Who will benefit from the Iran war? Israel stands a chance

No upside for the U.S. comes to mind from the latest Middle East upheaval, going by the economic payback Trump likes to get from wars

UN seeks $325 million for Lebanon as war displaces 800,000 people

By Nazih Osseiran and Catherine Cartier BEIRUT, March 13 (Reuters) - The United Nations launched a $325 million flash appeal on Friday to help Lebanon cope with the fallout of a war that has forced more than a seventh of its population from their homes. "Solidarity in words

Trump vows intense strikes as Iran war heads into third week

President Donald Trump said in an interview aired Friday that American forces would strike Iranian targets "very hard" in the coming days, signaling an intensification of the US-Israeli campaign as the war in the Middle East approaches its third week. Washington and its ally

Trump says Putin may be helping Iran a bit

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said he thinks Russian President Vladimir Putin may be helping Iran a "little bit" in an interview with Fox News Radio that aired on Friday. "I think he might be helping him (Iran) a little bit, yeah, I guess. And he

IDF officials won't say if Iran's uranium will be removed before war ends

In an interview with Fox News on Thursday, President Donald Trump expressed a similar viewpoint on the war, saying that the operation in Iran is currently not focused on eliminating Tehran's enriched uranium. 'But at some point, we might be'

Six US service members killed in plane crash over Iraq

By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - All six crew members aboard a U.S. military refueling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq are confirmed to have been killed, the U.S. military said on Friday. A U.S. military refueling aircraft crashed in western

Lebanon's offer for direct talks with Israel falls on deaf ears, sources say

By Maya Gebeily BEIRUT, March 13 (Reuters) - Israel has rebuffed a historic offer of direct talks from Lebanon, deeming it too little too late from a government that shares its goal of disarming Hezbollah but cannot act against the heavily armed Lebanese group without risking a

Iran's drones highlight infrastructure vulnerability: researcher

European countries ought to have discussions on whether private actors should help defend critical infrastructure, a researcher told AFP, noting that Iran's use of cheap long-range drones has illustrated shortcomings of air defence systems. Fabian Hoffmann, a doctoral research

Dubai's low-paid workers on edge as Mideast war hits tourism

For thousands of workers in Dubai's tourism sector, the Middle East war has brought business to a standstill -- leaving their income suddenly at risk. At the famous Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), normally heaving with visitors, rows of sun loungers now face an almost empty

Pentagon: Iran's missiles, not mines, pose main threat to Hormuz shipping

The top US defense official said US strikes this week destroyed Iran’s ability to manufacture new ballistic missiles.

UAE says Iran must halt attacks on neighbours to allow diplomacy

By Maha El Dahan DUBAI, March 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump will bring about a diplomatic conclusion to the war with Iran "in his time", and Tehran must halt attacks on its neighbours before they can mediate, one of the UAE's top diplomats said in an interview on

Trump says 'honor' to be killing Iranian military

President Donald Trump said Friday he feels honored to be killing Iran's leadership, calling them "deranged scumbags." "They've been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What

Pope Leo says Christians who start wars should go to confession

By Joshua McElwee VATICAN CITY, March 13 (Reuters) - Pope Leo suggested on Friday that Christian political leaders who start wars should go to confession and assess whether they are following the teachings of Jesus, without naming any specific leaders or conflicts. "Do those

No evidence Iran has mined Strait of Hormuz, Pentagon's Hegseth says

By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - There is no clear evidence that Iran has placed mines in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a news briefing on Friday. The assessment by Hegseth contrasts with news reports earlier this

Hegseth says US military has designated officer to complete probe on Iran school strike

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - The United States has designated an officer outside of U.S. Central Command to complete an investigation on a strike on an Iranian school, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday. "I can report that CENTCOM has designated an

France's position in Middle East is defensive, Macron says, after attack on its soldiers

PARIS, March 13 (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday a drone attack in Northern Iraq against French soldiers was "unacceptable" and that France's position in the region was "defensive". Macron told a news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy

France and Italy open talks with Iran on securing safe Hormuz passage, FT reports

March 13 (Reuters) - France and Italy have opened talks with Iran seeking to negotiate a deal to guarantee safe passage for their ships through the Strait of Hormuz, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing people briefed on the efforts. Reuters could not immediately

Iran's new supreme leader wounded, likely disfigured, Hegseth says

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is wounded and likely disfigured, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a news briefing on Friday. (Reporting by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Susan Heavey and David Ljunggren; Editing by Daphne

Israeli evacuation orders affect 14% of Lebanon, NGO says

By Emma Farge GENEVA, March 13 (Reuters) - Over an eighth of Lebanon's territory is under Israeli orders for people to leave their homes, an aid group said on Friday, while the United Nations peacekeeping mission said Israeli ground troops were making incursions and erecting

Pakistan bombs airline fuel depot near Kandahar airport, Afghan Taliban says

By Mohammad Yunus Yawar KABUL, March 13 (Reuters) - Pakistan bombed the fuel depot of private airline Kam Air near Afghanistan's Kandahar airport, the Taliban said on Friday, a significant escalation in the worst conflict in years between the neighbours despite China's efforts

Don't fall for the regime change talk. Israel is 'mowing the lawn' in Iran

Israel's bombardment of Iran strikingly resembles its previous wars against Hamas and Hezbollah: a form of perpetual conflict management which can never achieve the 'total victory' of its most delusional propagandists and which guarantees this third Gulf War won't be the last

Exclusive-With Iran war exit elusive, Trump aides vie to affect outcome

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - A complex tug-of-war inside the White House is driving U.S. President Donald Trump's shifting public statements on the course of the Iran war, as aides debate when and how to declare victory even as the conflict spreads across the Middle East.

Trump says he thinks Iran's new supreme leader is alive but 'damaged'

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, March 12 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said that he thinks new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, whose father, the former supreme leader, was killed on the first day of the U.S. and Israel's war on Iran, is alive but "damaged." Khamenei

Israel defense chief: Israel to hold more Lebanese land until Hezbollah disarms

French soldier killed in attack in Iraqi Kurdistan

A French soldier was killed in an attack in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday, confirming the first French military death in the Middle East war. Since US-Israeli strikes on Iran last month engulfed the Middle East in war, multiple

'Ticket to Tehran': Iranian Jews in Israel still long for Iran

For Sahar Saidian, past and present collide every day on the airwaves as she hosts a Persian-language show on Israeli public radio for listeners in Israel and in Iran, the country she left behind years ago. "After 26 years in Israel, I look more Israeli than Iranian, but even

Both sides dig in, as Iran war approaches two-week mark

By Parisa Hafezi and Maya Gebeily DUBAI/BEIRUT, March 13 (Reuters) - The leaders of Iran, Israel and the United States all voiced defiance and vowed to fight on as the Middle East war approached the two-week mark on Friday, killing thousands of people, disrupting the lives of

Factbox-Recent acts of Jewish-targeted violence in the United States

March 12 (Reuters) - Rights advocates note a rise inanti-Muslim,anti-Palestinianandantisemitic hate in the United States since the start of U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza following an October 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian Hamas militants. The United States and Israel also

13 percent of Lebanon under Israeli evacuation orders amid fighting with Hezbollah

The IDF called on all Lebanese residents south of the Zahrani River, about 40 km from the Lebanon-Israel border, to move north due to "Hezbollah activity in the area." According to Lebanon, more than 820,000 people have already been registered as displaced and 687 have been

Trump says Iran war moving 'very rapidly'

US President Donald Trump said Thursday the war against Iran was moving "very rapidly," even as Tehran's new leader vowed defiance in his first public message. "The situation with Iran is moving along very rapidly. It's doing very well, our military is unsurpassed," Trump said

US has arranged nearly 50 charter flights from Middle East amid Iran strikes, State Dept says

By Simon Lewis WASHINGTON, March 12 (Reuters) - The Trump administration has organized nearly 50 flights to return U.S. citizens from the Middle East since the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began, a State Department official said on Thursday, and officials said demand for the

US and allies clash with Russia and China over Iran nuclear program

March 12 (Reuters) - The U.S. and Western allies clashed with Russia and China on Thursday over Iran's nuclear intentions, as Washington sought at the United Nations to further justify the war it launched on Iran two weeks ago. At a meeting of the 15-member U.N. Security

US Navy could escort vessels in Strait of Hormuz with international coalition, Bessent says

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

UK exploring additional Gulf deployments after minehunter withdrawal

LONDON, March 12 (Reuters) - Britain is exploring additional options for deployments to the Gulf after Iran stepped up attacks on vessels, defence minister John Healey said on Thursday, adding that the UK already has autonomous mine hunting systems in the region. The Royal Navy

Ships must coordinate with Iran's navy to pass through Strait of Hormuz, foreign ministry says

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

Pakistan's PM Sharif discussed regional developments with Saudi crown prince

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

Netanyahu threatens Iran new leader, says government collapse uncertain

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

Morocco plans repatriation of IS-linked citizens from Iraq, official says

By Ahmed Eljechtimi RABAT, March 12 (Reuters) - Morocco is developing plans to repatriate its nationals who fought for Islamic State in Syria and were transferred by the United States into Iraqi detention, a senior security official said on Thursday. The U.S. began moving

Israeli airstrikes hit building in central Beirut, Reuters footage shows

BEIRUT, March 12 (Reuters) - Israeli airstrikes hit a building twice in central Beirut less than a kilometre from the government headquarters, Reuters video footage showed on Thursday, shortly after the Israeli military said it had begun a new wave of strikes on the Lebanese

Israel strikes heart of Beirut, signals long campaign

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

Israel drops charges against soldiers accused of abusing Gaza detainee

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

Iran's new supreme leader vows to keep Hormuz shut, Netanyahu issues threat

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

Iran's Shi'ite allies step up strikes despite weakened hand

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

Iran to be high on G7 ministerial agenda at upcoming meeting, Canada says

OTTAWA, March 12 (Reuters) - The foreign ministers from the Group of Seven will have detailed discussions on diplomatic efforts related to the war in Iran when they meet near Paris at a scheduled meeting at the end of March, Canada's foreign minister said on Thursday. France,

Iran not going to close Strait of Hormuz, Iran UN envoy says

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

FBI alert on possible Iran retaliation based on unverified tip, White House says

By Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON, March 12 (Reuters) - An FBI alert to law enforcement agencies last month warning of the possibility that Tehran might try to retaliate for any U.S. strikes on Iran by launching drone attacks in California was based on a single unverified tip,

Bombing won't overthrow ruling clerics, Iran dissidents say

By John Irish PARIS, March 11 (Reuters) - A senior official from a Paris-based Iranian opposition group said on Thursday that the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran would not topple the clerical leadership, arguing that only a popular uprising backed by internal resistance could do so.

Ukraine sends teams to help Gulf counter Iranian drones: What to know

Ukraine has significant experience downing Iran’s Shahed drones, leading Gulf states to express interest in Ukrainian expertise and hardware.

World in 'new dark age' of abuse: UN rights expert

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

In Iran, shut shops, joblessness and a dash for cash

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