Iran war day 5: Iran targets Israel, U.S. bases with new wave of strikes; Carney won’t ‘rule out’ Canadian military involvement

03/04/26 23:21

First UK evacuation flight delayed leaving Oman: report

A British flight to repatriate U.K. nationals after the outbreak of war in the Middle East did not take off as scheduled from Oman on Wednesday night and has been rescheduled for later on Thursday, Sky News reported.

Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. The British Foreign Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours.

The flight, which was scheduled to depart from Muscat at 7:00 p.m. GMT on Wednesday, was open to British nationals and their spouses or partners and children, with the most vulnerable people having priority, the Foreign Office had said earlier.

“We have been told the plane will take off later today [Thursday] once the pilot has rested,” Sky News quoted an unnamed passenger, who was due to travel on the flight, as saying.

“We were told due to slow check-in and delays the pilot had clocked his hours so needed to rest,” the passenger added.

03/04/26 23:21

Israeli strikes target Palestinian refugee camp, highway in Lebanon

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The Israeli military struck a building in the Beddawi Palestinian refugee camp in the coastal city of Tripoli, killing two people, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said.

The strike, which hit the area without prior warning and marked the northernmost strike so far, wounded another individual, the Health Ministry said.

The Israeli military did not immediately say who it targeted in the strike.

Located about 85 kilometres north of Beirut and more than 180 kilometres from the Lebanese–Israeli border, Beddawi was targeted during the 2024 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

Another overnight Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle on a coastal highway in southern Lebanon, killing three people, Lebanon’s state news agency said.

The highway connects the city of Tyre to Naqoura, a border town near Israel.

On Wednesday, the Israeli military warned residents to move north of the Litani River, which serves as a key buffer line with villages south of it lying closest to the Israeli border.

The number of people killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon in the four days since the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah reignited has risen to more than 70, with over 430 people wounded, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Wednesday.

03/04/26 23:10

Iran launches wave of missiles at Israel

Iran launched a wave of missiles at Israel early on Thursday, sending millions of residents into bomb shelters as the U.S.-Israel war with Iran entered its sixth day.

Israel announced multiple incoming missile attacks, and air sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Iranian state television said additional strikes also targeted U.S. bases.

Read the full story here.

- Reuters and The Associated Press

03/04/26 22:32

Pakistani man says Iran forced him into plot to kill Trump: report

A Pakistani man accused of planning to kill President Donald Trump told jurors today that he did not willingly work with Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to devise the plot, media said.

The Justice Department accused Asif Merchant of trying to recruit people in the United States in the plan targeting Trump and other U.S. politicians in retaliation for Washington’s killing of the Corps’ top commander, Qassem Soleimani.

“I was not wanting to do this so willingly,” the New York Times quoted Merchant as telling a court during his trial for terrorism and murder-for-hire charges, adding that he participated to protect his family in Tehran.

Prosecutors rejected Merchant’s claim, citing a “lack of evidentiary support for a true duress or coercion,” according to a letter sent on Tuesday to the judge in the case dating from 2024.

Tehran has denied accusations that it targeted Trump and other U.S. officials.

- Reuters

03/04/26 22:20

Analysis: By not blocking Trump’s war powers, Congress embodies two kinds of reluctance

- David Shribman

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Leaders around the globe, American opponents of the war in Iran and Democrats impatient with their own lawmakers’ silence and inaction have repeatedly been asking the same question: Where is Congress and why, as missiles are being fired into Iran, isn’t it playing its constitutional role as the branch of government responsible for declaring war?

All of them got their answer today when the House of Representatives and the Senate, in unusual twin debates on presidential power in military undertakings, said: We intend to have a say.

But even so, it is clear that Congress ultimately will not block Donald Trump’s authority to wage war against Iran.

The proceedings provided yet another example of two important characteristics of modern American politics: Congress’s contemporary reluctance to provide the checks and balances on the executive branch called for in the Constitution, and its historical reluctance to restrain presidents in their projection of military force.

Read the full column here.

03/04/26 22:04

Aluminium sees more gains

Aluminum prices extended gains on Thursday as concerns grew about supply after Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) halted shipments.

The most-active aluminum on the Shanghai Futures Exchange jumped 3.55 per cent to US$3,683.72 a metric ton by 2:15 GMT.

The benchmark three-month aluminum on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.81 per cent to US$3,369.50 a ton, having touched a near four-year high on Wednesday.

Alba, which operates one of the world’s biggest aluminum smelters, declared a force majeure on Wednesday, as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has ground to a near halt.

The Alba news came after Norsk Hydro’s announcement of a controlled shutdown of its aluminum joint venture in Qatar, as well as of a force majeure.

The Gulf region supplied 8 per cent of the world’s aluminum last year.

– Reuters

03/04/26 21:40

Explosion reported off tanker near Kuwait

A tanker at anchor off Kuwait reported seeing a large explosion on its port side, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said.

The master observed a small craft leaving the area following the explosion, which occurred 30 nautical miles (56 km) southeast of Kuwait’s Mubarak Al Kabeer port in the Gulf, UKMTO said.

“There is oil in the water coming from a cargo tank which could have some environmental impact, the vessel has taken on water, there are no fires reported and the crew are safe,” it said in an advisory note.

Kuwait’s interior ministry said in a later statement that the incident occurred outside the country’s territorial waters, at least 60 km from Mubarak Al Kabeer port.

- Reuters

03/04/26 21:35

Oil prices rise as Iran conflict widens

Oil prices rose on Thursday amid growing concern over the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz, as the U.S.-Iran war chokes off vital Middle East oil and gas flows while production facilities limit output.

Brent crude was trading up $1.67, or 2.05 per cent, at $83.07 per barrel by 1:41 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose $1.94, or 2.60 per cent, to $76.60.

Iraq, the second-largest crude producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, has cut output by nearly 1.5 million barrels a day, officials said.

Qatar, the biggest liquefied natural gas producer in the Gulf, declared force majeure on gas exports on Wednesday, with sources saying a return to normal production may take at least a month.

Shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for nearly a fifth of the world’s oil, has ground to a near-halt due to the conflict.

- Reuters

03/04/26 21:17

Last two U.S. troops killed in Kuwait base attack identified

The Pentagon today identified the last two of six U.S. soldiers killed in a Kuwait attack on Sunday.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, Cal., and Major Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa died when a drone hit a command center in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.

The Pentagon said Marzan was at the scene when a drone strike hit the command center and is “believed to be the individual who perished at the scene,” according to the statement. A medical examiner will confirm identification, the Pentagon said.

Four soldiers were previously identified by the Pentagon on Tuesday: Sergeant Declan Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa,; Sergeant 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Captain Cody Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; and Sergeant 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska.

- The Associated Press

03/04/26 21:04

Carney won’t ‘rule out’ Canadian military involvement in Middle East

- Steven Chase

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Prime Minister Mark Carney has left the door open to Canadian military participation in the widening Mideast conflict if circumstances warrant.

Carney, who has already said Canada has no plans to join the U.S. and Israel attacks on Iran, was asked Thursday in Australia if he could categorically rule out deploying military assets to the region.

He said Canada would always stand by its allies and would act to protect Canadians.

“You’ve asked a fundamental hypothetical in a conflict that can spread very broadly. Recent events point to that,” Carney told reporters during a press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra.

“So one can never categorically rule out participation,” he said. “We will stand by our allies. That makes sense.”

Read the full story here.

03/04/26 20:22

‘War risk’ shipping premium hitting businesses, consumers

- Mariya Postelnyak

The knock-on effects of the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran could trickle down to Canadian consumers purchasing imported food, tech and clothes if the conflict continues, but analysts say the situation is far from a supply chain crisis yet.

While the Strait of Hormuz has been a focal point of the war in the Middle East, choking off the passage of about 20 per cent of the world’s oil, violence in the region has also had ripple effects on the shipment of everything from high fashion to food and electronics, and even on interprovincial trade within Canada.

“Carriers are de-risking,” said David Nagy, founder of eCommerce Canada, a Toronto-based consultancy. “Time is money, so they’re applying things like a war-risk surcharge, just to buffer themselves if a shipment’s got to sit in the water or add fuel.”

Read the full story here.

03/04/26 20:06

Watch: Carney answers questions on war in Iran during Australia visit

03/04/26 20:05

U.S. Navy will escort oil tankers through Strait of Hormuz ‘as soon as it can’: Energy Secretary

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The U.S. Navy is focused on the Iran conflict and will escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz “as soon as it can,” U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Fox News’ “Ingraham Angle” program on Wednesday.

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow and critical waterway that links Persian Gulf energy exporters with global markets. About a fifth of the world’s oil passes through it.

When asked if any commercial vessels had requested U.S. Navy assistance in the Gulf, Wright said not yet.

“Right now, our Navy, and of course, our military, is focused on other things, which is disarming this Iranian regime,” Wright said.

– Reuters and Globe Staff

03/04/26 19:58

Qatar evacuates area near U.S. embassy as a precaution

Qatar is evacuating residents living in the vicinity of the U.S. embassy in Doha as a “temporary precautionary measure,” the Gulf country’s interior ministry said early on Thursday.

“Suitable accommodation has been provided for them as part of necessary preventive measures,” the ministry said in a statement.

– Reuters

03/04/26 19:58

Israel says it has detected Iranian missiles, launched more strikes on Beirut

Israel said it identified missiles launched toward the country from Iran very early on Thursday morning, and its defensive systems were working to intercept them.

Shortly before that announcement, Israel had said its forces had begun strikes against Hezbollah in Beirut, as the war moved into its sixth day.

The Israeli military said it launched strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs after issuing an evacuation warning for a building in the Haret Hreik area.

No casualties were immediately reported.

– The Associated Press

03/04/26 19:51

Iranian soccer player holds back tears when asked about war at Women’s Asian Cup

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Sara Didar choked back tears as she shared the concerns of the Iranian soccer team for their families and loved ones at home amid the war while they’re in Australia contesting the Women’s Asian Cup.

“Obviously we’re all concerned and we’re sad at what has happened to Iran and our families in Iran,” Didar said in comments translated into English during a news conference Wednesday on the eve of a Group A game against Australia.

“I really hope for our country to have good news ahead. And I hope that my country will be strongly alive.”

The 21-year-old striker was part of the squad that stood in silence as the Iran anthem played at the Gold Coast Stadium before their opening loss to South Korea on Monday.

The squad and management arrived in Australia well before the strikes by Israel and the U.S. on Saturday that led to the broader conflict.

Read the full story here.

- The Associated Press

03/04/26 19:40

Kurdish dissident groups say they are preparing to join the fight against Iran with U.S. support

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Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in northern Iraq are preparing for a potential cross-border military operation in Iran, and the U.S. has asked Iraqi Kurds to support them, Kurdish officials told The Associated Press.

The Kurdish groups are seen as the most well-organized segment of the fragmented Iranian opposition and are believed to have thousands of trained fighters.

Khalil Nadiri, an official with the Kurdistan Freedom Party, or PAK, based in northern Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, said some of their forces had moved to areas near the Iranian border.

He said Kurdish opposition group leaders had been contacted by U.S. officials regarding a potential operation.

Asked about reports that the Trump administration was considering arming Iranian Kurdish groups, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said: “None of our objectives are premised on the support or the arming of any particular force.”

– The Associated Press

03/04/26 19:04

Anand says charter evacuation flights expected to leave UAE within 72 hours

- Marie Woolf

Ottawa is arranging charter flights and booking hundreds more seats on commercial airlines to help more than 2,000 Canadians stranded in Middle East and Gulf states who have asked the federal government for help to leave the region.

At a press conference in Ottawa, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand said she expects charter flights to leave the United Arab Emirates in the next 72 hours.

A further 200 seats on commercial flights have been block-booked to help Canadians in Lebanon flee in the next three days.

Today, a flight left Beirut with 75 seats booked by the Canadian government. Most were filled with Canadians and the spare ones were offered by Canada to Britain and Australia. The countries have a reciprocal agreement to help each other’s citizens evacuate.

In Qatar, where the airspace is closed, Canadians were being bussed to neighbouring Saudi Arabia, with more land transportation being planned.

Read the full story here.

03/04/26 18:35

How Iran’s closing of the Strait of Hormuz is affecting global oil markets

- Eric Atkins

The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has sent oil prices soaring and shed new light on the importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that links Persian Gulf energy exporters with global markets.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard declared today it has taken control of the passageway, halting most vessel traffic and choking off the flow of Middle Eastern oil and gas.

Oil prices have risen by 12 per cent since the start of the war amid supply fears heightened by the closing of the strait.

Here’s what you need to know about the Strait of Hormuz.

03/04/26 18:22

Watch live: Anand speaks on Canada’s response to Middle East situation

03/04/26 18:16

Fear in Lebanon as Israeli air strikes expand beyond traditional Hezbollah strongholds

- Mark MacKinnon

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Mustafa Taha didn’t pick the first three calls from the foreign number that kept ringing his mobile phone Tuesday evening. It was almost time to break the day-long Ramadan fast, and he was too hungry and distracted to have a conversation with a stranger.

On the fourth call, Mr. Taha picked up and heard a recorded voice telling him in Arabic that he should immediately flee his home. He did, along with his wife and two children, just minutes before an Israeli missile slammed into the five-storey apartment building where they had lived for the past 16 years.

“I didn’t have time to take anything with me – just my family. I couldn’t grab my money, my documents, anything,” the 49-year-old electrician said today, as smoke continued to rise from the rubble of the apartment building in Sidon, a city that until Tuesday was considered a relatively safe space in the widening war for the Middle East.

The first two air strikes to hit Sidon marked the latest expansion of Israel’s campaign against the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia, a conflict that is just one front in what is now a regional war. The strikes were among the first major attacks beyond the traditional Hezbollah strongholds of southern Lebanon, near the Israeli border, and the southern suburbs of Beirut.

Read the full story here.

03/04/26 18:09

More than 2,000 Canadians ask Ottawa for help leaving Middle East

More than 2,000 Canadians have requested assistance from the government to leave the Middle East amid the intensifying U.S. and Israeli conflict with Iran, a Canadian official said today.

Half of those inquiries came from Canadians in the United Arab Emirates, 200 from Qatar and 160 from Lebanon, the official said.

Ottawa is working to secure seats on commercial flights out of some cities in the region, the official said, including 75 that were made available today and more expected in the coming days.

– Reuters

03/04/26 17:55

GOP vote down Senate resolution requiring Congress to approve further attacks

Senate Republicans have voted down an effort to halt President Donald Trump’s war against Iran, demonstrating early support for a conflict that has rapidly spread across the Middle East with no clear U.S. exit strategy.

The legislation, known as a war powers resolution, failed on a 47 to 53 vote tally. The vote fell mostly along party lines, though Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky voted in favour and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted against.

The war powers resolution gave lawmakers an opportunity to demand congressional approval before any further attacks are carried out. The vote forced them to take a stand on a war shaping the fate of U.S. military members, countless other lives and the future of the region.

– The Associated Press

03/04/26 17:40

Israeli strikes on a Beirut highway kill 3

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Two near-simultaneous drone strikes hit vehicles travelling in opposite directions along Beirut’s coastal Airport Road today, killing three people and wounding six, Lebanon’s health ministry said.

The Israeli military said it targeted a Hezbollah member. The cars burst into flames, with video from the scene showing one wounded man lying on the pavement as bystanders gathered nearby.

Lebanese officials say more than 70 people have been killed in Israeli strikes since the latest escalation with Hezbollah began three days ago. Those include at least one Hezbollah intelligence official and a senior Palestinian militant.

– The Associated Press

03/04/26 17:37

Iran denies report it sent messages to the U.S.

An Iranian official said the country had not sent any messages to the United States, in response to an Axios report, Iran’s Tasnim news agency said.

“No message has been sent from Iran to the U.S., nor will any response be given to U.S. messages. Iran’s armed forces have prepared themselves for a long war,” the official, who was not named, was quoted as saying by Tasnim.

Earlier today, Axios reported the Iranians had sent messages to the U.S. over the last few days, but the U.S. did not respond, citing an American official and a second source.

– Reuters

03/04/26 17:35

GOP’s Massie says Congress should be forced to vote on Iran war

“If Congress wants war, then the speaker should hold a vote to declare it,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, an outlier in the Republican Party.

He joined with Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna to push forward a war powers resolution in the House that would halt President Donald Trump’s ability to wage war on Iran without approval from Congress.

During a floor speech, Khanna called it “a profoundly moral vote.”

GOP lawmakers maintain that Trump is well with his authority to send the U.S. military into combat.

– The Associated Press

03/04/26 17:28

European leaders vary in support of U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran

- Paul Waldie

As the U.S. and Israel escalate military strikes on Iran, the response from European governments has varied from limited support to outright opposition.

European leaders were not consulted about the military action and did not participate in the initial wave of bombings. Their response since the campaign started last Saturday has, for the most part, been marked by caution.

Britain, France and Germany issued a joint statement on Saturday making it clear that their militaries did not participate in the air strikes, but they fell short of opposing the military action. All three governments have since sent warships to the Middle East and said they would join the U.S. in defensive measures and efforts to keep oil tankers flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has taken the firmest stand by vigorously opposing the strikes and refusing to allow Washington to use jointly run air bases in Spain to carry out bombing raids. The remarks drew the ire of U.S. President Donald Trump, who denounced Spain on Tuesday as being “terrible” and said he would cut off all trade with the country.

Read the full story here.

03/04/26 17:20

Iran warns it will target Israeli nuclear site if U.S., Israel seek regime change: report

Iran will target the Israeli nuclear site of Dimona if Israel and the U.S. seek regime change in the Islamic Republic, semi-official ISNA news agency reported today, citing an Iranian military official.

– Reuters

03/04/26 17:05

Majority of U.S. Senate votes to block bid to rein in Trump war powers

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A majority of the U.S. Senate has backed President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran, voting to block a bipartisan resolution aiming to stop the air war and require that any hostilities against Iran be authorized by Congress.

As voting continued, the tally in the 100-member chamber was 52 to 47 not to advance the war powers resolution.

– Reuters

03/04/26 16:58

Democrats fill U.S. Senate chamber as they cast war powers resolution votes

Senate Democrats are trying to underscore the gravity of the moment as they cast votes on legislation that would halt President Donald Trump from carrying out further attacks on Iran.

They have filled the Senate chamber and are sitting at their desks as the vote gets underway. During typical votes, senators stop into the chamber to cast their vote, then leave.

Senate Democrats stood when their names were called to say yay or nay, while the Republican side of the chamber was mostly empty.

Republican senators, who hold a majority in the chamber, have almost all said they will vote against the war powers legislation, but the effort has forced a debate on the Iran conflict in the Senate.

It’s also putting senators on the record as they look ahead to midterm elections and the consequences of a conflict that has spread rapidly across the Middle East.

- The Associated Press

03/04/26 16:43

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei, the hard-liner expected to replace his father as Iran’s supreme leader?

– Eric Reguly

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The war in Iran has been cruel to Mojtaba Khamenei. The question is whether the hard-liner will be cruel to his own people if he becomes supreme leader, as widely anticipated.

His father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s last supreme leader, was assassinated in his office compound by a joint Israel-U.S. military operation in the early hours of Saturday, Feb. 28 – the first day of the war. The Tehran government said Mojtaba Khamenei’s mother, wife and son were also killed in the same attack.

Mojtaba’s whereabouts are not known; he has not been seen since the strikes on his family. There are rumours that he is wounded. But he may be forced out of hiding soon, if only to prove that he is alive and ready to embrace the most crucial job of his life.

In the past few days, dozens of reports have said Mojtaba, 56, is the top candidate to replace his father, though there are thought to be other contenders. On Wednesday, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency quoted Ahmad Khatami, a member of the Assembly of Experts, as saying, “Leadership options have been identified, and we are close to selecting the leader.”

Read more about the ayatollah’s likely successor here.

03/04/26 16:27

Hezbollah leader vows to keep fighting Israel

In his first public address since joining the war, Hezbollah Leader Naim Qassem said the Lebanese militant group rejects the government’s plan to disarm its fighters.

“As long as the (Israeli) occupation is present, then the resistance and its weapons are a legitimate right,” Qassem said.

Lebanon’s leaders say Hezbollah’s rocket fire into Israel is illegal and urged the Lebanese army to crack down on groups possessing weapons outside state control.

Lebanon’s cash-strapped military, backed by the U.S. and other governments, has been deploying in recent months across southern Lebanon where Hezbollah has a strong military presence. However, it’s unclear if the army is able or willing to disarm Hezbollah by directly confronting them.

– The Associated Press

03/04/26 16:18

UN says 100,000 people fled Tehran in the war’s first 2 days

The UN refugee agency, basing its estimates on Iranian officials, also said around 1,000 to 2,000 vehicles per day were reported leaving the capital, mostly toward the north.

Geneva-based UN High Ccommission for Refugees spokesman Babar Baloch said the latest reports on Wednesday indicated no increase in cross-border movements linked to the recent conflict “but the situation remains fluid.”

– The Associated Press

03/04/26 16:03

Israel has long viewed war with Iran as an existential struggle, analysts say

– Tovah Lazaroff

If America’s motivations for attacking Iran have been a matter of debate, analysts say, Israel’s ultimate goal is an indisputable one: regime change.

The war in Gaza has often been viewed solely through the lens of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, has always placed the Gaza war within the larger context of his country’s existential war with the Islamic Republic, which has long funded proxy wars along Israel’s borders, supporting Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Leading opposition members of the Israeli parliament and military experts have backed Mr. Netanyahu in this assessment, particularly given that Iran, which has long threatened to destroy Israel and the United States, had also ramped up its drive to produce weapons-grade uranium and built up a ballistic missile arsenal.

Read more here.

03/04/26 15:56

Opinion: After shackling Canada to Trump’s war in Iran, Carney’s course correction is wise

– Lawrence Martin

Few decisions are more important for a Canadian prime minister than whether to support the United States on matters of war and peace. With such decisions, legacies can be made and unmade.

Jean Chrétien offers a prime example. He’s been dining out on his refusal to join George W. Bush’s coalition of the willing in the Iraq war for decades. A signature act of Lester Pearson’s foreign policy was his condemnation of Lyndon B. Johnson’s Vietnam bombing – and the tongue-lashing he took from LBJ for doing so. There was the cantankerous resistance of John Diefenbaker to the Kennedy administration during the Cuban missile crisis, which factored into Dief’s defeat in the 1963 election.

This past weekend, Mark Carney came face-to-face with a war decision, and he stumbled initially. With his instant backing for Donald Trump’s attack on Iran – faster than practically any other leader – he needlessly put himself out on a limb.

Read more here.

03/04/26 15:39

Russia may halt gas supplies to Europe amid Iran energy spike, Putin says

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Russia could halt gas supplies to Europe right now amid a spike in energy prices, President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday, linking the possible decision to the European Union wanting to ban purchases of Russian gas and liquefied natural gas.

Asked by Kremlin correspondent Pavel Zarubin about European plans to impose a total ban on Russian pipeline gas imports by late 2027 and to ban new short-term Russian LNG contracts from late April 2026, Putin said it might be more beneficial for Russia to stop selling the gas right now.

“Now other markets are opening up. And perhaps it would be more profitable for us to stop supplying the European market right now,” Putin said, according to a transcript released by the Kremlin.

Moscow lost most of its lucrative European market after Europe sought to reduce its dependency on Russian energy due to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

– Reuters

03/04/26 15:31

Air strike kills Iran-aligned militia commander south of Baghdad: police sources

A commander from Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed factions, was killed in an air strike on Wednesday, police sources said.

The sources said the commander and his driver were killed when the strike hit their vehicle south of Baghdad.

– Reuters

03/04/26 15:30

Spain’s position on war in Middle East has not changed, Foreign Minister says

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Spain’s position on the war in the Middle East and the use of U.S. military bases in the country have not changed, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said on Wednesday after U.S. press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Spain had agreed to co-operate with the U.S. military.

“I categorically deny it. The Spanish government’s position on the war in the Middle East...and the use of our bases has not changed at all,” Albares told private radio station Cadena Ser.

– Reuters

03/04/26 15:00

Trump weighing U.S. role in Iran after conflict, White House says

U.S. President Donald Trump is discussing with his advisers what role the U.S could have in Iran after the military campaign while U.S. intelligence is monitoring reports that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s slain supreme leader, has emerged as a frontrunner to succeed him, the White House said on Wednesday.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters defended the U.S. goals of the war amid criticism that Washington has failed to provide evidence for the imminent threat that Tehran posed directly for the United States.

“This decision to launch this operation is based on a cumulative effect of various direct threats that Iran posed to the United States of America,” Leavitt said.

Trump has rejected suggestions that Israel pushed the U.S. into the conflict, as his administration faced criticism from some supporters and Democrats who accused him of launching a “war of choice.”

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released earlier this week showed that only one in four Americans approves of U.S. strikes on Iran, while about half – including one in four Republicans – believe Trump is too willing to use military force.

– Reuters

03/04/26 14:58

Macron calls on Israel, Lebanon to cool tensions

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and urged them to de-escalate the situation in Lebanon.

In a post on X, Macron said Hezbollah’s strategy of escalation constitutes a major error that puts the entire region in danger.

– Reuters

03/04/26 14:47

The moment U.S. submarine sank Iranian warship

03/04/26 14:01

Spain agrees to co-operate with U.S., White House says

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Spain has agreed to co-operate with the U.S. military, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to cut trade with Madrid over its stance against the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.

“I think they heard the President’s message yesterday loud and clear,” Leavitt told a news briefing.

Trump floated imposing a trade embargo on Madrid over its refusal to allow U.S. aircraft to use jointly operated naval and air bases in southern Spain for the offensive against Tehran. Spain has denounced the U.S. and Israeli bombings of Iran as reckless and illegal.

Spain “will not be vassals” to another country, Deputy Prime Minister María Jesús Montero said on Wednesday. In a televised address earlier, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez reiterated Spain’s anti-war stance, warning that the conflict risked triggering a major global disaster.

– Reuters

03/04/26 14:01

Trump believes Americans support strikes against Iran, White House says

U.S. President Donald Trump believes Americans support the U.S. military strikes on Iran, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

“The President is smart enough to read past many of the fake news headlines produced by people in this room that his action was unjustifiable,” Leavitt told a news briefing. “This is a rogue terrorist regime that has been threatening the United States, our allies and our people for 47 years, and the American people are smart enough to know that.”

– Reuters

03/04/26 13:56

Container ship struck off Oman

Merchant ship MV Safeen Prestige, which flies the Maltese flag and is owned by an Egyptian company, was hit by two missiles Wednesday afternoon while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. That’s according to Malta’s minister for transport, infrastructure and public works, Chris Bonett, speaking in Parliament.

He said that the ship caught fire, primarily in the engine room, and that the vessel suffered relatively heavy damage. However, the 24 seafarers aboard – 21 Egyptians and three Ukrainians – did not suffer injuries and were rescued by Oman’s navy, he said.

Earlier Wednesday, a British military agency, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, announced that the vessel was heading east through the Strait of Hormuz when it was hit by an unknown projectile, and that the ship had a fire in its engine room.

– The Associated Press

03/04/26 13:32

Canadians stranded in Middle East seek help to get home

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A Canadian man visiting Dubai says his family needs more help from the government to get home, as flight cancellations have impeded their travel since the U.S.-Iran conflict broke out on Saturday.

Devin Ramoutar says he arrived in Dubai with his parents and sister on Thursday for a short vacation and they were supposed to head back home on Monday, but their flight has been cancelled six times.

The 27-year-old Toronto man says he contacted the Canadian government immediately after the war started and only heard back after about 48 hours via e-mail with general information about how to leave the United Arab Emirates through land border crossings with Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Simon Marcotte arrived in Dubai with his fiancée and her child last month on a work trip and he says they are considering their options.

The 33-year-old from Quebec City says he received information from the government on how to leave via land border crossings and he finds that helpful in case he and his fiancée decide to head to Oman.

–The Canadian Press

03/04/26 13:23

Son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader is a possible candidate to replace his father

Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has long been considered a contender for the country’s next paramount ruler – despite the fact he has never been elected or appointed to a government position.

A secretive figure within the Islamic Republic, Khamenei has not been seen publicly since Saturday, when the Israeli air strike killed his 86-year-old father. Also killed were the younger Khamenei’s wife, Zahra Haddad Adel, who came from a family long associated with the country’s theocracy.

Khamenei is believed to still be alive and likely has gone into hiding, though state-run Iranian media have not reported on his whereabouts.

His candidacy to replace his father has been criticized in the past as potentially creating a theocratic version of Iran’s former hereditary monarchy.

But now with his father and wife considered by hardliners as martyrs, Khamenei’s stock likely has risen with the aging clerics of the 88-seat Assembly of Experts who will select the country’s next supreme leader.

Whoever becomes the leader will gain control of an Iranian military now at war and a stockpile of highly enriched uranium that could be used to build a nuclear weapon – should he choose to decree it.

-The Associated Press

03/04/26 13:11

Power outage hits all of Iraq

The Iraqi electricity ministry said Wednesday the national power grid has “completely shut down across all Iraqi provinces.”

The cause was not immediately clear. Officials said crews were working to restore power stations and transmission lines.

Outages had already hit the semi-autonomous Kurdish region after a key gas field halted operations over security concerns. Iraq’s oil ministry also said Tuesday it stopped production at a major field near Basra, citing a tanker shortage in the Persian Gulf amid the conflict.

-The Associated Press

03/04/26 13:05

Turkey says it issued warnings after a missile headed toward its airspace

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that his country is issuing “warnings” to prevent further incidents after NATO defences intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile in Turkish airspace.

Erdogan made the comment at a Ramadan meal after Turkey summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest the incident.

-The Associated Press

03/04/26 12:58

U.S. State Department says it has assisted nearly 6,500 Americans in Middle East

The U.S. State Department said Wednesday it has offered nearly 6,500 Americans assistance or information about leaving the Middle East.

The department is trying to arrange charter flights and other transportation despite embassy closures and Iranian missile and drone strikes that have shut airports and airspace across the region. It was not immediately clear whether any U.S.-arranged flights have departed.

More than 17,500 Americans have returned to the United States since Saturday, including over 8,500 on Tuesday. Most travelled on commercial flights without government assistance.

-The Associated Press

03/04/26 12:55

A map of where Iran, the U.S. and Israel’s air attacks have hit so far

According to the Red Crescent, 787 people have been killed so far in Iran. At least six U.S. soldiers are dead. Reuters has counted 50 deaths in Lebanon, 10 in Israel, three in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, and one each in Bahrain and Oman.

Iran is striking back at Washington’s allies in the Persian Gulf and the wider Middle East, including Israel, with drones and missiles.

Here’s an overview of which countries have been attacked so far. Zoom in to learn more about the civilian and military sites affected.

Read more here.

03/04/26 12:42

Stranded Gulf travellers gamble on their route home

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Stranded passengers in the Gulf states are waiting for one thing: a phone call confirming their flight home will depart.

Even then, few celebrate until the plane has taken off and cleared Emirati airspace.

“There was just this eerie feeling on the plane. Everyone was just dead quiet. No one really spoke,” said Zoe Jackson, who was on one of the first flights out of Dubai on Tuesday.

Now safely home in Britain, Jackson said she received confirmation she could fly only hours before departure, when her hotel rang at 1 a.m. to say she had to leave “now” if she wanted a seat.

In hotels, strangers swap updates on whether flights have been booked and the odds they will actually depart. In Facebook groups, travellers debate whether to attempt overland journeys rather than risk further cancellations at major hubs.

“The biggest decision is whether we stay put or try to cross a land border,” said Deirdre Amola, an American travel blogger stranded in Dubai. “Then it’s: where should I even try to fly?”

-Reuters

03/04/26 12:28

Iraq facing World Cup playoff difficulties as war closes embassies and airspace

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Iraq’s hopes of World Cup qualification are being impacted by the Iran war because players cannot get visas for the playoff tournament in Mexico and the team’s coach Graham Arnold is stranded in the United Arab Emirates.

Iraq is scheduled to play Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey, Mexico on March 31 for one of the last two qualification places for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The federation said it is in “constant communication with FIFA regarding the arrangements for our national team’s participation” in the match. It said the Asian Football Confederation is also “fully aware of every development regarding our team’s situation.”

-The Associated Press

03/04/26 11:55

Gold rises as Middle East conflict escalates

Gold prices rose on Wednesday as the escalating conflict in the Middle East attracted safe-haven bids.

Spot gold was up 1.2 per cent to US$5,146.76 per ounce by 11:28 a.m. ET, after falling more than 4 per cent on Tuesday.

U.S. gold futures for April delivery added 0.7 per cent to US$5,158.20.

“Overall, the macro-fundamental factors remain broadly supportive of gold. Certainly, as long as the war with Iran is ongoing, that’s going to remain supportive as well,” said Peter Grant, vice-president and senior metals strategist at Zaner Metals.

“There is a risk that volatility continues. But I remain bullish and think we will see new all-time highs.”

-Reuters

03/04/26 11:50

TSX up more than 150 points, U.S. stock markets also climb

Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading as it looked to regain some of its losses a day earlier when stock markets plunged and oil prices rose.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up 176.96 points at 33,961.90.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 264.27 points at 48,765.54. The S&P 500 index was up 42.02 points at 6,858.65, while the Nasdaq composite was up 246.08 points at 22,762.77.

The Canadian dollar traded for 73.17 US cents compared with 73.08 US cents on Tuesday.

The April crude oil contract was down 27 US cents at US$74.29 per barrel.

The April gold contract was up US$34.80 at US$5,158.50 an ounce.

-Reuters

03/04/26 11:21

‘It’s a mistake’ for Iran to broaden war to other countries: Polish foreign minister

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Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said on Wednesday that Iran was making mistakes by targeting countries other than the U.S. and Israel, after Turkey said that NATO air defences destroyed an Iranian missile headed into Turkish airspace.

“Iran is broadening the war to countries that did not attack it, to a NATO country and to an EU country, there is a well known saying it’s worse than a crime, it’s a mistake,” Sikorski said after a meeting of the Council of the Baltic Sea States.

-Reuters

03/04/26 11:18

Shipping and logistics company Maersk suspending cargo bookings in Gulf

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Maersk said on Wednesday it is temporarily suspending most cargo bookings in and out of the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia until further notice.

The Jeddah and King Abdullah ports in Saudi Arabia and the Salalah port in Oman remained operational while the shipping group is also still accepting cargo to and from Jordan and Lebanon.

-Reuters

03/04/26 11:08

Iran says strikes on Qatar targeted U.S. interests; Doha rejects claim

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani that Iranian missile attacks were directed at U.S. interests and not at Qatar.

Qatar’s top diplomat “categorically rejected” that claim and called for an immediate halt to Iran’s attacks, the Qatari Foreign Ministry said on X.

Al Thani said his country would confront any aggression with its “right to self-defence,” stressing that Doha has always been inclined toward dialogue and diplomacy conducted in good faith.

-Reuters

03/04/26 10:49

U.S. using Portuguese airbase ‘in scrupulous compliance’ with law

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The use of the Lajes airbase in the Azores islands by the United States is being done “in scrupulous compliance” with law and agreements, Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro told the parliament on Wednesday.

He added that the authorization for U.S. aircraft to use the base was granted for defensive purposes, based on necessity and against military targets.

-Reuters

03/04/26 10:41

Monitor says Iran has been without internet connectivity for about 4 days

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Internet monitoring group NetBlocks says Iran has been offline now for 100 hours. This is the second such blackout this year imposed by Iranian authorities. The first was for nationwide protests in January.

NetBlocks says metrics show internet connectivity at 1 per cent of normal levels.

– The Associated Press

03/04/26 09:48

TSX, Wall Street open higher on report of Iran’s secret outreach to U.S.

Canada’s main stock index opened higher on Wednesday, lifted by mining shares as gold prices rose, while investors also weighed a report that Iran operatives secretly reached out to the U.S. to pursue talks to end the conflict.

At 9:31 a.m. ET, the S&P/TSX composite index was up 0.51 per cent at 33,958.92 points.

Wall Street’s main indexes also opened higher on Wednesday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 134.33 points or 0.28 per cent to 48,629.08. The S&P 500 rose 15.1 points, or 0.22 per cent, at the open to 6,831.69, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 104.2 points, or 0.46 per cent, to 22,620.89 at the opening bell.

Read more on today’s markets here.

– Reuters

03/04/26 09:40

Canada secures limited seats on flights from Lebanon: Anand

– Robert Fife

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says an “all-hands-on-deck” order is in place to help Canadians stranded in the Middle East as the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran continues.

Anand told reporters Canada has secured a limited number of seats on planes leaving Beirut on Wednesday, while Israel has agreed to bus Canadians in its country to the Egyptian border.

At this point there are no immediate plans to send military planes to the region to bring Canadians home, she said.

“More than 103,000 Canadians have registered their presence in the Middle East and Gulf states. We will communicate with Canadians who have registered,” Anand said. “Canadians in the region should prepare departure plans that do not rely solely on government of Canada assistance.”

She said Global Affairs is not currently offering assisted departures, but “we are in touch with our partners to identify potential options.”

Read the full story here.

03/04/26 09:32

Switzerland, Ireland, Norway, New Zealand plan flights to Oman and Dubai to help stranded citizens

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Swiss International Airlines said on Wednesday it would operate an Airbus A340 flight out of Oman on Thursday to help stranded travellers return to Switzerland amid the conflict in the Middle East.

The airline said those on board would be people with a Swiss ticket unable to fly to Zurich, as well as Swiss nationals who have registered their place of residence in Oman with Swiss authorities.

The Swiss foreign ministry’s latest estimates indicate that almost 5,000 Swiss people travelling in the region were stranded by the conflict, with over 500 in Oman.

Meanwhile, Ireland said Emirates would operate a flight from Dubai to Dublin on Wednesday.

The Irish government also plans to charter a flight for about 280 people from Oman in the coming days. There are an estimated 22,000 to 23,000 Irish citizens in the Middle East.

Elsewhere, Norway’s foreign ministry said it’s sending an “emergency team” to Dubai to reinforce the Norwegian embassy’s team helping an estimated 1,500 Norwegians registered in the city.

The New Zealand government also said on Wednesday that it would send two Defence Force C-130J Hercules aircraft to the Middle East in case they were needed for evacuating New Zealanders from the region.

The government said there were currently around 3,000 New Zealanders registered as living in the Middle East.

– Reuters

03/04/26 09:12

Oil prices fall after report of possible U.S.-Iran talks

Oil prices fell on Wednesday, erasing earlier gains, after a report that Iranian operatives sought talks with the United States to end the war on Iran, which is disrupting Middle East energy flows.

Brent crude was down 50 cents, or 0.6 per cent, to US$80.90 per barrel by 08:18 ET, after hitting a high of US$84.48 earlier in the session.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was down 88 cents, or 1.2 per cent, to US$74.96, a day after settling at its highest since June.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday the U.S. was winning in the war against Iran and that the U.S. military could fight as long as needed.

“While flows through the Strait of Hormuz remain disrupted, market participants seem to expect a de-escalation of the conflict and a resumption of oil flows,” UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo said.

“The market should, however, also focus on the risk of further production shut-ins if flows through the Strait remain disrupted, in my view.”

– Reuters

03/04/26 09:05

Repatriation flights bring stranded French citizens home

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The first flight repatriating French citizens stranded in the Middle East landed in Paris early Wednesday as French authorities booked about 100 seats onboard for vulnerable people on a priority list, said Éléonore Caroit, the minister responsible for French Nationals Abroad.

Students also returned to Milan after being evacuated from Dubai by the Italian government.

The French plane departed from Muscat, Oman and made a stop in Cairo, Egypt, before touching down at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Another flight carrying French citizens, who were based in Israel and managed to cross the border to Egypt, should arrive in France later Wednesday, Caroit said.

French President Emmanuel Macron said an estimated 400,000 French people are present in the region affected by the conflict, either as residents or temporarily passing through.

The British government said a chartered flight will take off from Oman late Wednesday to bring back some of the thousands of British nationals in the Gulf. It said the most vulnerable will be prioritized for the first of what is expected to be a series of flights.

Commercial airlines are also starting to resume some flights, with Etihad, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic all due to operate flights from the UAE to London on Wednesday.

Read the full story here.

– The Associated Press

03/04/26 08:45

Iran war breaks UN Charter, strike on school shocking, UN probe says

An independent United Nations probe investigating rights violations in Iran condemned on Wednesday the attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran as well as Tehran’s retaliatory strikes across the region, saying they violated the UN Charter.

The charter bans the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.

It also expressed deep shock over a strike that hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls school in Minab in southern Iran on Saturday, the first day of the U.S. and Israeli attacks.

The U.S. has not ruled out nor acknowledged responsibility for the strike on the school and has said it is reviewing the incident.

Most of the victims appear to have been schoolgirls aged seven to 12, the probe said.

The probe said the Iranian population was now caught between a large-scale military campaign that may go on for weeks and a government in Tehran which has a long record of human rights abuses.

– Reuters

03/04/26 08:38

U.S. says it has killed Iranian leader of Trump assassination plot

The U.S. military said on Wednesday that it killed an Iranian official who headed a unit behind an alleged assassination plot against U.S. President Donald Trump but that the target was not the initial focus of the war.

“The leader of the unit who attempted to assassinate President Trump has been hunted down and killed. Iran tried to kill President Trump and President Trump got the last laugh,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a news briefing.

“While that was not the focus of the effort by any stretch of the imagination - in fact, never raised by the President or anybody else - I ensured, and others ensured, that those who were responsible for that were eventually part of the target list,” Hegseth told reporters.

Hegseth did not name the individual but said the operation took place on Tuesday. In 2024, the U.S. Justice Department charged an Iranian man in connection with an alleged plot ordered by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to assassinate Trump, then U.S. president-elect.

Tehran has denied accusations that it had targeted Trump and other U.S. officials.

– Reuters

03/04/26 08:26

Hegseth says U.S. sub sank Iranian warship off Sri Lanka

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a torpedo from a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship. He did not name the ship, but earlier an Iranian warship sank off the coast of Sri Lanka.

In a Pentagon briefing, Hegseth said that the Tuesday night strike on an Iranian warship was the first such attack on an enemy since World War II.

“An American submarine sunk an Iranian warship that thought it was safe in international waters,” Hegseth said. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo.”

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Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told Parliament that its navy received information that the IRIS Dena, with 180 people on board, was in distress and sinking. The island nation sent ships and planes on a rescue mission, he said.

The Sri Lankan navy says it has recovered 87 bodies and rescued 32 people who were being treated in hospital in the southern port city of Galle.

Read the full story here.

– Reuters and The Associated Press

03/04/26 08:10

Israeli military orders immediate evacuations in southern Lebanon

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Israel’s military ordered on Wednesday residents of dozens of border villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate “immediately” as air strikes on suburbs of Beirut intensified and Hezbollah claimed more attacks.

The Israeli military issued a statement Wednesday telling people living in dozens of villages in southern Lebanon close to the border with Israel to evacuate and move “immediately” north of the Litani River.

The Israeli army’s Arabic spokesperson warned on X that if people decide to move south of the river, they will be endangering their lives.

The area south of the Litani River, about 8 per cent of the size of Lebanon, is mostly along the border with Israel. The Lebanese government says it has cleared the area of Hezbollah’s military presence there over the past months.

The order came after air strikes overnight on the predominantly Christian southeastern suburb of Hazmieh that struck a hotel. Others hit the towns of Aramoun and Saadiyat just south of Beirut’s international airport, killing six and wounding eight.

Another strike hit the eastern city of Baalbek, killing six people and wounding 15, according to state media.

– The Associated Press

03/04/26 08:03

Britain needs to keep a cool head over Middle East, U.K. PM Starmer says

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Britain needs to keep a cool head over the conflict in the Middle East to address the public’s concerns about escalation, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Wednesday.

Starmer was speaking after U.S. President Donald Trump heaped fresh criticism on his leadership over Britain’s limited support for U.S. strikes on Iran.

“I know the whole country is worried about the potential for escalation,” Starmer told British Parliament in an address.

“We need to act, therefore, with clarity, with purpose and with a cool head.”

He also said Britain had been liaising closely with the United States on pre-deploying military assets to the region.

“For a number of weeks now, we’ve been pre-deploying our capabilities to the region. In doing so, we’ve been liaising very closely with the United States,” he said.

Starmer said those assets included air defence and counter-drone systems as well as F-35 jets.

– Reuters

03/04/26 07:58

Gas giant QatarEnergy throttles LNG supply by declaring force majeure

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QatarEnergy has declared force majeure on shipments of liquefied natural gas, it said in a statement on Wednesday, after attacks on its production facilities amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

The state-owned company said on Monday it was halting production of LNG and associated products due to attacks on facilities in the Ras Laffan industrial city in Qatar.

Qatar accounts for around a fifth of global LNG exports, all of which transit through the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping has ground to a near-halt.

QatarEnergy shipped 80.97 million metric tons of LNG in 2025.

Iran has been attacking Gulf Arab countries which harbor U.S. military facilities.

Force majeure is a clause that frees parties from liability if any failure to meet supply obligations is due to events beyond their control.

– Reuters

03/04/26 07:52

Turkey talks with Iran over intercepted missile

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has spoken by phone with his Iranian counterpart after an Iranian ballistic missile that was detected heading toward Turkish airspace Wednesday was intercepted.

During the call with Abbas Araghchi, Turkey stressed that “all steps that could escalate the conflict and contribute to its spread” must be avoided, a Turkish official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government protocol.

Turkey’s Defence Ministry said earlier Wednesday that NATO defences intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran before it entered Turkey’s airspace.

A ministry statement said the missile was detected after crossing Iraqi and Syrian airspace. NATO air and missile defence units stationed in the eastern Mediterranean intercepted it in time.

NATO condemned Iran’s targeting of Turkey, spokesperson Allison Hart said on Wednesday.

“We condemn Iran’s targeting of Turkey. NATO stands firmly with all Allies, including Turkey, as Iran continues its indiscriminate attacks across the region. Our deterrence and defence posture remains strong across all domains, including when it comes to air and missile defence,” Hart said.

– The Associated Press and Reuters

03/04/26 07:47

Container ship attacked off Oman

A container ship was attacked Wednesday off the coast of Oman, causing fire in its engine room, an agency of the British military said.

The vessel was transiting eastbound through the Strait of Hormuz, two nautical miles north of Oman, when it was hit by an unknown projectile, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations.

Oman, long an intermediary between the West and Iran, has repeatedly come under attack by Iran.

-The Associated Press

03/04/26 07:38

Wall Street futures steady as investors weigh report on Iran-U.S. talks

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U.S. stock index futures edged higher on Wednesday as investors weighed a report signalling efforts to end the five-day Middle East conflict and took heart from U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to stabilize oil markets.

Futures turned higher after a New York Times report said Iranian intelligence operatives indirectly reached out to the CIA a day after the attacks, but U.S. officials remain skeptical that either the Trump administration or Iran is prepared for a near-term de-escalation.

Travel stocks that are sensitive to oil prices edged higher after bearing the brunt of losses earlier this week. American Airlines added 0.7 per cent in premarket trading, while Carnival and Norwegian Cruise climbed over 0.3 per cent each.

Oil and gas producers such as Occidental and NextDecade lost more than 2 per cent.

After two volatile sessions for Wall Street, investors also scooped up technology stocks that sold off heavily in February. Nvidia added 1.2 per cent and other chip stocks such as Sandisk and Applied Digital were up more than 4 per cent each.

At 6:42 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were up 48 points, or 0.10 per cent, S&P 500 E-minis were up 13 points, or 0.19 per cent. Nasdaq 100 E-minis were up 71.75 points, or 0.29 per cent.

Read the latest updates on the day’s markets.

– Reuters

03/04/26 07:23

U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent says oil market well supplied amid Iran war

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday that crude oil markets are well supplied amid the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, and that the U.S. plans to make a series of additional announcements on the issue.

“The crude markets are very well supplied. There are hundreds of millions of barrels on the water away from the Gulf. But more importantly, we have a series of announcements that we’re going to be making,” Bessent said in an interview with CNBC.

Oil prices rose about 1 per cent on Wednesday as U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupted Middle East supplies, but the pace of gains slowed from past sessions after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested the U.S. Navy could escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump also said on Tuesday that he had ordered the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to provide political risk insurance and financial guarantees for maritime trade in the Gulf.

“So, U.S. government is going to step in, and when it is appropriate, and should it be needed, the U.S. Navy will provide safe passage through the straits for the oil tankers,” Bessent said.

-Reuters

03/04/26 07:20

Iran war shows cracks in Trump’s conservative media support

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For U.S. President Donald Trump, some of the sharpest criticism he’s faced in the early days of the Iran war has come from once-loyal media figures far more accustomed to singing his praises.

Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and Matt Walsh are among those to express discontent. It’s been noticed in the White House, which has been playing defence on social media and in interviews.

These critics are the minority of the media MAGAsphere, where Fox News’ biggest stars remain cheerleaders. But their words illustrate conservative media’s influence and how valuable it is to Trump when all runs as a well-oiled machine — and, by contrast, how much of a problem it can be if it fractures.

Much of the criticism has centered on Israel’s influence on Trump’s decision to go to war. Carlson, the former Fox News star who has built his own independent operation, told ABC News over the weekend that the attack was “absolutely disgusting and evil.”

“It’s hard to say this, but the United States didn’t make the decision here. Benjamin Netanyahu did,” Carlson said on his podcast, referring to the Israeli prime minister.

‘No one should have to die for a foreign country’

Kelly, another former Fox anchor gone indie, said about American casualties on her show that “no one should have to die for a foreign country.”

“I don’t think those service members died for the United States,” Kelly said. “I think they died for Iran or Israel.”

-The Associated Press

03/04/26 07:08

Iran intelligence operatives signalled openness to talks with CIA to end war, NYT reports

Operatives from Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence signalled openness to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency to talks on ending the war, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing officials briefed on the matter.

The offer was made through an unnamed country’s spy agency, the NYT said, citing Middle Eastern officials and officials from a Western nation who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The White House and the CIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Officials in Washington are sceptical as to whether Iran or the Trump administration is really ready for an “off-ramp,” at least in the short term, the report added.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva on Tuesday ruled out for now any negotiations with the United States, days after the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on his country.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Tehran wanted to talk but it was too late, as the United States continued its military operation against Iran.

-Reuters

03/04/26 06:53

Iranian warship sinks off Sri Lanka, bodies recovered at sea

An Iranian warship has sunk off the coast of Sri Lanka, with the Sri Lankan authorities saying on Wednesday they had rescued 32 people who were on board and recovered several bodies from the sea.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath told parliament that the ship, identified as IRIS Dena, had sunk.

Sources in Sri Lanka’s navy and defence ministry said the vessel had been attacked by a submarine and at least 101 people were missing in the incident that took place off Sri Lanka’s Indian Ocean coast.

The defence sources said it was unclear who attacked the ship.

A Sri Lankan navy spokesman said the report of 101 people being missing was not true and rejected any reports on the cause of the ship sinking.

The spokesman said 32 people injured in the incident had been rescued by the Sri Lankan navy and were under treatment at a state-run hospital in the southern port city of Galle.

The navy received a distress call from an Iranian ship and informed the Sri Lankan air force and both launched a search and rescue operation, the spokesman said.

Sri Lankan forces were focused on saving lives on the Iranian ship and will investigate the cause of the incident later, he said.

Sri Lankan forces had also not observed any other ship or aircraft in the area of the incident, he added.

-Reuters

03/04/26 06:40

Russia prepared to divert oil to India as Middle East conflict disrupts flow

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Russia is ready to divert oil to India to offset Middle East supply disruptions, with about 9.5 million barrels of Russian crude in vessels near Indian waters and able to arrive within weeks, an industry source with direct knowledge told Reuters.

The source declined to say where the non‑Russian fleet cargoes were originally headed but said they could deliver to India within weeks, giving refiners rapid relief.

India is vulnerable to supply shocks, with crude stocks covering only about 25 days of demand, while refiners hold similarly limited inventories of gasoil, gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas.

An Indian government source said New Delhi was scouting for alternative supply to prepare for continuing conflict in the Middle East beyond 10–15 days.

The disruption has immediate market consequences, with about 40 per cent of India’s crude imports moving through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most vital oil export route, the source said, and the near-closure of the route has compelled the No.3 oil consumer to seek alternatives.

Indian refiners process about 5.6 million barrels per day of crude. The Strait has become inaccessible after vessels were struck by Iranian attacks that followed U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran-based targets that commenced on Saturday.

The industry source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Russia was ready to help India meet up to 40 per cent of its crude needs.

India’s imports of Russian crude fell to about 1.1 million barrels per day in January, the lowest since November 2022, as New Delhi sought relief from U.S. tariffs, pushing Moscow’s share of overall oil imports down to 21.2 per cent, industry data showed. The source said the share climbed back to around 30 per cent in February.

-Reuters

03/04/26 06:27

Gold gains as Middle East conflict revives safe-haven bid

Gold prices climbed 2 per cent on Wednesday, rebounding from their lowest in more than a week reached in the previous session, as the dollar took a breather and mounting tensions in the Middle East drove investors toward safe havens.

Spot gold gained 2.2 per cent to $5,198.58 per ounce by 1017 GMT, after falling more than 4 per cent on Tuesday.

U.S. gold futures for April delivery added 1.7 per cent to $5,211.20.

The U.S. dollar fell 0.2 per cent, making greenback-priced gold more affordable for buyers using other currencies.

“After the past few days of position unwinds and dollar strength, markets are back to a more typical macro risk-off stance, with silver higher too. A pause in the rise of the dollar and Treasury yields helps with their opportunity costs,” said Jamie Dutta, market analyst at Nemo.money.

“Gold and silver’s safe-haven characteristics can shine again.”

Gold’s appeal as it draws support from the widening conflict in the Middle East is expected to remain intact even if some investors have favored the dollar as their preferred safe-haven, traders and analysts said on Tuesday.

-Reuters

03/04/26 06:08

Carney reiterates comments on Iran war and ‘failure’ of world order

– Steven Chase

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Prime Minister Mark Carney repeated statements he made earlier Wednesday that the current war between Iran and the United States and Israel was a “failure” of the international order."

“The current conflict is another example of the failure of the international order, despite decades of UN Security Council resolutions, the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency in a succession of sanctions and diplomatic frameworks,” Mr. Carney told the Lowy Institute, a Sydney-based international policy think tank, on Wednesday.

Asked if he would welcome a change of regime in Iran, which he said has been the main source of instability in the Mid East, Mr. Carney said yes.

“We always would have welcomed a change in regime. In Iran, we’ve broken off diplomatic relations with Iran many years ago. We’ve listed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization.”

Read more on Carney’s comments in Australia.

03/04/26 05:27

Israel sees decline in launches from Iran

Israel is seeing a decline in launches from Iran as the campaign enters its fifth day, military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said.

Defrin also said Israel is not surprised by any new weapons Iran may use and had prepared extensively for the confrontation.

He said Israel would continue to “hunt and destroy” Iran’s military capabilities.

Israel has struck more than 250 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon over the past 48 hours, an Israeli army spokesperson said Wednesday.

Defrin said in a recorded statement that the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah had been launching rockets at Israel overnight.

Defrin said Israel would continue to target Hezbollah until “the threat is removed.”

The Israeli military also said one of its F-35 stealth fighter jets shot down a piloted Iranian Air Force YAK-130 fighter over Tehran. Israel described it as the first air-to-air combat kill of a piloted aircraft by the fighter jet.

- The Associated Press

03/04/26 05:25

European selloff pauses on Trump pledge but oil shock hits Asian markets

-Eric Reguly

U.S. President Donald Trump’s pledge to ensure safe passage of oil and natural gas through the Strait of Hormuz shipping chokepoint calmed markets somewhat on Wednesday even though Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran remained in full force.

In early trading, European gas prices were more or less flat after climbing more than 70 per cent since Monday, when ships carrying liquefied natural gas to Europe and Asia stopped crossing Hormuz.

But oil continued to climb. Brent crude, the international benchmark, was up 3 per cent in London, to US$84 a barrel, taking the one-year gain to 18 per cent. Before the Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran started on Saturday, Brent was trading at US$73.

The FTSE-100 index was up marginally; Germany’s DAX index, whose selloff on Monday and Tuesday was severe, was up 1 per cent.

Asian markets continued to see steep declines, reflecting the region’s dependency on the Middle East for oil and LNG supplies. South Korea’s benchmark Kopsi lost 12 per cent after shedding 7.2 per cent on Tuesday – the index’s worst two-day performance since the 2008 financial crisis. Markets in Japan and Taiwan each fell about 4 per cent.

Read more of the story.

03/04/26 04:54

Repatriation flights begin amid airspace closures

A handful of repatriation flights were due to take off from the Middle East on Wednesday as governments try to bring tens of thousands of stranded citizens home, while the selloff in global airline shares eased even as the U.S. and Israeli air war against Iran escalated.

The airspace over most of the Middle East remained largely empty on Wednesday, with major Gulf hubs including Dubai, the world’s busiest international airport, remained shut for a fifth day, in the biggest travel crisis since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first repatriation flights were due to leave for Britain and France on Wednesday and the United Arab Emirates opened special corridors to allow some citizens to return.

This contrasts with the thousands of flights that take off in the region normally. Marooned tourists and some expatriates have also tried to find their own way out.

Airline shares were finding some stability after double-digit percentage drops in the past few days, wiping tens of billions of dollars from airlines’ market value.

-Reuters

03/04/26 04:47

Iran close to choosing new supreme leader, official says

Iran is close to choosing a new Supreme Leader to replace Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, tasked with choosing the new leader, told state TV on Wednesday.

“The Supreme Leader will be identified in the closest opportunity, we are close to a conclusion, however the situation in the country is a war situation,” Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami told state TV.

- Reuters

03/04/26 04:01

Iran official threatens any support of U.S., Israeli airstrikes

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Iran’s judiciary chief on Wednesday threatened “those who say or do anything” in support of the U.S.-Israeli airstrike campaign now targeting the Islamic Republic.

Gholam Hosseini Mohseni Ejehei made the comments in an interview with Iranian state television.

His remarks raised the possibility of those detained facing death-penalty charges, as cooperating with an enemy can carry execution if convicted.

“As we said during the unrest, riot cases are a priority,” Ejehei said, referring to January’s nationwide protests that Iran violently suppressed. “We have now also announced that those who co-operate with the enemy in any way will be considered an enemy.”

He added: “Those who say or do anything in line with the will of America and the Zionist regime are on the enemy’s side and must be dealt with on revolutionary, Islamic principles and in accordance with the time of war.”

Explosions continued to sound in Tehran on Wednesday with Israel targeting the Iranian leadership and security forces and the Islamic Republic responding with missile barrages and drone attacks on Israel and across the region.

The blasts in Tehran came at dawn, according to Iran state television. Israel’s military said its air defences had been activated to intercept Iranian missiles targeting Israel and explosions were heard around Jerusalem.

- The Associated Press

03/04/26 03:58

Spanish PM pushes back on Trump criticism

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday doubled down on his opposition to the attack on Iran by the U.S. and Israel, warning that the conflict risked playing “Russian roulette” with the lives of millions.

Sanchez was responding after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to cut trade with Madrid over its position on the conflict.

“This is how humanity’s great disasters start ... You cannot play Russian roulette with destiny of millions,” Sanchez said in a televised address to the nation.

Tensions between the two NATO allies increased after Sanchez denounced the U.S. and Israeli bombings of Iran as reckless and illegal, and later banned U.S. aircraft from using naval and air bases in southern Spain for the offensive against Tehran.

Sanchez said the world could not solve its problems with conflicts and bombs.

“We’re not going to be complicit in something that’s bad for the world nor contrary to our values and interests simply to avoid reprisals from someone,” Sanchez said, appearing to reference Trump’s trade threats.

03/04/26 03:27

European shares inch higher as investors weigh conflict

European shares ticked up on Wednesday as investors took a breather after a global equities rout that pushed the benchmark index to more than one-month lows, amid concerns about a widened and prolonged conflict in the Middle East.

The pan-European STOXX 600 was up 0.6 per cent at 607.62 points by 0810 GMT. The index has shed nearly 5 per cent since hitting a record high on Friday.

Travel and luxury stocks, which were at the forefront of the sell-off, were up more than 1 per cent each.

Technology and healthcare names were the biggest boost for the index. Vistry slumped 22 per cent after the UK home builder announced that its CEO and Chair, Greg Fitzgerald, intends to step down and that the roles will be separated after his retirement.

- Reuters

03/04/26 03:20

France, U.K. plan repatriation flights from Middle East

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said several repatriation flights for French nationals in the Middle East were planned for Wednesday and a British chartered flight will leave Oman today as well, the British Foreign Office said.

Barrot declined to say how many people would be on the flights. Around 400,000 French nationals are in the region.

Meanwhile, British Airways, which is currently unable to fly from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv, said it would also operate a flight from Oman in the early hours of Thursday local time.

The government said some 130,000 British citizens have registered their presence in the region.

- Reuters

03/04/26 02:37

Oil prices rise 3% as Iran crisis disrupts supply

Oil prices rose 3 per cent on Wednesday as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran disrupted Middle East supplies, but the pace of gains slowed from past sessions after President Donald Trump suggested the U.S. Navy could escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

Brent rose US$2.67, or 3.3 per cent, to US$84.07 a barrel by 01:59 a.m. ET, after closing on Tuesday at its highest since January 2025.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose US$2.24, or 3 per cent, to US$76.8, after settling at its highest since June. Both benchmarks have risen about 5 per cent or more in the past two sessions.

“At this stage, only clear signs of de-escalation could mitigate or reverse the current bullish trend for WTI, and such signals are currently lacking,” said OANDA senior market analyst Kelvin Wong.

Trump said the U.S. Navy could begin escorting oil tankers through the Strait if necessary, adding that he had ordered the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to provide political risk insurance and financial guarantees for maritime trade in the Gulf.

“This is welcome news, but clearly it won’t happen overnight. Naval escorts would be helpful, but again, this effort will take time,” ING analysts said in a note.

- Reuters

03/04/26 02:24

Any supreme leader will be ‘a target for elimination,’ Israel says

Israel’s defense minister on Wednesday threatened whoever Iran picks to be the country’s next supreme leader, saying he will be “a target for elimination.”

Israel Katz made the statement on X.

“Every leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue and lead the plan to destroy Israel, to threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and to suppress the Iranian people — will be a target for elimination,” he wrote.

Israel targeted a building Tuesday associated with Iran’s Assembly of Experts, which will select the new supreme leader.

Israel killed the 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a strike Saturday that started the war.

- The Associated Press

03/04/26 02:10

UNESCO heritage site Golestan Palace damaged in bombing

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03/04/26 01:54

Public mourning for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei announced by state media

Iranians will bid farewell to late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at a ceremony in Tehran late on Wednesday, a senior Iranian official told state media.

Hojjatoleslam Mahmoudi, head of Iran’s Islamic Propagation Council, said the farewell ceremony would continue for three days and the funeral procession will be announced later.

The official said the public will be able to pay their respects to the body of late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Prayer Hall starting at 10 p.m. (1:30 p.m. ET).

“The Mosalla (prayer hall) will be receiving visitors and the dear people can attend and take part in the farewell ceremony and mark a strong presence once again,” he said in comments carried by Iranian media.

Iran’s Ali Khamenei, who based his iron rule of Iran on hostility to the U.S. and Israel, was killed on Saturday, aged 86, in air strikes by Israel and the U.S., according to Iranian state media.

- Reuters

03/04/26 01:43

Congress to vote on war powers today

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The U.S. Senate is headed toward a vote Wednesday on President Donald Trump’s decision to embark on a war against Iran, an extraordinary test in Congress for a conflict that has rapidly spread across the Middle East with no clear U.S. exit strategy.

The legislation, known as a war powers resolution, gives lawmakers an opportunity to demand congressional approval before any further attacks are carried out. The Senate resolution and a similar bill being voted on in the House later this week face unlikely paths through the Republican-controlled Congress and would almost certainly be vetoed by Trump even if they were to pass.

Nonetheless, the votes marked a weighty moment for lawmakers. Their decisions on the five-day-old war — which Trump entered without congressional approval — could determine the fates of U.S. military members, countless other lives and the future of the region.

“Wars without clear objectives do not remain small. They get bigger, bloodier, longer and more expensive,” said Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer at a news conference Tuesday. “This is not a necessary war. It’s a war of choice.”

After launching a surprise attack against Iran on Saturday, Trump has scrambled to win support for a conflict that Americans of all political persuasions were already wary of entering. Trump administration officials have been a frequent presence on Capitol Hill this week as they try to reassure lawmakers that they have the situation under control.

Almost all Republican senators were readying to vote Wednesday against the war powers resolution to halt military action, but a number still expressed hesitation at the idea of deploying troops on the ground in Iran.

Read more of this story.

- The Associated Press

03/04/26 01:33

Beirut wakes up to drones and another evacuation warning

Strikes hit Lebanon overnight, including in several towns and on a hotel in a suburb right next to the capital.

Beirut woke up to the sounds of drones whizzing overhead.

The Israeli military warned residents in a southern suburb to flee ahead of a morning airstrike, as more displaced people fleeing the conflict pour into the capital seeking shelter.

Overnight Israeli strikes on towns near Beirut have killed at least six people, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said early Wednesday.

Israel struck the towns of Aramoun and Saadiyat just south of Beirut’s international airport, killing six and wounding eight others.

It also struck a hotel in the Beirut suburb of Hazmieh. No casualties were immediately reported there.

The strikes came without warning and the Israeli military did not immediately disclose the targets.

- The Associated Press

03/04/26 01:32

Israeli attacks target Iranian security forces in Tehran

The Israeli military said Wednesday it conducted a series of strikes across Iran’s capital targeting its security forces.

It said it hit buildings associated with the Basij, the all-volunteer force of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard that conducted the bloody crackdown on protesters in January that killed thousands and saw tens of thousands detained in the country.

The Israeli military also said it hit buildings associated with Iran’s internal security command, which also has suppressed demonstrations in the past.

Israel and the U.S. have said they want to see the Iranian public overthrow its theocracy.

Strikes against counterprotest forces likely are part of that effort.

- The Associated Press

03/04/26 01:18

Asian shares swoon and oil surges higher

Asian shares tumbled Wednesday, with South Korea’s benchmark plunging more than 11%, while oil prices climbed even higher as the war with Iran widened.

South Korea’s Kospi led the regional losses as energy security concerns vanquished optimism over the boost computer chipmakers like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have been getting from expanding use of artificial intelligence.

South Korea’s stock market has been one of the world’s best performers this year, but its economy depends heavily on trade and fuel imports, that are threatened with disruptions to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow gateway to the Persian Gulf through which roughly a fifth of globally traded oil passes.

The price of U.S. benchmark crude oil climbed 1.3% to $75.53 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, gained 1.7% to $82.74 per barrel. Its price has jumped more than 13% since the war began.

In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 shed 3.9% to 54,059.47. Like South Korea and Taiwan, Japan depends heavily on imports of oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf.

Elsewhere in Asia, the Hang Seng in Hong Kong fell 2.9% to 25,023.18 and the Shanghai Composite index shed 1.2% to 4,074.22.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 declined 1.9% to 8,901.20.

Taiwan’s Taiex lost 4.4% and shares in Bangkok sank 8%.

- The Associated Press

03/04/26 01:12

Airstrike hits building linked to Iranian clerical panel in Qom

A building associated with the clerical panel that will pick Iran’s next supreme leader came under attack in an airstrike in the holy seminary city of Qom, semiofficial media reported.

The attack Tuesday hit the building in the Resalat neighborhood of Qom.

The semiofficial Fars and Tasnim news agencies, both believed to be close to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, linked the building to Iran’s Assembly of Experts and said there was no meeting ongoing there at the time of the attack.

Fars further went on to say the assembly is meeting remotely, without elaborating.

It added that meetings over naming a new leader are ongoing — suggesting there could be an announcement by Iran in the coming days over who will replace the 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli strike at the start of the war Saturday.

There was no report on if anyone was hurt in the strike.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN said Israel carried out the attack, though there’s been no confirmation from its military.

The Assembly of Experts is an 88-member panel which “must, as soon as possible” pick a new supreme leader under Iranian law.

The panel consists entirely of Shiite clerics who are popularly elected every eight years and whose candidacies are approved by the Guardian Council, Iran’s constitutional watchdog.

- The Associated Press

03/03/26 21:14

Israel expands war with incursion into southern Lebanon to push Hezbollah back

– Mark MacKinnon

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Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday he had ordered ground forces “to advance and hold additional dominant terrain in Lebanon” to push the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia farther away and prevent it from targeting communities in northern Israel.

The incursion into Lebanon appeared to be limited in scope, at least on Tuesday, with monitors from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon recording Israeli troops crossing the border in four locations.

Israel ordered the evacuation of some 80 Lebanese villages near the border, warning residents that their lives would be in danger if they remained in their homes.

The Israeli incursions sent a fresh wave of internally displaced people fleeing from southern Lebanon toward Beirut and the north of the country. The UN refugee agency said nearly 30,000 people had registered at its shelters in Lebanon since the start of hostilities on Monday, when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei, whom many Shia Muslims considered their spiritual leader.

Read more here.

03/03/26 20:40

Pro-Iran ‘hacktivists’ could target Canadian organizations, experts warn

- Alexandra Posadzki

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Cybersecurity experts are advising Canadian organizations and operators of critical infrastructure to be on the lookout for attacks from Iranian-linked groups as U.S.-Israeli strikes on the Middle Eastern country continue.

Pro-Iran “hacktivists” could target Canada because of the federal government’s support for the U.S. and Israeli military action, the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security cautioned in a notice this week.

Iranian state-sponsored threat actors are also likely to conduct cyberespionage against political activists, journalists and human-rights advocates in Canada, according to the centre, which is part of the national cryptologic agency, the Communications Security Establishment.

“We assess that Iranian cyber threat actors will likely target opponents abroad, especially those advocating for regime change in Iran,” the agency said Monday.

Read more here.

03/03/26 19:01

Broad sell-off hits markets as investors fear prolonged conflict

– Andrew Galbraith

Major North American stock indexes fell Tuesday along with bond prices and the price of gold as investors worried that a spiralling war in Iran may be growing into a drawn-out regional conflict with global economic implications.

While markets pared earlier losses after comments from President Donald Trump that the United States would insure oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and escort them if necessary, analysts said that investors remained concerned about further escalation of the three-day-old conflict.

“The market is still nervous … risk sentiment will remain very tempered until we get some more concrete signs of de-escalation or negotiation,” George Davis, chief technical strategist, global markets at RBC Capital Markets, said in an e-mailed response to questions.

Read more here.

03/03/26 18:22

Pentagon releases names of Americans killed in Iran war

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The Pentagon has released the names of four of the six service members killed in the Iran war, saying they died in a drone strike in Kuwait.

All four Army Reserve soldiers were killed Sunday when a drone hit a command centre in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. That was just a day after the United States and Israel launched their military campaign against Iran, which launched retaliatory strikes.

All were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, lowa.

Killed were Captain Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Fla.; Sergeant 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Neb.; Sergeant 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minn.; and Spc. Declan J. Coady, ‌20, of West Des ​Moines, Iowa.

Read more on this story.

– The Associated Press

03/03/26 18:07

Carney says Ottawa’s position supporting U.S., Israeli strikes on Iran was taken with regret

– Stephanie Levitz and Steven Chase

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Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada’s position in support of U.S. and Israeli air strikes on Iran was taken with regret because the situation represents another failure of the international world order.

Carney said Iran’s nuclear threat persisted despite decades of United Nations Security Council resolutions, sanctions and the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and he cited their export of terror.

But the United States and Israel have acted without engaging the UN or allies, and, Carney said, that leaves the question of where things will go from here.

The remarks came at the start of Carney’s first media availability since beginning an overseas trip in India on Feb. 26. He is now in Sydney.

Carney said it appears the attacks are “inconsistent” with international law. He said it is up to the U.S. and Israel to make their legal case, as well as other legal experts.

“We support the efforts to end the Iranian nuclear program and the regime’s decade-long process of state-sponsored terrorism, but we remind that international law binds,” he said.

Read more here.

03/03/26 17:13

Opinion: Why even Iraq war hawks should oppose this war

– Andrew Coyne

When president George H.W. Bush went to war against Iraq in 1991, he sought and won the consent of the Congress of the United States. Resolutions authorizing military force passed the House, by a margin of 250 to 183, and the Senate, 52-47.

Bush had earlier secured the passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 678. The cause was clear and compelling: to repel Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait. The coalition in support numbered 34 countries in all.

When George W. Bush went to war against Iraq in 2003, he, too, obtained the consent of Congress. He famously failed to win the approval of the Security Council but he did line up more than 40 countries in support.

The particular casus belli in 2003 was the Bush administration’s charge that the Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, had reconstituted his previous attempts to develop nuclear arms. That later turned out to be false. But most western intelligence agencies at the time believed it. Saddam’s own generals believed it. There is evidence that he himself may have believed it.

Contrast these two previous examples of U.S. military action, as controversial as they were and are, with the war Donald Trump has just launched against Iran. No congressional approval. No Security Council resolution.

Read more here.

03/02/26 15:17

Are you a Canadian traveller affected by what’s happening in the Middle East?

Are you a tourist or business traveller whose plans have been affected by the conflict in the Middle East? Have you been dealing with travel delays or suspended flights? Share your story below for a future Globe story, or e-mail audience@globeandmail.com. If you’d like to submit a photo, use this link.