Iran confirms death of Larijani. Iranian response, two dead in Tel Aviv. Trump: 'War will end in a few days'

The Department of State has orderedall US diplomatic posts around the world to initiate "immediate" security assessments in light of the "ongoing and evolving situation in the Middle East and the potential risk of cascading effects". This is what is contained in a cable viewed by the Washington Post. The cable states that 'All locations around the world' should convene their Emergency Action Committees (EACs) and review their 'security posture'. The document bears the signature of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and specifies that the order came from Under Secretary for Management, Jason Evans. Although similar orders have been sent to diplomatic posts in the Middle East in recent weeks, Tuesday's order, the Washington Post points out, appears to mark the first occasion when all posts globally have been required to review their security protocols due to the conflict with Iran.

The Israeli army urged residents of the southern Lebanese city of Tyre to evacuate, warning that it was about to strike targets in the area it said were linked to Hezbollah. The army's Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, issued an "urgent alert" to residents of the city and surrounding areas, stating its intention to "act forcefully" against Hezbollah.

After the killings of Ali Larijani and Gholamreza Soleimani, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Iranians to take to the streets to celebrate the ancient Fire Festival. "In the last 24 hours we have eliminated two of the terrorist leaders, the top terrorist leaders of this tyranny," Netanyahu said from the Air Force command bunker in Kirya, Tel Aviv, as reported by Times of Israel. "Our planes are striking terrorists on the ground, at intersections, in city squares," he said. "This is to allow the brave Iranian people to celebrate the Fire Festival."

Iran has confirmed the death of Ali Larijani, the head of the Supreme Security Council. along with his son and his deputy. This was reported in the Tehran press. The IDF had claimed his killing after a raid on Tehran.

The USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier, which participated in Operation Epic Fury against Iran, will be repaired at the Souda Bay base in Crete after a fire broke out on board last week. This was reported by a US military official to the New York Times. The fire, which broke out in the laundry room on 12 March, took over 30 hours to put out, while repairs are expected to take at least a week.

Iraq is in contact with Iran to try to arrange the passage of some of its oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. The Iraqi oil minister told local media. A founding member of Opec, Iraq derives 90% of its budget revenue from the sale of crude oil. Before the outbreak of war on 28 February, Iraq exported its oil - about 3.5 million barrels per day - mainly from the southern Basra fields through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has closed the Strait, through which up to one-fifth of globally produced crude oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes, to ships from most countries. "Contacts are underway with the relevant authorities to allow some oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz so that we can resume our exports," Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdel Ghani told local television station al-Sharqiya, referring to the Iranian ships. 'We have to provide them with the identity of these ships, their name, their affiliation, who owns them,' he added.

Russia is expanding intelligence sharing and military cooperation with Iran, providing satellite imagery and advanced technology for drones to support Tehran in detecting and attacking US forces in the region. This was reported by informed sources to the Wall Street Journal. The technology supplied includes components of modified Shahed drones designed to improve communications, navigation, and targeting, the sources said. Russia also drew on its experience using drones in Ukraine, offering tactical guidance on how many to use in operations and what altitudes to strike from.

The Iranian opposition television network Iran International reported that it had learned from 'informed sources' that the Israeli raid that cost the life of National Security Advisor Ali Larijani also claimed the lives of his deputy at the Supreme Council for National Security, Ali Bateni, and Larijani's son, who was his special assistant.

The Israeli armed forces will continue to strike at anyone who 'poses a threat to the State of Israel', including the new Iranian Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei: this was stated by IDF spokeswoman Effie Defrin.

Asked if there was any news about the fate of Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since the day of his appointment, the spokesman replied in the negative: "But I can say one thing: we will continue - as we have shown - to hunt down anyone who poses a threat to the State of Israel, and anyone who raises a finger against it is not immune. We will pursue him, find him and neutralise him." Israel will also continue to target members of the Iranian Basij paramilitary forces: 'We will hit them all, anywhere, anytime'.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed the death of the commander of the Basij forces, Gholamreza Soleimani. In a statement released by Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency, the Pasdaran said Soleimani was killed in an 'attack by the American-Zionist enemy'. Soleimani, who led the Basij forces for the past six years and oversaw internal security operations, 'played an unprecedented and strategic role in modernising the popular and jihadist structure of the Basij forces, developing constructive movements, eliminating deprivation, and providing assistance to oppressed and vulnerable groups,' it reads.

The United States has encouraged Syria to consider sending forces to eastern Lebanon to help disarm Hezbollah, but Damascus is reluctant to embark on the mission because it fears getting involved in the war and inflaming tensions between the various sects. This is reported by Reuters on its website, which cites sources.

"There are 201 Ukrainian specialists in the Middle East and the Gulf and another 34 are ready to be deployed," Zelensky stressed in a speech before MPs and lords in the Westminster Parliament, the last act of his visit to the Kingdom after the signing of the new defence pact with Starmer: "They are military experts, capable of giving help in the defence against Iranian Shahed drones". The Ukrainian president then also evoked a hypothetical Kiev aid to the UK in the defence of the Raf base in Akrotiri, Cyprus. In his speech, Zelensky also spoke of the growing war use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), warning that 'enemies' already use it, that in the future this technology will give rise to even more 'bloody' weapons, and encouraging Western leaders to invest more in the military industry, technology, and weapons innovation. And he put on the table the tried and tested 'products' that a country at war like his can offer the market. To finally reveal that he had given 'His Majesty King Charles III an iPad'. "We must act now so that the next generations can say that today's leaders acted when it mattered to do so, to ensure that people can live safely in the future," he proclaimed, adding: "If Vladimir Putin had been stopped in 2022, we would not have to defend ourselves against Shahed drones today.

The USS Tripoli with some 2,200 marines on board set sail from Singapore bound for the Middle East. Cnn reports this, citing informed sources.

In the attack that killed Ali Larijani, his son and Ali Banti, deputy to the head of Iran's National Security Council, also died. This was reported by Iran International, a Persian-language channel broadcasting from London and associated with opponents of the regime.

Three explosive-laden drones attacked the US embassy near Baghdad airport in Iraq. Police sources stated that an air defence system was activated. Several loud explosions were heard, according to Afp reports, attributable to the activation of the embassy's air defence system, which intercepted the aircraft. Another witness saw a fire in the embassy compound from his balcony; the fire was also reported by a security officer, who said it was caused by a drone.

There are more than 200 Ukrainian soldiers, veterans of the anti-drone war with Russia, sent in recent days to the Middle East in support of ongoing operations against Iran's reaction to US and Israeli attacks. This was claimed by President Volodymyr Zelensky from London, on the sidelines of the signing of the bilateral defence agreement with Prime Minister Keir Starmer - and in the presence of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte - focused on the production of drones and the so-called low-cost drone defence system.

"It will largely be over in 2 or 3 days". This was said by the US president, Donald Trump, speaking about the intervention in Iran. "We are not ready to leave yet, but we will be very soon," he added.

Donald Trump is confident that "before long" the Strait of Hormuz will be safe. "I think it won't be long now, we're pounding the coast, basically the coast and the sea, it won't be long now," the president told reporters in the Oval Office, moving on to praise the Middle Eastern countries that, unlike NATO, have responded to his call for help. "The states of the Middle East, including Israel, are extraordinary, they are helping us very much," he said.

"We are not ready to leave yet, but we will leave in the near future". Donald Trump said this, responding to a question from reporters about when the US will end the war in Iran. But to a question about fears that sending ground troops could provoke a new Vietnam, Trump replied that he was not afraid of this scenario: "I'm not afraid, I'm really not afraid of anything."

Il presidente degli Stati Uniti Donald Trump interviene durante l'incontro con il Taoiseach irlandese Micheal Martin nell'Ufficio Ovale della Casa Bianca a Washington DC, Stati Uniti, il 17 marzo 2026. EPA/YURI GRIPAS / POOL

Lebanon 'is one step away from a wider conflict that risks having disastrous humanitarian consequences'. This was stated by the British Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, in a speech in the House of Commons reported by SkyNews. The minister said she was 'extremely concerned' about the cost to civilians of Israeli operations in the country, adding: 'We need urgent diplomatic action to avert further escalation'.

The White House criticises Joe Kent, the head of the counter-terrorism centre who resigned because he opposed the war in Iran. "There are many false claims" in Kent's letter, says spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. "Let me address one in particular, which is that Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation. This is a falsehood that Democrats and some liberal media outlets repeat, she explained, stressing that "as the president clearly said, there was strong evidence that Iran would attack the United States."

President Donald Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social that the United States "has been informed by most of its Nato allies" of its willingness to "not be involved in the military operation against the Iranian terrorist regime". "We no longer have the need or desire for assistance from NATO countries" or even "from Japan, Australia or South Korea," he wrote. "I am not surprised by their behaviour, as I have always considered Nato - on which we spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year to protect these very countries - as a one-way street: we protect them, but they do nothing for us, especially in times of need," he wrote. "Fortunately, we annihilated Iran's armed forces." "In fact, speaking as president of the United States of America - by far the most powerful country in the world - we don't need anyone's help!" concluded Trump.

It is "absolutely" time for the US and Israel to end the war in Iran, as "it would be in everyone's interest if this war stopped". These were the words of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas in an interview with Reuters relayed by the international media, emphasising that "the problem with wars is that it is easier to start them than to stop them and they always get out of hand". The EU does not understand some of the US's actions under Donald Trump or its goals in Iran, but it has become accustomed to its unpredictability and is "calmer" in its responses, he added. "The main concern of European countries is that we were not consulted before starting this war, in fact the opposite happened. Many Europeans were trying to convince the US and Israel not to start it," Kallas explained, emphasising that the EU was willing to help "diplomatically to bring the parties together to really stop this war". The European institutions have "consulted countries in the region such as those in the Gulf, Jordan, Egypt, to see if we could also make proposals for Iran, Israel and the United States to get out of this situation so that everyone can save face," he added. On the EU side, "no one is ready to put their people at risk in the Strait of Hormuz," the High Representative emphasised. "We have to find diplomatic ways to keep it open, so that we can avoid a food, fertiliser and energy crisis in the world". Her proposal is to replicate the UN-brokered agreement allowing Ukraine to export grain, food and fertiliser through the Black Sea without civilian ships being attacked by Russia, an idea she discussed with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Some 45 million people could face acute levels of hunger if the war in Iran does not end by mid-year. This was revealed in an analysis by the UN World Food Programme (WFP). Those affected by hunger would add to the other 318 million worldwide who already face acute food insecurity - meaning they are unable to get enough food and their lives or livelihoods are at risk. 'If the conflict continues, it will unleash shockwaves around the world, and families who already cannot afford their next meal will be hardest hit,' said Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the WFP. "Without an adequately funded humanitarian response, it could mean catastrophe for millions of people already on the brink," he added. Iran's near-blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted food shipments from logistics centres in Dubai, and ships face huge detours and rising costs due to high oil prices. The conflict is having repercussions worldwide, with the world's 'most vulnerable people' most exposed to its knock-on effects, the agency said. The crisis is exacerbated by recent drastic cuts in humanitarian aid budgets by the US and other governments. In 2025, the WFP had 40 per cent less funding than in the previous year, forcing the agency to reduce rations for severely malnourished children. Skau also referred to the situation in Afghanistan, where now only one in four affected children can be assisted.

Canada does not intend to join the ongoing Israeli and US war operations against Iran, said Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand.

Joe Kent, the head of the US counter-terrorism centre, resigns. "I cannot in good conscience support the war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our country, and it is clear that this war was started because of pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby," Kent says in a note posted on his X account.

"We have eliminated Ari Larijani, now the Iranians have a chance to take their fate into their own hands". Isrelian Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this in a televised statement, commenting on the killing in a raid of the head of the Supreme National Security Council. "This morning we eliminated Ali Larijani, the head of the Revolutionary Guards, which is the gangster gang that de facto ruled Iran," Netanyahu said, admitting that the overthrow of the regime "will not happen all at once, it will not happen easily. But if we persist in this we will give them (the Iranians, ed) a chance to take their fate into their own hands."

The Iranian Intelligence Ministry says in a statement that it has confiscated 'hundreds of Starlink devices sent by the enemy', referring to the US and Israel. This was reported by the BBC citing Iranian media. In the note, Tehran points out that, according to the law, acquiring and using Starlink is a 'crime' and that during the war anyone who does so will be punished with the 'most severe penalty'. The use of Starlink in Iran is punishable by up to two years' imprisonment, the British media points out, recalling that an internet shutdown has been in place in the country since the beginning of the war, but tech-savvy residents are using SpaceX's Starlink devices and sharing their connections with others.

"We haven't seen anything from Mojtaba yet, wouldn't you like to see him too, minister? He can continue to hide, but why not show himself? He is becoming a bit of an embarrassment for the regime." This was stated by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar at a joint press conference with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, referring to Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and Iran's new Supreme Leader. According to Sa'ar, "Iranians are safer" now that Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani have been killed by the Israeli army. As for Larijani, "the US had a $10 million bounty on him, but we did it for free," he adds. 'They massacred,' adds Sa'ar, 'tens of thousands of their fellow citizens. Our actions are weakening their mechanism of repression. The regime can only be overthrown by the Iranian people. Yet, without outside help, the Iranian people cannot free themselves'.

The latest Iranian missile attack caused damage in central Israel, apparently due to a cluster munition launched from a ballistic missile. The Times of Israel reports this by publishing pictures showing that the impact created a crater and overturned a car in Rishon Lezion. There are no reports of injuries.

The Israeli Air Force carried out a third attack on the southern suburbs of Beirut following raids already carried out this morning on the stronghold of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement. "A third Israeli attack on the southern suburbs targeted the old road to the airport," the official Lebanese News Agency (NNA) reported. The Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority, quoted by Nna, stressed that the airport, located on the edge of the southern suburbs, is still operational and the road leading to it is passable.

The US considers the situation regarding the transport of oil through the Strait of Hormuz to be under control, despite the ongoing conflict with Iran. This was stated by the director of the White House National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett, saying that Washington is "highly confident" that it has the situation under control and that the crisis will end soon.

According to Hassett, the situation should stabilise in a matter of weeks rather than months, suggesting a possible rapid easing of tensions on energy traffic in the region.

The Lebanese army announced that an Israeli attack on a car and motorbike in southern Lebanon killed one of its soldiers and wounded four. In a statement, the Lebanese army said that 'as a result of a hostile Israeli raid' in the Nabatiyeh region, one soldier was wounded and 'died of his injuries', while four others were wounded.

Iran's ambassador to Moscow, Kazem Jalali, denied reports that new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei was in Russia for medical treatment. "Before the day of the American and Zionist aggression against Iran, on the morning of the most revered holy month, the news of the martyr Khamenei's flight to Venezuela and Russia dominated the media coverage of the satanic movement. Today, the news of the transfer of the Supreme Guide of the Revolution to Russia for treatment is a new psychological war. Iranian leaders do not need to flee and hide in shelters,' said Jalali, quoted by Tass. Yesterday, the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida reported that Mojtaba Khamenei would be secretly flown to Moscow on a Russian military plane to undergo surgery after being injured in the 28 February attack.

An oil tanker anchored off the east coast of the United Arab Emirates was hit by debris from an intercepted missile in the early hours of this morning, while the country was undergoing several waves of Iranian attacks. The UK Maritime Operations Centre (Ukmto), run by the British Armed Forces, reported the incident, stating that the ship was in the Gulf of Oman, off Fujairah. According to the centre, the tanker sustained 'minor structural damage' and no one was injured. The Ukmto later clarified that it was debris falling from a missile intercepted by the defence system that hit the tanker and not that the tanker itself had been targeted. Since the beginning of the war with Iran, some 20 ships in the region have been attacked, as Iranian bombardments effectively block traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage in the Persian Gulf through which 20% of globally traded oil and natural gas passes.

The Red Cross says civilians in Iran are paying "a very high price" as the war between the US and Israel against the Islamic Republic shows no sign of abating. Vincent Cassard, head of the Red Cross delegation in Iran, said the war has put a huge strain on the Iranian population. "The high number of casualties is alarming," he said. "Daily life in Tehran has been profoundly disrupted," he added. Cassard went on to report that the damaged schools and hospitals, as well as Iranian Red Crescent facilities, demonstrate "the very high price that civilians are paying as a result of the hostilities".

The cyber group linked to the Iranian regime Handala promised today to identify and punish those who have "transmitted coordinates and images" contributing to "striking the country and spreading fear among the population". This was reported by the semi-official Fars news agency, on the day Israel announced the killing of a number of senior members of the regime in Tehran. The group claims to monitor the online activities of the alleged perpetrators and warns that any actions will be made evident 'by the very platforms' used to hide.

"The prime minister and I have instructed the Israel Defense Forces to continue to hunt down the leaders of the regime of terror and oppression in Iran," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said. "US President Trump spoke about the high turnover rate at the top of the Iranian government... we will inform him that this high turnover rate continues and is even increasing following the assassination of two of the most important leaders still in office," the Israeli minister said.

Soldati israeliani lungo il confine con il Libano, nel nord di Israele, martedì 17 marzo 2026. (Foto AP/Ariel Schalit) Associated Press/ LaPresse Solo Italia e Spagna

The military leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Akram al-Ajouri, was hit in an air raid conducted by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) in Iran. A military officer told reporters during a briefing, announcing that "we conducted an attack against Akram al-Ajouri" and explaining that the "high-ranking commander of the Islamic Jihad in Gaza" was living in Iran. His death had not yet been confirmed. Akram al-Ajouri was listed as a terrorist by the US State Department. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, allied with Hamas and supported by Iran, active in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, took part in the 7 October 2023 attack against Israela.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has reportedly rejected proposals to reduce tensions or for a cease-fire with the US sent to Tehran by two intermediary countries, according to Reuters sources. A senior Iranian official told the agency that Khamenei's stance on retaliation against the US and Israel was "very tough and serious" during his first foreign policy session, without however clarifying whether the leader attended the session in person.

Two Iranian nurses reported that they were raped and brutally tortured by Tehran regime agents for treating anti-government protesters who were injured during the crackdown of protests in January. This was reported by Iran International, a London-based publication close to the Iranian opposition. According to the source, the Pasdaran, members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, massacred thousands of protesters who took to the streets and then sexually abused medical personnel who treated the injured at the Rajaei Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Centre in Tehran. A 33-year-old nurse reported that she was detained and raped by three Pasdaran officers simultaneously and several times over three days, says Iran International. The sexual violence she suffered was so severe that doctors had to remove part of her intestine and her uterus may have to be removed, the source continues. In addition, she will have to live with a colostomy bag, says Iran International.

The IDF identified a missile launch from Iran, alarm sirens went off in several communities in northern Israel.

Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said during a meeting that 'this is not the right time for peace', stressing that the US and Israel must be defeated and compensate the Islamic Republic for war damages. This was reported by a high-ranking Iranian official to Reuters, according to al-Arabiya.

Un manifestante tiene in mano un ritratto dell'Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei durante la Giornata di Al-Quds a Londra, in Inghilterra, domenica 15 marzo 2026. (Foto AP/Alberto Pezzali)

A handwritten message from the leader who was reportedly killed in a raid was posted on the Telegram account of Iranian National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani. "The martyrdom of the soldiers of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy in Dena," the message reads, "is part of the sacrifices of the brave nation that has emerged in this time of struggle against international oppressors. Their memory will forever remain in the hearts of the Iranian nation, and these martyrs will lay the foundation of the Islamic Republic of Iran's army in the structure of the armed forces for years to come."

Israeli media outlet Ynet has received confirmation from Defence Minister Israel Katz that the powerful secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani was killed in the night-time IDF attack in Tehran. Larijani was considered the most influential man in the Iranian regime and the de facto leader of the Islamic Republic. He is also widely held responsible for the brutal suppression of protests in Iran last January.

Former Israeli minister and negotiator Ron Dermer admitted to Ynet for the first time that he had returned to work for Benjamin Netanyahu and was in charge of leading negotiations with the Lebanese government. "He asked me to intervene," said the former minister, who had retired from public life in November after the Gaza peace deal negotiations. Dermer said he had begun to 'make progress with Lebanon' towards a political agreement: 'It is possible to talk about a potential peace agreement but for an understanding to be implemented Hezbollah will have to be disarmed. We will not sacrifice our security' (

"The Israeli Air Force, acting on the basis of intelligence information targeted and eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who for the past six years had been operating as the commander of the Basij unit, the forces that are part of the Iranian regime's armed apparatus." This was reported by the IDF, adding that during the internal protests in Iran, particularly in the most recent periods when the demonstrations intensified, the Basij forces under Soleimani's command led the main repression operations.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry claimed in a post on X that an Iranian missile exploded over the Old City of Jerusalem, with fragments falling near holy sites of the three monotheistic religions.

"As a result of the explosion, fragments fell in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre complex and in the vicinity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount," the ministry said in a message posted on social media.

Iran struck a US military base in Qatar and missile defence infrastructure in Israel. This was reported by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Irgc), quoted by the Fars news agency. "The 57th phase of Operation True Promise 4 was successfully conducted against targets in the heart of the occupied territories," the statement read, mentioning command, communication and missile defence infrastructure.

Israeli attacks in Lebanon have displaced over one million people since the beginning of the month. This was announced by the Lebanese government. "The number of registered displaced persons has reached 1,049,328," the crisis unit reported in its latest report.

- Three explosions echoed in Dubai after a missile warning in the early hours of today. This was noted by an AFP correspondent. The explosions followed a mobile phone warning to residents to 'seek a safe place immediately' due to 'potential missile threats'. Numerous explosions were also heard in Doha. Qatar, like several Gulf nations, has been targeted by drones and missiles in recent days as Tehran intensifies its campaign of retaliation for US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

Three Beirut neighbourhoods were bombed, according to Lebanese media reports, shortly after Israel announced attacks on Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital and on Tehran. Israeli aircraft bombed the neighbourhoods of Kafaat and Haret Hreik, in the southern suburbs of the capital, and a raid hit a flat on the upper floors of a residential building in Doha Aramoun, in the same area. "A series of raids and artillery shelling targeted the southern cities at dawn," the Lebanese National News Agency reported.

- The Iranian Revolutionary Guardians, the Pasdaran, have announced the arrest of ten ''foreign spies''. This was reported by the Isna news agency without specifying the nationality of those arrested. ten mercenaries, traitors, have been identified and arrested'', the Pasdaran announced, explaining that four of them gathered information on Iran's 'sensitive sites and economic infrastructure'. The others are linked to a ''monarchist terrorist group''.

The US embassy in Baghdad was hit by a drone and rocket attack, after a similar attack had taken place a few hours earlier. This was reported by a security official. The air defence, according to an AFP reporter, intercepted a first carrier while the second - allegedly a drone - hit the diplomatic building causing an explosion. A column of black smoke rose from the embassy.

"My last contact with Mr. Witkoff was before his employer decided to crush diplomacy with another illegal military strike against Iran. Any statement to the contrary seems aimed solely at deceiving oil traders and public opinion'. This was written on X by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, contradicting reports by Axios which, citing American sources, had reported that a direct channel of communication between Witkoff and Araghchi had been reactivated in recent days. (

Late in the evening, a drone hit a hotel in Baghdad where Italian personnel were also staying, who are currently safe and were not involved in the explosion. The Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto, immediately contacted the Chief of Defence Staff and the Commander of the Inter-Forces Summit Operations Command for updates on the condition of the personnel, who are currently sheltered in bunkers.

- Japan and the US agree to maintain a "close and constant" channel of communication to deal with the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, where the blockade decided by Iran threatens global energy security. This was agreed by Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a telephone communication, the first direct contact between the two diplomats since the start of US and Israeli military operations against Tehran last month. The conversation took place ahead of a bilateral summit scheduled for Thursday in Washington between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and President Donald Trump. During the discussion, Motegi reiterated that the safety of shipping in the strait is of "critical importance to the international community and Japan", with Tokyo dependent on the Middle East for more than 90 per cent of its crude oil imports. Diplomatic sources quoted by the Kyodo Agency say that no specific formal request was made to Japan during the talks; however, Motegi assured that Tokyo will continue to make "all possible diplomatic efforts" in cooperation with the international community and the United States. The issue remains sensitive for the Japanese executive due to constitutional constraints limiting the deployment of the Self-Defence Forces (SDF) abroad in combat scenarios, although the possibility of limited naval escorts for Japan-bound ships is foreseen. Minister Motegi also held separate telephone talks with his Saudi Arabian counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, and the Sheikh of the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, to affirm cooperation in de-escalation and ensure the stability of crude oil supplies, as well as the safety of Japanese citizens in the region.

Alarms about incoming missiles from Iran are sounding in Tel Aviv and central Israel. This was noted by ANSA on the spot.

The IDF announced in these minutes that it had launched a large wave of attacks against terrorist targets in Tehran and simultaneously in Beirut against Hezbollah infrastructure