At least eight Palestinians were killed and 17 others injured in fresh Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip within the past 24 hours, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The ministry reported that intense bombardment has made it difficult for rescue and civil defense teams to reach those trapped under rubble or lying on the streets, raising fears that the death toll could rise further.

The report stated that since the ceasefire agreement brokered by international mediators in October last year, Israeli forces have repeatedly violated the truce. Since then, at least 1,092 Palestinians have been killed and 3,507 injured in Israeli military operations. Despite the ceasefire, drone and missile strikes have continued in various parts of Gaza, deepening humanitarian distress and anger among local residents.

The ongoing attacks have heightened concerns over worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza as rescue efforts remain severely hampered by continuous bombardment.

Bangladesh’s Minister of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, informed parliament that twelve Bangladeshi nationals have died so far in the ongoing Middle East war centered on Iran. The casualties include five in Lebanon, three in Saudi Arabia, two in the United Arab Emirates, and one each in Iraq and Bahrain. He shared the information during a parliamentary session chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram.

The minister said that under the Wage Earners’ Welfare Board’s funding, a total of 186 people, including 12 women and eight children, have been brought back from Iran amid the conflict. He added that one of the deceased was buried abroad, while nine bodies have already been repatriated to Bangladesh. Families of the deceased received financial support of 35,000 taka for burial expenses and an additional 50,000 taka as special assistance.

Chowdhury also announced logistical improvements at airports, including new freezing ambulances in Dhaka, Sylhet, and Chattogram, additional trolleys at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, and wheelchairs for injured or ill workers. Plans are underway to establish a migrant lounge and medical corner at Sylhet Osmani International Airport.

Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency has reported that a US airstrike struck the Ak Takeh Khan railway bridge in Golestan province, northern Iran. The bridge is part of a vital rail corridor linking Tehran with China, Iran’s largest trading partner. The incident reportedly disrupted a route that had been used to transport goods to Russia during periods when US sanctions complicated access to Iranian seaports.

According to the report, Iranian authorities plan to complete repairs on the damaged bridge quickly. The railway line crossing the bridge connects Iran with Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan before reaching China, making it strategically important for regional trade and freight movement.

The report, citing Al Jazeera as a source, underscores the bridge’s significance for Iran’s overland trade network and its role in maintaining economic links amid geopolitical tensions.

Iran has claimed that its Bushehr nuclear power plant in the southern part of the country remains undamaged following recent United States attacks. According to reports citing Iranian officials, explosions were heard in the Bushehr area, and debris from missiles was rumored to have fallen on the facility. However, Tehran dismissed these reports, asserting that the nuclear site suffered no damage.

The Bushehr nuclear power plant, built nearly two decades ago with Russian assistance, was not among the targets of the latest US-Israeli strikes. Those attacks primarily focused on Iran’s Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan nuclear facilities, carried out by US B-2 bombers. Russian technical experts were reportedly present at the Bushehr site during the conflict.

Tehran reiterated that the Bushehr facility remains fully secure and operational, emphasizing that no harm occurred despite the regional hostilities.

Amnesty International has called for an investigation into Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon as possible war crimes. In a statement released on Thursday, the human rights organization said that during fighting with Hezbollah, Israel carried out air raids that wiped out entire families. Amnesty reviewed three Israeli attacks on civilian homes between March 6 and 13, which killed 24 people, including 12 children.

The organization stated that these incidents should be investigated as war crimes, emphasizing that the strikes destroyed entire families. Amnesty also reported that when it asked the Israeli military about the purpose or targets of the three attacks, no specific information was provided.

The statement, citing Al Jazeera as a source, underscores growing concern over civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israel will not withdraw its troops from Lebanon, rejecting earlier remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had expressed belief that Israel would pull back. In a statement, Katz asserted that Israel did not seek anyone’s permission to enter Lebanon and does not need permission to remain there.

Katz emphasized that protecting residents of Galilee and Israeli citizens from threats is both a right and a duty. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials have reiterated that Israeli forces will stay in Lebanon until Hezbollah is completely disarmed. Katz added that Israel will continue operating in Lebanon’s security zone as long as necessary to eliminate threats to northern communities.

The comments, reported by Al Jazeera, underscore Israel’s firm stance on maintaining its military presence in Lebanon amid ongoing tensions with Hezbollah.

Iran’s military announced that it carried out drone strikes on US military installations located in Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain. According to the statement, the attacks targeted a Patriot missile system in Kuwait, a satellite-based early warning antenna in Qatar, and a US fuel storage facility in Bahrain. The Iranian military said the strikes were conducted in retaliation for recent US attacks on Iranian territory.

The statement added that the operation was part of a continuing series of Iranian assaults on US bases across the Middle East. Earlier, several Gulf countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, had reported incidents or issued security alerts following the attacks.

In response, the US military confirmed that it launched strikes on 90 targets inside Iran, claiming the action was a countermeasure to Iranian assaults on commercial ships and civilian sailors in the Strait of Hormuz.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres met with Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Nakvi, where he praised Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to promote peace. The meeting took place as part of discussions on regional and international issues, according to the report.

During the meeting, both sides discussed Pakistan’s mediation efforts in facilitating a potential agreement between the United States and Iran. The talks also highlighted Pakistan’s longstanding role in supporting regional and global peace initiatives.

Guterres recognized Pakistan’s continued contributions and mediation efforts in addressing regional challenges, reaffirming the UN’s appreciation for the country’s role in peacebuilding.

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has nearly come to a standstill following US attacks on Iran, according to Bloomberg citing ship tracking data. Only a US-sanctioned supertanker and an Iranian-flagged container ship were seen leaving the Gulf. On Wednesday, about 14 cargo vessels crossed the strait in both directions, the lowest number since the signing of a US-Iran memorandum of understanding on June 16. In the three weeks since the interim deal, an average of 34 ships had been passing daily.

Iran’s health ministry reported that at least 14 people were killed and 78 injured in US strikes over the past two days. The US Central Command said it carried out attacks on more than 90 targets across Iran. Iranian media reported explosions and strikes in southern coastal cities and in the northern Golestan province along the Caspian Sea.

The disruption in maritime movement through the vital oil transit route underscores the escalating tensions between the two countries and could have immediate implications for regional trade and energy supply routes.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s body is being transported from Najaf, Iraq, to Mashhad, Iran, for burial near the shrine of Imam Reza. This marks the final stage of six days of farewell ceremonies that began in Iraq. Prior to the transfer, mourners in Najaf and Karbala paid their last respects to the late Iranian leader.

According to Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, head of Khamenei’s office, Khamenei had requested to be buried near the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad. Reports from Press TV indicate that more than four million people joined the mourning procession in Karbala, while approximately 3.8 million attended the farewell in Najaf.

The burial in Mashhad concludes a week of large-scale mourning events across Iraq and Iran, reflecting the deep public reverence surrounding Khamenei’s passing.

Iranian authorities announced the suspension of passenger train services on the Tehran-Mashhad route after a section of the railway was damaged in a United States strike. The Islamic Republic of Iran Railways said technical teams have been dispatched to the affected site, where repair work is underway. Officials added that efforts are being made to resume the route as quickly as possible and that stranded passengers are being transported to Mashhad by road.

The incident occurred as Iran prepared for the burial of its late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Mashhad. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) accused the United States of launching renewed attacks to overshadow Khamenei’s funeral ceremonies. According to the IRGC, the strikes also targeted several bridges on the road leading to Mashhad.

The report, citing Al Jazeera, indicates that the situation has heightened tensions in the region, with Iran focusing on restoring transport links and ensuring the continuation of funeral proceedings.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented each head of state and government attending the NATO summit in Ankara with a personalized revolver loaded with live bullets. Each firearm bore the recipient leader’s name engraved on it. However, the revolver inscribed with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s name was not taken to Britain and remains with British officials in Turkey. Officials said the weapon will be deactivated before being sent to the UK to ensure it cannot fire live ammunition.

Erdogan reportedly relaxed Turkey’s export control laws to allow the gifts, though importing live firearms without authorization is illegal in the UK. Downing Street did not release any images of the revolver. During the summit, Prime Minister Starmer and President Erdogan signed a defense agreement aimed at improving intelligence sharing between the two countries.

In a post-summit statement, Starmer said NATO had emerged stronger and more united, emphasizing the importance of alliance unity amid ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Iran. This was Starmer’s final major international summit following his recent resignation announcement.

Iran’s Health Ministry announced that at least 14 people were killed and 78 injured in United States airstrikes over the past two days. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed it had targeted more than 90 sites across Iran. Iranian media reported explosions and attacks in southern coastal cities and the northern Golestan province along the Caspian Sea.

On Wednesday night, explosions and power outages occurred at Chabahar port, damaging a hospital, two jetties, and a maritime control tower. A firefighter was killed in a strike on Iranshahr airport, which also damaged the operations building and weather center. Explosions were also reported in Bushehr, where Iran’s UN ambassador said several facilities and Persian Gulf islands were hit. Additional attacks were reported near Bandar Abbas, Abu Musa Island, Sirik, Jask, and Konarak.

In northern Iran, a railway bridge in Aqqala was struck, while in Khuzestan province’s Ahvaz area, three people were killed and several injured. Earlier strikes in Bandar Abbas and Bushehr had killed eight members of Iran’s air and naval forces, according to local officials.

US Vice President JD Vance has issued a direct warning that the United States will launch military action if Iran attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at a press briefing in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Vance said that any such move by Iran would trigger a firm response from US forces. He described this as the final position of the US government.

Vance referred to an earlier understanding between the two sides, explaining that the agreement required Iran to stop attacking ships in exchange for the lifting of US blockades. However, he stated that continued attacks on vessels would invite retaliatory strikes. Pointing to an incident that occurred the previous night, Vance cautioned Iran that it could either comply with the rules or face similar consequences.

He further emphasized that US measures would continue as long as Iran failed to keep the shipping route open and persisted in attacking ships, underscoring Washington’s readiness to maintain pressure until maritime security is restored.

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a renewed warning to Iran, declaring that any Iranian attack on ships in the Strait of Hormuz will be met with a response twenty times stronger. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Wednesday night, Trump said this would now be the rule: for every Iranian strike, the United States would retaliate with twenty times greater force.

Trump dismissed the idea of diplomatic talks with Iran, calling them a waste of time and expressing doubt about Iran’s ability to honor any agreement. He claimed that the United States had already won the war against Iran and asserted that Iran had little left. According to Trump, Iran wants a deal but behaves irrationally and appears out of control.

When asked whether the United States was heading toward a full-scale military conflict with Iran, Trump said he did not know but insisted that the U.S. had many ways to win and had already achieved military victory.