Israel says it has killed Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy.
Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday that Malaysian vessels were now being allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. He said he has been in talks with the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Turkey and other regional countries to facilitate peace in the Middle East.
In a televised address where he thanked the Iranian president for allowing the passage of Malaysian ships, he said, "We are now in the process of releasing the Malaysian oil tankers and the workers involved so that they may continue their journey home."
According to the US 5th Fleet, A U.S. Navy sailor was injured aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) while the aircraft carrier was conducting flight operations in the Arabian Sea on 25 March. The injury aboard USS Abraham Lincoln is not combat-related nor life-threatening.
In a post on his Truth Social account, the U.S. president Donald Trump said that the nations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have done "absolutely nothing" to help with the war in Iran.
Trump, in his post, also said that Iran is now "militarily decimated" and further said that the "U.S needs nothing from NATO but 'never forget' this very important point in time!"
As of March 20-22, approximately 1,900 vessels are stranded in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz, according to the real-time ship tracker MarineTraffic.
Among the stranded are some 324 bulk carriers, 315 oil/chemical product carriers, 267 petroleum product carriers, and 211 crude oil tankers.
According to analytics firm Vortexa, about 190 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products are aboard tankers stranded in the region.
According to Anadolu News Agency, citing Axios, the Pentagon is "developing military options for a ‘final blow’ in Iran that could include the use of ground forces and a massive bombing campaign".
Israel’s Health Ministry said in a statement on Thursday, 26 March, that 149 people have been injured by Iranian attacks in the past 24 hours.
Three of the injured are in critical condition. The ministry said a total of 5,229 people have been wounded since the start of the war with Iran
According to the Ministry, 114 people of the people injured are still hospitalized, 14 in serious condition, 28 in moderate condition, and 70 with minor injuries.
Israel says it has killed Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy.
Israel's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, says Tangsiri was "directly responsible for the terrorist act of bombing and blocking the Strait of Hormuz".
He adds that some other "senior Naval command officials" have also been killed.
There was no immediate confirmation from Iran regarding the claim.
A cargo train carrying Russian humanitarian aid for Iran has arrived at Qaradagh station in Azerbaijan, officials said, as assistance continues to flow amid the ongoing conflict.
The train, operated by Russia’s emergency ministry, consists of 31 wagons transporting more than 300 tonnes of medicines and medical supplies. It follows an earlier delivery of more than 13 tonnes sent on 12 March via Azerbaijani territory.
The aid effort comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for helping evacuate Russian citizens from Iran and facilitating the transit of humanitarian supplies.
The Israeli military said one soldier has been killed during combat operations in southern Lebanon, amid ongoing clashes with Hezbollah along the border.
The latest death brings the total number of Israeli soldiers killed in the area to three since early March, following two fatalities reported on 8 March.
China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing is ready to play a constructive role in efforts to ease the conflict involving Iran, calling for dialogue, negotiation, and an immediate ceasefire.
Spokesperson Lin Jian highlighted concerns over the war’s impact on Middle East stability and global oil markets, urging all parties to de‑escalate tensions.
France is set to announce targeted measures to ease rising energy costs driven by the ongoing Iran war, French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said on Thursday.
The government plans to support sectors most affected, including trucking companies and fisheries, which are struggling with soaring energy bills.
“In the next few days we will be able to announce new measures,” Lescure told French Radio broadcaster RTL, adding that previous support had already been extended to high-mileage drivers.
Lescure also said he had called a meeting of G7 finance and energy ministers, along with central bankers, on Monday to coordinate a response to the energy crisis. Updates will follow as details of the measures emerge.
Israel has reportedly removed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf from its hit-list, a Pakistani official told Reuters on Thursday.
According to the official, Israel had the coordinates to target the two Iranian leaders, but Pakistan intervened, asking the United States to ensure they were not eliminated. “If they are also eliminated then there is no one else to talk to, hence the U.S. asked the Israelis to back off,” the official said.
Türkiye’s Transport Minister has confirmed that an oil tanker was struck by an explosion in the Black Sea, near the Bosphorus Strait, caused by an unmanned marine vessel.
At least two people have died in Abu Dhabi after debris from an intercepted missile struck Sweihan Road, authorities confirmed on Thursday.
The emirate’s media office reported that three others were injured and several vehicles were damaged in the incident.
The UAE says its air defence systems are actively dealing with a missile threat, with authorities monitoring the situation closely.
The Israeli Defence Forces say they have identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israel, with sirens and defensive systems activated.
The Israeli military has carried out a series of strikes across Iran, including in the central city of Isfahan, the Israeli Defence Forces said on Thursday.
In a brief statement, the military said its forces “completed a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in several areas across Iran.”
Trade ministers have gathered in Yaoundé, Cameroon, for four days of talks on reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO), amid warnings that failure could push countries to set trade rules outside the organisation.
The meeting comes amid global trade tensions, including disruptions from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and past tariff conflicts under Donald Trump. John Denton of the International Chamber of Commerce warned energy price spikes and fertilizer shortages could trigger a severe industrial and food crisis.
Ministers face deep divisions: the U.S. supports reforms but resists a detailed work plan, while the EU, Britain, and China back one. Key disputes include the extension of the moratorium on digital download duties, with Jamieson Greer seeking a permanent extension and India opposing. South Korea’s Yeo Han-Koo warned failure would be “a big blow” to the WTO.
The Philippines has temporarily suspended its wholesale electricity spot market across all three grids due to fuel supply risks and price volatility caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict, the country’s Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said on Thursday.
The ERC has proposed a temporary pricing scheme expected to take effect by 1 April, under which coal plants would be paid a fixed rate, natural gas plants compensated based on contracted prices, and renewable sources such as hydro and geothermal managed under administered pricing with preferential dispatch.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has called on citizens and businesses to reduce electricity consumption amid rising fuel costs, warning that energy conservation is vital to stabilising prices and easing pressure on the national grid.
Foreign ministers from the G7 – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the U.S. - alongside the EU, are meeting near Paris amid ongoing wars in Ukraine and Iran, economic uncertainty, and concerns over unpredictable U.S. policy under Donald Trump.
A key focus will be a briefing from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on U.S. and Israeli actions in Iran, including the Strait of Hormuz, and potential diplomatic solutions.
Abu Dhabi state oil company ADNOC’s CEO, Sultan Al Jaber, has described any Iranian attempt to curb passage through the Strait of Hormuz as “economic terrorism,” saying such actions threaten the global economy.
Speaking in the United States on Wednesday, Al Jaber said: “When Iran holds Hormuz hostage, every nation pays the ransom, at the gas pump, at the grocery store, at the pharmacy. No country can be allowed to destabilise the global economy in this way. Not now. Not ever.”
Iran has told intermediaries that Lebanon must be part of any ceasefire with the U.S. and Israel, linking an end to the month-long war to a halt in Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah, six regional sources said.
Hezbollah has received “Iranian guarantees” of inclusion, reflecting Tehran’s continued backing of the group, which opened fire on Israel on 2 March, urging Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
“Iran is prioritising Lebanon - it will not accept Israeli violations like after the 2024 ceasefire,” a source said. Israeli officials say they are not negotiating with Iran.
Iran has threatened to launch sustained strikes on a regional country if an alleged plan to occupy an Iranian island goes ahead, with parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf saying intelligence points to “enemies” preparing such a move with outside support.
He said Iranian forces are closely monitoring developments and warned that any action would trigger “continuous and relentless” attacks on critical infrastructure in the unnamed country.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has said Tehran is not looking for war but insists any resolution must deliver a lasting end to the conflict.
He rejected the idea of a temporary ceasefire, arguing that only firm guarantees preventing future attacks would be acceptable.
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Both the United States and Iran are giving conflicting messages about trying to end the conflict in the Middle East as the rest of the world battle with the consequences of the war. Welcome to AnewZ's coverage of the tensions in the Middle East.
Israel says it has killed Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen resigned on Wednesday after her coalition suffered a heavy election defeat, triggering negotiations over who will form the next government.
A drone has flown into Estonian airspace from Russia. It happened early on Wednesday morning and slammed into a chimney at a local power station, the Baltic country's Internal Security Service told public broadcaster ERR.
Iran has rejected a U.S. proposal to end the war, insisting any ceasefire will occur only on its own terms and timeline, according to a senior political-security official speaking to state-run Press TV on Wednesday.
Russia has delivered a large shipment of humanitarian aid to Iran, as ongoing conflict damages health infrastructure and leaves civilians in urgent need of care.
Georgia’s political crisis is intensifying as Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze hardens his stance on protest-related arrests, insisting that detainees must show “repentance and confession” before any discussion of amnesty or pardon can begin.
Central Asia’s energy systems are becoming increasingly vulnerable as countries depend heavily on single power sources while facing mounting climate pressures, a new report by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) warns.
A marine drone struck a Turkish crude oil tanker that had departed Russia, causing an explosion in the Black Sea near Istanbul's Bosphorus strait on Thursday, Türkiye's transportation minister said.
There’s little indication that recent developments between the United States and Iran have shifted either side’s core positions, according to political analyst James Dorsey who spoke to AnewZ on the Daybreak programme.
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