Four people killed in Beirut hotel strike
At least four people were killed when an Israeli strike hit an apartment in the Ramada hotel building in central Beirut early on Sunday, with Israel saying it targeted Iranian commanders operating in the Lebanese capital.
The attack marked the first Israeli strike in the heart of Beirut since Israel-Hezbollah hostilities resumed last week, and prompted fears the scope of Israel’s strikes would expand outside areas where Hezbollah has traditionally operated.
Israel said it targeted key commanders of Iran’s elite Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards but did not name them.
“The commanders of the Quds Force’s Lebanon Corps operated to advance terror attacks against the state of Israel its civilians, while operating simultaneously for the IRGC in Iran,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
Lebanon was pulled into the widening US-Israel war with Iran on Monday after the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah fired rockets and drones into Israel. Israel responded with heavy strikes across southern and eastern Lebanon and near Beirut.
Dan Haygarth8 March 2026 09:46
Israel says it will target Iran’s next supreme leader and Trump says he has no interest in negotiation
President Donald Trump said the war may only end with Iran’s military and rulers wiped out, as Tehran moved on Sunday towards picking a new supreme leader.
After Mr Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One he was not interested in negotiating an end to the conflict that has roiled oil markets, hurt business and snarled global travel, US ally Israel announced fresh strikes across Iran that it said had hit critical fuel storage sites.
“At some point, I don’t think there will be anybody left maybe to say, ‘We surrender,'” Mr Trump said.
The clerical body charged with choosing Iran’s next supreme leader could meet as soon today to name a successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an attack early in the conflict, Iranian media reported.
A majority consensus over the successor has more or less been reached, said assembly of experts member Ayatollah Mohammadmehdi Mirbaqeri, according to the Mehr news agency.
The Israeli military, in a post on X, warned it would pursue every successor.
Dan Haygarth8 March 2026 09:30
Cooper: We must learn from Iraq
Political reporter Athena Stavrou reports:
The UK’s foreign secretary has said Britain must make sure it “learns lessons” from “things that went wrong in Iraq”, after Sir Tony Blair criticised Sir Keir’s response to the outbreak of war in the Middle East.
The former prime minister told an event that Britain should have supported the US in their initial strikes on Iran.
Yvette Cooper hit back at the comments on Sunday, saying she “disagrees” with Sir Tony’s stance.
“I think the point is to make sure that actually we learn the lessons from some of the things that went wrong in Iraq,” she said.
“And I think that is exactly what Keir Starmer has done.”
The US administration has rejected suggestions the current offensive could lead to a war similar to Iraq, with US secretary of defence Pete Hegseth having said: “This is not Iraq, this is not endless”
Dan Haygarth8 March 2026 09:10
Huge fire and heavy smoke billows from Tehran fuel depotHuge fire and heavy smoke billows from Tehran fuel depot
Dan Haygarth8 March 2026 08:55
Kuwait interior ministry said two of its officers have been killed
Kuwait’s interior ministry said on Sunday that two of its officers were killed “while performing duties,” according to a post on X.
It did not provide details on the circumstances of their deaths, but Kuwait has been intercepting drones and missiles launched from Iran following US and Israeli attacks.
Daniel Haygarth8 March 2026 08:45
Starmer calls to end ‘political games’ over Middle East conflict
Political reporter Athena Stavrou writes:
Sir Keir Starmer has called for an end to “political games” amid a continued war of words between himself and Donald Trump over Britain’s response to the outbreak of war in the Middle East.
The prime minister said the UK “needs seriousness” in such “uncertain times”, as the US president launched his latest attack on Britain.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Jaimi Joy/PA Wire)
“We don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won,” Mr Trump said on Saturday night, despite the US currently using British bases to launch striks on Iran.
Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Sir Kier said: “While opposition parties seek to undermine Britain on the world stage, my Labour government is focused on protecting British people at home and abroad.”
Dan Haygarth8 March 2026 08:35
Recap: Trump hits out at Starmer again
Donald Trump and Keir Starmer (Getty)
Donald Trump has again hit out at Sir Keir Starmer over the UK’s involvement in the Middle East conflict, saying that the US does not need anyone to “join wars after we’ve already won”.
It comes after four American bombers landed in the UK and the US started using British bases for “specific defensive operations” on Saturday.
The US president was referring to reports that the UK was preparing an aircraft carrier in response to the Middle East crisis.
The Ministry of Defence said it was increasing the preparedness of HMS Prince of Wales and reducing the time it would take to set sail, but that no decisions have been taken to deploy the warship.
The US president posted on his Truth Social platform: “The United Kingdom, our once great Ally, maybe the greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East.
“That’s OK, prime minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember. We don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won!”
Sir Keir’s decision not to grant permission for the first wave of military action prompted a raft of criticism from Mr Trump in recent days, including a personal attack on the Prime Minister as being “not Winston Churchill”.
He has also called Britain’s response “very disappointing” and that it should be allowing America to use its bases “without question or hesitation”.
Sir Keir later granted permission for “defensive” US action against Iranian missile sites from UK bases.
The prime minister has sought to play down the rift and, after Mr Trump’s latest rebuke, Downing Street pointed back to Sir Keir’s earlier comments that the special relationship is “in operation right now” as the two countries share intelligence and work together.
Dan Haygarth8 March 2026 08:21
Iran skies turn black as oil rains after Israel bombs oil facilities
Dramatic visuals coming from Iran this morning are showing thick-black clouds and oil-saturated rain after Israel carried out a massive barrage of attacks on Iranian oil refineries and storage sites in Tehran’s south and west.
Visuals shared on social media showed hundreds of buildings under black clouds engulfed with smoke and fuel residue.
The oil spill coming from the destroyed oil depots has leaked into Tehran’s sewage system and ignited a “river of fire” on the side of the streets in the Iranian capital.
An explosion erupts following strikes near Azadi Tower close to Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran (AFP via Getty Images)
Smoke rises following an explosion amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran in Tehran (Reuters)
An explosion erupts following strikes near Azadi Tower close to Mehrabad International Airport in Tehran (AFP via Getty Images)
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 07:58
Israeli military says it will pursue every successor of Iran’s Khamenei
The Israeli military has vowed it would continue pursuing every successor of Iran’s next supreme leader.
In a post on X in Farsi, the Israeli military also warned it would pursue every person who seeks to appoint a successor for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, referring to the clerical body charged with choosing the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader.
There warning came just minutes after the clerical body that will choose Iran’s next supreme leader, succeeding the slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has more or less reached a majority consensus.
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 07:48
Trump praises Italy PM Meloni’s willingness to help in US-Israel war
US president Donald Trump praised Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni and said she was willing to help the United States and Israel in their war with Iran, Italy’s Corriere della Sera reported on Sunday.
Speaking to the newspaper in a telephone call on Saturday, Trump described Meloni as “a great leader” and said Italy was doing what it could to assist.
“I love Italy, I think she is a great leader,” Trump was quoted as saying of Meloni.
“She always tries to help, she is an excellent leader and she is a friend of mine,” Trump said, according to Corriere della Sera.
His remarks come after Meloni said Italy is planning to send air-defence aid to Gulf countries in the face of Iranian air strikes.
An Italian navy vessel is preparing to sail to Cyprus, a navy spokesperson said on Friday, as part of a joint European mission to protect the island after it came under Iranian fire.
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 07:38