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.

Renowned Bangladeshi photographer and human rights activist Shahidul Alam has joined the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian-led maritime mission carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. Alam, the only Bangladeshi participant, was seen holding the national flag and wearing a kurta featuring Abu Saeed’s image, symbolizing resistance. The flotilla, consisting of over 40 vessels and more than 500 participants from multiple countries, including lawmakers, lawyers, human rights defenders, and climate activist Greta Thunberg, is currently about 118 miles from Gaza’s coast.

Alam has been sharing updates from the voyage through his verified Facebook page, describing tense conditions as the fleet entered waters declared “danger zones” by Israel. Despite spotting a Turkish ship earlier, he reported no immediate threat. The mission faces serious warnings from Israel, which has threatened to sink the flotilla if it attempts to breach the Gaza blockade.

International human rights groups and political leaders have urged Israel to ensure the flotilla’s safety. Italy and Greece jointly called on Israel to respect the rights and security of those aboard, including consular protection.

The Israeli military announced that it carried out a series of airstrikes on Iran’s central region targeting what it described as the country’s ‘regime infrastructure’. The attacks took place on Monday and mark the first such Israeli operation since Iran appointed a new supreme leader, according to a report by AFP.

In a brief statement, the Israeli army confirmed that it had initiated fresh air operations inside Iran while simultaneously conducting strikes against Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. The military did not provide further details about the scale or specific targets of the attacks.

The report did not include information on casualties or damage, and no immediate response from Iranian authorities was mentioned.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the decision on when to end the ongoing war with Iran will be made jointly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He made the remarks in a telephone interview with the Israeli newspaper The Times of Israel on Sunday.

Trump stated that discussions between him and Netanyahu are continuing and that a decision will be taken at an appropriate time. When asked whether Israel might continue the war against Iran alone if the United States decided to halt its attacks, Trump declined to discuss the possibility in detail.

He added that he does not believe such a situation will arise, suggesting confidence in coordinated decision-making between the two allies.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has revealed that Israel pressured then-President Barack Obama to launch a military strike on Iran. According to Blinken, Israeli leaders warned that if the United States refused to act, they would carry out the attack themselves. However, Obama rejected the proposal, arguing that imposing tough sanctions was the best way to address concerns over Iran’s nuclear program. He preferred to resolve the issue through diplomatic means rather than military confrontation.

Blinken also stated that after the October 7, 2023 attack, the United States nearly entered another regional war when Israeli officials provided false information suggesting that Hezbollah was preparing to attack from Lebanon. The remarks highlight the tense dynamics between Washington and Tel Aviv over military decisions and intelligence sharing in the Middle East.

The disclosure, reported by Middle East Eye, underscores the recurring friction between U.S. diplomatic caution and Israel’s more aggressive security posture toward Iran and its allies.

Iran carried out missile and drone attacks on several Gulf countries, including Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, early Sunday local time. In Qatar, multiple explosions were heard around 3 a.m. in Doha, though the missiles were reportedly intercepted. Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Doha reported hearing more than a dozen blasts across the city.

Bahrain’s state media said a drone strike in the Sitra area injured 32 people. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense confirmed that several drone attacks targeting the Shaybah oil fields were intercepted, and two drones were shot down north of Riyadh. The United Arab Emirates was also targeted by Iranian strikes, though details were not specified.

The attacks mark a significant escalation in regional tensions, with multiple Gulf states reporting direct strikes or attempted strikes within hours of each other.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Israel of unlawfully using white phosphorus munitions in a residential area of southern Lebanon. In a report released on March 9, 2026, the New York-based organization said Israeli forces fired white phosphorus shells from artillery into the town of Yohmor on March 3, 2026. HRW verified seven images showing white phosphorus bursting over civilian homes, igniting at least two houses and a vehicle as civil defense workers attempted to extinguish the fires.

The report explained that white phosphorus ignites upon contact with oxygen and is typically used to create smoke screens or illuminate battlefields. However, it can also serve as an incendiary weapon, causing severe burns, respiratory damage, organ failure, and death. Despite a 2024 ceasefire, Israel has continued operations targeting Hezbollah, including multiple strikes and troop deployments near the border.

Lebanese authorities reported at least 394 deaths and over 500,000 displaced due to Israeli attacks. HRW urged Israel to halt such actions and called on arms-supplying countries to suspend military aid and pressure Israel to stop using these weapons in civilian areas.

At least 32 people were injured in a drone attack near Bahrain’s capital, reportedly carried out by Iran, according to the state-run Bahrain News Agency. The country’s health ministry confirmed that all the injured are Bahraini citizens. Among them is a 17-year-old girl who sustained serious head and eye injuries, and the youngest victim is a two-month-old infant.

Authorities stated that four of the injured are in critical condition, including several children who required surgery. The incident occurred close to the capital, though the exact location and timing were not specified in the report.

The report, citing the Bahrain News Agency and BBC, did not provide further details on the motive or response from either side, leaving the broader context of the attack unclear.

Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ayal Zamir has warned that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East could continue for an extended period. In a video message released by the Israeli military, Zamir urged the nation to remain patient, noting that Israel has been in a state of emergency for the past two years and may face a prolonged situation.

Zamir stated that Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah would have to pay a heavy price for attacks on Israel. He also confirmed that Israeli forces carried out overnight strikes in Beirut targeting members of Iran’s Quds Force. According to him, there is no safe place in the Middle East for what he described as Iran’s “evil” weapons.

The statement followed a Hezbollah attack that killed two Israeli soldiers. Zamir mentioned that northern settlements had come under heavy shelling and referred to an incident during the night linked to the soldiers’ deaths.

Amid intensifying conflict in the Middle East, multiple international outlets including NBC News and The Independent reported that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a ground invasion of Iran. Although the White House has not made any official announcement, officials confirmed that all options remain on the president’s table. Trump has expressed personal interest in deploying limited U.S. ground forces or conducting surgical strikes to secure Iran’s nuclear facilities and influence the country’s governance. Iranian authorities responded defiantly, saying they are prepared to confront any U.S. ground incursion.

Military and policy experts cited in the reports warned that such an operation could significantly escalate the war and increase risks for American troops. Pentagon officials noted that six U.S. soldiers have already been killed since the conflict began on February 28. Analysts from several Washington think tanks, including the Hudson Institute and Atlantic Council, described the plan as highly risky and questioned its feasibility, particularly given Iran’s strong military and entrenched political system.

U.S. intelligence assessments reportedly caution that even a large-scale attack may fail to topple Iran’s leadership, raising doubts about the success of Trump’s broader regime-change strategy.

The Trump administration is spending about $1 billion per day in the ongoing war with Iran, according to US congressional sources cited by journalist Nancy Youssef. In the first nine days of fighting, more than 1,750 people have been killed across Iran and other Middle Eastern countries. Analysts warn that if the conflict continues, total US expenditures could exceed $200 billion. The Pentagon has already spent $630 million on pre-war deployments, and projections suggest costs could reach $215 billion if the war lasts until September.

The conflict has triggered widespread regional escalation. Iran has launched missile strikes on Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, while Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed 394 people, including 83 children, and displaced over half a million. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claims it can sustain the current intensity of fighting for six months. Meanwhile, Iran’s new Supreme Leader has been selected following Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death, though his name has not yet been announced.

US President Donald Trump warned that Iran’s new leader would not survive long without his approval, while Israel threatened to target whoever assumes the role. Iran’s leadership has vowed to resist and continue the war, calling for national unity and defense of its territory.

Lebanese armed group Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for several recent attacks on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon. In messages posted on Telegram, the group said its fighters engaged Israeli troops who had landed by helicopter in the Serghaya plain area. Hezbollah also reported using artillery and machine guns against Israeli units advancing toward the border town of Odaisseh and the Khallat al-Mahafir area, forcing them to retreat. Additionally, the group claimed to have shelled Israeli forces moving toward the town of Aitaroun.

According to the report, Israeli authorities have not issued any immediate comment regarding these alleged attacks. The claims were reported by Al Jazeera and published by the outlet Amar Desh. The incidents highlight continuing tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border, where exchanges of fire have occurred intermittently.

No independent confirmation of the attacks or casualty details was available at the time of reporting, and the situation remains fluid.

The United States has instructed all non-emergency officials and family members of its embassy staff in Saudi Arabia to return home due to escalating security risks linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East. The US State Department issued a notice on March 8, citing a deteriorating security situation following a series of Iranian missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory over the past week.

The advisory also urged American citizens planning to travel to Saudi Arabia to reconsider their decisions. It warned of potential threats including Iranian drone and missile strikes, risks to US installations, armed conflict, terrorism, travel restrictions, and social media limitations.

The tensions follow the collapse of nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington in late February, after which the US launched “Operation Epic Fury” in Iran and Israel began “Operation Roaring Lion.” In retaliation, Iran has targeted US military bases, embassies, and oil facilities across the Middle East, including multiple attacks in Saudi Arabia over the past week.

Sri Lanka has announced plans to issue free one-month visas to Iranian sailors rescued from outside its territorial waters. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said the temporary visa arrangement aims to assist the sailors while they await repatriation to Iran. On Saturday, 204 sailors from the Iranian warship IRIS Bushehr were brought to a Sri Lankan naval base after the vessel experienced mechanical failure and sought assistance.

Earlier in the week, the Iranian warship IRIS Dena sank near the Sri Lankan coast following a torpedo attack by a U.S. submarine, killing more than 80 sailors. The Sri Lankan Navy reported rescuing 32 survivors and recovering 87 bodies from the incident. The attack marks the first time since World War II that a warship has been sunk by a submarine torpedo.

Sri Lanka’s decision to provide temporary visas reflects its humanitarian response to the crisis while coordination continues for the sailors’ return to Iran.

A United States soldier has died after being wounded in an Iranian attack on a US base in Saudi Arabia, according to the US Central Command. The soldier was critically injured during the March 1 assault and succumbed to his injuries on Sunday night. The incident was part of ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, where Iranian forces launched initial strikes earlier this month.

Central Command confirmed that the death brings the total number of US soldiers killed in Operation Epic Fury to seven. The command also stated that the soldier’s identity will be released 24 hours after notifying family members. The attack occurred amid a major military operation currently underway in the region.

The report, citing Al Jazeera, indicates that tensions remain high as multiple Iranian attacks have recently targeted areas in Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.