03\/03\/26 07:40Gold falls 4% as strong dollar and higher rate bets undercut safe-haven demand<\/p>\n
Spot gold prices fell on Tuesday, sliding more than 4 per cent at one point, as some investors favoured the dollar rather than gold as a safe-haven from the impact of the U.S.-Israeli air war on Iran, and as traders trimmed rate-cut bets given inflation concerns.<\/p>\n
Spot gold was down 3.3 per cent at $5,150.89 an ounce by 11:56 a.m. GMT (6:56 a.m. ET), after falling to its lowest since February 20 earlier. U.S. gold futures for April delivery lost 2.8 per cent to $5,161.50. \u201cThe dollar is absolutely roaring away, as are U.S. Treasuries, and that\u2019s providing a strong headwind to gold and particularly silver,\u201d said independent analyst Ross Norman.<\/p>\n
Spot silver fell 9.1 per cent to $81.31 an ounce after climbing to a more than four-week high on Monday.<\/p>\n
The U.S. dollar rose 0.9 per cent to a more than one-month high, while U.S. Treasury yields shot higher.<\/p>\n
A stronger U.S. currency typically makes dollar-denominated gold more expensive for buyers using other currencies, and higher yields raise the opportunity cost of holding the non-yielding metal.<\/p>\n
– Reuters<\/p>\n
03\/03\/26 07:25Drone hits Oman\u2019s largest port, no casualties<\/p>\n
A drone struck Oman\u2019s largest port of Salalah on Tuesday, authorities said.<\/p>\n
The government media office also said two drones were shot down in the southwestern province of Dhofar.<\/p>\n
The attacks left no casualties or damage in both Salalah and Dhofar, it said.<\/p>\n
– The Associated Press<\/p>\n
03\/03\/26 07:21Thousands of Syrians leave Lebanon to flee Israeli strikesOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Displaced families gather in Martyrs’ Square after fleeing Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon on Monday.Bilal Hussein\/The Associated Press<\/p>\n Thousands of Syrians have crossed from Lebanon into Syria to flee Israeli strikes over the past two days as Israel and the Iran-allied Lebanese militant group Hezbollah escalated their attacks against each other.<\/p>\n The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, said in a statement that around 3,900 to 4,400 people would typically cross from Lebanon into Syria during Ramadan. On Monday, after Hezbollah launched missiles toward Israel and Israel retaliated with bombarding Lebanon, a total of 10,629 people crossed, the vast majority of them Syrian.<\/p>\n Azzam Sweiri, a Syrian farm worker who had been working in southern Lebanon, crossed back into Syria Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cThe streets were packed with cars and people\u201d as he fled, he said. \u201cIt took us 10 or 12 hours just to make it 30 or 40 kilometres.\u201d<\/p>\n – The Associated Press<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 06:47Wall Street futures fall as Middle East conflict stokes inflation worries<\/p>\n The Nasdaq led losses among U.S. stock index futures with a 2.3-per-cent drop on Tuesday as investors assessed the fallout of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on inflation and global trade.<\/p>\n Tehran\u2019s threat to attack any vessel attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz, combined with production halts by several Middle Eastern oil and gas producers, has driven global shipping rates higher and pushed up crude and natural gas prices.<\/p>\n Industries such as airlines and travel that are exposed to crude prices were knocked back for a second day. Delta and Royal Caribbean fell about 4 per cent each.<\/p>\n \u201cMuch will depend on the price of oil,\u201d said a group of strategists led by Deutsche Bank\u2019s Jim Reid. \u201cAny sustained spike would undoubtedly trigger a more meaningful risk-off move.\u201d<\/p>\n Technology stocks such as Nvidia and Microsoft were down 3.1 per cent and 1.8 per cent, respectively, after gaining in the previous session. Nasdaq-listed memory names such as Sandisk slumped 8.4 per cent and Western Digital lost 5.6 per cent, also cooling off from a strong rally in February.<\/p>\n Investors were worried that higher oil prices could stoke inflation across the broader economy and further complicate policy decisions for central bank officials already contending with price increases driven by tariffs.<\/p>\n – Reuters<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 06:42Ryanair prioritizing repatriating its customers in Jordan, CEO saysOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Ryanair’s Chief Executive Michael O\u2019Leary said the airline is prioritizing repatriating its customers who are stranded in Jordan.Francois Lenoir\/Reuters<\/p>\n Ryanair\u2019s priority is repatriating its customers from Jordan and it does not have much spare capacity to help with other repatriations, but will try to help where possible, Chief Executive Michael O\u2019Leary said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cCertainly wherever we can help with repatriations, we would try to be helpful,\u201d he told a news conference in Warsaw. \u201cBut our focus is our customers who are currently stranded in Jordan.\u201d<\/p>\n – Reuters<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 06:37Italy arranges flights to bring home stranded citizensOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said that he was making his way back to Italy after being stranded in Dubai as Iran launched strikes in retaliation against US and Israeli attacks.NICOLAS TUCAT\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n The Italian government said Tuesday it is working \u201cnon-stop\u201d to assist Italian citizens stranded in the Middle East.<\/p>\n Italy scheduled two flights including one from Muscat, Oman, to Rome\u2019s Fiumicino airport Tuesday to carry around 300 people and another from Abu Dhabi to Milan to carry about 200 people, mostly young students.<\/p>\n Another two flights are set to depart from Abu Dhabi to Milan and Rome in the early afternoon Tuesday, while an additional flight from Muscat has been scheduled for Wednesday.<\/p>\n Italy\u2019s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto sparked a political controversy at home after being stranded in Dubai with his family during the initial phase of the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran, returning to Rome on Sunday on a military aircraft.<\/p>\n The left-wing opposition called for Crosetto\u2019s resignation, stressing the minister travelled alone to an area of crisis without being informed of the deteriorating situation. Premier Giorgia Meloni defended the minister on Monday, saying he never stopped doing his job.<\/p>\n – The Associated Press<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 06:32U.K. yet to decide on sending warship to defend Cyprus baseOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n An aircraft prepares to land in RAF Akrotiri, a British sovereign base in Cyprus that was hit by a drone early Monday, causing limited damage.Yiannis Kourtoglou\/Reuters<\/p>\n Britain has yet to decide whether it will send a warship to defend its Royal Air Force Akrotiri base in Cyprus, a source close to the matter said on Tuesday after the Times newspaper reported ministers had discussed such a deployment.<\/p>\n An Iranian-made drone strike hit a runway at the Akrotiri base in the early hours of Monday. Britain has said UK assets were targeted by Iran.<\/p>\n The Times report, citing three sources, said defence minister John Healey had a meeting on Tuesday with senior military figures, in which they discussed sending HMS Duncan to the region.<\/p>\n The Ministry of Defence did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.<\/p>\n – Reuters<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 06:26Ukraine, UAE agreed to work together, Zelensky says <\/p>\n Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that he has offered to help the United Arab Emirates protect itself against Iranian aerial attacks.<\/p>\n Ukraine has built significant expertise in countering Iranian-designed Shahed drones that Russia has launched almost daily at Ukrainian targets since Moscow\u2019s invasion more than four years ago.<\/p>\n Zelensky said on X that he spoke by phone with the United Arab Emirates president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and \u201cdiscussed how we can help\u201d protect lives in the UAE.<\/p>\n – The Associated Press<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 06:14Escalating energy prices send stock prices down in Europe<\/p>\n – Eric Reguly<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n A display board shows the current prices of fuel at a gas station in Frankfurt, Germany on Tuesday.Timm Reichert\/Reuters<\/p>\n Oil prices rose again Tuesday morning, on the fourth day of U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and ever-widening Iranian strikes in the Persian Gulf region. But gas prices far outpaced them.<\/p>\n In London trading, Brent crude was up 5.6 per cent, to US$82 a barrel, extending the two-day rise to more than 10 per cent and lifting the 12-month gain to almost 15 per cent. Gas prices blew through the roof. The European price, known as TTF, the benchmark for gas traded at the Netherlands hub, was up some 30 per cent in the morning after gaining almost 50 per cent the day before.<\/p>\n The escalating energy prices \u2013 with no sign the war will end soon \u2013 sent stock prices down in Europe again on Tuesday, though at a quicker pace than the previous day. Investors seem have have lost confidence that the conflict will be resolved quickly.<\/p>\n In London, the FTSE 100 index was down by 2.5 per cent in mid-morning trading in spite of its heavy weighting in oil and gas shares, which climbed.<\/p>\n Germany\u2019s DAX was down 3.3 per cent. The DAX is stuffed with energy-intensive industrial companies, among them Mercedes, Porsche and Siemens, whose profit margins could get squeezed by rising oil and gas costs.<\/p>\n European government bond prices also sold off, boosting their yields. In Germany, benchmark two-year Bund yield\u2019s were 0.1 percentage points higher, at 2.16 per cent, adding to a 0.08 percentage point rise on Monday.<\/p>\n The rising energy prices are a direct result of the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel \u2013 33 kms across at its narrowest point \u2013 that separates the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean. Normally, one-fifth or more of the world\u2019s oil and gas, in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG), passes through the strait, then on to Asian and European markets.<\/p>\n Read more about why investors fear a drawn-out Iran war.<\/a><\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 05:58Hezbollah official says group will fight \u2018open war\u2019 with Israel<\/p>\n A senior Hezbollah official says that after more than a year of abiding by the ceasefire as Israel\u2019s strikes continued on Lebanon, the group\u2019s patience has ended, leaving it with no option \u201cbut to return to resistance\u201d and fight an open war with Israel.<\/p>\n Mohamoud Komati said Tuesday that Hezbollah exercised patience since a ceasefire ended the Israel-Hezbollah war in November 2024, hoping the government\u2019s diplomatic efforts would yield positive results in ending Israeli strikes.<\/p>\n In the comments released by Hezbollah\u2019s media office, Komati blasted the Lebanese government for calling Hezbollah\u2019s actions illegal and demanded it hand over its weapons, saying it did not act to stop Israel\u2019s airstrikes that continued on almost daily basis for nearly 15 months.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Zionist enemy wanted an open war, which it has not stopped since the ceasefire agreement,\u201d Komati said. \u201cSo let it be an open war.\u201d<\/p>\n – The Associated Press<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 05:46UN urges investigation into \u2018horrific\u2019 attack on Iran schoolOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Residents and officials attend the funeral of people killed in what Iranian officials said was an Israeli-U.S. strike on a girls’ elementary school in Minab, Iran on Tuesday.Abbas Zakeri\/The Associated Press<\/p>\n The U.N. human rights office urged the \u201cforces\u201d behind an attack on a girls\u2019 school in Iran to investigate and share insights into the \u201chorrific\u201d incident, without naming them.<\/p>\n \u201cThe High Commissioner (Volker Turk) calls for a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into the circumstances of the attack. The onus is on the forces that carried out the attack to investigate it,\u201d U.N. human rights office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani told a Geneva press briefing, describing the incident as \u201chorrific\u201d.<\/p>\n Iranian state media reported 165 people were killed on the first day of the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, thousands of people in the southern city of Minab held a mass funeral ceremony for those killed.<\/p>\n U.S. Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said he was aware of reports that a girls\u2019 school was struck and officials were looking into them.<\/p>\n An Israeli military spokesperson said Sunday he was not aware of any Israeli or U.S. strikes in the area.<\/p>\n – Reuters and The Associated Press<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 05:14At least 30,000 displaced people in shelters in Lebanon<\/p>\n At least 30,000 displaced people have sought protection in shelters in Lebanon since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah began on Monday, the United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cConservative estimates suggest that nearly 30,000 people were hosted and registered at collective shelters,\u201d said UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch.<\/p>\n \u201cMany more slept in their cars on the side of roads or were still stuck in traffic jams on the roads,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n – Reuters<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 04:49Airfares soar as Gulf airport closures ripple across world<\/p>\n The price of flights between Asia and Europe has soared after the closure of key Middle Eastern hubs due to the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, with airline websites showing tickets on many popular routes booked solid for days.<\/p>\n Reuters<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 04:28France to dispatch warship to Cyprus<\/p>\n Cypriot officials say France will dispatch a warship to Cyprus to help bolster the country\u2019s anti-drone defenses after a Rashed drone struck a British military base on the east Mediterranean island.<\/p>\n France also will send additional land-based, anti-drone and anti-missile systems to the country, officials confirmed Tuesday.<\/p>\n Germany also responded positively to a request to send a warship, according to three officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not permitted to provide details publicly.<\/p>\n The equipment will arrive in Cyprus as soon as possible, they said<\/p>\n The French military did not respond immediately to a request for information from The Associated Press.<\/p>\n The drone struck the British base, RAF Akrotiri, shortly after midnight Monday and caused only minor material damage to an aircraft hangar. Another two drones were intercepted by British warplanes around midday Monday after they were scrambled from the air base, officials said.<\/p>\n Greece has sent four F-16 fighter jets to Cyprus while two of its state-of-the-art frigates are on their way.<\/p>\n – The Associated Press<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 04:15China urges Iran to reopen Strait of Hormuz <\/p>\n -James Griffiths<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Birds fly near a boat in the Strait of Hormuz amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, as seen from Musandam, Oman on Monday.Amr Alfiky\/Reuters<\/p>\n Beijing on Tuesday urged Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, after senior figures within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard vowed to attack any ships passing through the vital shipping lane. <\/p>\n Some 20 per cent of the world\u2019s oil supply, as well as large amounts of liquefied natural gas, passes through the Strait from the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea. Speaking to reporters in the Chinese capital, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said \u201cenergy security is crucial to the world economy, and all parties have the responsibility to ensure a stable and unimpeded energy supply.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cChina urges all parties to immediately cease military actions, prevent the escalation of tensions, safeguard the safety of shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz, and avoid further impacts on the global economy,\u201d Ms. Mao said. \u201cAll parties should ensure a stable and unimpeded energy supply. China will take necessary measures to safeguard its own energy security.\u201d <\/p>\n Prior to this weekend\u2019s war, China was a major purchaser of heavily sanctioned Iranian oil, and while the country has large stockpiles and has preparing for such disruptions, the loss of this supply is likely to have knock-on effects for oil demand, sending already spiking prices ever higher. <\/p>\n \u201cBeijing has spent years diversifying suppliers and building strategic reserves for moments like this and can absorb a temporary loss of Iranian crude without triggering physical shortages at home,\u201d said Craig Singleton, senior China fellow at the Washington D.C.-based think tank Foundation for Defense of Democracies. But he noted Beijing will be wary of a \u201csystemic risk to Gulf shipping lanes\u201d that could weigh on the export-led Chinese economy, which is still recovering from the shock of U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s trade war. <\/p>\n China was once positioning itself to be a major new player in the Middle East, but the chaos unleashed by the October 7 attacks and now the war in Iran shows how \u201cChina has once again been relegated to the superpower sidelines,\u201d Mr. Singleton said in an email. <\/p>\n \u201cBeijing\u2019s response has been predictably restrained, underscoring China\u2019s limited ability to shape events once hard power is in motion. Beijing can signal unease; however, it cannot meaningfully deter or influence U.S.-Israeli military action. For China, this episode is further confirmation that soft power buys access, but hard power decides outcomes,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n \u201cChina has influence, capital, and access, but the latest events keep underscoring a tougher reality for Beijing: access does not equal control, and presence does not guarantee protection.\u201d <\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 03:31Israel says Iran\u2019s firepower significantly limitedOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n This partially redacted image from video provided by U.S. Central Command shows a military vehicle in Iran shortly before it was struck by a missile fired by U.S. forces on Sunday, March 1, 2026.The Associated Press<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s army said Tuesday that Iran\u2019s firepower has been weakened.<\/p>\n Army spokesman Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said Israeli and U.S. attacks on Iran have \u201climited significantly\u201d Iran\u2019s ability to fire.<\/p>\n Shoshani said Israel has been going after Iran\u2019s missile launchers and have taken out dozens of them.<\/p>\n Iran has fired hundreds of missiles but it\u2019s hard to tally the total amount with Iran also striking other countries, he said.<\/p>\n The pace of missiles being launched at Israel has slowed since the first two days of the war.<\/p>\n Shoshani said the slowdown also could be partly attributed to Iran understanding the war could go on for longer than they had thought and they are trying to pace themselves.<\/p>\n – The Associated Press<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 03:02Oil rises as expanding war heightens supply risks<\/p>\n Brent rose more than $3 on Tuesday for a third day of gains as the widening U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran and threats to shipping via the Strait of Hormuz heightened fears of supply disruptions from the key Middle East producing region.<\/p>\n Brent crude futures were at $80.89 a barrel, up $3.15, or 4.1%, by 0745 GMT. On Monday, the contract surged to as high as $82.37, its highest since January 2025, though it pared those gains to settle 6.7% higher.<\/p>\n U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $2.55, or 3.6%, to $73.78 a barrel. In the previous session, the contract initially climbed to its highest since June 2025 before sliding back to settle up 6.3%.<\/p>\n \u201cWith no quick de-escalation in sight, the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed and Iran showing a willingness to target energy infrastructure in the region, upside risks remain and they grow the longer the conflict drags on,\u201d Tony Sycamore, IG market analyst, said in a note.<\/p>\n – Reuters<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 02:17Israeli soldiers operating in southern Lebanon, military says<\/p>\n The Israeli military said soldiers are \u201coperating in southern Lebanon\u201d as it continues strikes against Hezbollah.<\/p>\n In a statement, it said the troops are positioned at several points near the border in what it described as a \u201cforward defense posture\u201d as it battles Hezbollah militants.<\/p>\n It said the deployment is part of a broader effort to increase security for residents in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon. It has also beefed up troops and air defenses in the area.<\/p>\n The army said there are no plans to evacuate Israeli residents of border areas.<\/p>\n The conflict, which started with Israeli and U.S. airstrikes on Iran on Saturday, has spread to Lebanon, where the Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel on Monday, prompting Israel to retaliate.<\/p>\n At least 52 people have been killed and 154 wounded so far, according to Lebanese authorities.<\/p>\n Israel hit Beirut with more airstrikes early Tuesday morning, saying it was targeting \u201cHezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities.\u201d<\/p>\n Hezbollah also said it launched drones targeting an Israeli air base. The Israeli military said it downed two drones.<\/p>\n An Iranian-linked militant in Iraq has also claimed strikes on U.S. military facilities there.<\/p>\n – The Associated Press<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 02:13France says it will work with China on de-esclatating Iran war<\/p>\n French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot held a call on Monday with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to discuss the Iran war and both agreed to work on de-escalation, Barrot\u2019s office said in a statement.<\/p>\n Both ministers committed to seeking a political solution that would guarantee collective security and take into account the aspirations of the Iranian people, the statement said.<\/p>\n Barrot \u201creiterated the Iranian regime\u2019s responsibility for the ongoing escalation, after it unjustifiably attacked several countries in the region,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n He also criticized the Iranian regime for refusing to respect the resolutions from the United Nations\u2019 Security Council on the nuclear programmes, ballistic activities, support to non-state armed groups and rejecting good-faith multilateral negotiations.<\/p>\n The French minister reiterated that France was not involved in the actions by the United States and Israel and had no prior knowledge of them. Countries \u201cmust give precedence to international institutions to solve disputes and, where needed, the use of force,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The two ministers agreed to keep dialogue open on the issue.<\/p>\n – Reuters<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 02:04India reduces gas supply to industries after Qatar outage<\/p>\n Indian companies on Tuesday reduced natural gas supplies to industries in anticipation of tighter supply from the Middle East after top producer Qatar halted production, four industry sources with knowledge of the matter said.<\/p>\n The sources declined to be named because they were not authorised to speak to the media.<\/p>\n Qatar halted its liquefied natural gas production on Monday, as Iran continued to strike Gulf countries in retaliation for Israeli and U.S. strikes against it. The attacks have also halted oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, driving up global energy prices and shipping costs.<\/p>\n India, the world\u2019s fourth largest buyer of LNG, relies heavily on the Middle East for its imports.<\/p>\n – Reuters<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 01:47U.S. closes embassies in Kuwait, Saudi ArabiaOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Smoke rises from an area surrounding U.S. Embassy in Bayan, Kuwait, Monday.VIDEO OBTAINED BY REUTERS\/Reuters<\/p>\n The U.S. Embassy in Kuwait is shutting down as the Middle East descends into a widening war.<\/p>\n The embassy said in a social media post Tuesday that it is closing \u201cuntil further notice\u201d due to the war.<\/p>\n Earlier Tuesday, Iran struck the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia\u2019s capital prompting the mission to close Tuesday.<\/p>\n The attack from two drones on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh caused a \u201climited fire\u201d and minor damage, according to Saudi Arabia\u2019s Defense Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound. It followed an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait on Monday and the friendly fire downing of three U.S. fighter jets.<\/p>\n The U.S. State Department urged U.S. citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries due to safety risks, as have many other countries, though with much of the airspace closed many remain stranded.<\/p>\n The U.S. military has confirmed six deaths of American service members. All six were Army soldiers in a logistics unit in Kuwait, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.<\/p>\n – Reuters and The Associated Press<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 01:16Germany\u2019s Merz heads to Washington against backdrop of Iran strikes<\/p>\n U.S. President Donald Trump plays host to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House on Tuesday for talks on sensitive topics ranging from U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran to Trump\u2019s new tariff threats.<\/p>\n Merz, fresh off the heels of a visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, will work to maintain the positive relationship he has forged with Trump over the past year. But that will require delicate diplomacy given European concerns over the legality of the Iran strikes under international law, and deep worries over Trump\u2019s threat to pile fresh tariffs on global goods.<\/p>\n He will be the first European leader to visit Washington in the aftermath of the Iran attacks – which have blocked one of the world\u2019s key oil shipping lanes and thrown global air transport into chaos – and the Supreme Court\u2019s ruling on February 20 that Trump\u2019s emergency tariffs are illegal. <\/p>\n Initially expected to focus on trade, the discussions will likely be dominated by the U.S.-Israeli attack over the weekend.<\/p>\n On Sunday, Merz expressed no criticism of the U.S. airstrikes but stopped short of endorsing an operation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe recognize the dilemma,\u201d he said, explaining that repeated attempts over past decades had not put Iran off trying to acquire nuclear weapons or oppressing its own people. \u201cSo we\u2019re not going to be lecturing our partners on their military strikes against Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n – Reuters<\/p>\n 03\/03\/26 00:18Canada\u2019s defence minister defends Ottawa\u2019s backing of air strikes<\/p>\n -Steven Chase<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed during the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.Akhtar Soomro\/Reuters<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s deceased leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was \u201ca force for evil,\u201d Defence Minister David McGuinty said Tuesday as he defended the Liberal government\u2019s decision to back U.S. and Israeli air strikes on Iran.<\/p>\n Mr. Khamenei, 86, was killed in U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran Saturday.<\/p>\n Prime Minister Carney\u2019s government issued a strong statement in support of the Saturday attacks only hours after air strikes began, saying Tehran is the main source of instability in the Middle East and must never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters in Sydney during Prime Minister Mark Carney\u2019s visit to Australia, Mr. McGuinty said Canada\u2019s position toward Iran has been toughening for years.<\/p>\n In 2012, former prime minister Stephen Harper cut off formal diplomatic ties with Tehran and shuttered its embassy there. Justin Trudeau became a vocal and persistent critic of Iran\u2019s 2020 shooting down of a jet filled with Canadian citizens and residents and its failure to account for its actions.<\/p>\n \u201cThe government of Canada has been very clear about its position on Iran for some time,\u201d Mr. McGuinty said, noting in 2024 Ottawa designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity. He said Canada has been \u201cfollowing very carefully the kinds of human rights abuses, the terror inflicted upon the population in Iran, the suffering of women, in particular in Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n Mr. McGuinty said Canada is well aware of Tehran\u2019s support for terror groups. \u201cWe know where funding and financing has been coming from. We know the extent of the involvement of the Iranian regime in, for example, organized criminal syndicates.\u201d<\/p>\n At the same time Mr. McGuinty was careful to distance Canada from the military operations in the Middle East, saying Canada\u2019s armed forces \u201cwere not involved in the preparation, nor the execution of that particular decision by the Israelis and the Americans to attack.\u201d<\/p>\n Read the full story here.<\/a><\/p>\n 03\/02\/26 23:28Israeli air strikes hit Beirut after Hezbollah targets air base<\/p>\n Israeli airstrikes hit the Lebanese capital Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n The Israeli military said it was targeting \u201cHezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities in Beirut.\u201d<\/p>\n Hezbollah also said it launched drones targeting an Israeli air base.<\/p>\n – The Associated Press<\/p>\n 03\/02\/26 22:53Netanyahu claims Iran was rebuilding to make \u2018atomic bomb program immune\u2019<\/p>\n Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is defending the decision to go to war with Iran alongside the United States.<\/p>\n Netanyahu, speaking on Fox News Channel\u2019s Hannity, contended that Iran was rebuilding \u201cnew sites, new places\u201d that would make \u201ctheir ballistic missile program and their atomic bomb program immune within months.\u201d<\/p>\n He did not offer evidence to support his claim.<\/p>\n Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press showed limited activity at two nuclear sites in Iran before the war, with analysts saying it was likely Tehran was trying to assess damage from American strikes in June and possibly salvage what remained there.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had to take the action now and we did,\u201d Netanyahu said. \u201cOtherwise the Iranian mass murder regime would have immunity from future action.\u201d<\/p>\n Echoing a Trump administration point, he repeated that the war would create the conditions for the Iranian people to form a democratic government.<\/p>\n However, there\u2019s been no sign of any mass uprising against Iran\u2019s theocracy since the war started.<\/p>\n – The Associated Press<\/p>\n 03\/02\/26 21:55Satellite imagery shows apparent attack on Iranian nuclear site: reportOpen this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n This composite image shows an overview of Iran’s Natanz nuclear complex on Sunday (top) and Monday (bottom) with damage observed on several buildings.-\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Commercial satellite imagery has captured what appear to be the first known strikes on an Iranian nuclear site since the start of the U.S.-Israeli air operation, an independent policy institute said Monday.<\/p>\n The Institute for Science and International Security said imagery produced by Colorado-based Vantor showed two strikes on access points to the underground uranium enrichment plant at Natanz, which was hit by the United States in June, 2025. <\/p>\n David Albright, a former UN nuclear inspector and founder of the institute, said the strikes appeared to have occurred between Sunday afternoon and Monday morning local time, based on the satellite imagery his group reviewed.<\/p>\n He could not identify which military hit the Natanz complex, one of the main facilities of Iran\u2019s nuclear program. <\/p>\n Albright\u2019s findings appeared to corroborate an earlier statement by Reza Najafi, Iran\u2019s envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency, that Natanz was hit Sunday.<\/p>\n \u2013 Reuters<\/p>\n 03\/02\/26 21:39Gold and oil on the rise again<\/p>\n Gold prices rose for a fifth consecutive session early Tuesday, as investors sought safe havens amid the escalating U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict.<\/p>\n Spot gold was up 1 per cent at US$5,377.21 an ounce, as of 1:22 a.m. GMT (8:22 p.m. ET Monday). In the previous session, bullion climbed to its highest point in more than four weeks.<\/p>\n The U.S. dollar hovered close to a more than five-week high reached on Monday, supported by firm demand and cautious market sentiment. <\/p>\n Spot silver rose 1.4 per cent to US$90.67 an ounce on Tuesday. <\/p>\n Meanwhile, oil prices rose for a third day as the widening conflict and threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz heightened fears of supply disruptions from the key Middle East producing region.<\/p>\n Brent crude futures were at US$78.83 a barrel, up US$1.10, or 1.4 per cent, by 1:07 a.m. GMT (8:07 p.m. ET).U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude jumped 74 US cents, or 1 per cent, to US$71.97 a barrel. <\/p>\n – Reuters<\/p>\n 03\/02\/26 20:33Canadians may pay more for gas, but oil glut could curb war-driven price hikes<\/p>\n – Mariya Postelnyak<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n The price of regular gas across Canadian provinces hovered at around $1.43 on average Monday.Chris Young\/The Canadian Press<\/p>\n Canadians could pay as much as six cents more a litre at the gas pumps this week after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, though an oversupply of oil will likely provide a buffer from the worst price shocks, analysts say.<\/p>\n While Canada is a net exporter of energy, growing tensions across the Middle East are hitting commodity markets and hiking the price of heavy crude, the raw material refined to create gasoline and diesel.<\/p>\n The price of regular gas across Canadian provinces hovered at around $1.43 on average Monday, according to data from En-Pro, up roughly four cents from the previous week.<\/p>\n Still, \u201cwith respect to what we paid a year ago,\u201d the prices are \u201cfairly low,\u201d said Normand Mousseau, scientific director of the Trottier Energy Institute at Polytechnique Montr\u00e9al.<\/p>\n But that\u2019s the view for the short term. If the Middle East conflict continues well into the spring, experts say, consumers should expect higher prices for other goods and services, and gas as well.<\/p>\n Read the full story here.<\/a><\/p>\n 03\/02\/26 19:50Gulf states say they will retaliate if Iran continues attacks<\/p>\n \u2013 Melanie Swan<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Smoke billows from Saudi Aramco’s Ras Tanura oil refinery in Saudi Arabia after a reported Iranian drone strike on Monday.Stringer\/Reuters<\/p>\n The Gulf Cooperation Council states have warned that they will take \u201call necessary measures\u201d to counter Iranian<\/a> aggression as drone and missile attacks continue to hit the tiny countries, increasing the risk of an all-out regional war in the Persian Gulf.<\/p>\n On Monday, a joint statement from the body, which represents Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, said they will do whatever they must to defend their security and territories, reserving the right to respond to what they described as \u201cheinous\u201d and \u201ctreacherous Iranian attacks.\u201d<\/p>\n The countries, located across the narrow Persian Gulf waters from Iran, had previously said they would not allow their territories to be used for attacks against Iran.<\/p>\n Home to millions of expatriates from all over the world, they value their reputations as havens of stability in a turbulent region and have so far held back from attacking Iran. But as the U.S.-Iran-Israel war continues, and Iran strikes at critical infrastructure and energy-export facilities in the Gulf states, they risk entering the conflict.<\/p>\n Read the full story here.<\/a><\/p>\n 03\/02\/26 19:32How the Iran war could affect your wallet<\/p>\n From shuttered airports to rising oil prices and volatile stock markets, the global economy is feeling ripple effects after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran, and Iran retaliated on targets across the Middle East.<\/p>\n Here are the main ways the recent military conflict \u2013 and the risk of a prolonged standoff \u2013 could affect Canadian consumers and investors.<\/p>\n Read the full story about how the Iran war could affect your wallet.<\/a><\/p>\n 03\/02\/26 19:24Canadian stuck in Dubai calls on Ottawa to do more<\/p>\n \u2013 Jill Mahoney<\/p>\n Airspace closings upended Omer Khan\u2019s plans to fly home from Dubai to Toronto. He hasn\u2019t seen his wife and three young children since mid-January.<\/p>\n Khan arrived at the Dubai airport for his flight early Sunday, but was instead greeted by chaos as the facility was being evacuated. He hasn\u2019t been able to reach Emirates since to rebook his flight.<\/p>\n A Canadian citizen who grew up in Saudi Arabia, Khan said he registered with Global Affairs Canada and was \u201ca little bit surprised\u201d the federal government is not helping Canadians leave the region. He called on Ottawa to prepare evacuation plans if commercial flights do not resume soon.<\/p>\n \u201cI do hope that if it comes to that, they\u2019re able to assist me more,\u201d said Khan, a 40-year-old banker. \u201cThey definitely should have a contingency plan if things escalate.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more about flight cancellations and airspace closings.<\/a><\/p>\n 03\/02\/26 17:50Analysis: Trump\u2019s promises to avoid foreign wars meet the reality of office<\/p>\n \u2013 David Shribman<\/p>\n Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Trump speaks during a ceremony at the White House on Monday.Andrew Harnik\/Getty Images<\/p>\n So much for that Nobel Peace Prize.<\/p>\n Unless, of course, the following argument \u2013 being mobilized by the Trump administration \u2013 starts gaining traction: that it is Donald Trump\u2019s two military operations against Iran that will secure the regional and global peace for which the world has yearned.<\/p>\n The President, who has never done any military service, has taken pains to portray himself as something of a modern-day peacenik. He opposed George W. Bush\u2019s war in Iraq, portrayed Barack Obama as trigger-happy in his willingness to launch hostilities against Libya, and ran for president three times as an anti-war candidate.<\/p>\n He abandoned the Mahatma Gandhi persona over the weekend and by Monday was speaking in the argot of General George S. Patton.<\/p>\n Speaking at the White House, the President said American air strikes were \u201cdestroying Iran\u2019s missile capability, and we\u2019re doing that hourly.\u201d He said U.S. forces were \u201cannihilating their navy,\u201d adding that the goal was to assure that Iran\u2019s \u201csick and sinister regime\u201d wouldn\u2019t be able to obtain nuclear weapons or spread terror in the Middle East.<\/p>\n Read the full analysis of Trump\u2019s actions in Iran here.<\/a><\/p>\n 03\/02\/26 15:17Are you a Canadian traveller affected by what\u2019s happening in the Middle East? <\/p>\n Are you a tourist or business traveller whose plans have been affected by the conflict in the Middle East? Have you been dealing with travel delays or suspended flights? Share your story below for a future Globe story, or e-mail audience@globeandmail.com<\/a>. If you\u2019d like to submit a photo, use this link<\/a>. <\/p>\n Have your travel plans been impacted by the Middle East war?<\/p>\n \nAre you a tourist or business traveller whose plans have been affected by the conflict in the Middle East? Have you been dealing with travel delays and suspended flights? Share your story below. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"03\/03\/26 07:40Gold falls 4% as strong dollar and higher rate bets undercut safe-haven demand Spot gold prices fell…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":511617,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1397,10456,43,11124,44,1399,203196,41,39,42,40,5756,1400,2785],"class_list":{"0":"post-511616","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-appwebview","9":"tag-aud-growth","10":"tag-headlines","11":"tag-live-blog","12":"tag-news","13":"tag-nopolly","14":"tag-noreadtime","15":"tag-top-news","16":"tag-top-stories","17":"tag-topnews","18":"tag-topstories","19":"tag-yesapplenews","20":"tag-yespop","21":"tag-yessnap"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/511616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=511616"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/511616\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/511617"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=511616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=511616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=511616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}