politics

US-Israel war on Iran Day 13: Trump pledges to end war

Dubai Civil Defence contained a minor fire at a Dubai Creek Harbour building after a drone fell nearby, with no injuries reported. UAE authorities later issued an all-clear as air defences responded to regional missile and drone threats. Elsewhere, tanker attacks near Iraq killed one crew member, while Saudi Arabia and Bahrain intercepted drones and heightened security. Follow all the latest developments here:

11:48 AM, 12 March 2026

India says sailor killed in attack on tanker off Basra

An Indian sailor was killed after a US-owned crude oil tanker was attacked near the Iraqi port city of Basra, India’s embassy in Baghdad said Thursday.

The vessel, Safesea Vishnu, sailing under the Marshall Islands flag, came under attack March 11 while operating near Basra, the embassy said.

The remaining 15 Indian crew members were evacuated and are safe, the embassy said.

11:40 AM, 12 March 2026

Qatar condemns Iranian attack on Salalah Port in Oman

Qatar has strongly condemned an Iranian drone attack on the port of Salalah in Oman that damaged fuel tanks.

Doha called the strike a blatant violation of international law and an escalation that undermines regional stability, expressing full solidarity with Oman and support for measures to protect its sovereignty and security.

11:18 AM, 12 March 2026

Iranian footballer who received asylum returns to Iran

One of the seven Iranian women’s football team players has requested to return back to her homeland after being granted asylum in Australia confirms Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.

Burke said that one of the two individuals who had chosen to remain in Brisbane before the team travelled to Sydney later reversed their decision.

“(She) had spoken to some of the teammates that had left and had changed her mind,” said Burke.

10:48 AM, 12 March 2026

Italy says its military base in Iraqi Kurdistan attacked

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Thursday there had been an “attack” on an Italian base in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Erbil, but there were no injuries.

“I strongly condemn the attack on the Italian base in Erbil,” Tajani said on X, without giving details. “I just spoke with the Italian ambassador to Iraq. Fortunately, all our soldiers are well and safe in the bunker,” he said.

Italy has soldiers in Erbil training Kurdistan security forces as part of an international force.

Drones were shot down on Wednesday over Erbil by the US-led international forces, which are based at Erbil airport, a Kurdish security source said.

No casualties were reported, the source said.

AFP journalists reported hearing loud bangs near Erbil airport from air defences engaging drones.

10:30 AM, 12 March 2026

Drone shot down in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia intercepted and destroyed a drone in the Empty Quarter heading toward the Shaybah field, said the country’s Ministry of Defense.

10:25 AM, 12 March 2026

Dubai gold dips below Dh620 after recent spike

Gold prices in Dubai eased on Thursday morning, with the 24K rate falling to Dh619.75 per gram from Dh623.75 a day earlier, while 22K slipped to Dh574 from Dh577.50. The pullback follows recent swings in global bullion markets after prices briefly climbed above Dh640 earlier this month, with traders reacting to US inflation signals, a stronger dollar and rising oil prices linked to Middle East tensions.

10:17 AM, 12 March 2026

UAE reiterates ban on drones and light sport aircraft

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has reaffirmed the complete ban on operating all types of drones and light sport aircraft in the UAE, citing exceptional circumstances currently facing the country.

In a statement, the authority stressed that the prohibition remains strictly in force and applies to all operators without exception. The GCAA said compliance with the decision is mandatory and urged the public and hobbyists to fully adhere to the regulations to avoid legal consequences.

The GCAA reaffirms the temporary suspension of all drone operations across the UAE. Strict compliance with official instructions protects you from legal action and ensures the safety of our airspace. Updates will be shared via our official channels in due course

09:12 AM, 12 March 2026

Pakistan Ambassador visits injured nationals in UAE hospital

Shafqat Ali Khan, Ambassador of Pakistan to the UAE, visited Sheikh Shakhbout Hospital to meet Pakistani nationals receiving treatment. He wished them a speedy recovery, praised the hospital administration for their care, and commended the UAE government for its commitment to providing top-tier medical services to all affected residents.

The visit highlights ongoing bilateral support and attention to the welfare of Pakistani citizens in the UAE.

08:59 AM, 12 March 2026

Lebanon says 7 killed in Israeli strike on central Beirut

Lebanon said an Israeli strike on central Beirut’s seafront killed at least seven people early on Thursday, another attack in the heart of the capital as Iran-backed Hezbollah launched more missiles at Israel.

The Israeli military said separately it had carried out strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs overnight against Hezbollah, which had announced a major new operation against Israel.

Local media aired footage showing smoke rising along the seaside road area after the strike in central Beirut, which state-run National News Agency (NNA) said targeted a car.

“The Israeli enemy strike on Ramlet al-Bayda in Beirut led to an initial toll of seven dead and 21 wounded,” the health ministry said in a statement.

08:07 AM, 12 March 2026

Three crew ‘believed trapped’ aboard Thai ship attacked in Gulf: firm

Three crew members were “believed to be trapped” aboard a Thai bulk carrier that was hit by two projectiles on Wednesday while travelling through the crucial Strait of Hormuz, the vessel’s owner said.

“Three crew members are reported missing and believed to be trapped in the engine room” of the Thai-registered Mayuree Naree which was damaged in the strikes, Thai transport company Precious Shipping said in a statement Wednesday evening.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said Wednesday they struck the ship because it had ignored “warnings”.

07:55 AM, 12 March 2026

Drone targets residential building in Kuwait, 2 injured

Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence has confirmed that an enemy drone struck a residential building in a southern region of the country at dawn today, KUNA reported.

The attack injured two people, who are receiving medical treatment, and caused material damage, the ministry’s official spokesman added.

07:46 AM, 12 March 2026

Dubai tourist police available 24/7 to assist visitors

Tourists in Dubai can now access round-the-clock support from the Dubai Tourist Police, ensuring safety and assistance throughout their stay.

Visitors can reach the service via:

Dubai Police App – Tourist Support Service
Smart Police Stations (SPS)
Call Center: 901
Email

From guidance and general assistance to emergency support, the Dubai Tourist Police are on duty 24/7 to help travellers across the city.

07:21 AM, 12 March 2026

Brent crude oil tops $100 a barrel amid Iran attacks

The price of a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, topped $100 a barrel early Thursday, just days after it spiked near $120.

Oil prices shot more than 9% higher as supply concerns worsened with Iranian attacks on commercial shipping around the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S. benchmark crude oil jumped to about $95 a barrel.

07:20 AM, 12 March 2026

Israeli strikes kill 3 near Beirut

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli strikes early Thursday a town in the hills overlooking Beirut killed three people and wounded a child.

Aramoun, a town about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Beirut where dozens of displaced families have found shelter, has been targeted twice since the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel renewed after Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel on March 2.

The Health Ministry also said the death toll from an earlier Israeli strike on central Beirut had risen to eight people, with 31 wounded.

07:10 AM, 12 March 2026

UAE sends missile threat alert

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that UAE air defence systems were actively responding to incoming missile and drone threats launched from Iran amid ongoing regional hostilities.

Authorities have emphasised the importance of staying in safe locations, relying only on verified government updates, and remaining alert while the situation is closely monitored. Residents received mobile alerts through official channels to ensure timely warnings.

The UAE continues to monitor the situation and coordinate defensive measures to protect residents and critical infrastructure.

07:04 AM, 12 March 2026

Saudi Arabia says shot down drone approaching embassy district

Saudi Arabia shot down a drone approaching a district housing foreign embassies, the country’s defence ministry said on Thursday.

“An enemy drone was shot down while attempting to approach the embassies district,” a defence ministry spokesperson posted on X, after confirming Saudi Arabia had also intercepted a drone in the east of the country.

Kuwait’s Ministry of Defence also said on Thursday its air defences had intercepted several drones as Iran carries out strikes on oil-rich Gulf countries, vowing to target global energy markets in response to US-Israeli strikes.

06:51 AM, 12 March 2026

Iraq shuts oil terminals after deadly strike hits Basra port

An attack on Iraq’s Basra port early Thursday killed at least one person and forced authorities to halt operations at all the country’s oil terminals, officials said.

Farhan al-Fartousi, the director-general of the General Company for Ports of Iraq, made the announcement in a statement carried by the state-run Iraqi News Agency on Thursday. Al-Fartousi said the attack targeted a ship engaged in a ship-to-ship transfer of oil in the Basra port on the Persian Gulf. He said it remained unclear if the ship was targeted by a flying or seaborne drone or a missile.

Rescuers recovered one dead body and helped 38 others after the attack. He said commercial ports in Iraq remained open, though the oil terminals had been shut.

06:50 AM, 12 March 2026

Drones intercepted in Kuwait

Official Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, Brigadier General Saud Al-Otaibi said Kuwaiti air defenses intercepted a number of hostile drones that breached the airspace in the north of the country at dawn.

06:17 AM, 12 March 2026

Israeli military says more missiles from Iran heading towards Israel

The Israeli military said Thursday that a new barrage of missiles was heading for Israel, following an early wave of strikes that coincided with Israeli strikes on Tehran and Beirut.

“A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the Israeli military said on its official Telegram channel.

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05:47 AM, 12 March 2026

Bahrain arrests four over espionage with Iranian Guard

The Bahrain Ministry of Interior announced that the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science has arrested four Bahraini nationals and identified a fifth, currently at large abroad, in connection with espionage activities linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps through terrorist elements operating in Iran.

Investigations revealed that the first arrestee, acting on organisational instructions and with the assistance of the others, used high-resolution photography equipment to record and photograph coordinates of vital and sensitive locations in Bahrain. This information was reportedly transmitted to the IRGC via encrypted software. Legal proceedings have been initiated, and the arrested individuals have been referred to the Public Prosecution.

05:35 AM, 12 March 2026

Trump says Iran near point of defeat

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran was on the verge of defeat, but warned that US forces could escalate strikes such that the country would be “almost impossible” to rebuild.

“They are pretty much at the end of the line,” Trump told reporters in Washington.

He added: “We can hit sections of Tehran and other places that if you do it, it’ll be almost impossible for them to rebuild their country, and we don’t want that.”

05:31 AM, 12 March 2026

Bahrain arrests six for sharing videos of Iranian attacks

The Bahrain Ministry of Interior announced that the Anti-Cybercrime Directorate at the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption, Economic and Electronic Security has identified and arrested six individuals for filming and posting videos showing the aftermath of the recent Iranian aggression.

The videos, shared via social media, were found to express sympathy for the hostile acts, potentially misleading public opinion, spreading fear among citizens and residents, and undermining security and public order.

Legal proceedings have been initiated, and the arrestees have been referred to the Public Prosecution.

The Ministry of Interior urged the public to rely on official sources for information and to refrain from circulating or reposting unreliable videos or news, warning that doing so could carry legal consequences and compromise the Kingdom’s safety and security.

05:20 AM, 12 March 2026

Bahrain authorities urge residents to stay indoors amid fire

The Bahrain Ministry of Interior has urged citizens and residents in Hidd, Arad, Qalali, and Samaheej to remain in their homes and close windows and ventilation openings as a precaution against smoke from a fire currently being fought.

Authorities earlier sounded the siren, advising residents to remain calm and move to the nearest safe location. Relevant authorities have said they will provide continuous updates.

05:00 AM, 12 March 2026

Bahrain authorities respond to Iranian attack on fuel facility

The Bahrain Ministry of Interior reported that the recent Iranian aggression targeted fuel tanks at a facility in Muharraq Governorate. The competent authorities are taking all necessary measures to manage the situation.

No injuries or further details have been reported at this time.

04:58 AM, 12 March 2026

UAE condemns unprovoked drone attack on Oman’s Salalah port

Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates has expressed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the unprovoked Iranian drone attack targeting the Port of Salalah in the Sultanate of Oman, which resulted in damage to several fuel tanks at the port.

04:55 AM, 12 March 2026

UAE residents told: Situation safe after emergency alert

Authorities have issued an all-clear alert, confirming that the situation is currently safe and residents can resume normal activities.

Earlier today, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that UAE air defence systems were actively responding to incoming missile and drone threats launched from Iran amid ongoing regional hostilities.

Residents have been urged to stay informed through official sources as authorities continue monitoring the situation.

04:45 AM, 12 March 2026

UN Security Council condemns Iran’s unprovoked attacks on the Gulf nations and Jordan

The UN Security Council, through Resolution 2817, has condemned in the strongest terms Iran’s unprovoked attacks on the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The resolution had overwhelming support – the highest number of co-sponsorships in the Security Council’s history – a clear message from the international community to Iran.

Today, the UN Security Council condemned in the strongest terms Iran’s unprovoked attacks on the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.

The UAE strongly welcomes the adoption of Resolution 2817. The overwhelming support – reflected in… pic.twitter.com/lPZbLEJtZV

— UAE Mission to the UN (@UAEMissionToUN) March 11, 2026

04:35 AM, 12 March 2026

Saudi Arabia intercepts multiple drones

The Saudi Ministry of Defense confirmed that several drones were intercepted and destroyed across the Eastern Region and the Empty Quarter.

A drone heading toward the Shaybah oil field in the Empty Quarter was intercepted and destroyed.
In the Eastern Region, authorities intercepted and destroyed 18 drones, including multiple incidents reported over the past hours.
Additional reports confirm at least three more drones were intercepted and neutralised in the Eastern Region.

The Ministry of Defence spokesperson emphasised that Saudi air defence systems continue to actively monitor and respond to aerial threats to protect vital facilities.

04:25 AM, 12 March 2026

Dubai firefighters bring a minor fire under control following drone incident

Dubai Civil Defence teams have brought a minor fire in a Dubai Creek Harbour building under control, with no injuries reported so far, as per the Dubai Media Office. Authorities earlier responded to an incident involving a drone that fell on a building in the vicinity of Dubai Creek Harbour.

Civil Defence teams have brought a minor fire in the building under control. No injuries have been reported so far. pic.twitter.com/CDQwp4JmwD

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 11, 2026

03:51 AM, 12 March 2026

1 killed, 38 rescued as 2 tankers hit in ‘sabotage’ attacks off Iraq

Two oil tankers were attacked off Iraq in what authorities called a “sabotage”. An attack on oil tankers near Iraq killed one crew member, Iraqi state television reported on Thursday, citing port authorities.

Farhan Al-Fartousi, from Iraq’s General Company for Ports, told state television that one crew member had been killed and 38 rescued so far, and the “search continues for the missing.”

He did not specify their nationalities or provide details on who was behind the attack.

03:46 AM, 12 March 2026

US to release 172 million barrels of oil from strategic reserve: Energy department

The US government will release 172 million barrels from the strategic petroleum reserve “beginning next week,” as the Middle East war disrupted oil prices, the US Department of Energy said Wednesday.

The release would “take approximately 120 days to deliver based on planned discharge rates,” the agency said in a post to X.

01:44 AM, 12 March 2026

Firefighting efforts continue to extinguish fire at fuel storage tanks at Salalah Port

Emergency crews in Oman are continuing efforts to extinguish a fire that broke out at fuel storage tanks at the Port of Salalah following an Iranian drone attack, authorities said.

The Civil Defence and Ambulance Authority confirmed that specialised response teams were immediately dispatched to the site after the incident and began firefighting operations to contain the blaze.

The operation is being carried out with support from the Sultan’s Armed Forces as well as companies operating in the surrounding industrial area, as authorities work to bring the situation under control.

Officials said teams are deploying extensive resources to limit the spread of the fire and protect nearby facilities, adding that extinguishing the blaze may take some time due to the nature of fuel storage fires.

The authority stressed that all necessary safety and security procedures are being implemented while emergency crews continue their operations.

Authorities have also urged the public to follow official updates and avoid the area while response teams work to fully contain the fire and ensure the safety of the port and surrounding infrastructure.

01:04 AM, 12 March 2026

Qatar intercepts 9 ballistic missiles, several drones from Iran

Qatar’s Ministry of Defence said the country’s air defence systems successfully intercepted multiple aerial threats after Iran launched ballistic missiles and drones on Wednesday.

In an official statement, the ministry confirmed that the Qatari Armed Forces intercepted nine ballistic missiles and a number of drones, neutralising most of the incoming threats before they could reach their targets.

“Our Armed Forces successfully intercepted nine aerial threats, of which eight ballistic missiles were destroyed, while one missile fell in an uninhabited area,” the ministry said.

Authorities added that the interception operation was carried out as part of Qatar’s integrated air defence system, which is designed to protect the country’s airspace, critical infrastructure and civilian areas.

Gulf News

Analytics

Why Iran’s Kharg Oil Hub Is Untouched

Kharg Island – through which 90% of Iran’s oil exports flow – is arguably the country’s most sensitive economic target but the export terminal has so far remained untouched throughout the US-Israel bombing campaign.

Experts say bombing or capturing the site with US forces would be likely to cause a sustained increase to already surging oil prices, as it would amount to taking the entirety of Iran’s daily crude exports offline.

“We may see the $120 a barrel price we saw on Monday heading to the $150 if Kharg were attacked,” said Neil Quilliam, with the Chatham House thinktank. “It’s too vital for global energy markets”.

Although the US has struck 5,000 targets in and around Iran, it has so far refrained from bombing the country’s oil infrastructure – though oil prices remain nearly $20 per barrel higher because the fear of Iranian retaliation has in effect closed the strait of Hormuz to tanker traffic.

Israel’s air force did strike two oil refineries and two depots on Saturday, plunging Tehran into what some residents described as an “apocalyptic” darkness as thick black smoke descended over the capital. But there have been no attacks since.

Kharg, a five-mile-long coral island in the Persian Gulf 27 miles from the mainland, is where pipelines from Iran’s oilfields in the centre and the west of the country terminate. Established by a US oil conglomerate, Amoco, it was seized by Iran during the 1979 revolution.

While most of Iran’s coastline is silty and too shallow for very large crude tankers used by the oil industry, Kharg is sufficiently close to deep waters. Satellite imagery reveals vast loading jetties emerging from its eastern shore.

Typically, between 1.3m and 1.6m barrels of oil a day pass through Kharg, though Iran increased volumes to 3m a day in mid-February, according to the investment bank JP Morgan, in anticipation of a US-led attack. A further 18m barrels are stored on Kharg as a backup, the bank added.

Media reports have hinted at White House interest, including a brief reference in an Axios report on Saturday that officials had considered “seizing Kharg”. The US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, has not ruled out attacking Iran with ground forces, although there are not large numbers of US troops in the region.

Michael Rubin, a senior Pentagon adviser on Iran and Iraq in the George W Bush administration, said last week he had discussed the idea with White House officials, arguing it could be a way to cripple the Iranian regime economically. “If they can’t sell their own oil, they can’t make payroll,” he said.

Before the latest US-Israel offensive, most of Iran’s crude oil from Kharg was exported to China. But the interconnected nature of the market means a permanent loss in export supply would affect prices globally, at a time when a further 3.5m barrels a day, mostly from Iraq, are also offline because of the closure of Hormuz.

Destroying Kharg or damaging the export site “runs the risk of causing an economy-shaping increase in oil price that would not drop rapidly”, argues Lynette Nusbacher, a former British army intelligence officer. Israel did not attack it in last summer’s 12-day war, and its complex infrastructure could take years to repair.

There is also a longer-term political argument. “Kharg Island is sufficiently important to the Iranian economy that destroying its facilities would abandon any pretence of fighting a war to create a brighter future for Iran,” Nusbacher argues, because it would deny a successor regime vital oil income.

An effort to seize the island, given its size, would be likely to require a sizeable and sustained operation, greater than a typical special forces incursion. Though a US seizure would in theory give the White House leverage over Tehran, Quilliam argued it was very likely that such an effort would be self-defeating.

“If the US were to seize it, then you are separating the Iranian oil industry. Iran would have production but couldn’t export, while the US wouldn’t be able to produce. That would set markets in a tailspin; that’s a real standoff,” the analyst said.

The Guardian

politics

Two drones fall near Dubai airport, four injured

Dubai authorities have confirmed that two drones fell in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport (DXB) on Wednesday morning, resulting in minor injuries to two Ghanaian nationals and one Bangladeshi national, and moderate injuries to one Indian national. Air traffic is operating as normal.

Dubai Airports, which operates DXB and DWC, resumed operations partially from March 7 after a brief interruption.

Travellers have been urged to not travel to the airports unless they have been contacted by their airline that their flight is confirmed, as schedules continue to change.

On March 1, a concourse at DXB sustained minor damage in an incident, which was quickly contained. Emergency response teams were immediately deployed and managed the situation in coordination with the relevant authorities.

“Four staff sustained injuries and received prompt medical attention. Due to contingency plans already in place, most of the terminals were previously cleared of passengers,” the airport said in an earlier statement.

Last year, DXB welcomed 95.2 million guests, up 3.1 percent year on year, marking the busiest year in the airport’s history and the highest annual international passenger traffic ever recorded by any airport.

December was the busiest month in DXB history, with 8.7 million guests, up 6.1 percent year on year. The fourth quarter was also the busiest ever, with 25.1 million guests, an increase of 5.9 percent compared to the same period in 2024.

Total flight movements reached 118,000 in Q4, up 5 percent, bringing the annual total to 454,800, a rise of 3.3 percent year on year.

politics

Trump says Iran war is ‘very complete,

Donald Trump has said that the war in Iran is “very complete, pretty much”, as the economic toll of the joint US-Israeli operation has risen, disrupting global oil trade and threatening to engulf the Middle East in a regional war.

Trump made the comments before a speech and press conference in Florida where he sought to emphasise that the US military campaign would be ending soon amid concerns from Republican allies that the US was being dragged into another long-term conflict in the region.

“I think the war is very complete, pretty much,” he said in a phone call with CBS News. “They have no navy, no communications, they’ve got no air force.”

Addressing Republicans on Monday afternoon, he said: “We took a little excursion because we felt we had to do that to get rid of some evil. I think you’ll see it’s going to be a short-term excursion.”

But he also indicated he was not yet declaring the US mission accomplished in Iran. “We’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough,” he said.

US and Israeli warplanes launched new waves of strikes on targets across Iran on Monday, as large crowds took to the streets in Tehran in a defiant show of support for Mojtaba Khamenei, the country’s newly appointed supreme leader.

The conflict, now in its second week, continued to escalate, with fresh Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, US bases across the Middle East and energy infrastructure in the Gulf.

In Lebanon, Israel pressed its offensive against Hezbollah with raids in the south and airstrikes in Beirut, while an Iranian missile was shot down over Turkey. As drone strikes were reported in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, said France and its allies were preparing a “defensive” mission to the Gulf protect oil supplies.

In Tehran’s Enghelab Square on Monday, thousands gathered to offer allegiance to Iran’s new supreme leader, hours after the appointment was formally announced.

Chanting “Death to America, Death to Israel,” and “God is Great,” some waved Iranian flags, others banners bearing the portrait of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the new leader’s father, who was killed after 37 years in power by an Israeli airstrike in the first moments of the war. Armoured vehicles lined nearby roads and security personnel were stationed on the rooftops of surrounding buildings.

“The path of the martyred Imam Khamenei will carry on under the name of Khamenei,” said Hosseinali Eshkevari, a member of Iran’s assembly of experts, the body tasked with selecting the supreme leader.

Another member, Mohsen Heydari, said the late Ali Khamenei had recommended the selection of the candidate who is “hated by the enemy”.

Israel said it will target Iran’s new supreme leader, while the US president, Donald Trump, who has dismissed the younger Khamenei as a “lightweight”, criticised Mojtaba’s selection.

“I think they made a big mistake,” Trump told NBC. “I don’t know if it’s going to last. I think they made a mistake.”

The defiant rhetoric in Tehran and the appointment of Khamenei, who is seen by analysts as a hardliner with close ties to the Revolutionary Guards, intensified fears that the conflict could last for weeks or even months and leave deep instability in its wake. Stock markets across the world fell sharply on Monday after oil prices surged. But after surging as high as $119.50 per barrel, the oil price fell back down after Trump suggested the war could end “very soon”.

Iran’s attacks in the strait of Hormuz have all but stopped tankers from using the key shipping lane through which a fifth of the world’s oil is carried.

Speaking during a visit to Cyprus to discuss regional security, Macron said a new naval mission would be aimed at escorting container ships and tankers in order to gradually reopen the strait of Hormuz after the end of “the hottest phase of the conflict”.

France has already sent about a dozen naval vessels, including its aircraft carrier strike group, to the Mediterranean, Red Sea and potentially the strait of Hormuz as part of defensive support to allies threatened by the conflict in the Middle East.

Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, said in a post on X on Monday that safe passage through the strait of Hormuz would not be restored “amid the fires ignited by the United States and Israel in the region”.

Analysts have said Iran is hoping that restricting the flow of oil to global markets and attacking energy infrastructure in the region will threaten sufficient damage to the global economy to force Trump to end the US offensive, and bring an end to the war on Tehran’s terms.

Late on Monday Trump said on social media: “If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.”

The remark was an apparent response comments from a spokesperson for the paramilitary Revolutionary Guards, who said “Iran will determine when the war ends.”

Neither the US, Israel nor the Gulf states that have born the brunt of the Iranian attacks currently appear ready to consider concessions, however.

On Monday, Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, described Iran’s strikes on the kingdom as “a brutal attack by a neighbouring Muslim country, which we consider a friend, even though we have not permitted the use of our land, airspace, or coasts for any military action against it.” Saudi Arabia said Tehran would be the “biggest loser” if it continues to attack Arab states.

In the United Arab Emirates, authorities said two people were wounded by shrapnel from the interception of Iranian missiles over the capital, Abu Dhabi. By mid-afternoon, the Emirati defence ministry said 15 ballistic missiles and 18 drones were fired on the country on Monday.

A total of 253 missiles and 1,440 drones have been launched at the UAE since the war began. Four foreign nationals have been killed in the UAE and 117 wounded, authorities said.

Iran also attacked Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, where it hit a residential area, wounding 32 people, including several children, according to authorities. Another attack appeared to have started a fire at Bahrain’s only oil refinery, sending thick plumes of smoke into the air.

Bahrain has also accused Iran of damaging one of its desalination plants, though its electricity and water authority said supplies remained online. Desalination plants supply water to millions of residents in the region, raising new fears of catastrophic risks in parched desert nations.

Iran continues to target Israel with drones and ballistic missiles. A man was killed in central Israel in a missile strike, the first such death in Israel in a week, in which a woman was also wounded.

The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, at least 397 in Lebanon and 11 in Israel, according to officials. Israel reported its first military deaths on Sunday, saying two combat engineers were killed in southern Lebanon, where it is fighting Hezbollah.

An Israeli military spokesperson accused Iran of targeting Israel’s cities with cluster bombs.

“We are seeing on a daily basis [that] Iran is deliberately targeting densely populated civilian areas,” the spokesperson said.

The official said that Israel was attacking “terrorist infrastructure” in Lebanon, which has been pulled deep into the war in the Middle East since Hezbollah opened fire to avenge the killing of Khamenei, triggering an Israeli offensive, which has so far killed more than 400 people there, according to Lebanese authorities.

The Israeli military has ordered inhabitants to leave the southern suburbs of Beirut, much of south Lebanon and parts of the eastern Bekaa valley region – all areas that have served as political and security strongholds of Hezbollah

“Mass displacement across Lebanon has forced nearly 700,000 people – including around 200,000 children – from their homes, adding to the tens of thousands already uprooted from previous escalations,” Edouard Beigbeder, Unicef regional director, said.

“Children are being killed and injured at a horrifying rate, families are fleeing their homes in fear, and thousands of children are now sleeping in cold and overcrowded shelters,” he said.

In Turkey, Nato air defences intercepted a ballistic missile that entered the country’s airspace – the second such attack since the war started. President Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey’s main goal is to keep the country out of the “blaze” of the conflict.

The Guardian