Trump says US getting close to meeting objectives in Iran war President Donald Trump said on Friday the US was getting very close to meeting its objectives and called on countries that use the Strait of Hormuz to guard and police it "as necessary. " "The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it - The United States does not! " Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
'Punish Iran': Saudi Arabia and UAE inch closer to supporting US-Israeli war Earlier this month, Elbridge Colby, a senior official in the US Department of War, held a call with Saudi Arabian Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, who is also the brother and top adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Iran’s attacks on US bases in the Gulf were heating up, and the US needed expanded access and overflight permissions. Saudi Arabia agreed to open King Fahd Air Base in Taif, in Western Saudi Arabia, to the Americans, multiple US and western officials familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye.
US military readies plan for ground troops in Iran: Report The US Department of War has produced detailed plans involving the use of ground troops in the war on Iran, CBS News reported on Friday, citing unnamed officials. The plans include options for the president in scenarios where Iranians are captured and detained, as well as how to handle paramilitary forces. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CBS that it's normal procedure for the Pentagon to ensure President Donald Trump has several options at his disposal, and that it "does not mean the president has made a decision" to deploy soldiers anywhere.
Iran says will ‘exercise our legitimate right to self-defence’ Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the country will “exercise our legitimate right to self-defence” in response to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s decision to allow the US to use UK bases to carry out strikes on Iranian missile sites targeting shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. In a post on social media, Araghchi said “the vast majority of the British people” do not want to get involved in the US-Israel war on Iran. Araghchi said by allowing UK bases to be “used for aggression against Iran”, Starmer is “putting British lives in danger” as “Iran will exercise its right to self-defence”.
US military readies plan for ground troops in Iran: Report Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 03/20/2026 - 18:37 President Donald Trump has not yet made a decision on the matter, the White House says A US Marine Corps F-35C Lightning II prepares to make an arrested landing on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, in support of the US-Israeli war on Iran, from an undisclosed location, on 7 March 2026 (US Navy via Reuters) Off The US Department of War has produced detailed plans involving the use of ground troops in the war on Iran, CBS News reported on Friday, citing unnamed officials. The plans include options for the president in scenarios where Iranians were captured and detained, as well as how to handle paramilitary forces. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CBS that it's normal procedure for the Pentagon to ensure Donald Trump has several options at his disposal, and that it "does not mean the president has made a decision" to deploy soldiers anywhere.
‘I may have a plan, I may not’: Trump on attacking Kharg Island While leaving the White House on Friday afternoon, Trump was asked about plans to have US forces further target Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, which is vital to Iran’s oil network. “I may have a plan I may not”, he responded but said he wouldn’t tell reporters one way or the other. “It’s certainly a place that people are talking about.
'Punish Iran': Saudi Arabia and UAE inch closer to supporting US-Israeli war Submitted by Sean Mathews on Fri, 03/20/2026 - 17:29 The kingdom has given the US wider access to new bases, but experts say joining offensive operations opens 'can of worms' Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the US-Saudi Investment Forum at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on 19 November 2025 (Brendan Smialowski/AFP) Off Earlier this month, Elbridge Colby, a senior official in the US Department of War, held a call with Saudi Arabian Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman, who is also the brother and top adviser to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Iran’s attacks on US bases in the Gulf were heating up, and the US needed expanded access and overflight permissions. Saudi Arabia agreed to open King Fahd Air Base in Taif, in Western Saudi Arabia, to the Americans, multiple US and western officials familiar with the matter told Middle East Eye.
'I think so', Trump says when asked if Israel would end war when US does President Donald Trump on Friday replied "I think so" when asked if Israel would be ready to end the war on Iran once the United States completed its military action.
IRGC says it targeted locations in Israel, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it has struck targets in Israel, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia in attacks. In a statement by state media, the IRGCS said it hit Tel Aviv, Acre and Haifa Bay, as well as Kuwait’s Ali al-Salem Air Base, and Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base southeast of Riyadh.
At least 20 killed in latest Israeli attacks on Lebanon Twenty people have been killed and 57 wounded in Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the Lebanese Disaster Risk Management Unit says. The deaths on Friday bring the total number killed by Israeli attacks since 2 March to 1,021, according to figures published by the official National News Agency. The total number of wounded rose to 2,641 while 134,616 displaced people were registered in shelters.
Iraq declares force majeure on foreign-operated oil fields over Hormuz disruption, sources say Iraq has declared force majeure on all oil fields developed by foreign oil companies, as military operations in the region have disrupted navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, preventing most of the country's crude exports from moving, oil ministry sources said. Declaring force majeure excuses a party from fulfilling its obligations due to "superior force" - specifically, war, hostilities, military actions, or related events that make performance impossible.
Three more drones shot down, Saudi Arabia says Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry says it intercepted and destroyed three drones in the Eastern Province. The interceptions come less than an hour after Saudi defences downed two other drones in the same area.
‘Detrimental consequences’: QatarEnergy CEO warned against energy attacks on Iran QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi says he repeatedly warned that any attack on Iran’s energy sites could put Qatar’s own gas infrastructure in danger. “I was always warning, talking to executives from oil and gas that are partnered with us, talking to the US secretary of energy, to warn him of that consequence and that that could be detrimental to us,” Kaabi told Reuters news agency. On Wednesday, Qatari officials said that Iranian missile strikes caused “significant damage” at Ras Laffan Industrial City, located 80km from the capital, Doha.
Israeli air strikes target multiple towns in southern Lebanon Israeli warplanes have carried out air strikes targeting multiple locations in southern Lebanon, Al Jazeera is reporting, citing the Lebanese National News Agency. Recent attacks targeted Zebdine, Qaqaiyat al-Jisr, and Yahmar al-Shaqif.
IRGC commander praises Tehran’s ‘resistance front’ regional allies fighting US and Israel Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani has applauded the “resistance front” of Tehran’s regional allies for uniting against US and Israeli aggression in the current conflict, Iranian media reports. These remarks form Qaani’s first statement since Israel’s killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 28 February, which marked the start of the current US-Israel war on Iran.
Switzerland halts arms exports to US over Iran war, citing neutrality Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 03/20/2026 - 15:16 Bern says new exports of military equipment to the Trump administration 'cannot currently be authorised', while existing licences remain under review European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Swiss President Guy Parmelin in Brussels on 2 March 2026 (Nicolas Tucat/AFP) Off Switzerland has moved to suspend new approvals for arms exports to the United States amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran , citing its long-standing policy of neutrality and legal restrictions under domestic export controls. In a statement on Friday, the Swiss government said "exports of war materiel to the US cannot currently be authorised", pointing to Washington’s involvement in an "international armed conflict" in the Middle East. It added that "the export of war materiel to countries involved in the international armed conflict with Iran cannot be authorised for the duration of the conflict".
Foreign Office says it has warned Iran against attacking UK bases UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper has warned her Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi “against targeting UK bases, territory or interests directly” in a phone call on Thursday, according to a statement from the Foreign Office. This comes in response to comments made by the Iranian Foreign Ministry that Iran considers the UK’s decision to allow the US use of its bases as “participation in aggression”. The British Foreign Office insisted that “the defensive UK operations in the region were a response to the Iranian aggression against Gulf partners”, adding that “the UK wants to see a swift resolution in this conflict”.
Foreign minister warns Iran will show ‘zero restraint’ if infrastructure hit again In a post on X, Iran's foreign minister claimed to have “intelligence on Israeli plans to strike infrastructure”, and said the nation would exercise “ZERO restraint” if the attack took place. “We are men and women of principles. Iranians do not sneak attack adversaries while engaged in dialogue.
Trump calls Nato allies ‘cowards’ over failure to join Iran war US President Donald Trump called Nato allies ‘cowards’ at the Commander in Chief trophy presentation at the White House for reluctance to support US war efforts in Iran or deploy forces to secure the Strait of Hormuz. “Without the U. S.
Palestinian worshippers forced to pray in street as Israel bars Eid access to Al-Aqsa Submitted by Lubna Masarwa on Fri, 03/20/2026 - 13:41 Israeli authorities seal off mosque and Old City during Eid prayers for first time since 1967 Muslim worshippers pray by a road to mark the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, as Israel barred them from Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, Jerusalem, 20 March 2026 (Ammar Awad/Reuters) Off Israeli authorities have barred Palestinian worshippers from accessing Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City for Eid al-Fitr prayers for the first time since 1967. On Friday morning, Israeli police barricaded the complex’s gates, barring worshippers from gathering near the site and forcing them to pray outside the Old City. In an unprecedented move since Israel seized East Jerusalem in 1967, the Israeli authorities have effectively sealed off the complex to Muslim worshippers throughout Ramadan, using security concerns amid the war on Iran as a pretext.
