP

The Israeli service announced the decease successful combat connected Thursday of a worker successful southbound Lebanon, conscionable hours aft reporting different decease from its ranks.

“Sergeant Aviaad Elchanan Volansky, 21, from Jerusalem, a worker successful the 77th Battalion of the 7th Brigade, was killed successful enactment successful confederate Lebanon,” a subject connection said.

Four Israeli soldiers person present been killed successful warring successful southbound Lebanon since Hezbollah began launching rocket attacks against Israel connected March 2 to avenge the sidesplitting of Iran’s ultimate leader.

-AFP

At slightest 2 persons, including an Indian, were killed and 3 others injured connected Thursday erstwhile debris of missiles intercepted by the UAE’s aerial defence strategy fell connected a thoroughfare successful Abu Dhabi, section media reported. 

The 2nd idiosyncratic killed successful the incidental is simply a Pakistani national, portion the 3 injured besides see an Indian, Abu Dhabi Media Office reported. 

The UAE’s Air Defences are responding to incoming rocket and drone threats from Iran astatine regular intervals, according to the Ministry of Defence of the United Arab Emirates.

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Israeli strikes connected Lebanon killed astatine slightest 5 radical connected Thursday (March 26, 2026), Lebanese authorities media said, arsenic Hezbollah militants claimed they had staged a caller question of attacks connected Israel.

According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, a onslaught connected a gathering successful the Nabatieh country of southbound Lebanon killed 2 people. Another onslaught successful the borderline country of Bint Jbeil killed different 3 people, the bureau said.

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Warplanes could beryllium heard overhead successful bluish districts of Tehran connected Thursday (March 26, 2026), soon earlier 3 large explosions rang out, an AFP correspondent successful the Iranian superior said.

The blasts were heard aft dark, during rain, and it was not instantly imaginable to place what had been hit.

Israel, which earlier said it had killed a elder Iranian naval commander, has announced it plans much “wide-scale” strikes against targets successful the Islamic republic.

- AFP

Lebanon volition record a ailment with the UN Security Council implicit Israel’s attacks successful the country, the Prime Minister said connected Thursday (March 26, 2026), arsenic Israel continues to onslaught arsenic portion of a run against Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s Government said during a furniture league that it considers Israel’s “actions and statements, nether immoderate statement they whitethorn come... to beryllium highly dangerous, threatening Lebanon’s sovereignty, the integrity of its territory, and the rights of its people”.

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said: “I petition that the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants instantly record a ailment with the Security Council successful this regard.”

- AFP

France’s Armed forces main held ‌a video league telephone with ⁠35 countries, from each continents, implicit ways ‌to re-open the Strait ‌of Hormuz, ‌France’s Defence ⁠Ministry said ⁠on Thursday (March 26, 2026).

The Ministry did not disclose which ‌countries successful peculiar had joined the call.

“This initiative, ‌independent of the ongoing subject operations successful the ⁠region, is strictly antiaircraft ‌in nature. Its intent is to organise the resumption of shipping ‌through the Strait of Hormuz erstwhile hostilities person ⁠ceased,” it said ⁠in a statement.

- Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump said connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) that taking power of Iran’s lipid was an “option,” comparing it to the woody Washington made with Venezuela aft toppling Nicolas Maduro.

“It’s an option,” Mr. Trump told reporters astatine a furniture gathering erstwhile asked if helium was looking to instrumentality power of Iran’s oil, saying that the United States had done “very well” with Venezuela’s reserves.

- AFP

Iran allowed 10 lipid tankers to walk done the strategical Strait of Hormuz arsenic a “present” to amusement it was superior astir negotiations to extremity the war, U.S. President Donald Trump said connected Thursday (March 26, 2026).

Referring to cryptic comments earlier this week astir a “gift” from Tehran, Mr. Trump said Iran allowed 8 “big boats of oil” to transit the waterway earlier this week, followed by 2 others aboriginal on.

- AFP

The United ‌States has sent Iran ⁠a “15-point enactment list” arsenic ‌a ground ‌for ‌negotiations to ⁠end the ⁠current conflict, U.S. Special Envoy ‌Steve Witkoff said connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) during ‌a furniture gathering astatine the ⁠White House, adding that ‌there are signs that Tehran is ‌interested successful making a deal.

- Reuters

President Donald Trump said Thursday (March 26, 2026) that U.S. subject operations against Iran are “extremely” up of schedule, citing an archetypal timeframe of 4 to six weeks for the warfare that began astir a period ago.

“We estimated it would instrumentality astir 4 to six weeks to execute our mission. Twenty-six days successful we’re extremely, really, a batch up of schedule,” Mr. Trump told his archetypal furniture gathering since the commencement of the conflict.

- AFP

British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) said the U.K. is keen to spot “de-escalation” successful West Asia and yet the struggle travel to an extremity too the resumption of lipid travel successful bid to guarantee it does not person a detrimental interaction connected its economy.

At an interactive league hosted astatine an event, she besides said the U.K., however, is “supportive of antiaircraft enactment to forestall Iran firing missiles crossed the region, which is prolonging the struggle and causing harm to allies and radical successful the region”.

Ms. Cameron, who has been the British High Commissioner to India since April 2024, spoke astatine the Times Now Summit 2026.

Asked however the U.K. is looking astatine the West Asia struggle that began astir 4 weeks agone and its impact, she said, “We are keen to spot de-escalation. We are besides disquieted astir the interaction connected immoderate of our allies successful the wider Gulf, and I americium definite you are too. And we would similar to spot this end, frankly, and beryllium capable to determination again truthful that the lipid terms doesn’t rise,” Ms. Cameron said.

- PTI

The United States connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) ⁠confirmed the ‌death of ‌Iranian ‌Islamic ⁠Revolutionary Guard ⁠Corps — Navy commandant ‌Admiral Alireza Tangsiri from ‌an Israeli airstrike, according to ⁠a station ‌on X from U.S. ‌Central Command.

- Reuters

Israeli exigency services said a rocket fired from Lebanon killed a antheral successful bluish Israel connected Thursday (March 26, 2026), arsenic Israeli forces combat Iran-backed Hezbollah crossed the border.

“In the Nahariya area, MDA teams person pronounced a antheral of astir 30 dormant and were treating a antheral of astir 50 who is successful superior condition,” Israel’s Magen David Adom exigency work said successful a statement.

The Israeli subject said Hezbollah has continued firing rockets into bluish Israel since entering the Middle East warfare connected March 2. Earlier connected Thursday (March 26, 2026), an Israeli worker was besides killed successful warring successful confederate Lebanon.

- AFP

Abdul Malik al-Houthi, person of Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement, warned connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) of a “military response” if warfare successful West Asia requires it.

The Houthis, a cardinal portion of Iran’s “axis of resistance”, person truthful acold refrained from joining the warfare sparked by U.S.-Israeli strikes connected Iran, which has engulfed overmuch of the region.

“As the radical of Yemen, we repay loyalty with loyalty,” the Houthi person said. “Any improvement successful the conflict that requires a subject response, we volition promptly undertake it... conscionable arsenic we did successful erstwhile rounds.”

- AFP

Iran’s archetypal effect to the U.S. connection to extremity ‌the war, which was conveyed to Pakistan, was ⁠that it was “one-sided and unfair”, a elder Iranian authoritative told ‌ Reuters on Thursday (March 26, 2026), adding that a ‌path guardant mightiness inactive ‌be ⁠found if realism ⁠prevailed successful Washington.

The authoritative said the connection “was reviewed successful item connected Wednesday nighttime ‌by elder Iranian officials and the typical of Iran’s Supreme Leader”.

“In brief, ‌the connection suggests that Iran would relinquish its quality to support ⁠itself successful speech for a vague program to assistance ‌sanctions,” helium said, adding that the connection lacked the minimum requirements for success.

He said determination was “still nary statement ‌for negotiations, and nary program for talks appears realistic astatine this stage”, ⁠while Turkey and Pakistan were trying ⁠to assistance “establish communal crushed betwixt Iran and ‌the United States and trim differences”. 

- Reuters

Germany’s Foreign Minister said connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) that NATO ‌countries would question a communal presumption with ⁠the United States connected the warfare against Iran, which ‌he added would person to extremity ‌as rapidly arsenic ‌possible.

“It ⁠is present important, unneurotic with our closest allies wrong NATO, peculiarly with ‌the United States, to make a communal position,” Minister Johann Wadephul ‌said successful Vaux-de-Cernay Abbey adjacent Paris up of a gathering ⁠of G7 Foreign Ministers.

There was unity with France ‌and Britain connected this, and planned talks with U.S. caput of authorities Marco Rubio connected Friday (March 27, 2026) ‌were peculiarly important, Mr. Wadephul added.

He said the strait of Hormuz would person ⁠to beryllium opened and ⁠Iran’s enactment indispensable not airs ‌a menace to different nations successful the future.

- Reuters

The EU’s apical diplomat Thursday (March 26, 2026) accused Russia of providing quality enactment to Iran successful West Asia warfare to “kill Americans”, calling connected the United States to summation unit connected Moscow.

“We spot that Russia is helping Iran with quality to people Americans, to termination Americans, and Russia is besides supporting Iran present with the drones truthful that they tin onslaught neighbouring countries and besides US subject bases,” Kaja Kallas told journalists astatine a G7 gathering extracurricular Paris.

“These wars are precise overmuch interlinked... If America wants the warfare successful the Middle East to halt and Iran to halt attacking them, they should besides enactment the unit connected Russia truthful that they are not capable to assistance them successful this,” she added, referring to Moscow’s penetration of Ukraine.

- AFP

Ministers from Hezbollah and its state Amal boycotted Lebanon’s furniture league connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) successful protestation implicit the authorities declaring the Iranian ambassador persona non grata, a Lebanese authoritative told AFP.

The 2 Shiite parties person a combined 4 Ministers, with 1 autarkic Shiite besides represented successful the furniture contiguous astatine the meeting, the authoritative said, arsenic the spat implicit the Iranian diplomat’s expulsion escalated.

Hezbollah is an equipped question backed by Iran, which besides has governmental practice successful some authorities and parliament.

- AFP

The planetary assemblage should promote the U.S. ‌and Iran to instrumentality to ⁠the negotiating array and question an effectual governmental settlement, arsenic some ‌sides person the willingness ‌to resume negotiation, ‌China’s Foreign ⁠Minister Wang ⁠Yi said connected Thursday (March 26, 2026).

Mr. Wang made the remarks during a ‌phone telephone with Canadian counterpart Anita Anand, successful which helium besides ‌called connected Beijing and Ottawa to jointly play a ⁠constructive relation successful this regard, according to ‌Chinese authorities broadcaster CCTV.

Mr. Wang besides stressed that the Iran atomic contented should not ‌be utilized arsenic a justification for subject action, informing that ⁠using unit would origin terrible ⁠consequences and endanger determination stability.

- Reuters

Poland ‌will headdress substance prices to ⁠mitigate the effects ‌of the ‌war ‌in ⁠West Asia, Prime Minister Donald Tusk ‌said connected Thursday (March 26, 2026).

He said ‌that VAT connected substance would ⁠be chopped ‌to 8% from 23% and that ‌excise taxation would beryllium chopped ⁠to the ⁠minimum.

- Reuters

A U.S. State Department spokesperson denied connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) claims that the United States had targeted Iraqi information forces, a time aft a subject session was struck successful the country’s west, leaving 7 dead.

“Any claims that the United States has targeted Iraqi Security Forces are categorically false, incompatible with the U.S.-Iraq partnership, and violative to the agelong years of relationship and practice betwixt U.S. and Iraqi forces,” the spokesperson told AFP.

The Iraqi authorities person not straight accused the U.S. of the onslaught that deed occidental Iraq earlier this week. 

- AFP

With the Strait of Hormuz astir closed amid the ongoing warfare successful the Gulf region, merchant vessels, including lipid tankers, person started to queue up astatine ports crossed Asia portion operators hold for clarity, a media study said connected Thursday (March 26, 2026).

Sourcing information that showed longer queues and delays astatine large Asian ports, including astatine the richest city-state, The Straits Times pointed retired that much vessels carrying Gulf-bound cargoes could question anchorage successful Singapore and Malaysia’s Tanjung Pelepas and Klang ports successful the coming weeks, if the situation drags on.

The strait, a constrictive shipping lane that connects the Persian Gulf with the Indian Ocean, remains efficaciously closed, bringing to a adjacent halt the transit of hundreds of vessels per day, including container, adust bulk and liquid cargo ships.

- PTI

Russian President Vladimir Putin said connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) that it was ‌hard to foretell the consequences of the struggle ⁠in the West Asia but that immoderate had compared the ‌potential interaction to that of the COVID ‌pandemic.

The conflict, Mr. Putin ‌said, ⁠was causing important ⁠damage to planetary logistics, accumulation and proviso chains portion putting aggravated unit connected hydrocarbon, ‌metals and fertiliser companies.

“The consequences of the struggle successful the Middle East are inactive ‌difficult to accurately predict,” Mr. Putin told concern leaders successful Moscow. “It seems ⁠to maine that those who are progressive successful ‌the struggle cannot foretell thing themselves, but for america it is adjacent much difficult.”

- Reuters

The Israeli subject said connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) that its forces had killed astir 700 Hezbollah militants since the warfare with the Lebanese equipped radical began connected March 2.

“So far, I tin supply you a fig of astir 700 (Hezbollah) terrorists that person been eliminated,” Military Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told journalists.

Mr. Shoshani noted that Iran-backed Hezbollah had continued to occurrence rockets, “some days much than 100... mostly towards bluish Israel”.

- AFP

The G7 should collectively backmost a de-escalation of the warfare successful West Asia, Canada’s Foreign Minister said Thursday (March 26, 2026), earlier a gathering of apical diplomats from the radical expected to beryllium dominated by the conflict.

Anita Anand told AFP in an interrogation she had spoken to each countries impacted successful the portion and each G7 members “to guarantee that we are each collectively advocating for de-escalation and for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and for a way forwards for the Iranian radical that preserves their lives.”

- AFP

Iran is letting Malaysian tankers walk done the Strait of Hormuz aft talks with Iranian, Turkish and different determination leaders, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said connected Thursday (March 26, 2026).

Speaking connected nationalist television, Mr. Anwar said helium spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, arsenic good arsenic Egyptian and Turkish counterparts and different leaders successful the Gulf region.

“We’re present successful the process of releasing the Malaysian lipid tankers and the workers progressive truthful that they tin proceed their travel home,” Mr. Anwar said, thanking Pezeshkian.

- AFP

Oil prices surged 5% connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) arsenic hopes for a bid woody betwixt the United States and Iran wavered.

International benchmark, Brent North Sea crude, jumped 5.2% to $107.54 per barrel, portion the main U.S. lipid contract, West Texas Intermediate, precocious 4.9% to $94.71, with President Donald Trump informing Tehran to prosecute successful talks “before it is excessively late”.

- AFP

Gulf countries said connected Thursday (March 26) that they wanted to beryllium progressive successful immoderate talks betwixt the United States and Iran, insisting that portion they had a close to self-defence they preferred diplomacy.

“We stress the necessity of involving the GCC countries successful immoderate talks oregon agreements to resoluteness this crisis, successful a mode that contributes to strengthening their information and stability,” Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary General Jasem AlBudaiwi said successful a televised speech.

Mr. AlBudaiwi besides said Iran had been asking vessels to wage sums of wealth to transverse the Strait of Homuz. - AFP

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed connected Thursday (March 26) that indirect negotiations betwixt the United States and Iran were being held to extremity their war, utilizing Islamabad arsenic an intermediary.

Mr. Dar, who is besides Deputy Prime Minister, described speculation astir “peace talks” arsenic “unnecessary”, adding: “In reality, U.S.-Iran indirect talks are taking spot done messages being relayed by Pakistan.

“In this context, the United States has shared 15 points, being deliberated upon by Iran. Brotherly countries of Turkiye and Egypt, among others, are besides extending their enactment to this initiative,” helium wrote connected X. - AFP

U.S. President Donald Trump said connected Thursday (March 26) that Iran “better get superior soon” successful U.S. talks to extremity the war.

Iranian negotiators are “’begging’ america to marque a deal, which they should beryllium doing since they person been militarily obliterated,” Mr. Trump posted connected Truth Social.

“They amended get superior soon, earlier it is excessively late, due to the fact that erstwhile that happens, determination is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t beryllium pretty!”- AFP

President Donald Trump said connected Thursday (March 26) that the United States “needs thing from NATO”.

“NATO nations person done perfectly thing to assistance with the lunatic nation, present militarily decimated, of Iran,” helium posted connected his Truth Social platform.

“The USA needs thing from NATO”.- AFP

An American sailor was injured aboard an craft bearer successful the Arabian Sea successful a non-combat related incident, the U.S. Navy successful the West Asia said connected Thursday (March 26).

“A U.S. Navy Sailor was injured aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) portion the craft bearer was conducting formation operations successful the Arabian Sea connected March 25. The wounded is not combat-related nor beingness threatening,” the Fifth Fleet said successful a connection connected X.

“The Sailor has been transported ashore for further aesculapian attraction and remains successful unchangeable condition,” it added.

The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group has been conducting onslaught missions arsenic portion of the U.S.-Israeli warfare connected Iran. - AFP

Defence Minister Israel Katz announced connected Thursday (March 26, 2026) that an Israeli airstrike had killed Alireza Tangsiri, commandant of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ navy.

Mr. Katz said Tangsiri’ had been killed on with different elder naval commanders successful a onslaught overnight. Iran did not instantly admit Tangsiri’s killing. - AP

The Kremlin said connected Thursday (March 26) that a study successful the Financial Times that it was adjacent to completing a shipment of drones to Iran was “lies”.

“There are truthful galore lies being dispersed by the media... Do not wage attraction to them,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters successful effect to an AFP question.

The Financial Times, which published the study connected Wednesday, cited Western quality officials arsenic saying that Russia was successful the process of delivering drones to Tehran and would implicit the shipments by the extremity of March. - AFP

Iran’s Parliament talker warned of the imaginable penetration of an Iranian land with the enactment of an unnamed determination country.

“Based connected immoderate quality reports, Iran’s enemies are preparing to inhabit 1 of the Iranian islands with enactment from 1 of the determination states,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf posted connected X.- AFP

Oil prices gained again connected Thursday (March 26) and Asian shares were mostly little arsenic a de-escalation of the Iran warfare remains uncertain.

Brent crude, the planetary standard, roseate 1.5% to $98.72 per barrel. It was beneath $95 connected Wednesday.

Benchmark U.S. crude was 2% higher astatine $92.16 a barrel.

On Thursday, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 was down 0.8% to 53,343.25. South Korea’s Kospi mislaid 3.3% to 5,458.37. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 1.9% to 24,855.12.- AP

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius described the Iran warfare arsenic an economical “catastrophe” and said Germany did not privation to get “sucked into” the conflict.

Mr. Pistorius said connected Thursday (March 26) Germany was acceptable to assistance unafraid immoderate bid erstwhile that was achieved and appealed for a ceasefire arsenic soon arsenic possible.

“To marque it crystal clear, this warfare is simply a catastrophe for the world’s economies,” Mr. Pistorius told reporters astatine the Australian Parliament House. 

“From the opening on, we person not been consulted before. Nobody asked america before. It’s not our warfare and truthful we don’t privation to get sucked into that war,” Mr. Pistorius added.

Mr. Pistorius addressed the media successful the nationalist superior Canberra pursuing a gathering with his Australian counterpart Richard Marles.- AP

Iran is moving a “de facto ‘toll booth’ regime” successful Strait of Hormuz, controlling which ships travel done and getting outgo for their harmless passage, a starring shipping quality steadfast said connected Thursday (March 26).

Lloyd’s List Intelligence published an investigation highlighting Iran’s practices done the strait.

It described vessels having to supply manifests, unit details and their destination to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

The accusation goes to the Guard’s “Hormozgan Provincial Command for sanctions screening, cargo alignment checks that presently prioritises lipid implicit each different commodities, and for what is described arsenic ‘geopolitical vetting,’” Lloyd’s List said. - AP

Iran’s Parliament is moving connected a Bill to formalise the fees it is reportedly charging connected immoderate vessel transiting done the Strait of Hormuz, section media reported.

The Fars and Tasnim quality agencies, some adjacent to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, quoted lawmaker Mohammadreza Rezaei Kouchi arsenic saying that “that “parliament is pursuing a program to formally codify Iran’s sovereignty, power and oversight implicit the Strait of Hormuz, portion besides creating a root of gross done the postulation of fees.”

“This is wholly natural, conscionable arsenic goods wage transit fees erstwhile passing done different corridors, the Strait of Hormuz is besides a corridor,” helium reportedly said. “We supply its security, and it is earthy that ships and lipid tankers should wage specified fees.”

The Strait of Hormuz, the constrictive rima of the Persian Gulf, is considered an planetary waterway unfastened to each shipping. Imposing fees would extremity that and apt beryllium powerfully opposed by the Gulf states, the United States and others.

- AP

An Israeli paramedic who arrived archetypal to the country successful Kfar Qasim, a metropolis successful Israel, described it arsenic “chaos”.

“We arrived wrong minutes with intensive attraction units and ambulances. At the country determination was chaos. We began searching wrong the location and saw demolition successful the halfway of the home. Five casualties who were wrong were injured by the blast,” said Tomer Gussman, according to a connection released by Israel’s rescue services.

Mr. Gussman said the injured were evacuated to the infirmary successful mild condition.

Meanwhile, Israel warned of a 3rd barrage of missiles connected Thursday (March 26) incoming from Iran. - AP

A Turkish-operated lipid tanker was attacked aboriginal contiguous successful the Black Sea, perchance by an unmanned aboveground vehicle, Turkiye’s Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said.

“I tin accidental that a foreign-flagged vessel operated by a Turkish company, which had loaded crude lipid from Russia, reported an detonation successful its motor country aft midnight to our exigency telephone centre,” the Minister told a televised interview.

“We judge that the motor country was specifically targeted. We deliberation the onslaught was not carried retired by a drone, but by an unmanned aboveground conveyance astatine h2o level.”

- AFP

The Israeli ‌military said contiguous that ⁠one of its ‌soldiers was ‌killed ‌during ⁠combat ⁠operations successful confederate Lebanon, amid ‌ongoing clashes with Hezbollah ‌along the border.

This brings to ⁠three the ‌number of Israeli soldiers killed there, ‌after the subject said ⁠two were ⁠​killed connected ‌March 8​.

- Reuters

A ‌Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson connected ⁠Thursday (March 26, 2026) called for ‌all parties to ‌stop ‌military enactment ⁠in ⁠the struggle betwixt the U.S., ‌Israel and Iran.

China urged efforts ‌to resoluteness the struggle ⁠through dialog and to ‌avoid escalation, spokesperson Jiang Bin told ‌a regular property briefing successful Beijing.

- Reuters

Two radical were killed and 3 others were injured aft debris from an intercepted rocket fell successful a street, the Emirate’s media bureau said today. Several ⁠vehicles were ‌also damaged, it added.

“Abu Dhabi authorities person responded to an incidental involving falling debris successful Sweihan street, pursuing the palmy interception of a ballistic rocket by aerial defence systems. The incidental resulted successful the deaths of 2 unidentified individuals, 3 injuries, and harm to a fig of cars. Further updates volition beryllium provided successful owed course. The nationalist is advised to get accusation lone from authoritative sources and to debar spreading rumours oregon unverified information,” the media bureau said successful a station connected X.

​​

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Israel took Iranian Foreign Minister ‌Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker ⁠Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf disconnected its hit-list ‌after Pakistan requested ‌Washington not to ‌target ⁠them, a ⁠Pakistani authoritative told Reuters today.

“The Israelis ‌had their ... coordinates and wanted to ‌take them out, we told the U.S. ⁠if they are besides eliminated ‌then determination is nary 1 other to speech to, hence ‌the U.S. asked the Israelis to backmost ⁠off,” the authoritative ⁠said.

- Reuters

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius ‌said that ⁠his state was prepared to assistance unafraid ‌any bid statement ‌between the ‌United ⁠States and Iran.

“We ⁠are acceptable to unafraid immoderate peace,” Mr. Pistorius ‌said during a gathering with Australian Defence Minister ‌Richard Marles.

“If it comes to a ⁠point wherever we person a ‌ceasefire we volition sermon each benignant of cognition to unafraid the ‌peace and particularly the state of navigation successful ⁠the Hormuz Strait,” ⁠he said, without giving ‌details.

- Reuters

Israeli medics present accidental Iranian rocket onslaught has near six radical lightly wounded and caused immoderate damage.

A spokesperson for Israel’s Magen David Adom exigency aesculapian work said paramedics were providing aesculapian attraction to “six radical who were lightly injured by blast effects”, updating an earlier toll of 2 injured.

- AFP

Iranian rocket attacks near 2 radical lightly wounded and caused immoderate damage, Israeli medics said.

A spokesperson for Israel’s Magen David Adom exigency aesculapian work told nationalist vigor that determination was harm to respective houses successful the cardinal metropolis of Kafr Qassem, whose Mayor Haitham Taha said it was caused by clump munitions.

- AFP

Iran allowed India and a fig of different “friendly nations”, including China and Russia, to usage the Strait of Hormuz for commercialized shipping, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said.

“We person permitted definite countries that we see affable to walk done (Strait of Hormuz). We allowed China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan to transit,” Mr. Araghchi said, according to Iranian State TV.

At the aforesaid time, the Iranian Foreign Minister made it wide that ships linked to Iran’s adversaries volition not beryllium allowed to transit done the strategical waterway.

“We are successful a authorities of war. The portion is simply a warfare zone, and determination is nary crushed to let the ships of our enemies and their allies to walk through. But it remains unfastened to others,” helium said.

- PTI

The Iran warfare is upending the planetary LNG outlook arsenic soaring prices, harm to large supplier Qatar’s export infrastructure and imaginable delays to caller proviso rise doubts astir ‌previously expected request from price-sensitive Asian buyers.

Before the war, analysts expected planetary liquefied earthy state proviso to emergence arsenic overmuch arsenic 10% this twelvemonth to betwixt 460 cardinal and 484 cardinal metric tons arsenic caller capacity, chiefly ⁠in the U.S. and Qatar, came online, with request forecast to turn successful tandem.

Now, Iran’s blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles 20% of planetary LNG flows, and harm to Qatar’s liquefaction trains - sidelining 12.8 cardinal tons per twelvemonth of LNG for 3 to 5 years - person prompted consultancies S&P Global Energy, ICIS, ‌Kpler and Rystad Energy to chopped planetary proviso outlooks by arsenic overmuch arsenic 35 cardinal tons. That is adjacent to astir 500 LNG cargoes, capable to conscionable implicit fractional of Japan’s yearly imports oregon Bangladesh’s for 5 years.

“We expect ‌this state terms situation volition pb immoderate countries to reconsider increasing their state request astatine the complaint we antecedently forecast and truthful ‌LNG ⁠demand maturation volition beryllium little than our pre-war forecast,” said S&P Global Energy expert Lucien Mulberg.

S&P Global Energy ⁠expects a 33-million-tonne driblet successful exports retired of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates this year, and trimmed projected proviso by a further 19 cardinal tons each twelvemonth from 2027 to 2029 owed to expected delays astatine Qatar’s North Field enlargement and ADNOC’s Ruwais LNG projects nether construction.

- Reuters

The Israeli subject said aerial defences were responding to rocket attacks from Iran today, with sirens activated crossed cardinal Israel, parts of Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank.

In 2 abstracted statements astir 20 minutes apart, the subject said it had “identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel”.

“Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the statements said.

After the archetypal attack, the subject said radical were “now permitted to permission protected spaces successful each areas of the country”.

Israel’s Magen David Adom exigency aesculapian work said determination were nary reports of casualties.

- AFP

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar travelled to France for the G7 Foreign Ministers’ meeting, which volition sermon the West Asia situation with a absorption connected coordinating efforts to guarantee that the Strait of Hormuz remains unfastened for planetary shipping.

While India is not a G7 member, it has been invited arsenic a spouse state by France, the existent seat of the almighty bloc.

According to a French official, determination volition beryllium a league dedicated to the situation successful West Asia.

The Ministers volition deliberate connected exploring antithetic dialog channels that could pb to de-escalation successful the portion and reopen maritime routes, the authoritative said.

The Foreign Ministers volition besides sermon however to “tackle the atomic and ballistic programme of Iran,” the authoritative noted.

- PTI

Emirati aerial defences were responding to an Iranian rocket and drone onslaught connected Thursday (March 26, 2026), the UAE’s Defence Ministry said.

“UAE aerial defences are presently responding to incoming rocket and drone threats from Iran,” the Ministry said successful a station connected X.

- AFP

China’s apical diplomat has said that a “glimmer of hope” for bid has emerged owed to moves to halt the warfare successful West Asia, contempt Tehran vowing to support fighting.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged dialog successful abstracted calls with his Turkish and Egyptian counterparts, suggesting that some Tehran and Washington had shown signals they were consenting to instrumentality to the negotiating table.

“With some the United States and Iran signalling a willingness to negotiate, a glimmer of anticipation for bid has emerged,” Mr. Wang told Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, according to a Beijing readout published precocious connected Wednesday (March 25, 2026).

Mr. Wang told Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan that the rights and wrongs of the struggle successful West Asia are “crystal clear”, offering enactment to the state successful helping to facilitate the resumption of negotiations.

Turkiye has engaged successful “intense” diplomatic efforts to extremity the warfare by talking to some Washington and Tehran, Mr. Fidan said successful March.

“Prolonging this warfare would lone effect successful further casualties and needless losses, starring to a further spillover of the conflict,” Mr. Wang said.

- AFP

U.S. President Donald Trump volition not be a large yearly gathering of American conservatives for the archetypal clip successful a decade, a White House authoritative told AFP connected Wednesday (March 25, 2026).

The Republican billionaire has been a marquee fixture astatine the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) since 2016, but volition miss this year’s variation owed to a engaged docket amid the “ongoing Iran conflict,” the authoritative said, speaking connected information of anonymity.

The league this twelvemonth is being held from Wednesday (March 25, 2026) to Saturday (March 28, 2026) adjacent Dallas, Texas, with Mr. Trump primitively expected to beryllium the keynote talker connected the last day.

The President is nevertheless scheduled to talk Friday (March 27, 2026) day astatine FII Priority, a Saudi-backed concern acme successful Miami, according to the event’s website.

Israel’s subject said contiguous that its forces had carried retired a question of strikes crossed Iran, including successful the cardinal metropolis of Isfahan.

A little subject connection said Israeli forces “completed a wide-scale question of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian panic authorities successful respective areas crossed Iran”.

- AFP

U.S. lipid prices roseate successful aboriginal commercialized connected Thursday (March 26, 2026), recovering immoderate of the erstwhile ‌day’s losses arsenic investors assessed prospects for de-escalation successful ⁠West Asia and Iran reviewed a U.S. connection to extremity the war, which ‌has disrupted vigor flows from the Gulf.

U.S. West Texas ‌Intermediate crude futures climbed much ‌than $1 ⁠to $91.42 a tube astatine the ⁠open and were up 93 cents, oregon 1%, astatine $91.25 a tube arsenic of 2225 GMT. WTI mislaid ‌2.2% connected Wednesday (March 25, 2026).

- Reuters

Hezbollah main Naim Qassem said that negotiating with Israel nether occurrence would magnitude to “surrender” for Lebanon, arsenic Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu said his forces were “expanding” a “buffer zone” successful Lebanon.

In an effort to enactment an extremity to the fighting, Lebanon’s President is calling for unprecedented nonstop negotiations with Israel, which has truthful acold rebuffed his proposal.

Hezbollah main Qassem said his radical would person nary of it: “When negotiations with the Israeli force are projected nether fire, this is an imposition of surrender.”

Hezbollah besides said its fighters connected Wednesday (March 25, 2026) targeted Israeli troops “massed successful the borderline towns of Naqura and Qawzah” and successful sites crossed the borderline “with much than 100 rockets”. The connection came arsenic the radical claimed a bid of attacks connected Israeli troops successful southbound Lebanon, bluish Israel, and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

- AFP

The U.S. has deed two-thirds of Iran’s accumulation facilities for missiles and drones, and a akin proportionality of its naval production, a apical serviceman said Wednesday (March 25, 2026).

In a video posted connected X, Admiral Brad Cooper, caput of Central Command, besides estimated that 92% of the Iranian navy’s largest vessels had been damaged oregon destroyed.

“And my operational appraisal is that they’ve present mislaid the quality to meaningfully task naval powerfulness and power astir the portion and astir the world.”

With the warfare present successful its 4th week, helium added that “we stay connected program oregon up of program successful achieving precise wide objectives” for the warfare launched with Israel.

“We person damaged oregon destroyed implicit two-thirds of Iran’s rocket drone and naval accumulation facilities and shipyards, and we’re not done yet,” helium said, adding that U.S. forces had present struck implicit 10,000 subject targets.

Adm. Cooper said that Iran’s drone and rocket motorboat rates were down by 90%, and “we’ve besides removed the regime’s quality to rebuild them.”

- AFP

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has rejected U.S. overtures, saying “we bash not mean to negotiate”.

“At present, our argumentation is the continuation of resistance”, Mr. Araghchi said connected authorities TV, adding that the United States “speaking of negotiations present is an admittance of defeat” by Washington.

Pakistani officials earlier said Islamabad had conveyed to Tehran an American 15-point program to halt the warring that began connected February 28 with U.S.-Israeli attacks connected Iran and has since engulfed the region.

Iran authorities tv Press TV cited an unidentified authoritative arsenic saying Tehran had “responded negatively” to the program and that the warfare would lone extremity connected Tehran’s terms, which includes guarantees against aboriginal attacks.

“We question an extremity to the warfare connected our ain terms,” Mr. Araghchi confirmed, “and successful a mode that it volition not beryllium repeated present again”.

Mediators successful the portion said enactment was ongoing down the scenes, but Mr. Araghchi said the speech of messages done “friendly countries” did not equate to negotiations with Washington.

The Iranian authoritative quoted by Press TV said Tehran has enactment guardant its ain 5 conditions for hostilities to end.

These see a robust mechanics guaranteeing that neither Israel nor the U.S. volition resume the warfare arsenic good arsenic compensation for warfare damages.

Iran’s conditions besides see a cessation of hostilities connected each determination fronts and against each “resistance groups”, an implicit notation to the Tehran-backed Lebanese radical Hezbollah.

Tehran besides wants planetary designation and guarantees of Iran’s rights to workout its sovereignty implicit the Strait of Hormuz.

- AFP

U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran was taking portion successful bid talks, suggesting Tehran’s denials were due to the fact that Iranian negotiators fearfulness being killed by their ain side.

“They are negotiating, by the way, and they privation to marque a woody truthful badly. But they’re acrophobic to accidental it, due to the fact that they fig they’ll beryllium killed by their ain people,” Mr. Trump told a meal for Republican members of Congress.

“They’re besides acrophobic they’ll beryllium killed by us,” helium said.

Mr. Trump repeated his assertion that Iran was being “decimated” successful the struggle present successful its 4th week, adjacent though Tehran inactive maintains an effectual stranglehold implicit the important Strait of Hormuz lipid route.

Lashing retired astatine his home opponents, Mr. Trump besides claimed Democrats were trying to “deflect from each of the tremendous occurrence that we’re having successful this subject operation.”

In a mocking notation to calls from Democrats for him to question the support of Congress for the conflict, Mr. Trump added: “They don’t similar the connection ‘war,’ due to the fact that you’re expected to get approval, truthful I’ll usage the connection subject operation.”

- AFP

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