03/02/26 05:25
Israel targets Hezbollah in fresh strikes on Beirut
-Mark MacKinnon
Displaced people fleeing Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon sit in traffic at a highway links to Beirut on Monday.Mohammad Zaatari/The Associated Press
Israel continued to carry out strikes across Lebanon on Monday, targeting the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in a further expansion of the war that the United States and Israel launched against Iran on Saturday.
Israel launched a fresh airstrike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, saying it had target a “senior” Hezbollah official. That attack followed an overnight bombardment of the same area, as well as an intense series of strikes targeting Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley.
The Lebanese government said 31 people were killed in the overnight strikes, while 149 others were injured. Israel also dropped leaflets warning residents of 53 villages to move at least one kilometre away, saying “anyonewho is near Hezbollah operatives, facilities, and weapons is putting their life at risk.”
In the aftermath, long traffic jams formed on the highways towards Beirut and northern Lebanon.
The Israeli campaign started after Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets at the Israeli port of Haifa, an attack the group said was revenge for Saturday’s assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran who was also revered as a religious leader by many Shia Muslims outside the country.
The exchange of cross-border fire was the largest since a two-month war in 2024 that left Hezbollah badly weakened.
Beirut remained tense on Monday, with the military deployed outside the country’s lone airport and at major intersections, as internal refugees began to arrive in the city centre. An Israeli reconnaissance drone buzzed overhead throughout the day.
Read more here
03/02/26 05:16
Oil and gas leap and stocks slump as war in Iran intensifies
-Eric Reguly
Oil and natural gas prices jumped Monday morning, on the third day of U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, as tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz shipping lanes virtually disappeared. Global stocks fell.
By mid-morning London time, Brent crude, the effective international benchmark, had climbed almost 10 per cent over Friday’s close, taking the price to US$80 a barrel. In early January, before rumours of war hit the market, the price was US$60.
European gas prices climbed about 25 per cent. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are the source of about one-fifth of the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) and much of the supplies pass through Hormuz on their way to Europe.
While oil’s rise was expected, the price has not reached crisis levels.
In previous global emergencies, oil went far higher. Brent crude breached US$100 in late February, 2022, after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and reached US$130 a month later. In 2008, just ahead of the financial crisis, oil went to US$145, then crashed to US$40, when the deep recession hit.
It appears oil traders and investor are gambling that the narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 per cent of the world’s oil passes, taking shipments from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and onto the Indian Ocean, won’t stay effectively shut for long. Meanwhile, the global oil markets appear to be brimming with surplus oil and stockpiles, providing some price cushion.
03/02/26 05:02
Kremlin says it is in contact with Iranian leaders
The Kremlin said on Monday that Russia was in constant contact with the Iranian leadership about what it called the “outright aggression” against Tehran and was deeply disappointed by how events had unfolded.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday condemned the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as a “cynical” murder and the Russian Foreign Ministry has accused the U.S. and Israel of plunging the Middle East “into an abyss of uncontrolled escalation.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Russia was analysing the situation and drawing its own conclusions after Washington opted to launch strikes at Iran despite what Moscow thought had looked like promising talks.
“Despite reports of significant progress in these negotiations, the situation has nevertheless deteriorated into outright aggression,” Peskov told reporters.
He said that Putin was due to make an Iran-related international phone call later on Monday, but did not disclose to whom.
- Reuters
03/02/29 04:46
U.S. fighter jets crash in Kuwait, country’s Defence Ministry said
Several U.S. military aircraft crashed in Kuwait early on Monday, but all crew members survived and were in stable condition, Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence said.
The Kuwait Defence Ministry statement, which was carried by the state news agency, said the crews from the crashed aircraft were evacuated and transferred to hospital and were in stable condition. It added that the response was carried out in coordination with U.S. forces.
Iran’s state media cited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as saying Iranian armed forces hit a U.S. plane that crashed in Kuwait.
Online video verified by Reuters as being taken in the Al Jahra area of Kuwait showed a military aircraft falling from the sky and a person parachuting in the same shot.
The Kuwaiti statement did not specify how many aircraft were involved.
Two workers were slightly injured by falling debris at Kuwait’s Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery, Kuwait’s National Petroleum Company said on X.
- Reuters
03/02/26 04:09
Dubai under fire as Iranian missiles target the UAE
Iranian missiles and drones have hit the United Arab Emirates, shaking Dubai’s image as a safe, tax-free haven for foreigners.
The Associated Press
03/02/26 03:39
Beijing warns expanded war threatens global economic stability
-James Griffiths
An aerial view of the Strait of Hormuz from 2023 shows just how narrow the waterway is.Nicolas Economou/Reuters
Beijing has warned the expanding conflict around Iran could threaten the “vital” Strait of Hormuz, through which some 20 per cent of the world’s oil and gas supply passes en route from the Persian Gulf into the Arabian Sea.
Speaking to reporters in the Chinese capital Monday, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said “the Strait of Hormuz and its adjacent waters are vital international routes for cargo and energy trade.”
“Safeguarding security and stability in this region serves the common interests of the international community,” Ms. Mao said. “China urges all parties to immediately cease military actions, prevent further escalation of tensions, and avoid regional turbulence inflicting greater damage on global economic development.”
As with heavily sanctioned Venezuelan oil, China was a major buyer of Iranian crude, and disruptions to this supply could hurt small scale Chinese refiners specializing in oil that cannot go to market in much of the world. But the broader Chinese economy should be resilient to any immediate shocks from the war in Iran, said Wang Yiwei, a professor of international affairs at Renmin University in Beijing.
“China already has massive petroleum reserves, plus new energy sources now account for about one-third of our structure,” he said. “On land, Russia is stable, and combined with our large petroleum reserves and new energy, I feel we’ve already made preparations for the worst-case scenarios.”
03/02/26 03:13
Kuwait says hostile drones intercepted, U.S. embassy hit
Smoke rises from an area surrounding the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait following a strike March 2, 2026.VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS/Reuters
Iran and Iranian-backed militias fired missiles at Israel and Arab states, apparently hitting the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait.
As fire and smoke rose from inside the embassy compound in Kuwait City, the country’s defense ministry said “several” American warplanes had also crashed in the country.
The Kuwaiti Defense Ministry did not elaborate on what caused the crashes or how many aircraft were involved, but said the pilots had been taken to a hospital and were in stable condition. The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kuwait said its air defences intercepted hostile drones while the U.S. embassy issued a warning to take cover due to the threat of missile and hostile drone attacks.
Witnesses saw a heavy presence of security, ambulances and fire trucks near the U.S. embassy, while a video showed black smoke rising from the surrounding area.
- Reuters and The Associated Press
03/02/26 03:07
U.K. sending rapid teams to help citizens leave Gulf
British foreign minister Yvette Cooper said on Monday that Britain was setting up support systems to help evacuate its citizens from the Gulf with an estimated 300,000 people living in the region.
“We are looking at a wide range of options, working, crucially with the travel industry and with government evacuation if necessary,” Cooper told Sky News.
The British government wanted airspace to be re-opened and it was sending rapid deployment teams to the region to work with the travel industry, she said.
- Reuters
03/02/26 02:30
China urges halt to military actions in Iran conflict
China’s Foreign Ministry on Monday urged all parties involved in the Iran conflict to cease military actions and prevent an escalation of the conflict.
The United States and Israel’s strikes against Iran violated international law and China is deeply concerned about spillover effects on neighbouring countries, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the ministry, told a regular press briefing.
China believes that the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the Gulf states should be fully respected and supports countries to strengthen communication, Mao said.
- Reuters
03/02/26 02:27
U.S. futures, Asian shares open lower, oil prices soar
The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran rattled world markets on Monday, with U.S. futures falling more than 1% and oil prices soaring, though gains for defense contractors and oil companies helped limit losses in Asian trading.
The future for the S&P 500 sank 1.4% while the contract for the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1.2%.
Shares did fall in most Asian markets but they rose in Shanghai, where higher oil prices lifted some oil company stocks such as CNOOC, China Petroleum & Chemical and PetroChina to the 10% limit.
The Shanghai Composite index climbed 0.5% to 4,185.29, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng lost 2% to 26,102.53.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index initially fell more than 2%. It closed 1.4% lower at 58,057.24. Offsetting other losses, shares in defense-related stocks including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and IHI Corp. advanced.
The price of gold, which usually is viewed as a safe haven for investment in times of uncertainty, rose 2.7% to about $5,392 per ounce.
Traders are betting the supply of oil from Iran and elsewhere in the Middle East will slow or grind to a halt.
The price of a barrel of U.S. benchmark crude oil initially surged about 8%. By mid-afternoon Tokyo time it was up 7.5% at $72.06 per barrel. Brent crude jumped 8% to $78.69 per barrel.
- Reuters
03/02/26 01:49
Oil spikes as widening Iran conflict disrupts supply flow
Oil prices surged by as much as 13% on Monday after shipping in the crucial Strait of Hormuz was disrupted by retaliatory Iranian attacks following initial bombing by Israel and the United States that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Brent crude futures rose to as much as $82.37 a barrel, the highest since January 2025, before retreating to be up $5.41, or 7.4%, to $78.28 by 0605 GMT.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed to an intraday high of $75.33, up over 12% and the highest since June, though it later pared gains and was up $4.74, or 7.1%, at $71.76.
Both benchmarks jumped as a sustained exchange of counterattacks damaged tankers and sharply disrupted shipments in the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway between Iran and Oman that connects the Gulf to the Arabian Sea.
“Markets are acknowledging the seriousness of the conflict, but are also signalling that, for now, this is a geopolitical shock, not a systemic crisis,” said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior analyst at Phillip Nova.
03/02/26 01:39
Suspected drone strike hits British air base in Cyprus
A drone strike hit Britain’s Royal Air Force base of Akrotiri in Cyprus overnight, causing limited damage and no casualties, the island’s president and Britain’s defence ministry said on Monday.
The first attack on the British military facility since a rocket attack by Libyan militants in 1986, the incident represents a marked escalation in the conflict.
“All the competent services of the republic are on alert and in full operational readiness,” President Nikos Christodoulides said in a speech.
The Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicle caused minor damage when it crashed into the military facilities at 12:03 a.m., he added.
“I want to be clear: Our country does not participate in any way and does not intend to be part of any military operation,” Christodoulides said.
It was not immediately clear from where the Iranian-made Shahed had been fired. Two sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the British bases intercepted a second drone.
While the bases are regarded as British sovereign territory, Cyprus itself is an EU member, now holding the bloc’s rotating presidency.
- Reuters
03/02/26 00:56
Airstrike continue across Middle East
Overnight, airstrikes were reported across Iran.
Elsewhere, explosions were heard in Dubai on Monday.
In Bahrain, the Interior Ministry said sirens sounded across the country as it urged residents to “head to the nearest safe place.”
And in Kuwait, authorities said debris fell on its Ahmadi oil refinery, slightly injuring two workers there.
The state-run KUNA news agency said earlier that Kuwait’s forces had thwarted a drone attack early Monday.
Shortly after 7:00 a.m. (12:00am ET) air raid sirens were triggered across Israel, including in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, warning of a fresh Iranian attack.
A new wave of missiles is being launched from central parts of Iran towards “enemy locations”, Iran’s state media said on Monday morning.
- Reuters
03/01/26 23:44
Pentagon to brief media on Iran strikes
People jog near the Pentagon on Feb. 28.Nathan Howard/Reuters
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are planning to hold a press conference Monday morning about the military operation against Iran.
The Pentagon announced the 8 a.m. media briefing on social media Sunday night.
On Tuesday, Hegseth and Caine will join U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe in briefing the full membership of Congress on the strikes, the White House said.
Rubio also was slated to brief Hill leadership Monday.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 23:10
Foreign minister suggests Iran’s military units acting independently
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in February.Pierre Albouy/Reuters
Iran’s foreign minister has suggested his country’s military units are acting independently from any central government control after being pressed about attacks on Gulf Arab nations that have served as intermediaries for Tehran in the past.
The comments came in an Al Jazeera interview on Sunday with Abbas Araghchi.
“What happened in Oman was not our choice. We have already told our, you know, army, armed forces to be careful about the targets that they choose,” Araghchi said.
“As a matter of fact, our, you know, military units are now in fact independent and somehow isolated and they are acting based on instructions – you know, general instructions – given to them in advance.”
There have been attacks on Oman, which served as an intermediary in recent nuclear talks with the United States, and on Qatar, which also has negotiated with Tehran and shares a massive offshore natural gas field in the Persian Gulf with the Islamic Republic.
Araghchi’s comments could serve as an excuse for the attacks as well as to try to ease tensions with Iran’s Gulf Arab neighbours, who have grown increasingly enraged by the constant fire targeting them despite efforts at easing tensions in recent years.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 23:06
World Central Kitchen urges Israel to reopen Gaza crossings
An Egyptian man prays next to trucks carrying humanitarian aid and fuel lined up at the Rafah border to cross into the Gaza Strip, on the Egyptian side, on Feb. 10.Stringer/Reuters
The World Central Kitchen, one of the major groups providing food for Gaza’s people, is warning that it will run out of supplies this week if Israel keeps the strip’s crossings closed.
Israel closed off the Gaza crossings over the weekend after it joined the U.S. in striking Iran.
“We need food deliveries every single day to feed hungry families who are not part of this war,” José Andrés, the celebrity chef who founded the organization, said in a social media post.
World Central Kitchen provides 1 million meals a day in Gaza, and the group and others working in war-torn Gaza need food and other supplies every day, he said.
“We cannot wait … let the humanitarian trucks go through today!” he said.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 22:40
Attacks upend safe haven status of Persian Gulf countries
– Tim Kiladze, Clare O’Hara and Nicolas Van Praet
A plume of smoke rises from the Zayed Port following a reported Iranian strike in Abu Dhabi.RYAN LIM/AFP/Getty Images
Missile attacks across the Middle East are throwing the safe haven status of Persian Gulf countries into question, upending the investment thesis that lured wealthy foreigners and a growing number of Canadian companies to the region.
Cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and Doha in Qatar have blossomed into global commerce hubs over the past two decades, backed by oil-rich governments that have funded modern infrastructure and gleaming skyscrapers.
As they blossomed, they also offered something many countries in the Middle East could not: political calm. The likes of Qatar, Oman and the UAE have developed reputations for being politically neutral, much like Switzerland, and that has made them less likely to be roped into regional wars.
03/01/26 22:30
Iranian-Canadians celebrate Khamenei’s death
Iranian-Canadians take part in a demonstration supporting the U.S.-Israeli attacks against Iran in Richmond Hill, Ont.EDUARDO LIMA/The Globe and Mail
Since January, when the Iranian government killed peaceful protesters, many of them students, Solar Gholami has been among the members of Canada’s Iranian diaspora calling for American military action to help topple the regime. “The world is a better place today for everyone,” he said of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s death.
While they wait to know for certain that families are safe, and follow the latest news out of Iran, members of Canada’s Iranian diaspora expressed different views about the American military action, and what should happen now that Ayatollah Khamenei is dead.
As the news broke, thousands of people from the country’s Iranian communities took to the streets in cities such as Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal, in some cases turning planned anti-government protests into celebrations.
Many praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to bomb Iran, seeing it as a necessary action to remove an oppressive and violent dictator.
Others condemn the bombings by the U.S. and Israel as foreign intervention that risks innocent civilians and will likely further destabilize the region. “They are killing women and children, and it is breaking my heart,” said Mona Ghassemi, president of the Iranian Canadian Congress.
Read more here by Erin Anderssen.
03/01/26 22:08
Iranian missile kills nine in Israeli city of Beit Shemesh
– Tovah Lazaroff
Emergency personnel work at the site of an Iranian strike in Beit Shemesh, Israel.Ammar Awad/Reuters
The plaster ceiling that fell on Tomer Ittah’s head from the force of an Iranian missile that landed near his home was nothing compared to the smoke and chaos when he walked outside.The synagogue across the way was simply gone, and in its place was a sandy crater and a number of burned-out cars.
“There are no words to describe it,” said the 44-year-old man as he stood on the patio outside his home in Beit Shemesh, located between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. He spoke as he surveyed the army and emergency workers who were still searching for survivors.
Nine bodies were found in the rubble of the synagogue and a number of destroyed buildings nearby, according to city treasurer Arie Berdugo, who was one of the first people on the scene.
03/01/26 21:59
Airline shares down as travel disruptions stretch into third day
Stranded travellers sit on the floor at Sydney Airport after their standby flight to Switzerland via Doha was cancelled.Hollie Adams/Reuters
Airline shares plunged as Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific, Australia’s Qantas Airways, Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines were down more than 5 per cent after the U.S. and Israel launched weekend strikes on Iran, disrupting travel and sending oil prices surging.
Global air travel remained in turmoil as the conflict forced the closure of key Middle Eastern hubs including Dubai and Doha for a third day, stranding tens of thousands of passengers worldwide and disrupting thousands of flights.
Shares in Qantas fell 10.4 per cent to the lowest level in 10 months when the market opened in Australia, before paring some losses to trade down about 6 per cent.
Shares in other Asian carriers all fell at least 4 per cent.
– Reuters
03/01/26 21:49
People flee southern Lebanon and parts of Beirut after Israeli strikes
People leave in their cars after Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs.Ahmad Al Kerdi/Reuters
Roads in southern Lebanon and leading out of Beirut’s southern suburbs were gridlocked early Monday with people fleeing after Israel launched strikes in retaliation for missiles launched across the border by Hezbollah.
The scenes were reminiscent of September, 2024, when a months-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalated into a full-fledged war. More than one million people were displaced in Lebanon at the time.
The Israeli military said in a statement that it had carried out a “targeted attack” on senior members of Hezbollah in Beirut and southern Lebanon.
Lebanese government officials had urged Hezbollah not to enter the fray in support of Iran, fearing another damaging war.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, in a statement following the strikes, said: “We will not allow the country to be dragged into new adventures, and we will take all necessary measures to apprehend those responsible and protect the Lebanese people.”
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 21:44
Who are the three men on Iran’s interim leadership council?
– Justine Hunter and Andrea Woo
Women walk past electoral posters of Ayatollah Alireza Arafi on Feb. 21.Vahid Salemi/The Associated Press
Three men have been appointed as Iran’s interim leadership council while the country’s religious leaders choose who will succeed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The trio are not natural allies, nor is it immediately clear who will outrank the others.
Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, 67, is a senior cleric and member of the Guardian Council that vets candidates for president and has veto power over legislation, to ensure loyalty to and conformity with Sharia law. He leads prayers in Iran’s most important religious centre, Qom, and oversees education for religious leaders nationwide, notes the news organization Al Jazeera.
Masoud Pezeshkian attends the United Nations General Assembly.Angelina Katsanis/The Associated Press
President Masoud Pezeshkian, 71, is broadly seen as a reformist. A former heart surgeon, he took office on July 28, 2024. The president is the second-highest-ranking official in Iran, acting as the head of government that handles daily administration, economic policy and implements the Supreme Leader’s decrees. The Economic Times of India describes Mr. Pezeshkian as a technocrat known for his calm demeanour in turbulent times, including during nationwide protests over the rising cost of living in January.
Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei attends a meeting of the heads of the three branches of government in Tehran.Iranian Presidency/Reuters
Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, 69, is considered an ultra-conservative who has been sanctioned for human rights abuses by Canada, the U.S., Switzerland, the European Union and others. He was appointed to the post in 2021 by Ayatollah Khamenei.
03/01/26 21:31
Strikes against Iran involved AI, cyberattacks and drones
– Sean Silcoff
Two satellite images of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's compound in Tehran, Iran, in April, 2024, and after strikes on Feb. 28.Airbus/Pleiades Neo (Custom cred/Google Earth/Reuters
The U.S.-Israeli military attack that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his high command involved widescale deployment of several cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence and the first use by U.S. military forces of a weapon inspired by Iranian technology.
U.S. Central Command said Saturday that it had “employed low-cost one-way attack drones for the first time in combat.” The LUCAS drones cost US$35,000 each and were modelled after Iran’s Shahed-136s, which hit several Gulf state sites in response to the attacks on Tehran.
The drones complemented other technologies that have increasingly shaped recent military actions, including the capture by U.S. forces of deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro in January.
Reuters reported Sunday a wave of cyberattacks took place alongside the U.S.-Israeli attacks. News websites were hacked and a religious calendar app called BadeSaba displayed messages telling users, “It’s time for a reckoning,” and urged armed forces to give up weapons and join the people. There was also a near-total internet blackout in Iran Saturday.
The U.S. military is a customer of Palantir Technologies Inc., a Denver-based data and analytics giant whose flagship products allow the use of virtual digital twins of physical locations to inform real-time decision making. Palantir’s AI-based software is also used by U.S. military intelligence to analyze drone and sensor data to pinpoint targets.
03/01/26 21:16
Attacks on Iran send chill through world markets
An electronic quotation board displays the Nikkei 225 stock prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on March 2.KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images
The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran have sent a chill through world markets, with U.S. futures falling more than 1 per cent. Shares opened sharply lower in Tokyo early Monday and oil prices soared. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index lost 2.3 per cent shortly after the open and shares also fell in Australia.
Traders were betting the supply of oil from Iran and elsewhere in the Middle East would slow or grind to a halt.
Attacks throughout the region, including on two vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, disrupted the region’s ability to export oil. Prolonged attacks would likely result in higher prices for crude oil and gasoline.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 21:14
UN Security Council to meet on Monday
– Adrian Morrow
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz stands following a Security Council meeting on March 1.Heather Khalifa/Reuters
The United Nations Security Council is set to gather on Monday. At an emergency session of the council on Saturday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said the U.S. and Israel had broken international law by attacking Iran. He also castigated Iran for hitting Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates with retaliatory strikes.
He said the fighting had to stop immediately. “The alternative is a potential wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability.”
Mike Waltz, U.S. ambassador to the UN, defended the air strikes as necessary, saying, “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
On Capitol Hill, Democrats and some Republicans are expected to try to force votes on a war powers resolution this week in a bid to rein in Mr. Trump’s ability to attack Iran without legislative approval.
The exact timing is in flux: The Senate is scheduled to sit on Monday and the House of Representatives will return on Tuesday. It could take some procedural manoeuvring to bring the measures to a vote without the support of leaders of Mr. Trump’s Republican Party, which holds a majority in both chambers.
03/01/26 21:03
Bonds rally in rush from risk over conflict
Investor fears of a drawn-out Middle East conflict triggered a rush into U.S. Treasuries in a broad risk-off move that pushed yields to multi-month lows.
The benchmark 10-year yield fell to an 11-month low of 3.9260 per cent early in the Asian session, while the two-year yield slipped to 3.3650 per cent – its lowest since August, 2022 – before recovering slightly. Bond yields move inversely to prices.
“While yields are falling on risk-off sentiment this morning, all of the above is inflationary, just as it was when Russia invaded Ukraine,” analysts at Rabobank said in a note.
– Reuters
03/01/26 20:36
A look at Iranian attacks on countries in the region
– Meera Raman
Following the U.S. and Israeli military strike on Iran on Saturday morning, Tehran responded with a wave of retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the Gulf region, home to several U.S. military bases.
Here’s a look at where those strikes have occurred.
03/01/26 20:20
Israel launches air strikes on Beirut
Smoke rises after Israeli strikes in Beirut's southern suburbs.Mohamed Azakir/Reuters
Israel launched a barrage of strikes on Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, after the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fired missiles across the border early Monday.
It was the first time in more than a year that Hezbollah has claimed a strike against Israel. The Israeli military said it intercepted a projectile that crossed the border, saying that several others fell in open areas. No injuries or damage were reported.
Hezbollah said in a statement that the strikes were carried out in retaliation for the killing of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and for “repeated Israeli aggressions,” describing it as “a legitimate defensive response, and the responsible parties must put an end to the Israeli‑American aggression against Lebanon.”
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 19:50
Oil prices surge in response to Middle East conflict
– Jeffrey Jones
People lineup to fill up their motorbikes outside a gas station in Tehran on Feb. 28.ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images
Oil prices surged as much as 13 per cent, as markets assessed the risks of supply disruptions in the Middle East’s most important shipping route.
The global benchmark Brent crude price jumped above US$82 a barrel when Asian markets opened on Monday. It was later up nearly 10 per cent at US$78.16.
The last time oil hit these levels was June, 2025, when the U.S. and Israel last bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities. Over the past several weeks it rose as warships and aircraft amassed in the region, putting markets on edge.
Before the massive military buildup in the region, ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump, crude markets had been weak over fears of oversupply because of fragile global economies.
As markets wager on how long the conflict could last, Trump is also facing pressure domestically as he struggles to convince voters that retail gasoline prices are set to fall. For that reason, he could have little appetite for a drawn-out war disrupting crude supplies and driving up pump prices.
03/01/26 19:40
Ayatollah’s death sparks anger, uncertainty across the Shia world
Mourners gather with Iranian national flags for a memorial vigil in Tehran on March 1.Hossein Esmaeili/The Globe and Mail
– Mark MacKinnon
There were calls for revenge on Sunday from across the Shia Muslim world after the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a cleric who long seemed to preside not just over Iran but half of the Middle East.
The ayatollah will be mourned by some Iranians, and officially marked by Iranian-backed militias across the region. But his death will also be celebrated by at least as many Iranians who were repressed by his regime, as well as by Lebanese, Syrians and other Arabs who saw their countries broken and turned into fronts in the Islamic Republic’s confrontation with the U.S. and Israel.
Before the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Ayatollah Khamenei was the de facto leader of an alliance that included both Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as a network of Shia militias in Iraq, the Houthis of Yemen and Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, which was very much a junior partner to Tehran.
Two and a half years later, Hamas has been devastated by the Israeli assault on Gaza, and Hezbollah is a shell of its former self after a two-month war with Israel in 2024 that saw the group’s long-time leader, Hassan Nasrallah, assassinated in an air strike on his bunker in southern Beirut.
The Assad regime fell shortly afterward, and the Houthis have been weakened by Israeli, U.S. and British air strikes.
Now, Ayatollah Khamenei has followed the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah to their graves, leaving open the question of who and what remains to carry on Iran’s decades-long struggle against U.S.-Israeli-Saudi dominance of the Middle East.
03/01/26 19:37
Iranian foreign minister warns attack erodes international stability
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Feb. 17.Pierre Albouy/Reuters
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a letter to the U.N. on Sunday that the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “constitutes a grave and unprecedented breach of the most fundamental norms governing relations among States.”
He once again called on the world body and the Security Council to take measures to ensure accountability from the U.S. and Israel for their role in the killing.
“Such conduct does not merely violate established principles of international law; it recklessly opens a dangerous Pandora’s box, eroding the bedrock of sovereign equality and the stability of the international system,” he added.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 19:25
Rubio, Hegseth, Ratcliffe will brief Congress on Iran strikes
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA director John Ratcliffe and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine will brief Congress on the U.S. military operation against Iran next week, the White House said Sunday.
Spokesperson Dylan Johnson said the four would speak to “the full membership of both chambers of Congress on Tuesday, March 3.”
He added that Pentagon officials had briefed congressional staffers on the conflict for more than 90 minutes on Sunday.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 19:08
Trump returning to Washington
President Donald Trump arrives on Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday.John McDonnell/The Associated Press
U.S. President Donald Trump is making his way back to Washington after a weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate while the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran.
Aides said Trump held calls with leaders around the Middle East and was briefed on the mass shooting in Austin over the weekend.
He also attended a closed-door Republican fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday night.
But the president didn’t hold a Mar-a-Lago press conference to talk about Iran, nor did he speak to reporters aboard Air Force One while flying back.
So far, Trump has only talked about Iran in video messages he posted on Truth Social, and in short spurts after taking phone calls from individual reporters. Those calls weren’t recorded for audio or video.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 19:05
Dollar gains, euro sags in early Monday trading in Asia
The euro slid, Swiss franc rose and the dollar jumped in the early hours of the Asia session on Monday as investors headed for safety after the U.S. and Israel bombed Iran.
The franc climbed about 0.2 per cent to 0.7674 per dollar and shot 0.6 per cent higher to its strongest level since 2015 on the euro at 0.9030.
The euro fell 0.3 per cent to $1.1781 and the yen initially rose but was held back by Japan’s big oil imports, and last traded a fraction weaker at 156.32 to the dollar.
Sterling and the Australian dollar slid by more than 0.5 per cent and China’s yuan fell about 0.2 per cent in offshore trade, since China is an energy importer and the main buyer of Iranian oil.
Currencies of exporters such as Canada and Norway were steady in Asia’s early morning.
– Reuters
03/01/26 19:02
Hospital in Tehran evacuated
An official from Iran’s health ministry said teams are evacuating a general hospital in Tehran.
The evacuation of Gandhi hospital late Sunday came shortly after strikes shook the neighborhood in northern Tehran, striking a transmitter used for Iranian state television signals and parts of a state television building, according to witnesses. The building and transmitters are located near the hospital.
The semi-official Tasnim news agency posted videos that showed broken glass littering parts of the hospital, as well as debris that covered the street, and damaged buildings.
Health Ministry official Hossein Kermanpour said on X that Gandhi hospital was targeted and evacuated. He didn’t elaborate but posted videos of emergency teams evacuating patients.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 18:46
Israeli military says projectiles fired from Lebanon
People take shelter in a train station during an ongoing rocket attack from Iran in Tel Aviv, on March 1, 2026.MAYA LEVIN/AFP/Getty Images
The Israeli military said on Monday that projectiles launched from Lebanon resulted in sirens sounding in several areas in northern Israel, the first such launch from Lebanese territory since the start of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Israel and Lebanon agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in 2024, ending more than a year of fighting between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah that severely weakened the Iran-backed group. Since then, the sides have traded accusations over violations.
There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah on the reported launch from Lebanon. The Shiite Muslim group, long one of Tehran’s principal allies in the Middle East, expressed solidarity with Iran on Saturday but stopped short of saying whether it would get involved.
The Israeli military added in a follow-up statement that it intercepted a launch while other projectiles fell in open areas. No injuries or damage were reported, the military added.
– Reuters
03/01/26 18:34
Oil prices jump as conflict disrupts shipping
Oil prices surged more than 8 per cent to their highest in months as Iran and Israel stepped up attacks in the Middle East, damaging tankers and disrupting shipments from the key oil-producing region.
Brent crude futures struck a high of $82.37 a barrel, sitting at $79.34, up $6.47, or 8.88 per cent, by 6:05 p.m. ET.
U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude jumped $5.36, or 8 per cent, to $72.38 a barrel after touching a high of $75.33 earlier.
At least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf coast and one seafarer was killed as Iranian retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran exposed ships to collateral damage, shipping sources and officials said on Sunday.
Gold prices rose more than 1 per cent, with investors picking up the metal’s safe-haven properties.
Bullion, a traditional safe-haven asset, has hit successive record highs already this year because of heightened global political and economic uncertainty.
– Reuters
03/01/26 18:20
Canadian expats in the UAE say they feel safe in spite of attacks
– Melanie Swan
People wait at a traffic signal with Burj Khalifa in the background, after an Iranian attack in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, March 1, 2026.Amr Alfiky/Reuters
For the first time in its history, the United Arab Emirates, long regarded as a haven of stability in a volatile region, has come under direct attack, with airports, hotels and infrastructure suddenly in the line of fire.
Home to 200 nationalities and about 60,000 Canadians, the UAE’s population is mainly expatriates lured by a high standard of living, tax-free income and year-round sunshine.
Residents felt palpable fear after waves of missiles and drones targeted the country Saturday. By Sunday morning, calm had started to return.
Reem Hamid, a Canadian business owner who has lived in the UAE for 18 years, contrasts Saturday’s events with her earlier life in Iraq. “It’s much safer here than when I lived in Iraq,” she said, crediting the country’s robust defence network.
By Sunday afternoon, the UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that its air force and air defence forces had so far dealt with 165 ballistic missiles, two cruise missiles and 541 drones. Three civilian deaths had been reported, with 58 more people injured.
Airspace is temporarily closed, public events have been cancelled, and schools have shifted online.
03/01/26 18:07
CIA had long tracked top Iranian leaders
Before the attacks on Iran, the CIA had for months tracked the movements of senior Iranian leaders, including the country’s supreme leader.
The intelligence was shared with Israeli officials, and the timing of the strikes was adjusted in part because of information about the Iranian leaders’ location, according to a source who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The intelligence-sharing between U.S. and Israel reflects the preparation that went into the strikes.
Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Face the Nation on CBS on Sunday that tracking the movements of the supreme leader and the heads of other adversarial nations “is obviously one of the highest priorities of our intelligence community.”
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 17:51
Who was Ayatollah Ali Khamenei?
Iraqi Shiites hold pictures of Khamenei during a symbolic funeral, in Najaf, Iraq, March 1, 2026.Anmar Khalil/The Associated Press
– Nathan VanderKlippe
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, who was killed by U.S.-Israeli strikes on Saturday, became the country’s second supreme leader in 1989, a decade after the Iranian revolution brought Islamists to power in the oil-rich country.
In nearly 37 years in power, he built a fearsome apparatus of state repression and military aggression, funding violent Islamist proxies in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and the Palestinian territories, and supplying potent weaponry to allies such as Russia, all while enforcing a strict religious orthodoxy at home.
His doctrine of “strategic patience” – an approach described as the pursuit of neither war nor peace – brought decades of instability to the Middle East, as his regime menaced Israel, chanted “Death to America” and openly sponsored organs of regional terror.
03/01/26 17:40
U.K. agrees to U.S. request to use British military bases
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday that his country has accepted a U.S. request to use British bases for strikes to destroy Iranian missiles in storage depots or launchers.
“The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose. We have taken the decision to accept this request to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region,” Starmer said in a video message on X.
Starmer reiterated that Britain was not involved in the joint U.S.-Israel air strikes on Iran and would not join further waves of strikes.
But he said Iran had retaliated by launching sustained attacks across the region and its missiles had hit airports and hotels where British citizens were staying.
“Our decision that the UK would not be involved with the strikes on Iran was deliberate, not least because we believe that the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement, one in which Iran agrees to give up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon,” he said.
“But Iran is striking British interests nonetheless, and putting British people at huge risk.”
– Reuters
03/01/26 17:29
Trump says likely to be more U.S. troop casualties
U.S. sailers preparing to stage ordnance on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury, at an undisclosed location on Feb. 28, 2026.-/Getty Images
Three American service members have been killed and five others seriously wounded during the attacks on Iran, the U.S. military announced Sunday, marking the first American casualties in a major offensive that President Donald Trump said could likely lead to more losses in the coming weeks.
U.S. Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, announced the deaths in a post on X but did not say when and where they occurred as the Islamic Republic retaliates over the joint strikes by the U.S. and Israel that began on Saturday. The post said “several others sustained minor shrapnel injuries and concussions” and were going to return to duty.
“We pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen,” Trump said in a video posted to his Truth Social platform on Sunday afternoon. “And sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is. Likely be more, but we’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case.”
In the roughly six-minute video, Trump called those killed “true American patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, even as we continue the righteous mission for which they gave their lives.” He said the U.S. will avenge their deaths.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 17:01
France to send two warships to Red Sea
France will send two warships to the Red Sea in the coming days to join a European Union naval mission there amid security concerns, an EU official said Sunday after emergency talks between the bloc’s foreign ministers.
“There’s been a steep increase in additional requests for protection” from civilian vessels in the area, the official said. “There are two additional ships which will now join the operations from France.”
The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity to provide details about the meeting held via video link, said that the ministers agreed that it was important to “protect our maritime economic interests.”
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 16:59
Near-perfect conditions for Israel-U.S. strike, official says
An Israeli military official says a variety of factors created near-perfect conditions for Israel and the U.S. to kill much of Iran’s leadership in the opening strike of the war.
The official says that months of planning and close co-ordination with the U.S., combined with real-time intelligence that the targets were gathered together, allowed the two allies to strike in the joint operation on Saturday morning.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the covert operation, says the air strikes targeted three locations, all within 60 seconds of one another, killing Iran’s supreme leader and some 40 senior officials, including the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. He said that striking in broad daylight added an additional element of surprise.
The official said Israel and the U.S. agreed that striking Iran’s leadership was the best way to open the operation, otherwise they would go into hiding once the attacks began.
“We had a great opportunity, great intel, great execution,” he said.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 16:39
Oil prices expected to surge
– Jeffrey Jones
Cars line up outside a gas station in Dubai after an Iranian attack, March 1, 2026.Rula Rouhana/Reuters
Markets are bracing for the impact of supply disruptions in the Middle East’s most important shipping route.
Brent settled up nearly 3 per cent on Friday at US$72.87 a barrel. Commodity exchanges were closed on Sunday, but Reuters reported prices surged US$10 a barrel in over-the-counter trade.
The U.S. and Israeli military attacks on Iran, and the Islamic Republic’s retaliation, effectively halted commercial traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway through which about 20 per cent of the world’s oil – more than 20 million barrels a day – is shipped to global markets. It is also an important route for liquefied natural gas, mostly produced in Qatar, one of the world’s largest suppliers.
The disruption prompted the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to lift its output target for April, though the increase of 206,000 barrels a day is modest given world supply of more than 108 million barrels a day, based on the International Energy Agency’s estimate.
The slight bump in output was meant to show OPEC and its allies are prepared to use spare capacity if needed – but not in a knee-jerk fashion, Rystad Energy said in a report.
03/01/26 16:33
Attacks on Iran continue, with smoke filling Tehran sky
A plume of smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, March 1, 2026.Vahid Salemi/The Associated Press
Two powerful explosions were heard in Tehran’s Niavaran neighbourhood late Sunday.
An eyewitness in the city told AP that the windows of their apartment shook violently, and residents came out onto the streets fearing it was too dangerous to stay inside. The witness spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. Video footage from Tehran showed plumes of smoke filling the skyline, and the official IRNA news agency reported that parts of the building of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) were struck Sunday.
In southern Iran, at least 165 people were killed Saturday when a girls’ school was struck, and dozens more were wounded, IRNA reported. The Israeli military said it was not aware of strikes in the area. The U.S. military said it was looking into the reports.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 16:29
Conflict with Iran could last four weeks, Trump tells Daily Mail
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the conflict with Iran could go on for the next four weeks, the Daily Mail reported on Sunday.
“It’s always been a four-week process. We figured it will be four weeks or so. It’s always been about a four-week process so – as strong as it is, it’s a big country, it’ll take four weeks – or less,” the British newspaper quoted Trump as saying.
Trump told the Daily Mail he remained open to more talks with Iran, but did not say when.
“I don’t know,” Trump told the newspaper. “They want to, they want to talk, but I said you should have talked last week not this week.”
In a video posted on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump warned that combat operations in Iran would continue until all objectives are achieved.
– Reuters
03/01/26 16:25
U.S. lawmakers oppose deploying ground forces
Lawmakers appearing on Sunday morning talk shows all opposed deploying U.S. ground forces to Iran.
“There’s no simple answer for what’s going to come next,” Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on CBS News show Face the Nation.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a staunch Trump ally and defence hawk, echoed the U.S. president’s call for Iranian people to decide who should lead their government.
“You know, this idea, ’You break it, you own it,’ I don’t buy that one bit,” Graham said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “This is not Iraq. This is not Germany. This is not Japan. We’re going to free the people up from a terrorist regime.”
Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the Democratic vice-chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, was among the eight lawmakers briefed last week before the strikes. “I saw no intelligence that Iran was on the verge of launching any kind of pre-emptive strike against the United States,” Warner said on CNN’s State of the Union. Instead, Warner said, Trump started a “war of choice.”
Senator Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, said he could not see how regime change in Iran could happen with the current operation. “There’s no example I know of in modern history where regime change has happened solely through air strikes,” Coons said on CNN’s State of the Union.
– Reuters
03/01/26 16:07
Diplomat who mediated nuclear talks calls for negotiations to resume
In this handout photo released by the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 6, 2026, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff (C), Jared Kushner and Oman's Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi pose for a photo during a meeting in Muscat.Supplied/AFP/Getty Images
Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who mediated indirect nuclear talks held last week in Geneva between the U.S. and Iran, has called for negotiations to resume, saying that the “door to diplomacy remains open.”
He said in a post on X that there had been a “genuine progress towards an unprecedented agreement” during the last round of talks.
“I still believe in the power of diplomacy to resolve this conflict,” he said. “The sooner talks are resumed the better it is for everyone.”
Oman’s Duqm Port was struck by Iranian exploding drones earlier Sunday, wounding one worker, according to Oman’s state news agency.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 16:05
E3 nations pledge support for U.S.
Britain, France and Germany – known as the E3 – said they are ready to work with the U.S. and partners to help stop Iran’s retaliatory attacks.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a joint statement that they are “appalled” by Iran’s “reckless” strikes on their allies that are threatening their service members and citizens in the region.
“We will take steps to defend our interests and those of our allies in the region, potentially through enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source. We have agreed to work together with the U.S. and allies in the region on this matter,” the statement said.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 15:53
Zelensky says changes in Iran must benefit country’s citizens
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that the changes in Iran brought about by U.S. and Israeli strikes should be “used properly” to benefit the country’s people who had withstood violence from their authorities.
Zelensky, speaking in his nightly video address, said Iran’s authorities had killed “tens of thousands of people in the last couple of months alone,” referring to a crackdown on protests.
Iran, he said, had “predetermined the way it is treated” by supplying attack drones to Russia in Moscow’s four-year conflict in Ukraine, and had also “fomented wars in the region.”
He repeated his contention, stated on Saturday after the strikes began, that U.S. resolve “brings results.”
Zelensky thanked “everyone who is trying to prevent the spread of war” and said Russia should heed what had happened to Iranian leaders that “justice is finally served in the end.”
– Reuters
03/01/26 15:45
At least 22 people killed in Pakistan protests
Police officers fire tear gas shells to disperse Shiite Muslims marching toward U.S. Embassy during a rally to condemn the killing of Khamenei, in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, March 1, 2026.M.A. Sheikh/The Associated Press
Violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi and in the country’s north left at least 22 people dead and more than 120 others injured as demonstrators supportive of the Iranian government attempted to storm a U.S. consulate on Sunday, authorities said.
In the north of the country, demonstrators attacked U.N. and government offices.
Police and officials at a hospital in Karachi said that at least 50 people were also wounded in the clashes and some of them were in critical condition.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 15:39
World leaders respond to strikes on Iran
In recognition of the legal ambiguity of the U.S. attack, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that, globally, international law was being respected less and less and there was little point in lecturing allies. He called the Iranian regime a “terrorist” that endangered its citizens and the region.
“The Federal Government shares the relief of many Iranians that this mullah regime is now coming to an end,” Merz said. “Together with the United States and Israel, we share the interest in ending this regime’s terror and stopping its dangerous nuclear and ballistic armament.”
Pope Leo XIV said he was “profoundly concerned” about the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and urged both sides to “stop the spiral of violence before it becomes an irreparable abyss.”
Russian leader Vladimir Putin said the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was “a cynical violation of all norms of human morality and international law.”
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 15:31
Flights to Middle East disrupted at Pearson
– Eric Atkins
Air Canada said it cancelled direct flights on Sunday from Toronto to Tel Aviv until March 8 and Dubai until March 4. The other cancellations from Pearson International Airport are Emirates’ flight to Dubai, Etihad Airways to Abu Dhabi and Qatar Airways to Doha, according to the airport and Cirium, an aviation data company.
Pearson Airport told passengers in an advisory on Sunday that they should check with their airlines before coming to the airport.
“Some flights at Toronto Pearson are impacted by changes to international airspace. Airlines are adjusting routes and schedules in response, which may lead to delays or cancellations,” Canada’s busiest airport said.
Air Canada’s flights to Cairo, Saudi Arabia and Istanbul were not affected.
03/01/26 15:20
Tehran’s residents stay off streets
The streets were almost empty in Iran’s capital Sunday. Merchants said shoppers were buying in bulk while supplies were arriving in Tehran at a trickle.
Ali, a 42-year-old produce vendor, said trucks of potatoes and tomatoes were arriving in fewer numbers because drivers were wary of driving into the capital while strikes were continuing.
“People are buying as much as they can out of fear of the current mess,” said Ali, who only agreed to give his first name out of fear for his own security.
Some residents expressed fear of the strikes, but also of the future.
Reza Mehrabi, 67, said celebrations of the deaths of Iranian senior leaders seem premature. He recalled similar celebrations after the 1979 revolution when the Shah was deposed and the Islamic Republic reign began.
“I saw some people were happy about the losses, but when I remember 1979 revolution and its aftermath, I need more consideration to understand if the nation and the country is on the right path.”
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 15:16
Israel activates extra 100,000 reservists to fortify borders
Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin told a briefing that 100 fighter jets simultaneously struck government targets in the Iranian capital on Sunday.
He said the targets included buildings belonging to Iran’s air force, its missile command and its internal security force, which violently quashed anti-government protests in January. “Our message to the Iranian regime is clear,” he said. “No one is immune.”
Defrin also said Israel has activated an additional 100,000 reservists to fortify Israel’s borders. He said there was a special focus on the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which so far has stayed on the sidelines. “We are keeping a close eye on Hezbollah,” he said.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 15:14
No imminent threats to Canada: police chiefs association
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police is warning Canadians to be vigilant but says there is no current intelligence warning of imminent threats in Canada as the air strikes in Iran enter a second day.
“Experience shows that periods of geopolitical tension can sometimes inspire extremist networks, hate-motivated individuals or proxy-related threat actors to exploit these situations to incite hate-fuelled violence,” the association says.
“While there is no specific threat at this time, awareness and early reporting are essential components of prevention.”
– The Canadian Press
03/01/26 15:03
EU calls for ‘maximum restraint,’ respect for international law
The European Union’s 27 nations on Sunday called for “maximum restraint” and full respect for international law in the Iran conflict and across the Middle East, the European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said.
“We call for maximum restraint, protection of civilians and full respect of international law, including the principles of the United Nations Charter, and international humanitarian law,” said a statement issued by Kallas on behalf of all the EU’s member countries.
– Reuters
03/01/26 15:03
Just one in four Americans approves of strikes: poll
Protesters gather in Times Square as the nation reacts to "major combat operations" in Iran on February 28, 2026 in New York City.Ryan Murphy/Getty Images
Only one in four Americans approves of the U.S. strikes that killed Iran’s leader, while about half – including one in four Republicans – believe President Donald Trump is too willing to use military force, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that concluded on Sunday.
Some 27 per cent of respondents said they approved of the strikes, while 43 per cent disapproved and 29 per cent were not sure. About nine in 10 respondents said they had heard at least a little about the strikes, which began early on Saturday.
The poll showed that 56 per cent of Americans think Mr. Trump, who has also ordered strikes in Venezuela, Syria and Nigeria in recent months, is too willing to use military force to advance U.S. interests.
The most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll gathered responses online from 1,282 U.S. adults nationwide, and had a margin of error of three percentage points.
– Reuters
03/01/26 14:59
China faces loss of another ally
– James Griffiths
China urged the U.S. to immediately halt its military action against Iran. Speaking Sunday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi condemned the killing of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as “unacceptable” and urged a “cessation of military operations and prompt return to dialogue and negotiations.”
Just as with the U.S. capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in January, however, there appears to be little Beijing can do as Washington moves against another of China’s key allies.
The move could potentially shrink China’s influence in the Middle East. Beyond geopolitics, the war in Iran could also hurt China economically.
Like Venezuela, Iran is a major source of oil for China. A loss of both Venezuelan and Iranian crude in the same year could prove an unwelcome shock to a still unsteady Chinese economy.
03/01/26 14:41
Trump signals willingness to talk to Iran’s new leaders
President Donald Trump holds up a fist after disembarking Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, Feb. 27, 2026.Matt Rourke/The Associated Press
A senior White House official said that “new potential leadership” in Iran has suggested they are open for talks with the United States.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration deliberations, said President Donald Trump says he is “eventually” willing to talk, but for now the military operation “continues unabated.”
The official did not say who the potential new Iranian leaders are or how they made their alleged willingness to talk known.
Trump told The Atlantic in an interview on Sunday morning that he planned to speak with Iran’s new leadership. “They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them,” he said, declining to comment on the timing.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 14:38
Chaos as strikes shut down airports across the region
A passenger takes pictures of a flight information board at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai on March 1, 2026 after India's two largest private carriers IndiGo and Air India suspended flights to all destinations in the Middle East.PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP/Getty Images
Hundreds of thousands of stranded travellers scrambled to make new connections and get through to airlines on jammed phone lines on Sunday after the attack on Iran by the United States and Israel shut down much of the Middle East to air travel.
Tourists and business travellers crowded hotels and airports, with no word on when many airports would reopen or when flights would resume. Some governments advised their stranded citizens to shelter in place.
Shutdown airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha — including Dubai International Airport, one of the busiest in the world — are important hubs for travel between Europe, Africa and the West to Asia. All three were directly hit by strikes.
Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, said it is hard to calculate the number of travelers stranded worldwide.
However, it estimated that at least 90,000 people alone change flights daily in the airports in Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi on just three airlines, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways.
Airspace or airports in Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and the United Arab Emirates were closed, according to flight tracking sites and government agencies there.
More than 1,800 flights were canceled Sunday to airports across the Middle East, and about the same number of flights were cancelled on Saturday, according to Cirium.
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 14:32
Nine Iranian naval vessels sunk: Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday afternoon that nine ships in the Iranian navy had been “destroyed and sunk,” adding “some of them relatively large and important.”
Trump said the rest of Iran’s fleet of military vessels “will soon be floating at the bottom of the sea, also!”
– The Associated Press
03/01/26 14:29
At least three tankers damaged off Gulf Coast
An oil tanker is pictured offshore in Dubai on March 1, 2026.FADEL SENNA/AFP/Getty Images
At least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf coast and one seafarer was killed as Iranian retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran exposed ships to collateral damage, shipping sources and officials said on Sunday.
Risks to commercial shipping have surged in the past 24 hours, with more than 200 vessels including oil and liquefied gas tankers dropping anchor around the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters, shipping data showed on Sunday.
Iran has said it has closed navigation through the critical waterway, prompting Asian governments and refiners – key buyers – to assess oil stockpiles.
Major container shipping lines have rerouted round the Cape of Good Hope.
It was not immediately clear who launched the projectiles and drones that targeted or damaged ships on Sunday.
– Reuters
03/01/26 14:25
UAE halts stock markets for two days
The United Arab Emirates has ordered its stock markets closed on Monday and Tuesday as the country reels from Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone strikes, in a sign of the growing economic disruption sweeping the Gulf.
The UAE Capital Markets Authority said the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange and Dubai Financial Market would remain shut on March 2 and 3, citing its supervisory and regulatory role over the country’s capital markets.
“The Authority will continue to monitor developments in the region and assess the situation on an ongoing basis, taking any further measures as necessary,” it said in a statement.
The UAE’s two exchanges are home to some of the region’s most valuable listed companies.
The closure keeps billions of dollars in listed assets in suspension as investors await clarity on the scale of damage from Saturday and Sunday’s strikes, which hit airports, ports and residential areas across the UAE and broader Gulf region.
Gulf markets that did open on Sunday saw sharp declines. Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index fell more than 4 per cent at the open, Oman dropped 3 per cent and Egypt’s main index shed 5.44 per cent, while Kuwait suspended trading entirely.
– Reuters
03/01/26 14:20
Some currencies see gains, but all eyes on oil
The safe-haven Swiss franc and Japanese yen firmed, while the euro slid as trading resumed after a weekend that saw the United States and Israel launch their most ambitious attacks on Iran in decades, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The euro dropped 0.34 per cent to $1.1776 compared with around $1.18 in late New York trade on Friday. It also fell 0.5 per cent on the Swiss franc to 0.9039, its lowest since 2015.
The dollar slipped 0.26 per cent to 155.65 yen and was last down 0.3 per cent against the Swiss franc. But the greenback strengthened on sterling and the Australian dollar.
U.S. and Israeli strikes – and Iranian retaliation – have sent shockwaves across the Middle East and through sectors from shipping to air travel to oil on warnings of rising energy costs and disruption to business in the Gulf, a strategic waterway and global trade hub.
How energy markets react will be a major driver of how stocks, bonds and currencies trade in response to developments in Iran.
Analysts expect oil to open sharply higher on Monday – traders say it is already up around 10 per cent in over the counter markets. Safe haven gold is also likely to jump, and stocks to fall.
Most Gulf equities fell on Sunday and Boursa Kuwait suspended trading after Iranian retaliatory attacks across nearby U.S. targets in Gulf cities fanned fears of prolonged regional instability.
– Reuters