Tel Aviv, once considered one of Israel’s safest and most vibrant cities, is now facing a dramatic collapse in normal life amid the ongoing Iran-Israel war. Fear of missile attacks and a lack of safe shelters have driven families, students, and young couples to leave the city. The conflict, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes followed by Iranian missile and drone retaliation, has turned Israeli homes into battle zones. Public shelters are overcrowded, and economic inequality is becoming more visible as poorer residents face greater insecurity.

Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reported that 69,300 people left the country in 2025, with only 19,000 returning. Analysts warn that the growing wave of emigration, particularly among educated and secular Israelis, could undermine the country’s economic base. The International Monetary Fund has cautioned that the war will raise defense costs, reduce productivity, and heighten economic risks. Mental health pressures have also surged, with rising depression and anxiety reported since late 2023.

Experts believe Israel’s institutions remain intact, but prolonged conflict and social fragmentation could accelerate brain drain and deepen inequality, leaving the nation more fearful and divided.

France’s Foreign Ministry has denied reports claiming that the country is preparing to deploy ten warships to the Middle East. The clarification came after speculation spread following U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for international cooperation to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. In a post on social media platform X, the ministry stated that no new French warships have been sent to the region.

According to the ministry, French naval vessels currently remain stationed in the eastern Mediterranean. It emphasized that France’s position has not changed and continues to be defensive and protective in nature. The statement sought to dispel misinformation circulating online about French military movements.

The denial underscores France’s effort to maintain transparency about its military posture amid heightened attention to maritime security in the Middle East.

Israel announced that it has killed two senior Iranian intelligence officials as part of a series of strikes targeting Iran’s military leadership. According to an Israeli military statement, Abdullah Jalali-Nasab and Amir Shariat were killed in an airstrike carried out in Tehran last Friday. The statement described both as heads of the intelligence directorate of the Khatam al-Anbia Emergency Command, adding that their deaths would significantly impact Iran’s command and control structure.

A Telegram channel linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed Jalali-Nasab’s death but did not comment on Shariat’s condition. Israel further stated that it has conducted more than 400 airstrikes across western and central Iran in the past two weeks since the war began. The report also noted that the United States has been carrying out attacks in other parts of Iran.

On Saturday alone, Israel claimed to have struck over 200 targets, including missile launch sites, air defense systems, and weapons depots, according to the same statement.

A fire erupted in central Israel following Iran’s latest missile attack, according to reports published on March 15, 2026. Israeli Army Radio stated that most of the missiles launched by Iran were intercepted by Israel’s air defense system, while some landed in open areas. No casualties have been reported so far.

Debris from one of the defensive missiles destroyed midair fell in the city of Ramla, causing a fire at a site in the area. Firefighting and rescue teams were dispatched promptly to control the blaze. Preliminary reports confirmed that the situation was brought under control and no injuries occurred.

The incident highlights the continuing tension between Iran and Israel, with both sides maintaining heightened alert following repeated missile exchanges in recent weeks.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an immediate end to hostilities in Lebanon, warning that the country’s south risks becoming a wasteland amid Israel’s ongoing military assault. Speaking at a news conference in Beirut on Saturday, Guterres said there was “no military solution, only diplomacy,” as he launched a $325 million flash appeal to support more than 800,000 internally displaced people since the conflict began on March 2. He also questioned the legality of Israel’s evacuation orders, which now cover 14 percent of Lebanon, under international humanitarian law.

The visit coincided with Lebanese efforts to form a negotiating delegation for potential talks with Israel, with Cyprus or another European capital being considered as a venue. French President Emmanuel Macron said Lebanon was ready for direct talks and offered to host them in Paris. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that Jared Kushner and Ron Dermer could lead the U.S. and Israeli sides, respectively, in discussions focused on ending the fighting and disarming Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health reported that Israeli strikes have killed 826 people, including 65 women, 106 children, and 31 paramedics, since March 2. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that Israel could be committing “a new genocide.”

A missile strike on an industrial area in the central Iranian city of Isfahan killed at least 15 people on Saturday, according to Iranian media. The semi-official Fars news agency reported that the attack, attributed to US and Israeli forces, hit a factory producing heating and cooling equipment while workers were inside. The strike occurred on the 15th day of the conflict that Iran’s Ministry of Health says has killed at least 1,444 people and wounded more than 18,500 since the US-Israeli attacks began on February 28.

Iran’s Ministry of Culture said 56 museums and historic sites had been damaged, including Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan and the UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in Tehran. UNESCO expressed deep concern, noting that four of Iran’s 29 World Heritage Sites were affected. Separately, Iran’s army confirmed the death of Brigadier General Abdullah Jalali-Nasab in an Israeli attack. Earlier, US forces struck Kharg Island, though operations reportedly continued normally.

Both Washington and Tehran have dismissed the possibility of negotiations. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged regional states to expel foreign forces, while Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the war was entering a decisive phase. Iran launched new missile salvos at Israel, with explosions reported over Jerusalem.

A severe hunger crisis is unfolding in Yemen, where more than half of the population—around 18 million people—is projected to face worsening food insecurity by early 2026. According to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), nearly every surveyed household identified food as their most urgent need, with 80 percent reporting severe hunger. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warns that one million more people risk slipping into life-threatening hunger, and famine pockets affecting over 40,000 people could emerge within two months.

Years of conflict, economic collapse, and climate shocks have crippled Yemen’s ability to produce or import food. The country relies on imports for up to 90 percent of staple grains, while fighting has displaced rural families and disrupted supply chains. Erratic rainfall and rising temperatures have further reduced agricultural productivity, leaving many families surviving on one meal a day.

Humanitarian funding has dropped to less than 25 percent of required levels, the lowest in a decade, with nutrition programs receiving only 10 percent of needed support. The IRC urges donors to urgently restore and expand food and nutrition funding, prioritize treatment for malnourished children and mothers, and strengthen systems to track and respond to emerging hunger hotspots.

Israeli settlers attacked two Palestinian villages in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, killing one man and injuring several others, according to local officials. In Qusra village, Nablus governorate, 28-year-old Amir Moatasem Odeh was shot dead and two others were wounded. In a separate assault in Rashayda, east of Bethlehem, settlers fired live ammunition, injuring five Palestinians, including two with gunshot wounds. Three others were beaten, and more than 100 sheep were seized. The Israeli military confirmed a violent confrontation involving armed Israeli civilians, reporting one Israeli civilian wounded and the detention of two Israelis and three Palestinians.

The attacks followed an earlier incident in which settlers burned down a poultry barn in the same area. Palestinian news agency Wafa also reported that Israeli forces shot a 43-year-old man and beat his son at a checkpoint near Jerusalem. Palestinian authorities and the UN said at least five Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since early March, amid a wider surge in violence linked to the war in Gaza.

Rights groups and UN officials have criticized the lack of accountability for settler violence. Yesh Din reported that over 90 percent of investigations into such offences end without indictment, while the UN human rights chief described the situation as resembling apartheid.

US President Donald Trump has called for a joint initiative involving France, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and China to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz. In several posts on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump stated that countries benefiting from oil transported through the strait should take responsibility for protecting this vital maritime route. He emphasized that safeguarding the strait should not be the sole duty of the United States but rather a collective effort among oil-importing nations.

Analysts cited in the report noted that Trump’s remarks reflect ongoing instability in the region. Following Iran’s effective closure of the strait, global energy supply chains have faced significant uncertainty. The United States has already maintained a large military presence in the area and decided to deploy additional Marine forces, underscoring the continuing challenge of securing maritime navigation.

The situation highlights the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz and the growing international concern over energy security in the face of regional tensions.

Lebanon-based armed group Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for a missile attack targeting Israeli soldiers stationed near the Lebanon border. According to a statement published by Lebanon’s state news agency NNA, the group said it struck Israeli forces positioned in Khallat al-Mahafir, located in the town of Al-Adisa. The incident reportedly occurred close to the frontier area separating Lebanon and Israel.

As of the report’s publication, Israeli authorities had not issued any immediate comment regarding the alleged attack. The information was sourced from Al Jazeera and relayed through local media. The report did not mention any casualties or further military developments following the strike.

The situation adds to ongoing tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border, though the source did not provide details on potential escalation or diplomatic responses.

The death toll from the ongoing Middle East conflict has surpassed 2,200 following joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran that began on February 28, according to Al Jazeera. Iran has recorded the highest number of casualties with 1,444 deaths, followed by 773 in Lebanon and 14 in Israel. Additional fatalities include six in the United Arab Emirates, two in Bahrain, two in Saudi Arabia, six in Kuwait, and three in Oman. Eleven US military personnel and 26 people in Iraq have also been reported killed.

The conflict erupted after the United States and Israel launched coordinated attacks on Iranian military and energy facilities, sparking rapid escalation across the region. Iran responded by announcing missile and drone strikes, which spread the violence to several Gulf countries.

The situation remains volatile as regional tensions continue to rise, with widespread concern over further escalation and humanitarian impacts across affected nations.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has issued a strong warning that Israel’s actions are pushing the Middle East toward severe instability and potential genocide. Speaking at a press conference in Ankara on Saturday, Fidan accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon as a pretext for a new massacre. He cautioned that the ongoing conflict could escalate into a regional war and urged the United States and Iran to return to dialogue immediately.

Fidan confirmed that Turkey had intercepted a missile targeting its airspace and said Ankara is closely monitoring the situation while maintaining regular contact with Iran. He sharply criticized Israel for restricting worshippers’ access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, calling it a dangerous move that could inflame tensions across the Muslim world.

The minister emphasized that as long as the attacks continue, the region will remain trapped in a cycle of destruction, and Turkey will build strong resistance against any provocation.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that Iran would target US company facilities in the Middle East if its oil infrastructure came under attack. Speaking on Saturday, he told UCJ News Agency that Iranian forces would respond by striking American installations in the region should Iranian sites be hit.

Araghchi urged Iranian forces to act with caution, emphasizing that densely populated areas must not become targets of retaliatory operations. He also commented on the Strait of Hormuz, saying that despite it remaining open, Iran would not allow oil tankers or ships belonging to either enemies or allies to pass through.

The remarks, reported by Al Jazeera, reflect heightened regional tensions and Iran’s warning of potential escalation if its energy assets are threatened.

Missiles were launched toward Israel from Iran and Lebanon on Saturday, according to Al Jazeera’s live updates. Explosions were heard over western Jerusalem after Israeli defenses detected incoming missiles from Iran. The Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah claimed responsibility for rocket attacks on northern Israel’s Goren area and said it targeted an Israeli air defense system in the Ma’alot-Tarshiha city.

Al Jazeera reported that the Middle East war, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Tehran, has now entered its third week. The Israeli military stated that its defense systems were actively working to intercept the incoming missiles and neutralize threats.

The continued exchange of attacks underscores the deepening regional conflict involving Iran, Lebanon, Israel, and the United States, with no immediate sign of de-escalation mentioned in the report.

Five US Air Force refueling aircraft were damaged in an Iranian missile attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing two US officials on Friday, March 13. The aircraft were hit during recent Iranian strikes but were not completely destroyed and are currently under repair. No casualties were reported in the incident, and Reuters was unable to independently verify the report.

The attack comes amid heightened regional tensions as Iran continues missile operations in Gulf countries. In response, the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas urged Tehran to refrain from targeting neighboring states while reaffirming Iran’s right to self-defense against Israel and the United States. This marked Hamas’s first such appeal to Iran, emphasizing adherence to international law.

Hamas also called on the international community to work toward an immediate end to the ongoing conflict, following two years of devastating war in Gaza.