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Iran war

Week of Mar 2–8, 2026

60 entries, newest first. Days are in U.S. Mountain Time.

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Sunday, March 8, 20268 entries

  1. 10:42 PM in New York

    U.S. orders nonessential diplomats and families to leave Saudi Arabia

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundWashington, United States

    The State Department put the U.S. mission in Saudi Arabia on "ordered departure" as Iranian attacks on the kingdom escalated, and on Monday extended the order to the consulate in Adana, Turkey. That left 10 U.S. embassies and consulates in the region on reduced staffing, the largest drawdown since the 2003 Iraq war, AP reported.

    Why it matters The order followed the first U.S. military death from an attack in Saudi Arabia and the kingdom's first reported war deaths, showing Iran's retaliation reaching deeper into the largest Gulf ally.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2), Associated Press (3)

  2. 5:10 AM in Bahrain, Mar 9

    Iranian drone attack wounds 32 on Bahrain's Sitra island; Bapco declares force majeure

    OfficialMilitary & securityBackgroundSitra, Bahrain

    Bahrain said an Iranian drone attack hit a residential area of Sitra island near energy infrastructure, wounding 32 Bahraini citizens including children, four of them critically. State oil company Bapco later declared force majeure on its oil shipments after an attack apparently set its sole refinery, at Sitra, ablaze; it said it could still meet local demand.

    Why it matters Force majeure took a Gulf refiner's export commitments offline, adding a supply loss on top of the near-halt in Hormuz traffic.

    Sources: CBS News, Associated Press, CBS News (AP)

  3. 5:42 PM in Chicago

    Oil tops $100 for the first time since 2022 and nears $120 as markets reopen

    ConfirmedShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundChicago, United States

    Brent crude traded at $101.19 as futures reopened Sunday evening, up 9.2% from Friday, then spiked to $119.50 early Monday before easing; U.S. crude peaked at $119.48. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell more than 6% soon after the open and South Korea's Kospi sank more than 8% at one point, triggering a trading halt.

    Why it matters About a fifth of the world's oil normally moves through the all-but-halted Strait of Hormuz, and prices eased only on reports that G7 nations were weighing emergency stock releases.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2), CBS News (AP), CBS News (AFP)

  4. 12:51 AM in Tehran, Mar 9

    Iran names Mojtaba Khamenei supreme leader, succeeding his slain father

    ConfirmedDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundTehran, Iran

    Iran's Assembly of Experts said in a statement carried by state TV that it had chosen Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, the second son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the Islamic Republic's third supreme leader. The Revolutionary Guard, President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf quickly pledged their support.

    Why it matters A hard-liner with close Revolutionary Guard ties who has never held elected office now has the central say over war strategy; Trump had called him "unacceptable" and Israel had described him as a potential target.

    Sources: Al Jazeera, Associated Press, NBC News

  5. 10:39 PM in Riyadh

    Seventh U.S. service member dies of wounds from Iran's March 1 attack in Saudi Arabia

    OfficialBackgroundBackgroundSaudi Arabia

    U.S. Central Command said a service member seriously wounded in an Iranian attack on U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia on March 1 had died, raising the U.S. military death toll in the war to seven. The other six, Army reservists, were killed in a March 1 attack in Kuwait.

    Why it matters It was the first U.S. death from an attack on Saudi soil, and it came the same day the State Department moved to pull nonessential diplomats out of the kingdom.

    Sources: Associated Press, CBS News, Associated Press (2)

  6. 10:59 PM in Tehran

    Israel says it destroyed the Revolutionary Guard Air Force headquarters in Tehran

    OfficialMilitary & securityBackgroundTehran, Iran

    Israel's military said it destroyed the headquarters of the Revolutionary Guard Air Force in Tehran, which it said ran the Guard's ballistic missile command and drone units. Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Israel hit more than 140 targets in Iran on Sunday alone.

    Why it matters The Guard's air arm runs the missiles and drones Iran has been firing at Israel and the Gulf, so the claimed strike went at the core of Tehran's retaliatory capacity.

    Source: Associated Press

  7. 7:38 PM in Riyadh

    Saudi Arabia reports its first war deaths after a projectile hits homes in Al-Kharj

    OfficialBackgroundBackgroundAl-Kharj, Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Civil Defense said a military projectile fell on a residential area in Al-Kharj governorate, killing an Indian and a Bangladeshi resident and wounding 12 Bangladeshis. They were the first deaths Saudi Arabia had reported since the war began on Feb. 28.

    Why it matters Within hours Washington ordered nonessential diplomats out of the kingdom, and Riyadh warned Tehran it would be the "biggest loser" if attacks on Arab states continued.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2), CBS News (AP), Associated Press (3)

  8. 3:20 PM in Beirut

    Two Israeli soldiers killed in southern Lebanon, the first since the fighting resumed

    OfficialBackgroundBackgroundSouthern Lebanon, Lebanon

    The Israeli military said two soldiers were killed in combat in southern Lebanon, naming one as Master Sgt. Maher Khatar, 38, a combat engineer in the 91st Division from Majdal Shams. They were the first Israeli troop deaths since fighting with Hezbollah reignited.

    Why it matters The deaths confirmed Israeli troops were fighting inside Lebanon as the military widened its campaign against Hezbollah alongside the war on Iran.

    Source: CBS News

Saturday, March 7, 202610 entries

  1. 9:42 AM in Bahrain, Mar 8

    Bahrain says an Iranian drone damaged a water desalination plant

    OfficialMilitary & securityBackgroundBahrain

    Bahrain's Interior Ministry said an Iranian drone attack caused material damage to a water desalination plant early Sunday, and that missile debris wounded three people and damaged a university building in Muharraq. It was the first time an Arab country said Iran had targeted a desalination plant.

    Why it matters Gulf states rely heavily on desalination for drinking water, and the claim came a day after Iran accused the U.S. of hitting a desalination plant on its Qeshm Island, raising fears that water supplies were becoming targets.

    Sources: CBS News, CBS News (2), CBS News (3)

  2. 3:32 AM in Kuwait, Mar 8

    Drones hit fuel tanks at Kuwait's airport and a government high-rise in Kuwait City

    OfficialMilitary & securityBackgroundKuwait City, Kuwait

    Kuwait's Defense Ministry said drones directly struck fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport early Sunday, and a drone also hit the Public Institution for Social Security's headquarters, a government high-rise in the capital, where firefighters battled blazes. The Interior Ministry said two officers were killed on duty the same morning, without giving the circumstances.

    Why it matters The drone wave carried attacks on Kuwait from military sites to civilian infrastructure, including aviation fuel at the country's main airport.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2), Associated Press (3)

  3. 2:21 AM in Beirut, Mar 8

    Israeli strike on Beirut's Ramada hotel kills 4; Israel says Quds Force commanders hit

    ConfirmedMilitary & securityBackgroundRaouche, Beirut, Lebanon

    An Israeli strike hit a room in the Ramada Hotel in Beirut's seaside Raouche district, killing four people and wounding 10, Lebanon's Health Ministry said. Israel's military later said the navy strike killed five commanders of the Revolutionary Guard's Quds Force Lebanon and Palestine corps who were "hiding in a civilian hotel."

    Why it matters Raouche is a tourist district with no notable Hezbollah presence, AP noted, so the strike showed Israel pursuing Iranian officers in central Beirut, not only in Hezbollah strongholds.

    Sources: Associated Press, CBS News (AFP), Associated Press (2)

  4. 11:19 PM in Tehran

    Israel strikes Tehran fuel storage depots, setting off huge fires near a refinery

    ConfirmedShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundTehran, Iran

    Flames lit up the night sky over Tehran after strikes hit an oil storage facility near a key refinery, Iran's IRNA news agency said, adding the refinery was not damaged. Israel's military later confirmed striking several fuel storage complexes it said supplied Iran's military, and Iranian state media threatened to hit refineries in Haifa.

    Why it matters It was among the first strikes on civilian industrial facilities in the war, and Iran's threat against Haifa's refineries signaled that energy infrastructure on both sides was now in play.

    Sources: Associated Press, CBS News (AP), Associated Press (2)

  5. 10:23 PM in Baghdad

    Missile lands on the U.S. Embassy helipad in Baghdad, Iraqi officials say

    ReportedMilitary & securityBackgroundBaghdad, Iraq

    Three Iraqi security officials told AP a missile landed on the helicopter landing pad of the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad on Saturday evening, with no casualties reported. A source told CBS News that U.S. air defenses intercepted some Iranian missiles believed to be aimed at the embassy.

    Why it matters It was the first reported strike to land in Baghdad's Green Zone since the war began; caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani called it a "terrorist act" by "rogue groups" and ordered those responsible pursued.

    Sources: Associated Press, CBS News, Associated Press (2)

  6. 7:59 PM in Beirut

    Lebanon says Israeli strikes have killed 294 people since Monday

    OfficialBackgroundBackgroundBeirut, Lebanon

    Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli strikes since Monday had killed 294 people and wounded 1,023, without saying how many were civilians. Tens of thousands more have been displaced.

    Why it matters The toll more than doubled in two days, from 123 on Thursday, as Israel widened its air and ground campaign against Hezbollah.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2)

  7. 12:17 PM in New York

    Third U.S. carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush, is set to deploy to the Middle East

    ReportedDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundNorfolk, Virginia, United States

    The USS George H.W. Bush carrier strike group is primed to deploy to the Middle East after finishing pre-deployment exercises off Norfolk, a U.S. official told CBS News. It is expected to overlap with the USS Gerald R. Ford, now in the Red Sea, and the USS Abraham Lincoln, already in the region.

    Why it matters It would be the third U.S. aircraft carrier committed to the war after the Abraham Lincoln and the Gerald R. Ford, though the Bush will take time to reach the region.

    Source: CBS News

  8. 7:03 PM in Tehran

    Iran says a U.S. strike hit a desalination plant on Qeshm Island, cutting water to 30 villages

    OfficialShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundQeshm Island, Iran

    Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the United States struck a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island in the Gulf, affecting the water supply of 30 villages, and called it a "blatant and desperate crime." The U.S. did not comment.

    Why it matters Araghchi called attacks on Iran's infrastructure "a dangerous move with grave consequences" and said "the U.S. set this precedent, not Iran," a warning that water and other civilian infrastructure could now be fair game on both sides.

    Source: CBS News

  9. 5:09 PM in Kuwait

    Kuwait cuts crude output and refining as a precaution against Iranian attacks

    OfficialShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundKuwait City, Kuwait

    Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said it was making a precautionary reduction in crude oil production and refining, citing Iranian attacks on the country and threats to the Strait of Hormuz. It did not say how much output was cut and said it would restore production when circumstances permit.

    Why it matters Kuwait is one of the world's largest oil producers, so the cut tightened supply further as prices were already surging.

    Sources: CBS News, Associated Press

  10. 10:57 AM in Tehran

    Pezeshkian apologizes to Gulf states, says Iran will halt strikes on them unless attacked

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundTehran, Iran

    In a prerecorded address on state TV, President Masoud Pezeshkian apologized to neighboring countries Iran had attacked and said forces should stop firing at them unless attacks on Iran came from their territory. He called the U.S. demand for unconditional surrender a "dream that they should take to their grave."

    Why it matters Iranian strikes had hit Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE that morning, and hard-liners including judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei said attacks would continue, underlining the leadership's limited control over the Revolutionary Guard.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2), CBS News, Associated Press (3), Associated Press (4)

Friday, March 6, 20268 entries

  1. 9:12 PM in New York

    U.S. uses emergency powers to rush bomb sales to Israel without congressional review

    ConfirmedDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundWashington, D.C., United States

    The State Department approved the sale of 12,000 1,000-pound bombs to Israel late Friday, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio declaring an emergency to waive congressional review. A revised list released Saturday showed at least $650 million in expedited munitions, including general-purpose bombs worth $151 million and $209 million and critical munitions worth $298 million.

    Why it matters Rubio invoked emergency authority under the Arms Export Control Act, the same basis the Biden administration twice used during the Gaza war, cutting Congress out of the usual review.

    Sources: Associated Press, CBS News

  2. 2:37 AM in Beirut, Mar 7

    Israeli commandos raid Lebanon's Nabi Chit seeking clues on Ron Arad; Lebanon says 41 killed

    ConfirmedMilitary & securityBackgroundNabi Chit, Lebanon

    An Israeli special forces unit landed near the eastern Lebanese town of Nabi Chit and clashed overnight with Hezbollah and local gunmen, backed by airstrikes. Lebanon's health ministry said 41 people were killed and 40 wounded, including three Lebanese soldiers; the IDF said the raid sought information on navigator Ron Arad, missing since 1986, and found no evidence.

    Why it matters The raid took Israeli ground forces deep into eastern Lebanon, far from the southern border strip where its troops had deployed earlier in the week.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2), CBS News, CBS News (AP)

  3. 2:04 AM in Baghdad, Mar 7

    Drones hit Basra oil sites and U.S. contractor facilities in southern Iraq

    ReportedShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundBasra, Iraq

    At least two drones struck energy infrastructure and a compound housing foreign oil company offices and warehouses in Iraq's Basra province, setting fires at facilities linked to U.S. energy-services firms, two Iraqi security officials told AP. Casualties were not immediately clear.

    Why it matters The attack brought the war to the heart of Iraq's oil export region, following strikes on oil fields and the cargo section of Basra's airport.

    Source: Associated Press

  4. 11:37 PM in Beirut

    UN peacekeepers wounded as fire hits UNIFIL positions in southern Lebanon

    OfficialBackgroundBackgroundAl-Qawzah, Lebanon

    UNIFIL said three peacekeepers were wounded when heavy fire struck its base in the village of Al-Qawzah on Friday evening, calling it "unacceptable" that peacekeepers were targeted. Ghana's army separately said two of its soldiers were wounded when missiles struck its UNIFIL battalion headquarters; neither statement named who fired.

    Why it matters UNIFIL said it would investigate; an AP report the previous month had described a surge in incidents involving Israeli forces near peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2)

  5. 11:37 PM in Tehran

    Evidence points to a U.S. strike in the Minab girls' school bombing

    ReportedBackgroundBackgroundMinab, Iran

    Satellite images, expert analysis and U.S. and Israeli military disclosures suggest the Feb. 28 blast that killed scores of pupils at a girls' school in Minab, next to a Revolutionary Guard base, was likely caused by U.S. airstrikes, AP reported. A person familiar with the U.S. inquiry told CBS News investigators believe the U.S. may have been responsible because Israel was not operating in the area; the White House said no conclusions had been reached.

    Why it matters The school strike has the highest reported civilian toll of the war, and the next day Trump said without evidence that it was "done by Iran."

    Sources: Associated Press, CBS News, Associated Press (2)

  6. 2:07 PM in New York

    Russia gave Iran information to help target U.S. forces, officials tell AP

    ReportedMilitary & securityBackgroundWashington, D.C., United States

    Russia has provided Iran with information that could help it strike American warships, aircraft and other assets in the region, two officials familiar with U.S. intelligence told AP. They said the intelligence has not shown Russia directing what Iran does with it.

    Why it matters It was the first indication that Moscow was seeking a role in the war, raising the stakes for U.S. forces already hit by Iranian drones and missiles.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2)

  7. 12:21 PM in New York

    U.S. crude tops $90 a barrel for the first time since 2023

    ConfirmedShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundNew York, United States

    Benchmark U.S. crude rose above $90 a barrel on Friday for the first time since October 2023, and Brent also broke $90. The U.S. average gasoline price rose 34 cents in a week to $3.32 a gallon, according to AAA.

    Why it matters One week of war had pushed oil to multi-year highs, and Qatar's energy minister warned prices could reach $150 if tankers could not pass Hormuz.

    Sources: Associated Press, CNBC

  8. 9:02 AM in New York

    Trump says there will be no deal with Iran except "unconditional surrender"

    ConfirmedDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundWashington, D.C., United States

    President Trump wrote on Truth Social that "There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!" and said the U.S. and allies would rebuild Iran after it chose a "GREAT & ACCEPTABLE" leader. The Dow fell more than 900 points and Brent crude broke $90 a barrel after the post.

    Why it matters The demand appeared to shut the door on mediation that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had just confirmed was under way.

    Sources: CNBC, Al Jazeera

Thursday, March 5, 20268 entries

  1. 5:40 AM in Tehran, Mar 6

    Israel says 50-plus jets hit a deep Tehran bunker built for Iran's wartime leadership

    OfficialMilitary & securityBackgroundTehran, Iran

    Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said more than 50 fighter jets dropped over 100 munitions on a deep underground bunker beneath residential neighborhoods in Tehran that Khamenei was meant to use to run the war, and that Iranian officials had kept using. Israel said it was still assessing the results.

    Why it matters Defrin said Iranian officials kept using the bunker because they thought it impenetrable, making it a direct strike on the shelter of the leadership that survived Khamenei's killing.

    Source: Associated Press

  2. 8:15 PM in New York

    U.S. Treasury temporarily lets India buy sanctioned Russian oil to ease prices

    ConfirmedDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundWashington, D.C., United States

    The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control issued a license allowing Russian crude and petroleum products already at sea to be offloaded in India from March 5 to April 4, applying only to oil bought by an Indian company and delivered to an Indian port. U.S. crude futures had climbed above $80 that afternoon.

    Why it matters Washington loosened its own Russia sanctions to offset the Gulf supply shock; a dozen Senate Democrats said the waiver handed Vladimir Putin "a free pass."

    Sources: CBS News, Associated Press, CBS News (2)

  3. 4:39 PM in New York

    House narrowly rejects war powers resolution on Iran, 212-219

    ConfirmedDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundWashington, D.C., United States

    The House voted 212-219 against a war powers resolution to halt U.S. attacks on Iran without congressional approval, with four Democrats joining all but two Republicans to defeat it, a day after the Senate rejected a similar measure.

    Why it matters The narrow margin was an early sign of unease in Congress, though it left the administration free to continue the campaign.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2), CBS News

  4. 11:26 AM in New York

    Trump says he must be involved in choosing Iran's next leader, rejects Khamenei's son

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundWashington, D.C., United States

    President Trump told Axios he has to be involved in appointing Iran's next supreme leader, "like with Delcy [Rodriguez] in Venezuela," and called Mojtaba Khamenei, the late leader's son and the most likely successor, "a lightweight" and "unacceptable to me."

    Why it matters It put Washington openly at odds with the Assembly of Experts, which a member said on state TV was close to naming a successor.

    Source: CBS News

  5. 2:46 PM in Beirut

    Israel orders residents of Beirut's southern suburbs to evacuate ahead of strikes

    ConfirmedCivilian alertsBackgroundBeirut, Lebanon

    The Israeli army ordered residents of Burj al-Barajneh, Hadath, Haret Hreik and Shiyah in Beirut's southern suburbs, Hezbollah's stronghold, to leave immediately, the first time it called on wide swaths of the capital to evacuate. Roads jammed as residents fled, two hospitals evacuated, and Lebanon's health ministry put the death toll since Monday at 123.

    Why it matters Al Jazeera's correspondent said more than 400,000 people live in the area; Israel struck the suburbs that night, extending the Lebanon campaign from the south into the capital.

    Sources: The Times of Israel, Al Jazeera, Associated Press, Associated Press (2)

  6. 4:06 PM in Tehran

    Iran's official death toll climbs to 1,230 as of March 4, up from about 1,000

    OfficialBackgroundBackgroundTehran, Iran

    Iran's Martyrs' and Veterans' Affairs Organization said at least 1,230 people had been killed by U.S. and Israeli strikes as of March 4, up from just under 1,000 in the previous official count. The U.S.-based rights group HRANA counted 1,114 civilian deaths, including 181 children, with 926 more deaths under review.

    Why it matters The official count had risen from 787 reported by the Iranian Red Crescent on March 3, and it has not been independently verified.

    Sources: CBS News, CBS News (2)

  7. 11:07 AM in Baghdad

    Blast hits tanker Sonangol Namibe off Iraq after Iran claims strike on a U.S. tanker

    ReportedShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundOff Khor al-Zubair, Iraq

    Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed it hit an American oil tanker in the northern Gulf, but maritime security firms said the target appeared to be the Bahamas-flagged Sonangol Namibe. Its operator said a small vessel approached the ship at anchor near Khor al-Zubair, Iraq, before a loud bang breached a ballast tank; all 23 crew were safe and there was no cargo or pollution.

    Why it matters The attack, in waters off Kuwait and Iraq far inside the Gulf, showed Iran's threat to shipping reached well beyond the Strait of Hormuz itself.

    Sources: CBS News, CBS News (2)

  8. 12:00 PM in Baku

    Drones from Iran hit Nakhchivan airport terminal in Azerbaijan, injuring two

    OfficialMilitary & securityBackgroundNakhchivan, Azerbaijan

    Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said drones launched from Iran struck the airport terminal in the Nakhchivan exclave and fell near a school in the village of Shakarabad at about noon, injuring two civilians. Baku summoned Iran's ambassador and reserved the right to respond; Iran denied carrying out the attack.

    Why it matters The strike carried the war across Iran's northern border into the South Caucasus, with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev demanding that those responsible be held to account.

    Sources: Al Jazeera, CBS News

Wednesday, March 4, 20265 entries

  1. 5:25 PM in New York

    Senate rejects war powers resolution to halt the Iran war, 47-53

    ConfirmedDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundWashington, D.C., United States

    The Senate voted 47-53 against a war powers resolution that would have required congressional approval before further attacks on Iran. Republican Sen. Rand Paul voted for it and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman voted against.

    Why it matters The mostly party-line vote gave the administration an early show of congressional support for a war with no clear U.S. exit strategy.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2), CBS News

  2. 11:17 PM in Baghdad

    Iraq's national power grid shuts down after a sudden drop in gas supplies

    ReportedShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundIraq

    Iraq's Electricity Ministry said the national grid was "completely shut down across all Iraqi provinces" after a sudden drop in gas supplies to a key power plant, AFP reported. Iraq's Oil Ministry also halted production at a major field near Basra, citing a shortage of tankers in the Gulf, AP reported.

    Why it matters The blackout showed how the Gulf shipping freeze and disrupted gas flows were spilling into Iraq's own economy, not just world oil prices.

    Source: CBS News

  3. 4:05 PM in Qatar

    QatarEnergy declares force majeure to LNG buyers after halting production

    OfficialShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundDoha, Qatar

    QatarEnergy said it had declared force majeure to affected buyers, formally releasing itself from delivery obligations after it stopped producing liquefied natural gas following Iranian drone attacks on Ras Laffan and Mesaieed on March 2.

    Why it matters Qatar is the world's largest LNG producer; the halt had already sent European and Asian gas prices soaring, and force majeure tells buyers the cargoes will not come on contract terms.

    Sources: CBS News, Al Jazeera

  4. 2:53 PM in Istanbul

    NATO air defenses destroy an Iranian ballistic missile heading into Turkish airspace

    OfficialMilitary & securityBackgroundDortyol, Hatay, Turkey

    Turkey's Defense Ministry said a ballistic missile fired from Iran crossed Iraqi and Syrian airspace toward Turkey and was destroyed by NATO air and missile defenses in the eastern Mediterranean. Interceptor debris fell in Dortyol, Hatay province, with no casualties.

    Why it matters The interception pulled NATO's air defenses directly into the war on behalf of a member state, and Ankara warned all sides against steps that would spread the conflict.

    Sources: The Times of Israel, CBS News

  5. 12:17 PM in Beirut

    Israel orders all civilians in southern Lebanon to move north of the Litani River

    OfficialCivilian alertsBackgroundSouthern Lebanon

    Israeli army Arabic spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee told residents of southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes immediately and head north of the Litani River, warning that movement southward could put their lives at risk. The order widened Tuesday's evacuation call for more than 80 communities.

    Why it matters UNICEF said nearly 60,000 people, including 18,000 children, were displaced in Lebanon within 24 hours; the last order this sweeping came during Israel's October 2024 ground offensive.

    Sources: The Times of Israel, CBS News, CBS News (2)

Tuesday, March 3, 20266 entries

  1. 6:00 AM in Colombo, Mar 4

    U.S. submarine torpedoes Iranian frigate IRIS Dena off Sri Lanka; 87 bodies recovered

    ConfirmedMilitary & securityBackgroundOff Galle, Sri Lanka

    A U.S. submarine sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena with a torpedo in international waters off Galle, Sri Lanka, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. Sri Lanka's navy said it recovered 87 bodies and rescued 32 of the roughly 180 sailors aboard; the ship was returning from a naval review in India.

    Why it matters The sinking, about 1,000 miles from Iran, carried the war into the Indian Ocean and left neutral Sri Lanka handling its aftermath; Iran's foreign minister said the U.S. would "bitterly regret" it.

    Sources: Al Jazeera, CBS News, CBS News (2), CBS News (AP)

  2. 2:52 PM in New York

    Trump orders U.S. political risk insurance for Gulf shipping and offers Navy tanker escorts

    OfficialShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundWashington, D.C., United States

    President Trump said he ordered the U.S. Development Finance Corporation to offer political risk insurance and guarantees for all maritime trade through the Gulf, especially energy, and that the Navy would escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz "as soon as possible" if necessary.

    Why it matters It was Washington's first concrete step to restart traffic through Hormuz, which normally carries about a fifth of the world's oil and had nearly stopped after Iranian attacks on ships.

    Sources: CBS News, Associated Press

  3. 11:03 PM in Tehran

    Israel says it destroyed a secret Iranian nuclear weapons headquarters in Tehran

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundTehran, Iran

    Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said the air force destroyed a partly underground site in Tehran, which Israel calls Minzadehei, where it says scientists secretly developed knowledge for nuclear weapons. Israel did not say uranium was enriched there, and neither Iran nor the U.S. commented on the site.

    Why it matters The claim underpins Israel's case that Iran was rebuilding weapons work after the June 2025 strikes, which Washington had said destroyed the program; it has not been independently verified.

    Sources: CBS News, Associated Press

  4. 6:39 PM in Tehran

    Strikes hit Assembly of Experts buildings as clerics prepare to pick a new supreme leader

    ReportedMilitary & securityBackgroundQom and Tehran, Iran

    Iran's Fars news agency said U.S. and Israeli jets struck the Assembly of Experts grounds in Tehran and a building in Qom, but said the sites had been evacuated and no one was killed. Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Israel hit a building in Qom where clerics were expected to meet to choose Khamenei's successor.

    Why it matters The strikes aimed at the succession process itself: the 88-member assembly is the body that must name Iran's next supreme leader.

    Sources: CBS News, Associated Press

  5. 4:31 PM in Tehran

    IAEA confirms new damage to entrance buildings at Iran's Natanz enrichment site

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundNatanz, Iran

    The International Atomic Energy Agency said satellite imagery showed "some recent damage to entrance buildings" of the underground Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant, with no radiological consequence expected and no additional impact detected at the plant itself.

    Why it matters It was the first confirmed hit on one of Iran's main nuclear sites in this war; IAEA chief Rafael Grossi had said a week before the war that most of Iran's pre-June 2025 enriched material was still in the country.

    Sources: CBS News, Associated Press (via PBS News)

  6. 9:12 AM in Beirut

    Israel pushes troops deeper into southern Lebanon and orders 80 communities evacuated

    ConfirmedMilitary & securityBackgroundSouthern Lebanon

    The Israeli military said soldiers of its 91st Galilee Division had deployed beyond the five posts Israel already held in southern Lebanon, in what it called an enhanced forward defense posture. It warned residents of at least 80 southern Lebanese towns and villages to leave and not return.

    Why it matters It opened a new Israeli ground push into Lebanon a day after Hezbollah joined the war, and the Lebanese army began pulling back from some border positions.

    Sources: The Times of Israel, CBS News, Associated Press (via PBS News)

Monday, March 2, 202615 entries

  1. 9:41 PM in New York

    Trump sends Congress a War Powers notice on the Iran strikes

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundWashington, D.C., United States

    In a March 2 letter to Senate President Pro Tempore Chuck Grassley, President Trump reported the Feb. 28 strikes on Iran under the War Powers Resolution, saying the threat had become "untenable" and that no U.S. ground forces were used. He wrote that it was "not possible at this time to know the full scope and duration" of the operations.

    Why it matters The letter is the formal report the War Powers Resolution requires, and it preceded Senate and House votes that week on whether to halt the campaign without congressional approval.

    Source: CBS News

  2. 4:23 AM in Riyadh, Mar 3

    Two drones hit the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, causing a limited fire

    ConfirmedMilitary & securityBackgroundRiyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said two drones struck the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, causing a small fire and limited damage. The embassy told Americans in Riyadh, Dhahran and Jeddah to shelter in place and closed for the day.

    Why it matters Iran was now hitting U.S. diplomatic posts as well as bases; the attack followed one on the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait, and Washington ordered non-emergency staff out of Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE.

    Sources: CBS News, Associated Press (via PBS News)

  3. 5:20 PM in New York

    State Department tells Americans to leave more than a dozen Middle East countries

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundWashington, United States

    Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar urged U.S. citizens to "DEPART NOW" by commercial means from countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the UAE and Yemen, as well as the West Bank and Gaza.

    Why it matters The blanket order signaled Washington expected a longer, wider war, while airspace closures and flight cancellations left many Americans with few ways out.

    Sources: Al Jazeera, Associated Press, CBS News

  4. 4:05 PM in New York

    U.S. death toll rises to six as remains of two more soldiers are recovered

    ConfirmedBackgroundBackgroundKuwait

    Central Command said U.S. forces recovered the remains of two service members who had been unaccounted for at a facility struck in Iran's first attacks, bringing the U.S. dead to six; a U.S. official said all six were Army soldiers from the same logistics unit in Kuwait. CENTCOM said 18 service members had been seriously wounded.

    Why it matters The toll doubled in a day, and U.S. military officials questioned the Pentagon's claim that the Kuwait operations center where they died was adequately fortified.

    Sources: Al Jazeera, Associated Press, Associated Press (2), CBS News

  5. 11:53 PM in Tehran

    Revolutionary Guard declares Strait of Hormuz closed, threatens to set ships ablaze

    OfficialShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundStrait of Hormuz

    Ebrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the IRGC commander, said "the strait is closed" and that the Guard and navy would set ablaze any ship trying to pass, Iranian state media reported. Earlier Monday the IRGC said it hit the tanker Athe Nova with two drones, and MarineTraffic said transits had fallen about 70% since Saturday.

    Why it matters The declaration turned Saturday's radio warnings into an explicit threat to fire on shipping in the strait, which carries about a fifth of global oil supply.

    Sources: Times of Israel, Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera (2), Associated Press

  6. 11:59 AM in New York

    Trump says Iran operation will likely last four to five weeks but could go "far longer"

    ConfirmedDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundWhite House, Washington, United States

    Before a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House, Trump said the U.S. had projected four to five weeks but had the capability "to go far longer," and listed four aims: destroying Iran's missiles, wiping out its navy, preventing a nuclear weapon and stopping Iran from arming forces abroad. He called the strikes "our last, best chance."

    Why it matters It was Trump's clearest statement of war aims, and he told the New York Post he did not rule out U.S. ground troops if they were necessary.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2), Associated Press (3), Al Jazeera, Associated Press (4)

  7. 6:55 PM in Qatar

    Qatar says its air force shot down two Iranian fighter jets

    OfficialMilitary & securityBackgroundDoha, Qatar

    Qatar's Defense Ministry said its air force shot down two fighter aircraft incoming from Iran, while naval and air defenses downed seven ballistic missiles and five drones. Qatar's foreign ministry said Iranian attacks had targeted civilian infrastructure, including the international airport.

    Why it matters Qatar moved from intercepting missiles to shooting down Iranian manned aircraft, a sign of how far the Gulf states had been drawn into the fighting.

    Sources: Al Jazeera, Associated Press, Al Jazeera (2), Associated Press (2)

  8. 8:07 AM in New York

    Hegseth says four U.S. troops died when an Iranian munition hit a Kuwait operations center

    OfficialMilitary & securityBackgroundThe Pentagon, Arlington, United States

    At the war's first Pentagon briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the four U.S. dead were killed when a munition got past air defenses and hit a fortified tactical operations center in Kuwait, and said Iran had been "stalling" in talks. Gen. Dan Caine said the U.S. had local air superiority over Iran but its objectives would "take some time" and more Americans could die.

    Why it matters The briefing set expectations of a longer campaign with more casualties, and Hegseth declined to rule out sending U.S. ground forces into Iran.

    Sources: Al Jazeera, CBS News, Associated Press, CBS News (2), Al Jazeera (2), Al Jazeera (3), Associated Press (2)

  9. 3:00 PM in Qatar

    QatarEnergy halts LNG output after Iranian drones hit Ras Laffan and Mesaieed

    ConfirmedShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundRas Laffan, Qatar

    Qatar's Defense Ministry said one drone hit a QatarEnergy facility in Ras Laffan Industrial City and another a power-plant water tank in Mesaieed, with no casualties. QatarEnergy then halted production of liquefied natural gas and associated products with no timeline for restarting, and European benchmark gas prices jumped more than 40%.

    Why it matters Qatar is one of the world's top gas suppliers and a key source of the LNG Europe uses to replace Russian pipeline gas, so the halt turned the war into a global gas-supply shock.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2), Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera (2), Al Jazeera (3), Associated Press (3)

  10. 1:18 PM in Beirut

    Lebanon's government bans Hezbollah military activity and demands its weapons

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundBeirut, Lebanon

    Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called Hezbollah's military operations "illegal acts," banned the group's military and security activity, confined it to politics and ordered the army and security agencies to stop rocket and drone launches and detain those responsible. He reaffirmed the 2024 ceasefire with Israel and called for resuming talks.

    Why it matters The ban set the Lebanese state formally against Hezbollah's entry into the war; Hezbollah answered by accusing the government of "impotence" toward Israel.

    Sources: Al Jazeera, Associated Press, Times of Israel, Al Jazeera (2)

  11. 2:32 PM in Muscat

    Drone boat hits tanker MKD VYOM off Muscat, killing an Indian crew member

    OfficialShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundGulf of Oman, off Muscat, Oman

    A bomb-carrying drone boat struck the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MKD VYOM in the Gulf of Oman off Muscat, sparking a fire and killing one crew member from India, the Oman News Agency said.

    Why it matters The attack carried the threat to shipping beyond the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf of Oman, where tankers wait to load or transit.

    Sources: Associated Press, Associated Press (2), Al Jazeera, CBS News

  12. 1:18 PM in Bahrain

    U.S.-flagged tanker hit in Bahrain port; shipyard worker killed

    ConfirmedShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundPort of Bahrain, Bahrain

    Two projectiles struck the U.S.-flagged tanker Stena Imperative while it was berthed in the Port of Bahrain, starting a fire that was put out, UKMTO and operator Crowley said. Crowley said one shipyard worker was killed and two injured; the ship's crew was unhurt.

    Why it matters Iranian forces had harassed the same tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Feb. 3, and the hit showed Gulf harbors were no safer than the strait.

    Sources: Al Jazeera, CBS News, CBS News (2)

  13. 10:06 AM in Vienna

    IAEA says no sign Iran's nuclear sites are hit as Tehran alleges Natanz was targeted

    OfficialDiplomacy & politicsBackgroundVienna, Austria

    Opening a special board session in Vienna, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said the agency had no indication that Bushehr, the Tehran Research Reactor or other nuclear facilities had been damaged and no rise in radiation had been detected in neighboring countries, but Iran's regulator was not responding. Iran's envoy Reza Najafi said the strikes had targeted the Natanz enrichment site.

    Why it matters With the agency cut off from Iranian authorities, claims about strikes on nuclear sites could not be verified, and Grossi warned a radiological release with serious consequences could not be ruled out.

    Sources: Associated Press, CBS News, Associated Press (2), Al Jazeera

  15. 11:28 AM in Riyadh

    Saudi Aramco shuts Ras Tanura refinery after Iranian drone attack

    OfficialShipping, energy & marketsBackgroundRas Tanura, Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones targeting the Ras Tanura refinery near Dammam but that falling debris started a fire. State TV said the refinery, with capacity above half a million barrels a day, was temporarily shut as a precaution, with no casualties.

    Why it matters The attack put Gulf energy infrastructure directly in Iran's sights, which a Verisk Maplecroft analyst called a significant escalation.

    Sources: Associated Press, Al Jazeera, Associated Press (2), Al Jazeera (2), Associated Press (3)

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