US President Donald Trump has criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for refusing to assist Israel in conducting airstrikes on Iran. Trump said the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom is no longer what it used to be. His remarks came after the UK declined to allow its bases to be used for the operation.

Earlier, Starmer had sharply criticized Trump’s actions in Iran, stating that the United Kingdom does not believe in changing a country’s regime through aerial attacks. He defended his decision not to permit the use of British bases for such strikes. However, Starmer clarified that the UK would allow its bases to be used to protect allied forces and its own troops in the Gulf and Middle East amid the Iran-Israel conflict.

In an interview with The Sun, Trump expressed disappointment, saying he never expected such a stance from the UK. He added that the world has changed and that the bilateral relationship now feels different and diminished.

Syria has closed its border crossings with Lebanon after receiving a warning from Israel that Israeli forces might target the crossings. The decision was reported by Al Jazeera on Wednesday, citing the Syrian land and sea port authorities. The closure follows heightened regional tensions and security concerns along the Syrian-Lebanese frontier.

According to the report, the Syrian land and sea port authorities stated that the move came after Israel issued a warning about potential strikes on the crossings. A media officer at the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing said that while the crossings are closed, entry will remain open for Syrians fleeing from Lebanon.

The closure comes amid reports of displacement in Lebanon due to Israeli attacks, with more than 65,000 people reportedly affected. The situation underscores the growing instability in the region and the potential for further humanitarian challenges if border restrictions continue.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has described the joint US and Israeli attacks on Iran as the beginning of a 'catastrophe for humanity.' Speaking on March 4, 2026, Sánchez made clear that Spain does not support war and that the Spanish people stand against what he called a growing disaster. He strongly criticized the military actions and reaffirmed his country's stance for peace.

Sánchez recalled that the 2003 invasion of Iraq had made the world less safe and argued that a new war against Iran would not lead to a fairer international order, a healthier environment, or better lives for ordinary people. His comments came as tensions escalated following the attacks in Iran and the broader regional fallout.

In response to Spain’s refusal to allow US forces to use its bases for the Iran operation, former US President Donald Trump threatened to cut all trade ties with Spain, further straining diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has stated that the recent attack on Iran by the United States and Israel was inconsistent with international law. Speaking at an event in Sydney, Australia, on Wednesday, Carney said the assault was carried out without consultation with the United Nations or allied nations. He urged all parties to de-escalate the conflict quickly to protect civilian lives and property.

US Democratic Congress member Pramila Jayapal also criticized the attack, saying there was no justification for it. After a House briefing on the Iran conflict, she told reporters that no evidence had been presented showing Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States. Meanwhile, the US-based Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) reported that at least 1,097 civilians have been killed in Iran since February 28 due to ongoing violence.

The developments come amid a series of regional escalations, including Israeli strikes in Isfahan and Lebanon and an Iranian missile attack on a US airbase in Qatar.

Israeli airstrikes in Iran’s central Isfahan province have killed five people, according to reports published on March 4, 2026. The attacks targeted several areas including Najafabad, Fereydan, Mobarakeh, Aran va Bidgol, Kashan, and Shahreza. Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that fifteen residential units were damaged in Fereydan during the strikes.

The U.S. military stated that it carried out attacks on nearly two thousand targets in Iran, describing the operation as almost twice the scale of the 2003 Iraq invasion. Meanwhile, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that since February 28, at least 1,097 civilians have been killed in violence across Iran, including 181 children under the age of ten.

The developments come amid heightened regional tensions, with related incidents reported in Lebanon and Qatar, and the United States advising non-essential personnel to leave parts of Pakistan.

Qatar’s Ministry of Defense reported that Iran fired two ballistic missiles toward Qatar. One missile was intercepted by Qatar’s air defense system, while the other was neutralized from the US Al Udeid Air Base, the largest American military facility in the Middle East. No casualties have been reported by Qatari authorities.

Separately, a drone attack targeted the CIA station at the US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Monday, March 2. A source confirmed to Reuters on Tuesday, March 3, that Iranian drones were used in the assault, though it remains unclear whether the CIA station was the intended target. The CIA has declined to comment on the incident.

The developments come amid heightened regional tensions, with recent reports of Israeli strikes in Iran’s Isfahan and Lebanon, and the United States ordering non-essential personnel to leave Karachi and Lahore in Pakistan.

The Israeli military has issued an urgent warning for residents of 16 towns and villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate immediately. The announcement, made on Wednesday, came ahead of a potential military operation against Hezbollah fighters. According to a report from Jerusalem citing AFP, the warning urged civilians to leave their homes and move to open areas for their safety.

The statement was delivered by Avichay Adraee, the Israeli army’s Arabic-language spokesperson, who emphasized the need for residents to act swiftly. The military identified the specific border locations affected by the evacuation order. The warning reflects heightened tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, where clashes with Hezbollah have previously occurred.

The development follows a series of regional incidents, including reported Israeli strikes in Iran’s Isfahan and Lebanon, as well as missile attacks in Qatar and U.S. directives for non-essential staff to leave Pakistan, indicating a broader regional escalation.

At least 12 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon on March 4, 2026, according to the country’s state-run National News Agency. The report said six people died when a residential building was hit in the eastern city of Baalbek. Separate attacks in Aramoun and Saadiyat, both located in the southern part of the capital Beirut, claimed six more lives.

The agency added that at least 23 others were injured in the strikes, while two people remained missing. The attacks targeted both residential and urban areas, causing casualties and damage in multiple locations.

No further details were provided on the reasons behind the strikes or any official responses from the parties involved.

The US Department of State announced on Wednesday that non-essential American government employees and their families stationed at the US consulates in Karachi and Lahore have been instructed to leave Pakistan due to security concerns. The directive was confirmed in a statement released by the US Embassy in Pakistan.

According to the embassy statement, the decision applies specifically to personnel at the consulates in Lahore and Karachi, while operations at the US Embassy in Islamabad remain unchanged. The embassy emphasized that the move was taken as a precautionary measure in response to unspecified security risks.

No further details were provided regarding the nature of the threats or the duration of the departure order, and the State Department did not indicate any change in its diplomatic presence in the Pakistani capital.

An Iranian Navy vessel has reportedly sunk near the coast of Sri Lanka, according to Sri Lankan authorities. After receiving a distress signal from the ship identified as 'IRIS Dena' early in the morning, Sri Lanka deployed naval and air force units to rescue the crew. The vessel had 180 people on board, and 30 injured sailors were rescued and taken to a hospital in the port city of Galle for treatment.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Wijitha Herath informed parliament about the incident, confirming the distress signal and the ongoing rescue efforts. The cause of the sinking remains unknown, and no official explanation has been provided by either government.

A member of the opposition in Sri Lanka questioned whether the ship might have been attacked as part of ongoing hostilities involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, but the government did not respond to that query.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has warned that whoever becomes Iran’s next supreme leader will be assassinated. He issued the warning on Wednesday in a post on social media platform X, days after Iran’s current supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike on Saturday.

Katz wrote that any leader chosen by Iran’s ruling establishment to continue its plans to destroy Israel, threaten the United States and its allies, and oppress the Iranian people would be marked for killing, regardless of name or location. He added that both he and the Israeli prime minister had instructed the Israel Defense Forces to prepare and act on this mission.

The statement comes amid heightened regional tensions following multiple attacks, including Israeli strikes in Iran’s Isfahan that killed five people and in Lebanon that left twelve dead, as well as an Iranian missile attack on a U.S. air base in Qatar.

Leaked Pentagon assessments reported by US media suggest that if the current strikes on Iran continue beyond 10 days, the United States could face shortages of key missiles. The US and Israel began coordinated attacks on Iran while diplomatic talks over Tehran’s nuclear program and regional activities were still underway. Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes across the region, targeting Israel and US military assets in several Middle Eastern countries. The Pentagon reportedly cautioned President Donald Trump that a prolonged campaign would carry serious risks, including the high cost of replenishing munitions. Trump, however, insisted that US stockpiles were sufficient to sustain extended operations.

Analysts told Al Jazeera that interceptor missiles such as THAAD, Patriot, and SM‑3 could run low within weeks if the conflict persists. The US military’s Central Command confirmed the use of more than 20 weapons systems, including advanced bombers, drones, and missile defense platforms. Experts warned that manufacturing replacements takes months, and high-end interceptors are designed for limited engagements, not prolonged wars. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that Iran can produce far more offensive missiles monthly than the US can build interceptors.

Reports also indicate that the US has already depleted some ship-borne interceptors and suffered friendly-fire losses. Sustaining the campaign is expected to be extremely costly, with early operations estimated to have cost over a billion dollars.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared that it now holds complete control over the Strait of Hormuz. The statement was made by IRGC naval officer Mohammad Akbarzadeh, who said the strategic waterway is under the full authority of the Islamic Republic’s naval forces. The announcement was reported by Iran’s Fars News Agency.

The IRGC had previously warned that it could close the strait if necessary. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime route for global oil shipments, and control over it has long been a point of contention in regional security. The report also recalled that U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier stated his readiness to deploy naval forces to protect oil tankers in the area.

The claim of full control adds to the ongoing military and political friction in the region, where recent incidents have included U.S. strikes on Iranian targets and heightened tensions involving Israel and Saudi Arabia.

At least six people were killed on Tuesday when a tunnel collapsed at the Rubaya coltan mine in the rebel-controlled eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to eyewitnesses cited by AFP from Goma. The incident occurred about 70 kilometers west of Goma in North Kivu province, killing three women and three men and injuring several others.

Witnesses reported that authorities had ordered evacuations following the collapse, and bodies were seen being carried away on stretchers. Many relatives rushed to the site in search of missing workers. The Rubaya mine, one of the largest coltan sources in the country, employs thousands of miners who work in hazardous conditions with minimal equipment.

The mine, which supplies an estimated 15 to 30 percent of global coltan production, has been under the control of M23 rebels since April 2024. This was the second deadly collapse in Rubaya in recent weeks, following a landslide late last month that the government feared had killed at least 200 people.

The United States military announced that it has carried out strikes on approximately 2,000 targets inside Iran. According to the US Central Command, the operation was nearly twice the scale of the 2003 Iraq invasion. The commander reported that 17 Iranian ships were destroyed, and senior Admiral Brad Cooper stated that no Iranian vessels remained in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, or the Gulf of Oman.

Cooper described the campaign as the largest US troop deployment in the Middle East in a generation, involving more than 50,000 troops, 200 fighter jets, two aircraft carriers, and bombers. He said the attacks focused on eliminating potential threats to US forces and targeted Iran’s navy, including its most capable submarines.

The report also noted that there was no evidence Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, despite the scale of the operation.