The former British foreign secretary is among 3,000 signatories, including leading members of Jewish diaspora, to open letter to Isaac HerzogThe former British foreign secretary Malcolm Rifkind is among leading members of the Jewish diaspora urging the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, to intervene to stop “attacks by Jewish extremists” on Palestinians in the West Bank.An open letter to Herzog facilitated by the London Initiative – a liberal Zionist network of 360 people, including eminent Jewish, Israeli and Israeli Palestinian figures – has attracted more than 3,000 signatories, including diplomats, philanthropists, rabbis and academics from Australia, Canada, across Europe, South Africa the UK and US. It follows a spate of killings and arson attacks by settlers on Palestinian civilians in March. Continue reading...
• NATO formally condemned coordinated Russian cyber attacks launched against critical infrastructure in three alliance member states, including Estonia, Lithuania, and Romania, on April 1-2, 2026.
• The attacks targeted power grid control systems and financial networks, with NATO officials attributing the operations to Russian GRU military intelligence with "high confidence" based on forensic analysis and technical signatures.
• The incident prompted emergency meetings of the NATO Cyber Defence Centre in Tallinn and triggered Article 5 threat assessment protocols, though military responses remain under deliberation among member states.
• Treasury Department imposed sanctions on April 1 against firms linked to hacks on Australian and Japanese defense networks, stealing terabytes of data.
• Targets include Huawei subsidiary and two state-backed hackers, freezing $1.2 billion in US assets.
• Action escalates tech war, with FBI reporting 40% rise in state-sponsored attacks on US firms.
War shows little sign of easing despite Donald Trump claiming Iranian leadership ‘just asked’ for ceasefireIsrael unleashed two waves of attacks on Tehran and said it had killed a senior Hezbollah commander on Wednesday with little sign of the war easing up despite Donald Trump repeating a claim that Iran’s leadership was seeking a ceasefire.The US president, writing on social media, said that Iran’s president had “just asked” for a ceasefire, and that American troops would be “out of Iran pretty quickly”, as he sought to extricate the US from the war. However, he confused the picture by incorrectly describing the president as a “new regime” leader. Continue reading...
Kuwait says fire broke out after Iranian attack on giant tanker and warns of possible oil spill in surrounding watersHello and welcome to our continuing live coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran and its impact on the region, the world and the global economy.Iran attacked and set ablaze a fully loaded crude oil tanker off Dubai on Monday while Donald Trump warned the US would obliterate Iran’s energy plants and oil wells if it did not open the strait of Hormuz.Blasts were heard in Tehran and power cuts hit some areas of the capital, Iranian media reported on Tuesday. Israel earlier carried out missile strikes on what it called military infrastructure in Tehran and infrastructure used by Iran-backed Hezbollah in Beirut, leaving black smoke hanging over the Lebanese capital.Two successive Iranian missile launches targeted central Israel, the Times of Israel reported, quoting the emergency service as saying it had not received any reports of injuries.Turkey reported a ballistic missile launched from Iran had entered Turkish airspace before being shot down by Nato air and missile defences.Oil prices were headed on Tuesday for a record monthly rise while Asian shares were headed for their steepest fall since 2022, capping a tumultuous month as the war fanned fears of higher inflation and slower growth. Bonds were headed for their largest decline in months, while the dollar recorded its strongest gain in eight months.The US national average retail price of fuel crossed $4 a gallon for the first time in more than three years on Monday, data from price-tracking service GasBuddy showed, as tightening global supplies pushed US crude prices above $101 a barrel.Three UN peacekeepers from Indonesia were killed in two separate incidents in southern Lebanon.Thousands of soldiers from the US Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division have started arriving in the Middle East, two US officials told Reuters. , as part of a reinforcement that would expand Trump’s options to include the deployment of forces inside Iranian territory, even as he pursues talks with Tehran.The White House later said talks with Iran were progressing and Trump wanted to reach a deal with Tehran before a 6 April deadline he set last week after extending an earlier deadline he had set for Iran to open the largely blocked strait of Hormuz oil route.Trump had told aides he is willing to end the military campaign against Iran even if the strait or Hormuz remains largely closed and leave a complex operation to reopen it for a later date, the Wall Street Journal later reported.Iran said on Monday it had received US peace proposals via intermediaries and that they were “unrealistic, illogical and excessive”. Continue reading...
President says he is open to scaling back strikes on oil and wider energy industry if Moscow reciprocates. What we know on day 1,496 Continue reading...
Knesset approves measure that has been criticised by European nations and rights groupsIsrael’s parliament has passed a law imposing the death penalty on Palestinians convicted of fatal attacks, a measure sharply criticised as discriminatory by European nations and rights groups.The legislation makes the death penalty the default punishment for Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Bank found guilty of intentionally carrying out deadly attacks deemed acts of terrorism by a military court. Continue reading...
• The Israeli Defense Force conducted widespread strikes targeting Iran's missile and nuclear infrastructure on Thursday, marking escalation in the month-long Operation Roaring Lion with strikes on facilities including the Arak Reactor.
• Oil prices surged and US stock markets fell sharply Thursday amid renewed uncertainty about potential conflict resolution, with investors expressing doubt over prospects for ending the Iran war.
• The escalation coincides with Houthi forces joining the conflict through attacks on Israel and a critical April 6 deadline for potential wider regional military engagement.
Escalation represents dangerous spread of war and brings threat of even more damage to the global economyMiddle East crisis – live updatesParents of Iran school bombing victims describe their worst dayThe US-Israeli war with Iran has expanded with the entry of Houthi forces in Yemen, representing a dangerous spread of the conflict and bringing with it the threat of more damage to the global economy.Pakistan has said it would host a meeting of Middle Eastern powers on Monday in an effort to find a regional approach to ending the conflict. But the talks, bringing together foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt did not appear to include any of the warring parties, casting further doubt on persistent US claims of diplomatic progress. Continue reading...
• Israel launched strikes on central Tehran and warned of expanding its campaign against Iran, which continues firing missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states, as U.S. strikes persist.
• President Trump extended the deadline to April 6 for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, stating talks are 'going very well' after Iran requested a grace period despite public denials.
• Israel moved thousands of troops into Lebanon to control the area south of the Litani River, 20 miles north of the border.
Mohammed bin Salman said to consider war a ‘historic opportunity’ to remake Middle East. Plus, Senate passes funding package for Homeland Security that excludes ICEGood morning.Saudi Arabia has urged Washington to intensify attacks on Iran, a Saudi intelligence source has confirmed, while it considers whether to join the war directly.Have there been reports of active Saudi military involvement? Not so far. But a Saudi analyst said the kingdom was likely to intervene if peace efforts led by Pakistan failed. Mohammed Alhamed said: “If [Iran] rejects the conditions and continues its attacks, the threshold for Saudi action will be crossed.”What is the latest on the strait of Hormuz? On Tuesday, Tehran said it would permit “non-hostile vessels” to pass: here is a visual guide.For the latest updates, follow our live blog.Why has there been no DHS funding? Democrats have blocked it as they demand changes to its immigration crackdown, particularly after agents in Minneapolis killed the US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Continue reading...
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said to view US-Israeli war as ‘historic opportunity’ to remake Middle EastMiddle East crisis – live updatesSaudi Arabia has urged the US to ramp up attacks on Iran, a Saudi intelligence source has confirmed, while it is weighing a decision on whether to join the fight directly.The Saudi source confirmed reporting in the New York Times, which said the kingdom’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has urged Donald Trump not to cut short his war against Iran, and that the US-Israeli campaign represented a “historic opportunity” to remake the Middle East. Continue reading...
Aipac-backed lawmakers denounce ‘extremist’ violence in West Bank as support for Israel becomes a political liabilityAs Israeli settlers ramp up violent attacks on Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, often as Israeli forces stand by, denunciations are mounting in the US, even from Democratic legislators and public figures who are typically staunch defenders of Israel.In recent days, dozens of settlers have torched homes and vehicles and attacked Palestinians in apparently coordinated attacks. Since the start of the month, Israeli settlers and police have killed at least 10 Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, including two young brothers and their parents as they returned from a Ramadan shopping trip. Continue reading...
Australia co-sponsored resolution affirming support for sovereignty and security of Gulf states. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the best of the overnight stories before Krishani Dhanji takes the wheel.Australia has condemned Iran’s indiscriminate attacks on Gulf states and Jordan, joining with many other like-minded nations at an urgent debate at the United Nations. More details in a moment. Continue reading...
Israeli military says it will continue operations in line with Israeli government directives until told otherwiseMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe Israeli military said it had launched a new wave of strikes on Tehran, after Donald Trump signalled a pause in US attacks against energy infrastructure after what he said were talks with Iran.The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it would continue operations in line with Israeli government directives until told otherwise. Continue reading...
Witnesses describe coordinated raids in which homes and vehicles were set on fire and several Palestinians injured Middle East crisis live – latest updatesIsraeli settlers have carried out a series of attacks across the occupied West Bank, setting homes and vehicles on fire and wounding several Palestinians in what witnesses described as coordinated raids on communities.The violence, reported across at least half a dozen locations overnight from Saturday into Sunday, comes amid a wider surge in tensions in the territory. The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, cited local sources as saying settlers had entered al-Fandaqumiya and the nearby town of Seilat al-Dahr, south of Jenin, late on Saturday. Continue reading...
Energy and oil sites across region would become ‘legitimate targets’, Tehran saysMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesIran has said it will “irreversibly destroy” essential infrastructure across the Middle East if the US attacks its energy sites, hours after Donald Trump threatened to “obliterate” the country’s power plants if the strait of Hormuz was not opened within two days.As Iranian missiles struck two southern Israeli cities overnight, injuring dozens and shattering apartment buildings, the developments signalled a dangerous potential escalation of the war in the Middle East, which is now in its fourth week. Continue reading...
• The United Arab Emirates reported heavy explosions in Dubai early Friday as its air defenses intercepted incoming Iranian fire over the city.
• Kuwait reported two oil refineries on fire and Saudi Arabia disclosed that its Samre refinery came under attack, indicating Iran's widening campaign against Gulf energy infrastructure.
• The attacks represent Iran's strategic effort to target regional economic assets and disrupt global energy supplies as the conflict escalates beyond direct military engagements.
• President Donald Trump lashed out at the Supreme Court and District Judge Boasberg in a social media post full of falsehoods, claiming courts treat him unfairly.
• Chief Justice John Roberts defended the Supreme Court, stating 'It’s got to stop' regarding personal invective against judges.
• The attacks coincide with increased violent threats against federal judges ruling against the administration, as reported by multiple outlets.
Experts say attacks on Afghanistan are ‘defensive, not offensive’ but carry a risk of spiralling cycle of violenceAn escalating Pakistani campaign of airstrikes against targets in Afghanistan is aimed at forcing the Taliban authorities to abandon their support for Pakistani militants, according to officials and experts.The strategy is to impose such a steep cost on the Taliban administration that they act to prevent attacks emanating from Afghanistan. Yet it carries the risk of spiralling violence. Continue reading...
More than 100 others injured in bombings targeting post office, market areas and hospital in MaiduguriAt least 23 people have been killed and more than 100 others injured in multiple suspected suicide bombings in the north-eastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, shattering its reputation as a relative oasis of calm in recent years as a long-running insurgency was pushed to the rural hinterlands.Authorities said the explosions went off at the post office and market areas, as well as the entrance to the University of Maiduguri teaching hospital, on Monday evening during iftar, the breaking of fast in the month of Ramadan. Continue reading...
• President Donald Trump launched a series of social media posts on Sunday night criticizing the U.S. Supreme Court as having 'RANSACKED' the country after it rejected his tariffs decision.
• Trump acknowledged potential backlash, stating 'This statement about the United States Supreme Court will cause me nothing but problems in the future, but I feel it is my obligation to speak the TRUTH,' amid broader losses including failed prosecutions and coalition splits over Iran war.
• The outbursts highlight Trump's frustration with judicial setbacks, such as U.S. District Judge James Boasberg tossing a grand jury subpoena against Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Friday.
Abbas Araghchi demands clarification on reports Saudi crown prince had urged Donald Trump to ‘hit the Iranians hard’ Some Gulf states hosting US forces may be covertly encouraging the slaughter of Iranians, Iran’s foreign ministerclaimed on Monday in a thinly veiled attack on Saudi Arabia.Abbas Araghchi demanded clarification on reports that Mohammed bin Salman was in regular private conversations with Donald Trump urging the US president “to continue hitting the Iranians hard”. Continue reading...
President accuses court of having ‘unnecessarily RANSACKED’ the US and claims he has ‘absolute right’ to impose new tariffsSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxGood morning and welcome to the US politics liveblog.In a late-night social media post, Donald Trump has claimed he has the “absolute right” to impose new tariffs after the supreme court ruled many of the import duties he imposed last year were illegal.Our Supreme Court has made these Countries very happy but, as the Court pointed out, I have the absolute right to charge TARIFFS in another form, and have already started to do so.” Continue reading...
Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville posted that 'the enemy is inside our gates' juxtaposing a NYC iftar photo with 9/11 images, doubling down amid attacks in Michigan and Virginia. House Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged Rep. Ogles' strong language on Sharia law but called the concern 'serious' without rebuke. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer condemned Tuberville's post as 'mindless hate' and un-American. The Michigan attacker, a naturalized Lebanese citizen who lost four family members in an Israeli airstrike, rammed Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township.
President Donald Trump threatened severe retaliation against Iran on March 13, 2026, following multiple drone strikes on Saudi Arabia and related terror incidents in the US. In a Fox News interview, Trump commented on Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, stating, "I think he's damaged, but I think he's probably alive in some form." The US military reported four crew members killed in a refueling aircraft crash amid heightened tensions. These developments raise alarms about IRGC influence and potential escalation in the region.
President Donald Trump threatened severe retaliation against Iran on March 13, 2026, following multiple drone strikes on Saudi Arabia and related terror incidents in the US. In a Fox News interview, Trump stated Iran's new Supreme Leader is 'damaged, but probably alive in some form' amid reports of internal regime messages with errors possibly dictated by the Revolutionary Guard. The US military reported four crew members killed in a refueling aircraft crash linked to the tensions. These developments heighten fears of escalation as Iran appoints Mojtaba Khamenei as leader against his father's wishes, with experts citing regime assets as key to their fight.
Iran's new Supreme Leader Moshtab Kamani issued a statement Thursday ordering the military to continue blocking shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, read on state TV as 'effective and punishing defense.' Iran released video of attacks on an oil tanker near Iraq and struck at least six ships plus oil facilities. This escalates as US bombs Iran and a massive Oklahoma rally supported Palestinians after a woman was killed by US-Israeli strike shrapnel. The conflict shows no signs of slowing with US Central Command confirming ongoing strikes.