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.
Thank you for joining us on the blog today. The top headlines are:
Yemen's Houthis group has launched missles and got itself involved in the war, escalating regional tensions.
Israel has targeted journalists in Lebanon and killed at least three.
12 U.S. troops were wounded in Saudi Arabia
Missiles have been fired in and out of Iran to neighbouring countries, including Iraq and Syria - in a sign that the conflict is widening
Pakistan is to host talks with Egypt, Saudia Arabia and Türkiye tomorrow (29 March) and Monday 30 March to help bring about peace.
The U.S. says it is hopeful of talks with Iran "this week" Special Envoy Steve Witkoff as Iran tells Pakistan that it trust is needed for peace.
We will be back tomorrow for our coverage, in the meantime please see our other articles and follow us on social media.
Full story: Pakistan government steps in to shield citizens from fuel costs
Al Manar TV has described Ali Hassan Shaib as an "icon of resistance reporting".
Al Mayadeen network said Fatima Fatouni had been distinguished by her brave and objective coverage. "The problem of the enemy is that they want to kill the narrative. The word can never be shot" said Al Mayadeen’s director in Beirut.
At least 3 journalists have been killed in a strike in Lebanon, with Israel taking responsibility for Shaib's death - see update 14:05 below.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye Hakan Fidan has said the “unlawful strikes” against Iran are pushing the region toward the brink of a wider war, fueled by "relentless Israeli escalation".
He was speaking at the International Strategic Communication Summit 2026 in Istanbul and stated that as the conflict prolongs, the geopolitical and economic complications multiply at an alarming rate.
"We (Türkiye) declared our strong opposition to Israel's expansionist policies, particularly its latest aggression against Lebanon. To operationalize these efforts, we continue our constant high-level dialogue. Our objective is to chart out actionable steps to end this conflict as soon as possible."
"This senseless war must end. Before further destruction unfolds, before deeper enmities take root, before the global economy suffers irreversible damage. The channels of dialogue must be open, and a result-oriented negotiation process must commence swiftly"
Danish container shipping group Maersk has temporarily suspended its operations at the Port of Salalah in Oman after a security incident on Saturday.
Reuters reports that the shipping giant released a statement saying all crew were safe and accounted for, and no company cargo or vessels were affected.
Maersk estimates activities will return to normal in 48 hours.
The region has experienced disruptions following a joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran in February. Iran has retaliated by targeting U.S. bases within the region.
Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani’s home was struck by a droneearlier today, security sources say. Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani condemned the attack and spoke to Barzani on the phone.
Air defences also shot down a drone near a Peshmerga fighters’ base in Duhok, the sources added.
A drone attack on a village also occurred in Iran’s Qazvin province, killing six and wounding 15 others, a provincial official said on Saturday. Another strike hit a residential area in the Najafabad village, according to the spokesperson for the province’s security council.
The strikes come amid a surge in attacks on both Iran-aligned militias and Kurdish forces as the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran spills over into Iraq, drawing in multiple armed groups and straining Baghdad’s efforts to contain the fallout.
An Israeli strike on a media car in southern Lebanon has killed Lebanese broadcast journalists, Lebanon's Al Manar TV reported on Saturday. They have been named as Ali Shuaib and Al-Mayadeen correspondent Fatima Fatouni. A cameraman was also killed but the name has not been released yet.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed on social media site X that they have "eliminated" Ali Hassan Shaib who, they say, "operated as a Hezbollah Radwan Force terrorist under the guise of a journalist".
Al Manar is a Hezbollah-linked channel.
The Lebanese Prime Minister has condemned the attack saying it is a violation of international law:
"Once again, the Israeli aggression violates the most basic rules of international law, international humanitarian law and the laws of war, by targeting journalists, who are ultimately civilians performing a professional duty," Aoun said in a statement released by the presidency.
"This is a blatant crime that violates all the norms and treaties under which journalists enjoy international protection in wars."
🔴ELIMINATED: For years, Ali Hassan Shaib operated as a Hezbollah Radwan Force terrorist under the guise of a journalist.
Turns out the “press vest” was just a cover for terror. pic.twitter.com/24F7MJ3Yth — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 28, 2026
Developing...
Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant has been struck for the third time in 10 days and further attacks pose a direct threat to nucler safety, the head of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom said on Saturday after another strike near the facility.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said on Friday that Iran had informed it of another strike in the vicinity of the plant, with no damage to the operating reactor and no release of radiation reported.
Prime Minister of Pakistan Shebaz Sharif has announced a 56bn-rupee fuel subsidy to shield people from rising energy costs. It comes as earlier this month the government increased consumer prices for diesel and petrol.
Iran has allowed two Pakistani cargo ships to transit through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Anadolu reports.
The vessels, Multan and P-Aliki, which were stuck after Iranian forces took control of the strait earlier this month, have crossed the waterway and are on their way to Pakistan.
Multan is a cargo ship, while P-Akili is carrying over 80 million liters of crude oil.
They are expected to dock at the Karachi port on March 31, a source privy to the matter said.
Sources told Anadolu that the two ships were also escorted by Iranian forces until they were in safe waters.
This is the second time Tehran has allowed a Pakistani ship to pass through the strait since the ongoing conflict began on 28 February. A Pakistani oil tanker transited through the Strait of Hormuz on 16 March.
The U.S. and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on 28 February, which resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets and disrupting global markets and aviation.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has demanded the U.S. promptly conclude and publish its investigation into the "visceral horror" of a strike on a Minab elementary school.
Speaking at an urgent UN debate on Friday, Türk condemned the targeting of Iranian civilian infrastructure and nuclear sites as "reckless beyond comprehension."
Iranian officials report the death toll from the Minab attack has risen to over 175 students and teachers, labeling the strike a "calculated" attack.
Foreign Minister Araghchi stated that since military actions began on Feb 28, over 600 schools have been damaged and more than 1,000 students or teachers killed or injured.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has said the country only retaliates when attacked, in a post on social media platform X.
However, Iran has launched strikes on Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, over the past month, citing the presence of U.S. military bases in those countries.
We have said many times that Iran doesn't carry out preemptive attacks, but we will retaliate strongly if our infrastructure or economic centers are targeted.
To the countries of the region:
If you want development and security, don't let our enemies run the war from your lands. — Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) March 28, 2026
Thai oil vessels can now pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz after an agreement was reached between Thailand and Iran, according to The Times of Israel.
The outlet reports that Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reached the agreement a day after Iran said the strait was closed to all countries.
“An agreement has been reached to allow Thai oil tankers to transit safely through the Strait of Hormuz,” Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says at a press conference, adding the development would alleviate concerns over fuel imports.
The development follows an incident earlier this month in which the Thai vessel Mayuree Naree was struck while operating in the shipping lane.
Explosions, missile strikes and other military activity were reported across several Iranian cities overnight into Saturday, according to eyewitness accounts, Iran International reports.
In the capital, Tehran, a series of strikes were reported. A government building in the Tochal–Velenjak area was said to have been hit and destroyed at 01:10 local time.
Heavy explosions were also heard in the Hakimiyeh area between midnight and 01:00, while multiple blasts and flashes were reported in Lavizan at 01:04.
An explosion was reported on Simon Bolivar Street at 02:00. Eyewitnesses also said that at 03:00 a satellite research centre at Iran University of Science and Technology was struck, with the blast wave damaging nearby buildings.
Elsewhere, explosions were reported in Shahin Vila in Karaj, west of Tehran, at 02:03.
In Isfahan, central Iran, a heavy explosion was reported at an army artillery facility at 01:35.
Further west, a missile strike was reported in Borujerd, in Lorestan province, at 04:00.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has told Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that trust is essential to facilitate talks and mediation on the Middle East conflict, Sharif’s office says.
During the call, Pezeshkian praised Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts. The two leaders discussed ongoing hostilities in the region and attempts to end the conflict.
Sharif also briefed Pezeshkian on Pakistan’s diplomatic contacts with the United States and Gulf states.
The call comes as Pakistan prepares to host representatives from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt for two days of talks aimed at addressing the conflict (see 09:08).
A U.S. military support vessel was targeted near Oman, according to Iranian state-affiliated media.
Mehr News Agency, citing a military spokesperson, reported that the vessel was targeted early on Saturday, near the port of Salalah.
A spokesperson for Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said:
"In the early morning of 28 March, a support vessel belonging to the U.S. military was targeted by the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran at a significant distance from the port of Salalah in Oman."
Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters (KACHQ) coordinates Iran's military operations and oversees operational command and control.
The three countries are due to meet in Islamabad for two days of talks aimed at de-escalating regional tensions, Pakistan has said.
Pakistan is hosting representatives from the three countries on Sunday and Monday for discussions "on a range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region".
Egypt’s foreign ministry confirmed that Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty will attend.
Pakistan has positioned itself as a mediator in the conflict and said it had passed on a U.S.-drafted 15-point peace plan to Iran earlier this week, which was rejected.
Iran’s national football team wore black armbands and held schoolbags during their anthem ahead of a match in Türkiye on Friday, in what a team official said was a protest over the killing of schoolgirls on the first day of the Iran war.
The attack on Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab city involved two missile strikes in quick succession, killing at least 168 people, including about 110 children, Iranian officials said.
The bombing is under investigation, with the UN human rights body calling on the U.S. to release its findings.
Washington has deployed thousands of Marines to the region, raising fears of a ground war and a prolonged conflict.
The Pentagon is expected to deploy thousands of elite airborne soldiers.
Significant damage has been reported to radar systems at Kuwait International Airport following drone strikes earlier this week, according to Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
The state news agency, citing the country’s Civil Aviation Authority, said no casualties were reported.
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks says Iran’s citizens have been largely cut off from the global internet , while some government-linked accounts still appear to have access.
🗓️ Exactly one month ago on Saturday morning, 28 February, #Iran was plunged into digital darkness as authorities cut off access to the global internet.
After four full weeks, 672 hours, the blackout remains in effect, violating Iranians' right to communicate and stay informed. pic.twitter.com/DwLhElXAp7 — NetBlocks (@netblocks) March 28, 2026
Houthis have launched missiles into Israel, widening regional tensions.
The group said the attack followed continued targeting of infrastructure in Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories, adding that its operations would continue until the "aggression" on all fronts ends.
Israel earlier said it was working to intercept a missile launched from Yemen.
The United States has confirmed it has destroyed around one-third of Iran’s missile arsenal, according to five people familiar with U.S. intelligence assessments.
The status of another third of the arsenal remains unclear. However, officials believe bombing campaigns likely damaged, destroyed or buried many of those missiles in underground tunnels and bunkers, four of the sources said.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have said they were prepared to act if what the group called an escalation against Iran and the "axis of resistance" continued, but did not say what form any intervention would take.
Houthi involvement in the war would risk broadening the conflict, given their proven ability to strike targets far beyond Yemen and disrupt shipping lanes around the Arabian Peninsula and the Red Sea.
The Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route, is vital to the world’s economy and energy supplies. Iran has closed the waterway, sparking a major energy crisis.
The United Arab Emirates has told the U.S. and other Western allies it would participate in a multinational maritime taskforce to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The Emirates are seeking to bring together dozens of countries to create a "Hormuz Security Force" to defend the strait from Iranian attacks and escort shipping, the report added.
A worker was injured in a drone attack on Oman's Salalah port while a crane suffered limited damage, Oman's government said on Saturday.
Oman had served as a mediator between the United States and Iran before the current war.
Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) came under missile and drone attacks by Iran overnight.
Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said air raid sirens were activated across the country and that a fire at one facility following the strikes had been brought under control.
The UAE’s Defense Ministry said its air defense systems were intercepting and responding to missiles and drones launched from Iran.
Financial journalist Ken Karuri has written an opinion piece for AnewZ on how the Middle East conflict sends shockwaves through Kenya's tea industry
Iranian news agencies reported early on Saturday that mourning was held for Iran's Revolutionary Guards' navy intelligence chief, Behnam Rezaei.
The confirmation comes days after the Israeli military said it killed Rezaei in a strike in Iran's Bandar Abbas.
Human rights activists say that 1,464 civilians, including at least 217 children, have been killed in Iran, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
More than 400 fighters from Hezbollah in Lebanon have also been killed, the group said.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said more than 12,000 bombs had been dropped across Iran, including 3,600 on the capital, Tehran.
U.S. authorities say they have struck more than 9,000 targets across Iran.
Five have been hurt and two fires have occurred in Abu Dhabi as a result of debris falling from a ballistic missile interception, the emirate's media office said.
Authorities were responding to fires near Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi.
Two U.S. service members were seriously injured and 10 others wounded in an Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, a U.S. official told Reuters on Friday.
More than 300 U.S. troops have been wounded since 28 February, and 13 have been killed.
Explosions were heard over the Syrian capital Damascus overnight, with no immediate confirmation of their source.
Syrian state television reported on Friday that the blasts were caused by Israeli air defence systems intercepting Iranian missiles in Syrian airspace.
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U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that there was a "good chance" of a peace deal between Lebanon and Israel happening soon, after he announced a 10-day ceasefire between the two countries.
Russia published addresses of manufacturers allegedly producing drones or components for Ukraine on Wednesday (15 April), warning European countries against plans to step up UAV supplies to Kyiv.
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Nine people, including eight children, were killed in a shooting at a middle school in Türkiye’s southeastern Kahramanmaraş province on Wednesday. Thirteen others were injured, sparking public outrage and raising concerns about a rare phenomenon in the country.
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