Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Al-Busaidi has called for an immediate end to the ongoing war in the Middle East. In a post on social media platform X, he said that the Omani government is making every effort to assist all foreigners stranded in the country to return to their respective homelands.

According to his statement, Oman is cooperating with various countries and international airlines to facilitate the repatriation of those affected by the conflict. Al-Busaidi emphasized that regardless of nationality, every person has the right to safety and security as part of their human rights.

The minister’s remarks come amid heightened regional tensions, with reports of instability and concern across the Gulf region.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported that since Saturday, it has documented 1,332 attacks by US and Israeli forces across Iran. According to the organization, strikes have occurred in 636 locations, including at least 105 civilian sites. Among the civilian targets were 14 medical centers and seven Red Crescent buildings. The attacks reportedly affected at least 174 cities across the country.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated at a Pentagon press conference on Wednesday that the conflict with Iran could last eight weeks. He said the United States possesses sufficient military equipment to defeat Iran. The Red Crescent’s report highlights the scale of the ongoing strikes and their impact on civilian infrastructure.

The situation has raised regional concerns, with reports of Gulf countries expressing anxiety over the risk of civil war in Iran. The broader Middle East tensions have also affected financial markets, including a sharp decline in South Korea’s stock exchange.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for an attack on a US tanker in the northern Gulf on Thursday morning. The IRGC stated that its naval forces struck the vessel, asserting control over maritime movement in the region.

According to the IRGC, military and commercial ships belonging to the United States, Israel, and their European allies will not be allowed to pass through the area. The force warned that any such vessels spotted would be targeted. The statement reiterated Iran’s earlier position that it has the right, under international law and resolutions, to regulate navigation through the Strait of Hormuz during wartime.

The report, citing Al Jazeera, comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Gulf nations expressing concern over Iran’s internal instability and the broader security situation in the Middle East.

Israel has claimed responsibility for airstrikes targeting Iran’s ballistic missile launch system in the city of Qom. According to an Israeli military spokesperson, the country’s air force carried out the attack, destroying the system that was allegedly preparing for a strike. The spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, stated on social media that Israeli forces also destroyed an air defense system in Isfahan.

The Israeli military said the strikes were aimed at weakening Iran’s defense capabilities and expanding Israel’s control over regional airspace. Israeli media reported that the army plans to continue operations in Iran for at least another one to two weeks. The announcement came five days after the start of the conflict, with Israel claiming to have dropped more than 5,000 bombs on Iran by Wednesday.

In addition to the attacks in Iran, Israel said it had launched a new round of strikes against Tehran-backed Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump was drawn into the Iran war by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In an interview with Channel 4 News, Barak said Netanyahu was dissatisfied with the end of the Gaza war and sought to involve Israel in a new conflict with Iran. He added that while the United States made its own decision to join the war, Netanyahu influenced Trump to abandon his desire to be seen as the 'King of Peace' and instead become the 'Lord of War.'

Barak argued that the Iranian people themselves must ultimately bring down their government by standing up against it. He also stated that whether an attack on Iran was legal or not was less important than the belief that Iran deserved punishment. Warning against a ground war, Barak cautioned that such a move could destabilize the geopolitical balance beyond the Middle East.

Australia has deployed several crisis response teams and military equipment to the Middle East as part of preparations for potential emergency situations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the move, stating that the deployment was part of the government’s emergency planning. According to reports, six crisis response teams have already been sent to the region, and military assets were positioned earlier in the week.

The announcement was made in the Australian Parliament, though Albanese did not provide further details about the nature or location of the deployment. Al Jazeera reported that the move is part of Australia’s readiness measures for possible regional emergencies. Separately, Australian broadcaster SBS News reported that two military aircraft have been sent to the Middle East.

The deployment underscores Australia’s precautionary stance amid rising tensions in the Middle East, though the government has not disclosed specific threats or operational objectives.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Iran would have developed a nuclear weapon if the United States had not launched a strike within two weeks. He made the remarks during a roundtable meeting at the White House, adding that if there were no changes in Iran, whoever became its supreme leader would be killed. Trump described the prospect of nuclear weapons in the hands of what he called 'crazy people' as dangerous.

Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program poses no threat and is intended for peaceful purposes. However, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) wrote on social media that the agency could not provide assurances about Iran’s activities. He noted that while there was no evidence Iran was building a bomb, its large stockpile of uranium enriched near weapons-grade levels and limited access for inspectors were causes for serious concern.

The statements highlight renewed tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the limits of international monitoring amid U.S. pressure.

Several international flights from Chattogram’s Shah Amanat International Airport were canceled on Thursday morning due to the ongoing war situation in the Middle East, which has kept airfields in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Doha closed. Airport sources confirmed the cancellations, citing the continued impact of the regional conflict on flight operations.

In addition to the cancellations, a Salam Air flight (OB-401) arriving from Muscat was diverted to Dhaka earlier in the day because of fog. Once conditions improved, the aircraft departed Dhaka again and landed in Chattogram at 10:55 a.m. The same aircraft was scheduled to leave for Muscat as flight OB-402 at 11:55 a.m.

According to airport officials, since February 28, 2026, a total of 50 international flights have been canceled from Shah Amanat International Airport, including four new cancellations reported this morning. The information was confirmed by Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil, an engineer in the airport’s public relations department.

Israeli attacks near Beirut and Tripoli in Lebanon have killed five people, including a senior Hamas official, according to the Lebanese health ministry. The ministry reported that three people died in a strike near the road to Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport. Separately, a Hamas officer was killed in another Israeli attack.

Lebanon’s state news agency said the Hamas official died when an Israeli drone targeted his home in the Beddaoui area near Tripoli. The report identified the victims as Wasim Atallah al-Ali and his wife, describing al-Ali as a senior Hamas figure. The strikes occurred early Thursday morning, according to the report.

The incidents mark another escalation of Israeli operations in Lebanon, with attacks extending from the capital’s outskirts to northern refugee camps. The Lebanese health ministry and state media have confirmed the casualties, but no further details on the broader military or political context were provided.

US-Bangla Airlines has repatriated 27 flight crew members of Biman Bangladesh Airlines who had been stranded in Dubai since February 28 due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The crew had been stuck in the United Arab Emirates for five days following the outbreak of hostilities and were brought back to Bangladesh under special arrangements.

The airline stated that it undertook the operation as part of its corporate responsibility, securing permission from Dubai Airport authorities to operate two special flights for stranded Bangladeshis. The first flight landed safely at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on March 5 with 378 passengers, including the Biman crew. The second flight is scheduled to arrive on March 6 morning. Both flights are being operated using Airbus A330-300 aircraft with 436 seats.

The return of the crew has eased the anxiety of their families, who had been deeply concerned during the uncertain period.

Qatar Airways announced that it will operate special flights on Thursday from several Middle Eastern cities to major destinations across Europe. According to the airline, flights from Muscat, Oman will depart for London Heathrow, Berlin, Copenhagen, Madrid, Rome, and Amsterdam. Another flight will leave Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for Frankfurt.

The airline stated in a post on X that its main operations from Doha remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace. Passengers have been advised not to go to airports until they receive official notifications from Qatar Airways regarding these special flights.

The announcement indicates a temporary adjustment in the airline’s operations as it seeks to maintain limited connectivity between the Middle East and Europe amid the ongoing airspace restrictions.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the ongoing war with Iran could last up to eight weeks. Speaking at a press conference held at the Pentagon on Wednesday, he said the United States possesses sufficient military equipment to defeat Iran. Hegseth noted that the duration of the conflict could vary, possibly lasting four, six, or even three weeks depending on developments.

He emphasized that the US military has already determined the pace of its operations and is proceeding according to plan. According to Hegseth, the enemy is currently in an unbalanced position, and the US intends to maintain that state. The remarks came as part of a broader briefing on the progress of the conflict and the readiness of US forces.

The statement reflects Washington’s confidence in its military capabilities while acknowledging uncertainty about the exact duration of the conflict.

Germany and Belgium have declined to participate in the ongoing joint military offensive by the United States and Israel against Iran. Both countries expressed concern over escalating tensions and called for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told lawmakers in Berlin on Wednesday that Germany would not take part in the conflict, emphasizing that the country is not a party to the war and will work to prevent further violence.

Pistorius warned that launching military operations without a reliable post-war plan risks prolonging instability, noting that history shows wars are easier to start than to end. He also acknowledged that the US-Israel assault targets a government seeking Israel’s destruction. In Brussels, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken delivered a similar message to parliament, confirming that Belgium would not join the current campaign.

The statements from Berlin and Brussels highlight divisions among Western allies over the military approach toward Iran and underscore calls for restraint and diplomatic engagement.

Israeli media reported that the country's military has dropped more than 5,000 bombs on Iran since the start of the conflict. The announcement came from Tel Aviv five days after the war began, with the army indicating plans to continue operations in Iran for at least another one or two weeks. Israel also confirmed launching a new round of attacks against Tehran-backed Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.

According to the reports, thousands of Iranian targets have been struck, and an Israeli Air Force official claimed that thousands of Iranian soldiers were killed. The Israel Times stated that the military briefing outlined plans to hit thousands more targets within Iran’s regime structure. AFP correspondents in Paris reported new explosions in northeastern Tehran.

The Israeli military said it attacked Tehran’s security command center, several other sites, and a missile facility in Isfahan, and claimed to have shot down an Iranian fighter jet over Tehran’s airspace.

China has expressed strong condemnation of the joint Israel–United States attack on Iran but is prioritizing its own strategic and energy interests over direct military support for Tehran. Analysts cited in the report say Beijing is unlikely to risk confrontation with Washington despite disruptions to oil imports. The conflict has raised fears of a global energy crisis, especially as shipping through the vital Strait of Hormuz faces interruptions.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed full control of the waterway and continued missile and drone strikes across the Persian Gulf. China, heavily dependent on imported oil, has built large strategic reserves estimated at 1.2 billion barrels, enough to cover about 115 days of seaborne imports. Experts believe this stockpile will help China weather short-term supply shocks while focusing on upcoming diplomatic engagements, including a planned summit between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump on March 31.

Analysts add that Beijing views Iran as a strategic partner rather than a military ally and remains cautious about any action that could escalate tensions with the United States. The situation may benefit Russia as an alternative oil supplier if Middle Eastern flows are disrupted.