The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has called for maximum restraint in the Middle East following recent attacks by the United States and Israel. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned that escalating conflict could heighten the risk of radioactive exposure in the region, urging all parties to act cautiously.

According to the agency, satellite imagery analysis showed no damage to Iranian facilities storing nuclear materials, indicating no immediate risk of radioactive leakage. However, two buildings near the Natanz nuclear site in Isfahan sustained visible damage, though the IAEA confirmed no major impact or nuclear threat was detected. The agency also reported no evidence of damage at other Iranian nuclear sites, including the Bushehr power plant in the southeast.

The IAEA stated it continues to monitor the situation closely, emphasizing that restraint by all sides is essential to prevent security and environmental risks across the Middle East.

Israel has launched new attacks on Iran while Iran fired missiles toward Israel amid ongoing hostilities. The developments were reported on Wednesday through Al Jazeera’s live broadcast. The Israeli military confirmed that missiles were fired from Iran and said its defense systems were activated to intercept them. Civilians were instructed to remain in protective shelters until further notice.

Israel claimed responsibility for renewed strikes inside Iran, following earlier attacks on Tuesday that reportedly targeted the Iranian presidential complex and residences of senior leaders. Since February 28, multiple sources have reported joint U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran, with reports alleging the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family. Tehran has vowed retaliatory attacks on Israeli and U.S. bases across the Middle East.

According to a human rights organization, around 1,100 civilians have been killed in Iran, while more than 50 deaths have been reported in Lebanon, where Hezbollah has also fired missiles at Israel and faced Israeli counterstrikes in Beirut.

Arab leaders are facing severe consequences after the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, triggering a regional war that has engulfed much of the Arab world. The killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei marked a turning point, prompting Iran to unleash its vast missile and drone arsenal despite lacking advanced air power. U.S. military bases across the Middle East, from Cyprus to Bahrain, have come under Iranian attack, exposing the limits of Washington’s security guarantees to its Arab allies.

The conflict has destabilized oil-rich Arab states, disrupted energy supplies, and driven up global fuel prices. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and drone strikes on Saudi and Qatari energy facilities have intensified market turmoil. For Bangladesh, which depends heavily on Middle Eastern remittances and fuel imports, the war poses grave risks. Millions of Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar may lose jobs, while rising oil prices threaten inflation and trade costs.

Analysts cited in the report warn that the war could reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics, strain Arab economies, and trigger long-term global energy and financial instability.

The Gaza crossing was reopened for the first time following a joint United States and Israeli attack on Iran, according to the report published on March 3, 2026. The route is described as crucial for delivering food, medicine, and other humanitarian aid to war-torn Gaza. Israeli forces had previously closed the crossing after the conflict involving Iran began.

The closure had severely restricted the entry of relief supplies, leading to rapidly depleting food and fuel reserves in Gaza. The United Nations and other organizations had warned that the blockade could trigger an acute food crisis if not resolved. The reopening marks a significant development in efforts to restore humanitarian access to the enclave.

The report also referenced related regional tensions, including threats from Iran to target economic centers and statements from the United States offering new explanations for the attack on Iran.

Several Gulf countries have disclosed the number of missiles and drones intercepted amid ongoing retaliatory attacks following joint US-Israel military strikes on Iran. According to CNN, Kuwait intercepted 178 ballistic missiles and 384 drones, while the UAE reported intercepting 169 of 182 detected missiles and 645 drones, with 44 hitting domestic areas. Bahrain intercepted 70 missiles and 76 drones, and Qatar reported intercepting 101 of 104 detected missiles and 24 of 39 drones, as well as destroying two Iranian SU-24 bombers. Saudi Arabia did not release total figures but confirmed intercepting eight drones near Riyadh and Al-Kharj. Oman reported two drone strikes at Duqm port and a tanker hit near Musandam’s coast.

The figures highlight the defensive capabilities of Gulf nations amid heightened regional tensions. Their air defense systems have played a key role in protecting civilian areas during the ongoing escalation.

The report underscores the strategic importance of Gulf defense networks in maintaining regional stability during the current conflict.

Missile attacks from Iran struck several Gulf capitals and cities following a U.S.-Israeli offensive in Iran that killed top Iranian leaders, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The strikes caused casualties and damage across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain, shaking the region’s image of stability. The United Arab Emirates withdrew its envoy from Israel, signaling frustration over the escalating conflict.

Despite the attacks, Gulf nations are voicing reluctance to join a direct war against Iran. Former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani warned that Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members should not be drawn into direct conflict, arguing it would harm both sides and invite external control. Gulf Times editor Faisal Al-Mudahka echoed that the war belongs to the U.S. and Israel, not the Gulf states, emphasizing their focus on prosperity and dialogue.

Analysts note that Gulf countries had pursued diplomatic efforts to prevent war, with Oman mediating between Washington and Tehran before hostilities erupted. Experts suggest that while the Gulf states seek to avoid escalation, they may still act to protect their sovereignty and citizens.

The United States and six Gulf allies issued a joint statement describing Iran’s recent actions in the region as highly dangerous and a threat to Middle East stability. The statement, released by Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, warned that civilians and non-combatant countries were being targeted, undermining regional security.

The Arabic-language statement was jointly issued by Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. It emphasized that these nations reserve the right to self-defense if Iran’s attacks continue. The statement also reported that attacks had occurred in Bahrain, Iraq (including the Kurdistan region), Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

The joint declaration reflects growing concern among Gulf states and Washington over escalating tensions linked to Iran’s regional military activities, which they view as destabilizing the broader Middle East.

Explosions were reported on Monday in several major Middle Eastern cities, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Manama, and Jerusalem, according to multiple news agencies. AFP reported that loud blasts were heard in the capitals of Qatar and Bahrain, as well as in the most populous city of the United Arab Emirates.

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that a suspected drone attack targeted the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus on Sunday night. No casualties were reported, and British authorities stated that security in the region remains at the highest level, with defensive responses initiated from the base.

The incidents follow the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint U.S. and Israeli airstrike. The British Defence Secretary, John Healy, said indiscriminate retaliatory attacks by Iran have increased risks for British troops and civilians across the Middle East.

An Iranian ballistic missile struck Jerusalem, according to a report by Al Jazeera on March 2, 2026. The missile was among several newly launched by Iran, and one directly hit the city. Al Jazeera’s correspondent at the scene said warning sirens sounded in East Jerusalem shortly before the impact occurred.

Jerusalem has been under Israeli control since the 1967 Six-Day Arab War, though Palestinians regard it as their sacred land. The city holds the Al-Aqsa Mosque, considered Islam’s first qibla and one of its holiest sites after Mecca and Medina. The report described the area as being under full Israeli administrative authority despite its religious significance to Muslims.

The incident comes amid a series of regional escalations, including reports of Iranian missile attacks on a Qatari energy facility and other security incidents in the Gulf region.

Explosions were reported this morning in Dubai, Doha, and Tel Aviv, according to local sources. Residents in Doha said at least 11 blasts occurred, while several loud explosions were also heard in Dubai. The incidents follow recent Iranian attacks that injured eight more people in Qatar, raising the total number of wounded there to 16. Limited damage has been reported in several areas of the country.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that it carried out strikes on Israel’s Tel Nof airbase, the Israeli army’s command headquarters in Tel Aviv’s Hakirya district, and a major defense industry complex in the same city. Air raid sirens were heard across Israel as authorities warned citizens of possible incoming attacks.

Reports from Tel Aviv confirmed multiple explosions as Israel deployed its advanced air defense systems in an effort to intercept the Iranian strikes.

Iran has claimed responsibility for launching a new wave of missile and drone attacks toward Israel on February 28, 2026. In response, the Israeli military issued a nationwide alert and instructed residents to move to safe shelters. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed detecting missile strikes and stated that its defense systems were working to intercept the incoming threats.

According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, the Iranian army launched multiple drones toward Israel, describing it as the first large-scale drone assault conducted directly from Iranian territory. The IDF described its forces as prepared to counter potential attacks, while the situation has prompted heightened vigilance across the country.

The escalating exchange of attacks has intensified tensions across the Middle East, with regional actors reportedly monitoring the situation closely as the conflict dynamics continue to evolve.

Following attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran, heightened tensions have spread across the Middle East and surrounding regions. In response, several countries have urged their citizens to leave Iran, and multiple airlines have suspended flights due to safety concerns.

Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Israel, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Amman until March 7. Lufthansa has halted flights to Dubai, Tel Aviv, Beirut, and Muscat for the weekend, while KLM has canceled all flights from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv. Oman Air has suspended flights to Baghdad, and Russia has stopped all flights to Iran and Israel. Kuwait has suspended flights to Iran until further notice. Iraq has canceled all incoming and outgoing flights and closed its airspace, while Israel has also canceled all civilian flights and shut its airspace.

The widespread flight suspensions and airspace closures reflect the escalating regional instability following the recent military actions involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.

Tensions have rapidly escalated across the Middle East following US and Israeli attacks on Iran. In response, Tehran launched drones and missiles toward Israel and carried out strikes in several Gulf areas, intensifying regional instability.

Amid the deteriorating situation, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates have temporarily closed their airspace, citing regional security risks. Iraq’s Ministry of Transport also announced the closure of its airspace after the attacks on Iran, leading to the suspension of flights at Erbil International Airport in northern Iraq.

The closures reflect growing concern among Gulf and neighboring countries over the potential spread of conflict and threats to civilian aviation safety in the region.

Iran carried out missile and drone strikes on US facilities in several Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) described the attacks as retaliatory. According to Fars News Agency, one person was killed in Abu Dhabi. Explosions were reported in Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Abu Dhabi, while Bahrain confirmed a missile strike on a US Navy Fifth Fleet command center.

The UAE condemned the assault as a clear violation of national sovereignty and international law, asserting its right to retaliate. Bahrain’s Interior Ministry issued an emergency alert and instructed residents to move to safe locations. The attacks followed joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which triggered emergency sirens in Bahrain. Authorities in Bahrain activated security measures and urged calm among citizens.

A Qatari official said two Iranian missiles were intercepted, and Kuwait also sounded warning sirens. The United States had recently withdrawn hundreds of troops from bases in Qatar and Bahrain amid rising tensions with Iran.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that it has begun a large-scale missile and drone attack on Israel following strikes earlier in Tehran and several other Iranian cities. According to the statement, missiles were launched toward Israeli territory, prompting Israel’s air force to respond.

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed in a separate statement that several missiles fired from Iran were detected heading toward Israeli territory. Air raid sirens were activated across multiple areas, and civilians were urged to follow Home Front Command instructions. The Israeli Air Force said it was working to intercept the threats and would strike back if necessary.

The exchange marks a sharp escalation following attacks inside Iran earlier in the day, with both sides reporting active defense measures as tensions rise across the region.