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<\/a><\/p>\nPublished On 17 Mar 202617 Mar 2026<\/p>\n
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The United States-Israel war on Iran continues to intensify<\/a> as attacks on multiple cities kill civilians, including a newborn baby and his two-year-old sister in Arak city.<\/p>\n The conflict has spread as Iran has retaliated against US assets in neighbouring countries, while Israel has carried out bombing in southern Lebanon against the Iran-backed Hezbollah armed group.<\/p>\n Recommended Stories list of 1 itemend of list<\/p>\n The war has pushed oil prices sharply higher, disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and displaced millions of civilians across the region.<\/p>\n An Amnesty International investigation found that the US is responsible for the attack that killed at least 170 people, including more than 160 girls, at a primary school in Minab, Iran.<\/p>\n Here is what we know:<\/p>\n In Iran In the Gulf
\nAttacks on Iranian cities: A series of large explosions were reported in northern Tehran near the Saadabad Palace complex, following earlier attacks on central Tehran, Karaj, Shahriar and Shiraz.
\nA three-day-old infant and his two-year-old sister were among those killed in a US-Israeli attack that hit their home in the city of Arak, according to Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The children\u2019s mother and grandmother were also killed in the attack, Iran\u2019s English-language news channel Press TV cited the IRGC as saying.
\nIranian retaliation and stance: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has defended Tehran\u2019s right to self-defence, saying Iran did not start the war and will not surrender to \u201cbullies\u201d.
\nIranian primary school: An Amnesty International investigation confirmed that a US attack on an Iranian primary school<\/a> killed at least 170 people, most of whom were schoolgirls.
\nRising casualties: At least 1,444 people<\/a> have been killed and 18,551 injured by US-Israeli attacks on Iran since February 28.<\/p>\n![\"INTERACTIVE](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/INTERACTIVE-DEATH-TOLL-tracker-war-US-Israel-and-Iran-attacks-March-16-2026-1773670042.png\"){kind=tracking}
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\nUAE oil field: The government of the UAE\u2019s Fujairah says a fire broke out<\/a> at its oil industry zone after being attacked by drones. Falling debris from a missile intercepted by air defences has killed a person in the Bani Yas area of Abu Dhabi, the emirate\u2019s media office says. The victim was a Pakistani national, the office said in a post on X.
\nUAE airspace closure: The UAE also announced a temporary closure of its airspace as its defence forces responded to incoming missiles and drones.
\nQatar: Qatar\u2019s Ministry of Defence says a missile was intercepted, and civil defence workers were later reported to be dealing with a \u201climited fire\u201d in an industrial zone caused by falling missile debris. Earlier, the country\u2019s Defence Ministry reported successfully intercepting and destroying 13 out of 14 ballistic missiles launched from Iran.
\nKuwait: A spokesman for Kuwait\u2019s National Guard says a drone was taken down in line with \u201congoing efforts to enhance security\u201d and \u201cprotect vital sites\u201d. Earlier, the country\u2019s Ministry of Interior arrested 14 Kuwaitis and two Lebanese nationals affiliated with Hezbollah, who were allegedly planning a \u201csabotage plot\u201d within the Gulf nation.
\nBahrain: The country announced it has neutralised 129 missiles and 221 drones since the war began more than two weeks ago.
\nSaudi Arabia: A Saudi Ministry of Defense spokesperson says 12 drones were intercepted in the Eastern region of the kingdom.
\nIn Israel
\nNetanyahu sends Nowruz wishes: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent wishes to Iranians for the coming Nowruz holidays, marking the Persian new year.
\nHezbollah targets Israeli city: Hezbollah said it launched an attack on Monday against the northern Israeli city of Nahariya, where Israeli first responders reported a man was wounded.
\nShrapnel falls on Jerusalem holy sites: Israeli police said they found missile and interceptor fragments at holy sites in Jerusalem\u2019s Old City, including areas near the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
\nIsraeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Monday said displaced Lebanese will not be allowed to return home until the north of Israel is safe. More than a million Lebanese have been displaced since Israel launched attacks on the country. His comments came after the Israeli military announced \u201climited ground operations\u201d in Lebanon.
\nIn the US
\nTrump wants Hormuz \u2018enthusiasm\u2019: US President Donald Trump stepped up pressure on the United Kingdom and France, in particular, to help secure shipping in the Strait of Hormuz<\/a>, which Iran has shut down, sending global oil prices soaring.
\nEuropean leaders reject Trump\u2019s demands: Germany said it has no intention of joining the US-Israeli war, and the European Union foreign policy chief noted that European nations have \u201cno appetite\u201d to send troops.
\nTrump calls Iran \u2018paper tiger\u2019: \u201cThis is a paper tiger we\u2019re dealing with,\u201d he said. Iran has closed access to the Strait of Hormuz \u201cto our enemies\u201d.
\nVance backs Trump: Vice President JD Vance said he supported Trump\u2019s action despite his reluctance towards previous US military interventions.\u201cWe have a smart president, whereas in the past, we\u2019ve had dumb presidents, and I trust President Trump to get the job done, to do a good job for the American people,\u201d Vance said.
\nTrip to China: Trump announced that he has asked to delay his upcoming trip to China by a month. The trip was originally scheduled for the end of March, but Trump explained that he needs to remain in the US while the conflict is ongoing, telling reporters, \u201cWe\u2019ve got a war going on.\u201d
\nIn Lebanon
\nHezbollah attacks Israel in Lebanon: Hezbollah said it attacked Israeli troops and vehicles in at least three Lebanese border towns, after the Israeli army announced it had begun limited ground operations in Lebanon.
\nResidents in the Lebanese village of Arab al-Jal in southern Lebanon have been ordered by Israel\u2019s military to flee in advance of an imminent attack.
\nOne million displaced in Lebanon: Lebanese authorities said more than one million people had registered as displaced since Israel launched its attack on Hezbollah.
\nIsrael\u2019s Lebanon ground offensive an \u2018error\u2019: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that an Israeli ground offensive in Lebanon was an \u201cerror\u201d which would \u201cfurther exacerbate the already highly tense humanitarian situation\u201d in the country.
\n![\"Smoke](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2026-03-16T123628Z_1187838639_RC2N5KAEKI27_RTRMADP_3_IRAN-CRISIS-LEBANON-1773714643.jpg\")
Smoke rises from a village in Lebanon following an Israeli attack, amid escalation between Hezbollah and Israel and amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, as seen from northern Israel [Shir Torem\/Reuters]In Iraq
\nAn air attack on a house in Baghdad\u2019s Jadriya district killed four people and left several wounded, a security source told Al Jazeera.
\nBaghdad hotel attack: A drone sparked a fire Monday at a luxury hotel frequented by foreign diplomats in Baghdad\u2019s fortified Green Zone, shortly before air defences foiled a rocket attack at the US Embassy.
\nIraq\u2019s Kataib Hezbollah commander killed: Iraq\u2019s powerful armed group Kataib Hezbollah said its senior security commander Abu Ali al-Askari had been killed, without providing details on the circumstances of his death.
\nIraqi government response: The Iraqi government strongly condemned the attacks on the US Embassy, the Baghdad hotel, and a major oilfield in the country\u2019s south, labelling them \u201cterrorist attacks\u201d.
\nGlobal economic effect
\nFinancial and energy markets: The war has severely disrupted global financial and energy markets, with crude oil prices surging by about 50 percent since the US-Israeli joint attacks began. Brent crude recently hit $106 per barrel.
\nJapan starts releasing oil stocks: Japan said it was beginning the release of its strategic oil reserves after the International Energy Agency indicated earlier that the release would begin in Asia and Oceania before other regions.![\"INTERACTIVE](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/INTERACTIVE-Global-indices-performance-1-month-March-16-2026-1773663396.png\")
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