Report: Trump knew Iran could shut off Strait of Hormuz before launching war

U.S. officials warned Iran could block the key oil route, but Trump believed Tehran would back down first

Trump urges other nations to send ships to secure Hormuz

US President Donald Trump on Saturday urged other nations to send ships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, the critical chokepoint for global oil supplies disrupted by the Mideast war. Trump, who has said the United States will soon start escorting tankers through the strait,

Israel threatens to strike ambulances in Lebanon in Hezbollah fighting

By Maayan Lubell and Nazih Osseiran JERUSALEM/BEIRUT March 14 (Reuters) - The Israeli military warned on Saturday that it may strike ambulances and medical facilities which it said were being used unlawfully by Hezbollah in Lebanon, though it did not provide evidence for the

Israel and Lebanon expected to hold direct talks in coming days, Haaretz reports

JERUSALEM, March 14 (Reuters) - Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold direct talks in the coming days, their first since the start of the Iran war that has drawn Lebanon deeper into conflict, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Saturday, citing two sources with knowledge of

Drone attacks UAE's Fujairah port after Iran issues evacuation warning for three major Emirati ports

The suspension comes hours after the U.S. attacked ​military targets on Iran's Kharg Island oil export terminal and Iran's Revolutionary Guards responded by saying that U.S. interests in the UAE were legitimate targets

Iran state media says two more footballers pull Australia asylum bids

Two more players of the Iranian women's football team, which competed in the Asian Cup in Australia, and one member of the backroom staff have withdrawn their requests for asylum in the country, Iranian state media said on Saturday. Seven members of the visiting women's

Trump says most planes targeted in attack on Saudi Arabia base had little damage

March 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday said four of five tanker planes targeted in an attack on a base in Saudi Arabia suffered "virtually no damage." "Four of the five had virtually no damage, and are already back in service. One had slightly more damage,

Trump says 'many countries' will send warships to keep Strait of Hormuz open

March 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that many countries would send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, but did not provide details on which countries would do so. "Many Countries, especially those who are affected by Iran’s attempted

India seeks passage for more vessels stranded around Strait of Hormuz after a few sail through

By Nidhi Verma and Saurabh Sharma NEW DELHI, March 14 (Reuters) - India has sought safe passage for 22 of its vessels stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz, a foreign affairs ministry spokesperson said on Saturday, after Iran allowed a few Indian ships to sail through, in a

Hamas calls on Iran not to target neighboring countries but affirms its right to self-defence

CAIRO, March 14 (Reuters) - The Palestinian Iran-aligned militant group Hamas has called on Iran to not target neighbouring countries, while still reaffirming Tehran's right to respond to the U.S.-Israeli attacks. This is the first time the group has publicly commented on

War in the Middle East: latest developments

Here are the latest events in the Middle East war: - Jerusalem blasts - Explosions rang out over Jerusalem, AFP reporters heard, shortly after the Israeli military warned that it had detected incoming missiles from Iran. The military said its "defence system is operating to

UN chief says 'diplomatic avenues' available to stop war in Lebanon

UN chief Antonio Guterres said Saturday on a visit to Beirut that diplomatic channels remained open to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah and urged the international community to support Lebanon. Lebanon was dragged into the Middle East war last week when Hezbollah

Israel presses strikes as Lebanon says 26 paramedics killed since war began

Israel kept up strikes on Lebanon on Saturday as Beirut said 26 paramedics had been killed since the latest war erupted between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah this month. French President Emmanuel Macron said the Lebanese government was ready to engage in "direct talks" with

Kharg Island: Vital Iran oil hub in Trump's crosshairs

Kharg Island, targeted in US air strikes on Saturday, is a scrubby stretch of land in the Gulf that handles almost all of Iran's crude exports. Announcing the strikes, US President Donald Trump described Kharg as a "crown jewel" for Iran and maintained that every military

The latest: Pro-Iran group strikes U.S. Embassy's air defense system in Baghdad

Iran struck and reportedly damaged five U.S. refueling aircraft • A port in the United Arab Emirates suspended oil operations after a drone-related fire • Qatar evacuated parts of Doha • The United States sent 2,500 marines to the Middle East

Some oil loading operations suspended after fire in UAE's Fujairah, sources say

By Sarah El Safty and Nidhi Verma DUBAI, March 14 (Reuters) - Some oil-loading operations have been suspended in the United Arab Emirates' Fujairah emirate, a major bunkering hub and crude export terminal, after a drone attack and fire on Saturday, industry and trade sources

Hezbollah's 'existential' war against Israel could be its last

Hezbollah suffered heavy losses in a war with Israel more than a year ago, but the Shia movement has now regrouped only to end up fighting what it has called an "existential battle" and which some warn could be its last. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when

Doctors, nurses among 23 killed in Israeli strikes across country, Lebanese Health Ministry says

The strikes in southern Lebanon killed 23 people, including 12 medical workers at a primary health center, as air raids also hit residential areas. Lebanon's health ministry said the toll could rise, while more than a million have been displaced since the conflict began

U.S. obliterated its navy, but Iran can still choke the Strait of Hormuz

Despite destroying much of Iran's navy, the U.S. has yet to secure the Strait of Hormuz, where Tehran uses fast boats, mines, shore missiles, and unmanned vessels to maintain leverage over global oil flows and strike commercial shipping with deadly asymmetric tactics

Drones, burning ships: Indian sailors stranded off Iran just want to go home

By Saurabh Sharma NEW DELHI, March 14 (Reuters) - Stranded for two weeks at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas as drones and missiles set ships ablaze nearby, 26-year-old seafarer Ambuj says he has not been home for six months and cannot wait to see his family. Ambuj, who asked

US embassy in Iraq hit as Mideast War enters third week

Explosions rocked cities across the Middle East on Saturday as the US embassy in Baghdad was hit by a drone strike and Tehran warned Emiratis to stay away from ports as it targets the world's energy supply lines. Washington's embassy in Iraq was hit for the second time since

Trump urges world powers to secure Iran shipping lane

US President Donald Trump urged other nations to help secure a vital shipping lane choked off by the war with Iran that showed no signs of slowing on Saturday as strikes hit the US embassy in Baghdad and a major Emirati energy facility. Two weeks after the United States and

Israel says Iran war entering 'decisive phase'

Israel said the war against Iran was entering its "decisive phase" on Saturday, as explosions rocked cities across the Middle East, with strikes on the US embassy in Baghdad and a major Emirati energy facility. Washington's embassy in Iraq was hit by a drone, security sources

US embassy in Iraq's Baghdad hit in missiles attack, security sources say

March 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. Embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad was hit in a missiles attack, Iraqi security sources told Reuters on Saturday. The attack caused smoke to rise from the embassy's building, the sources said, without providing details on the damage. (Reporting

Kharg Island, struck by US, is key hub for Iran oil exports

March 14 (Reuters) - Kharg Island, where U.S. forces on Friday destroyed military targets, is the hub for 90% of Iran's oil exports and has long been seen as a key vulnerability that would provoke a severe response by Tehran if attacked. President Donald Trump said on social

Iran, US threaten attacks on oil facilities

Iran threatened Saturday to reduce US-linked oil facilities to "a pile of ashes" as the two-week-old Middle East war spilled over into a global oil price crisis. Iranian armed forces issued the warning after US President Donald Trump said he may decide to "wipe out" Iran's

Ruthless leader and brilliant philosopher: Who is Ali Larijani, Iran's most powerful man?

He orchestrated Iran's massacre of protesters. He is also a philosopher who has written books on Kant. The writings of Ali Larijani, the Islamic Republic's top security official, reveal an elusive and multifaceted figure

IDF drops leaflets over Beirut urging residents to cooperate with Israel, Hezbollah to disarm

Beirut residents reported hearing loud explosions in quick succession before noticing leaflets drifting over the city; some included QR codes to contact IDF Intelligence Unit 504, with the Lebanese Army said may put civilians at risk of personal data breaches

White House AI czar says US should 'declare victory and get out' of Iran war

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - White House AI czar David Sacks said on Friday the U.S. should "declare victory and get out" of its war on Iran, a rare instance of a prominent figure in Donald Trump's administration calling for an exit from the Iran conflict.

Facing rockets, Arabs in northern Israel fume over lack of shelters

Threatened by volleys of Hezbollah rockets and missiles from Iran, residents of Arab towns in northern Israel are complaining about a lack of public shelters. "The state is obliged to build public shelters so that the entire population has access to safe havens," Mazen

Trump threatens to strike Iran's Kharg Island oil network if shipping lanes remain blocked

By Bo Erickson, Parisa Hafezi, Maya Gebeily and Alexander Cornwell WASHINGTON/DUBAI/JERUSALEM, March 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to order strikes on the petroleum infrastructure of Iran's Kharg Island oil hub unless Tehran stopped attacking vessels in

China urges Afghanistan, Pakistan to resolve tensions via talks, not force

SHANGHAI, March 14 (Reuters) - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi in a phone call that disputes between Afghanistan and Pakistan should be resolved through dialogue and consultation, not force, the foreign ministry said in a statement

Iranian leaders determined to prove Islamic republic's staying power

Iran's leaders are seeking to show the staying power of their near half-century old clerical-based system and prove that it can withstand the killing of its longtime ruler and war with United States and Israel, analysts said. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, supreme leader since the

Few easy ways out for US as war with Iran drags on

US-Israeli strikes killed Iran's leader but have not toppled the government, which now, from its perch on the Strait of Hormuz, has put the entire world economy on the war's frontlines. The initial US victory in killing supreme leader Ali Khamenei has given way to a conflict

Palestinian actor says he can't attend Oscars because of US travel ban

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees said on Friday that a travel ban imposed by the Trump administration is preventing him from attending this weekend's Academy Awards, whose nominees include a movie in which he has a starring

If Iran becomes 'Israel's war,' American Jews may pay the price

If the Iran war turns into a failure, Israel may turn from America's ally to its alibi. Blaming Israel would keep the MAGA coalition intact, bridging the gap between hawks and Tucker Carlson-type conspiracists – but the consequences for U.S. Jews could be severe

U.S. intensely bombs military targets on Iran's largest oil hub on Kharg Island overnight, threatens oil next

Kharg Island is the primary terminal through which nearly all of Iran's oil exports pass. Similar to Venezuela, anti-Iran hawks have urged Trump to seize control of the island and Iran's oil exports – Trump threatened to target its oil infrastructure should Iran block the

US attacks Iran's Kharg Island, Trump says

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday Said on Friday that the United States carried out strikes against "every military target" on Iran's Kharg Island export hub. "For reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on

Iran war puts many in US on high alert, but synagogue attack shows limits

(Refiles to wider audience with no changes to text or headline) By Ted Hesson, Jonathan Allen and Rich McKay WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - U.S. law enforcement officials are on heightened alert as the Iran war enters its third week, but the limits of their vigilance were on

U.S. offers $10 million for information on key Iranian leaders

The announcement coincided with Quds Day protests, drawing thousands of regime supporters to central Tehran. Top officials appeared publicly for the first time since the war began, despite ongoing Israeli and U.S. airstrikes targeting multiple areas of the city

Dozens evacuated after Iranian missile hit sets building on fire in central Israel

One person was in the affected apartment at the time of the strike but was unharmed in a shelter, telling Haaretz, "After a crazy explosion, everything was on fire." Earlier, a building in Holon caught fire following a launch from Iran; no casualties were reported in either

Pentagon limits info, clashes with press over Iran

The Pentagon's engagement with the media during the Iran war has been heavy on rhetoric, short on operational detail and characterized by an adversarial approach to mainstream outlets that seek to raise questions about the conflict. While journalists had access to detailed,

US-owned tanker attacked near Iraq was hit by unmanned boats, early findings show

By Lisa Baertlein LOS ANGELES, March 13 (Reuters) - Two explosive-laden, unmanned boats rammed the Safesea Vishnu tanker in an Iraqi seaport on Wednesday, sparking a fiery blast that engulfed the vessel's port side in flames and left crew only seconds to react, according to an

Lebanon says Israeli strike in south kills 12 medics

An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed a dozen medical staff at a clinic, Lebanese health authorities said Saturday, after Iran-backed Hezbollah's leader said his group was ready for a long confrontation with Israel. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week

Iran, Hezbollah fire missiles at Israel; 12-year-old moderately wounded

UN official calls for humanitarian cargo to be allowed through Strait of Hormuz

By Jasper Ward WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - A top United Nations humanitarian official on Friday called for humanitarian aid to be allowed to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. The comments made by Tom Fletcher, the U.N.

US offers reward for information on Iran's supreme leader, senior officials

By Ryan Patrick Jones March 13 (Reuters) - The United States is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information about senior Iranian military and intelligence officials, including its new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. The reward targets 10 officials

Israel destroys bridge in Lebanon, threatens Gaza-scale destruction

By Alexander Cornwell and Maya Gebeily TEL AVIV/BEIRUT, March 13 (Reuters) - Israel destroyed a bridge in southern Lebanon on Friday and dropped leaflets in Beirut threatening Gaza-scale devastation as it deployed more troops to fight Iran-backed Hezbollah and warned of more

How Iran's IRGC is charting war course beyond Khamenei's heir

While Iran projects continuity under Mojtaba Khamenei, the IRGC is orchestrating the country's wartime posture, consolidating authority and preparing for a protracted conflict.

Pentagon elevates investigation into Iran school strike

By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Friday it has elevated the investigation into a devastating February 28 strike on an Iranian girls' school after media reports revealed the probe shows U.S. forces were likely responsible.