The European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission has released images showing the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln near the coast of Iran. According to the report, the carrier was positioned off the coast of Oman last Saturday before moving northwest toward the Strait of Hormuz. The images were captured and published as part of the EU satellite monitoring program.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) also shared several photos on the social media platform X, stating that the images depict the carrier’s operations at sea on the same day. The publication of these images comes amid heightened regional attention to military movements in the Gulf area.

The release of the photos highlights ongoing monitoring of naval activities in the region, though the source does not specify any official statements regarding the purpose or duration of the carrier’s deployment.

The United States has expressed frustration following an Israeli airstrike on Iranian oil storage facilities earlier this week, which caused massive fires and killed four people, according to a report by Axios on Sunday. The attack, carried out on February 28, targeted three oil depots and a refinery in and around Tehran, leading to widespread destruction and environmental hazards.

Axios reported that Israel had informed Washington in advance, claiming the sites were used to supply fuel for missile launches. However, the scale of the attack exceeded US expectations, leaving American military officials shocked. An Israeli official told Axios that Washington’s initial reaction was one of disbelief. Neither the White House nor the Israeli Defense Forces have issued any official comments on the incident.

The strike caused uncontrolled fires, thick black smoke, and reports of “acid rain” in Tehran, prompting authorities to advise residents to stay indoors. The event marks the first major disagreement between the two allies since the start of the Iran war.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has warned Iranian civilians that it cannot guarantee their safety if they are located inside or near facilities used for military purposes. In a statement posted on social media platform X on Sunday, CENTCOM said that Iran’s authorities are using densely populated civilian areas to conduct military operations. The command identified cities such as Isfahan, Shiraz, and Dezful as locations being used to launch one-way drone and ballistic missile attacks.

CENTCOM cautioned that such practices endanger civilians and that any site used for military purposes would lose its protected status and become a lawful military target under international law. The command accused Iranian authorities of knowingly putting civilian lives at risk and urged civilians to remain in their homes for safety. It also alleged that Iranian forces have carried out indiscriminate attacks on civilian airports, hotels, and residential areas, threatening the safety of innocent people across the Middle East.

The warning underscores rising tensions over Iran’s military activities and the potential humanitarian risks in densely populated areas.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has announced the indefinite suspension of its flights to Doha, Sharjah, Kuwait and Dammam due to the ongoing security crisis in the Middle East. The decision was confirmed in a press release signed by the airline’s General Manager of Public Relations, Bosra Islam, on Monday. The airline stated that these routes will remain closed until further notice.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority, a total of 335 international flights have been cancelled from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport since February 28, 2026, following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East. Several countries, including Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Jordan, have closed their airspace since that date, severely disrupting regional air travel.

Biman also announced that flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi will remain suspended until March 10, 2026, pending improvement in the situation and approval from relevant airport authorities. The airline said it is closely monitoring developments and will update passengers promptly through its call center.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that at least 83 children were killed and 254 injured in Lebanon within a week as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah intensified. The statement, published on UNICEF’s website on Monday, said that more than 10 children were killed and around 36 injured on average each day across the country.

According to UNICEF, over the past 28 months, 329 children have been killed and 1,632 injured in Lebanon. The organization described the figures as deeply alarming, highlighting the devastating impact of the conflict on children. It added that widespread displacement has forced about 700,000 people, including roughly 200,000 children, to leave their homes, adding to thousands already displaced by earlier violence.

UNICEF urged all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, particularly schools and shelters, and to comply with international humanitarian law. The agency called for immediate action to de-escalate the situation and prevent further harm to children.

Fresh waves of attacks swept across the Middle East on Monday, marking the tenth day of the Iran war. Following a joint U.S.-Israel strike on Iran, Tehran launched new assaults targeting Israel and several Gulf countries. Al Jazeera reported one Israeli fatality from Iranian rocket fire. Hours after Mojtaba Khamenei was named Iran’s new Supreme Leader, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced new missile operations. Israel responded with airstrikes on Iranian targets, claiming to have killed senior Quds Force commanders in Beirut.

According to Reuters and CNN, explosions were heard in Tehran and Beirut, where fires broke out in a hotel. Bahrain’s main oil refinery was hit by a drone attack injuring 32 people, including a two-month-old infant. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar all reported intercepting drones or missiles near key energy facilities. Iran’s foreign ministry dismissed accusations of attacks on Turkey, Cyprus, and Azerbaijan, calling some claims staged.

Iranian officials ruled out ceasefire talks, saying mediation was meaningless under current conditions, as regional tensions continued to escalate.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei has denied allegations that attacks were launched from Iranian territory toward Turkey, Cyprus, and Azerbaijan. Speaking at a weekly press briefing, Baghaei said reports claiming that Iranian ammunition was fired toward those countries last week were baseless. He asserted that no attacks had been initiated from Iran against any of the mentioned nations.

Baghaei further suggested that some of the alleged attacks might have been staged. He warned that hostile parties could be attempting to create divisions between Iran and other countries by orchestrating such incidents. His remarks came amid heightened regional sensitivities and media reports citing cross-border hostilities.

The statement reflects Iran’s effort to dismiss accusations that could strain its relations with neighboring states, while also signaling concern about external attempts to provoke diplomatic friction.

China’s special envoy for Middle East affairs, Zhai Jun, visited Saudi Arabia as part of Beijing’s mediation efforts to halt the ongoing war involving Iran. During his visit, he met with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and expressed China’s willingness to work with Riyadh to maintain peace and stability in the Gulf region.

Zhai described China as a good friend and partner of Saudi Arabia and voiced deep concern over the current regional tensions. He emphasized that the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Gulf countries must not be violated and condemned any attacks targeting civilians or non-military sites. The envoy reiterated Beijing’s call for an immediate end to the ongoing military operations.

The visit underscores China’s growing diplomatic engagement in the Middle East amid escalating conflict and efforts to position itself as a mediator in regional disputes.

A Bangladeshi expatriate named Mosharraf Hossain, aged 40, from Kirtankhola village in Sakhipur upazila of Tangail, was killed in a missile attack in Saudi Arabia’s Al Kharj city on Sunday evening. The missile strike, reportedly launched by Iran, hit the camp of Al-Towaik Baladiya Company just before iftar. Mosharraf, who worked there as a cleaner, died on the spot. His cousin Zakir Hossain, also a Saudi expatriate, confirmed the incident.

Mosharraf had been working in Saudi Arabia for eight years to support his family. He left behind his wife, Kabari Akter, and two sons—Mahim, a ninth-grade student, and Mihan, a first-grader. The family last spoke with him by phone before the attack. Local MP Advocate Ahmed Azam Khan expressed condolences via video conference, promising support for the bereaved family. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdullah Al Rony also visited the family home and said efforts were underway with the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare to repatriate the body.

Officials assured that the affected family would receive necessary assistance once the repatriation process is completed.

The United States military carried out a strike on a boat suspected of drug trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Sunday, resulting in six deaths, according to US forces. The report, cited by AFP from Washington, said the boat was believed to be operated by drug traffickers, though no evidence was released to support the claim. Since similar operations began in September, more than 150 people have reportedly been killed.

General Francis Donovan, head of the US Southern Command, stated on social media that intelligence indicated the vessel was traveling along a known drug trafficking route in the eastern Pacific. However, the operations have drawn criticism, with some describing them as extrajudicial killings. Families and some governments have claimed that certain victims were fishermen.

The Trump administration has described its campaign as a war against what it calls “narco-terrorists” active in Latin America. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last Thursday that the missions to detect drug-carrying boats from South America have been so effective that finding new targets has become increasingly difficult.

An attack struck Bahrain’s main oil refinery operated by Bahrain Petroleum Company, causing thick smoke to rise over the area on Monday, according to eyewitnesses cited by Reuters. The refinery, a key facility in the country’s energy sector, suffered damage following what was initially described by government sources as an Iranian drone strike that left several people injured.

Following the incident, the company announced that the situation had gone out of control, preventing it from meeting its contractual oil supply obligations. The attack has raised immediate concerns about operational stability and the potential impact on Bahrain’s energy output.

The full extent of the damage and the status of recovery efforts were not detailed in the initial reports, leaving uncertainty about when normal operations might resume.

Iran’s military reported that 104 crew members were killed and 32 others injured when the Iranian warship IRIS Dinar was sunk by a U.S. Navy attack near Sri Lanka’s coast on March 4. The Turkish-based Anadolu Agency cited the Iranian army’s statement, while Iran’s state news agency IRNA confirmed the incident and the casualty figures.

According to the IRNA report, the warship was returning home after participating in a naval exercise held in India when it came under attack. Washington confirmed that a U.S. submarine launched a torpedo strike that caused the vessel to sink. Sri Lankan authorities said they began a rescue operation immediately after receiving a distress signal from the ship, rescuing 32 crew members who were later hospitalized.

The incident marks a severe escalation in tensions between the United States and Iran, though no further official responses or diplomatic actions were detailed in the reports.

Beijing announced on Monday that China’s special envoy has called for reducing the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The envoy made the appeal during a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, urging all sides to stop military operations immediately and to avoid further escalation that could harm regional populations. He also condemned attacks on civilians and non-military targets, emphasizing the need to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Gulf nations.

The conflict began after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, posing threats to global energy security and trade, and putting China’s oil supply at risk. Although Beijing maintains close ties with Tehran and condemned the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it also criticized Iran’s attacks on Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. In a separate meeting with the Gulf Cooperation Council’s Secretary-General Jassem Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, the envoy urged a return to dialogue.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi reiterated the call to end the fighting, stating that the war should never have happened.

Saudi Arabia has sharply condemned Iran’s recent attacks, warning that continued aggression will heighten regional tensions and ultimately harm Iran itself. In a statement from Riyadh, the Saudi Foreign Ministry denounced assaults targeting Gulf countries and other Arab, Muslim, and friendly nations, calling them unacceptable and unjustifiable. The ministry affirmed Saudi Arabia’s right to take necessary measures to defend its sovereignty, citizens, and residents against any aggression.

The statement said that attacks on airports, oil facilities, and other civilian sites clearly aim to undermine security and stability, violating international law and conventions. Saudi Arabia also rejected Iran’s claim that Saudi territory had been used to launch or support military operations, labeling the allegation false. According to Riyadh, the aircraft in question were patrolling to protect Saudi and Gulf Cooperation Council airspace from Iranian missile and drone threats.

The ministry further cautioned that continued Iranian attacks would deepen tensions and negatively affect current and future relations, stressing that Iran’s actions show no wisdom or intent to prevent escalation.

At least 13 people were killed and 1,929 injured in Iranian attacks on Israel amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to Israel’s Ministry of Health. The ministry reported that in the past 24 hours alone, another 157 people were injured. Among the wounded, 112 remain hospitalized, with nine in critical condition.

The ministry urged Israeli citizens to move carefully to bomb shelters, noting that many injuries have occurred while people rushed to safety. The Israeli Defense Forces stated on their Telegram channel that missile launches from Iran are continuing and that defense systems are actively intercepting threats.

The situation reflects a sharp escalation in regional hostilities, with both sides maintaining high alert as the conflict continues to unfold.