The US-Israeli air war against Iran expanded on Monday with no end in sight, engulfing Lebanon with Israel responding to strikes by Hezbollah, while Tehran fired missiles and drones at Israel, Gulf states and a British air base in far-away Cyprus.Lebanese state news agency NNA said an initial tally showed 31 people had been killed and 149 injured. Israel declared Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem a “target for elimination”. Officials said they were not considering a ground invasion of Lebanon for now.The US military said Kuwait’s air defences had mistakenly shot down three American F-15E fighters during an Iranian attack. All six crew members were safely recovered.After a weekend of bombing that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dragged its neighbours into war and shut shipping traffic in the Gulf, markets opened on Monday with energy prices rising sharply, putting the global economic recovery at risk.Meanwhile, Washington’s allies in the Gulf came under renewed attack from Iranian missiles and drones. Black smoke rose above the area around the US embassy in Kuwait, where there was a heavy presence of security, ambulances and fire trucks. There were loud blasts in Dubai and Samha in the UAE, and in Doha, capital of Qatar.Saudi Arabia shut its biggest refinery after drone strikes caused a fire there, one of a number of oil installations that became targets. In the first strike to reach US allies in Europe, a drone hit Britain’s Akrotiri air base in Cyprus overnight. Britain and Cyprus said the damage was limited and there were no casualties. — with AgenciesUAE airlines to resume limited number of flights, mainly for repatriationsMarch 2, 2026 9:07 pmDubai: Emirates, flydubai and Etihad Airways will resume a limited number of flights on Monday, mainly to help repatriate stranded passengers, as global carriers grapple with disruptions from the escalating Iranian conflict. Israeli and US attacks on Iran and Tehran’s response forced the closure of airspace across parts of the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, and shut key airports such as Dubai and Doha. The UAE civil aviation authority will begin operating “special flights” across the country’s airports, state news agency WAM reported, to help some of the tens of thousands of passengers stranded in the region leave. Dubai Airports said a limited resumption would begin later on Monday, with a small number of flights permitted from Dubai International (DXB) and Al Maktoum International (DWC). ReutersMiddle East turmoil: Indian airlines cancel over 300 flights on MondayMarch 2, 2026 8:48 pmNew Delhi/Mumbai: Indian airlines cancelled more than 300 international flights on Monday as the operational disruptions caused by the Middle East conflict continued for the third day. Over 300 flights, including arrivals and departures, were cancelled at the country’s four main airports — Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai — on Monday, officials told PTI. Many airspaces in the Middle East region remained closed amid the escalating conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran. PTIChina denies deal to sell supersonic anti-ship missiles to IranMarch 2, 2026 6:35 pmChina denied reports of finalising a deal with Iran to sell CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles before the joint US-Israeli airstrikes on the country. If delivered, the missiles would be among the most advanced military hardware to be transferred to Iran by China in recent years, according to media reports. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that the report of the deal is part of a disinformation campaign.PM Modi speaks to King of Bahrain, and Crown Prince and Saudi Arabia PMMarch 2, 2026 6:22 pmIn his conversation with Bahrain King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed Bin Salman, PM Modi condemned attacks on these two countries. The PM discussed well-being of Indian community in these countries.Putin will relay UAE President’s complaints about Iranian strikes to Tehran, Kremlin saysMarch 2, 2026 6:22 pmRussian President Vladimir Putin told UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a phone call that he was ready to relay his complaints about Iranian strikes against UAE territory to Tehran, the Kremlin said. It cited the UAE leader as saying that his country was not being used as a base to attack Iran and that Iranian strikes on the UAE could not therefore be justified.Fourth US service member dies of injuries in Iran operation, US military saysMarch 2, 2026 6:13 pmA fourth US service member has died of injuries sustained in the US operation in Iran, Central Command said on Monday. The service member had been seriously wounded during Iran’s initial attacks and eventually succumbed to their injuries, it said in a statement.Major Saudi refinery, Iraqi Kurdish and Israeli oil, gas fields shut amid Mideast strikesMarch 2, 2026 6:08 pmSaudi Arabia shut its biggest domestic oil refinery after a drone strike, a source said, as Israeli and US strikes and Iranian retaliation triggered precautionary shutdowns of oil and gas facilities across the Middle East. Most oil production in Iraqi Kurdistan and several major Israeli gas fields were suspended, throttling exports to Egypt. State oil giant Saudi Aramco’s 550,000 barrels per day (bpd) Ras Tanura refinery, which was shut as a precautionary measure, is part of an energy complex on the kingdom’s Gulf coast which also serves as a critical export terminal for Saudi crude oil.US military says Kuwait ‘mistakenly shot down’ 3 American F-15E Strike Eagles aircraftMarch 2, 2026 5:21 pmThe US military said on Monday that Kuwait “mistakenly shot down” three American F-15E Strike Eagles during a combat mission as Iran attacked the country. The US military’s Central Command said the combat included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones — the first time Iran’s ageing combat fleet has been engaged in the war. “The US Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences,” it said. “All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defence forces and their support in this ongoing operation.”Iranian drone crashes into UK Air Force unit, Starmer allows use of bases for ‘limited defensive’ opsMarch 2, 2026 3:52 pmA British Royal Air Force (RAF) base in Cyprus was hit by an Iranian one-way attack drone during the ongoing US and Israeli strikes launched on Tehran over the weekend, confirmed by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said RAF Akrotiri sustained “minimal damage” on Sunday at around midnight local time, with no casualties reported. It came hours after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s video statement announcing the UK’s decision to allow the United States permission to use British bases for “limited defensive” operations to protect British lives and interests in West Asia.US-Israeli airstrikes targeted Natanz enrichment facility: Iran’s ambassador to UN nuclear agencyMarch 2, 2026 3:27 pmIran’s ambassador to the UN nuclear agency alleged that US-Israeli airstrikes have targeted Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment site. Israel and the US have not acknowledged strikes at the site, which America bombed back in the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June. Iran’s Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Reza Najafi, told journalists he condemned what he called the “unlawful, criminal and brutal” attacks by the U.S. and Israel against Iran.Kuwait’s Defence Ministry says ‘several’ US warplanes crashed in country, all crew survivedMarch 2, 2026 3:09 pmSeveral US warplanes crashed in Kuwait, the country’s defence ministry said, with all the pilots safely bailing out. The ministry did not elaborate on what caused the crashes, but they came during an intense period of Iranian fire targeting the country. The Kuwaiti Defence Ministry said the pilots had been taken to a hospital for checkups and their condition was stable. The US military’s Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment.US-Israeli attacks have killed 555 people so far, says Iranian Red Crescent SocietyMarch 2, 2026 2:42 pmThe Iranian Red Crescent Society said on Monday that the US-Israeli airstrike campaign targeting Iran has killed at least 555 people so far in the Islamic Republic. The society added that 131 cities have come under attack so far in the war.No sign that Iran’s nuclear sites hit, cannot reach Iranian authorities, IAEA saysMarch 2, 2026 2:34 pmThe International Atomic Energy Agency has no indication that Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran have hit any nuclear facilities, but it has not been able to reach Iran’s nuclear authorities, its chief Rafael Grossi told the agency’s Board of Governors on Monday. “We have no indication that any of the nuclear installations … have been damaged or hit,” he said in a statement to the 35-nation board, adding: “Efforts to contact the Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities … continue, with no response so far.”31 killed, 149 injured in Israeli strikes on Lebanon after Hezbollah attackMarch 2, 2026 2:23 pmIsraeli airstrikes on Lebanon after Hezbollah attacked Israel have killed at least 31 people, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said on Monday. The Hezbollah attack and the Israeli retaliatory strikes expand the ongoing war gripping the Mideast after America and Israel launched an airstrike campaign targeting Iran. The Health Ministry said that the strikes also wounded 149 people. It said about two-thirds of the dead were in southern Lebanon.Fire, smoke seen inside US Embassy compound in Kuwait after attack by IranMarch 2, 2026 12:15 pmFire and smoke rose from inside the US Embassy compound in Kuwait after an Iranian attack on the small Mideast nation on Monday. Video obtained by The Associated Press showed the smoke with an alarm wailing. The United States had earlier issued an urgent warning to Americans there to take cover and remain indoors. It said: “Do not come to the Embassy,” without elaborating.Trump signals willingness to talk to new leadershipMarch 2, 2026 11:13 amTrump, who a day earlier had encouraged Iranians to “take over” their government, signalled on Sunday that he was open to dialogue with Iran’s new leadership. “They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them,” he told The Atlantic.Kuwait intercepts hostile drones on third day of Iran retaliatory strikesMarch 2, 2026 10:20 amKuwait intercepted hostile drones on Monday, the third consecutive day of Iranian retaliatory strikes on neighbouring Gulf states in response to US and Israeli attacks on the Islamic Republic. No injuries were reported after Kuwait air defenses intercepted the majority of the drones near Rumaithiya and Salwa neighbourhoods, the state news agency cited the director-general of the civil defense as saying.British air base in Cyprus hit by suspected drone strike, Jattvibe reportsMarch 2, 2026 9:15 amBritain’s Royal Air Force base Akrotiri has been hit by a suspected drone strike, Jattvibe reported on Monday citing the UK’s Ministry of Defence. There were no casualties in the incident at the base near Limassol, Cyprus, the report said. A Cyprus government spokesperson said that “information received through various channels indicates that it involved an unmanned drone, which caused limited damage”.Iraqi militia claims drone attack targeting US troops in BaghdadMarch 2, 2026 8:58 amAn Iraqi Shiite militia claimed a drone attack on Monday targeting US troops at the airport in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, further widening the retaliation over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The group, Saraya Awliya al-Dam, is one of a group of Shiite militias operating in Iraq following the 2003 US-led invasion of the country that toppled Saddam Hussein. The US and Iraq did not immediately comment on the claim.Three tankers damaged in Gulf and one seafarer killed as US-Iran conflict escalatesMarch 2, 2026 8:37 amAt least three tankers were damaged off the Gulf coast and one seafarer was killed as Iranian retaliation for US and Israeli strikes on Iran exposed ships to collateral damage, shipping sources and officials said. A projectile hit the Marshall Islands–flagged product tanker MKD VYOM, killing a crew member on board as the vessel sailed off the coast of Oman, vessel manager V.Ships said on Sunday.Oil prices rise by 7 per cent amid Middle East conflictMarch 2, 2026 8:33 amOil prices rose sharply on Monday as US and Israeli attacks on Iran and retaliatory strikes against Israel and US military installations around the Gulf sent disruptions through the global energy supply chain. West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, was selling for about USD 72 a barrel early on Monday, up around 7.3 per cent from its trading price of about USD 67 on Friday, according to data from CME group.3 US troops killed, 5 seriously injured during Iran attacks, military saysMarch 2, 2026 8:27 amThree American service members have been killed and five others seriously wounded during the US attacks on Iran, the military announced on Sunday, marking the first American casualties in a major offensive that President Donald Trump said could likely lead to more losses in the coming weeks.Israeli military orders residents of dozens of Lebanese towns to evacuateMarch 2, 2026 8:27 amThe Israeli military ordered on Monday residents of at least 50 Lebanese towns to get 1 km away from the towns, a military spokesperson said.