US-Iran war news Highlights: Israel PM Netanyahu warns Hezbollah ‘will pay a heavy price’

The Israeli military said it carried out “several waves of strikes” on Hezbollah command posts in Beirut and southern Lebanon

"The IDF struck several Hezbollah command centers, from which Hezbollah terrorists operated to advance terror attacks against the State of Israel and its civilians," the Israeli military said on its official Telegram channel.

Iran’s UN ambassador said Tehran has no plans to shut the Strait of Hormuz, but insists it has the right to protect the waterway’s security.

Amir Saeid Iravani when asked about remarks by new Iranian supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who said that the "lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used."

"We are not going to close the Strait of Hormuz," Iravani said. "But it is our inherent right to preserve the peace and security in this waterway."

Iravani said that "Iran fully respects and remains committed to the principle of freedom of navigation under the law of the sea.

"However, the current situation in the region, including in the Strait of Hormuz, is not the result of Iran's lawful exercise of its right of self-defense.

"Rather, it is the direct consequence of the destabilizing actions of the United States in launching aggression against Iran and undermining regional security."

US President Trump called Iran "a nation of terror and hate".

"They chose not to do it, but they really are a nation of terror and hate, and they’re paying a big price right now."

"And we’re doing what has to be done, should have been done during a 47- year period, could have been done by a lot of different people," Trump said during a Women's History Month event in the East Room.

Lebanon Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that Lebanon "sought by all means to avoid" being dragged into the conflict, adding: "It is a war we did not want; on the contrary, we work day and night to stop it."

"We cannot accept in any way that Lebanon return to being an open arena for others' wars," he said.

"Rest assured that we are working around the clock to stop this war and enable you to return to your homes as quickly as possible, a safe and dignified return," he said.

Israeli prime minister denounced Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, as a “puppet of the Revolutionary Guards” who cannot appear in public.

And he addressed the Iranian people, saying the moment for a “new path of freedom” was approaching and Israel stands with them.

“But at the end of the day, it depends on you. It is in your hands,” he said.

The ongoing conflict has sent oil prices back to $100 per barrel and stocks sinking worldwide, as per a report by AP. The S&P 500 fell 1.5% Thursday and returned to big swings following a couple days of relative calm. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.6%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.8%

When asked about potential Israeli actions against Mojtaba Khamenei and Naim Qassem, Benjamin Netanyahu declined to reveal specific plans.

He said: "I wouldn’t issue life insurance policies on any of the leaders of the terrorist organization ... I don't intend to give an exact message here about what we are planning or what we are going to do."

While suggesting that the conflict could weaken Iran’s leadership, Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu said any change in government would ultimately depend on the Iranian population.

“We can create conditions for regime change, but it is up to Iran’s people to take to the streets,” he said.

Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is inflicting heavy blows on Iran’s military networks, including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij.

Netanyahu claimed the ongoing conflict has significantly weakened Iran, saying “Iran is no longer the same Iran.”

Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu held his first press conference since the start of the war with Iran, outlining Israel’s military objectives.

Netanyahu issued a strong warning to Hezbollah, saying the Iran-backed group would face serious repercussions for its actions.

“Hezbollah will pay a heavy price for its aggression,” he said.

Donald Trump claimed that Iranian men's national soccer team was welcome to participate in the 2026 World Cup but said he believed it was not appropriate that they be there "for their own life and safety."

“The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” the POTUS wrote on Truth Social.

UK on Thursday strongly condemned Iran for conducting "reckless" strikes on its neighbours in the Gulf, as Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper landed in Saudi Arabia in a show of solidarity with regional allies in West Asia, reported PTI.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei vowed to continue attacks on Gulf neighbours and use leverage to close the Strait of Hormuz. He promised to avenge those killed in the war. Read here

US-Iran war news LIVE: Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned that ‘attacks on Gulf neighbours will continue,' reported AP.

Iran has reiterated that the country is still committed to maintaining peace in the region. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday told regional leaders that his country is willing to de-escalate the conflict if certain conditions are met. Read here

Iran's security chief Ali Larijani has threatened to target power grids in the region if the US attacked the nation's electricity supplies.

"If they do that, the whole region will go dark in less than half an hour and darkness provides ample opportunity to hunt down US servicemen running for safety," said Larijani in a post on X.

Mojtaba Khamenei was elected Iran's supreme leader a few days ago, but has not addressed the country since then. He was also reportedly injured in the attack on his father's home-office compound.

Iran Guards have said that they have targeted Israel and US sites in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iraq

Hardeep Singh Puri said, “The world has not faced a moment like this in modern energy history...India's crude supply position is secure, and the volume secured exceeds what the Hormuz would have delivered. Before the crisis, approximately 45% of India's crude imports transited through the Strait of Hormuz route. Thanks to the Prime Minister's outstanding diplomatic outreach and goodwill, India has secured crude volumes that exceed what the disrupted state of Hormuz could have delivered in the same period.”

Hardeep Singh Puri has said that amid amid the West Asia conflict that has rattled the supply chain in Strait of Hormuz, India has increased the LPG production by 25% in the past five days

The external affairs ministry has in its press conference said that the External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, and Foreign Minister of Iran have had three conversations in the recent days where they spoke about the safety of shipping.

“The last one discussed issues pertaining to the safety of shipping and India's energy security. Beyond that, it would be premature for me to say anything,” spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

The Iran war is causing unprecedented turmoil in oil markets, hitting 7.5% of global supply and an even bigger swath of exports, the International Energy Agency said.

“The war in the Middle East is creating the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market,” the IEA said in its monthly report on Thursday.

The previous day, its members agreed to release an unprecedented 400 million barrels from emergency reserves in a bid to calm the market.

The drone incident at a building on Sheikh Zayed road was caused by debris after the authorities successfully intercepted a drone that later fell onto the facade of the building, the media office said.

After loud explosions, the Dubai authorities have confirmed a minor incident involving a drone that fell onto the facade of a building on Sheikh Zayed road. The media office has said that there were no injuries reported.

As reported by AFP, “Explosions heard in downtown Dubai, one very loud, an AFP correspondent reports, as Iran continues its campaign against the Gulf in response to US-Israeli attacks. The correspondent saw small clouds of smoke rise above a residential neighbourhood.”

Oil prices rose back above $100 and stocks sank Thursday as Iran's attempts to hit supplies in the Middle East and bring down the global economy overshadowed a record release of strategic crude reserves by the International Energy Agency, AFP reported.

Iran will allow India-flagged tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil trade, an Indian source said on Thursday, as reported by Reuters. (Reuters)

The U.N. Security Council voted Wednesday to approve a resolution demanding a halt to Iran’s “egregious attacks” on its Gulf neighbors, but Tehran showed no signs of changing its strategy, as reported by AP.

As the day began Thursday, a container ship in the Persian Gulf was hit with a projectile off the coast of Dubai, sparking a small fire, according to British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center. It said the crew of the vessel were safe. (AP)

Saudi Arabia's defence ministry said on Thursday it intercepted a drone heading toward the Shaybah oilfield, marking the third such incident reported on the same day, Reuters reported.

Iran will allow India-flagged tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil trade, an Indian source said on Thursday, as reported by Reuters. (Reuters)

Iran launched a new wave of attacks against Gulf energy targets on Thursday, hours after two oil tankers were hit, sending crude prices soaring again despite record reserve releases, as reported by AFP.

Two oil tankers were attacked off Iraq's coast, government officials told the INA news agency, as state television broadcast images of a ship engulfed in flames, AFP reported.

Lebanon said an Israeli strike on central Beirut's seafront killed at least seven people early on Thursday, another attack in the heart of the capital as Iran-backed Hezbollah launched more missiles at Israel, AFP reported.

The World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has flagged the strain on health systems in the Middle East as the conflict enters its 13th day.

In a post on X the Director-General of the World Health Organization said, "More than ten days into the recent escalation of conflict in the Middle East, health systems are under immense strain. Reports indicate over 1,300 deaths and 9,000 injuries in Iran, at least 570 deaths and over 1,400 injuries in Lebanon, and 15 deaths with 2,142 injuries in Israel. Attacks on health care are increasing, with WHO verifying 18 attacks in Iran, 25 in Lebanon, and 2 in Israel since February 28, resulting in tragic losses among health workers. These attacks not only claim lives but also deprive communities of critical care when they need it most."

Israeli military says more missiles from Iran heading towards Israel, as reported by AFP.

Iraq said on Thursday that it has halted operations at the country's oil ports following an attack on an oil tanker in territorial waters, as reported by Bernama.

An Indian national has reportedly been killed in an attack carried out by Iran using a "suicide" boat against a US-owned oil tanker near Iraq.

US-owned and Marshal Island-flagged oil tanker Safesea Vishnu was attacked off Khor Al Zubair port inside Iraq's territorial waters by an Iranian "suicide" boat, sources told PTI. (PTI)

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has issued an urgent "ATTACK" warning following a serious maritime incident in the northern Gulf involving multiple commercial vessels.

According to a series of updates posted to X, the UKMTO received reports of an incident occurring "5 Nautical Miles south of Al Basrah, in Iraq TTW." The information, sourced from a "Company Security Officer" and a "Third Party," initially indicated that "two tankers have been struck by an unknown projectile."

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, has indicated that the only path to ending the war is the acceptance of Iran's undeniable rights and the imposition of decisive international guarantees against future aggression.

Pezeshkian said, "In contact with the presidents of the governments of Russia and Pakistan, while announcing the Islamic Republic's commitment to peace and tranquility in the region, I emphasized that the only way to end the war that began with the warmongering of the Zionist regime and America is the acceptance of Iran's indisputable rights, payment of reparations, and a firm international obligation to prevent their aggression from recurring." (ANI)

Bahrain says fuel tanks attacked, requests residents stay home, as reported by AFP.

Israeli military says more missiles from Iran heading towards Israel, as reported by AFP.

Samsung Display's chief executive said on Thursday the war in the Middle East threatens to drive up costs of energy and raw materials needed for the flat screens used in mobile phones and other electronic devices, media reported. (Reuters)

The Saudi defence ministry said it intercepted and destroyed a drone headed toward the Shaybah oil field, as reported by AFP.

Israeli military says more missiles from Iran heading towards Israel, as reported by AFP.

The opening week of the war against Iran cost the United States military more than $11.3 billion, lawmakers were told in a Pentagon briefing, according to a New York Times report. (AFP)

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had carried out a joint missile operation with Lebanese ally Hezbollah against targets in Israel, AFP reported.

The statement came after Hezbollah said it had launched dozens of rockets and advanced missiles at northern Israel. (AFP)

The Saudi defence ministry said it intercepted and destroyed a drone headed toward the Shaybah oil field, as reported by AFP.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it had struck the Liberian-flagged container ship Express Rome and the Thai bulk carrier Mayuree Naree because they had entered the Strait of Hormuz “after ignoring the warnings”, as reported by AFP.