Middle East conflict live updates: Israel and Iran attack new targets across Middle East
Israel strikes Hezbollah ally
Helen
Israel struck a headquarters belonging to the Islamist group Jamaa Islamiya, an ally of Hamas and Hezbollah, in the southern Lebanese city of Sidon overnight, state media reported.
"The Israeli enemy carried out an air raid a short while ago, targeting a headquarters of the Jamaa Islamiya" in the coastal city, state media said.
Sidon was largely spared of major Israeli attacks during the last war between Israel and Hezbollah, which a November 2024 ceasefire sought to end.
The strike almost entirely destroyed a seven-storey building, according to an AFP photographer, and ambulances rushed to the scene.
It caused a powerful blast in a densely populated area, as seen on local media.
The Israeli military then issued an evacuation warning for another building in Sidon, saying it will hit "Hezbollah military infrastructure... in light of its prohibited attempts to rebuild its activities in the area".
The Jamaa Islamiya had previously been the target of Israeli strikes in Lebanon after claiming responsibility for rocket launches towards Israel during the war between Israel and Hezbollah that began in October 2023.
Last month, it accused Israel of seizing one of its officials from a town near the border.
Britain to send warship to Cyprus
Helen
Britain is scrambling to send a warship to Cyprus after France announced a major deployment to the eastern Mediterranean, the Telegraph reports.
The Royal Navy is expected to send HMS Duncan, a Type-45 destroyer, to the region after an RAF base was attacked by Iranian drones.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has already ordered France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its strike group to redeploy from the Baltic Sea.
Sir Keir Starmer is under growing pressure over his slow response to the Iran crisis and his lack of support for US air strikes, which has been criticised by Donald Trump.
The US president compared the Prime Minister unfavourably with Macron, saying France had offered greater backing. “He has not been helpful,” Trump told the Sun. “I never thought I’d see that from the UK.”
'Too late' for talks: Trump
Helen
US President Donald Trump said that it was "too late" for talks with Iran, writing on his Truth Social platform that Iran's "air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone".
"They want to talk. I said 'Too Late!'" Trump said - two days after saying he had agreed to talks.
Helen
Israel's military said it struck Iranian industrial sites used to produce weapons, "particularly ballistic missiles".
Tehran's Mehrabad airport -- located inside the capital and which mainly handles domestic flights -- was targeted by strikes, according to the Mehr news agency.
Israel's military says it has launched a new "large scale" wave of strikes on the capital "targeting the Iranian terror regime's infrastructure in Tehran".
Iranian media said central Tehran was struck, as well as the religious city of Qom to the south, where the building used by the official body that selects Iran's new Supreme Leader was hit.
Helen
Loud blasts rocked Tehran overnight even as Iran hit industrial and diplomatic targets across the Middle East and threatened to open "the gates of hell" on the United States and Israel.
The conflict, started on Saturday with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, showed no sign of abating as it entered its fourth day.
Israeli military says Iran launched missiles
Nazahryth Bernard
Israel’s military said Iran launched missiles at the country and it was working to intercept them.
Lebanon operation likely to last days
Nazahryth Bernard
The Israeli military has launched an “offensive campaign” against Hezbollah that is likely to last several days, Eyal Zamir, the IDF’s chief of staff has said.
“We have begun an offensive campaign against Hezbollah. We are not just on the defensive, now we go on the offence,” he said
“We need to prepare for several days of fighting, many. We need strong defensive readiness and continuous offensive preparedness, in waves.”
Additional troops and air defences have been sent to Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, with 100,000 having been called up.
At the same time, a defensive force of Israeli soldiers are operating in small areas within Lebanon. IDF officials fear Hezbollah fighters could be preparing “infiltration” operations into Israel, as well as additional rocket attacks.
“We have positioned soldiers on the border area in additional strategic points to defend civilians from Hezbollah attacking them,” an IDF spokesman said on Tuesday morning.
“Our soldiers are operating in southern Lebanon in a few locations as part of an enhanced presence.”
– Daily Telegraph
Smoke billowing from a fire and buildings damaged after an early morning Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs
Nazahryth Bernard
Drones hit fuel tank in Oman port: state media
Nazahryth Bernard
Drones targeted an Omani port on Tuesday, hitting a fuel tank, state media said, as Iran presses its retaliation campaign on the Gulf in response to US and Israeli strikes.
"A security source reported that fuel tanks at the commercial port of Duqm were targeted by a number of drones, one of which hit a fuel tank. The resulting damage was contained without any human casualties," the Oman News Agency said in statement.
– AFP
Israeli troops enter Lebanon, told to advance
Nazahryth Bernard
Israel said its troops were operating inside Lebanon, marking another escalation in the war in the Middle East.
An IDF spokesman said the troops had been sent into southern Lebanon “as part of an enhanced forward defence posture”.
It said the move was not part of a wider ground invasion but was a “tactical measure on the border”.
“The IDF is working to create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel,” the spokesman said.
Israel’s defence minister said his country’s troops had been authorised to “advance and seize” areas in Lebanon as a defensive measure.
Israel Katz said he had approved the move, along with Benjamin Netanyahu, to “prevent fire on Israeli border communities”.
“The IDF continues to operate forcefully against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The terrorist organisation is paying - and will continue to pay - a heavy price for its fire toward Israel,” he said.
Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed terror group, confirmed it had targeted Israeli bases in a combined missile and drone attack overnight. Israel said there were no reported impacts.
– Daily Telegraph
Trump hits out at UK Prime Minister
Nazahryth Bernard
Donald Trump said Europe had been more helpful in supporting US strikes on Iran than the United Kingdom.
Speaking to the Sun, the US president was full of praise for other European countries, including France, but hit out at Sir Keir Starmer.
“This was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe,” Trump said.
“It’s not going to matter, but [Starmer] should have helped… he should have.
“I mean, France has been great. They’ve all been great. The UK has been much different from others.”
Yesterday, Trump told the Telegraph that he was “very disappointed” in Sir Keir, criticising the Prime Minister’s initial refusal to let US forces use the Diego Garcia base.
– Daily Telegraph
Selection of new supreme leader ‘will not be lengthy’, Iranian official says
Nazahryth Bernard
A member of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, which will elect a new Supreme Leader, says the process “will not be lengthy”, according to the ISNA agency.
Ali Moalemi said the members of the Assembly of Experts have sworn that in choosing the new leader, “personal preferences” for individuals or political and party factions would “not be a factor” and that they will vote based on their judgement and in accordance with religious principles, Al Jazeera reported.
“The Assembly of Experts will, as in the past, select a personality like the martyred Leader of the Revolution,” he said, referring to the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israel strike on Saturday morning.
US embassy in Israel tells citizens it is unable to assist in evacuations
Nazahryth Bernard
Zelenskyy offers Gulf states Ukraine’s ‘best drone operators’
Nazahryth Bernard
Ukraine will send its best experts to the Middle East to help intercept Iranian drones if regional leaders can convince Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire.
Moscow is thought to have fired more than 57,000 Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones at Ukraine since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
“I would suggest the following: leaders of the Middle East have great relations with Russians. They can ask Russians to implement a month-long ceasefire,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, said.
For the duration of the ceasefire, Ukraine would in exchange send its “best operators of drone interceptors” to the Middle East in order to “protect civilians”, Zelenskyy added.
The Russian president has positioned himself as a peacemaker in the ongoing conflict, hosting a flurry of calls with leaders from close ally Iran and the Gulf countries.
– Daily Telegraph
Loud explosions heard in Iranian capital: AFP journalists
Nazahryth Bernard
Loud explosions rocked Iran's capital on Tuesday, AFP journalists said, as the war with the United States and Israel entered its fourth day.
The blasts were heard in northern Tehran but it was not immediately clear what was hit, the reporters said. Iranian media also reported explosions in Karaj city, outside of Tehran, as well as the central city of Isfahan.
– AFP
Hezbollah says targeted 3 Israeli bases after strikes on Lebanon
Nazahryth Bernard
Lebanese militant group Hezbollah on Tuesday said it targeted three Israeli military bases in response to the strikes on the group's strongholds in Lebanon, including the south Beirut suburbs.
"In response to the criminal Israeli aggression on dozens of Lebanese cities and towns", Hezbollah fighters targeted with drones the Ramat David air base and the Meron base in northern Israel with drone strikes, the Iran-backed group said in multiple statements.
They added that they also targeted a base in the occupied Golan Heights with a rocket barrage.
– AFP
Iranian media says five IRGC troops killed in Bushehr
Nazahryth Bernard
The ISNA agency is reporting that five members of theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' air force and navy have been killed in US-Israeli attacks on the cities of Jam and Dir in the central province of Bushehr, according to Al Jazeera.
Democrats slam Trump administration’s justifications for US-Israeli airstrikes
Nazahryth Bernard
Earlier today, members of the Trump administration alleged US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran were a pre-emptive defence measure, justifying the weekend’s military activities on account of the risk of a Tehran attack.
Democratic senator and vice-chair of the select committee on intelligence Mark Warner responded to the claims by saying there had been “no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians”, telling reporters “there was a threat to Israel”.
“If we equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then we are uncharted territory.”
Hezbollah has fired new attacks on Israel
Nazahryth Bernard
CNN reports Hezbollah has launched a series of new attacks on Israel, with two drones being intercepted before impact.
An Israeli air traffic control base on Mount Meron and the Ramat David Airbase were the targets.
Nazahryth Bernard
US embassy in Riyadh confirms attack, closes temporarily
Nazahryth Bernard
The United States embassy in Riyadh confirmed an attack and urged people to stay away, saying it would be closed on Tuesday.
"Avoid the embassy until further notice due to an attack on the facility," a statement said, urging American citizens to "shelter in place".
– AFP
‘Unlimited supply’: Trump boasts about munitions
Nazahryth Bernard
US President Donald Trump has taken to his social media site to boast about America’s “virtually unlimited supply” of munitions amid the war with Iran.
“The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better - As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“Wars can be fought “forever,” and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!).
“The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
US State Department orders 'non-emergency' staff to leave Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq
Nazahryth Bernard
Non-emergency personnel have been told to leave several Middle Eastern nations, AFP reports.
The US State Department said Tuesday it has ordered non-essential workers and their families to leave Bahrain and Jordan, as well as announcing it had ordered staff in Iraq to leave a day earlier, as Iran retaliates to US-Israeli strikes.
The department, in a post on X, said it had updated travel advisories for Bahrain and Jordan "to reflect the ordered departure of non-emergency US government personnel and family members of government personnel."
In an updated Iraq travel advisory, the department said it had on Monday "ordered non-emergency US government employees to leave Iraq due to security concerns".
European Central Bank warns continued conflict may cause inflation
Nazahryth Bernard
European Central Bank chief economist Philip Lane told the Financial Times that conflict in the Middle East could cause a spike in inflation as energy supplies continue to dwindle.
The impact on the economy would depend “on the breadth and duration of the conflict”, he said, with oil and gas output from the Middle Eastern region likely to drop as strikes continue.
Israeli military conducting 'simultaneous strikes' on Beirut, Tehran
Nazahryth Bernard
According to AFP, Israel's military said it was carrying out simultaneous strikes Tuesday on Tehran and Beirut as the Mideast war widened and intensified.
"The IDF is currently conducting simultaneous strikes in Tehran and Beirut. The Israeli Air Force has begun targeted strikes against military objectives of the Iranian terror regime and the Hezbollah terrorist organisation," Israel's military said.
Trump says US 'not where we want to be' on highest end weapon stockpiles
Nazahryth Bernard
US President Donald Trump says the United States is "not where we want to be" in terms of its stockpiles of the highest end weapons as American forces deploy large quantities of munitions against Iran, AFP reports.
"At the highest end, we have a good supply, but are not where we want to be," he wrote on Truth Social, adding the US has sufficient "medium and upper medium grade" weapons.
"Wars can be fought 'forever,' and very successfully, using just these supplies (which are better than other countries finest arms!)," he added, referring to the "medium and upper medium grade" weapons.
Strikes reportedly hit downtown Tehran, near Iran’s old parliament building
Nazahryth Bernard
Iran’s Shargh newspaper is reporting that an area near Iran’s old parliament building has been hit by air strikes, according to Al Jazeera.
The attack took place near the intersection of Valiasr and Jami Streets in downtown Tehran, where several cultural sites and museums are located, the report said.
There were no immediate reports on casualties from the strike.
US strikes Iranian targets
Nazahryth Bernard
The US military has said it has destroyed Iranian military targets during “sustained operations” across the region.
In a post on X, US Central Command said “US forces have destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defence capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields during sustained operations.”
It added that US forces would “continue to take decisive action against imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime”.
– Daily Telegraph
Iran Foreign Minister hits back at Marco Rubio
Nazahryth Bernard
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has responded to Marco Rubio after the US Secretary of State defended the US’ military strikes in Iran as “pre-emptive”.
Rubio told reporters today the US had entered the conflict knowing Israel’s impending attack on Iran would “precipitate” a military response against the American troops regardless.
In a post to X, Araghchi wrote: “Mr Rubio admitted what we all knew: US has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian ‘threat’."
“Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters. American people deserve better and should take back their country.”
Amazon confirms cloud units in UAE, Bahrain damaged in drone strikes
Nazahryth Bernard
Amazon’s cloud units are expected to make a “prolonged” recovery after being hit by Iranian missiles, Reuters reports.
Two facilities were directly hit in the United Arab Emirates, while the Bahrain cloud unit was impacted by a strike nearby.
“These strikes have caused structural damage, disrupted power delivery to our infrastructure and, in some cases, required fire suppression activities that resulted in additional water damage”, Amazon Web Services (AWS) said in an update.
“Even as we work to restore our facilities, the ongoing conflict in the region means that the broader operating environment in the Middle East remains unpredictable.”
A source told Reuters that financial institutions using AWS services have been affected by the outages.
It is thought to be the first time a US tech company’s data centre has been impacted by conflict in the Middle Eastern region.
Iran claims attack on US air base in Bahrain
Nazahryth Bernard
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it has carried out a “massive drone and missile attack” on a US air base in the Sheikh Isa area of Bahrain this morning, Al Jazeera reports.
It said it deployed 20 drones and three missiles, “destroying the main command and headquarters building of the US air base and setting its fuel tanks on fire”.
There was no immediate comment from Bahrain.
Israel army issues new evacuation warnings in Lebanon
Nazahryth Bernard
The Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for dozens of locations in Lebanon on Tuesday, including a warning for residents in two southern Beirut neighbourhoods to stay away from several buildings ahead of imminent military action, AFP reports.
"Urgent warning to the residents of Lebanon, specifically in the villages which names are shown. For your safety you must evacuate your homes immediately," said a statement by the military's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee on Telegram, which listed 50 locations.
"You are located near Hezbollah facilities and interests, against which the IDF will operate in the near future," he told the residents of southern Beirut neighbourhoods Ghobeiry and Haret Hreik in another evacuation warning.
Israel claims it struck Iran’s state broadcaster
Nazahryth Bernard
Israel has claimed to have “struck and dismantled” the headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, the Guardian reports.
The state radio and television broadcaster had reportedly “called for the destruction of the state of Israel and for the use of nuclear weapons”.
'Hands off Iran now': Protests begin across US
Nazahryth Bernard
Throughout the United States, thousands of people have reportedly gathered to protest the US-Israeli military operation in Iran, CNN reported.
In New York City, a crowd of people peacefully gathered in Manhattan for a short rally.
They then marched through the city streets while chanting “hands off Iran now”.
CNN reported that similar protests have unfolded in Chicago and Portland.
Nazahryth Bernard
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has mentioned the conflict in its weekly global economic round-up.
Its comments are as follows:
Global Straight of Hormuz shipping and Middle East flights disruption
The ongoing conflict in Iran has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The economic implications of this are still unfolding and including any implications for global supply chains.
Three ships have been attacked near the Strait of Hormuz. 150 ships are anchored outside the Strait. Major international shipping companies are pausing transit through the Strait.
Airspace is also closed in the UAE, Qatar, Israel, Iran, Iraq, and Bahrain. Dubai International Airport remains shut; 5500 flights have been cancelled.
Globally, approximately 19,000 flights have been disrupted. Airlines that normally transit Middle East airspace to connect Europe and Asia face significantly longer routes and higher fuel costs, compounded by Russian and Ukrainian airspace limits.
New Zealand Embassies in the region are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to provide support to New Zealanders.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade advises New Zealanders in the region to shelter in place. New Zealanders should follow the advice of local authorities and register on SafeTravel.
Kiwis in Middle East struggle to register on SafeTravel
Nazahryth Bernard
Multiple New Zealanders across the Middle East have struggled to register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ SafeTravel portal amidst the escalating hostilities.
The Government has advised citizens across affected countries to register on the online portal and remain in place since the beginning of the conflict on Saturday, New Zealand time.
Hezbollah defends attacks on Israel
Nazahryth Bernard
Hezbollah has defended its recent missile attacks on Israel as a legitimate response to 15 months of “Israeli aggression against Lebanon” in violation of a ceasefire agreed in 2024, Al Jazeera reports.
“All political and diplomatic efforts have failed to curb this aggression or compel Israel to implement the ceasefire agreement and its requirements,” the group said in a message on Telegram, describing strikes against Israel as a “defensive act” and a “legitimate right”.
“We have repeatedly warned that aggression without a response cannot continue, and assassinations and destruction cannot continue,” it said.
“What is required is to put an end to the aggression by all available means, with fervour and effective action,” the group added.
The statement came after Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced “a ban on Hezbollah’s military activities” and said its role will be restricted “to the political sphere”.
Israel intercepts attack from Lebanon
Nazahryth Bernard
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has intercepted two “unmanned aircraft” launched from Lebanon.
The attack came at 4.43am local time (3.43pm NZT) in the Western Galilee area near Haifa, hours after Israel struck a Hezbollah-owned TV channel in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The IDF announced it had begun striking “command centres and weapons storage facilities” belonging to the militant group.
– Daily Telegraph
Saudi defence ministry says 8 drones intercepted near Riyadh, Al-Kharj
Nazahryth Bernard
Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday that it had intercepted more than half a dozen drones near capital Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj.
"Eight drones were intercepted and destroyed near the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj," Defence Ministry spokesman Major General Turki al-Malki said on X.
Israeli PM rubbishes view that Israel 'dragged' US into conflict
Nazahryth Bernard
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was asked during an interview with Fox News if Israel "dragged Donald Trump" into the war.Netanyahu reportedly laughed.
"That’s ridiculous. Donald Trump is the strongest leader in the world. He does what he thinks is right for America," Netanyahu said.
'Remain calm': Siren heard over Bahrain, residents called to take shelter
Nazahryth Bernard
A siren was heard in Bahrain, prompting residents to take shelter, the country’s Interior Ministry said.
“The siren has been sounded. Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place,” the ministry said.
US Embassy in Saudi Arabia hit by two drones
Nazahryth Bernard
The United States Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was attacked by two drones.
The New York Times reported that the Saudi Ministry of Defence said in a statement that there was “limited fire and minor material damage to the building”.
“We recommend American citizens in the Kingdom to shelter in place immediately,” it said.
Qatar intercepts majority of Iranian projectiles
Nazahryth Bernard
Qatar claims to have intercepted the majority of projectiles launched into the country by Iran since the conflict began.
Three cruise missiles, 98 of 101 ballistic missiles, 24 of 39 drones, and two SU-24 fighter jets were detected, the Ministry of Defence for Qatar said in a social media post.
Netanyahu: Iran nuclear build-up would be 'immune within months'
Nazahryth Bernard
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran’s nuclear build-up would have been “immune within months” without military intervention.
In an interview with Fox News journalist Sean Hannity, Netanyahu claimed the Iranian regime had been constructing underground bunkers in the months since last June’s joint Israeli-US strike.
“The reason that we had to act now is that after we hit their nuclear sites and their ballistic missiles programme, you’d think they’d learn a lesson, but they didn’t. Because they’re unreformable, they’re totally fanatic about this, about the goal of destroying America.”
Netanyahu calls Iran 'main engine of war' in Middle East
Nazahryth Bernard
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described Iran as “the main engine of war” in the Middle East in an exclusive interview with Fox News.
When asked if he saw a path to peace in the region, Netanyahu said the US and Israel’s “quick and decisive action” was designed to make way for a democratically elected regime in Iran.
“Iran is 50 North Koreas, Iran is committed to your destruction”, he said, describing Israeli military strikes as the “gateway to peace”.
Netanyahu praised US President Donald Trump as the “strongest leader in the world”, claiming Israel and the US are the “good guys” in a “battle against barbarism”.
“There’s never been a President like Donald J. Trump,” he went on to say. “For the world, we are very lucky to have them as the leader of the free world, and in fact the world.”
Trump suggests US will retaliate 'soon' after Riyadh embassy struck
Nazahryth Bernard
President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States would retaliate "soon" after its embassy in the Saudi capital Riyadh was struck by two suspected Iranian drones.
Speaking to the NewsNation network on Monday (local time), Trump said "you'll find out soon" how the United States would respond, without providing further detail, after the US embassy confirmed a drone attack that caused "a limited fire and minor material damage".
After the attack, the embassy issued a shelter-in-place notification for US citizens in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran.
'Primary objective' of US strikes to prevent Iran building nuclear weapon
Nazahryth Bernard
In an interview with Fox News, US Vice-President JD Vance says President Donald Trump’s “primary objective” in striking Iran was to prevent Tehran from building a nuclear weapon.
“What the President determined is he didn’t want to just keep the country safe from an Iranian nuclear weapon for the first three, four years of his second term – he wanted to make sure that Iran could never have a nuclear weapon, and that would require fundamentally a change in mindset from the Iranian regime”, Vance said.
He reassured journalist Jesse Watters that Trump did not plan for the conflict to extend across multiple years, stating “we’re not going to get into the problems that we’ve had with Iraq and Afghanistan”.
New explosions in Riyadh
Vera Alves
New explosions were heard in Riyadh early on Tuesday (local time), an AFP journalist and residents said, as Iran pressed on with its campaign of retaliatory strikes across the Gulf.
The explosions could be heard in the centre of the Saudi capital, with one resident saying they "heard a bang and the house shook".
Earlier in the morning, Saudi's Defence Ministry confirmed two drones had struck the US embassy in Riyadh, starting a small fire.
Unesco denounces attack on Iranian primary school
Vera Alves
Unesco, the UN’s education agency, has denounced a US and Israeli military attack on an Iranian primary school over the weekend as a violation of humanitarian law.
On Saturday (local time), more than 150 people were killed after missiles struck a Minab school for girls, with a further 100 thought to be injured.
“The killing of pupils in a place dedicated to learning constitutes a grave violation of the protection afforded to schools under international humanitarian law”, a statement on X, formerly Twitter, reads.
“Attacks against educational institutions endanger students and teachers and undermine the right to education.”
Netanyahu claims Iran nuclear program would have been beyond attack in months
Vera Alves
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday (local time) that Iran had been building new nuclear weapon sites that would have been impossible to attack within months, creating urgency for strikes on the country.
"They started building new sites, new places, underground bunkers, that would make their ballistic missile programmes and their atomic bomb programmes immune within months," Netanyahu told Fox News.
"If no action was taken now, no action could be taken in the future."
– AFP
US Congress to debate Trump's war powers
Vera Alves
The US Congress is scheduled to vote this week on motions seeking to curb President Donald Trump as he wages war against Iran, but the Republican majority will probably shield him.
Trump has sought to expand executive power drastically since returning to the White House in 2025, overshadowing the legislature.
So some lawmakers now want to reassert the role of Congress, which under the US Constitution is the only body that can declare war.
"Trump has launched an unnecessary, idiotic, and illegal war against Iran," Senator Tim Kaine wrote on X, formerly Twitter, shortly after the United States and Israel began the attacks overnight Friday into Saturday (local time).
In late January, as a huge US military build-up in the Middle East rumbled on, Kaine introduced a bill designed to force Trump to obtain authorisation from Congress to engage in any military conflict with Iran.
On Saturday (local time), he urged Congress to return immediately from recess to take up his resolution, and a vote is expected this week.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth visited the Capitol on Monday (local time) to discuss the new Middle East war with administration officials.
"There was no imminent threat to the United States of America by the Iranians. There was a threat to Israel," Senator Mark Warner, the lead Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, told reporters after the meeting.
"If we equate a threat to Israel as the equivalent of an imminent threat to the United States, then we are in uncharted territory," he said.
– AFP
NZ First's deputy leader declines to add party's voice
Vera Alves
New Zealand First deputy leader Shane Jones declined the opportunity to add his party’s voice to the debate. Party leader Winston Peters, also the Foreign Minister, is away on an official visit to South America.
Te Pāti Māori 'firmly opposed' to war in the Middle East
Vera Alves
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said the world was "going mad" with war happening around the globe.
"Aotearoa must stand for peace ... Te Pāti Māori stand firmly opposed to war and military action in Iran and across the Middle East," Waititi said.
"The legacy is displacement, grief and long-term instability," he said.
Waititi said the war will have an impact for New Zealanders and add "the pinch" to people already experiencing the cost of living crisis.
"We are going to be impacted by geopolitical decisions around the world ... and we are going to feel the pinch ... we absolutely call for peace and we want to ensure the impacts it will have on our people in Aotearoa."
David Seymour: World not waiting for NZ to cast judgment on strikes
Vera Alves
On the legality of the strikes, Act leader David Seymour acknowledged there would be a range of viewpoints but "the world is not waiting for New Zealand to cast its judgment on that question".
The Government was "taking a far more practical approach", Seymour said, which included looking after New Zealanders, including Iranian nationals who now live in New Zealand and the Government was taking steps to ensure they "were protected".
New Zealand was also looking after New Zealanders in Iran and parts of the Middle East that needed help, he said.
"We stand here with a steely resolve and a close eye for what this means for New Zealand," Seymour said, citing potential economic impacts.
"These things can affect us severely too."
NZ must be 'a force for peace' - Marama Davidson
Vera Alves
Greens co-leader Marama Davidson said New Zealand must be a "force for peace" and not a bystander or "cheerleader" for war."The Green Party absolutely condemns the United States unlawful and aggressive strikes on Iran, and calls for the (NZ) Government to do that same."
To allow for countries unilaterally to make a decision "willy nilly" to invade another country just because "they do not like their leader" is to put us in a "dangerous and volatile position", she said.
Davidson said there should be a "blanket extension" on Iranian citizens' visas that were set to expire. Earlier today, Immigration Minister Erica Stanford said there were options available for people in this situation and urged them to call Immigration NZ.
Hipkins says US-Israeli strikes were illegal
Vera Alves
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said small countries like New Zealand relied on international laws for security, freedom and economic prosperity. Turning our backs on international law was "at our own peril," he said.Hipkins said the strikes were illegal. So far, Luxon has refused to declare the strikes legal or illegal.The Labour leader said it was possible to condemn the brutal Iranian regime while also calling the strikes illegal.
"The struggle of the Iranian people cannot be used to excuse breaches of international law," he added.
"Our response must reflect the deep empathy for the innocent people caught up in this event ... whole populations facing huge uncertainty. There is never a justification for killing school children," Hipkins said, in reference to international media reports citing local media that more than 100 children were killed at a school in Minab in Southern Iran.
Police in NZ to be more visible in certain locations
Vera Alves
Speaking in House at Parliament, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Iran's regime had destabilised the region. Members of Parliament will be debating the Iran strikes this afternoon.
"The Iranian regime denies its people the ability to live free from the Government ... We join with those who call for civilians to be protected. We want this crisis to end as soon as possible. We urge a return to diplomacy," he said.
"Rather than attacking its neighbour, the new Iranian Government should focus ... on a solution."
In New Zealand, police would be more visible in certain locations to give communities reassurance.
Luxon 'fumbling' and 'out of his depth' – Marama Davidson
Vera Alves
Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson said Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was "out of his depth" after he needed to walk back comments made during Monday's post-Cabinet press conference.
Davidson said Luxon was "fumbling" as the country's leader and needed to have more "spine" and less "spin".
She added that Luxon needed to show "leadership and moral courage" and declare the strikes on Iran illegal.
Davidson said deeming the strikes illegal did not mean one supported the Iranian regime.
"We cannot bomb our way to peace," she added.
Fire at US embassy in Riyadh
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A Saudi Defence Ministry spokesman has confirmed a fire at the US embassy in Riyadh, after it was hit by two drones.
Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV says Israeli strike hit Beirut office
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An Israeli strike hit the south Beirut office of Al-Manar TV, which is affiliated with Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, the broadcaster said.
Israel "targets the Al-Manar Channel building in the Haret Hreik area", Al-Manar wrote on Telegram, referring to a part of south Beirut.
– AFP
Qatar Defence Ministry says it intercepted two ballistic missiles
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Qatar's military intercepted two ballistic missiles early on Tuesday morning (local time), the country's Defence Ministry said in a statement, after AFP reporters heard loud explosions across Doha.
Qatar was able to "intercept and neutralise two ballistic missiles that targeted several areas within the country", the ministry said in a statement, adding the "threat was dealt with immediately upon detection".
– AFP
Explosions reported in Riyadh
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The Guardian reports that loud explosions have been heard in the diplomatic quarter of Riyadh. Clouds of smoke can also reportedly be seen above the Saudi capital.
Explosions heard over Doha
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It is currently 3am in Doha. Al Jazeera's correspondent has reported hearing multiple explosions in the city in the last few minutes, according to the broadcaster.
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Australian military headquarters in Middle East hit by Iranian drone
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Australia has said its military headquarters in the Middle East was hit by an Iranian drone attack over the weekend and that all staff were safe.
Speaking on morning TV, Defence Minister Richard Marles said he could confirm reports the Al Minhad Air Base – just 24km south of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates – had been hit over the weekend.
"There was some drones which did attack that base on the first night," Marles, also the Deputy Prime Minister, said.
"We have a number of Australians who operate from a headquarters that we've had at Al Minhad now for many, many years," he said.
"They are all safe and accounted for."
The US-Israeli assault on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday has embroiled the region in conflict.
Waves of retaliatory Iranian missile attacks targeted the UAE at the weekend damaging Dubai airport, the world's busiest for international traffic, and Jebel Ali seaport – which hosts US warships and is capable of handling aircraft carriers.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed the US-Israeli action.
Australia has said it has 115,000 nationals in the Middle East who are unable to fly out because of airspace closures caused by the conflict.
Al Minhad Air Base has hosted Australian forces since 2003 and serves as the primary hub for the country's operations in the Middle East.
Up to 80 Australians are on the base at any given time, according to the Australian military.
– AFP
Israel launches strikes on Hezbollah in Beirut
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Israel's military has said that it had launched strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon's capital Beirut, after warning it would press ahead with its campaign against the Iran-backed group.
"The IDF is currently striking Hezbollah command centres and weapons storage facilities in Beirut," a statement from the military said.
– AFP
'Defensive act': Hezbollah issues statement following attack on Israel
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The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has said that its rocket and drone attack on Israel was a "defensive act" after more than a year of Israeli strikes, despite a ceasefire.
"For 15 months, Israeli aggression against Lebanon has continued through killing, destruction, bulldozing and all forms of criminal acts," a statement from the Iran-backed group said, making no mention of the recent killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, unlike a previous missive.
The group's "response against a military barracks in the usurping entity is a defensive act and a legitimate right", it added.
– AFP
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Australia opens crisis portal for citizens in Middle East
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The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has opened a crisis registration portal for Australians in Israel, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Citizens, permanent residents or immediate family members with a right of entry into Australia have been urged to register to receive the latest update from the department.
"We are working closely with airlines and the travel industry to identify commercial flight operations once airspace reopens," it said.
"The fastest way to help Australians return home is through the resumption of commercial flights."
Israel army says 'struck and dismantled' Iran's state broadcaster HQ
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Israel's military said it "struck and dismantled" the headquarters of Iran's state radio and television broadcaster, as it pressed on with its campaign against the Islamic Republic.
"A short while ago, the Israeli Air Force struck and dismantled the Iranian terrorist regime's communications centre" in Tehran, the military said, referring to the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
"The activities taking place at the centre were carried out and directed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps. Over the years, the Iranian Broadcasting Authority called for the destruction of the state of Israel and for the use of nuclear weapons," the military added.
– AFP
Israel warns residents to take shelter
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Israel's military has said just after midnight on Tuesday (local time) that it was working to intercept a new wave of missiles launched from Iran, warning residents in multiple locations to seek shelter.
"A short while ago, the IDF [Israel Defence Forces] identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the military said.
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US won’t rule out sending ground troops into Iran
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United States Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth today would not rule out the possibility of sending American ground troops to Iran.
Air Canada grounds flights to Israel and Dubai
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Air Canada has announced due to the military situation in the Middle East, all flights to Israel and Dubai have been cancelled for the coming three weeks.
The airline has told passengers flights will resume on March 23.
'May be a target': Australian diplomats told to stay clear of Jordan
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Australia is reiterating concerns the US embassy in Jordan "may be a target for future attacks" following a security alert.
The Australian Embassy has advised its officials to avoid the US embassy and the area around it.
US State Department urges Americans to leave multiple Middle Eastern countries
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The US State Department has urged Americans to immediately leave 14 countries in the Middle East, including Israel.
They have been asked to leave via commercial means from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen, the department's assistant secretary for consular affairs Mora Namdar told the Reuters news agency.
Israel warns Lebanon residents to evacuate
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The Israeli military has issued evacuation warnings for dozens of villages in southern Lebanon, saying it would operate against Hezbollah activities in the area.
"Hezbollah's activities are compelling the [Israeli military] to operate against it. The [Israeli military] does not seek to harm you. For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move north, beyond the line of villages marked on the map and their surrounding areas," the military's Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, wrote in an X post which listed more than two dozen villages.
– AFP
‘We had a go-bag ready’: Kiwi in Dubai shelters as missiles intercepted
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Mare Haimona-Riki sheltered his whānau in an underground bunker in Dubai.
Energy Minister not concerned about war's impact on prices
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The Energy Minister is confident New Zealand has fuel supplies in place to deal with the volatility of global markets.
Simon Watts says he is getting briefings from MBIE officials on potential disruption, but does not have any significant concerns.
"You'd expect to see some volatility in the markets in regards to what's happening over there, but the Government has taken steps over the past two years to look at increasing security of supply, particularly around fuel sources that are based here in New Zealand."
Watts said the volatility on the global markets would play through into New Zealand, but there are appropriate stores in place, and there was "diversity" of international supply, pointing to Australia and Singapore.
Labour's energy spokeswoman Megan Woods says the minister is being naïve by pressing ahead with plans for a liquefied natural gas import terminal.
"What we've seen in Europe today, that LNG prices have spiked by 45%, and this is going to flow through. This is the concern that we've been voicing all along with the government's plan for an LNG terminal – it exposes New Zealand to this volatility around pricing around the world."
– RNZ
Powerful explosions felt across Tehran
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Four powerful explosions have been heard and felt by AFP journalists after midnight in Tehran (local time), as local media reported blasts across the city.
The four explosions were heard at 1.15am, shaking the windows of apartments. The targets were unclear.
With fighter jets flying over the capital, AFP journalists earlier saw huge columns of smoke rising from Tehran's historic centre and the east of the city.
The Mehr and Tasnim agencies reported explosions in these areas.
- AFP
Israel says it will reopen Gaza aid crossing
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Israel has said it would reopen a crossing into Gaza to allow for the "gradual entry of humanitarian aid" into the territory.
The Kerem Shalom crossing was closed on Saturday (local time) when Israel and the United States began striking Iran.
The decision to reopen it was made "in accordance with a security assessment," Cogat, the Israeli defence ministry body responsible for civil affairs in the Palestinian territories, said.
– AFP
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"The Air Force destroyed a short time ago the communication and propaganda centre of the Iranian terror regime," the Israeli Air Force posted on social media.
"The Air Force, under precise guidance from Military Intelligence, has begun an additional strike toward targets of the Iranian terror regime in Tehran."
Inside: How Trump decided to go to war
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Trump’s decision to go to war was fuelled by Israel and his confidence after topping Venezuela’s leader.
Analysis | It's Trump's world, and US allies are just living in it
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As United States and Israeli warplanes continue to bombard Iranian cities, European allies have been left in a familiar place: on the sidelines.
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Kiwi newly arrived in Saudi Arabia: ‘Welcome to the Middle East’
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A Kiwi who moved to Saudi Arabia two weeks ago doesn’t yet know if she’ll stay in the country, which is among several Persian Gulf states targeted by Iran in retaliatory missile and drone strikes after the US-Israel attacks aimed at taking down the Iranian regime.
But neither is she certain how she’d leave, with an exit visa needed and air travel in disarray.
“All of us immigrants are worried, but then some of the ones that have been here longer are like ‘Well, welcome to the Middle East’.”
The woman, who asked not to be identified, lives in an expat compound in Dhahran on Saudi Arabia’s eastern coast, less than an hour’s drive from Bahrain – where an Australian oil industry workmate was next to a building struck by a drone on Sunday (local time).
This morning, a drone struck a Saudi Arabian oil refinery 70km away in Ras Tanura. She lived near a Royal Saudi Air Force base, the woman said.
The “super fast, super loud” fighter jets had been “very cool to see when you’re not worried about them being there”.
“But once Saturday happened ... and we’re hearing them at 3 in the morning, you’re like, ‘What’s going on?’ Well, you know what’s going on. But you’re like, ‘How close is it?’”
Luxon says he 'misspoke' when he said he supported 'any action' to stop Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon
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PM Christopher Luxon says he “misspoke” yesterday when saying “any action” would be supported by New Zealand to stop Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon.
On his way into a caucus meeting on Tuesday morning, the Prime Minister said he meant that New Zealand had “long supported action to make sure that Iran doesn’t get its hand on nuclear weapons”.
But he said that didn’t extend to any action “at any cost”.
Luxon said clearly New Zealand does not support the likes of carpet bombing, an example put to him of "any action" at yesterday's press conference.
“I misspoke, I meant ‘action’ rather than ‘any action’.”
US troops death toll rises to six
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At least six US service members have been killed in action after the United States and Israel started bombing Iran, the military says.
Al Jazeera reports that the US military forces have recovered remains of two soldiers that were previously unaccounted for, bringing the total number of US troops dead in the attack up from four to six.
“US forces recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran’s initial attacks in the region,” US Central Command said in a statement.
“Major combat operations continue. The identities of the fallen are being withheld until 24 hours after next-of-kin notification.”
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