Last Updated on March 2, 2026 5:26 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
AMN / NEWS DESK
War in West Asia intensified as Iran and the joint forces of Israel and America launched a new wave of missile and drone attacks at each other. Iran and Iranian-backed militias continue to strike US assets across the Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and others, after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and top Iranian officials. On the other hand, Israel and the United States pounded targets in Iran. Britain, France and Germany have said that they are ready to work with the US to counter Iran’s attacks, and a group of Gulf countries said it reserved the right to respond to Iranian strikes.
Qatar’s Ministry of Defence announced that two missile attacks struck energy-related sites in the country, with no reported injuries or fatalities. The ministry added that all damages and losses resulting from the attack will be assessed by the relevant authorities, and official statements will be provided later.
Oman’s Maritime Security Centre has reported that an oil tanker was attacked by an explosive-laden boat while sailing 52 nautical miles off the coast of Muscat Governorate. At least one crew member was killed after the attack resulted in a fire and an explosion in the engine room. It added that 21 other crew members were evacuated.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) says a vessel has been struck in the Port of Bahrain by two unknown projectiles. In a post on its website, the UKMTO said the impact of the projectiles caused a fire onboard. It added that all members of the ship’s crew are safe and have evacuated the vessel.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, while speaking to reporters in Paris about the crisis in the Middle East, criticised Israel and the United States for launching attacks on Iran without prior debate at the United Nations. He also criticised Iran for its retaliatory attacks. He said that the Iranian regime, which has now lost its guide, must end these attacks.
Meanwhile, the Kuwait Ministry of Defence today said several American warplanes crashed, but their crews survived. The official said authorities promptly launched search-and-rescue operations, evacuating the personnel and taking them to the hospital for medical evaluation and care, adding that their condition was stable. He added that Kuwaiti authorities coordinated directly with U.S. forces to assess the circumstances and undertake joint technical measures.
Meanwhile, Amazon said its cloud unit’s data centres in Bahrain and the UAE were facing power and connectivity issues, as Iranian retaliatory strikes hit airports, ports, and residential areas across the wider Gulf. It said that two of Amazon Cloud Unit’s zones, which are clusters of data centres, in the UAE, were without power. The company said one zone in the UAE was affected after objects struck the data centre and created sparks and fire, following which power was shut off.
Amid the growing tension, top Iranian security official Ali Larijani has vowed that Iran will not negotiate with the United States. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has strongly condemned the recent US air strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Mr Araghchi described the strikes as an unlawful act of aggression and asserted that Iran’s actions constitute self-defence.
US President Donald Trump promised Washington would avenge the deaths of three American troops who were killed in Kuwait. In a social media post, Mr Trump said nine Iranian warships had been sunk and that the Iranian navy’s headquarters had been largely destroyed. The US military said B-2 stealth bombers struck Iran’s ballistic missile facilities with two-thousand-pound bombs.
The Israeli Air Force today reported missile launches from Iran targeting Israeli territory. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones targeting its Ras Tanura oil refinery. Saudi state television says authorities have temporarily shut down the Ras Tanura refinery near Dammam after a drone attack.
Reza Najafi, Iran’s ambassador to the UN nuclear watchdog, says the country’s sprawling nuclear facility at Natanz was struck during US and Israeli military operations yesterday.
Several loud explosions were also heard in Irbil, the capital of northern Iraq’s Kurdish region. As the bombardment continued, Hezbollah said it fired missiles from Lebanon into Israel today in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Israel retaliated with strikes on Beirut. In the attack, 31 people lost their lives. Israel said that crossings to Gaza, where much-needed humanitarian aid passes, will remain closed while the war with Iran continues. The Israeli government has said that the restrictions imposed nationwide remain unchanged until Wednesday night. All gatherings, educational activities, and workplaces, except for essential sectors, will remain prohibited. The restrictions expire on Wednesday at 8 p.m., before which a new assessment will be made.
Cyprus has said that the drone that hit the British military base caused limited damage. Lebanon’s government is holding an emergency meeting after Hezbollah’s attack on Israel triggered Israeli airstrikes in different parts of the country. Amid the rising conflict, the World Health Organisation called for the sparing of civilians and healthcare facilities in West Asia. Jordan’s Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission says the country’s airspace will be closed to all aircraft from 15:00 GMT to 06:00 GMT every day starting today until further notice.