Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have jointly urged an immediate ceasefire in the ongoing Middle East war. According to a Kremlin statement released on Friday, the two leaders made the appeal during a phone conversation, emphasizing the need for a negotiated peace agreement that considers the legitimate interests of all countries in the region.

The conflict began about a month ago following attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran, which subsequently spread across the Middle East. The Kremlin warned that the intensifying military confrontation is having negative effects not only regionally but also globally, particularly on energy, trade, and supply chains.

During the same call, Putin and Erdogan also discussed security in the Black Sea region. Russia accused Ukraine of attempting to attack gas transport infrastructure connecting Russia and Turkey. Gazprom reported that a drone attack on the TurkStream gas pipeline was thwarted on Thursday, a route that supplies gas to several European countries including Hungary, Slovakia, and Serbia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone conversation emphasizing the need to intensify political and diplomatic efforts to end the ongoing war in the Middle East. According to a Kremlin statement cited by Al Jazeera, both leaders stressed the urgency of achieving a ceasefire and pursuing a lasting resolution to the conflict.

The timing of the call is considered significant as Ukraine recently signed an air defense agreement with Saudi Arabia. Ukraine aims to use its experience countering Iranian-made Shahed drones and has proposed supplying cost-effective drone defense technology in exchange for expensive air defense missiles used by Gulf countries.

During the discussion, Putin and the Saudi Crown Prince also noted that the current crisis has disrupted energy production and transportation, negatively affecting global energy security.

Iran has launched its largest missile attack on Israel since the start of the ongoing conflict, according to multiple international media reports. On Wednesday, Iran fired around ten ballistic missiles targeting Israel’s central region, triggering air raid sirens in Tel Aviv, Shephelah, and nearby areas. Residents reportedly heard explosions, and Israeli media indicated that missile debris may have struck several locations, prompting rescue operations. One missile was alleged to have carried a cluster warhead that dispersed smaller bombs midair.

In response, the Israeli military announced a broad offensive targeting Iranian military infrastructure in Tehran. The report added that since February 28, the United States and Israel have jointly conducted airstrikes in Iran, resulting in about 1,340 deaths, including the country’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, according to claims cited in the report.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes not only on Israel but also on U.S. bases in Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf states, causing casualties, infrastructure damage, and disruptions to global markets and air travel.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with United Arab Emirates President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss the ongoing instability in the Middle East. According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry released on Wednesday, both leaders called for an end to the war in the region.

The statement said the two leaders expressed deep concern over the deteriorating military and political situation, particularly the civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure. They emphasized the need to stop the conflict as soon as possible and highlighted the importance of diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis while respecting the legitimate interests of Middle Eastern countries.

Their joint appeal reflects growing international concern over the escalating violence and humanitarian impact across the region, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The war that began on February 28 between the United States-Israel alliance and Iran has led to a growing number of casualties across the region. According to Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAANA), 3,492 people have been killed in Iran so far, including 1,574 civilians and 236 children. In Israel, emergency service Magen David Adom reported 19 deaths from missile attacks, while the Israeli army confirmed nine soldiers killed in Lebanon. Lebanon’s health ministry stated that 1,247 people have died there, including 124 children. In the Gulf region, at least 24 people have been killed, most of them security personnel or foreign workers, with 11 in the UAE, seven in Kuwait, and two each in Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.

The figures, sourced from the BBC and local authorities, highlight the widespread human cost of the ongoing conflict. The fighting has affected multiple countries and civilian populations, with reports of significant child casualties and cross-border military losses.

The continued escalation suggests further humanitarian strain across the Middle East if hostilities persist.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that more than half of Israel’s objectives in the war against Iran have been achieved, though he gave no timeline for its end. The conflict has spread across the region, with Israeli forces striking Tehran’s Imam Hossein University, reportedly linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and a separate airstrike near Beirut killing three Hezbollah members. Meanwhile, two UN peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon, and a drone attack targeting the US embassy in Baghdad was intercepted.

Iran’s parliament commission approved a plan to impose tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy transport now largely closed due to the fighting. The G7 finance ministers pledged to take all necessary measures to stabilize energy markets. NATO intercepted a missile launched from Iran toward Turkey, marking the fourth such attempt since the war began.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi urged US President Donald Trump to help end the war, while Washington expressed cautious optimism about secret contacts with elements inside Iran. Trump warned that if no peace deal is reached soon, the US could destroy Iran’s key oil and power infrastructure.

Former Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy has received unanimous backing from Arab foreign ministers to become the next Secretary-General of the Arab League. The decision came during the 165th ministerial meeting of the League, where all member states expressed support for Fahmy’s nomination. His appointment is expected to be finalized at the upcoming Arab Summit in Saudi Arabia, with his five-year term beginning on July 1, 2026.

Egypt’s current Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said the consensus reflects continued Arab confidence in Egypt’s role in joint regional efforts. Fahmy thanked Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for nominating him and expressed gratitude to member states for their support. He noted that the position carries great responsibility at a time when the Arab world faces major challenges and widespread violations of international law.

Fahmy pledged to work closely with member countries to strengthen security, stability, and development across the Arab region once his term begins.

US military personnel are abandoning several bases across the Middle East following intensified Iranian missile and drone strikes. According to The Telegraph, American troops have relocated to nearby hotels and office spaces to avoid further attacks, raising safety concerns for both soldiers and civilians. The situation has become increasingly severe as Tehran’s assaults continue to target US and regional installations.

Open-source analyst Fabian Hinz reported that Iran has struck 104 US and allied bases, with satellite imagery delays hindering accurate damage assessments. The New York Times noted that many of the 13 US bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have become nearly uninhabitable. Hinz’s analysis identified Kuwait’s Ali Al Salem base as the most heavily hit, suffering 23 attacks, while other facilities in the region sustained significant infrastructure damage.

Iranian sources claimed the use of advanced Khorramshahr-4 missiles in the strikes. A survey by the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated US losses at around $800 million, including damage to radar and missile defense systems in Jordan and other locations.

At least five Middle Eastern countries have faced major attacks on critical infrastructure over the past 24 hours, with Iran being blamed for the assaults. The United Arab Emirates was hit hardest, as Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), one of the world’s largest aluminum producers based in Abu Dhabi, reported a severe strike on its main facility that caused extensive damage and left several workers injured.

Around the same time, Aluminium Bahrain, another leading global aluminum producer, also suffered significant damage in a separate attack. Kuwait was additionally targeted, with its international airport’s radar system heavily damaged, raising concerns about potential disruptions to air traffic.

The series of coordinated attacks has heightened fears of economic and security instability across the region, as vital industrial and transport infrastructure faces mounting risks.

An opinion piece by Joseph Massad argues that Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. military bases are facing greater danger rather than protection. The article claims that the United States prioritizes Israel’s security over that of Arab nations and uses regional tensions to intensify hostility toward Iran. It alleges that American and Israeli aggression in Iran, supported by U.S. defense and energy corporations, has drawn Arab countries into a conflict that primarily serves Western strategic and economic interests.

The report highlights that only Oman condemned the U.S.-Israeli assault on Iran as a violation of international law, while most Arab governments remained silent. Iran’s retaliatory strikes have targeted U.S. bases in several Arab states, which the author says have surrendered parts of their sovereignty by allowing foreign military presence. The piece also notes that Arab leaders’ alignment with Washington and Tel Aviv has left their nations vulnerable to attacks and internal instability.

According to the article, Russia’s foreign minister told Arab diplomats that their alliance with the U.S. and Israel is the real source of their insecurity, warning that continued dependence on Western powers will deepen regional losses.

At least seven people were killed in an Israeli attack on the southern Lebanese city of Al-Haniyah, according to the Health Emergency Operations Center under Lebanon’s Ministry of Health. The agency reported that among the dead were six Syrians, including one child.

In a separate incident, two police officers were killed in Iraq’s Mosul city following a U.S.-Israeli strike on a police facility, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said in a statement cited by Al Jazeera. The ministry confirmed that the attack directly targeted an Iraqi police installation.

The incidents come amid heightened regional tensions, with both Lebanon and Iraq reporting casualties from strikes linked to Israel and its allies.

Turkey has expressed its willingness to play a constructive role in ending the ongoing war in the Middle East. According to Iran’s Foreign Ministry, Ankara is eager to intensify diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis. The ministry reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently held a phone conversation with his Turkish counterpart, during which he thanked Turkey for its mediation initiatives aimed at halting the conflict.

Earlier, Pakistan announced that a high-level meeting would be held in Islamabad on March 29 and 30 to discuss ways to reduce the intensity of the war. Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt are expected to participate in the talks. The development highlights growing regional diplomatic engagement to contain the conflict.

Turkey faces a delicate balancing act as it navigates the crisis, sharing a long border with Iran while also being a key member of the Western military alliance NATO. This dual position underscores Ankara’s cautious approach in pursuing mediation efforts amid heightened regional tensions.

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.

Israel’s military reported on Saturday that a missile was launched from Yemen toward Israel, marking the first such attack since Israel and the United States began joint strikes against Iran. The army said its air defense systems were active to intercept the missile. The statement did not specify the extent of damage or casualties.

The report came as Iran and Hezbollah continued a series of attacks on Israel from Friday night into early Saturday. Sirens were heard for the third time around Beersheba and near Israel’s main nuclear research center. The Iran-backed Houthi group, which has controlled Yemen’s capital Sanaa since 2014, has not claimed responsibility for the launch and had not previously taken direct part in the current conflict.

The development signals a possible widening of the regional conflict, though the source did not indicate any immediate escalation beyond the reported missile launch.

As the United States-Israeli war on Iran enters its fourth week, global oil and gas markets face mounting pressure due to the near-total halt of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway, which normally carries 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas, has seen traffic plunge by more than 95 percent since Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared it closed to certain nations. About 2,000 ships remain stranded, while some vessels from India, Pakistan, China, and Malaysia have been granted limited passage after securing Tehran’s approval.

In response, regional producers are turning to three key pipelines to bypass the strait: Saudi Arabia’s East-West Petroline, the UAE’s Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, and Iraq’s Kirkuk-Ceyhan line to Turkiye. Combined, these routes can move around 9 million barrels per day—less than half the 20 million normally shipped through Hormuz. Saudi Arabia has sharply increased Petroline flows, but risks persist from potential Houthi attacks near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The UAE’s Fujairah exports have risen modestly, while Iraq’s pipeline remains underused.

Despite these efforts, analysts note that the pipelines’ limited capacity and vulnerability to missile and drone strikes mean they cannot fully replace the disrupted seaborne exports.