A US B-1 Lancer bomber landed at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom, on Friday evening. The 146-foot-long aircraft arrived following British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision to allow the United States to take defensive action against Iranian missile installations from UK military bases.

The move came after criticism from US President Donald Trump and several British political figures, including Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, who accused Starmer of delaying permission for base use. Starmer defended his decision, arguing that the conflict could have been legally questionable and lacked a clear, well-planned strategy.

The deployment marks a significant moment in UK-US defense cooperation amid heightened tensions involving Iran, though further operational details were not disclosed in the report.

Thirty-one sailors of the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation vessel MV Banglar Joyjatra have been stranded for seven days at Jebel Ali port in the United Arab Emirates, caught in the middle of intensifying regional hostilities. Captain Md Shafiqul Islam Khan reported through a video message on March 5 that the crew faces daily missile and drone activity near the port, with explosions occasionally shaking the area. The ship arrived from Qatar on February 26 carrying 38,800 tons of steel coil, but unloading was halted as tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel escalated from February 28.

The captain described the situation as the most perilous in his three-decade career, with a missile recently striking an oil storage facility just 200 meters from the vessel. Although the ship has sufficient food and water, the crew remains deeply anxious about their safety. Families in Bangladesh are distraught as communication continues under fear and uncertainty.

Bangladesh Shipping Corporation’s managing director Commodore Mahmudul Malek said the government and embassy are closely monitoring the situation and have prepared evacuation plans if conditions worsen.

The small resort town of Taba, located on Egypt’s border with Israel, has turned into a major transit hub for Israelis and foreign nationals fleeing the ongoing conflict. Following Iran’s retaliatory strikes against the joint Israel–United States offensive, Israel closed its airspace, prompting travelers to use the Taba crossing to leave or return to the country. Since the first attacks on February 28, thousands of passengers have crossed through Taba in both directions, with many entering Egypt to catch flights to Europe and other destinations. The Taba International Airport has been reopened to handle the surge in travelers.

The Red Sea coastal town, usually known for tourism, is now crowded with evacuees and transit passengers. Several countries are arranging evacuations for their citizens, while airlines are rerouting regional flights. On March 1, Israel’s Arkia Airlines announced new flights between Taba and Athens and later expanded routes to six European destinations. A Cypriot and a Greek airline have also begun operating flights to Taba. Israel’s main carrier, El Al, considered moving flights there but withdrew due to security concerns.

Flights from Dhaka to parts of the Middle East have resumed on a limited scale as regional airspace restrictions begin to ease. Despite the situation not being fully normalized, routes to Oman and Saudi Arabia are now operating regularly, while some flights to the United Arab Emirates are gradually being reinstated. The partial resumption follows widespread cancellations caused by airspace closures across several Middle Eastern countries.

On February 28, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Jordan closed their airspace due to security concerns, severely disrupting international air travel. Between February 28 and March 7, a total of 268 flights from Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport were canceled, including services by Kuwait Airways, Jazeera Airways, Air Arabia, Gulf Air, Qatar Airways, and Emirates.

According to airport authorities, 214 flights to Muscat, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE operated between February 28 and March 7. Passengers have been advised to confirm flight status with their airlines before traveling.

Kuwait’s Defense Minister Sheikh Abdullah Ali Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah held a telephone conversation with Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Friday evening. During the call, both sides discussed ways to enhance cooperation and coordination in military and defense sectors between the two countries.

According to a statement from Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense, the discussion focused on boosting regional security and defense capabilities. The ministers also exchanged views on various joint initiatives and potential areas for future collaboration aimed at strengthening bilateral defense ties.

Both parties emphasized the importance of further consolidating the existing strategic relationship between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, reflecting their shared interest in maintaining stability and security in the region.

The United States Embassy in Dhaka has issued a new advisory regarding travel to the US, warning that misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits could affect future eligibility for travel, study, or work in the country. The message was shared on the embassy’s verified Facebook page on Saturday, March 7, 2026.

According to the embassy’s statement, individuals planning to travel to the United States should ensure they have sufficient financial capacity to cover their own expenses, including potential disruptions or medical emergencies during the trip. The advisory emphasized that misuse of facilities funded by US taxpayers could lead to permanent consequences, potentially making individuals ineligible for future visas or entry into the United States.

The embassy’s message serves as a reminder for travelers to act responsibly and maintain compliance with US travel and financial requirements to avoid long-term restrictions on entry or participation in US programs.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned what he described as ongoing illegal attacks across the Middle East, warning on Friday that the situation could soon spiral out of control as the conflict spreads to multiple countries. His remarks followed a series of airstrikes launched by the United States and Israeli forces against Iran on February 28, to which Iran responded with retaliatory attacks on Israel and Gulf states. Washington said the operation aimed to counter Tehran’s nuclear and missile threats.

Guterres said the continuing attacks were causing immense suffering for ordinary people and posing serious risks to the global economy, particularly for vulnerable populations. He urged all sides to halt fighting immediately and begin meaningful diplomatic negotiations.

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher added that the war was consuming about one billion dollars daily, while political leaders were cutting aid budgets for those most in need. He warned that the conflict was disrupting markets and supply chains, driving up food prices, and hitting the poorest communities hardest.

The Iranian Red Crescent has reported that at least 6,668 civilian sites across Iran were targeted in joint airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel. According to figures cited from Fars News Agency and reported by Al Jazeera, the targeted locations included 5,535 residential buildings, 1,041 commercial facilities, 14 medical centers, 65 schools, and 13 centers belonging to the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

The report also stated that several rescue and relief vehicles were damaged during the attacks, and some Red Crescent workers were injured while conducting emergency operations. The strikes have caused widespread disruption to civilian infrastructure and humanitarian activities.

No further details were provided about the timing or specific areas affected by the attacks, and there was no mention of official responses from the governments involved.

Partial flight operations have resumed at Dubai Airport, according to a BBC report released on Saturday afternoon. Passengers have been advised not to travel without confirmed bookings, as schedules remain subject to change. Airlines are continuing to provide updates through their official communication channels.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s aviation authority announced that the country will partially reopen its airspace for the first time since the war began a week ago. The reopening will allow only evacuation flights for stranded individuals and emergency cargo operations. This marks a cautious step toward restoring limited air connectivity in the region amid ongoing instability.

The developments indicate a gradual attempt to normalize essential air travel in parts of the Middle East, though full operations remain uncertain due to the continuing conflict.

Experts analyzing evidence have suggested that U.S. forces were likely responsible for a deadly strike on a school in Iran, according to a CNN report. The White House has not dismissed this possibility. The attack on February 28 targeted a primary school in Minab, southern Iran, killing 165 children. Satellite imagery, local videos, statements from U.S. officials, and assessments by weapons experts indicated that the strike coincided with a U.S. attack on an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval base in the same area.

An Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson stated that he was unaware of any Israeli operation in that region. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahraini, initially reported 150 student deaths, later revised to 165. A large funeral and mourning ceremony was held in Iran for the victims.

The report also noted that under international humanitarian law, deliberate attacks on schools, hospitals, or other civilian facilities constitute war crimes.

An Israeli airstrike on the Lebanese city of Nabi Chit killed 16 people and injured 35 others, according to Lebanese health officials. The attack occurred as part of continuing hostilities that have already claimed more than 200 lives in Lebanon since the conflict began.

Last week, the Israeli military ordered large-scale forced evacuations from southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of Beirut. This directive led to a mass exodus of civilians from those areas, adding to the growing humanitarian crisis.

Lebanese authorities estimate that around 95,000 people have been displaced since the start of the conflict, underscoring the escalating toll on the civilian population.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) carried out a drone strike on an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday morning, according to Tasnim news agency. The attack reportedly targeted the vessel after it ignored a prior warning from the IRGC prohibiting navigation through the area. The tanker, named Prima, was sailing under the Maltese flag and was carrying oil and chemicals through the strategic waterway.

The Strait of Hormuz is a critical maritime route for global energy shipments, and the reported strike underscores ongoing tensions in the region. The incident was first reported by Tasnim, with vessel tracking data from Marine Traffic confirming the tanker’s identity and route.

The report did not mention any casualties, damage details, or official responses from Iran or Malta following the attack.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that the country’s interim leadership council has decided not to carry out further attacks on neighboring countries unless Iran is attacked from U.S. bases located there. He stated that Iran would only retaliate if an assault on its territory originates from a neighboring state. Pezeshkian expressed regret that Iran had to target Arab neighbors in recent operations.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghei said on state television that Iran’s actions against neighboring countries were driven by the presence of U.S. military bases on their soil, emphasizing that Iran holds no hostility toward its neighbors. He confirmed that the decision was approved in a meeting of the interim leadership council.

The announcement follows a joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran on February 28 that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior officials in Tehran. In response, Iran launched counterstrikes on Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East, led by the Revolutionary Guard Corps.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that American defense companies have agreed to quadruple the production of advanced weapons amid ongoing conflict with Iran. He made the statement on Friday through his social media platform, Truth Social, following a meeting with top defense manufacturers. Trump said the companies had already begun increasing production three months prior to the meeting.

According to the report, Iran has been carrying out attacks on U.S. bases across the Middle East and targeting Israel’s missile defense systems, including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Patriot batteries. These sustained assaults have raised doubts about the long-term resilience of U.S. and Israeli defense systems. In response, Trump held discussions with executives from major defense firms such as BAE Systems, Boeing, Honeywell Aerospace, L3 Harris Missile Solutions, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon.

The decision to boost production reflects Washington’s effort to maintain military readiness and replenish its arsenal as regional tensions intensify.

UNICEF has reported that more than 190 children have been killed within a week of escalating military conflict across the Middle East following attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel. In a statement shared on social media, the organization warned that the growing violence is having a devastating impact on children, emphasizing that while children do not start wars, they pay the highest price.

According to UNICEF’s statement, 181 children were killed in Iran, seven in Lebanon, three in Israel, and one in Kuwait since the weekend surge in hostilities. The agency called for urgent protection of children across the region as fighting intensifies.

The statement underscores the worsening humanitarian toll of the conflict and highlights the need for immediate measures to safeguard children amid the expanding regional violence.