China’s Foreign Ministry has called on all parties involved in the ongoing conflict—specifically the United States, Israel, and Iran—to return to the negotiating table and end what it described as a vicious cycle of violence. The appeal came after a question regarding former U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. Ministry spokesperson Lian Jian warned that further escalation could spread chaos across the entire region and emphasized that the war should never have started.

According to the report, the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has created dramatic instability across the Gulf region and globally. Thousands of people in the Middle East have been displaced, and the conflict has disrupted oil prices and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, raising costs for consumers and businesses worldwide.

Although China has not yet experienced major direct impacts from the Iran war, the country is expected to feel pressure due to its energy dependence. Data from the Center for Global Energy Policy indicate that only 12 percent of China’s oil imports come from Iran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has denounced the United States’ threat to destroy Iran’s power plants as a sign of Washington’s reckless attitude. He stated that the Strait of Hormuz would remain open to all nations except those attacking Iran. His remarks came after the US president warned that if Iran did not fully reopen the waterway within 48 hours, American forces would strike and annihilate Iranian power facilities, starting with the largest one.

In response, Tehran warned that any attack on its power infrastructure would trigger retaliatory strikes on energy installations in Gulf countries linked to the United States. The speaker of Iran’s parliament also cautioned that assaults by the US or Israel on Iranian power plants would bring “irreparable destruction” to critical infrastructure across the Gulf region.

The escalating exchange highlights rising tensions over navigation rights in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route for global energy shipments, with both sides issuing severe warnings of potential military action.

An investigation into the death of an Israeli citizen near Misgav Am in northern Israel has revealed that the fatal incident was caused by Israeli army fire, not by an attack from Lebanon. The preliminary findings indicate that artillery shells fired from an Israeli battery toward Lebanon went off target and landed inside the kibbutz area, killing 60-year-old Ofer Moskovitz on Sunday, March 22.

Initially, the Israeli military stated that casualties and damage had resulted from rockets launched from Lebanon. However, as the situation developed, the army revised its position and announced a comprehensive investigation involving all relevant authorities to determine the full circumstances of the event.

The army’s acknowledgment that its own artillery fire caused the civilian death has drawn attention to internal flaws within Israel’s defense system and highlighted the dangers of ongoing border conflicts.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump held a phone conversation on Sunday evening, according to a Downing Street spokesperson. The two leaders discussed the current situation in the Middle East, focusing on the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to resume global shipping. They agreed that reopening the strait is essential to ensure stability in the global energy market. The call lasted 20 minutes and was described as constructive.

The discussion came shortly after Trump shared a satirical video clip about the British Prime Minister. Following the call, Starmer convened a 'Cobra' meeting with Chancellor Rachel Reeves, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey, and others to assess the economic impact of the ongoing conflict. On Saturday night, Trump had given Iran a 48-hour deadline to reopen the strait, warning that the United States would destroy Iranian power plants if it failed to comply.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces announced preparations to continue fighting Iran and Hezbollah for several more weeks and approved plans to expand operations in Lebanon, raising fears of a full-scale ground offensive.

Iran has warned that it will deploy naval mines across the Persian Gulf if the United States or Israel launches any attack on its coastal areas or islands. The Iranian Defense Council issued the threat on Monday, March 23, 2026, declaring that it would not tolerate any form of aggression against its territory.

In a statement, the council said that peaceful nations or those not involved in the conflict could only pass through the Strait of Hormuz by coordinating with Iran. It added that any hostile attempt against Iranian coasts or islands would lead to the mining of all entry and communication routes in the Persian Gulf, effectively blocking the region. The council emphasized that the responsibility for such consequences would rest on the countries issuing threats.

The warning came as the deadline approached for a 48-hour ultimatum issued by US President Donald Trump, who had demanded that Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants.

A deadline set by former U.S. President Donald Trump for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz without threats is set to expire at midnight local time on Monday. The ultimatum, announced 48 hours earlier, warned that if Iran failed to ensure free passage for ships, the United States would destroy Iran’s power plants. The situation has heightened fears of escalating conflict in the Middle East as the deadline approaches.

In response, Tehran warned that any U.S. or Israeli attack on its power facilities would trigger retaliatory strikes on energy infrastructure in Gulf countries allied with Washington. Iran’s parliament speaker cautioned that such retaliation would cause irreversible destruction to critical installations in the region.

The standoff has drawn international concern, with observers noting that the expiration of the deadline could further destabilize the Gulf and intensify regional hostilities if neither side steps back from its threats.

Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari issued a new statement mocking former U.S. President Donald Trump as the American deadline for reopening the Strait of Hormuz approached. In an English-language video clip, Zolfaghari said, “Trump, you’re fired,” referencing the U.S. warning that Iran’s blockade of the strait could trigger attacks on its energy grid. Iran has responded with threats of severe retaliation.

Separately, Majid Farshi, director general of crisis management in Iran’s East Azerbaijan province, reported two deadly attacks in the city of Tabriz. According to Fars News Agency, four people were killed and six injured in an assault on a residential unit in the Marzdaran area, while two others died in a park in Rabe Rashidi. These claims could not be independently verified, and there were no immediate comments from U.S. or Israeli officials.

Earlier, reports indicated one person was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike on a radio station in Bandar Abbas, which operated a 100-kilowatt AM transmitter owned by Iran’s national broadcaster IRIB.

The Israeli military, known as the IDF, reported that Iran has launched another round of missile attacks targeting Israel. According to the IDF’s latest update, the country’s air defense systems are actively intercepting the incoming missiles. The strikes reportedly included cluster munitions aimed at Tel Aviv on Sunday night, which were neutralized in the air before reaching their targets.

Earlier reports indicated explosions in several parts of Tehran, Iran’s capital, though details about the cause or extent of those blasts remain unclear. The renewed exchange marks another escalation in hostilities between the two countries, with both sides reporting aerial activity and defensive responses.

The IDF stated that its air defense operations are ongoing to counter further threats, but no additional information on casualties or damage was provided in the report.

The Middle East saw a sharp escalation in hostilities on Monday, with Israel launching what it described as a 'massive attack' on Tehran. Explosions were reported in the Iranian capital, and AFP journalists observed thick black smoke. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said they intercepted new attacks, while debris from a downed missile injured an Indian national in Abu Dhabi. In Iran’s Bandar Abbas region, state media reported one death in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike on a broadcasting center.

International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warned that the global economy faces a major threat from the ongoing energy crisis, comparing it to the oil shocks of the 1970s and the 2022 Ukraine war. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and reaffirmed support against Iranian missile and drone threats. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam accused Iran’s Revolutionary Guard of directing Hezbollah’s military operations.

Israel’s military chief said ground operations in Lebanon will intensify, calling them “just the beginning,” while a spokesperson predicted fighting against Iran and Hezbollah could continue for several weeks.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for drone and missile attacks targeting Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base and the US Fifth Fleet stationed in Bahrain. According to an IRGC spokesperson from the Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters, the Saudi base serves as a key hub for US military operations and intelligence aircraft, prompting the group to launch ballistic missiles at the site.

At the same time, Yemen’s Houthi-linked news agency Al-Masirah reported that the Iran-backed group carried out an attack near Israel’s Ben Gurion Air Base, striking what it described as the ‘Zionist Aerospace Industries Center’ using Arash-2 attack drones. The report claimed the drones caused significant destruction.

However, none of these attack claims have been independently verified. As of the time of reporting, neither US nor Israeli officials had issued any formal comments. The multiple, unconfirmed attack claims have heightened concerns over regional security and potential escalation across the Middle East.

Multiple explosions were reported across Iran, including in the capital Tehran, on March 23, 2026. Loud blasts were heard in the central, eastern, and western parts of the city as air defense systems were activated. According to Al Jazeera, several other Iranian cities also experienced explosions amid ongoing airstrikes by the United States and Israel. The attacks followed Iran’s earlier strikes on Israeli installations, which had caused explosions in several Israeli areas.

Reports indicated that a radio station in Bandar Abbas was hit, killing one person, while residential areas in Khorramabad and Urmia suffered attacks that left several civilians dead. At least 1,500 people have been confirmed killed across Iran, with expectations that the toll will rise as the assaults continue. Explosions were also heard in Isfahan, Karaj, and Ahvaz, where a hospital was reportedly struck.

The Iranian Red Crescent Society stated that more than 80,000 civilian structures, including hospitals, schools, and its own offices, have been damaged or destroyed in the ongoing attacks.

An Air Canada Express aircraft collided with a vehicle on the runway while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Sunday evening. The CRJ-900 model plane, arriving from Montreal and operated by Jazz Aviation, struck the vehicle at a speed of about 39 kilometers per hour. Following the incident, airport operations were temporarily suspended as emergency crews responded to the scene.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a temporary halt to all flights at LaGuardia due to the emergency, initially effective until 05:30 GMT, with a possible extension. The New York Fire Department confirmed it responded to the collision, while both Air Canada and the FAA did not issue immediate comments. Videos shared on social media showed the aircraft’s nose tilted slightly upward after the impact.

According to the airport’s website, several flights were diverted to other airports or returned to their departure points. An FAA notice later indicated that the closure could continue until 18:00 GMT depending on conditions.

Five additional international flights were canceled at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram within the past 24 hours, according to a press bulletin issued late Sunday night, March 22, 2026. The cancellations affected both outbound and inbound flights operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla Airlines, and Air Arabia. The airport authority cited the intensifying war situation in the Middle East as the reason for the disruptions, which have caused severe inconvenience to passengers traveling to and from the region.

Despite the cancellations, twelve international flights—six arrivals and six departures—remained operational on Sunday. The airport’s public relations officer, Engineer Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil, stated that flight disruptions began on February 28 due to the ongoing conflict. Including the latest cancellations, a total of 167 international flights have been suspended from Shah Amanat International Airport since the disruptions began.

The continued instability in the Middle East suggests that further flight schedule disruptions may persist if the conflict remains unresolved.

The United Arab Emirates’ air defense system intercepted a ballistic missile aimed at Abu Dhabi, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office. The incident occurred in the Al Shawamekh area, where debris from the destroyed missile fell to the ground, injuring an Indian national. The confirmation was reported by Al Jazeera, citing the official media office’s post on social media platform X.

The report stated that the UAE’s defense system successfully neutralized the missile in the air before it could reach its target. However, fragments from the interception caused injuries on the ground. The injured person was identified as an Indian citizen, though no further details about his condition were provided.

Authorities have not released additional information about the source of the missile or any potential response measures following the incident.

A major fire broke out at an auto parts manufacturing factory in Daejeon, South Korea, resulting in at least 14 deaths and 59 injuries. Among the injured, 25 people are reported to be in critical condition. The incident occurred on Friday, according to ABC News. Video footage showed thick gray smoke rising from the factory complex as some workers jumped from a building to escape the flames.

More than 500 firefighters, police officers, and emergency personnel were deployed to the site to control the blaze and rescue trapped workers. Nam Deuk-woo, head of the Daejeon Daedeok District Fire Service, stated that one factory building was completely destroyed by the fire. Rescue operations were initially delayed because of fears that the building might collapse.

Authorities are continuing to assess the damage and investigate the cause of the fire, while emergency teams remain on-site to ensure safety and prevent further casualties.