A total of 447 international flights have been canceled at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka over the past 14 days due to the ongoing war situation in the Middle East. According to a press release issued on Friday, March 13, 2026, by Muhammad Kawsar Mahmud, public relations officer of the Civil Aviation Authority, 24 flights were canceled on that day alone.

Flight cancellations began on February 28, when 23 flights were grounded, followed by 40 on March 1, 46 on March 2, and 39 on March 3. The trend continued with varying numbers of cancellations each day through March 13. On Friday, the canceled flights included services from Kuwait Airways, Air Arabia, Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, Emirates, Jazeera Airways, and Flydubai.

Despite the disruptions, limited operations continued on Friday, with 37 flights scheduled to operate from Dhaka to destinations including Muscat, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on Israel and Hezbollah to stop the ongoing fighting and agree to an immediate ceasefire. According to Al Jazeera, Guterres made the appeal at the start of his visit to Beirut, Lebanon’s capital, during a speech at the presidential palace.

He emphasized that the war must end to allow Lebanon to develop as an independent state where only the legitimate authorities hold the right to use force. Guterres stated that it is no longer the time for armed groups but for a strong state. His remarks came as the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah entered its eleventh day.

The Secretary-General’s visit to Beirut highlights the UN’s concern over the escalating violence and its potential impact on Lebanon’s stability, as he seeks to encourage both sides toward de-escalation and national sovereignty.

Saudi Arabia announced that it intercepted 56 drones that entered its airspace on Friday morning, according to Al Jazeera. The country’s defense ministry stated that one of the drones attempted to enter the diplomatic area in Riyadh, which is under tight security. The ministry did not specify who launched the drones.

A day earlier, on Thursday evening, the Saudi defense ministry reported intercepting 53 drones and five missiles within a 24-hour period. The latest incidents highlight a continuing pattern of aerial threats targeting Saudi territory, though the source of the attacks remains undisclosed.

The ministry has not provided further details about the origin or purpose of the drones, leaving uncertainty about the actors behind the repeated incursions.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Germany does not intend to become involved in the ongoing conflict surrounding Iran, which has entered its 14th day of joint US-Israeli attacks. Speaking during his visit to Norway, Merz emphasized that Berlin has no plans to provide military protection for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, despite recent Iranian attacks in the area.

He reiterated that Germany is not part of this war and does not wish to be. The Strait of Hormuz remains a critical route for global energy supplies, and the recent escalation of tensions there has heightened international concern.

The statement underscores Germany’s cautious stance amid rising regional instability and reflects its focus on avoiding direct military engagement in Middle Eastern conflicts.

Iran has launched attacks targeting US troops and officials across several Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. In response, the United States has evacuated multiple bases and repositioned its forces strategically, leading to a severe housing shortage. Many American soldiers are now taking refuge in residential areas and hotels across the region.

According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence branch has urged local populations to report the locations of US troops hiding in civilian areas. The IRGC statement claimed that thousands of American soldiers are staying in hotels and private homes, accusing Washington of using Arab civilians as human shields. The statement warned residents to avoid contact with these troops and to share information about their whereabouts via Telegram.

Separately, a French soldier was killed and several others were seriously injured in an attack in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the assault as unacceptable and said necessary measures were being taken.

The D-8 summit scheduled to be held in Jakarta, Indonesia, has been postponed due to the ongoing war situation involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. According to Al Jazeera, Iran has been carrying out counterattacks following joint strikes by the US and Israel. Indonesian Foreign Ministry senior official Tri Tharyat confirmed that the summit, originally planned for next month, has been delayed because of the current regional instability. A new date has not yet been set.

The summit was initially scheduled to take place from April 13 to 15 in Jakarta. The D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, established in 1997, aims to enhance economic collaboration among Muslim developing nations spanning Southeast Asia to Africa. Its member countries include Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey, with Azerbaijan joining the group in 2025.

The postponement reflects how the escalating conflict in the Middle East is affecting international diplomatic and economic events, particularly those involving member states of the D-8.

Iran’s Health Ministry has reported that at least 1,444 people have been killed and 18,551 injured in attacks carried out by the United States and Israel across the country. The ministry released the figures in a statement published on Friday, according to Al Jazeera.

The attacks began on February 28 and have continued across multiple Iranian cities, including the capital Tehran. The strikes have reportedly targeted both military and civilian areas, damaging schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure. The ongoing assaults have caused widespread destruction and civilian casualties, according to the ministry’s statement.

The report did not include details about the reasons behind the attacks or any international responses. The situation remains critical as the strikes continue to affect major urban centers in Iran.

Iran has initiated the 44th phase of its military campaign named 'Operation True Promise-4', according to a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The operation reportedly targets Israel-controlled areas and US military installations across West Asia. Conducted on the 23rd night of Ramadan, the strikes focused on northern Israeli cities including Haifa and Hadera.

The IRGC stated that the offensive was carried out in memory of key resistance leaders such as former Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, and Palestinian leader Ismail Haniyeh, among others. The statement also claimed that several US military facilities in the region were targeted, including the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain.

As of now, neither Israel nor the United States has issued any official response or confirmed details regarding casualties or damage resulting from the attacks.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has issued a stern warning to Lebanon following an Israeli military strike on the Zariyah Bridge over the Litani River. Katz stated that if Hezbollah is not disarmed, Israel will escalate its attacks and may seize Lebanese territory. The comments were reported by Al Jazeera and Israel’s Wynet News on Wednesday.

Katz accused the Lebanese government of failing to fulfill its commitment to disarm Hezbollah and warned that Lebanon would face increasing consequences. He said that Israel would target national infrastructure allegedly used by Hezbollah and that territorial occupation could be considered until the disarmament pledge is implemented.

The remarks have raised concerns about further escalation between Israel and Lebanon, adding to already heightened regional tensions.

A Turkish-owned vessel has crossed the Strait of Hormuz with permission from Iran, according to Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu, as reported by Al Jazeera. Local media said one of 15 Turkish-owned ships waiting near Iran received authorization to pass through the strategic waterway. The Turkish government had been in contact with Tehran regarding the matter.

Uraloglu told the Haberturk news outlet that the permitted ship had previously used an Iranian port. The crossing occurred amid heightened regional tensions following threats from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, which warned that any vessel transiting the strait could be targeted in retaliation for attacks by the United States and Israel.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global shipping route for oil transport, and the Iranian threats have raised international concerns about potential disruptions to global energy supplies.

Pakistan conducted overnight airstrikes across Afghanistan, including in the capital Kabul and several border provinces, on Thursday night. Afghan authorities reported that at least four people were killed and fifteen others injured in Kabul, with damage to several residential areas. Among the dead were women and children, according to Kabul police spokesperson Khalil Zadran.

Pakistan’s security forces stated that the operation targeted militants from Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Islamabad has recently intensified cross-border air operations, claiming a rise in militant attacks inside Pakistan. However, Afghanistan’s Taliban government denied that any militant activity originates from its territory. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes also hit Kandahar, Paktia, and Paktika provinces near the border.

Reports indicated that a fuel depot belonging to private airline Kam Air near Kandahar airport was struck, which supplies fuel to civilian and UN aircraft. Pakistan maintained that no civilians were killed in the operation. Independent verification of casualty figures remains difficult, according to multiple sources.

A United States refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, killing four of the six crew members on board, according to a statement from the US Central Command (CENTCOM) released on Friday. The remaining two crew members are still being sought as rescue operations continue in the area.

CENTCOM said the KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury. The command confirmed that two aircraft were involved in the incident, with one crashing in western Iraq while the other landed safely. CENTCOM emphasized that the crash was not caused by hostile action or friendly fire.

The incident adds to ongoing operational challenges for US forces in the region, though CENTCOM has not released further details about the cause of the crash or the status of the rescue efforts.

The United States has announced the permanent closure of its consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan, according to a report by The Independent on Thursday. The U.S. State Department informed Congress of the decision, stating that the move would save about 7.5 million dollars annually without harming U.S. national interests in Pakistan. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the official notice confirming the closure.

The Peshawar consulate, located near the Afghan border, had been a key U.S. diplomatic post since the 2001 military campaign in Afghanistan. The decision follows the Trump administration’s policy of downsizing federal agencies and had been under consideration for over a year. The closure is not related to the ongoing Iran war, though protests erupted across Pakistan after the conflict began on February 28, leading to temporary suspension of operations at the Karachi consulate following deadly violence.

According to the notice, closing the Peshawar mission will cost 3 million dollars, mainly for relocating armored trailers and equipment to Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. Consular services for the region will now be handled from the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad.

Five Bangladeshi nationals were killed in a gas cylinder explosion at a guesthouse of a local construction company on Dhigura Island in the Maldives early Thursday night. The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m., leaving two others critically injured. The injured workers were transferred to the capital, Malé, for advanced medical treatment.

According to the Bangladesh High Commission’s Labour Counsellor in the Maldives, one of the injured is being treated in the ICU while the other is in the emergency department, both in critical condition. The victims were identified as Taj Uddin Islam, Md. Sadar Ali, Md. Robin Molla, Sofiqul Islam, and Md. Nurun Nabi Sarkar. The injured are Jamal Uddin and Saddam Hossain.

A delegation from the Bangladesh High Commission has been sent to the site to assess the situation, and steps are being taken to repatriate the bodies of the deceased to their families in Bangladesh.

Iran’s state media reported that Mansoureh Khozasteh Bagherzadeh, wife of the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is alive but seriously injured. Earlier rumors had claimed she was killed alongside her husband in a joint U.S.-Israel airstrike in Tehran. The Fars news agency stated on March 12 that previous reports of her death were incorrect and resulted from misinterpretation of initial injury updates.

Several Iranian outlets had earlier reported that Bagherzadeh had died from her injuries, while semi-official Tasnim News said she was in a coma. Fars later clarified that the confusion arose from misreading early reports. Questions resurfaced about her condition after new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei made no mention of his mother’s death in his first public statement.

Ayatollah Khamenei, aged 86, was reported killed in the February 28 airstrike on his Tehran residence. Following his death, Iran launched missile attacks targeting U.S. and Israeli bases in retaliation.