President Trump called on countries to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while Starmer said the UK is working with allies to restore navigation and stabilise oil markets. It comes as a strike near Iraq’s western border killed several Hashed al-Shaabi fighters, raising regional tensions.
We’re closing this live blog for now. For the latest news and analysis on the Middle East crisis, continue to check our coverage.
A direct communications channel between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been reactivated in recent days, Axios reported Monday (16 March), citing a U.S. official and another source familiar with the matter.
The outlet said it was unclear how substantive the exchanges had been, noting it would be the first known direct contact since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
Axios reported that Araghchi had sent text messages to Witkoff, though a U.S. official said Washington was “not talking” to Tehran.
Earlier, Drop Site News reported that Witkoff had sent messages, but Iranian officials said the minister was not responding.
Israel said Monday (16 March) that Lebanese residents displaced by its military campaign would not be allowed to return to their homes until the safety of Israelis living near the border is ensured, as Israeli troops push into new areas of southern Lebanon.
Israeli military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said ground forces were conducting operations in “new locations,” describing the offensive as limited and targeted.
The expanded operation follows remarks by Defence Minister Israel Katz, who warned Lebanon could face territorial losses and infrastructure damage if Hezbollah is not disarmed.
Authorities in Abu Dhabi said on Monday (16 March) they were responding to a fire at the Shah oil and gas field following a drone attack. The Abu Dhabi Media Office said no injuries had been reported so far.
The Shah field, located about 180 km southwest of the capital, is one of the world’s largest sour gas fields and a key part of the UAE’s energy infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday it remains unclear whether Iran’s newly named leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei is still alive following reports he was injured in an air strike.
Speaking at a White House event, Trump said Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen publicly since the attack and that conflicting reports suggest he may have been badly wounded or even killed.
Mojtaba Khamenei was named Iran’s leader after his father, Ali Khamenei, was killed in the early stages of the war, but uncertainty over his condition has complicated potential communication channels between Washington and Tehran.
Qatar has condemned a missile attack on a civilian vehicle in the Al Bahia area of the United Arab Emirates, which killed one person.
In a statement, the Qatari Foreign Ministry described the strike as a serious escalation and a violation of the UAE’s sovereignty, warning that Iran’s expanding confrontation with neighboring countries threatens regional security and stability.
The ministry called on Tehran to halt what it described as irresponsible escalation and reaffirmed Qatar’s solidarity with the UAE and its support for measures to protect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Iranian opposition groups are facing harsh conditions, accusing the government in Tehran of killing demonstrators during ongoing unrest.
Speaking at a White House event, Trump said protesters “don’t have guns,” suggesting they are largely unarmed as authorities crack down on anti-government demonstrations.
President Donald Trump has urged nations to assist in reopening shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, saying countries should be “happily helping us”.
Speaking ahead of a lunch at the Kennedy Centre on Monday, Trump said some countries had indicated they were “on the way” to support the effort, while others were less enthusiastic about joining the mission to secure the critical oil transit route.
President Donald Trump has said the United States military campaign against Iran has continued “in full force” over recent days, claiming that more than 7,000 targets have been hit since the beginning of the conflict.
At least four fighters from Iraq’s Hashed al-Shaabi coalition have been killed in a strike near the country’s western border with Syria, Iraqi security officials say.
The attack took place at a checkpoint on the outskirts of the city of al-Qaim. Three other fighters were wounded, according to a local security source.
A Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation Forces, PMF) official put the death toll at five and blamed the United States, saying the strike targeted a checkpoint housing PMF personnel alongside army and police forces. The PMF includes several pro-Iranian groups and is now formally integrated into Iraq’s regular military structure.
Member countries of the International Energy Agency (IEA) may release additional emergency oil reserves “as and if needed”, the agency’s executive director, Fatih Birol, said on Monday.
Birol noted that despite the largest coordinated release of emergency stocks in history, over 1.4 billion barrels remain in IEA reserves. He explained that once the current release is completed, the reserves will be reduced by only around 20%.
“Despite this huge release, we still have a lot of stocks left,” Birol said in a video statement, signalling that further action could be taken to stabilise global oil markets if the situation in the Middle East continues to disrupt supply.
The European Union has imposed sanctions on 16 individuals and three entities accused of serious human rights violations in Iran.
In a statement, the Council of the EU said the measures target those who played a key role in suppressing street protests in January 2026, which left thousands of civilians injured or dead.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has accused some neighbouring countries of actively encouraging the killing of Iranian citizens.
Speaking on Monday, Araqchi said these states, which host U.S. forces and allow military action against Iran, were complicit in the ongoing attacks. He said that hundreds of civilians, including more than 200 children, have been killed in strikes by Israeli and U.S. forces.
“Stances should be promptly clarified,” he wrote in a post on X, Iran’s official social media platform.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi spoke by phone on Monday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio following President Donald Trump’s call for allies to form a coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Japan’s Foreign Ministry, the ministers exchanged views on the situation in the Middle East, particularly developments involving Iran.
Motegi condemned Iran’s attacks on civilian and energy facilities in Gulf countries and stressed that threats to navigation in the Strait of Hormuz endanger international security.
"He also noted that ensuring freedom and safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is extremely important to the international community, including Japan, from the perspective of energy security, and said that Japan will continue to make all necessary diplomatic efforts in cooperation with the international community, including the United States," the foreign ministry added.
He said Japan will continue diplomatic cooperation with the United States and other nations and confirmed that the two sides will maintain close communication. The discussion also touched on Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s upcoming visit to Washington.
Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Takaichi said Japan has not decided to dispatch naval vessels to escort ships in the Middle East, and a Foreign Ministry official noted there was no request from Rubio for Japan to send warships.
Six hospitals in Iran have been evacuated since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war, but the country’s healthcare system is still coping, a World Health Organization official said on Monday.
WHO regional director Hanan Balkhy said Iran’s medical infrastructure remains robust and has so far managed the growing number of casualties without requesting emergency aid.
Iran says more than 1,300 people have been killed and over 7,000 injured since the conflict began on 28 February. The WHO has also verified 18 attacks on healthcare facilities and the deaths of eight medical workers.
Officials also warned that toxic “black rain” from damaged oil sites could increase respiratory illnesses.
A UN investigation has found “reasonable grounds” to believe an Israeli airstrike on Tehran’s Evin prison last June could amount to a war crime.
Sara Hossain, head of the UN fact-finding mission on Iran, told the Human Rights Council that the strike appeared to have intentionally targeted a civilian site. Iranian authorities say more than 70 people were killed; UN investigators estimate about 80 victims, including women and a child.
The prison, known for holding political detainees, has also been damaged in the latest U.S.-Israeli air strikes, raising concern for inmates, including a British couple.
South Africa has said it will not distance itself from Iran despite pressure from Washington, according to the country’s director-general of international relations, Zane Dangor.
Dangor said Pretoria had “no reason to cut ties with Iran”, adding that South Africa would not be drawn into great-power “sphere of influence politics”.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will hold a press conference on Monday before attending a scheduled board meeting at the Kennedy Centre.
Trump announced the plan in a post on Truth Social but did not provide further details about the timing or the topics he intends to address.
The Ministry of Defence reported that seven people have died, including two UAE military personnel and five foreign civilians from Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Palestine.
A further 145 people have been injured, with severity ranging from moderate to severe. Those affected include citizens from Sweden, Turkey, Nigeria, India, Ghana, and other countries.
Since the start of the Iran war, the UAE says its air defences have intercepted 304 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,627 UAVs.
Israel has warned that Lebanese civilians displaced by its military operations will not be able to return to their homes until the safety of Israelis living near the border is guaranteed.
The statement came as Israeli forces advanced into new areas of southern Lebanon, intensifying their campaign against Hezbollah.
In a briefing, military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said troops were now operating in “new locations that our troops were not in yesterday”.
He described the offensive as “limited and targeted”, without specifying how far forces would advance or whether new positions would be established.
Spain has confirmed it will not participate in any military mission in the Strait of Hormuz, declaring the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran illegal, officials said on Monday.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s leftist coalition has criticised the offensive and barred U.S. aircraft from using jointly operated bases in southern Spain.
Defence Minister Margarita Robles rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s request for support to secure the waterway, which Tehran has largely blocked for oil tankers, saying: “Spain will never accept any stopgap measures… the objective must be for the war to end, and for it to end now.”
Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares added that the EU should prioritise ending the conflict over economic concerns, warning against any action that could escalate tensions.
The scheduled meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month may be adjusted due to logistical issues caused by the ongoing war in Iran, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Monday.
Trump said on Sunday he might postpone the summit if China does not help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for 20% of global oil and LNG. The Chinese foreign ministry has not yet commented.
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said Europe should stay open to helping ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, even if it does not back the U.S.-Israeli decision to go to war with Iran.
Speaking ahead of EU foreign ministers’ talks, Rasmussen said: “We must face the world as it is, not as we want it to be.” Any European role, he added, should focus on de-escalation.
Pope Leo has called on journalists to focus on the human suffering caused by war rather than turning conflicts into propaganda.
Speaking to broadcasters from Italy’s TG2 television news programme on Monday, the Pope said reporters should “show the face of war and tell it through the eyes of the victims, so as not to turn it into a video game.”
He warned that, in dramatic wartime circumstances, news coverage risks becoming a “megaphone of power” if journalists fail to verify information and merely amplify those in authority.
The United States is currently “fine” with certain vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Speaking to CNBC on Monday, Bessent said that Iranian, Indian, and Chinese ships are being allowed through the strategic waterway for now.
"We are seeing more and more of the fuel ships start to go through. The Iranian ships have been getting out already, and we've let that happen to supply the rest of the world. We've seen Indian ships go out now ... we believe some Chinese ships have gone out," he told CNBC in an interview.
Italy has stressed that diplomacy should be the primary response to tensions in the Hormuz Strait.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told reporters: “As far as Hormuz is concerned I believe diplomacy needs to prevail.”
Italy is currently involved in defensive naval missions in the Red Sea, but Tajani said there are no plans to extend operations to the Hormuz Strait.
The comments come after U.S. President Donald Trump urged allies to join a mission to protect shipping in the strait.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday the government would provide £53 million ($70.3 million) in support to help vulnerable households cope with rising heating oil costs as tensions linked to the Middle East conflict continue to affect energy prices.
The government said the price of kerosene, widely used as heating oil, has been particularly impacted and is now about twice the cost of crude oil.
The financial support will mainly target low-income households in rural areas, especially in Northern Ireland, where a much higher proportion of homes rely on heating oil for warmth.
Under the plan, Northern Ireland will receive £17 million, while England will get £27 million, Scotland £4.6 million, and Wales £3.8 million.
The government also announced additional measures, including stronger consumer protections in the heating oil market and funding for the competition watchdog to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the sector.
Starmer said the government would not allow energy companies to profit from the situation and would issue legal directions requiring suppliers to pass savings on to consumers.
Germany has warned that a large-scale Israeli ground campaign in Lebanon would significantly worsen the already fragile humanitarian situation, expressing deep concern over recent developments in the region.
A government spokesperson in Berlin said on Monday that the situation along this part of the war zone was particularly worrying, pointing to indications that preparations for a major Israeli ground offensive may be under way.
“A glance at this part of the war zone fills us with concern because we see preparations for a major Israeli ground offensive, which would significantly worsen the already tense humanitarian situation in the region,” the spokesperson said.
The European Union unveiled €458 million euros ($525 million) in humanitarian aid for the Middle East on Monday.
"In a war-torn Middle East, the European Union is stepping up while others step back," Hadja Lahbib, the EU's commissioner in charge of humanitarian crises, said.
Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt will benefit from the aid package.
"Ultimately, we have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ensure stability in the (oil) market. That is not a simple task," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters at a press conference in London on Monday.
"So we're working with all of our allies, including our European partners, to bring together a viable collective plan that can restore freedom of navigation in the region as quickly as possible and ease the economic impact," he added.
The Middle East conflict is disrupting the flow of critical medicines, including cancer drugs, to the Gulf, industry executives have warned.
While major shortages have yet to emergy, that could change if the conflict persists, a number of industry bosses have said. The Gulf relies heavily on imports of medicines.
The London-based, independent, global internet monitor said Iran's internet blackout had surpassed 384 hours on Monday in a post on social media.
Speaking ahead of an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Monday, Johann Wadephul said: "I don't see that NATO has made any decision in this direction or could assume responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz. If that were the case, then the NATO bodies would address it accordingly."
It comes as U.S. President Donald Trump ratcheted up pressure on European allies to help protect the strait, warning that NATO faces a "very bad" future if its members fail to come to Washington’s aid.
A Palestinian national died in Abu Dhabi's Al Bahyah area after a rocket struck a vehicle, the emirate's media office said in a post on X on Monday.
Oil loading operations have been halted at the UAE port of Fujairah after a drone attack sparked a fire, two sources told Reuters on Monday.
Fujairah, located on the Gulf of Oman just outside the Strait of Hormuz, is typically a critical exit point for about one million barrels of oil per day.
Civil defense teams are currently working to control the blaze.
The continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz will create "food deprivation" next year, EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas warned on Monday. Kallas said the strait's closure was a problem for the production of fertilisers.
She said: "If there is a lack of fertilisers this year, there's going to be also food deprivation next year."
Authorities say some flights are gradually resuming to and from Dubai International Airport after operations were temporarily suspended for "precautionary measures".
In a statement posted on X, the Dubai Media Office said the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority had approved the gradual resumption of selected flights after the precautionary suspension.
The halt in operations was announced after a fire affected a fuel tank at the airport. Authorities said the incident was contained and no injuries were reported.
Passengers have been advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates on flight schedules as operations continue to return to normal.
The disruption comes amid heightened regional tensions following the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, which has seen an increase in drone and missile activity across the Gulf region.
Saudi air defences have intercepted and destroyed three additional drones over Riyadh and the Eastern Province, bringing the total number of drones shot down since early Monday to 64, according to the Saudi Defence Ministry’s spokesperson.
In a post on X, the spokesperson said the latest interceptions followed earlier operations in which Saudi forces shot down multiple drones over the Eastern Province earlier in the day.
The incidents come amid escalating regional tensions following joint strikes by Israel and the United States on Iran on February 28.
Iran has since launched retaliatory drone and missile attacks targeting Israel as well as countries hosting US military assets across the region, including Jordan, Iraq, and several Gulf states. Saudi Arabia has stepped up air-defence operations in response to the heightened threat.
South Korea's ruling Democratic Party said on Monday that the government will lift limits on coal-fired power generation capacity and raise nuclear power plant utilisation to as high as 80%, as the country grapples with the energy crisis caused by the Middle East conflict.
Beirut's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it denounced "in the strongest and harshest terms" a shooting in south Lebanon on Sunday (15 March) that resulted in the injury of a member of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
UN peacekeepers in Lebanon have repeatedly come under attack since fighting between Israel and Hezbollah escalated at the start of March.
The Israel Defense Forces said on Monday that it had begun limited ground operations against the militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon in recent days.
The emergency support funds will "support critical health operations" in the countries amid rising humanitarian needs in the countries, triggered by the Middle East conflict.
In Lebanon, rises in the number of injured patients and damage to health infrastructure is placing severe strain on health services, according to the WHO. Meanwhile, in Iraq, health services are facing increasing pressure, the agency added.
Syria is facing an influx of refugees due to conflict in Lebanon, with more than 104,300 people recently crossing the border.
The UAE's National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority announced it was reacting to a missile threat in a social media post on Monday morning (16 March).
The UAE's Defence Ministry added that its air defences were dealing with missile attacks and drones from Iran, in a separate post on X.
State support for industries, cuts to national taxes, and using an upcoming revision of the EU carbon market to ease CO2 permit supply are all on the cards, according to EU officials familiar with discussions.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said Brussels was also considering capping gas prices.
A fifth member of the Iranian women's football team has left Australia after they were granted asylum by the country because of the conflict. It comes after more people left on Saturday, bringing the total number of women to five.
Names were not confirmed but Iranian state TV says one is Captain Zahra Ghanbari.
The new development leaves two out of the original seven women who were granted Humanitarian Visas by the Australian government.
Activists are blaming Iran's regime for pressuring players to go home.
Two Israeli officials have said that the two countries are expected to hold talks to secure a durable ceasefire. Timings are yet to be agreed.
Three Lebanese officials say President Joseph Aoun's first point of negotiation is a full ceasefire to allow negotiations to take place. Lebanese officials say they have not yet received official notification of talks from Israel.
20 crew members from the Mayuree Naree ship, which was hit in the Strait of Hormuz last week, have returned home. It was struck by two missiles, setting it alight in the middle of the key shipping corridor.
Thailand summoned the Iranian Ambassador in the wake of the attack, demanding an explanation for the attack.
The crew landed in Bangkok at 8 am local time with an official from Thailand’s Department of Consular Affairs adding that the crew members are in good health and “ready to return to their duties again.”
Seyed Abbas Aragchi, Tehran's Foreign Minister, said the targeting of fuel depots could result in residents facing long-term damage to their health. He added that the attacks violated "international law."
Donald Trump accused Iran of using artificial intelligence as a “disinformation weapon” to misrepresent its wartime successes and support in a social media post on Sunday (15 March).
The U.S. President also claimed, without evidence, that Western media outlets were working in "close coordination" with Iran to spread AI-generated fake news.
“AI can be very dangerous; we have to be very careful with it,” Trump added later in remarks to reporters on Air Force One.
President Donald Trump is working to establish a group of countries who will work together to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The U.S. President is hoping to announce the coalition later this week, Axios reported on Sunday (15 March), citing four sources.
Since the beginning of the Middle East conflict on 28 February, Iran has effectively shut the sea passage between Oman and Iran. A number of ships that have attempted to navigate the strait have been attacked. Around 20% of the world's oil normally passes through the channel.
Flights at Dubai's main international airport have been halted after a drone strike caused a fire nearby, Dubai's Media Office said in a post on X. No injuries have been reported.
Emirates Airlines also announced in a post on X that flights to and from Dubai had been suspended. The airline urged passengers not to go to the airport.
A senior Iranian military officer warned that American troops will become &lsq...
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island&rsq...
Russian drone attacks on Ukraine have killed four people, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday (28 March). ...
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More than 372,000 people were left without electricity in Russia’s southern region of Dagestan after heavy rain triggered severe flooding, of...
A senior Iranian military officer warned that American troops will become ‘food for sharks’ on Sunday if the U.S. launches a ground offensive in Iran. The threat came as contingents of U.S. Marines began to arrive in the Middle East, with thousands expected to be deployed in the region.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
Russian drone attacks on Ukraine have killed four people, Ukrainian officials said on Saturday (28 March).
The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission have arrived in Florida, entering the final phase of preparations for the first crewed journey towards the Moon in more than five decades
The involvement of Yemen’s Houthis has heightened regional tensions as the Iran-aligned group joins the conflict. The U.S. says it is hopeful of holding talks with Iran in the coming days, while Tehran has said that "talking and bombing is intolerable". Welcome to our live coverage of the conflict.
Cuba and the United States have been at odds for more than six decades, with tensions rooted in the 1959 revolution that transformed the island’s political and economic system. Renewed focus on relations comes as Donald Trump’s rhetoric intensifies and conditions on the island worsen.
The four astronauts selected for NASA’s Artemis II mission have arrived in Florida, entering the final phase of preparations for the first crewed journey towards the Moon in more than five decades
Iranian Military Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Ibrahim Zulfiqari has warned that American soldiers will become 'food for sharks' if U.S. President Donald Trump launches ground attacks against Iran. The threat comes after the U.S. military said it was deploying thousands of Marines to the region.
China is moving ahead with plans to establish a nationwide long-term care insurance system, aimed at supporting its rapidly ageing population and easing the financial burden on families caring for elderly relatives.
More than 372,000 people were left without electricity in Russia’s southern region of Dagestan after heavy rain triggered severe flooding, officials said.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said his government will absorb a 56bn-rupee fuel subsidy to shield people from rising energy costs linked to the Middle East conflict.
The involvement of Yemen’s Houthis has heightened regional tensions as the Iran-aligned group joins the conflict. The U.S. says it is hopeful of holding talks with Iran in the coming days, while Tehran has said that "talking and bombing is intolerable". Welcome to our live coverage of the conflict.
AnewZ has released the official trailer for its upcoming original documentary, Halfway Across, an investigation into the systems behind illegal migration.
Hamas would have to allow its vast network of tunnels in Gaza to be destroyed as it gives up its weapons over eight months, under a disarmament plan drawn up by the U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace.
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