China has said that initiating peace talks to end the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States will be a complex task. The statement came after Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday about mediation efforts to halt the war.

Following the discussion, China’s Foreign Ministry released a summary noting that both sides agreed to work jointly toward a ceasefire, de-escalation, and the resumption of peace talks to ensure the safety of civilians and maritime routes. China emphasized that while starting such negotiations would not be easy, successful talks could help maintain normal navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

China also expressed support for Pakistan’s role as a mediator in the conflict. The talks reflect growing diplomatic coordination between Beijing and Islamabad amid regional tensions and concerns over the security of key trade routes.

The National Interest reported that Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for one-fifth of global oil supply, following drone and missile attacks on Israel and Gulf energy facilities. The closure has sharply increased insurance rates and halted most shipping through the strait, threatening to paralyze international trade for weeks or months.

According to the report, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) could turn the narrow waterway into a minefield, with an estimated five to six thousand naval mines capable of sealing the passage within hours. The United States faces limited options to remove the mines, as its mine-clearing fleet relies mainly on coastal ships and helicopters, insufficient for the scale of the threat. Western nations have pledged assistance to reopen the strait, but their commitments remain uncertain.

The report warns that prolonged mine-clearing operations could keep global oil markets unstable, drive up insurance premiums, and disrupt tanker movements, potentially shaking the world economy.

An Israeli airstrike in the Al-Haniya municipality of southern Lebanon killed five Syrian agricultural workers, according to civil defense officials cited by Al Jazeera. The attack also left at least nine others, including women and children, seriously injured. The victims were reportedly working in nearby farmland when the strike occurred without any provocation.

Rescue teams transported the injured to local hospitals, where several remain in critical condition. Civil defense sources said the sudden assault has intensified fear among local laborers and residents. The incident underscores the growing insecurity faced by civilians in southern Lebanon amid ongoing tensions in the region.

The repeated escalation in the area continues to endanger the lives of ordinary workers and heightens concerns about broader instability along the Lebanon-Israel border.

Analysts have warned that the Suez Canal and other key global trade routes could face serious threats if Yemen’s Houthi rebels become directly involved in the ongoing war involving Iran. Mohammad Elmasry, a professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, told Al Jazeera that the Houthis possess significant capabilities demonstrated over the past two and a half years. He noted that they could potentially close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, effectively blocking access from the Red Sea to the Suez Canal.

Elmasry explained that such a move would create two major chokepoints— the Strait of Hormuz and the Suez Canal— both vital for international trade. He added that continued Houthi attacks could increase pressure on Israel’s air defense systems, which are already strained by missile strikes from Hezbollah and Iran. If attacks were to originate from Yemen as well, the situation could become even more complex.

According to Elmasry, Israel might politically welcome this escalation, as it could expand the scope of the conflict and discourage the United States from withdrawing too soon.

An Iranian military spokesperson from the IRGC’s Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters stated that Iranian forces carried out an attack on a US military support ship located far from the port of Salalah in Oman. The statement was reported by the semi-official Tasnim News Agency on March 28, 2026.

According to the same report, Iran reiterated that it respects the national sovereignty of Oman, describing the country as both brotherly and friendly. The announcement did not specify the extent of the attack, potential damage, or any casualties. The claim was cited by Al Jazeera as the source of the information.

No immediate details were provided regarding the US response or the broader regional implications of the incident.

The United Nations announced the formation of a task force to maintain trade flow through the Hormuz Strait, where maritime commerce has been disrupted by the ongoing war involving Iran, the United States, and Israel. UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said immediate action is essential to reduce the conflict’s impact. The task force will be led by Under-Secretary-General Jorge Moreira da Silva.

According to the UN, the initiative will draw inspiration from previous mechanisms such as the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the UN2720 mechanism for Gaza. The task force will engage with all relevant member states to determine how best to implement the plan, with the UN urging broad support to protect populations already affected by the conflict.

Experts warned that disruptions in fertilizer supply and rising fuel prices could further increase food costs in vulnerable countries. The World Food Programme cautioned that if the Iran war continues through June, tens of millions of people could face severe hunger.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a nearly one-hour telephone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to discuss the ongoing war situation in the Middle East. The call was part of Pakistan’s broader consultations with regional leaders. In a post on social media platform X, Sharif expressed Pakistan’s solidarity with Iran and condemned Israeli attacks. He also thanked Pezeshkian for appreciating Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and dialogue in the region.

According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will meet his counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt in Islamabad. The two-day meeting is scheduled to begin on Sunday. Officials confirmed that earlier in the week, Pakistan conveyed Washington’s 15-point ceasefire proposal to Tehran.

The discussions reflect Pakistan’s active diplomatic engagement amid heightened regional tensions and efforts to facilitate dialogue among key Middle Eastern states.

Kuwait International Airport sustained extensive damage to its radar system following multiple drone attacks, according to the state news agency KUNA. The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that no casualties occurred in the incident, which took place amid heightened security concerns in the region.

The report stated that the airport had been targeted several times since the outbreak of the Iran war. The most recent attack before this incident occurred on Wednesday, when a drone strike on a fuel depot caused a major fire. Kuwaiti authorities have blamed Iran for these repeated assaults, reflecting ongoing regional instability and escalating hostilities.

The repeated targeting of key infrastructure such as airports and fuel depots underscores the vulnerability of Gulf states to drone warfare and may prompt further security measures at critical facilities.

Hezbollah has intensified attacks on northern Israel, destroying several settlements including Misgav Am, Teshuba, and Gad. The mayor of Margaliot broke down in tears while describing the devastation. On Wednesday, local council heads met government officials via Zoom to discuss the worsening situation, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urging them to prevent residents from leaving their areas.

During the meeting, Mayor Avichai Stern accused the government of failing to support border communities, saying Israeli homes and infrastructure had turned into ruins. He criticized Netanyahu’s government as a major failure, urging immediate action or acknowledgment of its inability to manage the crisis.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah claimed to have carried out 82 operations against Israeli forces in the past 24 hours, destroying two Israeli tanks. Fierce ground battles continue in southern Lebanon, particularly around Qantara and Miniara, where both sides are engaged in intense fighting.

A new attack struck near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant on Friday night, marking the third such incident in ten days. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that no radioactive material was released and that the reactor sustained no damage. The agency said the facility continues to operate normally and remains structurally intact following the strike, which occurred amid ongoing regional conflict.

According to the IAEA, the attack followed Israeli military operations targeting a heavy water reactor and a uranium processing site in central Iran, though Israel did not mention Bushehr specifically. Iran’s state news agency Fars reported that a projectile hit the plant’s grounds at 11:40 p.m. local time and blamed the United States and Israel for the incident. No casualties or damage were reported.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi urged all parties to exercise maximum military restraint. The Bushehr plant, located in southwestern Iran, is the country’s only operational nuclear power facility and has been connected to the national grid since 2011.

A fire broke out in an industrial area of the United Arab Emirates early Saturday following missile and drone attacks launched from Iran. According to Emirati authorities, no casualties have been reported from the incident. The UAE Ministry of Defense stated that its air defense systems were activated to intercept the incoming cruise missiles and drones.

The attack occurred about a month after the start of a regional conflict, with Tehran reportedly intensifying its strikes across the Gulf region. Abu Dhabi’s government media office confirmed that emergency teams were working to control two fires in the Khalifa Economic Zones area. Officials added that a ballistic missile was successfully intercepted, but debris from the destroyed projectile caused the fires.

Authorities have not provided further details about the extent of the damage or whether additional security measures will be taken in response to the incident.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced that his country has reached an agreement with Iran concerning the Hormuz Strait. Under the deal, Iran will allow Thai oil tankers to pass safely through the strategic waterway. The announcement was made on Saturday during a press conference, where the prime minister said the arrangement would ease concerns over energy imports, as Thailand relies heavily on oil from the Middle East.

Earlier this month, a cargo ship flying the Thai flag was damaged by a projectile in the Hormuz Strait. The Omani navy later rescued the vessel’s crew, though three sailors remain missing. The incident had raised safety concerns for Thai shipping operations in the region.

The new agreement is expected to reduce risks for Thailand’s oil transport routes and stabilize its energy supply chain, according to the prime minister’s remarks.

Hezbollah carried out 82 operations against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon within the past 24 hours, according to reports on March 28, 2026. The operations targeted areas where Israeli troops were attempting to advance, particularly around the city of Khiam, where intense fighting is ongoing as Israel seeks full control of the area.

The Lebanese armed group claimed to have destroyed two Israeli tanks during the clashes. Ground battles were also reported in the cities of Qantara and Miniara, indicating that the confrontation has spread across multiple fronts in southern Lebanon. The fighting has been continuing since the previous week.

In addition, Hezbollah fired a surface-to-air missile at an Israeli warplane flying at low altitude over Beirut, the Lebanese capital. The report, citing Al Jazeera, highlights escalating hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces across Lebanon’s southern and central regions.

Lebanon’s armed group Hezbollah announced that it carried out 82 operations within Lebanon and across the border against Israeli forces over the past 24 hours. The group also claimed to have fired a surface-to-air missile targeting an Israeli warplane flying low over Beirut, marking a notable escalation in the ongoing conflict.

Analysts cited in the report view the use of such weaponry over the Lebanese capital as a significant strategic shift in the confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah. Hezbollah further claimed responsibility for destroying two Israeli tanks near the city of Tyre and reported intense fighting with Israeli troops attempting to take control of Khiam.

The developments highlight a sharp rise in hostilities along the Lebanon-Israel border, with the conflict appearing to expand both geographically and in intensity, according to the report.

According to Iran’s Mehr news agency, the United States and Israel carried out an attack on the Iran University of Science and Technology in Tehran early Saturday. The report did not provide further details about the nature or scale of the strike. The incident adds to a series of recent assaults across Iran.

Since February 28, the death toll in Iran has reportedly reached 1,900. At a United Nations press conference on Friday, Maria Martinez, head of the Iranian Red Crescent delegation, said medical teams were attempting to rescue survivors from collapsed buildings caused by US and Israeli attacks across the country. Many rescuers reportedly discovered the bodies of their own family members during the operations.

The report also mentioned other recent incidents, including repeated attacks on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear facility and missile strikes that ignited fires in the United Arab Emirates’ industrial zone, underscoring a period of heightened regional tension.