A leaked audio recording obtained by The Telegraph reveals that Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new Supreme Leader, narrowly survived a missile attack by Israel and the United States that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The strike occurred on February 28 at 9:32 a.m. when an Israeli Blue Sparrow ballistic missile hit the Khamenei residence. Mojtaba survived because he had stepped into the garden moments before the impact.

The recording, attributed to Mazaher Hosseini, head of protocol in Ali Khamenei’s office, was delivered on March 12 before senior clerics and IRGC commanders in Tehran’s Kolhak area. Hosseini said Mojtaba sustained minor leg injuries, while his wife Haddad and their son were killed instantly. The missile also struck the home of Khamenei’s brother-in-law, Misbah al-Huda Bagheri Kani, killing him, and caused damage near the residence of Mojtaba’s brother Mostafa, who escaped unharmed.

The leak comes amid uncertainty about Mojtaba’s health and leadership capacity. An Iranian official said even military commanders lack information on his current condition, while former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly questioned whether he is still alive.

Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has issued an open letter in Arabic urging Muslim-majority countries to support Iran in its ongoing war against the United States and Israel. In the letter, Larijani described the conflict as a struggle between the US-Israel alliance and regional resistance forces, warning that Washington is untrustworthy and that Israel remains an enemy of the Muslim world. He emphasized that Iran seeks no dominance over others and called on Muslim nations to consider the region’s future.

Larijani accused the US and Israel of launching an aggressive war to destroy Iran, lamenting the limited support from Muslim countries during this crisis. He asserted that Iran’s people would continue to resist until the end. The letter follows failed nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington, which ended on February 27 without agreement.

The day after the talks collapsed, the US began “Operation Epic Fury” in Iran, joined by Israel’s simultaneous “Operation Roaring Lion.” Iran has since retaliated with drone and missile strikes on US bases across six Gulf countries, actions that remain ongoing.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned NATO allies that the alliance’s future could be at risk if member nations fail to help reopen the blocked Strait of Hormuz, which has been disrupted amid conflict with Iran. In an interview with The Financial Times published on March 17, 2026, Trump said countries benefiting from the strait should take responsibility to ensure its safety. He urged China, France, and the United Kingdom to send warships to the area and hinted at possible U.S. military action to restore passage.

Trump emphasized that European and Chinese economies depend more heavily on oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz than the United States does, yet those nations have not taken sufficient steps to secure the route. He suggested that allies could assist by deploying minesweeper vessels to clear the waterway.

Referring to NATO’s past cooperation, Trump noted that the United States supported European allies during the war in Ukraine and now expects reciprocal assistance in maintaining freedom of navigation in the Gulf region.

Qatar Airways announced on Monday that it will operate a limited number of flights to and from Doha starting Wednesday through March 28. The airline said the restricted schedule covers dozens of destinations across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North and South America, and the Asia Pacific. The carrier explained that its regular operations remain suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace and that full services will resume once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority declares the airspace safe for reopening.

The decision comes as air travel across the Middle East faces severe disruption following the US and Israel’s military assault on Iran on February 28. The attacks triggered retaliatory Iranian missile and drone strikes across the region, affecting several Gulf countries that serve as major aviation hubs. Many travelers remain stranded as airspace restrictions persist.

In the United Arab Emirates, authorities reported that flights at Dubai International Airport were gradually resuming after a drone-related incident caused a nearby fuel tank fire. Officials confirmed the fire was contained and no injuries occurred.

Multiple explosions struck Baghdad on Monday, killing at least four people in an air raid on a building used by the Iran-backed Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) in the Jadriyah district. The attack followed drone strikes targeting the United States Embassy in the city’s fortified Green Zone, where air defences intercepted several drones and one reportedly struck inside the compound. A separate drone hit the Al Rasheed Hotel near the embassy, causing a minor fire but no casualties, according to Iraq’s Ministry of Interior.

The PMF, an umbrella group of mostly Shia paramilitary factions aligned with Iran, was formally integrated into Iraq’s security forces. The Iraqi army condemned the earlier suspected US strike on a PMF checkpoint in Al-Qaim, which killed at least eight troops, calling it a “treacherous and cowardly attack.” Security forces have since blocked roads to the Green Zone with armoured vehicles.

The violence coincided with reports of drone attacks on Iraq’s Majnoon oilfield in Basra province and the death of a senior Kataib Hezbollah commander. Iraq’s oil minister said a key pipeline to Turkiye would reopen within a week to resume disrupted exports.

United States President Donald Trump said on Monday that “numerous countries” had told him they were “on their way” to join an international naval coalition aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran. Trump did not identify any of the countries but said Secretary of State Marco Rubio would make an official announcement. He had earlier urged China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, as well as NATO members, to participate in the coalition, though no country has yet confirmed involvement.

Several nations have publicly declined to send military ships, including Australia, Japan, Poland, Sweden, and Spain. Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius ruled out military participation but expressed support for diplomatic efforts. The UK and South Korea said they were reviewing options, with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer suggesting possible deployment of mine-hunting drones while avoiding deeper engagement. France has shown more openness to assisting. Trump criticized countries that refused to join, noting that some were long-time US allies under American protection.

The conflict has sharply affected global oil markets, with prices rising 40–50 percent amid Iranian attacks on shipping. The UN reports 3.2 million people displaced in Iran, while Amnesty International accused the US of a deadly strike on a girls’ school in Minab.

Most of the world wants the ongoing war involving Iran to end quickly, but the countries engaged hold sharply different objectives. The United States, under President Donald Trump, has wavered between limiting Iran’s nuclear program, forcing regime change, and securing regional compliance. Despite 16 days of intense bombing that weakened Iran’s military, Tehran has neither surrendered nor collapsed. Earlier indirect talks in Geneva, mediated by Oman, had shown progress on nuclear issues, but Iran refused to discuss its missile program or regional proxies.

Iran seeks an end to the war but not at the cost of accepting all U.S. demands. It insists on guarantees against future attacks and compensation for damages from U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. Israel, meanwhile, wants to destroy as much of Iran’s missile and military infrastructure as possible, viewing Tehran’s weapons programs as existential threats. Gulf Arab states, though initially neutral, are now angered by Iranian drone and missile strikes on their territories.

Rising oil prices, partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and growing domestic unease in the U.S. are increasing pressure on Washington to find a way out of the conflict.

Amnesty International has concluded that the United States is responsible for a February 28 missile strike on a primary school in Minab, southern Iran, that killed at least 170 people, most of them children. The rights group said on Monday that a US-manufactured Tomahawk missile was likely used in the attack, which also hit structures in an adjacent Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) compound. Amnesty’s investigation, based on satellite imagery, video analysis, and expert interviews, found that the school was directly struck, indicating a failure by US forces to take feasible precautions to avoid civilian harm.

The organization said the attack represents a serious breach of international humanitarian law and may amount to a war crime. Amnesty’s senior director Erika Guevara-Rosas stated that if the US failed to identify the building as a school, it would show gross negligence and a major intelligence failure. Alternatively, if the US knew the school’s location and still proceeded, it would constitute a reckless and indiscriminate attack. The United Nations and US lawmakers have called for accountability, while Washington has said it is investigating the incident.

The Minab strike has intensified scrutiny of the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, which legal experts say violates international law, and raised concerns about US officials’ dismissive remarks regarding rules of engagement.

Andreas Krieg, an Associate Professor at King’s College London, stated that attempts to open the Strait of Hormuz by force would be 'almost suicidal.' He commented on US plans to deploy 2,500 marines to the Gulf, saying the move would make no difference in reopening the strategic waterway.

Krieg’s remarks highlight skepticism about the effectiveness of military measures in addressing tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route for global energy shipments. His assessment suggests that a forceful approach could carry severe risks without achieving the intended outcome.

The statement underscores concerns about escalating military involvement in the Gulf region and the potential consequences of using force to secure maritime access.

A drone attack targeted the United States Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, on Tuesday morning local time. One drone crashed near the embassy compound, while another was intercepted and destroyed by air defense systems. Smoke was seen rising from the area following the incident, according to media reports.

The US Embassy is located in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, which has experienced multiple attempted attacks in recent days. The Iraqi Interior Ministry previously reported that a drone had also struck the Al-Rashid Hotel within the same zone. The recent incidents highlight ongoing security challenges in the area.

Authorities have not yet provided details on casualties or identified those responsible for the attack, leaving questions about the perpetrators and their motives.

At least 400 people were killed and about 250 others injured in a Pakistani airstrike on a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, according to the Taliban. The attack reportedly took place around 9 p.m. on Monday when Pakistan’s military targeted the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in the Afghan capital.

A Taliban spokesperson stated on social media that the hospital, which had around 2,000 beds and treated drug addiction patients, was largely destroyed in the strike. Local media also reported extensive damage and warned that the death toll could rise as rescue efforts continued.

Pakistan has not yet issued any official comment on the incident. Reports suggest that the number of casualties may increase as more information becomes available.

Thirteen US soldiers have been killed and 200 injured since the war between the United States and Iran began, according to US Central Command spokesperson Captain Tim Hawkins. Among the injured, ten are in critical condition. Hawkins stated that the injuries include burns, traumatic brain injuries, and shrapnel wounds, and that 180 personnel have already returned to duty.

Military officials noted that many of the attacks were caused by Iran’s one-way drone strikes. General Dan Kane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said such drone attacks were responsible for most of the casualties. The conflict began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran.

Iran has responded with counterattacks, particularly targeting several Gulf countries known to be allies of the United States and Israel, according to the report sourced from Al Jazeera.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Germany will not take part militarily in the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, Merz said that under Germany’s constitutional framework, there is no authorization from the United Nations, the European Union, or NATO to participate in such a conflict. He emphasized that it was clear from the beginning that this war was not a NATO matter.

Merz added that the United States and Israel did not consult Germany before starting the war, and there was never any joint decision on whether to take military action against Iran. He questioned how Germany could be militarily involved under such circumstances.

Analysts cited in the report noted that Germany’s stance highlights divisions among Europe’s major powers over the war and could prompt new diplomatic discussions about the Middle East conflict.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a new warning targeting US-linked industrial facilities across the Middle East. According to a statement published by Iran’s state-run Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC said attacks could occur within hours and urged employees and nearby residents to leave the areas immediately. The group’s spokesperson cautioned the United States to evacuate all American industrial sites in the region and advised civilians near facilities with American ownership to move away to avoid harm.

The IRGC did not specify which facilities might be targeted. However, Tasnim News Agency had earlier released a list of potential targets on its Telegram channel, naming offices of major technology companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Nvidia located in Gulf countries. Analysts cited in the report suggested that the warning could heighten existing tensions in the Middle East and raise new security concerns for multinational corporations operating in the region.

The report, sourced from Al Jazeera, indicates growing uncertainty over the safety of US-affiliated businesses amid escalating regional instability.

A projectile strike in the northern Israeli city of Nahariya caused a building to catch fire, injuring at least three people, according to Israeli media reports on March 17, 2026. Medical sources cited by local outlets said the fire spread through the building and damaged several nearby structures.

Earlier, Hezbollah had claimed responsibility for launching rocket and drone attacks targeting Nahariya. The incident occurred amid heightened regional tensions following the outbreak of war between Iran and the United States.

Reports also stated that at least 12 people have been killed in Israel so far by Iranian missile attacks since the conflict began on February 28, when Iran initiated hostilities against the United States.