Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has claimed that Iran’s intelligence minister, Ismail Khatib, was killed in an overnight Israeli strike. According to Katz’s statement on Wednesday, Israeli forces carried out the operation that allegedly resulted in Khatib’s death. The report was cited by Al Jazeera. As of now, Iranian authorities have not issued any official comment or confirmation regarding the claim.

The attack reportedly took place in Tehran just one day after the killing of senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani. Israel had previously claimed responsibility for similar strikes that targeted and killed several top Iranian security officials. The latest incident is expected to further escalate the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran in the Middle East.

Observers suggest that the situation could heighten regional tensions, though no official response from Iran has yet clarified the country’s next steps.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Israel of driving the Middle East into deep crisis. Speaking at an iftar event at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Tuesday, he said that the ongoing attacks stretching from Gaza to Yemen, Lebanon, and Iran are not merely about security concerns but reflect other underlying motives. Erdogan alleged that Israel is controlled by a group that considers itself superior to others and emphasized the need to reveal the true global realities as the post–World War II order shifts.

He further claimed that Israel has kept the Al-Aqsa Mosque closed for 17 consecutive days, calling it an arbitrary act. Erdogan also criticized the spread of narratives about the “promised land” and apocalyptic ideas, describing them as deliberate. He noted that since February 28, the United States and Israel have been conducting joint operations against Iran, resulting in over 1,300 deaths, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Tehran launched drone and missile attacks on Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries, causing casualties, infrastructure damage, and disruptions to global markets and air travel.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces have intensified their military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is returning to port for repairs after a fire broke out in its laundry section, injuring at least two sailors. According to Bloomberg, citing U.S. officials, the nuclear-powered carrier is being moved from the Red Sea to Souda Bay in Greece for maintenance. The incident occurred as tensions between the United States and Iran remain high.

The report added that the U.S. Navy spokesperson did not disclose details about the extent of the damage or the current positions of the guided missile destroyers accompanying the carrier. However, one official confirmed that other ships in the Ford Strike Group will continue their operations in the Red Sea. The fire took more than 30 hours to bring under control.

The USS Gerald R. Ford, weighing nearly 100,000 tons and carrying over 4,000 sailors, had previously stopped at Souda Bay before heading to the Red Sea in late February.

Iran has executed a man accused of spying for Israel, according to the country’s state media on Wednesday. The individual, identified as Kourosh Kayvani, was reportedly arrested in June 2025 during a 12-day war between Iran and Israel. He was charged with transmitting information and images of sensitive Iranian facilities to the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.

The Tasnim news agency, affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that Kayvani was first identified in Sweden in 2023 by Israeli security services after he clicked on an online group tour advertisement. The report added that a Mossad officer recruited him, and he later received two years of training in six European countries and Tel Aviv before being sent to Iran for a special mission.

The execution underscores Iran’s continued crackdown on alleged espionage activities amid heightened regional tensions following the 2025 conflict with Israel.

Iran launched a cluster warhead missile attack on Tel Aviv in retaliation for the killing of its security chief, Ali Larijani, according to Iranian state television on Wednesday. The strike on the densely populated Israeli city killed at least two people, raising Israel’s death toll in the ongoing conflict to at least 14. Israel has accused Iran of repeatedly using cluster munitions, which disperse multiple explosives over wide areas and are difficult to intercept.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that a missile also struck near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant on Tuesday evening, though no damage or casualties were recorded. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi urged all parties involved in the conflict to exercise maximum restraint to avoid nuclear risks.

Israel and the United States have said their attacks on Iran, launched more than two weeks ago, aimed to halt Tehran’s nuclear weapons program. Iran confirmed that Larijani was killed in a recent Israeli strike, following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran’s National Security Council added that Larijani’s son and deputy, Alireza Bayat, were also killed in the same attack.

The funeral of Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary force under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is being held on Wednesday. Both officials were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday, according to Iranian and Israeli sources.

The IRGC confirmed the death of Soleimani, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Larijani was killed in the same attack on Tuesday night. The incident marks a significant escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran, following a series of cross-border hostilities.

Iranian media reported that the deaths of the two senior figures have drawn national attention, though Iranian officials have indicated that the killings will not destabilize the country’s political system.

Israel carried out an overnight attack in Tehran targeting Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, according to an Israeli official cited by international media. The strike came just one day after the killing of Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian security official. The Israeli source stated that it remains unclear whether Khatib was killed in the assault.

The report, based on information from CNN and Al Jazeera, indicates a rapid escalation in tensions between Iran and Israel following consecutive high-level attacks. The incident underscores the volatile security environment in Tehran and the broader regional strain between the two countries.

No confirmation has yet been provided by Iranian authorities, and the full extent of the damage or casualties remains uncertain.

At least 12 people were killed and 41 others injured early Wednesday when Israeli aircraft carried out an airstrike without prior warning in central Beirut, according to Lebanese authorities. The attack targeted a residential building in the densely populated Zukak al-Blat area, near government offices and several foreign embassies. The Israeli military also issued new threats of further strikes in another part of the city, heightening public fear.

The incident comes as Lebanon becomes increasingly entangled in the Iran–Israel conflict that intensified after March 2, when Hezbollah, backed by Tehran, launched rocket attacks on Israel following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Israel expanded its military operations across Lebanon, conducting both air and ground assaults, particularly in the south.

Israeli forces have repeatedly struck Beirut’s central districts in recent weeks, often without prior warning, as the conflict continues to widen across the region.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has convened an emergency two-day session in London to assess the impact of the ongoing Middle East conflict on global maritime transport. The meeting, which began on Wednesday, is focusing on the safety of thousands of stranded ships and seafarers. The IMO’s 40-member council is expected to vote on several proposals, including the creation of a ‘safe maritime corridor’ to evacuate vessels and crews trapped in the Persian Gulf. Any adopted resolutions, however, will not be legally binding.

According to the IMO, around 3,200 ships with some 20,000 crew members are stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz, where at least 21 vessels have been attacked since the conflict began. The United Arab Emirates reported that over 18 commercial ships have been damaged by missiles, drones, naval craft, and sea mines, resulting in at least eight deaths and four missing sailors. The UK, France, and Germany have accused Iran of targeting commercial shipping and called for an end to such attacks, while Iran has blamed Israel and the United States for provoking the crisis.

Japan, Panama, Singapore, and the UAE have urged the IMO to establish a framework for the safe withdrawal of ships from high-risk zones, as industry groups call for coordinated international security measures and improved crew welfare.

Iran carried out fresh attacks across several Gulf countries on Tuesday night, following its pledge to avenge the killing of national security chief Ali Larijani. The strikes reportedly included missile attacks that killed two people in Tel Aviv, Israel. Explosions were also reported near the US Embassy area in Baghdad early Wednesday morning.

According to reports, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar all claimed to have intercepted incoming attacks. In response, the United States announced that it had launched strikes on Iranian missile positions along the Strait of Hormuz, using bunker-busting bombs. The developments mark a sharp escalation in regional hostilities involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.

The situation underscores rising tensions across the Middle East, with multiple countries now directly engaged in defensive and retaliatory actions following Larijani’s assassination.

Iran has launched extensive attacks on Israel in retaliation for the killing of Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s National Security Council. According to Israel’s Ministry of Health, 192 Israelis have been hospitalized in the past 24 hours due to injuries from the assaults. Among them, 177 sustained minor injuries, while the condition of 11 others remains unclear. Since the conflict began, a total of 3,727 people have been admitted to hospitals with injuries.

Iran has carried out repeated missile strikes across Israel, with explosions reported in the central Gush Dan area. Israeli television Channel 12 reported that at least one missile was intercepted, but debris from the interception exploded upon falling. In Holon city, several vehicles were damaged and caught fire, while sirens were heard in southern Israel.

The situation reflects a sharp escalation in hostilities between Iran and Israel, with continued missile activity and civilian injuries reported across multiple regions.

Foreign ministers from Arab and other Muslim-majority countries are set to meet in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to discuss ways to strengthen regional security and stability, according to a post by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on social media platform X. The ministry said the meeting aims to deepen dialogue and coordination among member states to maintain peace and stability across the region.

The talks come amid rising tensions throughout the Middle East following a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28. In response, Tehran has launched a series of missile and drone strikes targeting Gulf states, Israel, and U.S. installations across the region, creating a growing security crisis. These attacks have frequently disrupted air traffic at major Gulf airports, including those in Dubai and Doha.

Ahead of the meeting, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held phone discussions with his counterparts from Syria, Algeria, Iraq, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates to coordinate positions on the issue.

For more than two weeks, Israel and the United States have been carrying out attacks on Iran, yet no Muslim-majority country has stepped forward to assist Tehran. Many Muslim nations are instead viewing Iran as a threat, reflecting deep divisions driven by sectarian differences, national interests, and dependence on the United States. Experts note that Iran’s recent strikes on neighboring Arab states during Ramadan have further alienated potential allies and intensified distrust across the region.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran has sought to position itself as a leading Islamic power and protector of Shia minorities, often clashing with Sunni-led Arab monarchies such as Saudi Arabia. Despite a brief diplomatic thaw in 2023, Iran’s actions following the latest US-Israel offensive have revived fears among Gulf states about Tehran’s ambitions and destabilizing influence. Analysts suggest that Iran’s regional image has suffered severe damage, and its isolation has become more pronounced.

The ongoing conflict has disrupted the fragile balance of power in the Middle East, with some experts predicting closer security cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Israel as Gulf nations seek advanced defense systems against potential Iranian threats.

U.S. President Donald Trump has postponed his much-anticipated visit to China due to the ongoing war with Iran, which Washington currently considers its top priority. Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said new dates for the meeting are being arranged in coordination with Beijing, adding that China has no objection. The visit, originally scheduled for March 31 to April 2 in Beijing, is now expected to take place about five or six weeks later.

The postponement comes as the Iran war enters its third week, with the Strait of Hormuz nearly closed to global maritime traffic. China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that communication between Washington and Beijing regarding the visit remains active.

The planned discussions between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were expected to cover a wide range of issues, including trade tariffs, China’s export controls on rare minerals and magnets, U.S. relations with Taiwan, and China’s fentanyl exports.

A new attack has struck the United States Embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq, early Wednesday local time, according to AFP and Reuters. Explosions were heard in the heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses numerous diplomatic missions and international organizations. The embassy’s air defense system intercepted a rocket aimed at the compound, while a nearby luxury hotel in the same area caught fire after being hit by a drone.

The US Embassy in Baghdad has faced multiple attacks since the start of the Iran war, reflecting persistent instability in the region. The Green Zone remains one of the most secure yet frequently targeted areas in Iraq, often visited by foreign diplomats. In a separate incident on Tuesday, four people were killed in an attack on a house in Baghdad’s Al-Jadiriyah neighborhood.

The renewed violence underscores the fragile security situation in Iraq’s capital as regional conflicts continue to spill over into the country’s diplomatic and civilian zones.