A drone attack on Adikong market in western Sudan, near the border with Chad, killed 11 people and wounded dozens more, including children, on Thursday. The strike ignited fuel reserves, causing fires that tore through the busy market. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it treated more than 20 of the wounded at a hospital across the border in Adre, noting that seven of the injured were children. MSF described it as the second deadly drone attack on the same area in less than a month.

The United Nations warned that Sudan’s intensifying air war has killed more than 200 civilians in just over a week. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk condemned the growing use of drones by both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been fighting since April 2023. Recent strikes in West Kordofan and White Nile states have hit markets, hospitals, and schools, killing hundreds of civilians.

The conflict has produced over 1,000 documented drone attacks since 2023, with Sudan now accounting for more than half of all drone strikes recorded across Africa. The UN says 33.7 million people in Sudan require humanitarian aid, and over 12 million have been displaced.

Thousands of Iranians gathered in Tehran on Friday for the annual al-Quds Day rally in support of Palestinians, even as explosions struck the capital during the event. Iranian state television reported that at least one person was killed after multiple blasts were heard near Ferdowsi Square. The cause of the explosions was not immediately clear, though they followed an Israeli warning for people to leave the area before a planned strike. State media said the victim, a woman, died from shrapnel caused by a US-Israeli air strike.

The rally took place a day after Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed to continue resisting the ongoing US-Israeli assault that has killed at least 1,444 people and wounded 18,551 since February 28, according to Iran’s Ministry of Health. President Masoud Pezeshkian and senior officials attended the demonstration, where participants expressed defiance and solidarity with Palestinians. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that Iranian forces, in coordination with Hezbollah, had launched missiles and drones at Israel using Kheibar Shekan missiles.

The United States and Israel have shown no signs of halting their offensive despite international calls for de-escalation, while Iran has responded by targeting regional sites and closing the Strait of Hormuz.

Germany has criticized the United States for easing certain sanctions on Russian oil, warning that the move could help finance Russia’s war in Ukraine. During a visit to Norway, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that lifting restrictions at this stage was a mistake and that European leaders did not want Moscow to exploit conflicts involving Iran to weaken Ukraine.

German Finance Minister Katharina Reiche also cautioned that relaxing the sanctions could further fill President Vladimir Putin’s war chest. The comments reflect Berlin’s concern that any reduction in pressure on Russia might undermine collective Western efforts to limit Moscow’s ability to sustain its military operations in Ukraine.

The remarks underscore ongoing divisions among Western allies over how to balance energy market stability with maintaining strong economic pressure on Russia.

The United States has deployed 10,000 interceptor drones across the Middle East to counter Iranian drone attacks, according to US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. Reports indicate that the drones were sent to the region within five days of the Israel-US war beginning on February 28.

US officials stated that the drones are being used as a cost-effective method to intercept incoming threats, reducing reliance on expensive missile defense systems. Driscoll noted that each Merops interceptor currently costs between 14,000 and 15,000 dollars.

The report added that the Merops interceptor is roughly twice as expensive as Iran’s Shahed-136 drone, which Iranian analyst Esfandiar Batmanghelidj estimated to cost about 7,000 dollars. The information was sourced from Al Jazeera.

The United States Department of State has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information about Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and several other senior Iranian officials. The offer was made under the State Department’s “Rewards for Justice” program, which also mentioned that individuals providing credible information could be eligible for relocation assistance.

According to the announcement, the targeted individuals are said to direct and oversee various elements of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the statement alleges is involved in planning, organizing, and executing acts of terrorism worldwide. The list includes Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, Deputy Chief of Staff Ali Asghar Hejazi, Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, Brigadier General Eskandar Momeni, and Supreme Council Secretary Ali Larijani.

The report noted that Ali Larijani appeared earlier in the day at an Al-Quds Day rally in Tehran, where his participation photos were released.

The United States is planning to send a Marine expeditionary unit to the Middle East as tensions with Iran continue to rise. According to a report by ABC News, Washington is preparing to deploy around 2,200 Marines aboard three naval ships. Defense officials told Al Jazeera that the unit will be dispatched from the Marine Corps base in Okinawa, Japan, to support potential military operations if required.

Officials stated that the force consists of approximately 2,500 personnel who will travel through the region with the naval vessels. The move comes as part of broader U.S. military positioning in response to regional security concerns involving Iran.

The deployment underscores Washington’s continued focus on maintaining readiness and operational flexibility in the Middle East, though no specific timeline or mission details were disclosed in the reports.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the United States may launch its largest wave of airstrikes on Iran tonight. Speaking at a press conference in Arlington, Virginia, on Friday, he said the day could mark the most extensive US attacks over Tehran and across Iran. Hegseth claimed that the United States and Israel have already carried out strikes on nearly 15,000 Iranian targets.

He described the ongoing operations as a major achievement, asserting that the United States is advancing according to its plan to destroy Iran’s key military capabilities. The statement follows recent remarks by former US President Donald Trump, who warned of tougher actions against Iran in an interview with Fox News last week.

Hegseth’s comments about possible large-scale attacks tonight have further heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, signaling a potential escalation in the conflict, according to the report sourced from Al Jazeera.

An Iranian missile strike hit central Israel, setting a building ablaze, according to the Israeli military. Footage from the scene showed a column of smoke and flames rising beside a road, while emergency crews responded quickly to the incident. The strike appeared to have targeted a warehouse in the affected area.

The Israeli military identified the attack as originating from Iran, marking a direct strike that caused visible damage in central Israel. First responders were seen working to contain the fire and assess the extent of the destruction. No further details about casualties or the scale of the damage were provided in the initial reports.

Authorities were continuing to investigate the site and determine the full impact of the missile strike, as emergency operations remained underway.

Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon has entered a devastating new phase, marked by intensified airstrikes and widespread destruction. Video footage shows an Israeli missile hitting a building in southern Lebanon, while a bridge crossing the Litani River was also destroyed. The escalation follows Israel’s warning that Lebanon could face the same level of devastation seen in Gaza.

According to reports, Israeli attacks since early March have killed 773 people in Lebanon. The latest strikes indicate a significant expansion of Israel’s operations in the country, with infrastructure and civilian areas increasingly affected. The situation underscores the growing humanitarian toll and the deepening regional instability as the conflict continues.

The destruction of key transport routes such as the Litani River bridge may further hinder movement and relief efforts in affected areas, compounding the crisis for local populations.

Italy’s Foreign Ministry has denied that any discussions are taking place with Iran regarding the safe passage of Italian ships or oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. A ministry source told Reuters on March 13, 2026, that a report published by the Financial Times on this matter was inaccurate.

According to the source, Italian leaders are engaged in diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing overall military tensions in the region. However, the source emphasized that there are no secret negotiations intended to secure the safety of specific commercial vessels at the expense of others.

The clarification comes amid heightened regional sensitivities around maritime security and follows recent international attention to the strategic waterway’s stability.

Iran’s ambassador to Bangladesh, Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi, announced that Iranian authorities will allow Bangladeshi oil tankers to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz. He made the statement on Friday in Dhaka while speaking to journalists during an event. The envoy said he had discussed the matter with Iranian officials after Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the energy minister requested permission for the tankers to operate amid the country’s fuel shortage.

The ambassador explained that Iran is ready to ensure safe passage for Bangladeshi vessels carrying energy supplies so that the people of Bangladesh do not face further difficulties. His remarks come as Iran has restricted ship movements through the strategic waterway following attacks by the United States and Israel, which disrupted global energy shipments.

Although Iran has allowed limited passage for some countries’ oil vessels, overall navigation through the Strait of Hormuz remains heavily restricted due to the ongoing conflict, keeping global fuel markets unstable.

Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations announced that it has sent 13 tons of humanitarian aid to Iran through Azerbaijan, according to Anadolu Agency. The ministry said in a statement on Thursday that the shipment includes medicines, which were first delivered to Azerbaijan and will then be handed over to representatives of the Iranian government. The aid was sent under the directive of President Vladimir Putin.

The ministry added that the medicines were transported to Azerbaijan using its air transport system before being transferred to Iran’s authorized representatives. The delivery comes amid heightened regional tensions following major attacks by the United States and Israel on February 28 that killed more than 1,300 people, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. In response, Tehran reportedly launched drone and missile strikes on Israel and U.S. military bases in Gulf countries.

The aid delivery underscores Russia’s continued engagement with Iran during a period of escalating conflict and instability in the region.

The United States Central Command has confirmed that all six crew members aboard a KC-135 refueling aircraft were killed when the plane crashed in western Iraq. The confirmation came after earlier reports indicated that four crew members had died and two were missing. The update clarified that all six personnel on board lost their lives in the incident.

According to a post by CENTCOM on social media platform X, the cause of the crash remains under investigation. However, preliminary findings suggest that the aircraft was not brought down by hostile action or friendly fire. Authorities stated that the identities of the deceased crew members will be released 24 hours after their families have been notified.

The crash adds to ongoing operational challenges for US forces in the region, though officials have not linked the incident to any external threat pending the outcome of the investigation.

Several commercial vessels operating near the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf have begun identifying themselves as China-linked in their destination signals to reduce the risk of being targeted during the ongoing Iran war, according to marine traffic data analyzed by the Associated Press. At least eight ships changed their transponder messages to phrases such as “CHINA OWNER” or “CHINA OWNER&CREW,” data from MarineTraffic showed. These ships were either transiting the strait or remaining in nearby waters.

Trade risk analysts said the move is intended to signal neutrality and avoid confusion with vessels that might be targeted by Iranian forces or affiliated groups. Iran has generally refrained from attacking ships associated with China, given Beijing’s neutral stance and economic ties with Tehran. Most of the ships identified were not registered under the Chinese flag but under countries such as Panama and the Marshall Islands.

Experts noted that while many bulk carriers have Chinese ownership or cargo links, it remains unclear whether declaring a Chinese connection effectively prevents attacks. Similar tactics were previously observed during Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that a severe strike will be carried out against Iran within the next week. He issued the warning during an interview with Fox News, which aired on Friday. Trump stated that the United States would protect ships of various nations crossing the Strait of Hormuz if necessary and expressed hope that the U.S.-led war against Iran would progress successfully.

Trump appeared uncertain about his stance on Iran but praised the U.S. military for significantly weakening Iran’s military capabilities. However, he acknowledged that the war could not be concluded quickly. Earlier, during remarks in Hebron, Kentucky, on Wednesday, Trump said that the United States had won but must continue the war to finish the job.

The United States and Israel began attacks on Iran on February 28, prompting Iran to retaliate with strikes on Israeli targets and U.S. bases across several Middle Eastern countries.