LONDON, March 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy, perhaps with an international coalition, will escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz when it is militarily possible, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Sky News in an interview on Thursday. "My belief, that as soon as it
DUBAI, March 12 (Reuters) - Ships must coordinate with Iran's navy to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the country's foreign ministry spokesperson said in comments carried by Mehr news agency on Thursday. Iran will fight on and keep the Strait of Hormuz shut as leverage
March 12 (Reuters) - Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah on Tuesday, where the two leaders discussed regional developments, the prime minister's office said. The meeting comes as the Middle East grapples with escalating
By Maayan Lubell and Rami Ayyub JERUSALEM, March 12 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday issued a veiled threat to kill Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei even as he acknowledged that Israel's joint air war with the U.S. may not lead to a collapse
By Ahmed Kerdi, Maya Gebeily and Maayan Lubell BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, March 12 (Reuters) - Israeli airstrikes hit two buildings in the heart of Beirut near the Lebanese government's headquarters on Thursday, ramping up Israel's offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah and dragging
JERUSALEM, March 12 (Reuters) - Israel's military on Thursday dropped charges against five soldiers accused of torturing a Palestinian detained during the Gaza war, in a case that exposed divisions within Israel over whether soldiers can abuse enemy prisoners with impunity. The
By Parisa Hafezi and Maya Gebeily DUBAI/BEIRUT, March 12 (Reuters) - Iran will fight on and keep the Strait of Hormuz shut as leverage against the United States and Israel, new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday in defiant first comments attributed to him since he
By Laila Bassam, Ahmed Rasheed, Pesha Magid and Tom Perry BEIRUT/BAGHDAD/JERUSALEM, March 12 (Reuters) - Shi'ite Muslim armed groups in Lebanon and Iraq are stepping up their role in the war with the U.S. and Israel, showing the Iran-backed "Axis of Resistance" can still wage
March 12 (Reuters) - Iran's U.N. Ambassador said on Thursday Tehran was not going to close the Strait of Hormuz, but added that it was Iran's right to preserve the security of the key shipping route. Amir Saeid Iravani made his comments to reporters at the United Nations when
Ukraine has significant experience downing Iran’s Shahed drones, leading Gulf states to express interest in Ukrainian expertise and hardware.
The world has entered a "new dark age of abuses", with the United States "raining death" on Iran and Venezuela, a UN special rapporteur said Thursday. Ben Saul, the United Nations' special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while
AFP reporters have been speaking to a range of people living in Iran to build a picture of life under daily US and Israeli bombardment despite an internet blackout and major communication problems. Here is a selection of their comments, either from people who sent messages to
The war has fueled concerns that Iran’s operatives, or those acting in its name, could target the United States.
Palestinian residents of the West Bank describe raids, restrictions and unchecked violence by Israeli settlers and soldiers, while families in Gaza once more face rising prices and fear of hunger returning
Iran's sports minister had already said the team would not be present at the North American FIFA World Cup due to the 'malicious actions' the U.S. has carried out against Iran
The strike, which killed over 150 people, most of them children, was first blamed on Iran by President Donald Trump, though mounting evidence shows that the U.S. was targeting a former military compound-turned-school, and that with sufficient due diligence, the mistake could
Two tankers were ablaze in an Iraqi port after being hit by suspected Iranian explosive-laden boats, a step-up in attacks that have cut off oil from the Middle East, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States had already won the war
Supporters of containment once believed that, instead of endless wars, it was possible to contain an enemy through economic sanctions and international isolation. But for Iran, Russia and Hamas, money carries far less weight than holding on to power
US President Donald Trump warned Iran's football team Thursday their "life and safety" would be at risk if they took part in the upcoming World Cup in North America. Trump's comments came just two days after he told FIFA chief Gianni Infantino the Iranian players would be
Two crew on the USS Gerald R. Ford -- the world's largest aircraft carrier currently deployed for the war against Iran -- were injured Thursday in a laundry room fire, the US Navy said. "Two sailors are currently receiving medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and
European countries have stepped up domestic security since US-Israeli strikes on Iran sparked the Middle East war, with fears Tehran could be plotting "terrorist" attacks as part of its retaliation. The Islamic republic has been accused of seeking to orchestrate incidents in
New Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei did not appear on camera and his remarks were read by presenters on state media.
Turkey is talking to both Washington and Tehran in a bid to end the Middle East war, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Thursday as the conflict raged for a 13th day. "We have been experiencing the most intense moments of the war in the last few days," he told a news conference
The US military is currently "not ready" to escort tankers through the critical Strait of Hormuz because all its assets are focused on striking Iran, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Thursday. Wright's comments came as an attack on two oil tankers off Iraq killed at least one
When an air strike hit their Beirut neighbourhood, people were angry with Israel, but they reserved their deepest rage for Hezbollah, for dragging Lebanon into the Middle East war. Israel and the United States launched huge strikes on Iran on February 28, killing its supreme
The move comes after Hezbollah launched over 200 rockets toward Israel, just as Iran fired a barrage of missiles, triggering a violent Israeli escalation in Lebanon.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a swathe of reasons to oppose the U.S.-Israel war on Iran. But he can't afford to upset President Trump, and that says plenty about his overblown ambitions for Turkey to replace America as the greater power in the Middle East
Myanmar's spiralling rights and humanitarian crises risk getting "much worse" as global attention focuses on the Middle East war and aid dwindles further, the top United Nations expert on the Asian country warned. More than five years after Myanmar's military snatched power in
The latest spike is the second time in a week that oil prices have climbed above $100 a barrel.
For three decades, the Palestinian Authority's envoy embodied the Palestinian cause in France. When the prospect of peace collapsed, the hope she had carried for decades crumbled with it. An obituary
Eight Islamic and Arab countries on Thursday condemned Israel for keeping Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem closed during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Israel has shut all holy sites in east Jerusalem's Old City for security reasons after it began airstrikes with the United
Turkey is starting to look like Iran's alternative to the Gulf nations it has been attacking
Starmer's reluctance to grant U.S. access to British bases angered Trump and exposed a growing rift – even as Britain quietly joins the military campaign
The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is far worse than Gulf states feared, and there's plenty of blame to go round: Rage against Iran, dismay at D.C. and deep suspicion of Israel's regional ambitions
Israeli army says warning should have been clearer as roughly 200 launches were detected from Lebanon overnight, wounding two in northern Israel
Assessments indicate Iranian leadership remains intact despite weeks of U.S.-Israeli strikes and the killing of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior officials
Diplomatic sources say Israel's goal is to disarm Hezbollah even as mediation efforts continue; Israel estimates the Iran war could last about another week before the Trump administration seeks to end it
ROME, March 12 (Reuters) - An Italian military base in Iraqi Kurdistan was struck by a missile overnight though no injuries were reported, the Italian defence ministry said on Thursday. "A missile hit our base in Erbil. There are no casualties or injuries among the Italian
Israeli officials see that Baku's aggressive stance against Tehran is creating tension with Turkey, which is concerned about Israel's growing strength in the Middle East and perceived warpath to regional hegemony
Torn between hope and fear, a Tehran resident in her 30s agrees to share her thoughts with AFP about the ongoing war and daily life. We are withholding her identity for her protection. Here is an edited transcript of the conversation: - How is daily life in Tehran? - People
Iran launched a new wave of attacks against Gulf energy targets on Thursday, hours after two oil tankers were hit, sending crude prices soaring again despite record reserve releases. The renewed drone and missile attacks against Iran's Gulf neighbours and Israel followed a
JAKARTA, March 12 (Reuters) - Indonesia and Australia are planning to expand their security cooperation to include Japan and Papua New Guinea, Jakarta's Defence Minister said on Thursday after a meeting with his Australian counterpart.
Lebanon said an Israeli strike on central Beirut's seafront killed at least seven people early on Thursday, another attack in the heart of the capital as Iran-backed Hezbollah launched more missiles at Israel. The Israeli military said separately it had carried out strikes on
Three crew members believed to be trapped aboard a Thai bulk carrier hit by projectiles while travelling through the crucial Strait of Hormuz were yet to be rescued on Thursday, the vessel's owner said. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday they had struck the
Rumors of the Lebanese organization's demise are exaggerated, even though it is weaker than it was two years ago ■ Meanwhile, Iran's war of attrition against Israel has taken a psychological toll
Filipino sailor George Miranda was racing to help a stricken vessel aboard the tugboat Mussafah 2 when he last spoke to his wife and young daughter. The 46-year-old, whose small ship was struck by a pair of missiles this week in the Strait of Hormuz, is the only seafarer from
By Parisa Hafezi, Alexander Cornwell and Bo Erickson DUBAI/TEL AVIV/WASHINGTON, March 12 (Reuters) - The United States and Iran have signaled no quick end to their war, with U.S. President Donald Trump saying it was necessary to finish the job and Iran warning that the world
With production in the Gulf countries at a standstill and gas prices rising, the war in the Middle East is disrupting the supply of fertilisers and posing risks for food security. A third of fertiliser shipped by sea comes from the region and cannot make it to the global market
By Erin Banco and Jonathan Landay NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, March 11 (Reuters) - U.S. intelligence indicates that Iran's leadership is still largely intact and is not at risk of collapse any time soon after nearly two weeks of relentless U.S. and Israeli bombardment, according to