Oil prices hit four year high: Latest news on the Middle East conflict on 9 March
Global oil prices reached a four year high on Monday (9 March), surpassing $...
In a televised address on Saturday night, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced that American forces, in coordination with Israel, had conducted precision strikes on Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites, aiming to dismantle Tehran’s enrichment capabilities.
The President stated that the objective of the mission was to disable Iran’s nuclear enrichment capacity, which U.S. and Israeli officials have long viewed as a potential proliferation risk. The Iranian government has not yet issued an official response to the reported strikes.
Targets: Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan
“These names have been known for years,” Trump said, referring to the targeted sites. “Tonight, those nuclear enrichment facilities were struck with precision.”
The President said the operation was a military success and claimed that the targeted facilities had been “completely and totally obliterated.” The mission reportedly involved advanced aircraft and military assets, though specific operational details remain classified.
Regional security and strategic messaging
President Trump framed the strikes as part of a broader strategy to deter further escalation in the Middle East. He also reiterated longstanding U.S. concerns regarding Iran’s regional activities and support for armed groups.
“This cannot continue,” he said, warning that further action would follow if there was no de-escalation. “There will be either peace or continued military response.”
Iranian authorities have not yet commented on the scale of the reported damage or the broader implications of the operation. Independent verification from international inspectors or third-party sources is not yet available.
Cooperation with Israel
Trump praised close coordination with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and acknowledged the Israeli military’s involvement. “We worked as a team,” he noted, emphasising the bilateral alignment in the lead-up to the operation.
The President also thanked American military personnel, including General Dan “Razin” Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who are expected to address the media at a Pentagon briefing scheduled for 8 a.m. on Sunday.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is a hardline cleric with strong backing from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. His rise signals continuity in Tehran's anti-Western policies.
Global oil prices surpassed $119 a barrel on Monday (9 March, 2026), an almost four year high, as the Middle East conflict rumbled on.
Trump says the United States "don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won," targeting his criticism at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Israel continues to fire missles at strategic sites in Iran and Gulf regions report more strikes from Iran.
Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father Ali Khamenei as supreme leader on Monday (9 March), signaling that hardliners remain firmly in charge, as the week-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran pushed oil above $100 a barrel.
Entry and exit across the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran for all types of cargo vehicles, including those in transit, will resume on 9 March, according to a statement by the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan.
U.S. President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke by phone on Sunday as tensions between Washington and Westminster deepened over the conflict involving Iran. The call came less than a day after Trump criticised Britain’s response to U.S. strikes on Iranian targets.
Norwegian police are searching for a suspect after an explosion at the U.S. embassy in Oslo on 8 March caused minor damage but no injuries, in what authorities say may have been a deliberate attack linked to the Middle East crisis.
An explosion damaged a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liège early on Monday (9 March) in what authorities said was an antisemitic attack that caused damage but no injuries.
The Group of Seven (G7) finance ministers will meet on Monday to discuss a global rise in oil prices and a joint release of oil from emergency reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency, the Financial Times reports.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 9th of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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