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.

In the past week, Israel’s military campaign across Lebanon has killed around 400 people, displaced more than half a million, and expanded ground incursions into the country’s south. The Israeli army ordered residents of southern Lebanon to move north of the Litani River and those in Beirut’s southern suburbs, including Dahiyeh, to evacuate. Analysts told Al Jazeera that Israel’s actions are redefining Lebanon’s landscape, aiming to pressure Hezbollah and sever its connection with its Shia support base.

The escalation followed the February 28 assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei by Israel and the United States, which triggered a new war on Iran and retaliatory attacks by Hezbollah. Israel subsequently declared the November 2024 ceasefire void after repeated violations. Lebanese officials reported that 517,000 people have registered as displaced, including over 117,000 in government shelters. Analysts said Israel’s strategy could reshape Lebanon’s demographics and impose new political or economic conditions once the war ends.

Experts warned that the displacement and destruction could have long-term social and economic consequences, straining host communities and deepening instability in Lebanon’s already fragile state institutions.

At least two people were killed and 12 others injured in an attack on a residential building in Saudi Arabia’s Al Kharj city, according to the country’s Civil Defense agency on Sunday. The victims include one Bangladeshi and one Indian national, though their identities have not yet been released. The attack involved a projectile strike on the building, the agency said in a post on X.

The incident comes amid heightened regional tensions following a series of retaliatory attacks between Iran, Israel, and the United States. On February 28, Israel and the U.S. jointly carried out strikes in Iran, prompting Tehran to respond with missile and drone attacks on Tel Aviv and U.S.-linked facilities across Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain.

Authorities have not yet provided further details about the perpetrators or the motive behind the Al Kharj attack, and investigations are ongoing.

Oman's foreign minister has condemned the recent military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran, describing them as unethical and illegal. He stated that the measures taken against Iran violated international law and risked escalating tensions across the region.

In his remarks, the Omani foreign minister also expressed regret over Iran’s retaliatory attacks on neighboring countries, calling them unacceptable. He urged all parties involved to exercise restraint to prevent further deterioration of the situation.

The statement reflects Oman's consistent diplomatic stance of promoting regional stability and adherence to international law, as reported by Roya News.

Reports from various official sources indicate rising casualties as hostilities between the United States, Israel, and Iran continue. According to Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, 1,332 civilians have been killed in US-Israeli strikes since the conflict began. Lebanon’s health ministry reported 394 deaths, including 83 children and 42 women. Israel’s emergency service MDA said 10 people have been killed since its operations against Iran started, while 1,929 have been hospitalized, though not all due to missile attacks. The Pentagon confirmed six US soldiers were killed in a drone strike on a base in Kuwait.

The United Arab Emirates’ defense ministry reported four deaths, while Kuwait’s interior ministry said two soldiers and two border guards were killed, along with a girl struck by metal fragments. Bahrain’s interior ministry reported one worker killed by debris last week. The figures have not been independently verified by the BBC, which compiled the data from official statements.

The ongoing conflict has drawn regional concern, with Oman calling attacks on Iran unethical and illegal, and another European country opposing US strikes on Iran.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for destroying four radar units connected to the United States’ THAAD anti-missile defense system within the past 24 hours, according to a report by Al Jazeera. The Iranian state news agency IRNA stated that the radars were struck using precision-guided missiles during an operation targeting U.S. missile defense infrastructure.

The THAAD system is a key component of the U.S. missile defense network, designed to detect and intercept ballistic missiles in midair. The IRGC described the strikes as part of an ongoing military campaign, though no further operational details were provided in the report.

The report did not specify the location of the attack or provide independent verification of the IRGC’s claim.

French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to condemn Iran’s recent attacks, according to a statement from the Emir’s office. During the call, Macron expressed France’s full solidarity with Qatar and praised the effective role of Qatar’s armed forces in protecting residents, including French nationals, within the country.

The statement added that both leaders emphasized the importance of ensuring the stability of energy supplies and freedom of navigation through key maritime routes. They also called for prioritizing dialogue and diplomatic initiatives to de-escalate tensions and resolve the situation peacefully.

The conversation reflects ongoing international concern over regional security and the need for cooperative measures to maintain stability in the Gulf area.