A new debate has emerged over whether Iran is using China’s advanced Beidou satellite navigation system to target military installations in the Middle East belonging to Israel and the United States. According to a French intelligence expert, Iran may be receiving assistance from Beidou to improve its targeting accuracy.

Alain Juillet, former director of France’s foreign intelligence, stated on the independent French podcast ‘Tocsin’ that Iran’s targeting precision has significantly improved since a 12-day conflict with Israel in June. He suggested that this improvement could be linked to Iran gaining access to China’s Beidou satellite navigation network.

Experts cited in the report noted that if Iran is indeed using Beidou, it could challenge the long-standing U.S. dominance in real-time satellite intelligence on the battlefield.

Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned Iran’s ambassador following an attack on a Thai-flagged cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. According to the Thai News Agency, the meeting was called to discuss details of the incident involving the vessel Mayuri Naree, which came under attack on Wednesday. The ship’s operator reported that three crew members were believed to be trapped in the engine room.

Reports from India Today and AFP indicated that the vessel, en route from Thailand to Gujarat, India, was struck by an unidentified projectile resembling a missile, causing a fire onboard. The Omani Navy conducted a rapid rescue operation, evacuating 20 crew members, while three remained on the ship.

The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the region, with recent reports of multiple attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf and Hormuz Strait. The Thai government’s move to summon the Iranian envoy signals concern over maritime security and the safety of its nationals.

During the recent years of conflict in Gaza, thousands of women and girls have been killed, countless families displaced, and many have lost their homes. Yet amid destruction and uncertainty, Gaza’s women have continued to resist in their own ways—as doctors, teachers, aid workers, and especially journalists. Female reporters have shown remarkable courage, documenting the war with cameras, notebooks, and phones instead of weapons, revealing the human cost of survival under bombardment.

Among them was journalist Mariam Abu Dakka, who chronicled Gaza’s struggles until she was killed during an attack on reporters in Khan Younis. Another, photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, died with six family members when her home was bombed shortly before a documentary about her was to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival. Despite immense danger, these women continued reporting from the frontlines, often without electricity, internet, or safety.

Their perseverance has inspired younger journalists in Gaza, symbolizing that journalism is not only about news but also about preserving memory, recording history, and bearing witness to humanity amid destruction.

Iran carried out extensive attacks on Israel over the past 24 hours, injuring 179 people, according to Israel’s Health Ministry. The ministry said most of the injured were not in serious condition and were receiving initial treatment at medical facilities. Since the start of the ongoing conflict, a total of 2,745 people have been injured in Israel. Authorities attributed the casualties to missile strikes and the deteriorating security situation, adding that emergency medical services have been reinforced.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that this marks the 40th phase of its new wave of attacks in the Middle East. The IRGC stated that the strikes targeted Israeli and U.S. military sites in the region. Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command said drones and various missiles, including Qadr, Emad, Kheibar Shekan, and Fattah, were used in the operation.

According to Iranian claims, missiles were launched toward Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa, as well as U.S. military bases in Jordan’s Al-Azraq and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Kharj.

Casualty figures from the ongoing Middle East conflict have risen sharply, according to the latest report published on March 12, 2026. The report indicates that at least 2,008 people have been killed and more than 13,500 injured across several countries. Iran has suffered the highest losses, with at least 1,255 dead and over 12,000 injured. Lebanon reported 634 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries, while Israel recorded 14 deaths. The United States confirmed the deaths of seven military personnel.

Additional casualties were reported in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and Iraq. Kuwait recorded six deaths, including two soldiers and an 11-year-old girl. Iraq reported 26 deaths, mostly among pro-Iran fighters. The data was sourced from Al Jazeera and reflects the widespread human toll of the conflict.

The report also mentioned related developments, including Israel’s claim of striking Iran’s nuclear facilities and multiple attacks on ships in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, underscoring the regional escalation.

The United States has been seen loading powerful bombs onto B-1 bombers at a Royal Air Force base in the United Kingdom, suggesting preparations for potential strikes on Iran’s underground missile and drone storage sites. Video footage reportedly shows a missile launcher being removed from one of the bombers at RAF Fairford, indicating a shift in armament configuration.

Reports state that the aircraft are being equipped with Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) bombs, which require the bomber to fly within about 25 miles of its target. This implies that US aircraft may need to enter or approach Iranian airspace to carry out such operations. Analysts interpret this as a sign that the Pentagon believes much of Iran’s air defense capability has already been neutralized.

Observers note that the bombers have been positioned visibly outside hangars, apparently to signal that the United States’ most powerful weapons are ready and that Iran’s ability to counter them is limited.

Italy’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that a missile attack struck an Italian military base in Erbil, located in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. The incident occurred on March 12, 2026, but no casualties were reported among Italian personnel. The ministry stated on social media that all Italian staff were safe and unharmed.

Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has been in contact with senior military commanders following the incident. In a separate statement, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said that soldiers took shelter in a bunker during the attack and were all safe. Approximately 300 Italian troops are currently stationed in Erbil.

The report appeared amid heightened regional tensions, including recent claims of Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities and multiple assaults on ships in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz.

An AFP analysis reported that at least 25 Iranian attacks targeted US facilities or personnel across the Middle East since the start of the war. The incidents occurred between February 28 and March 11, 1500 GMT. Four of the attacks targeted US embassies or consulates in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq, while 21 others involved missile or drone strikes on 13 different military sites hosting US troops. Among the targeted locations were Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base and Iraq’s Erbil Airport, each attacked at least four times. Qatar’s Al-Udeid Air Base and the UAE’s Al Dhafra Air Base were also hit twice each.

The analysis excluded seven additional attacks claimed against radar systems or US-operated missile defense networks. Satellite imagery confirmed damage from 12 of the recorded attacks, with the latest images dated March 5. Afterward, high-resolution satellite image access was restricted by US suppliers citing allied security concerns.

Separately, AFP noted around 30 attacks on energy infrastructure in the region since the conflict began, more than half attributed to Tehran, including 16 strikes across seven Gulf countries.

At least seven people were killed and 21 others injured in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut’s central coastal area early Thursday, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. The attack targeted the Ramlet al-Baida district, with local media footage showing smoke rising from the shoreline. The National News Agency reported that a car was struck during the assault.

The Israeli military confirmed conducting overnight operations against Hezbollah in Beirut’s southern suburbs, saying it hit ten Hezbollah targets. This marks the third strike in central Beirut since the start of the Middle East conflict. The National News Agency also reported Israeli attacks on several southern Lebanese towns, including Taybeh, Al-Sultaniyah, and areas near Tyre.

In response, Hezbollah announced that it had launched a missile strike on an Israeli military intelligence base near Tel Aviv early Thursday, signaling continued escalation between the two sides.

A Thai-flagged cargo ship named Mayuri Naree was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz while en route to Gujarat, India, leaving three crew members missing. According to Precious Shipping, the vessel came under attack from Iran, and the missing crew are believed to be trapped in the engine room. The incident occurred on Wednesday and resulted in a fire on board after the ship was hit by an unidentified projectile.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that the ship had ignored prior warnings. Following the strike, the Omani navy conducted a rapid rescue operation, successfully evacuating 20 sailors from the vessel, though three remain unaccounted for.

The attack adds to a series of recent maritime incidents in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, where several other ships have reportedly been targeted, raising renewed concerns over regional maritime security.

Lebanese armed group Hezbollah has claimed responsibility for a series of overnight attacks targeting several Israeli military bases and cities. According to the group, drone strikes were carried out on the Yara barracks in northern Israel, while missile attacks targeted the Beit Lid base, the Glilot base near Tel Aviv, and the Atlit base near Haifa. Hezbollah also said it launched artillery fire at Israeli troops stationed in southern Lebanon and fired drones and rockets toward the coastal city of Nahariya.

The group further claimed that a radar installation at the Marine Air Operations Command and Control base was damaged during one of the drone strikes conducted on Wednesday. The report, citing Al Jazeera, did not include any confirmation or response from Israeli authorities regarding the alleged attacks.

The extent of the damage or casualties resulting from these claimed operations remains unclear, as no independent verification was provided in the source report.

Former CIA Director and former US Central Command chief General David Petraeus has suggested that the United States may be responsible for a recent attack on a school in southern Iran. He made the remark when asked about possible US involvement in the incident. Although Petraeus said he had not personally reviewed the evidence from the investigation, he believed that the US likely carried out the strike using Tomahawk missiles.

Petraeus added that there might have been outdated intelligence indicating the targeted building was once part of a larger Iranian naval compound. According to CBS, a US partner of the BBC, preliminary assessments also indicate that the United States was likely responsible for the deadly strike, though the attack on the school was unintentional and occurred by mistake.

The report comes amid heightened regional tensions, with recent attacks in the Persian Gulf and Hormuz Strait, as well as Iranian strikes on Israeli targets, further complicating the security situation.

The US Department of Defense has reported that the country spent more than $11.3 billion during the first six days of the ongoing war in the Middle East. According to US media reports, Pentagon military officials presented this preliminary estimate to American lawmakers during a closed-door meeting on Tuesday.

Reports from The New York Times and NBC News, citing unnamed sources, stated that the figure covers only direct expenses incurred during the first six days of the conflict. The reports also noted that the estimate excludes pre-war expenditures such as the deployment of additional troops and military equipment.

As a result, the actual cost of the war is expected to be significantly higher than the initial estimate, according to the same reports.

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry announced on March 12, 2026, that four Bahraini citizens aged between 22 and 36 have been arrested on charges of spying for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to the ministry’s statement, the first detainee was allegedly following organizational instructions to photograph key sites in Bahrain with assistance from others. The collected information was reportedly transmitted to the IRGC through software channels.

The ministry also reported that Iran carried out an attack targeting a fuel tank at a facility in Bahrain’s northern Muharraq Governorate early Thursday morning. In a post on social media platform X, the ministry described the incident as Iranian aggression and said relevant authorities were taking necessary measures in response.

These developments come amid heightened regional tensions, with Bahrain directly accusing Iran of hostile actions on its territory and pursuing legal action against alleged domestic collaborators.

Air New Zealand has announced the cancellation of 1,100 flights over the next two months due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. The airline’s chief executive, Nikhil Ravishankar, said the cancellations represent about five percent of its total flights, potentially affecting around 44,000 passengers. Most of the canceled flights are on domestic routes, though some international services will also be impacted.

Flights between New Zealand and the United States will continue as planned, as demand for that route has increased with travelers using it as an alternative path to Europe. Ravishankar explained that the conflict has caused unprecedented volatility in jet fuel prices, prompting airlines worldwide to adjust fares and schedules to manage rising costs.

The airline’s decision highlights the broader disruptions facing global aviation as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to affect fuel markets and flight operations.