TODAY

The Pentagon said the airmen on board the KC-135 plane were: John Klinner, 33, from Alabama; Ariana Savino, 31, from Washington; Ashley Pruitt, 34, from Kentucky; Seth Koval, 38, from Indiana; Curtis Angst, 30, from Ohio; and Tyler Simmons, 28, also from Ohio.

Demonstrators gathered in Toronto for Al-Quds Day, denouncing US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Lebanon.

Medvedev, who arrived in the US after leaving the UAE via Oman amid Iranian attacks, ends world number one’s 16-match run.

Daniil Medvedev has handed top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz his first loss of the year and advanced to the final at the Indian Wells Open after arriving at the tournament from the midst of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The 11th-seeded Medvedev advanced with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory on Saturday and will face second-seeded Jannik Sinner, who beat Alexander Zverev 6-2, 6-4 in the California-based tournament.

Alcaraz had won 16 straight matches this year, including titles at the Australian Open and Qatar Open, but Medvedev ended the possibility of an Alcaraz versus Sinner final.

Medvedev had dropped his last four meetings against Alcaraz, including a loss in the Indian Wells final in 2024. This was Medvedev’s first victory over him since the US Open semifinals in 2023.

The Russian player was stuck in the United Arab Emirates for three days following his title win at the Dubai Tennis Championship on February 28, the day the United States and Israel attacked Iran to launch a region-wide conflict.

Medvedev’s participation in the premier US West Coast-based tournament looked doubtful after he was unable to leave Dubai for two days due to airspace closure.

The 30-year-old was able to exit on the third day by crossing over into Oman by land after a six-hour drive along with fellow players Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov.

From Oman, the players boarded a flight to Istanbul before leaving the Turkish city to arrive in the US two days before their opening matches at Indian Wells.

“You feel like you’re in a Hollywood movie,” Medvedev told the Russian media outlet Bolshe of his multi-leg journey to arrive at the tournament that he seemed likely to miss.

Medvedev had been scheduled to play in the Eisenhower Cup, a one-night Tie Break Tens doubles event alongside fellow Russian Mirra Andreeva on March 3, but missed the exhibition event.

Meanwhile, Sinner made quick work of Zverev in the second semifinal, beating the German in one hour, 23 minutes. Sinner notched six aces against the fourth-seeded Zverev.

Zverev won his first eight points on serve. But Sinner broke Zverev in the fifth and seventh games to secure the first set. Sinner now leads the head-to-head series against Zverev 7-4.

Neither Medvedev nor Sinner has dropped a set yet in this tournament. Sinner has won his last three matches against Medvedev, including the US Open quarterfinals in 2024.

In the women’s doubles final, Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova beat Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic 7-6 (4), 6-4. The victory marked Townsend’s first at Indian Wells and Siniakova’s second. Siniakova also won in 2023 alongside longtime partner Barbora Krejcikova.

In the men’s doubles final, Guido Andreozzi and Manuel Guinard topped Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot 7-6 (3), 6-3. In mixed doubles, Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli beat top-seeded Gabriela Dabrowski and Lloyd Glasspool 6-3, 2-6, 10-7.

The stand-off between Ten Hag and Sancho lasted four months, before Sancho joined Dortmund on loan for the remainder of the season and helped them reach the Champions League final.

But they could not afford to keep him and, although United sporting director Dan Ashworth was credited with brokering the truce that allowed Sancho to join up with United in the pre-season of 2024, it was a temporary situation, which Chelsea seemed to solve by agreeing a loan that committed them to a permanent transfer at the end of the season.

Yet, after five goals in 41 appearances, Chelsea preferred to pay a £5m penalty to send Sancho back to Old Trafford.

This time, there was no olive branch. Sancho was placed in Ruben Amorim’s ‘bomb squad’ and had to train away from the first team until he joined Villa on 1 September.

United have an option to trigger an additional year on Sancho’s contract, which otherwise expires in the summer. In public, they are reserving their position on that. No-one expects it to happen.

At 25, Sancho still has a lot to offer. There have been glimpses of quality during his time at Villa, but it is by no means certain he will stay there beyond the end of the season.

“Seeing Jadon close up, technically, he’s got an awful lot of ability,” said current United interim head coach Michael Carrick, who worked with Sancho as part of Solskjaer’s backroom team and managed him for three games during his short stint in charge after the Norwegian’s dismissal.

“In and around the box; his ball carrying; his little plays; the connections; his creativity; the way he handles the ball – he’s got natural ability.

“He’s always had it all the way coming through. That’s one part of football.

“But – and I’m not talking about Jadon individually on this – it is just how it is and how it should be.

“You can’t just assume it’s all going to be smooth. It’s proven that it’s not always like that.

“You’ve got to find a way through it. If you are playing in a good team with good players and a good squad and depth, that’s part of the challenge to stay at the top.”

Caracas, March 14, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan workers, activists, and trade union organizers held marches in several cities on Thursday to demand wage increases and respect for labor rights.

A coalition of labor organizations staged protests in Caracas and over 25 other cities across the country. In the Venezuelan capital, around 1,000 demonstrators marched from Plaza Morelos and broke through a police cordon to reach the National Assembly in the city center.

“Mobilizations like the one we had today will continue and grow until the government changes its salary policies,” José Gregorio Afonso, president of the Central University of Venezuela (UCV) professors’ association, stated. “We believe the economic conditions allow for the establishment of a minimum wage as determined by the Constitution and the Labor Law.”

Afonso added that the Constitution mandates the government adjust the minimum wage at least once a year to keep up with inflation, but the last increase was in 2022. He likewise pointed to recent official figures of economic growth and prospects of increased oil revenues.

Thursday’s rally consisted largely of education sector trade unions, as well as public sector retirees. A commission met with a group of legislators at the end of the march to deliver a list of 17 demands signed by over 200 trade unions. 

A similar document was delivered to the Labor Ministry following prior nationwide rallies on February 26. The labor organizations’ demands include raising the minimum wage in accordance with the Constitution and labor legislation, the release of workers and trade unionists allegedly arrested for defending labor rights, and the repeal of statutes such as the 2792 Memorandum that suspended several collective bargaining rights.

Activists have also voiced opposition to plans to implement a pro-business reform of the country’s Organic Law of Labor and Workers (LOTTT) that would cut benefits, social security contributions, and other employer responsibilities. 

The historic 2012 law, approved by former President Hugo Chávez, prohibits unfair dismissal and outsourcing, enshrines the world’s third-longest maternity leave, guarantees the right to work for both women and people with disabilities, and extends retirement pensions to all workers, including full-time mothers and the self-employed.

Later on Thursday, the ruling Socialist Party (PSUV) held its own march in Caracas along the same route, with spokespeople urging the defense of the country’s peace and sovereignty, as well as calling for the release of kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

Labor Minister Eduardo Piñate told reporters that the rally was in “firm backing” of the Maduro and Rodríguez government’s labor policies.

Gov’t increases bonus amid salary debates

On Friday, unofficial channels reported that the acting Rodríguez administration had raised the monthly “economic war bonus” by 25 percent, from US $120 to $150. Coupled with a $40 food bonus, the move brings the monthly income floor for public sector workers to $190. The amount is paid in bolívars at the official exchange rate.

Venezuelan government officials have not commented on the increase. It is not presently known whether public sector retirees and pensioners, who receive $70 and $50 economic war bonuses, respectively, will benefit from similar hikes.

Venezuela’s monthly minimum wage was set at 130 bolívars (BsD) in March 2022 and has not been adjusted since. At the time, 130 BsD amounted to around US $30, but with the Venezuelan currency’s devaluation, it is now equivalent to $0.29. With the Venezuelan economy heavily battered by US sanctions, the Nicolás Maduro government prioritized non-wage bonuses as the main income source for workers and pensioners.

Trade unions and leftist organizations have criticized the policy for violating the country’s labor laws and favoring business sector interests by reducing labor costs and making dismissals more flexible.

In recent weeks, trade union coalitions have put forward proposals for a minimum wage adjustment. Center-right and right-wing alliances such as the Independent Union Alliance (ASI) and the Confederation of Venezuelan Workers (CTV) have urged authorities to set the monthly minimum salary at $200 before pegging it to a cost-of-living index.

For its part, the government-aligned Bolivarian Socialist Union of Workers (CBST) proposed that the minimum wage be raised by $50 each quarter, though it did not specify a time frame. The CBST added that, should the government deem the salary increase unfeasible, it should implement a similar increase in non-wage bonuses.

Liberal economists, including Asdrúbal Oliveros and José Guerra, have argued that minimum wage increases beyond $100 and $150 a month, respectively, might place too high a burden on the state’s budget. At the same time, business sector representatives have called for a flexibilization of labor protections and benefits.

Leftist economists, including former PSUV congressman Tony Boza, Pasqualina Curcio, and Juan Carlos Valdez, have proposed raising wages and pegging them to inflation as is currently done by private banks with interest rates.

Edited by Lucas Koerner in Fusagasugá, Colombia.

Iran has held a funeral for the country’s most influential defence figure, Ali Shamkhani, who was killed in Israeli-US strikes on February 28. Shamkhani was a key figure in Iran nuclear talks, chief of the country’s Defence Council and advisor to the late Supreme Leader. He lost a leg in an Israeli assassination attempt last June.

For more than three weeks, Ukraine was left with only “a handful” of U.S.-made AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles for its F-16 fleet, after the supply of the weapons dried up. This is the conclusion of a Reuters report, citing three sources, all of whom are said to have direct knowledge of the situation. It also comes as Kyiv is increasingly in competition with the U.S. military and its Gulf allies as they come under continued pressure from Iranian drones and missiles in the Middle East.

The shortage of infrared-guided air-to-air missiles occurred between late November and mid-December of last year, the three sources said. This was a critical time, just before Russia began its winter campaign of bombardment against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

According to one of the sources, during the period when AIM-9s were in short supply, F-16 pilots were forced to fly daytime sorties and instead try to shoot down drones with their internal 20mm M61 Vulcan cannon. This is hardly ideal, since the Russian drone attacks normally come at night, but gunning down targets in the hours of darkness is judged too dangerous.

As we have discussed many times before, taking out slow-moving drones via another fixed-wing aircraft with guns can be very challenging and downright dangerous, especially for fast jets. There is also the risk of the grenade-like cannon rounds impacting the ground below over a relatively wide area, potentially killing innocent people. Doing it at night is a whole other level of danger.

Meanwhile, the situation was reportedly so desperate that pilots were flying F-16s loaded with missiles that had failed to launch on earlier missions, after these weapons had undergone another round of maintenance. This achieved mixed results, a source said.

So far, Ukrainian F-16s have been noted flying with older AIM-9L/M Sidewinders as well as the more modern AIM-9X Sidewinder infrared-guided air-to-air missiles.

Compared with the AIM-9L/M, the AIM-9X offers a more potent short-range air-to-air missile capability that can be used in conjunction with the F-16’s Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) for high off-boresight (HOBS) engagements. Even without JHMCS, the AIM-9X is a very valuable weapon that is particularly relevant for defending against drones and cruise missiles.

It’s worth noting, too, that Ukrainian F-16s use the radar-guided AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). These can also be employed against drones and cruise missiles, but are more expensive weapons than the Sidewinders. Each AMRAAM costs around one million dollars, meaning they are not prioritized for use against drones.

According to the three sources, the Sidewinder shortfall was plugged in December when additional missiles were received from undisclosed partners. These reportedly arrived just in time to help defend against one of the largest Russian attacks of the winter.

A fourth source, also anonymous, told Reuters that Canada and Germany had supplied Kyiv with Sidewinders in recent months. Canada has confirmed it’s now delivering AIM-9M-8 missiles from Canadian Armed Forces stocks. “This new donation will complement the past donation of hundreds of Canadian AIM missiles and related components that are being used by Ukraine for its air defense,” Canada’s Department of National Defense said.

Interestingly, the timing of the apparent missile shortage also coincides with the appearance of another air-to-air weapon for the Ukrainian F-16.

In early December, TWZ reported on the appearance of laser-guided 70mm Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) rockets on Ukrainian F-16s. This was not an unexpected development, since these rockets would provide an extremely valuable, lower-cost option for engaging long-range kamikaze drones and subsonic cruise missiles. TWZ has been very closely tracking the evolution of the APKWS II in the air-to-air role, a capability U.S. Air Force F-16s began using in combat last year, as we were first to report.

What is believed to be the first known footage showing an F-16 fighter jet operated by the Ukrainian Air Force intercepting a Russian Shahed/Geran-type long-range OWA-UAV with the APKWS II low-cost, laser-guided anti-aircraft rockets.

Such rockets are carried in LAU-131 rocket… pic.twitter.com/JTsCsgQ7NP

— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) February 17, 2026

Without a durable supply of Sidewinders, the APKWS II would have been an even more useful weapon for the Ukrainian Air Force, although there’s nothing to suggest, at this point, that the laser-guided rockets were hurried to Ukraine to make up for the AIM-9 shortfall.

It’s also not clear to what degree the reported Sidewinder shortage was connected with the new system by which the United States supplies Ukraine with weapons.

President Donald Trump introduced the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) system, replacing the direct military aid sent under the Biden administration.

Under PURL, weapons are sold by the United States to NATO allies, which then deliver them to Ukraine.

One of the sources also mentioned a shortage of another U.S.-made missile type, the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow. These missiles have been adapted for use with modified Soviet-era air defense systems.

In the case of the AIM-9L/M and RIM-7, one likely factor in the shortages is the simple fact that these are older weapons, production of which has now ceased, meaning that there is only a finite number available. Surplus stocks have likely been whittled down to a point where remaining users are more cautious about giving them up. At the same time, the individual rounds are aging and also expiring.

Regardless of weapons supplies, the Ukrainian Air Force says it has made good use of its F-16s in the fight against Russian drones and cruise missiles.

As of the beginning of this year, the Ukrainian Air Force said its F-16s had destroyed “more than a thousand” aerial targets, including Shahed-type long-range one-way attack drones.

The Ukrainian Air Force flew its first F-16 combat sorties against aerial targets in August of 2024.

According to one Ukrainian F-16 pilot, on one occasion, one of his squadrons destroyed six cruise missiles and seven attack drones in a single sortie. This is a remarkable tally, by any measure, and would have required extremely precise use of the gun, even if all available missiles were successfully expended.

На шляху до F-16: ексклюзивна історія від українського пілота

With Russia continuing to bombard Ukraine, any potential holdup in the delivery of critical air-defense effectors is a significant problem. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been desperately seeking additional air defense assets, particularly those of Western manufacture.

Currently, there is no end in sight for the conflict in Ukraine, which means the demand for air-defense effectors, including Sidewinders, will continue.

But now, with an expanding war in the Middle East centered on Iran, which is hitting back with its own drone and missile attacks, the competition for effectors also looks set to intensify.

This is also being felt by Ukraine as it seeks to secure critical missiles for its Patriot air defense systems.

Even before the conflict in Iran, bottlenecks in the production of the U.S.-made Patriot meant that Ukraine’s stockpiles were drained and its European allies were on waiting lists for future deliveries. The Ukrainian shortfalls have made it easier for Russia to find gaps in Ukraine’s air defenses, something that has been felt especially heavily by Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.

According to some analysts, Gulf states possess only days of interceptors if Iran maintains a sustained level of drone and missile attacks. Yesterday, Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that Iran had fired more than 500 ballistic missiles and 2,000 drones since the start of the campaign. He said that the U.S. has sufficient munitions for the Iran operation.

While Ukraine may have plugged its Sidewinder gap for now, the apparent shortage late last year underscores the vulnerability of the country’s air defenses and its continued reliability on Western allies. With many of these allies now looking at the potential demands of a sustained conflict in the Middle East, growing pressure on air-defense effectors could well see Russia emerge as one of the big beneficiaries.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

“We changed to make the players more dynamic, with Rayan, Jeremy [Doku] and Phil [Foden],” Guardiola told his post-match news conference. “But we could not win the game.

“We could be more aggressive in the first half maybe, but with the creativity, the crosses and dribbles this season, we are struggling. The team, they did everything, but they need to be better in the final third, and it has happened in many games this season.”

Asked about picking Semenyo over Cherki as number 10, he said: “Absolutely, for that role there is no-one better than [Cherki]. That is bad selection, you can criticise me, I deserve it.

“Sometimes for the balance, we are learning. We played Cherki and Haaland – incredible, but we do not have the stability teams in the Premier League must have. I try to handle that, and the team is still growing.

“Rayan’s impact off the bench is unbelievable, but sometimes he does not have the pace so we play Semenyo. I am still finding the best way to have stability and to balance the team.”

Haaland’s form is thrown into sharp focus by the fact he struggled against West Ham, a team against who he has scored 11 Premier League goals – more than any other side.

“It’s not about the lack of goals,” Guardiola said of the Norway striker. “We need to create more. He will be back.”

City cannot win well, and they struggle to win ugly too.

They have only lost once in their past 18 league matches, but during that period they have given up 10 points from winning positions – enough to cost them first place in the current standings.

In games where they were winning, they have drawn with Chelsea, Brighton, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest and now West Ham.

Given the latter came a couple of hours after Arsenal, starring Max Dowman, spectacularly dug out victory over Everton, this one will sting.

Guardiola laughed it off afterwards, saying he had been having a beer pre-match rather than following the Arsenal match with his team, as he served a touchline ban.

He also joked he would look to get more yellow cards as he preferred the view from the stands – and light-heartedly batted away a question on whether Haaland was limping.

It felt like if Guardiola didn’t laugh, he would cry.

US President Donald Trump says allies who rely on Gulf oil must help keep the Strait of Hormuz open.

Federico Valverde scores his fifth goal in three games as Real Madrid beat Elche to move one point behind Barcelona.

Federico Valverde hit the back of the net, and the headlines, once again for Real Madrid as they beat Elche 4-1 in La Liga, but it was Arda Guler’s last-gasp strike from inside his own half that captured imaginations.

Midfielder Valvrder netted his fifth goal in three games for Los Blancos, having scored a hat-trick in midweek against Manchester City, with a curling effort from the edge of the box just before half-time on Saturday.

It doubled his side’s lead after Antonio Rudiger volleyed home the opener in the 39th minute, following a scramble in the box from a Real corner.

Dean Huijsen was the unlikely player furthest forward to head home Real’s third in the 66th minute, but the defender was left unmarked in the box, where he remained after another corner that Elche had effectively failed to clear.

Even a late own goal by Manuel Angel could not dampen Los Blancos’ spirits, especially when Arda Guler went on to net what will surely be the goal of the season from inside his own half.

The 21-year-old Turkey midfielder spotted Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro off his line and didn’t hesitate to launch a long lob with his left foot that sailed over the hapless ’keeper and bounced once before settling into the net.

The Santiago Bernabeu stadium erupted in applause for the memorable goal that came with the victory beyond doubt in the 89th minute.

Güler joined Madrid from Fenerbache in 2023. He has scored four goals this season, when he has gained more playing time after the exit of veteran Luka Modric.

The win moves Real to within a point of leaders Barcelona, who can restore their four-point advantage when they play Sevilla on Sunday.

The game had been a nervy affair at Bernabeu Stadium until Rudiger’s opener settled the Madrid crowd.

The victory marks a third straight win for Real, who had lost two on the bounce in the league prior to the current run, and parted company with their coach Xabi Alonso in January.

Interim coach Alvaro Arbeloa, also a former Real player, could not have asked for a better week, with one of the best performances of the season produced in Wednesday’s win against City in the UEFA Champions League.

Arbeloa’s side take a 3-0 advantage to Manchester for the return leg on Tuesday, and with the La Liga race tightening, what was looking like a nightmare season could still end with the two most coveted titles for Madrid.

Elche, who were promoted to La Liga last season, remain mired in a relegation scrap, just a point above third-bottom Mallorca, who entertain Espanyol on Sunday.

Iranian media report the deaths in central Iran as Tehran launches new missile salvoes at Israeli targets.

A missile strike on an industrial area of the central Iranian city of Isfahan has killed at least 15 people, with workers having been inside a factory at the time of the attack, Iranian media reports.

The strike hit a factory producing heating and cooling equipment on Saturday, a working day in Iran, according to the semi-official Fars news agency, which attributed the attack to US and Israeli forces.

It came on the 15th day of a conflict that Iran’s Ministry of Health says has now killed at least 1,444 people and wounded more than 18,500 since the US-Israeli attacks began on February 28.

Cities across Iran have been repeatedly targeted following the onset of hostilities.

On March 8, shelling damaged Russia’s consulate in Isfahan, injuring staff, with Moscow calling the strike a “blatant violation” of international conventions.

Iran’s Ministry of Culture said on Saturday that 56 museums and historic sites had been damaged, including Naqsh-e Jahan Square, a 17th-century centrepiece of Isfahan, and the UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in Tehran.

UNESCO said it was “deeply concerned,” noting that four of Iran’s 29 World Heritage Sites had been affected.

Separately on Saturday, Iran’s army confirmed that Brigadier General Abdullah Jalali-Nasab had been killed in an Israeli attack, saying he was “martyred while defending the country”.

Earlier, US forces also struck Kharg Island, which handles roughly 90 percent of Iran’s crude exports, though a regional official said operations were continuing normally, and there were no casualties.

US President Donald Trump had previously threatened to target the island’s oil infrastructure if Tehran continued to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz.

Any prospect of negotiations appears remote. The Trump administration has rebuffed regional efforts to broker a ceasefire, with a senior White House official telling the Reuters news agency the president is focused on pressing ahead.

“He’s not interested in that right now, and we’re going to continue with the mission unabated,” the official said.

Iran has equally ruled out talks while the attacks continue, Reuters reported, citing an anonymous Iranian official.

Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi struck a defiant tone on Saturday, saying the US security framework in the region had “proven to be full of holes” and calling on neighbours to “expel foreign aggressors”.

Israeli Minister of Defence Israel Katz said the war was entering a “decisive phase”, which would “continue as long as necessary”.

Iran launched new missile salvoes at Israel on Saturday, with explosions heard over Jerusalem, according to reporters from the AFP news agency.

Six waves of missiles, some carrying cluster bomb warheads, struck wide areas of the country, the Israeli army said. In Eilat, a cluster munition impact injured three people, including a 12-year-old boy, according to The Times of Israel.

EU maintains pressure after slamming US for lifting sanctions on Russian oil exports as Middle East war bites.

The European Union has voted to renew sanctions against individuals and entities supporting Russia’s war on Ukraine, as Russian forces continued to target Ukrainian energy infrastructure, killing six people in the Zaporizhia and Kyiv regions.

The EU Council announced that the bloc’s 27 member states had agreed on Saturday to extend sanctions targeting some 2,600 individuals and entities with measures like travel restrictions and asset freezes until September 15, breaking an earlier deadlock caused by Hungary and Slovakia’s opposition to the move.

The extension of sanctions came one day after EU Council chief Antonio Costa slammed the United States for lifting sanctions on Russian oil exports, saying on X that weakening restrictions increased “Russian resources to wage the war of aggression against Ukraine”, with a knock-on impact on European security.

The measure was announced as Russia hammered Ukraine with missiles and drones on Saturday, killing five people and injuring 15 in the Kyiv region surrounding the capital, according to regional military administrator Mykola Kalashnyk.

The city of Zaporizhzhia was also hit by Russian-guided bombs, killing one person and injuring three, said the governor of the southeastern region, Ivan Fedorov. Photos posted online showed parts of buildings reduced to rubble.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia’s main target was energy infrastructure outside the capital Kyiv, but that the Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipro and Mykolaiv regions were also targeted in an attack that included about 430 drones and 68 missiles, most of which were downed by air defences.

Russia’s winter attacks on Ukraine have left swaths of major cities without power or heating, as Moscow’s troops continue their offensive amid demands Kyiv cede more territory in the east. Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said on Saturday that consumers in six regions were without electricity.

Ukraine’s forces have targeted Russian strategic infrastructure such as oil refineries, depots and terminals in long-range strikes. On Saturday, Ukraine’s military said that it had struck the Afipsky oil refinery and Port Kavkaz in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region.

Putin ‘exploiting’ Middle East distraction

Saturday’s fighting came as the Iran conflict has distracted international attention from a US-backed peace push in the four-year war, which Kyiv says Moscow has no interest in ending.

Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever called on Saturday for the EU to be mandated by its member states to negotiate with Russia as it became apparent amid spiking oil prices caused by the Iran war that the US was easing pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Since we are not capable of threatening Putin by sending weapons to Ukraine, and we cannot choke him economically without the support of the United States, there is only one method left: making a deal,” he told the Belgian newspaper L’Echo.

EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas has said in the past that the bloc must first reach an agreement on what is expected from Russia before directly approaching Putin, formulating its own “maximalist demands”.

However, the bloc’s inability to reach a common position was highlighted during the EU Council’s recent deliberations on extending sanctions.

Hungary and Slovakia, which have been sparring with Ukraine over blocked Russian oil flows through the Druzhba pipeline, had earlier opposed the extension of the restrictions, reportedly calling for some Russian oligarchs to be removed from the list of offenders.

Reacting earlier this week to soaring oil prices caused by the war in Iran, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban urged the EU to suspend sanctions on Russian energy.

Posting on X, Zelenskyy said, “Russia will try to exploit the war in the Middle East to cause even greater destruction here in Europe, in Ukraine.”

Caracas, March 13, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez welcomed on Wednesday the formal recognition granted by the United States government to her administration as the South American country’s “sole” and legitimate authority.

Rodríguez argued that Washington’s decision goes beyond any individual figure or government. 

“It is not recognition of a person or a government; it is recognition of a country so that it is able to recover its life,” she said during a televised broadcast, referring to the impact of wide-reaching US unilateral coercive measures imposed since 2015.

The Venezuelan leader affirmed that the diplomatic move could help advance “national unity” and contribute to the “normalization” of the country’s political, economic, and social life. “What matters to me is that this can bring a process of reordering and normalization,” she added.

The recognition was communicated by Manhattan US Attorney Jay Clayton in a “statement of interest” addressed to federal Judge Sarah Netburn. Clayton is likewise heading the prosecution in the US Justice Department’s case against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Maduro was kidnapped by US special forces alongside First Lady Cilia Flores on January 3 during a military operation. The pair has pleaded not guilty to charges including drug trafficking conspiracy and will face a hearing on March 26. US officials have not provided evidence tying Venezuelan high-ranking officials to narcotics activities, while specialized reports have consistently found Venezuela to play a marginal role in global drug trafficking.

Clayton’s missive referenced a letter from State Department official Michael Kozak which identified Rodríguez as Venezuela’s “sole Head of State.” Kozak’s letter expressed the Trump administration’s argument that the recognition will help advance US interests in the Caribbean nation.

Trump publicly acknowledged Washington’s recognition of the Venezuelan government for the first time during the Shield of the Americas Summit on March 7. The White House argued that its stance would contribute to Venezuelan stability and economic recovery, as well as create the conditions for “a peaceful transition toward a democratically elected government.”

Caracas and Washington reestablished diplomatic ties on March 5 and have taken steps to reopen their respective embassies and consulates. The Maduro government severed ties with the first Trump administration in 2019 when the latter recognized then–National Assembly president Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s “interim president.”

Kozak reiterated in his letter that since January 23, 2019, the US has not recognized Maduro as Venezuela’s head of state and that this position had not changed. 

“Maduro is an accused narco-terrorist awaiting trial in a US federal court for his crimes,” the document read. The Venezuelan president’s defense team is expected to argue that Maduro should be entitled to immunity from prosecution as a sitting head of state.

Washington’s formal recognition of the acting government in Caracas could also have implications for Venezuelan assets abroad. Since 2019, several bank accounts and US-based Venezuelan refiner CITGO have been frozen or under the control of the US-backed opposition.

The White House’s move will also pave the way for renegotiations surrounding Venezuela’s sizable sovereign debt, with creditors eager for a potential windfall after buying defaulted bonds at very depressed prices.

While Clayton’s address identified Rodríguez as the only person “able to take action on behalf of Venezuela,” US authorities have not clarified whether the Venezuelan government will retake control of its US-based assets.

In addition, the Justice Department attorney declined to take a position regarding “which counsel is authorized to represent certain Venezuelan state-owned entities.” On Thursday, Judge Netburn requested further clarification from the administration regarding the representation of Venezuelan interests before US courts before March 26.

In her Wednesday address, Rodríguez went on to acknowledge “daily exchanges” with US counterparts and expressed “gratefulness” for the reestablishment of trade relations. The acting president stated that Venezuela has imported medical equipment and medicines from US companies in recent weeks.

Since early 2026, the Trump administration taken direct control of revenues generated by Venezuelan oil exports, depositing funds into accounts held by the US Treasury. Around a quarter of an initial US $2 billion crude sale agreement has reportedly been returned to Caracas.

Recently issued US licenses allowing transactions in the Venezuelan oil and mining sectors likewise mandate that proceeds be deposited in Treasury-run accounts.

US officials have claimed that Venezuelan authorities need to submit a “budget request” to access the country’s funds and will only be allowed to import goods and services from US manufacturers.

Edited and with additional reporting by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.

Follow our live build-up, with team news coverage as it drops, before our text commentary stream of the La Liga match.

Ireland: Osborne; Baloucoune, Ringrose, McCloskey, O’Brien; Crowley, Gibson-Park; O’Toole, Sheehan, Furlong, McCarthy, Beirne, Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: Kelleher, Milne, Bealham, Murray, Timoney, Casey, Frawley, Aki.

Scotland: Kinghorn; Graham, Jones, Tuipulotu (capt), Steyn; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Z Fagerson, Williamson, Gilchrist, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements: Ashman, Sutherland, Rae, Craig, Bradbury, Horne, Rowe, Jordan.

His family and close friends said in a statement: “For more than a year he battled the brain cancer, glioblastoma. He leaves his wife Tracey, his sons Josh and Jed and a new grandson, and many friends and former colleagues who will all miss him greatly.”

A strike on the heavily fortified United States embassy compound in Baghdad caused a fire and damage to the complex. It is the second attack on the embassy since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28.

U.S. President Donald Trump says there “will be no deal” with Iran unless it surrenders unconditionally, a day after Iran’s Foreign Minister said the country was prepared to stand up to a ground invasion. Trump has also said that any new leadership of the country would have to be “acceptable” to the United States. This follows what has now been seven days of heavy U.S.-Israeli bombardment, including a new major wave of strikes by Israel targeting Iranian leadership in Tehran overnight.

You can catch up with our past coverage of ongoing operations against Iran here. Latest updates on the war are down the page of this article.

Trump’s statement was made via a post on his Truth Social social media network.

“There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!,” he wrote. “After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. “MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!).”

Trump has increasingly talked about changing the regime in Tehran in recent days, and his desire to be personally involved in that process. This comes despite pushback from other U.S. officials about regime change being an explicit goal of what has been dubbed Operation Epic Fury.

“We want to go in and clean out everything,” Trump told NBC News in a phone call on Thursday. “We don’t want someone who would rebuild over a 10-year period.”

“We want them to have a good leader,” the president added. “We have some people who I think would do a good job.” 

Trump declined to offer any names, but said he was taking steps to make sure the people on his list make it through the war alive.

Trump acknowledged that Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, is the most likely successor, but finds that outcome unacceptable and insists he play a role in determining Iran’s next leader, Axios reported.

“They are wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight,” Trump told Axios. “I have to be involved in the appointment, like with Delcy in Venezuela.”

Trump was referring to the Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who took over after the capture of dictator Nicolas Maduro in a dramatic U.S. operation in January.

Trump had also called for Iran’s unconditional surrender during the 12 Day War between Israel and Iran last year, before helping broker a ceasefire agreement between the parties.

Before Trump made his unconditional surrender demand, U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), laid out how destructive Epic Fury has been to Iran’s military.

“Over the last 24 hours of the operation, compared to where we were at the start, ballistic missile attacks have decreased by 90%, drone attacks have decreased by 83% since day one,” he told reporters, including from The War Zone, during a press conference at CENTCOM headquarters in Tampa, Florida, on Thursday evening. Cooper added that these attacks have also wiped out a large chunk of Iran’s Navy, destroying 20 ships so far.

Overnight, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it carried out a massive 50-jet raid on Tehran, targeting an underground bunker complex intended for use by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and other top leaders. Khamenei was killed elsewhere in the opening phase of what the IDF called Operation Roaring Lion.

The bunker “spanned multiple streets in the heart of Tehran and contained numerous entrances and meeting rooms” for senior Iranian leaders, the IDF explained. It was intended to be used by Khamenei as “a secure emergency command center,” but after his death, “the compound continued to be used by senior Iranian regime officials,” the IDF claimed.

The “senior commander” targeted by these Israeli air strikes was Asghar Hijazi, Times of Israel military correspondent Emanuel “Mannie” Fabian reported on X, citing Israeli defense sources.

“Hijazi is said to be the acting head of the supreme leader’s office, following the killing of Ali Khamenei,” Fabian added.

Videos emerging from Tehran showed multiple explosions and ensuing fireballs rising in the distance. Local residents described the attack as “the worst, strongest, and most horrifying ever.”

For their part, Iranian officials have been publicly rejecting the possibility of new talks and/or a ceasefire with the United States and Israel amid the ongoing conflict. Iran’s Foreign Minister Sayed Abbas Araghchi also said yesterday that his country was prepared for a ground invasion.

“Relying on its defensive capabilities and the support of the Iranian nation, the Islamic Republic defends the country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity within the framework of its inherent right to legitimate self-defense and will respond decisively to any aggressive act,” Araghchi told his Cuban counterpart today.

Significant pressure is clearly being put on the regime in Tehran to capitulate, at least to some degree. Top Iranian leadership figures are being actively targeted, as are individuals who could step in to fill the resulting voids. What the U.S. government, as well as its Israeli allies, may actually be willing to accept in order to bring the conflict to an end remains to be seen.

We have concluded our rolling coverage in this piece.

UPDATE: 5:33 PM EST –

After a meeting with major defense contractors called as the U.S. continues to burn through munitions during Epic Fury, Trump said they were boosting weapons production.

“They have agreed to quadruple Production of the ‘Exquisite Class’ Weaponry in that we want to reach, as rapidly as possible, the highest levels of quantity,” the president proclaimed. “Expansion began three months prior to the meeting, and Plants and Production of many of these Weapons are already under way.”

In his post, Trump again asserted that there is “a virtually unlimited supply of Medium and Upper Medium Grade Munitions, which we are using, as an example, in Iran, and recently used in Venezuela. Regardless, however, we have also increased Orders at these levels.”

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach posted a message on X praising airmen for their efforts during Epic Fury.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said “tonight will be our biggest bombing campaign” against Iran.

“We will do the most damage to the Iranian missile launchers and the factories that built them.”

INTERESTING: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Iran:

Tonight will be our biggest bombing campaign.

We will do the most damage to the Iranian missile launchers and the factories that build the missiles. pic.twitter.com/zCYvaytdeC

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 6, 2026

UPDATE: 4:31 PM EST –

Videos have emerged on social media claiming to show attacks across Iraq.

Some purport to show an attack on Camp Victory, a facility housing U.S. forces near Baghdad’s international airport. You can see explosions followed by fireballs and smoke in the video. It is not clear who is attacking.

🇮🇶🇮🇷🇺🇲‼️ FEROZ BOMBARDEO IRANÍ: REPORTAN QUE LA BASE CAMPO VICTORIA (EEUU) EN BAGHDAD ESTARÍA EN LLAMAS POR ATAQUE CON 2 MISILES Y DRONES pic.twitter.com/a7VAMWrBpv

— (FRAPP) ANTIFASCISTA #AntiKast #OrgullosoDel42% (@Informa3Chile) March 6, 2026

Another video shows a claimed strike by U.S. helicopters on an Iranian-backed militia group in Mosul. We cannot independently confirm any of these claims and have reached out to CENTCOM for more information.

US helicopters struck at least twice a Kataeb Seyyed a-Shuhadaa’ HQ in al-Rashidiya, Mosul, tonight. KSS is an Iranian-backed militia that has carried out attacks against Iraqi Kurdistan & US interests in Iraq under the facade group Awliyaa’ a-Damm. pic.twitter.com/JdG9u5nqWt

— Elizabeth Tsurkov (@LizHurra) March 6, 2026

There is also a video claiming to depict an Iranian drone strike on energy facilities in Basra.

Iranian drone strikes hit energy infrastructure in Burjesia/Basra, including a Baker Hughes facility, the Rumaila oil field, and Basra airport. pic.twitter.com/CeeHpKKFSk

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 6, 2026

The IRGC offered a threatening response to Trump’s order to have U.S. Navy vessels escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has previously claimed it had shut down the Strait, and the IRGC said it welcomes these escorts, with a reference to the American supertanker Bridgeton, which hit a mine in the Persian Gulf while being escorted by U.S. Navy warships in 1987. That incident took place in the so-called “Tanker War” that took place during the Iran-Iraq War.

IRGC Spox:

Iran strongly welcomes US’ willingness to escort oil tankers and the claim of the presence of US forces for passage through the Strait of Hormuz, and in fact, the IRGC is waiting for their presence.

IRGC says it recommends that before making any decision, the… pic.twitter.com/sPTYBdDTKQ

— Arya – آریا (@AryJeay) March 6, 2026

Amid all the turmoil, the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle has passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and is now in the Mediterranean.

France’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle has passed through Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea and is moving toward the Middle East. pic.twitter.com/TCK9Wuv5i6

— Defense Intelligence (@DI313_) March 6, 2026

UPDATE: 3:32 PM EST –

CENTCOM released its latest Epic Fury graphic update showing targets hit and assets deployed. So far, more than 3,000 targets have been hit, including 43 Iranian ships that have been destroyed or damaged, according to the command.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has transited the Suez Canal and is now in the Red Sea, according to the Navy. Images posted on the Pentagon’s video and image distribution site show the carrier and one of its escorts, the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Bainbridge in the canal.

A Chinese satellite image emerged of the Ford and two of its escorts crossing through the canal. This move makes sense considering that the ballistic missile threat against Israel that the carrier strike group was helping defend against has diminished. Being in the Red Sea would provide assets needed to defend against any attacks from the Houthis of Yemen should that Iranian proxy decide to get into the fight.

The Pentagon also released photos of B-52 Stratofortress bombers that took part in Epic Fury.

There are claims that Iran struck a Patriot air defense site in the UAE, however we cannot confirm this. We reached out to CENTCOM for more details.

UPDATE: 2:18 PM EST –

Israel estimates that “Azerbaijan will soon attack Iran,” Israel’s Kan News reported. 

“There may be other countries to join action against Iran and its interests in the region,” the outlet noted.

These claims come days after Azerbaijani officials vowed they would retaliate for an Iranian drone strike on their territory that wounded four people.

We cannot confirm that, however, video emerged earlier today showing Azerbaijani military equipment being moved closer to that nation’s border with Iraq.

The U.K. Defense Ministry (MoD) issued its latest update on operations in the Middle East.

Iran’s intelligence ministry said on Thursday that “separatist terrorist groups” planned to enter the country from its western borders and carry out attacks in urban and border areas, taking advantage of wartime conditions, Iran International reported. “A joint preemptive operation by the intelligence ministry and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps destroyed a significant portion of the groups’ positions and capabilities and inflicted heavy losses,” the ministry said in a statement.

UPDATE 1:07 PM EST –

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt offered an explanation of what Trump means by his unconditional surrender demand on Iran.

“When Trump, as Commander in Chief, determines that Iran no longer poses a threat to the US and the goals of Operation Epic Fury have been fully realized, then Iran will essentially be in a place of unconditional surrender, whether they say it themselves or not,” she explained.

Karoline Leavitt on Iran:

When Trump, as Commander in Chief, determines that Iran no longer poses a threat to the US and the goals of Operation Epic Fury have been fully realized, then Iran will essentially be in a place of unconditional surrender, whether they say it themselves… pic.twitter.com/RMQpAJxx4E

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 6, 2026

The Army in recent days abruptly canceled a major training exercise for the headquarters element of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, according to The Washington Post. 

“This is fueling speculation within the Defense Department that soldiers specializing in ground combat and a range of other missions may be sent to the Middle East as the conflict with Iran widens,” the publication posited.

SCOOP: The Army in recent days canceled a training exercise for the headquarters element of the 82nd Airborne Division, fueling speculation among soldiers that they may be called upon for a still undefined mission as the war with Iran widens.

— Dan Lamothe (@DanLamothe) March 6, 2026

Ukraine is in talks with the U.S. and Gulf allies about replicating Kyiv’s acoustic detection network to counter Iranian attack drones, Financial Times is reporting, citing people familiar with the matter. Consisting of thousands of acoustic sensors across Ukraine, this system helps detect and track incoming Russian kamikaze drones, alert traditional air defenses in advance, and also dispatch ad hoc drone hunting teams to shoot them down.

In 2024, we reported that the U.S. Army was considering acquiring this system.

New: Ukraine is in talks with the US and several Gulf states about replicating Kyiv’s acoustic detection network to counter Iranian attack drones, according to people familiar with the matter.
w/ @fabrice_deprez https://t.co/ME2ErGPq8X

— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) March 6, 2026

Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, posted a message on X honoring six soldiers killed in Kuwait by an Iranian drone on March 1.

“It is with profound sadness that we mourn the loss of six American heroes from the 103rd Sustainment Command U.S. Army Reserves out of Des Moines, Iowa,” Caine noted. “Major Jeffrey R. O’Brien, Captain Cody A. Khork, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, Sergeant First Class Nicole M. Amor, Sergeant First Class Noah L. Tietjens, and Sergeant Declan J. Coady.”

A message from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine:

It is with profound sadness that we mourn the loss of six American heroes from the 103rd Sustainment Command U.S. Army Reserves out of Des Moines, Iowa: Major Jeffrey R. O’Brien, Captain Cody A. Khork,…

— The Joint Staff 🇺🇸 (@thejointstaff) March 6, 2026

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Arab foreign ministers in a series of phone calls Thursday that the war is expected to last several more weeks, Axios is reporting, citing “sources with direct knowledge of the conversations.”

Rubio said the current military focus is on Iran’s missile launchers, stockpiles and factories, the outlet reported, adding that the secretary “told the ministers the U.S. goal is not regime change — while simultaneously making clear Washington wants different people running the country.”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Arab foreign ministers in calls Thursday that the war with Iran is expected to last several more weeks, according to sources familiar with the conversations. Rubio said the current military focus is on Iran’s missile launchers, stockpiles…

— Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) March 6, 2026

At least one B-1B Lancer bomber landed at RAF Fairford in the U.K. today. This is part of an ongoing buildup of U.S. forces as Epic Fury drags on.

UPDATE: 12:58 PM EST –

“The Iranian terrorist regime has attacked 12 different countries and continues to deliberately target civilians through the Middle East,” CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper has said in a new statement. “Last night, Iranian forces fired seven attack drones at civilian, residential neighborhoods in Bahrain. This is unacceptable and will not go unanswered. We will continue work with regional partners to address this threat to innocent people across the region.”

There are as-yet unconfirmed reports that U.S. B-1 bombers are headed to RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom, and that they will begin flying strikes on Iran from that base. In a press conference late yesterday, Secretary Pete Hegseth and Adm. Cooper both talked about the continued flow of U.S. forces, including bombers, to support Operation Epic Fury.

USAF B-1B bombers from Dyess AFB are expected to deploy to RAF Fairford in the near term.

Their arrival would significantly increase the tempo of long-range strike operations against targets in Iran. The B-1B carries one of the largest conventional payloads in the U.S. arsenal,…

— GMI (@Global_Mil_Info) March 6, 2026

Restricted airspace around RAF Fairford for the next month (at least) shows the USAF will be deploying bombers to the airfield shortly. Note: NOTAMs are on the www. Credit JS below. https://t.co/i0qiHSGs0m

— Saint1 (@Saint1Mil) March 6, 2026

French authorities have denied that U.S. aircraft are using bases in the country to support operations over Iran, but are instead operating from them to aid in “the defense of our partners in the region.”

✖️No U.S. assets deployed on French bases in the Middle East.

✔️Yes: U.S. assets accepted on Istres Airbase (France) as part of a routine NATO procedure. They are not involved in U.S. operations in Iran but strictly supporting the defense of our partners in the region. https://t.co/NcZ1TyWc8z

— French Response (@FrenchResponse) March 6, 2026

It has now been reported that the U.S. Navy submarine that torpedoed the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean was the Los Angeles class USS Charlotte. Separately, another Iranian ship has now sought refuge in India. This is in addition to the IRIS Bushehr, which is now impounded in Sri Lanka.

7th Fleet Los Angeles-class fast-attack sub USS Charlotte (SSN 766) fired the single Mk 48 torpedo that sunk Iranian frigate IRIS Dena (75), @JimLaPorta reports.

One of 30+ Iranian vessels destroyed this week and the first enemy ship sunk by a U.S. sub since WW2. Periscope view: pic.twitter.com/gAGc9I7BjY

— Ian Ellis (@ianellisjones) March 6, 2026

BREAKING: Iranian Navy warship IRIS Lavan docked in Kochi with its 183 member crew on March 4, the same day that IRIS Dena was torpedoed. The ship had requested accommodation on Feb 28 and received permission on March 1. The crew is being accommodated in Indian Navy facilities. pic.twitter.com/yLVwPvu54L

— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) March 6, 2026

Breaking

First pictures of Iran vessel IRINS Bushehr.

The vessel requested entry into Sri Lankan waters on March 4 citing mechanical issues, hours after U.S. forces sank companion vessel IRIS Dena off Galle, killing almost 100 Iran sailors https://t.co/T1wF2qvz2I pic.twitter.com/13ljHDPTn7

— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) March 6, 2026

The satellite image below is said to show the aftermath of an attack on an Iranian underground ballistic missile facility.

The video below is said to show an Iranian ballistic missile attack on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, though it is currently unconfirmed.

Video footage purported to show an Iranian ballistic missile strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia, with the missile impacting very close to several U.S. servicemembers, thankfully said to have resulted in only minor injuries to personnel at Prince Sultan. pic.twitter.com/Nlju8TCZ22

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 6, 2026

Pictures and videos showing Iranian ballistic missiles with cluster munition payloads being employed continue to appear online. Images of the submunitions themselves have also now been emerging following the use of these missiles.

The Ministry of Defense of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) says the country’s forces intercepted another nine ballistic missiles and 109 drones fired by Iran today. UAE authorities say they have now intercepted 190 ballistic missiles, eight cruise missiles, and 1,110 drones since the conflict began.

UAE air defences intercept 9 ballistic missiles, 109 drones

The UAE Ministry of Defence announced that the country’s air defence systems detected 9 ballistic missiles today (6th March 2026), all of which were intercepted and destroyed.

The ministry also reported the detection… pic.twitter.com/E9WHz7AEpC

— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) March 6, 2026

MS NOW‘s “Morning Joe” is reporting that authorities in the UAE have now frozen billions of dollars in Iranian assets held in the country.

BREAKING NEWS: #morningjoe has learned that the UAE has frozen billions of dollars in Iranian assets. The move will likely have crippling effects on an already weakened Iranian economy. https://t.co/Da41RisQqY

— Joe Scarborough (@ScarboroughNow) March 6, 2026

What is said to be the first U.S. State Department-facilitated evacuation flight from Israel has arrived in Greece, according to JewishInsider.

New from me: The first State Department evacuation flight from Israel landed in Athens on Friday afternoon, where its passengers were greeted on the tarmac by U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kim Guilfoyle.https://t.co/ICBx7NpaHH

— Haley Cohen (@HaleyCohen19) March 6, 2026

UPDATE: 12:10 PM EST –

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has now released a video showing a strike on the Iranian ‘drone carrier’ Shahid Bagheri, an unusual ship you can read more about here. At a press conference late yesterday, U.S. Navy Adm. Brad Cooper, head of CENTCOM, said an unnamed “Iranian drone carrier ship, roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier” had been targeted in “just the last few hours.” In a post on X on March 2 denying claims of an attack on a U.S. carrier, CENTCOM said “the only carrier that has been hit is the Shahid Bagheri.” It remains unclear whether the Shahid Bagheri was struck multiple times.

U.S. forces aren’t holding back on the mission to sink the entire Iranian Navy. Today, an Iranian drone carrier, roughly the size of a WWII aircraft carrier, was struck and is now on fire. pic.twitter.com/WyA4fniZck

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 6, 2026

A video clip, taken from the shore, has now also emerged that is said to show the Shahid Bagheri on fire following a strike. The U.S. military has made clear that the destruction of Iran’s naval capabilities is a core objective of Operation Epic Fury.

U.S. Central Command continues to release other footage from ongoing strikes on targets in Iran.

Iranian targets are being decimated by U.S. forces, paving the way for continued delivery of overwhelming American military firepower. pic.twitter.com/wQUER9cXWw

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 6, 2026

Satellite imagery shows runways have cratered at Iran’s Hamadan and Dezful Air Bases in the course of ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes.

The runways and taxiways at Hamadan Airbase were bombed on March 4. The airbase is probably out of service until they are repaired.

Thanks to our friends @planet for the imagery! pic.twitter.com/ZdoCQUthTQ

— Michael Duitsman (@DuitsmanMS) March 6, 2026

Online flight tracking software indicates that additional U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tankers have deployed to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. U.S. officials have now repeatedly said that additional forces are still heading to the region. A U.S. tanker force had already been positioned at Ben Gurion in the lead-up to the current conflict.

More Tankers on the way! #FreeIran
— Operation EPIC FURY / ROARING LION —

At least 6 more tanker aircraft have left the US heading towards the Middle East overnight, comprising:

KC-135R “RCH240” 63-8043 #AE05AD
KC-135R “RCH169” 63-8017 #AE07C1
KC-135R “RCH177” 57-2599… pic.twitter.com/temJeBJ1l5

— DefenceGeek 🇬🇧 (@DefenceGeek) March 6, 2026

✈️⛽️ Additional USAF Tankers (6) heading to Ben Gurion airport/airbase, Tel Aviv.

There were around 30 of them already parked there yesterday. Their role is to refuel different fighter jets in the region attacking Iran. pic.twitter.com/YJ6yBr6mRJ

— MenchOsint (@MenchOsint) March 6, 2026

The Israel Defense Forces have shared a video taken in the cockpit of a fighter flying over Iran.

The Israeli Air Force publishes footage from the cockpit of IAF fighter jets flying over Iran.

“We continue to fight, as required around the clock, and feel your support all the time. We wish you, Israeli citizens, a safe and quiet Shabbat,” a pilot is heard saying in a… pic.twitter.com/cvljwuAJ02

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 6, 2026

Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Lammy has said the country would be within its rights to take “defensive action” in response to Iranian threats, including taking “down sites [Iran] that are anticipating attacking our people.” There are no indications that British forces have struck targets in Iran yet.

Publicly available data continues to show a decline in the number of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones launched in retaliatory attacks over the course of the conflict so far.

Day 8 👇

Iran Missile launches during the first 8 days of conflict:

🚀 Ballistic Missiles:
🔴 Day 1 — 350
🔴 Day 2 — 175
🔴 Day 3 — 120
🔴 Day 4 — 50
🔴 Day 5 — 40
🔴 Day 6 — 32
🔴 Day 7 — 28
🔴 Day 8 — 15

🛸 Drone Swarms:
🟢 Day 1 — 294
🟢 Day 2 — 541
🟢 Day 3 — 200
🟢 Day 4… pic.twitter.com/SmSk8dWkWL

— World Insights (@World_Insights1) March 6, 2026

CBS News has reported that quadcopter-type drones may have conducted surveillance of U.S. facilities in Kuwait ahead of an attack that killed six American servicemembers.

Iranian intelligence utilized various means to track service members after they left the base.

➡️ In anticipation of the offensive and expected retaliation to include strikes on Camp Arifjan, the Tactical Ops Center (TOC) was moved to the same facility at the port used during… https://t.co/R8VcPGIESm

— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) March 6, 2026

Qatari authorities say an Iranian attack struck facilities housing its naval personnel in Bahrain.

Qatar Condemns Iranian Attack on Buildings in Bahrain Housing Qatari Amiri Naval Forces Personnel

Doha | March 06, 2026

The State of Qatar condemns, in the strongest terms, the Iranian attack that targeted buildings in various areas of the sisterly Kingdom of Bahrain housing… pic.twitter.com/9Zd8lihCEi

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) March 6, 2026

The Washington Post has reported that Russia may be providing Iran with information to help with targeting American forces in the Middle East, citing unnamed officials.

Exclusive: Russia is providing Iran with targeting information to attack American forces in the Middle East, the first indication that another major U.S. adversary is participating — even indirectly — in the war. https://t.co/SfBeKxq7zC

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 6, 2026

The video below is said to show the remains of an Iranian ballistic missile and its transporter-erector-launcher inside a structure following a strike.

A ballistic missile launcher concealed inside a hay storage site was struck today by U.S. and Israeli aircraft.

The boy who filmed the aftermath wrote: “It doesn’t matter where the launchers are, the Americans and Israelis will find them and target them heavily. Kudos to them.” pic.twitter.com/swI0PvEH6a

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) March 6, 2026

The videos below are said to show strikes on targets in the Iranian city of Ilam.

The satellite imagery below is said to show the aftermath of Iranian attacks earlier this week on facilities in Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

🇦🇪 Satellite images of oil facilities in Fujairah, UAE.

❗️UAE is considering freezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets held in the country and possibly seizing Iranian ships, – WSJ

🇶🇦 Qatar says the ongoing war could force Gulf countries to stop energy exports if it… pic.twitter.com/K5U49eikL0

— MAKS 25 🇺🇦👀 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) March 6, 2026

South Korea’s Chosun newspaper has reported that 1,000 guidance kits for Paveway-series laser-guided bombs were moved from storage at Osan Air Base in December, possibly in support of preparation for Operation Epic Fury. However, the sourcing for the story is unclear, and it says that officials in the country have declined to comment.

The U.S. moved 1,000+ Paveway guided-bomb kits from Osan Air Base to the U.S. in Dec 2025, possibly later used in strikes on Iran.

Seoul says the transfer happened without prior consultation.

Source: Chosun pic.twitter.com/s4GvYprgmn

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 6, 2026

South Korean media outlets are also reporting that the Cheongung-II surface-to-air missile system, which is in service in the UAE, has made its combat debut, citing members of the country’s National Assembly and unnamed military officials.

S Korea’s Cheong-Gung air defense system in service since 2015.

It made its combat debut with UAE air defense forces, successfully intercepting several Iranian ballistic missiles on 3 March 2026. pic.twitter.com/OT3Pzj1UVk

— Christopher Wipper (@SGTWipper1Each) March 5, 2026

Pro-Iranian Iraqi militants claim to have launched kamikaze drones aimed at Jordanian military bases.

#USA / #Iraq / #Jordan 🇺🇸🇮🇶🇯🇴: Iraqi group “Rijal Al-Bas Al-Shadid” (Men of Great Strength) carried out attacks on Jordanian military bases.

Group seemingly launched several #Iran-made 🇮🇷 X-Tail “Shahed-101” Kamikaze Drones (OWA-UAVs) towards Jordan. pic.twitter.com/QT2ERJ7IJL

— War Noir (@war_noir) March 6, 2026

There are reports that ships continue to come under attack in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Maritime traffic through this highly strategic waterway continues to be at a virtual standstill due to the ongoing conflict.

While MOST vessels are waiting out the situation at the Strait of Hormuz, the Cook Islands flagged bitumen tanker PUSHPAK just sailed right through with AIS active. pic.twitter.com/FHiP76R8E9

— TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) March 5, 2026

Qatari Energy Minister Saad Sherida Al Kaabi has warned that all Gulf energy producers could halt production “within weeks and drive oil to $150 a barrel” if the ongoing conflict continues unabated in an interview with the Financial Times newspaper. Some oil fields are already cutting back production as available storage capacity in the country fills up as exports slow, according to The Wall Street Journal.

“Qatar expects all Gulf energy producers to shut ​down exports within weeks and drive ‌oil to $150 a barrel, the country’s Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi told the Financial Times in an ​interview published on Friday.
“Everybody that has ​not called for force majeure we expect…

— Amena Bakr (@Amena__Bakr) March 6, 2026

Kuwait has begun cutting oil output at some fields after storage tanks filled up due to disruptions to exports through the Strait of Hormuz.

The country may soon reduce production further to levels needed only for domestic use.

Source: WSJ pic.twitter.com/iFDm3bQpCE

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 6, 2026

The U.S. government is reportedly easing sanctions on Russian oil exports to India amid disruption in global markets as a result of ongoing operations against Iran, the Financial Times has also reported.

The US is temporarily easing sanctions on Russian oil sales to India to address supply shortages and reduce the impact of the surge in prices in the wake of US and Israeli attacks on Iran. The decision to ease sanctions represents a major shift in policy:https://t.co/v5X5lhptE4

— max seddon (@maxseddon) March 6, 2026

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad has issued a new alert saying U.S. nationals are “strongly encouraged to depart as soon as they are safely able to do so” and advising them to use overland routes given regional airspace closures. The Embassy has suspended regular consular services.

Security Alert – U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq – March 6, 2026 – Update 1
Location: Iraq
Event
The U.S. government cares about your safety and will continue to share information you need to make informed decisions about your security. The U.S. government is assessing all options to… pic.twitter.com/MbEhCFSmGj

— U.S. Embassy Baghdad (@USEmbBaghdad) March 6, 2026

The Japan Self-Defense Forces will deploy a transport aircraft to the Republic of Maldives in the Indian Ocean as part of an effort to aid Japanese nationals in departing the Middle East.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reported that, with regard to supporting the departure of Japanese nationals, transportation for those staying in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates will be carried out sequentially starting as early as tomorrow onward. In light of this, the Ministry of Defense is proceeding with preparations for the Self-Defense Forces as a precaution, in preparation for unforeseen circumstances such as the inability to operate civilian charter flights,” Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi wrote on X, according to a machine translation of the post below. “The one Air Self-Defense Force transport aircraft moving to and positioning in the Republic of Maldives will be operated by pilots, maintenance personnel, and others from the Air Support Command (the Air Self-Defense Force unit that conducts air transport of supplies and air traffic control), with medical officers also on board.”

中東情勢が緊迫の度合いを高めている中、本日（6日）、外務大臣から私宛に自衛隊法84条の4に基づく邦人輸送のための準備行為依頼がありました。これを受け、私から統合作戦司令官に対し、自衛隊の輸送機をモルディブ共和国まで移動・待機させることを命じました。… https://t.co/bxmFSbbR47

— 小泉進次郎 (@shinjirokoiz) March 6, 2026

Sri Lankan authorities have released a video showing Iranian sailors from the frigate IRIS Dena being rescued after it was torpedoed by a U.S. submarine in the Indian Ocean earlier this week.

New video released by the Sri Lankan navy shows Iranian sailors being rescued after a US submarine attack sank their ship in international waters. pic.twitter.com/LnbsLxlMWB

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 6, 2026

Reuters has reported that U.S. officials are increasingly of the view that American forces were responsible for a strike on a primary school for girls in Mindab, Iran, but that the investigation is ongoing. Iranian officials have said that 150 students died as a result. The school directly abuts an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facility in Mindab, which is believed to have been the target of the strike.

The girls’ school in Minab, in southern Iran, was hit on Saturday during the first day of U.S. and Israeli attacks on the country. Iran’s ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, said the strike killed 150 students. Reuters could not independently confirm the death toll.

— Idrees Ali (@idreesali114) March 6, 2026

At a presser Wed morning, SecDef Pete Hegseth said that the U.S. investigating. “”All I know, all I can say, is that we’re investigating that,” Hegseth said. “We, of course, never target civilian targets.”

The Pentagon has not yet responded to an additional request for comment.

— Geoff Brumfiel (@gbrumfiel) March 4, 2026

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com