Muskan Zahra

Israel launched a fresh wave of airstrikes on Tehran and Beirut as the regional conflict involving Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah entered its seventeenth day, further escalating hostilities across the Middle East. Israeli officials said the strikes targeted Hezbollah command centers in Beirut’s southern suburbs and military-linked infrastructure in Iran, including an aircraft associated with the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport. The continued attacks come amid expanding Israeli ground operations in southern Lebanon and sustained air campaigns against Iranian-linked targets. Lebanese authorities report hundreds killed and more than 830,000 displaced, while Iranian officials say over 1,400 people have died in strikes since the conflict began on February 28, highlighting the growing humanitarian and regional impact of the war.

Muskan Zahra

Mar 163 min

U.S. President Donald Trump has called on several major powers — including China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom — to deploy warships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions with Iran continue to disrupt global shipping. Trump argued that countries heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil should help protect the strategic waterway rather than relying solely on the United States. The demand comes after Iranian actions effectively restricted tanker traffic through the strait following U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran, sending oil prices above $100 per barrel. While Washington is pushing for a multinational naval coalition to escort commercial vessels, none of the named countries had publicly committed warships as of mid-March, leaving the security situation in the critical energy corridor unresolved.

Muskan Zahra

Mar 164 min

Iran signaled that India-linked oil tankers could transit the Strait of Hormuz after diplomatic discussions between Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, offering a limited opening in one of the world’s most critical shipping routes during the ongoing regional conflict. The move came as the strait remained largely closed following the US-Israeli war with Iran, which has disrupted global energy supplies. While Tehran denied any formal safe-passage agreement, at least two India-bound tankers successfully crossed the waterway, highlighting India’s urgent efforts to protect its energy imports that depend heavily on Gulf oil shipments.

Muskan Zahra

Mar 133 min

The US–Iran war reached its two-week mark on March 13, 2026, with large-scale strikes continuing across Iran and retaliatory missile and drone attacks hitting Israel, US bases, and Gulf states hosting American forces. The conflict began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury, targeting Iran’s military infrastructure, nuclear programme, and senior leadership. Since the start of the campaign, US Central Command says roughly 6,000 targets have been struck inside Iran, while dozens of Iranian naval vessels have been destroyed. The fighting has also triggered major global economic consequences, with Iran effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, causing the largest disruption to global oil supplies in modern history and sending energy markets into turmoil.

Muskan Zahra

Mar 133 min

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a one-hour phone call on Monday to discuss the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran, the ongoing Ukraine conflict, and disruptions to global oil markets. The Kremlin described the conversation as “frank and constructive,” with Putin presenting proposals aimed at achieving a rapid diplomatic resolution to the Iran conflict. Trump later told reporters the discussion had been productive but urged Putin to focus on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, saying that would be “more helpful.” The talks came as the Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have severely disrupted global energy supplies, pushing oil prices sharply higher and increasing pressure on governments to stabilize markets. If you want, I can also generate the image for this story (Trump–Putin phone call about Iran war and oil crisis) in the same news-style format as the previous ones.

Muskan Zahra

Mar 103 min

Iran’s Assembly of Experts appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s new Supreme Leader on March 8, 2026, following the assassination of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during joint US–Israeli strikes on February 28. The leadership transition comes as Iran faces one of the most severe crises in the Islamic Republic’s history. The 56-year-old cleric, long considered an influential figure behind the scenes and closely tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was selected by the 88-member clerical body responsible for choosing Iran’s supreme leader. His appointment — the first father-to-son succession since the 1979 revolution — has drawn both domestic controversy and sharply divided international reactions as the conflict with Israel and the United States continues.

Muskan Zahra

Mar 103 min

U.S. President Donald Trump said he wants a role in choosing Iran’s next supreme leader following the reported death of Ali Khamenei, making an unusually direct claim about influencing Iran’s internal leadership transition during the ongoing war. Speaking in an interview, Trump rejected Khamenei’s son Mojtaba Khamenei as a potential successor and said Washington preferred a leader who could stabilize the country and reduce hostilities. Trump also compared the situation to U.S. involvement in political change in Venezuela, suggesting Washington should help shape Iran’s future leadership to ensure long-term stability. His remarks came as U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iranian targets intensified, raising questions about whether the conflict’s goals include broader political change in Iran. Under Iran’s constitution, the selection of a new supreme leader is normally handled by the Assembly of Experts, a body of senior clerics responsible for appointing the country’s top authority. Trump’s comments therefore sparked controversy and uncertainty about the extent of U.S. ambitions in the conflict and whether Washington is seeking to influence the outcome of Iran’s leadership transition.

Muskan Zahra

Mar 63 min

Israeli forces carried out strikes on military and research facilities in Tehran and other parts of Iran as the Israel-Iran conflict entered its eighth day, targeting sites Israel says are linked to missile production and nuclear research. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones at Israeli military and industrial targets, while Israel continued attacks on Hezbollah positions in Beirut’s southern suburbs, intensifying the regional dimension of the conflict. Casualties have been reported in Iran and Lebanon, including the death of an Iranian nuclear scientist and over 100 deaths in Lebanon since hostilities began. The United States has assisted Israel with missile interception and announced new sanctions targeting Iran’s missile and drone networks. With fighting expanding across multiple fronts and no ceasefire in sight, international leaders have warned of the risk of a wider regional escalation.

Muskan Zahra

Mar 63 min

Arab League member states approved a unified $53 billion reconstruction plan for Gaza at an emergency summit in Cairo, proposing a phased rebuilding effort that would allow Palestinians to remain in the territory and complete reconstruction by 2030. The plan, developed by Egypt with input from the Palestinian Authority and international institutions, outlines a multi-stage recovery process including infrastructure rebuilding, housing development, and the construction of a port and airport. The proposal also calls for a temporary technocratic administration to govern Gaza during a six-month transition under the Palestinian government. While Arab states endorsed the framework as a collective alternative to proposals involving displacement of Palestinians, the United States and Israel rejected the plan shortly after the summit, casting uncertainty over whether the reconstruction initiative will move forward.

Muskan Zahra

Mar 54 min

The United States has suspended most intelligence sharing with Ukraine, a move that could significantly weaken Kyiv’s ability to track and target Russian forces on the battlefield. The decision, confirmed by CIA Director John Ratcliffe on March 5, followed concerns within the Trump administration about whether Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was committed to pursuing peace negotiations with Russia. US intelligence has been a crucial element of Ukraine’s war effort since the 2022 invasion, helping Ukrainian forces monitor Russian troop movements and plan precision strikes. While the suspension halts much of that cooperation, American officials said limited intelligence related to immediate defensive threats will continue. The pause is expected to remain in place until diplomatic progress is made toward initiating peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow.

Muskan Zahra

Mar 53 min

The United States has urged its citizens to immediately leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries as regional tensions escalate following US and Israeli strikes on Iran. In a March 3 advisory, the United States Department of State warned that Americans across the region face serious security risks and should depart using available commercial transportation where possible. The guidance applies to countries including Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, among others. US officials also ordered the evacuation of non-essential embassy staff from several states after Iranian drone strikes and regional attacks heightened instability. With roughly half a million Americans believed to be in the Middle East, Washington has begun arranging charter and military evacuation flights as travel disruptions and airspace closures complicate departures.

Muskan Zahra

Mar 54 min