23/03/2026 – 06:40Israel’s army say intercepting missiles from Iran
Israel’s military said on Monday morning it was working to intercept missiles fired from Iran, and urged people to take cover.
“A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel,” Israel’s military posted on Telegram, using the official acronym for the country’s armed forces. “Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat.”
23/03/2026 – 05:25US Central Command leader says Iran campaign is ‘ahead or on plan’
The top commander of the US military’s Central Command said the campaign against Iran is “ahead or on plan,” as the Israeli military began what it called “a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting Iranian terror regime infrastructure” early Monday.
US Navy Adm. Brad Cooper gave his first one-on-one interview of the war to the Farsi-language satellite network Iran International, which aired it early Monday. Iranian media reported new airstrikes targeting Tehran without identifying the sites being hit.
23/03/2026 – 05:18Gulf countries targeted in fresh attacks
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates reported coming under fresh attacks on Monday morning, with explosions and sirens sounding over the oil-rich Gulf.
The UAE defence ministry said it was “currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran”, explaining “the sounds heard are the result of the Air Defence Systems intercepting missiles and drones”.
And sirens were sounding in Bahrain, with residents instructed to seek shelter.
23/03/2026 – 05:16Iran media says one dead in attack on broadcaster in coastal region
A strike on a broadcast station in southern Iran killed at least one person, state television reported on Monday.
“The 100-kilowatt AM transmitter of the Persian Gulf Radio and Television Centre was attacked by the American-Zionist terrorist army,” the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported.
“In this attack, which was against international laws, one of the centre’s security colleagues was martyred and another person was injured.”
23/03/2026 – 04:53Japanese national returns home after monthslong detention in Iran
Japan’s top government spokesperson said Monday that one of two Japanese nationals detained in Iran has safely returned home in good health.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara’s confirmation came one day after Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi announced the person’s release.
Motegi, speaking on a Fuji Television talk show Sunday, said the person had been detained since last year and was released on Wednesday. He said the person took a flight from Azerbaijan.
23/03/2026 – 04:52Gold drops over 2% as Middle East tensions stoke inflation fears
Gold prices slipped more than 2 percent on Monday, extending their drop to a roughly four-month low, as an escalating Middle East conflict stoked inflation concerns and expectations of higher global interest rates.
Spot gold was down 2.5% at $4,372.86 per ounce, as of 0238 GMT, extending losses for a ninth consecutive session. The metal, which fell on Monday to its lowest level since January 2, lost more than 10 percent last week.
“With the Iranian conflict into its fourth week, and oil prices hanging around the $100 level, expectations have pivoted from rate cuts to potential rate hikes which has tarnished gold’s appeal from a yield point of view,” said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst, KCM Trade.
23/03/2026 – 04:43IEA consulting with governments on further oil stock releases, chief Birol says
The International Energy Agency is consulting with governments in Asia and Europe on the release of more stockpiled oil “if necessary” due to the Iran war, Executive Director Fatih Birol said on Monday.
“If it is necessary, of course, we will do it. We look at the conditions, we will analyse, assess the markets and discuss with our member countries,” Birol told the National Press Club in Canberra.
IEA member nations agreed on March 11 to release a record 400 million barrels of oil from strategic stockpiles to combat
the spike in global crude prices.
There would not be a specific crude price level to trigger another release, Birol added.
23/03/2026 – 04:42Copper slides to over three-month low as Middle East war escalates
Copper slid to over three-month lows on Monday, with fresh escalation in the Middle East war keeping oil prices high after the US and Iran traded threats.
The most-active copper contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange declined 1.66% to 92,830 yuan ($13,435.71) a metric ton as of 0230 GMT, after sliding 3.07% to 91,500 yuan, the lowest since December 5.
23/03/2026 – 04:16Saudi Arabia Ministry of Defense says detected 2 ballistic missiles
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said it detected two incoming ballistic missiles on Monday, as the kingdom and its Gulf neighbours face Iranian strikes.
“Two ballistic missiles were launched towards the Riyadh region, one of which was intercepted and the other fell in an uninhabited area,” the ministry posted on social media.
23/03/2026 – 04:00Dollar rises as escalating Middle East war spurs haven demand
23/03/2026 – 03:51Asian stocks tumble as Trump gives Iran 48-hour ultimatum
Stocks tumbled Monday and oil prices rose after Donald Trump and Iranian leaders traded threats over the key Strait of Hormuz, while Israel said the Middle East war could last several more weeks.
23/03/2026 – 03:43Oil steadies as investors weigh up US, Iran threats to facilities, eased sanctions
Oil prices were little moved on Monday as investors weighed how US and Iranian threats to target energy facilities that could escalate the war stack up against the release of millions of barrels of seaborne
Iranian oil to global markets after Washington temporarily removed sanctions.
23/03/2026 – 03:27Blasts heard in Tehran, Iran media reports
Iranian news agencies reported explosions in capital Tehran early Monday morning, with Fars saying airstrikes had occurred in multiple locations.
“Explosion heard in Tehran,” local media Mehr posted on Telegram.
Fars reported that “airstrikes targeted areas of Tehran”, specifying five areas and that “terrible sounds of explosions have been reported”.
23/03/2026 – 03:26IEA chief says at least 40 energy assets ‘severely’ damaged in Mideast war
Credit: Lukas Coch, AAP/ AP
The head of the International Energy Agency said Monday that at least forty energy assets had been “severely or very severely” damaged in the Middle East due to the war in the region.
“At least forty… energy assets in the region are severely or very severely damaged across nine countries,” Fatih Birol told the National Press Club in Australia’s capital.
23/03/2026 – 03:18Israeli military says it has begun a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting Iranian infrastructure in Tehran
Israel’s military said it launched a “wide-scale wave” of strikes on the Iranian capital early Monday morning.
“The IDF has begun a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting Iranian terror regime infrastructure in Tehran,” the Israeli military posted on Telegram using its official acronym.
23/03/2026 – 03:01No country will be immune’ to effects of global energy crisis: IEA chief
The global economy is under “major threat” from the energy crisis caused by the Middle East war, International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol said Monday, warning that “no country will be immune” to its effects.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Australia’s capital, Birol compared the current energy crisis to those of the 1970s and the impact of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
“This crisis as things stand is now two oil crises and one gas crash put all together,” he said.
“The global economy is facing a major, major threat today, and I very much hope that this issue will be resolved as soon as possible,” Birol added.
“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues to go in this direction. So there is a need for global efforts,” he said.
23/03/2026 – 02:56Iran threatens to retaliate against Gulf energy and water after Trump ultimatum
Iran warned it would strike energy and water infrastructure across the Gulf if US President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to attack its electricity grid, raising fears of mass disruption in a region heavily dependent on desalination for drinking water.
Trump set a Monday deadline of around 7:45pm EDT (2345 GMT), warning late on Saturday that the United States would strike Iran’s power plants unless Tehran fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.
23/03/2026 – 02:44World could face worst energy crisis in decades, IEA chief warns
The war in the Middle East could see the world face its worst energy crisis in decades, International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol warned Monday, describing the situation as “very severe”.
“Many of us remember the two consecutive oil crises in the 1970s… at that time, in each of the crisis, the world has lost about five million barrels per day, both of them together, 10 million barrels per day,” Birol told the National Press Club in Australia’s capital.
“As of today, we lost 11 million barrels per day, so more than two major oil shocks put together,” he said.