There are fears of an oil spill after a drone strike hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker near Dubai on Tuesday, while U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran reportedly killed at least two people. A loud explosion was heard in Beirut in southern Lebanon early Wednesday, as oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel.
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Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev has said that Russia plans to evacuate more than 200 of its staff from Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant this week.
According to a report by Reuters, Likhachev said this on Rossiya-24 state television on Wednesday.
The report also said that up to 50 Rosatom personnel would remain at the plant, all volunteers.
Kuwaiti firefighters on Wednesday extinguished a fire that broke out earlier in the day in fuel tanks at Kuwait airport following an Iranian drone attack, the government said.
There were no casualties, and only material damage was reported.
Lufthansa is preparing for potential jet fuel shortages outside Europe, with early warning signs already emerging in Asia as the Iran war disrupts supply routes. CEO Carsten Spohr highlighted growing concerns over fuel availability in an interview published on Wednesday.
"If shortages in the kerosene supply occur, they are likely to be felt first outside Europe," Spohr told the FAZ newspaper, adding that some Asian airports were no longer accepting additional flights because of limited fuel availability.
The German airline group has hedged more than 80% of its fuel needs for 2026, Spohr said.
A joint written statement from the Jordanian army and the Public Security Directorate stated that it neutralized one missile and two drones launched from Iran in the last 24 hours.
The statement also added that there were reports of shrapnel and ammunition debris falling in the last 24 hours, which it had investigated.
They also said that there were no casualties in the attacks, but some material damage had occurred.
The Jordanian army announced on March 28 that since the start of the war, Jordan had been subjected to 262 airstrikes by missiles and drones, of which 242 were intercepted.
Since February 28, Iran has been launching missile and drone attacks on critical targets in the region where US bases are located, as retaliation for attacks by the US and Israel.
The U.S. President, Donald Trump, has said on his Truth Social account on Wednesday that the Iranian new regime President, whom he called "much less Radicalised and far more intelligent," has asked the U.S. for a ceasefire.
He said the U.S. will consider it when the Strait of Hormuz is "Open, free and Clear".
Earlier on Wednesday, Trump also said that the United States would be "out of Iran pretty quickly" and could return for "spot hits" if needed, hours before he was scheduled to make a primetime address to the nation.
General Ali Jahanshahi, Commander of Iran’s Army Ground Forces, accused the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) of concealing losses, Anadolu reports.
According to the report, in a statement shared on Wednesday on the US social media company X, Jahanshahi threatened U.S. soldiers and also said: “The United States Central Command has heavily censored the figures on American soldiers killed. We recommend that, within the next 24 hours, families of US military personnel deployed to the region contact their children. We will see what happens.”
Russia is warning its citizens not to travel to countries that have extradition treaties with the United States, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.
Zakharova told reporters that the warning was in response to more than 100 cases where Russians had been arrested abroad at the demand of the U.S. She said it also applied to transit through foreign airports.
Three Iranian cruise missiles targeted Qatar on Wednesday, with one striking an oil tanker in the country’s territorial waters, the Qatari Defence Ministry announced.
The armed forces "successfully intercepted two of the cruise missiles, while the third missile struck an oil tanker leased to QatarEnergy in Qatar's territorial waters," the ministry said through on X.
NATO is a military alliance that ensures the security of the Euro-atlantic area and is not designed to carry out operations in the Strait of Hormuz that would breach international law, France's junior army minister said.
"Let me remind you what NATO is. It is a military alliance concerned with the security of the Euro-Atlantic region. It is not designed to carry out operations in the Strait of Hormuz, which would be a breach of international law," Alice Rufo said at the War & Peace conference.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO after allies failed to back U.S. military action against Iran, according to an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph.
The Israeli army claimed that it had killed Hajj Youssef Ismail Hashem, a commander of the Lebanese group Hezbollah, in a strike in Beirut a day earlier.
Hashem was a commander of Hezbollah’s "Southern Front," army spokesman Avichay Adraee claimed on X.
French peacekeeping troops serving in Lebanon were subjected to 'absolutely unacceptable intimidation', said France's junior army minister on Wednesday.
Indonesia has called on the United Nations to conduct an investigation into the deaths of three of its UNIFIL peacekeepers following Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon.
"We expressed our solidarity with the Indonesians. I want to send out a message of solidarity to our soldiers, who have been the subject of completely unacceptable intimidation," Alice Rufo said at the War & Peace conference in Paris, a day after returning from Lebanon.
Diplomats said three incidents took place on 28 March between French forces and Israel's military.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned the economic shocks of the war in the Middle East would be felt for months and encouraged citizens to take public transport in a rare address to the nation.
"The war in the Middle East has caused the biggest spike in petrol and diesel prices in history. Australia is not an active participant in this war. But all Australians are paying higher prices because of it," Albanese said.
Oil supply disruptions from the Middle East will rise in April and will hit Europe as supplies dwindle due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, International Energy Agency head Fatih Birol said on Wednesday.
"The loss of oil in April will be twice of oil loss in March, on top of the loss of LNG... The biggest problem today is the lack of jet fuel and diesel. We are seeing that in Asia, but soon, I think, in April or May, it would come to Europe," Birol said.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that he shared Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's position on the need to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, speaking alongside her in Tokyo.
Takaichi said she had agreed to cooperate closely with Macron to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The two met in Tokyo for talks on security and industrial cooperation.
Preparations are under way at Enghelab Square in downtown Tehran for the funeral of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ Navy commander, Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, who was killed in a recent Israel‑U.S. strike.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that Britain's long-term national interest required closer partnership with its European Union allies as the world becomes increasingly volatile and as the Middle East conflict continues.
"We will continue to stand up for the British national interest," Starmer said. "However, it is increasingly clear that as the world continues down this volatile path, our long-term national interest requires closer partnership with our allies in Europe and with the European Union."
Britain's food prices will be rising by almost 10% by the end of this year due to the Iran war, the country's food and drink manufacturers' lobby warned on Wednesday.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) said food and non-alcoholic drink inflation, previously expected to ease to 3.2% by December 2026, would now climb above 9% by that date.
The FDF, which represents about 12,000 UK food and drink manufacturers, said its forecast assumed Iran's vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route would reopen to cargo traffic within two to three weeks and that most key facilities.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he was strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO after allies failed to back U.S. military action against Iran, according to an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph.
Trump described the alliance as a "paper tiger" and said removing the United States from the defence pact was now "beyond reconsideration," the newspaper reported. He said he had long held doubts about NATO's credibility.
"Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration," Trump told the newspaper when asked about whether he would reconsider U.S. membership of the alliance after the conflict
The CEO of Abu Dhabi’s state oil company ADNOC, Sultan Al Jaber, said actions in the Strait of Hormuz amount to “global economic extortion” and a threat that cannot be tolerated.
He called for international efforts to ensure the free flow of energy and urged adherence to UN Security Council Resolution 2817 to guarantee freedom of navigation.
Sergei Naryshkin, Head of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service, said on Wednesday (1 April) that the agency is in contact with the Central Intelligence Agency of United States regarding the situation in Iran.
Malaysia said several of its ships are waiting to transit the Strait of Hormuz but have been allowed to pass without paying any tolls, according to government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil.
He clarified that Kuala Lumpur is not paying any fees to Iran, dismissing speculation circulating online.
Cybersecurity watchdog NetBlocks says Iranian authorities are maintaining a near-total internet blackout for a 33rd day, with connectivity to the global internet at less than 1% of normal levels.
The group said the shutdown comes as authorities expand a crackdown on satellite terminals, cutting off remaining channels of communication with the outside world.
Iranian media outlets, including Tasnim, are reporting a series of U.S.-Israeli attacks in southern Bushehr province, hitting a meteorological facility, injuring two Afghan workers and damaging a nearby greenhouse.
Strikes on a poultry farm in the Dashtestan area and a separate hit on a tent in Deylam county were also reported.
The reports say these incidents occurred as part of continuing strikes on civilian and infrastructure sites across the country, though independent verification of each location remains limited.
QatarEnergy reported that the Aqua 1 crude oil tanker was struck by missiles early Wednesday in Qatar’s northern territorial waters.
The company said there were no crew injuries and no environmental impact from the attack.
Israel’s Health Ministry reported that 104 people were injured and admitted to hospitals in the past 24 hours, excluding the latest casualties in central Israel.
This brings the total number of Israelis injured during the war to 6,286, with 100 still hospitalised.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels said they launched ballistic missiles at southern Israel, describing the operation as “carried out jointly” with Iran and Hezbollah.
The statement, carried by Houthi-affiliated al-Masirah TV, cited Israel’s “aggression, crimes and attacks on Lebanon, Iran, Iraq and Palestine” as justification.
The launch came three hours after Israel reported intercepting the missile.
President of the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) Elisa Lees Munoz, expressed being “deeply alarmed” over the kidnapping of American journalist Shelly Kittleson in Baghdad.
Kittleson’s whereabouts and condition remain unknown as Iraqi authorities search for her captors. Munoz emphasised Kittleson’s work covering conflict zones for outlets including Al-Monitor, Foreign Policy, BBC, and Politico.
The Saudi Ministry of Defence said its forces have intercepted and destroyed two drones in recent hours, bringing the total to four drones downed overnight.
The ministry did not provide additional details about the origin of the drones.
Authorities in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates confirmed that debris from a drone interception at a farm in Al Rifaa caused one fatality on Wednesday.
The Fujairah Media Office said response teams are on site and urged the public to follow official updates only.
A tanker off Qatar was hit by two projectiles, one causing a fire that has been extinguished and another remaining unexploded in the vessel’s engine room, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said on Wednesday (1 April).
The crew is safe, and the source of the projectiles is unconfirmed.
Yesterday, Kuwait said that one of its fully loaded oil tankers was targeted off Dubai, triggering a fire. Maritime authorities have also reported multiple security incidents affecting vessels in Gulf waters in recent days.
Syrian state television reported that explosions were heard across Damascus overnight, citing Israeli air defences intercepting Iranian missiles.
The exact nature of the explosions remains unknown, and no further details on damage or casualties have been provided.
The Israel Defense Forces said a surface-to-air missile downed an Israeli military drone during operational activity in southern Lebanon overnight.
According to airline notices and travel advisories, major UAE carriers (including Emirates, flydubai, and others) have said that Iranian nationals are no longer permitted to enter or transit through the United Arab Emirates.
Iranian nationals holding a UAE Golden Visa are exempt and allowed entry or transit.
This marks a significant tightening of travel and transit regulations affecting passengers using UAE aviation hubs.
Israel’s military said on Wednesday that it identified the launch of a missile from Yemen toward Israeli territory, with air defence systems activated to intercept the threat, though no claim of responsibility has yet been made.
The launch follows recent involvement of Yemen’s Iran‑aligned Houthi group in the broader Iran‑U.S.-Israel war, marking continued risk of the conflict spreading further.
Nepal has sharply increased fuel prices, raising aviation fuel costs for international flights by up to 117.4%, according to the state-run Nepal Oil Corporation.
The move is aimed at ensuring timely payments to India’s Indian Oil Corporation and avoiding supply disruptions.
Domestic aviation fuel prices were also nearly doubled, while petrol and diesel have risen in recent weeks and cooking gas is being rationed.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington can see “the finish line” in the Iran war, now in its fifth week, though he cautioned it is not imminent.
Speaking in an interview, Rubio signalled growing confidence within the U.S. administration that the conflict is nearing its end, even as fighting continues across the region.
An Iranian drone attack targeted fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a large fire but causing no casualties, according to state news agency KUNA.
Emergency crews were deployed to contain the blaze, with initial reports indicating only material damage at facilities operated by the Kuwait Aviation Fueling Company. Authorities said the situation is under control as assessments continue.
The U.S. rescued an airman missing from one of two warplanes downed in Iran, two U.S. officials said, as President...
Fuel leaked at Russia’s Baltic Sea port of Primorsk, while the NORSI oil refinery caught fire following drone attacks, Russian authorities sa...
Israeli airstrikes on the town of Kfar Hatta in Lebanon have reportedly killed six people and injured two, acco...
The United States rescued an airman caught behind lines after Iran shot down his F-15 fighter jet, the U.S. govern...
The family of the late Virginia Giuffre have urged King Charles III to meet survivors of sexual abuse during his upcoming state visit to the United...
The family of the late Virginia Giuffre have urged King Charles III to meet survivors of sexual abuse during his upcoming state visit to the United States.
India has purchased crude oil from Iran for the first time in seven years, as supply disruptions in the Middle East threaten global energy markets.
British police have arrested a fourth person in connection with an arson attack on ambulances belonging to a Jewish community charity. The arrest took place at a London court on Saturday, where three other suspects were already appearing.
Senegal has taken steps to curb government spending by banning non-essential foreign travel for ministers, as rising global oil prices place increasing pressure on the country’s finances.
One U.S. crew member has been rescued after two American warplanes were downed over Iran and the Gulf, as the search continues for a missing pilot, while President Donald Trump has given Tehran 48 hours to agree to a deal to end the war.
The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote next week on a Bahraini resolution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and protect commercial shipping, diplomats said on Friday, amid opposition from China to any authorisation of force.
One crew member from a U.S. warplane shot down over Iran has been rescued, U.S. officials said, as a search continues for a second crew member.
The family of the late Virginia Giuffre have urged King Charles III to meet survivors of sexual abuse during his upcoming state visit to the United States.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reshuffled his cabinet on Friday (3 April) in a bid to contain a growing scandal over the alleged fraudulent use of European Union farm subsidies.
The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote next week on a Bahraini resolution to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and protect commercial shipping, diplomats said on Friday, amid opposition from China to any authorisation of force.
One U.S. crew member has been rescued after two American warplanes were downed over Iran and the Gulf, as the search continues for a missing pilot, while President Donald Trump has given Tehran 48 hours to agree to a deal to end the war.
Iran has strongly condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb the country “back to the Stone Age”, calling his remarks an example of “war crimes and genocide.”
International law experts from across the U.S., including Harvard, Yale and Stanford, have signed an open letter saying the strikes on Iran may amount to war crimes. America and Israel began airstrikes on 28 February on Iran's capital, Tehran.
The global commodities market is facing a severe structural supply shock after a series of coordinated military strikes in the Middle East devastated critical industrial infrastructure, threatening the manufacturing base of Western economies.
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