Israel: OK to death penalty 'for terrorists'. Paris: UN Council for Blue Helmets killed

Donald Trump wants to see a deal with Iran before 6 April, when he set the deadline for reaching an agreement otherwise he will bomb the country's energy infrastructure. This was said by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, pointing out that Iran privately agreed to part of the 15-point plan presented by the US.

"Following the unpleasant episode on 29 March, Palm Sunday, involving Card. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins, and Father Francesco Ielpo, Custos of the Holy Land, who were prevented from entering the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem by Israeli police, Card. Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, accompanied by Msgr. Paul R. Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organisations, met with Yaron Sideman, Ambassador of the State of Israel to the Holy See". This was announced by the Vatican. "During the conversation," the note explains, "regret was expressed for the incident, regarding which clarifications were offered, and the understanding reached between the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the local authorities regarding participation in the liturgy of the Holy Triduum at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was noted".

"I am following with great concern what is happening in southern Lebanon, particularly in relation to the involvement of Unifil forces, which today causedthe death of three peacekeepers and the wounding of others. On this issue I had a telephone conversation this afternoon with my French colleague Catherine Vautrin, with whom we shared the strategic importance of Unifil". This was stated by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto. "Hitting UN contingents is not tolerable or acceptable in any way," he adds, "UN forces are there to ensure peace, help prevent escalation and offer, where possible, a space for dialogue and protection for the civilian population." "Those who attack the Blue Helmets do not strike individual contingents: they strike the international community as a whole and the principles that guarantee coexistence between states," Crosetto concludes.

"Following the very serious incidents suffered by the Unifil blue helmets, I called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. France condemns in the strongest terms the shooting that on 29 March killed an Indonesian Unifil soldier and wounded three others, as well as the explosion that on 30 March killed two other Indonesian soldiers and wounded two others" The French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, wrote this in a post on X. "Such attacks in close proximity to the positions of UN peacekeepers are unacceptable and unjustifiable. France expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the fallen blue helmets and its solidarity with Indonesia, wishing the injured personnel a speedy recovery. It calls for a full investigation into the circumstances of these tragedies,' it further reads. 'France,' Barrot continues, 'also condemns the serious incidents suffered yesterday by the French Unifil contingent in the Naqoura area. These security violations and acts of intimidation perpetrated by Israeli soldiers against UN personnel are unacceptable and unjustifiable, especially considering that de-escalation procedures had been followed. These condemnations were expressed in the strongest terms to the Israeli Ambassador in Paris. I call on all parties to comply with UN Security Council Resolution 1701 and to ensure that thesecurity of UN personnel is respected and guaranteed, in accordance with international law and the UN Personnel Security Convention. Unifil must be able to fully carry out its mandate and exercise its full freedom of movement. I commend the professionalism, courage and commitment of all UN personnel in South Lebanon,' he concludes.

"We have expressed our concerns to Israel about the closure of these holy places". White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said this regarding the Pizzaballa case. "We want the faithful to be able to access these holy places." Leavitt said the White House had taken note of Israeli "security" concerns. Leavitt opened the press briefing by referring to Holy Week and the president's Easter initiatives.

The Civil Rights Association of Israelhas filed an appeal to the High Court of Justice against the law on the death penalty for persons convicted of terrorism, which has just been passed by the Knesset. "This extreme law, designed to apply only to Palestinians, is unconstitutional and causes irreversible and cruel damage to the right to life," reads the appeal reported by Ynet.

"The provisions of this law, and the fact that it is formulated to apply only to Palestinians, aggravate its illegality and unconstitutionality," the appeal adds, further arguing that the law does not respond to the values of a democratic state and was enacted with a vindictive and racist intent.

The office of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu contacted King Abdullah of Jordan several times recently in an attempt to arrange a meeting between the two leaders, but the request was rejected. This was reported by broadcaster Kan, according to which, one of the reasons given by Jordan is that the king will not consider a meeting with Netanyahu as long as the Al-Aqsa mosque remains closed. Jordan considers itself the custodian of the site in the Old City of Jerusalem, while Israel only recognises Jordan's 'special role' in the site. The Jordanians also called on Israel to address settler violence, to ease restrictions on Muslim worshippers on the Temple Mount, where the Al-Aqsa Mosque is located, to sign a new water agreement, to allow more aid into Gaza, and to provide answers on the future of the Palestinian issue, but were not satisfied with Israel's responses.

Donald Trump increasingly plummeting in the polls. The president's approval rate fell again, to 33%, the lowest level of his second term. This is the finding of a University of Massachusetts Amherst poll, conducted between 20 and 25 March and according to which62% of Americans do not approve of him. The president's approval rate is five points lower than in July 2025 and 11 points lower than last April.

The Knesset approved in final reading the law introducing the death penalty in Israel for acts of terrorism, which passed with 62 votes in favour and 48 against. Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu voted in favour, one of the ultra-Orthodox parties in the coalition opposed it, while the law won the support of Avigdor Lieberman's opposition party.

President Trump would be 'very interested' in seeing Arab countries in the region contribute to the payment of the financial costs of the war against Iran. This was said by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, responding to a reporter's question. "I don't want to pre-empt him on that subject, but I certainly know it's an idea he has and I think you'll hear about it."

"The United States Armed Forces are meeting or exceeding all their objectives within the framework of Operation Epic Fury and do not need the help of Spain or others": this was stated to the Efe agency by a Trump administration official, commenting on the closure of Spanish airspace to flights taking part in the US and Israeli military operation against Iran.

For the military operation in Iran 'the president and the Pentagon estimated 4-6 weeks. Today we are on day 30". This was said by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt in response to a question about the duration of the conflict.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks of "fractures" within the Iranian regime and, in an interview with the Abc broadcaster, points out that the US hopes that exponents "with the power to achieve results" will prevail. In another interview, with al Jazeera, Rubio explained that there are "messages and some direct talks between some exponents in Iran and the United States" even though, he pointed out, the communication takes place "mainly through intermediaries". "But there have been some (direct) conversations," he said. "There are exponents who talk to us in a way that the people who were in power in Iran had never done with the United States in the past," he added, nonetheless deploring the Iranians as "crazy, not sane, religious fanatics who can never be allowed to possess a religious weapon because they have an apocalyptic vision of the future."

The Israeli police confirm that, following a meeting this morning with Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins, it was agreed that the traditional Passover ceremonies "will take place in a limited and symbolic format". As stated in a statement, "there was broad agreement during the meeting on the unique security situation this year and that the current situation does not allow for large-scale gatherings", after there have also been missile and debris impacts near holy sites over the past two weeks. "The pdanger is real, present and immediate. The primary objective shared by all, police and religious leaders, is first and foremost the protection of human lives". "The Israeli police in the Jerusalem district continue their operational preparations, fully adapting to the complex reality of security in Israel during Operation 'Lion's Roar' (against Iran, ed.)." "From the beginning of the operation, it was decided that the holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem would remain closed to the public of believers in order to protect lives." "The Jerusalem Sub-District of David under the command of Dvir Tamin is maintaining an ongoing dialogue with all Christian communities in view of the Passover celebrations," it noted.

In the past 24 hours, the Israeli Air Force hit 170 targets in Iran using some 400 bombs, including weapons production sites and Iranian security force headquarters, according to the military. The Air Force jets reportedly struck 'a central site' for the production of 'significant' weapons components; sites for the production of drone engines; and a complex where weapons components were being developed. In western Iran, the Israeli Air Force struck several 'central' headquarters of the Iranian Armed Forces, including a Basij complex in Daghlan and a police station in Sanandaj, the military adds.

During an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the situation around the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamemei, "opaque". "We don't even know if he is in power. I know they say he is but no one has seen him. It is not entirely clear how decisions are made inside Iran," he said.

South Korea has returned to purchasing nafta from Russia. It had not done so since December 2022 following the start of the invasion of Ukraine by Moscow forces. LG Chem has purchased 27,000 tonnes of naphtha (the country's requirement is four million tonnes per month), the Yonhap news agency reported, citing informed sources, pointing out that the supplies were expected as early as today. The Industry Ministry admitted that South Korean refineries are also trying to buy Russian oil. The contract was made possible by the lifting of US sanctions on hydrocarbons already embarked on 12 March. South Korea imports 45 per cent of the naphtha it needs.

The United Nations Mission in Lebanon (Unifil) has disclosed the killing of two peacekeepers in an explosion in the south of the country, confirming an internal UN report cited by the New York Times. "Two Unifil peacekeepers were tragically killed today in southern Lebanon when an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle near Bani Haiyyan. A third peacekeeper was seriously injured and a fourth was wounded," reads a note from the mission, which announced the opening of an investigation.

According to an Israeli Defence Forces announcement some senior Hezbollah commanders responsible for coordination between the Lebanese group and Palestinian organisations were killed today in an Israeli attack in Beirut. In the attack, it is explained, Hamza Ibrahim Rakhin, deputy commander of Hezbollah Unit 1800, was killed, along with the unit's operations chief and another member of the group.

Nato reports that its forces today intercepted an Iranian missile heading towards Turkey, confirming an earlier announcement by the Turkish defence ministry. "On Monday 30 March, Nato again successfully intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile headed towards" Turkey, said Nato spokeswoman Allison Hart. "Nato is ready for these threats and will always do what is necessary to defend all allies, she added.

Iran has accused Ukraine of being directly involved in military operations against Tehran. In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the Security Council, Iranian Permanent Representative to the UN Amir Saeid Iravani said that Kiev's admission of sending experts to the Middle East "constitutes active participation in military aggression against Iran." "By doing so, Ukraine is assuming international responsibility under international law for aiding or assisting in the commission ofan internationally wrongful act," Iravani wrote in the letter circulated by the state-run Irna news agency, adding that it is "providing operational and technical assistance that directly contributes to the use of force and acts of aggression against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran." The diplomat also warned that deliberately targeting 'civilian industrial infrastructure with the aim of exerting economic pressure or collective punishment may constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law, including war crimes'.

Natural gas closed up at 55 euros on the Ttf market in Amsterdam. As the war between the US, Israel and Iran continued, futures contracts gained 0.88% to EUR 55.01 per MWh, despite the optimism flaunted by US President Donald Trump, who spoke of "great progress" in talks with Tehran, which, however, did not respond.

Over 450 women and children have been killed in Iran as a result of attacks by the US and Israel, Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said today.

"The attacks have killed 246 women, 216 people under the age of 18 and 17 people under the age of five, Mohajerani told Iranian television, without specifying the total number of victims of the conflict.

US President Donald Trump confirmed thatIranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is the regime figure with whom Washington has been in contact in recent weeks.

Trump told the New York Post that he will know "in about a week" whether Ghalibaf is a person with whom the United States can really cooperate.

"The Italian government considers the reasons and the manner of protest that Cardinal Pizzaballa has decided to adopt to be absolutely understandable and totally shareable; it does not believe that further comments by officials can help to advance the confrontation". This is what is stated in a note issued by the Farnesina after today's meeting between Israel's ambassador to Italia,Jonathan Peled, and the deputy secretary general and director general for Political Affairs, Cecilia Piccioni, following the summons of the diplomat ordered by Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani. The summons, the Farnesina recalls, had been decided in protest at the serious denial of access to the Holy Sepulchre imposed, on Palm Sunday, on Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, head of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, and the Custos of the Holy Land, Father Francesco Ielpo. During the meeting, the note specifies, an updated point was made, following the new provisions given by the Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to ensure Cardinal Pizzaballa's immediate access to the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Mass.

'Get used to the new order in the region'. This was written Esmail Qaani, commander of the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, in a post on X, saying that attacks perpetrated by pro-Iranian groups undermined what he called Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans to expand a regional security belt. "Netanyahu dreamed of extending a security belt in the region, but the intelligent and courageous fire of our brothers in Hezbollah in the north and Ansar Allah in the south unmasked the regime's false assurances," the post reads, "the dream of the resistance's martyred commanders has come true: the operations room of the axis of resistance is united".

Nine people have been killed by Israeli raids in Lebanon in the last 24 hours, the country's Ministry of Health announced in a statement. According to the statement, 1,247 people have died and another 3,680 have been injured since the beginning of the Israeli incursion into southern Lebanon on 2 March.

"The world is facing yet another shock": the war in the Middle East "is clouding the prospects of many economies that had just begun to show signs of recovery from previous crises. The shock is global but asymmetrical'. This is stated by the International Monetary Fund, pointing out that 'although war may shape the economy in different ways, all roads lead to higher prices and slower growth'. A short-lived war "could send oil and gas prices soaring before markets can settle, while" a prolonged conflict "could keep energy costs high and put pressure on import-dependent countries," the Fund explains, pointing out that an "intermediate scenario - with persistent tensions, expensive energy, and hard-to-tame inflation - characterised by ongoing uncertainty and geopolitical risks" cannot be ruled out. The IMF then notes how 'much depends on the duration of the conflict, its extent and the extent of damage to infrastructure and supply chains'.

The Turkish Defence Ministry said that a ballistic missile from Iran was intercepted by Nato air and missile defence systems deployed in the eastern Mediterranean after entering Turkish airspace, without specifying the exact location of the interception. Today's is the fourth missile from Iran towards Turkey to be intercepted by NATO's defence system since the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran began whilethe Islamic Republic has always denied responsibility for the missile launch.

A spokesman for Khatam al-Anbiya's central headquarters said Israel had struck a desalination plant in Kuwait, after the Kuwait claimed that an Indian worker had been killed in an Iranian attack on a power and water plant. The spokesman saidthe attack was carried out "to blame the Islamic Republic" and warned that US bases and Israeli interests in the region would remain targets. Iran International reports.

Two more blue helmets of the Unifil mission died today in Lebanon. The New York Times reported this, citing a UN report that the two peacekeepers were in a convoy that was 'hit by an explosion whose cause is not yet known'. Several other blue helmets were injured. Yesterday, an Indonesian UN peacekeeper was killed in southern Lebanon.

"Iran is threatening to control the Strait of Hormuz and establish a toll system. This will not be allowed." This was stated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in an interview with Abc. "The world should take note of Iran's threats to set up a system in the Strait to control who transits international waters," he explained."They have a lot more to lose than we do. Only a fraction of our energy transits there, the rest of the world gets a lot more, he added.

Read more: Navy Chief of Staff Bergotto warns: 'The defence of Hormuz is not zero risk'

Israel's ambassador to Italia, Jonathan Peled, said he had a "very open" meeting at the Farnesina over the issue of the ban on the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, from entering the Holy Sepulchre basilica in the Holy Land. "Every incident is an opportunity to learn from later,' Peled admitted to Rtl 102.5. 'We could have all acted differently: perhaps even our police forces... Maybe, though, the Patriarch was a bit rash. The Italia government was quick to condemn the incident. I think we have all learnt our lesson'. "We had a very open dialogue and I explained more or less what I am explaining to you, that this happened for security reasons," the ambassador explained, according to what can be read on the radio station's website, "but I would add that we regret the incident and that we have now found a solution so that the Patriarch and the Christian community can, in very small numbers, celebrate Easter despite being under Iranian missile attack.

Read more: Pizzaballa and Ielpo denied access to the Holy Sepulchre, then Netanyahu backs down

The EU Council decided to extend restrictive measures in response to serious human rights violations in Iran until 13 April 2027. These measures consist of a travel ban and a freezing of assets, as well as a ban on exports to Iran of equipment that could be used for internal repression and telecommunications monitoring equipment. In addition, EU citizens and companies are prohibited from making funds available to listed natural and legal persons. In the context of the sanctions review, the Council also decided not to renew the listing of a deceased person. The list now includes a total of 262 persons and 53 entities.

Negotiations between the US and Iran are currently ongoing, including through mediation, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today.

"He (President Donald Trump, ed) prefers diplomacy. As I said, these efforts are still in their infancy. There are messages being passed back and forth, some conversations going on, even through intermediaries,' Rubio told ABC's Good Morning America, noting, however, that 'we also have to be prepared for the fact that this effort could fail'.

Without an agreement including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the US will 'blow up' and 'completely destroy' all Iranian power plants, oil wells and Kharg Island. US President Donald Trump declared this on Truth Social. "The United States of America is in serious negotiations with a new, more reasonable regime to end our military operations in Iran," Trump explained, "Great progress has been made but, if for whatever reason an agreement is not reached soon, which it probably will be, and if the Strait of Hormuz is not immediately 'opened for business', we will end our 'pleasant stay' in Iran by blowing up and completely destroying all their power plants, oil wells and Kharg Island (and perhaps all desalination plants too!), which we have so far deliberately not 'touched'." "This will be done in retaliation for our many soldiers, and others, whom Iran slaughtered and killed during the 47-year 'reign of terror' of the old regime," Trump concluded.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar will travel to China on Tuesday for talks with his Chinese counterpart regarding possible developments on peace agreements between the US and Iran, Al Jazeera reports. The visit comes at a crucial time regarding tensions in the Middle East as Minister Dar last week took part in a quadrilateral diplomatic initiative, along with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt, aimed at bringing the US and Iran to the negotiating table in Islamabad. China has already publicly expressed its support for the initiative, and at the end of the talks on Sunday, Dar reiterated that Beijing fully supports Pakistan's initiative to host the US-Iran negotiations.

'This is not our war and we will not be drawn into it'. This was stated by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reiterating his line on the Middle East conflict and the pressure, combined with strong criticism, from US President Donald Trump over London's belated and limited support for US military operations. "My position and the position of this government does not change, regardless of the pressure on us," Sir Keir added, speaking at an event in the West Midlands dedicated to launching Labour's election campaign ahead of the 7 May local elections, in which the prime minister is likely to suffer a heavy defeat, with possible direct repercussions for his leadership in crisis. Starmer focused on foreign policy in his speech, criticising on the one hand the right-wing oppositions, Kemi Badenoch's Tories and Nigel Farage's Reform Uk, 'who wanted the entry' of the US and Israel into the conflict against Iran 'without thinking through the consequences', and on the other hand Zack Polanski's Greens, a rising camp to the left of Labour, for 'wanting the UK out of NATO'.

At least two people were killed in a joint US-Israeli attack on an orphanage west of Tehran, Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency reports. The attack targeted a newly built charity compound for orphans in the city of Fardis, about 40 kilometres west of the capital; in addition to the two confirmed victims, five other people were injured, according to a regional official quoted by the agency.

The new White House ballroom will include a military bunker. This was revealed by US President Donald Trump. 'The military is building a huge complex under the ballroom,' he told reporters aboard Air Force One, as reported by US media. Trump said the building will have bulletproof glass and 'drone-proof' roofs and ceilings. The president added that work is proceeding ahead of schedule and under budget.

The Iranian government has returned to question its commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). According to local media reports, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei stated that Tehran will continue to abide by the treaty 'as long as it remains a member', but warned that its 'usefulness is under scrutiny' in light of the attacks on the country. Baghaei also confirmed that the possibility of withdrawal from the NPT is currently 'under review by parliament'.

In the hands of each player, clutched to his chest, a purple schoolbag; on his arm, a black armband in sign of mourning: this is how the Iranian national football team appeared on the pitch before the friendly match against Nigeria, in protest during the national anthem to remember the children killed in the US bombing of the primary schools in the Iranian city of Minab in the early stages of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

The incident happened on 27 March at the Mardan Sports Complex stadium in Aksu, Antalya, Turkey. According to Fanpage.it, a spokesman for the national team explained that 'it was an idea born to pay tribute to the young victims of the Shajareh Tayyebeh school. According to the authorities in Tehran, the building that housed the school was hit during the first joint attacks by the US and Israel, causing the death of as many as 175 people, including 165 girls. According to reports in the New York Times at the time, the missile was indeed fired by the US military, but due to a mistake'. Iran's participation in the World Cup is in high doubt due to the war in the Middle East. The friendly match then ended with Nigeria winning 2-1.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei described the 15-point US proposals as 'excessive and unreasonable'. According to the London-based Iranian dissident broadcaster 'Iran International', Baghaei said there had been no direct contact with the US and messages received from Washington came through intermediaries, including Pakistan. The official added that Iran's position on the issues under discussion is clear and that Tehran remains focused on its own framework.

Fire in the Bazan oil refinery in Haifa, northern Israel, after the latest missile attack by Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah. The Times of Israel reported this on the basis of pictures broadcast by Channel 12. It is not clear, the newspaper writes, whether the refinery was hit directly by a missile or by fragments as a result of air defence activities.

The Syrian army said a large-scale drone attack targeted its bases near the Iraqi border today. In a statement, the army reported "a large-scale attack by several drones that targeted several military bases near the Iraqi border at dawn today", adding that most of the drones were intercepted. "We are assessing our options and will respond appropriately to neutralise any threat and prevent any aggression against Syrian territory."

Iran confirms the death of the naval commander of the Guardians of the Revolution, the Pasdaran. Last week Israel, which has been carrying out military operations against Iran with the US since 28 February, had announced that it had killed Alireza Tangsiri. He died 'from the severity of his injuries', the Pasdaran have now announced, as reported by the Iranian news agency Irna and relayed by al-Jazeera satellite TV.

The Israeli army stated that Iran has launched several waves of missiles against Israel and that an attack was launched from Yemen, for the second time since the beginning of the war between the US and Israel. International media wrote this. He also claimed that two drones from Yemen were intercepted this morning, but gave no further details. The Iranian-backed Yemeni Houthi militia went to war on Saturday, firing missiles at Israel and escalating a conflict that has engulfed the Middle East.

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt left Islamabad after high-level talks to discuss reaching a diplomatic solution to the war in Iran. Al Jazeera reports. Pakistan's Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar reiterated that 'dialogue and diplomacy' remain the only viable solutions to the Gulf crisis. According to the communiqué released after the session, the four countries called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, emphasised Muslim unity, and supported structured negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Dar said he had briefed his counterparts on the prospects of possible US-Iran talks in Islamabad, with the visiting ministers expressing "full support" for the initiative. The foreign ministers also held talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the meeting.

Israeli forces launched an air strike against the southern suburbs of Beirut. Al Jazeera reports this. Earlier, the IDF's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee issued an urgent alert on X, calling on residents of the southern suburbs of Lebanon's capital to evacuate their homes immediately.

Iran will allow the passage of 20 oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz this morning as a ''sign of respect'' to the United States and a soothing gesture in an attempt to ease tensions. This was stated by US President Donald Trump to reporters on board Air Force One.

Spain closes its airspace to planes participating in the Iran war. After consulting with Madrid, Washington withdrew its plan to deploy B-52 and B-1 bombers to Morón.

On the first day of the war with Iran, a weapon bearing the characteristics of a newly developed US-made ballistic missile was used in an attack that hit a gymnasium and an adjacent primary schools near a military base in southern Iran, according to weapons experts and a visual analysis by the New York Times. The US newspaper writes. Local officials quoted by the Iranian media said that this attack and others nearby in the city of Lamerd left at least 21 people dead. The 28 February attack occurred on the same day that a US Tomahawk cruise missile hit a school in the city of Minab, several hundred kilometres away, killing 175 people. In Lamerd's case, however, it was a weapon not tested in combat. The NYT verified videos of two attacks in Lamerd, as well as footage after the attacks. Times reporters and munitions experts found that the weapon's characteristics, explosions and damage were consistent with a short-range ballistic missile called a Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, designed to detonate just above the target and project small tungsten projectiles outwards. Video footage of an attack, in a residential area about 270 metres from the gymnasium and school, shows the weapon in flight, with a distinctive silhouette matching the PrSM. The missile explodes in a large fireball in midair. Another video, taken from a security camera located directly in front of the gymnasium, shows the attack on the gymnasium and the adjacent school. Although the video does not capture an incoming missile, it clearly shows an explosion just above the structure.

"Two members of the dissident People's Mujahideen organisation (Mko) were executed this morning in Tehran". This was announced by the Iranian judiciary.

Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia could form a consortium to manage oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters reported this citing two Pakistani sources, according to which the idea has already been discussed with the US and Iran as part of attempts to contain regional escalation. According to one of the sources, several proposals have already been submitted to the White House in the past, including an Egyptian one, based on a tariff system similar to the one in place for the Suez Canal.

Donald Trump said that the US and Iran had met "directly and indirectly" and that the new Iranian leaders had been "very reasonable". The US president's statements came after Pakistan, which acts as an intermediary between Tehran and Washington, said it was preparing to host 'meaningful talks' in the coming days aimed at ending the month-long war with Iran . According to the Guardian, citing Reuters, the US president told reporters aboard Air Force One: "I think we will be able to reach an agreement with them, I'm almost certain of that, but it's possible it won't happen." Trump said he believed the US had already achieved regime change in Iran after attacks killed the country's supreme leader and other senior officials, but repeated twice that their replacements seemed 'reasonable'.

US President Donald Trump said he would like to "take the oil in Iran", calling critics in the US "stupid", in an interview with the Financial Times. "Actually, my preference would be to take the oil in Iran," the US president said, adding that opponents of this in the US are "stupid". According to reports, any attempt to control Iran's oil exports would likely involve seizing Kharg Island in the Gulf, through which most of the country's oil transits. Crude oil prices rose after the escalation in the region. Trump said he thought Iranian defences on Kharg Island were weak and that US forces could take it 'very easily', while noting that they might have to stay there 'for a while'. "Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don't. We have many options," the president added.

One death and extensive material damage were the toll of an Iranian attack on a service building of a power generation and water desalination plant in Kuwait. This was reported by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Electricity. The victim is an Indian citizen. Emergency teams were immediately dispatched to the scene to deal with the aftermath of the attack and ensure the smooth continuation of operations

Donald Trump is considering a military operation to recover more than 450 kilograms of uranium in Iran. A complex mission that would see American forces operating inside the country for days or longer. This was reported by the Wall Street Journal citing sources, according to which the president has not yet decided. Trump is aware of the risks involved in such an operation but remains open to the idea. The president and some of his allies have said privately that it would be possible to seize the uranium in a targeted operation that would not prolong the war, which they would like to end by mid-April.

Donald Trump believes that 'regime change' has been achieved in Iran. The president said this aboard Air Force One. "We've had regime change. One regime was decimated, the next one also is all dead and now we're dealing with a third regime, with different people than before. And I consider this a regime change. Frankly, they are reasonable," Trump said.

The Blue Helmet killed in an explosion at a Unifil position near Adchit Al Qusayr in southern Lebanon was Indonesian. This was announced by the authorities in Jakarta.