As it happened: Israel launches fresh strikes on Tehran as US urges citizens to leave Middle East

All flights scheduled to operate between Dublin Airport and airports in the Middle East today (Monday) have been cancelled by airlines.

The Dublin Airport team continues to work closely with airlines as they deal with the impact of airspace and airport closures in the Middle… pic.twitter.com/bav4u8KSvO

— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) March 2, 2026

A total of 555 people have been killed across Iran in US and Israeli strikes that began two days ago, the Iranian Red Crescent said today.

“Following the Zionist-American terrorist attacks carried out in various regions of our country, 131 cities have been affected to date and, regrettably, 555 of our compatriots have been killed,” the humanitarian group said in a post on Telegram.

Several US warplanes have crashed in Kuwait this morning.

“Several US warplanes crashed this morning. Confirming that all crew members survived,” a defence ministry spokesman said in a statement, adding that the cause was under investigation.

“Authorities immediately initiated search and rescue operations, evacuating the crews and transporting them to a hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. He noted that their condition is stable,” the statement added.

Kuwait is one of several countries that host US bases, which have been attacked by Iran over the last three days. 

I talked with President @christodulides who briefed me on the single incident that occurred shortly after midnight involving an unmanned aerial vehicle targeting the British base in Akrotiri.

While the Republic of Cyprus was not the target, let me be clear: we stand…

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 2, 2026

The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog has said the situation in the Middle East is “very concerning” and urged “utmost restraint”.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi also said up to now his agency had “no indication” that any of the nuclear installations have been damaged or hit in Iran.

“Let me underline that the situation today is very concerning. We cannot rule out a possible radiological release with serious consequences, including the necessity to evacuate areas as large or larger than major cities,” he said.

The agency was trying to contact the Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities “with no response so far”, he said.

“We hope this indispensable channel of communication can be reestablished as soon as possible,” he said.

BREAKING: Kuwait’s defence ministry says “several” US military aircraft crashed this morning inside the country.

It says the crews of the jets survived and are in “stable” conditions after being evacuated and transferred to hospitals.https://t.co/2ngVXXQEvq pic.twitter.com/MphCn14JPx

— Sky News (@SkyNews) March 2, 2026

People flee Israeli strikes in Beirut, Lebanon Alamy


Alamy

The Irish embassy in Cyprus has advised Irish citizens to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs. 

The annoucement follows an Iranian drone attack on a British airbase in the country overnight. 

⚠️The Embassy is closely monitoring developments in the region in coordination with colleagues in @dfatirl.

Irish citizens in Cyprus are advised to register at 👉https://t.co/2m1wlNDVqm & to monitor our travel advice 👉https://t.co/may8Wr98Ih pic.twitter.com/atQllfMYdu

— Irish Embassy Cyprus (@IrlEmbCyprus) March 2, 2026

Iranian missiles targeting an air base near the Saudi capital of Riyadh were intercepted today, a Gulf source briefed on the matter told the AFP news agency.

“Iranian missiles targeting Prince Sultan Air Base were intercepted again on Monday morning,” said the source.

Two witnesses also told AFP they heard explosions over the city of Kharj southeast of Riyadh today.

Saudi Arabia is a close ally of the US and a regional rival of Iran. 

File photo of the Port of Bahrain Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

A ship has been hit at a Bahrain port, causing a fire that was extinguished, a British maritime security agency reported.

No casualties have been reported. 

“UKMTO received a report of an incident in the Port of Bahrain. The Company Security Officer reported that the vessel had been struck by two unknown projectiles causing a fire.

“The fire has been extinguished and the vessel remains in port. All members of the ships crew are safe and have evacuated the vessel,” the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

The United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has said Iran’s retaliatory attacks are “truly appalling”. 

She urged Iran to stop the strikes against countries “that were not involved in striking Iran”. 

So far, Iran has targeted states that host US and British military bases, including Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Cyprus and Jordan.

Yvette Cooper says its appalling that Iran has retaliated to being attacked and she calls on them to stop retaliating.

Yes, really. pic.twitter.com/Wr7c7nPswx

— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) March 2, 2026

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for urgent de-escalation to prevent the US-Israeli conflict with Iran from “spreading” across the Middle East.

She condemned “reckless and indiscriminate attacks by Iran and its proxies against sovereign territories across the region”.

“We must work hard to de-escalate and stop the conflict spreading,” von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels, warning “the stability of the region is of the utmost importance.”

The Israeli military says it begun a new “broad strike” on Tehran.

“The Israeli Air Force, with the guidance of Israeli Intelligence has begun an additional broad strike on Iranian terror regime targets in the heart of Tehran,” the IDF said in a statement. 

Journalists for news wire AFP also reported hearing loud explosions in central and eastern parts of the Iranian capital.

Friendly fire from Kuwait’s air defences caused three American fighter jets to crash yesterday, according to the US military. 

“During active combat—that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones — the U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,” US Central Command said in a statement.

“All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation.

The cause of the incident is under investigation, the statement said.

Donald Trump said he was “very disappointed” in Keir Starmer for initially refusing to allow the use of the UK-US Diego Garcia base to target Iran.

The US president said it “took far too long” for the Prime Minister to change his mind.

Trump made the comments to The Daily Telegraph.

Trump highlighted the issues around Diego Garcia, in the Chagos Islands which are at the centre of a diplomatic row between the UK, US and Mauritius.

The US president criticised the refusal to grant permission to use the base for the initial strikes against Iran’s military and leadership.

“That’s probably never happened between our countries before,” he said, adding: “It sounds like he was worried about the legality.”

In his statement on Saturday Starmer said the UK had played “no role” in the strikes on Iran, which were led by the US and Israel. 

In media appearances over the weekend, British ministers said they didn’t want get drawn into discussions that took place behind the scenes in the lead up to Saturday morning’s operation. 

Last night, Starmer said he had agreed to a US request to use British bases to protect UK nationals and allies in the region, accusing Iran of pursuing a “scorched earth strategy”.

British forces would not be directly involved in the strikes, he said, and the bases would only be used for the “specific and limited defensive purpose” of targeting missile storage depots and launchers being used to attack Iran’s neighbours.

🔴 EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump has told The Telegraph’s @connor_stringer he is “very disappointed” in Sir Keir Starmer for blocking him from using Diego Garcia to carry out strikes on Iran

Read in full 👇https://t.co/UpCOmph1bp pic.twitter.com/4yCggCmSjP

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) March 2, 2026

More in now from the London-based Press Association on the strike on the British base in Cyprus: 

A Royal Air Force airfield has been hit by a drone as Keir Starmer gave the US permission to launch military strikes against Iran from British bases.

Officials said RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was continuing to operate as normal despite the attack but family members of personnel had been moved away from the base as a precaution.

It is not yet clear whether the base was hit with a drone fired directly from Iran or from Tehran-backed proxies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The attack struck Akrotiri hours after the Prime Minister announced that American forces would be allowed to use British bases to strike Iranian missile sites in response to the barrage launched by Tehran against countries across the Middle East.

The drone is believed to have been launched before Starmer announced he had allowed US forces to use British bases rather than in retaliation to the policy shift.

Around 300,000 Britons are believed to be in countries targeted by Iran, with 102,000 registered with the Foreign Office for updates as officials examine all options, including a potential mass evacuation.

Officials said the damage inflicted on Akrotiri by the kamikaze drone was “minimal” and there were no casualties.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “The safety of our personnel and their families is our absolute priority.

“As a precautionary measure we are moving family members who live at RAF Akrotiri to alternative accommodation nearby on the island of Cyprus.

“Our base and personnel continue to operate as normal protecting the safety of Britain and our interests.”

In a fresh update from the Cypriot Government, a spokesperson said two unmanned drones heading towards the same RAF base in Cyprus have been intercepted.

Pictures from the ground show chaos unfolding. In Lebanon, displaced civilians are fleeing Israeli strikes and gathering in shelters. While in Israel, civilians take cover on the street as air raid sirens blare.

Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes on Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Displaced people fleeing Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon sit in traffic at a highway links to Beirut, in the southern port city of Sidon. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

A woman with her children who fled Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon sits at a school turned into a shelter, in Beirut, Lebanon. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

A plume of smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran, today. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Civilians take cover on a sidewalk as an air raid siren sounds in Bet Shemesh, Israel. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Oil prices have shot up since the US and Israeli attack on Iran on Saturday – but Irish consumers are unlikely to feel the brunt of this at the pump, the CEO of Fuels for Ireland said.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of the world’s oil supply passes, has been shut by Iran. Crude oil prices have increased at various rates, generally sitting at around 10% higher than before the attack on Iran when the markets opened today.

Kevin McPartlan, the CEO of Fuels for Ireland, told The Journal that the effect of this increase in oil prices is minimal on the price Irish consumers see at the pump.

Meanwhile, the EU said it had “no immediate” energy supply concerns linked to the widening Iran war, with the bloc’s underground gas storage at “adequate levels” of around 30 percent of capacity.

An airport in western Cyprus and the area around a British base were evacuated Monday, the Cypriot interior ministry said, following drone threats in the Mediterranean island.

“Following information received from the National Guard, instructions were issued for the evacuation of the Akrotiri Municipal District and Paphos Airport,” the ministry said on X.

It came after two drones headed towards the Akrotiri base were intercepted earlier Monday.

The Israeli military said it killed the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence services, Hussein Moukalled, in a strike in Beirut on Sunday as Israel traded fire with the Lebanese armed group.

“The IDF now confirms that in a precise strike in Beirut last night (Sunday), the terrorist Hussein Moukalled, who served as the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters, has been eliminated,” the army said in a statement on Monday.

Firefighters work as smoke rises outside a damaged warehouse in an industrial area in Al Rayyan, Qatar, following an Iranian strike. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

European gas prices extended gains on Monday after state-run energy firm QatarEnergy halted liquefied natural gas production following Iranian attacks on facilities at two of its main gas processing bases.

The Dutch TTF natural gas contract, considered the European benchmark, jumped almost 45 percent to more than 46 euros.

Gas prices earlier gained more than 20 percent on fears that the Iran war would cut supplies in the Gulf region.

The US military on Monday announced that a fourth American service member had been killed in the war on Iran.

“As of 7:30 am ET (1130 GMT), March 2, four U.S. service members have been killed in action. The fourth service member, who was seriously wounded during Iran’s initial attacks, eventually succumbed to their injuries,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) wrote on X.

CENTCOM Update

TAMPA, Fla. – As of 7:30 am ET, March 2, four U.S. service members have been killed in action. The fourth service member, who was seriously wounded during Iran’s initial attacks, eventually succumbed to their injuries.

Major combat operations continue and our…

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 2, 2026

Irish troops during last year’s visit of Micheál Martin to Camp Shamrock, in south Lebanon. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

The Social Democrats have called on the government to prioritise the safety of Irish troops and citizens as the Middle East conflict widens.

Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson said: “With the conflict now spreading to Lebanon – with Hezbollah and Israel trading strikes – the government’s immediate concern must be the safety of our UNIFIL peacekeeping troops.”

“If the situation deteriorates in Lebanon, then our troops must be taken out of harm’s way and repatriated home.

“The Minister for Foreign Affairs also needs to use every diplomatic lever at her disposal to prioritise the support and safe evacuation of thousands of Irish citizens in Gulf countries. The government must coordinate with our European allies and come up with an urgent plan to repatriate stranded people as soon as airspace opens.”

Debris in a room of Gandhi Hospital, which was hit when a strike struck a state TV communications tower and nearby buildings across the street in Tehran, Iran. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Strong explosions have hit west Tehran, according to AFP journalists on the ground.

Iran’s security chief said the Islamic republic was prepared for its war with the United States and Israel to last for a long period of time.

“Iran, unlike the United States, has prepared itself for a long war,” said Ali Larijani, the powerful head of Tehran’s Supreme National Security Council, in a post on X.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military warned residents in more than a dozen locations in south and east Lebanon to evacuate, saying buildings were being used by the Hezbollah armed group.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says America will follow “no stupid rules of engagement” in it’s war on Iran.

Speaking during a press conference at the Pentagon, Hegseth said the US is unleashing “the most lethal and precise air power campaign in history”.

He said the attack will include “no nation building quagmire, no democracy building exercise, no politically correct wars.”

Hegseth praised Israel, who it described as a ‘capable partner’, unlike America’s traditional allies who the secretary said “wring their hands and clutch their pearls, hemming and hawing about the use of force”.

“If you threaten Americans anywhere on Earth, we will hunt you down without apology and without hesitation, and we will kill you,” he said.

“We fight to win, and we don’t waste time or lives. As the President warned, an effort of this scope will include casualties.

“We’re hitting them surgically, overwhelmingly and unapologetically. With every passing day our capabilities get stronger and Iran’s get weaker. We set the terms of this war from start to finish. Our ambitions are not utopian. They are realistic, scoped to our interests and the defense of our people and our allies.”

He said he hopes the Iranian people “take advantage of this incredible opportunity”.

“President Trump has been clear, now is your time,” he added.

The Journal / YouTube

A police vehicle and an ambulance are parked on the departure road of the Dubai International Airport as it lies deserted following its closure on Sunday, March 1. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Airlines have called for civilian flights to not be targeted during the conflict in the Middle East after airports were struck.

“It is critical that states respect their obligation to keep civilians, and civil aviation free from harm,” said Willie Walsh, head of the International Air Transport Association.

“We all hope for an early peaceful resolution to the current hostilities,” added Walsh, whose association unites more than 360 airlines that account for 85 percent of commercial passenger traffic.

Thousands are stranded in the Gulf and Middle East as flight chaos continue due to airspace restrictions. 

Germany will send planes to Saudi Arabia and Oman to evacuate tourists stranded by the Middle East war, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Monday.

“We will send aircraft to Riyadh and Muscat as quickly as possible for particularly vulnerable groups,” Wadephul said, adding that he was in talks with national carrier Lufthansa to arrange the flights.

The wife of Iran’s slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died Monday after succumbing to wounds sustained during the US-Israeli attack, Iranian media reported.

Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, 79, had been in a coma since strikes on Saturday killed Khamenei, the Tasnim news agency said.

The EU is expected to discuss potentially activating a mutual assistance clause in view of an escalation of the Iran war touching one of its nations, Brussels said Monday.

An Iranian drone hit a British military base in EU-member Cyprus in the early hours of Monday and another two were intercepted, prompting an evacuation of the facility and surrounding area.

A spokeswoman for the European Commission said the bloc had not discussed article 42 of the EU treaty – which compels the bloc’s 27 nations to assist fellow members in case of armed aggression – following the strike.

But asked if Brussels was already preparing for the potential activation of the clause in the case of a further escalation, she said the matter was certain to come up soon.

“This question… is certainly going to be discussed in the coming days, in the various meetings that are foreseen,” commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho told a press conference.

“For the moment no such discussion has taken place.”

The situation in the Middle East remains volatile.

But three things are clear:

First, there is renewed hope for the long-suffering people of Iran.

We strongly support their right to determine their own future.

Second, we must do everything possible to de-escalate and stop the… pic.twitter.com/LIId5FFGcI

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 2, 2026

Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen stressed earlier that, while Cyprus was “not the target” of the drone attack, the EU was solidly behind its member states.

“We stand collectively, firmly and unequivocally with our Member States in the face of any threat,” she wrote on X.

Cyprus currently holds the six-month rotating presidency of the EU.

An informal meeting of the bloc’s European affairs ministers due to take place Monday and Tuesday in Cyprus was postponed to a later date following the strike.

Members of an Iraqi Shiite militant group attend a funeral of a fighter of the Kataib Hezbollah, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike, in Baghdad, Iraq. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said Monday that Iran continues to attack its autonomous Kurdistan region, while the other side of the conflict – whom he did not identify – targets the country’s south.

Hussein said in a call with Hamish Falconer, UK Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, that “Iraq is now directly affected by the war” in the region.

“Iran continues to bomb areas in the Kurdistan Region, especially Erbil, while the opposing side targets sites in southern and western Iraq,” without directly naming Israel and the US, which are blamed for attacks on pro-Iran groups.

The strikes expose Iraq “to escalating security challenges,” Hussein said.

Labour’s foreign affairs spokesperson, Duncan Smith, has said the Government’s “refusal to clearly call out violations of international law is unacceptable”.

He described the strikes on Iran as an “incredibly dangerous escalation in an already volatile region”.

“Let me be clear, we unequivocally condemn the tyrannical Iranian regime and its repression at home and destabilising actions abroad,” said Smith.

“But the attacks carried out by the US and Israel over the weekend represent a clear breach of international law.

“Two things can be true at once. We can oppose an authoritarian regime and still insist that international law must be upheld.

“It is not credible for Government to hide behind vague language.”

He also said Ireland cannot “turn a blind eye” to the “authoritarian tendencies” of the US.

“If this Government is soft pedalling its response because it fears upsetting Washington ahead of a photo opportunity, that is an abdication of responsibility,” said Smith.

The Social Democrats have also called on the government to “strongly condemn military action against Iran by the United States and Israel”.

Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson added that the strikes have “put Irish peacekeeping troops and thousands of our citizens at risk”.

“The Iranian regime is brutal and oppressive,” said Stephenson, “but launching a regime-change war with no apparent ‘day after’ plan is not just reckless, it is extremely dangerous.

“This is an illegal war that seems to have no clear end goal and will only bring chaos and further suffering to the Middle East.” 

“With the conflict now spreading to Lebanon – with Hezbollah and Israel trading strikes – the government’s immediate concern must be the safety of our UNIFIL peacekeeping troops.

“If the situation deteriorates in Lebanon, then our troops must be taken out of harm’s way and repatriated home.”

She also called on the Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee to “prioritise the safe evacuation of thousands of Irish citizens in Gulf countries” and on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to “unequivocally condemn the illegal actions of the US and Israel”.

“Bombs and warmongering will never lead to peace or global security. It is innocent civilians who stand to lose the most.”

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that a widening war between the US, Israel, and Iran risks spilling over to Europe’s borders, as he unveiled a new strategy for France’s nuclear deterrence.

He said the war “brings and will continue to bring instability and a possible conflagration to our borders, with Iran’s nuclear and ballistic capabilities still intact”.

Emmanuel Macron speaks during national defence council meeting at Elysee Palace in Paris yesterday Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Dubai Airports said “limited” flights will resume this evening, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports.

“Dubai Airports announces a limited resumption of flights from Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) starting this evening,” it said in a statement.

Emirates and low-cost carrier flydubai both said they would resume some flights this evening.

Eihad Airways, which operates flights from Abu Dhabi, said it would resume flights tomorrow.

Since Iran launched its campaign on Saturday, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Manama airports were targeted.

Authorities reported one death in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi in the “incident” at the facility.

On Saturday, the UAE announced it had closed its airspace “temporarily and partially” as an exceptional precautionary measure.

Iran’s retaliatory strikes have so far targeted 500 sites linked to the United States and Israel in the Middle East, the Revolutionary Guards has said.

“Since the start of the conflict, the brave soldiers of the Iranian armed forces have attacked 60 strategic targets and 500 American military targets and targets of the Zionist regime (Israel),” the Guards said in a statement.

It added they had launched more than 700 drones and hundreds of missiles.

Rescue workers operate at scene where several people were killed in Iranian missile strike in Beit Shemesh, Israel, yesterday Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Israel’s military has extended the closure of educational establishments and workplaces until 8pm (6pm Irish time) on Saturday.

“The Home Front Command has updated the defensive guidelines until Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 20:00,” the military said, extending an earlier advisory.

“The IDF emphasises that, in accordance with these guidelines, gatherings, educational activities, and workplace operations are prohibited, with the exception of essential sectors.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has insisted his decision not to get involved in the initial strikes on Iran was in Britain’s national interest, adding: “That is what I’ve done, and I stand by it.”

Speaking in the House of Commons, Starmer added: “We are not joining the strikes but we will continue our defensive actions in the region.”

Keir Starmer pictured on Saturday addressing the media Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Starmer has also said the drone strike on the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus was “not in response to any decision that we have taken” but was launched before the UK’s announcement that it would allow the US to use its bases.

There were no casualties in the incident at the RAF Akrotiri base near Limassol in the early hours of this morning, but the UK’s Sovereign Base Areas Administration said “a temporary dispersal” was being planned for non-essential personnel.

Cyprus’s President Nikos Christodoulides has since confirmed that the attack involved an Iranian drone.

Main gate of Britain’s RAF Akrotiri base after it was hit by a drone strike early morning near Limassol, Cyprus. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Starmer has defended the decision not to join in with the wave of strikes by the US and Israel on Iran, as he said it was his job to look after Britain’s national interest.

Speaking in the Commons, Starmer said: “We believe that the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement in which Iran agrees to give up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon, and ceases its destabilising activity across the region. That has been the long-standing position of successive British governments.

“President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest. That is what I’ve done, and I stand by it.”

However, he added that Iran’s retaliation to the attacks had threatened British people and the country’s interests. He said Iran had launched hundreds of missiles and thousands of drones at countries which did not take part in the attack.

Starmer added: “But, it is clear that Iran’s outrageous response has become a threat to our people, our interests, and our allies and it cannot be ignored.”

“It is simply not possible to shoot down every Iranian missile and every drone after they’ve been launched,” Starmer has told the Commons.

“The only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source, in their storage depots or at the launches.”

He said yesterday evening the US requested permission to use British bases “for that specific and limited defensive purpose”, which the UK Government accepted.

He added: “To be clear, the use of British bases is limited to the agreed defensive purposes; we are not joining the US and Israeli offensive strikes.

“The basis for our decision is the collective self-defence of long-standing friends and allies and protecting British lives.

“It is in accordance with international law, and we produced a summary of our legal advice, which clearly sets this out. We will keep the decision under review.”

Starmer says that over the last year alone Iran has backed more than 20 potentially lethal attacks on UK soil, adding that “each we have foiled”.

He adds that the “Iranian regime must never be allowed to get [its] hands on nuclear weapons”.

Starmer adds: “We all remember the mistakes of Iraq and we have learned from those lessons.

“And UK actions must always have a lawful basis and a viable thought through plan.”

Starmer in the Commons says: “I say again, we were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran, and we will not join offensive action now, but in the face of Iran’s barrage of missiles and drones, we will protect our people in the region, and support the collective self-defence of our allies, because that is our duty to the British people.

“It is the best way to eliminate the urgent threat, to prevent the situation spiralling further, and support a return to diplomacy.

“It is the best way to protect British interests, and British lives. That is what this Government is doing.”

Trump is due to speak in a few minutes but earlier, he spoke to CNN ans said the biggest wave of the Iran operation is yet to come.

“We’re knocking the crap out of them,” Trump reportedly told CNN over the phone.

“We’ve got the greatest military in the world and we’re using it.”

He added: “We haven’t even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon.”

Asked about how long the war might be, the US president said about a month. “I don’t want to see it go on too long. I always thought it would be four weeks. And we’re a little ahead of schedule,” he said.

Trump walks on the South Lawn upon his arrival to the White House last night Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Qatar’s Ministry of Defense has said it shot down two SU24 aircraft coming from Iran.

The SU24 is a bomber aircraft.

Qatar also says it has intercepted seven ballistic missiles and five drones “which targeted several areas in the state today”.

All missiles were shot down before reaching their targets, Qatar added.

Explosions have been heard in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, in the past few minutes.

The Israeli military said today it hit more than 70 Hezbollah targets including missile launchers in a wave of strikes against the armed group in southern Lebanon.

There are around 370 Irish Defence Forces soldiers in Lebanon as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil).

It’s understood they were placed in bunkers last night to shelter from the ordnance.

Massive explosion and thick plumes of smoke rise over Beirut today following an Israeli airstrike Alamy


Alamy

Donald Trump is about to speak at a medal ceremony at the White House for three US soldiers. 

Speaking now, Trump says the US continues to carry out “large-scale combat operations” in Iran “to eliminate the grave threats posed to America by this terrible terrorist regime”. 

He says the US had warned Iran not to attempt to rebuild its nuclear programme at an alternative location, but they “ignored those warnings and refused to cease their pursuit of nuclear weapons”. 

“In addition, the regime’s conventional ballistic missile programme was growing rapidly and dramatic and this posed a very clear, colossal threat to america and our forces stationed overseas,” he says. 

Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Trump claims Iran already had missiles capable of hitting Europe and our bases, both local and overseas, “and would soon have had missiles capable of reaching our beautiful America”. 

He says the country’s missile programme was intended “to shield their nuclear weapon development and make it extraordinarily difficult for anyone to stop them from making these highly forbidden, by us, nuclear weapons”. 

He says that while the US was the country that wanted this to stop, “everybody was behind us – they just didn’t have the courage to say so”.

“An Iranian regime armed with long-range missiles and nuclear weapons would be an intolerable threat to the Middle East, but also to the American people. Our country itself, would be under threat, and it was very nearly under threat.”

Trump claims this was the US’s “last best chance to strike” Iran and “eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime regime, and they are indeed sick and sinister”. 

He goes on to list three objectives. 

“First, we’re destroying Iran’s missile capabilities, and you see that happening on an hourly basis,” he says. 

“Second, we’re annihilating their navy. We’ve knocked out already 10 ships. They’re at the bottom of the sea.

“Third, we’re ensuring that the world’s number one sponsor of terror can never obtain a nuclear weapon. Never going to have a nuclear weapon. I said that from the beginning, they’re never going to have a nuclear weapon.”

He adds: “And finally, we’re ensuring that the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm, fund and direct terrorist armies outside of their borders.”

He claims that somebody from the media said that he would “get bored after about a week or two”, then states: “No, we don’t get bored. I never get bored. If I got bored, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.”

He concludes remarks on Iran by saying that the US is “substantially ahead” of its time projections. 

Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that. We’ll do it. 

He says they projected four weeks to terminate the military leadership in Iran, “and as you know, that was done in about an hour. So we’re ahead of schedule there by a lot.”

Amid the escalation in the Middle East, it’s fair to say that it is very difficult to know what is going to happen next and where it will end. 

With this in mind, my colleagues have pulled together five things that are worth keeping an eye on in the war. 

You can read it here.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they have attacked an allegedly US-linked oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz as part of a wave of strikes retaliating against the US-Israeli assault.

“The ATHE NOVA tanker, one of the American allies in the Strait of Hormuz, is still on fire after being hit by two drones,” the Guards said in a statement.

On Saturday, the Guards said they had closed the waterway, which is vital for oil and gas shipments, after the start of US and Israeli attacks.

Here’s a clip of Donald Trump claiming earlier that the US has the “capability to go far longer” than four or five weeks in its war on Iran. 

Trump: “We have right from the beginning projected 4 to 5 weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that. We’ll do whatever. Somebody said, ‘the president will get bored.’ I don’t get bored. There’s nothing boring about this.” pic.twitter.com/yOa2ISve1K

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 2, 2026

Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed at least 52 people and wounded 154 today, according to an updated toll from the Lebanese government.

A previous toll shared by the health ministry said 31 people were killed and 149 wounded.

The bombings of southern and eastern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs also displaced more than 28,500 people, according to the government’s disaster and management unit.

Abu Dhabi’s media office says a drone struck a fuel tank terminal in the Emirati capital today, as Iran struck more oil facilities. 

“Abu Dhabi authorities have responded today to a fire resulting from the targeting of a Musaffah fuel tank terminal by a drone. The situation was promptly contained. No injuries were reported and there was no impact on operations,” the office said in a statement.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for “an end to the bloodbath” in the Middle East and vowed to help reach a ceasefire between the US, Israel and Iran.

“We are on the side of peace. We want an end to the bloodbath, for the tears to stop flowing and that our region finally reach the lasting peace it has cried out for for years,” Erdogan told members of his AKP party in Ankara.

“We want neither conflict nor war with our neighbours during this holy month of Ramadan,” the president added at a fast-breaking meal for observant Muslims.

Erdogan, who maintains good relations with Donald Trump despite frequently criticising US ally Israel, nonetheless insisted that the US-Israeli strikes on Saturday were “illegal”.

“We will intensify our contacts at all levels until a ceasefire is concluded and tranquillity is restored to our region,” he said, adding that he was “grieving at the sight of the suffering of the civilians and innocent children” in Iran hit by the conflict.

Erdogan, a key regional player, had previously expressed his sadness at the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in Saturday’s strikes along with much of the Islamic republic’s leadership.

Turkey, a majority Sunni-Muslim nation which is a member of Nato, shares a 500-kilometre border with Iran.

While Iran has retaliated by aiming drones and missiles at Israel, Iraq, Jordan and the Gulf states in the hope of striking US bases and assets, Turkey has so far been spared. 

Dubai Airports has said “limited airport operations” have resumed with a small number of flights operating from both Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport.

“Passengers must not travel to the airport unless they have received a confirmed departure time directly from their airline, as schedules remain subject to change. If you have received a confirmed departure flight from your airline, please also check which Terminal your flight is departing from,” it said in a statement.

Flights are scheduled to depart for Belgrade, Bucharest, Almaty and Warsaw within the next couple of hours.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said his country “will not remain silent” after what he described as US-Israeli strikes on a school and a Tehran hospital.

“Attacks on hospitals strike at life itself. Attacks on schools target a nation’s future. Targeting patients and children blatantly violates humanitarian principles,” he wrote on X.

“The world must condemn it. I stand with my grieving nation. Iran will not remain silent or yield to these crimes,” he added.

Attacks on hospitals strike at life itself. Attacks on schools target a nation’s future. Targeting patients and children blatantly violates humanitarian principles. The world must condemn it. I stand with my grieving nation. Iran will not remain silent or yield to these crimes.

— Masoud Pezeshkian (@drpezeshkian) March 2, 2026

Iran has claimed 168 were killed at the school in the south on Saturday. Neither the US nor Israel have confirmed the strike, while the incident at Tehran’s Gandhi hospital took place on Sunday.

Here’s what we know about the bombing at the school in Iran. 

NI First Minister Michelle O’Neill speaking in the Great Hall of Parliament Buildings at Stormont. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill has defended her decision not to attend a briefing on the situation in the Middle East alongside Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. 

Speaking to reporters, she said she is in “ongoing contact with the Irish and British governments” and “working to support our citizens in the region”.

But she said she “will not be part of any briefing by the British government on their military operations”.

You can read more here.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for restraint amid the intensified conflict.

“We’re seriously concerned about the exchange of fire across the Blue Line. The situation on the ground is evolving rapidly, and we’re monitoring developments closely,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

“We’re also aware that of the strikes aimed at Israel claimed by Hezbollah and the Israeli strikes that have reportedly resulted in 31 fatalities and many more injured north of the Blue Line in Lebanon.

“We urge utmost restraint and call on the parties to uphold the cessation of hostilities agreement.”

At 7pm, here’s what has happened so far today in the escalating conflict:

• US president Donald Trump said the US has “capability to go far longer” than the four to five weeks it projected for its war on Iran.
• US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said America will follow “no stupid rules of engagement” in its war.
• Qatar shot down two SU24 bomber aircrafts coming from Iran.
• Lebanon‘s health ministry said at least 52 people were killed as a result of Israeli strikes. 
• The wife of Iran’s former supreme leader died after being wounded in the strikes on Saturday.
• UK prime minister Keir Starmer defended his decision not to allow UK bases to be used by the US in the initial strikes against Iran.
• Three US jets were shot down by friendly fire in Kuwait.
• An Iranian drone struck a British RAF base in Cyprus.
• The price of oil has shot up since the US-Israeli attacks on Iran began.
• Irish passegers in Dubai were told they would be “prioritised” as some “limited” flights at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports resume this evening.

Lebanon’s government has taken the unprecedented step of banning Hezbollah’s military and security activity. 

It comes hours after Hezbollah, which is represented in both the government and parliament, announced it had launched rockets and drones towards Israel early today to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei in the US-Israeli attacks.

Following an emergency cabinet meeting earlier today, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said: “The Lebanese state declares its absolute and unequivocal rejection of any military or security actions launched from Lebanese territory outside the framework of its legitimate institutions.

“This necessitates the immediate prohibition of all of Hezbollah’s security and military activities, considering them to be outside the law, and obliging it to hand over its weapons”.

In response, Mohammed Raad, the head of the militant group’s parliamentary bloc, condemned Beirut’s “rash decisions”, saying that “the Lebanese were expecting a decision rejecting the (Israeli) aggression”.

Salam had ordered the military and security agencies to take “immediate measures” to implement the cabinet decision and prevent “any military operation or the launching of missiles or drones from Lebanese territory”.

Justice Minister Adel Nassar announced in a post on X that the judicial authorities had tasked “security agencies with immediately arresting those who launched the rockets and their instigators”.

A source close to the Lebanese government reported that two ministers from the Amal Movement, Hezbollah’s fellow Shiite party and a key ally, and one minister from the group itself had approved the cabinet’s decision.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Israeli military has said “all options are on the table” when asked by a journalist about a potential ground offensive in Lebanon.

“We are operating in Lebanon as well in order to remove a significant threat… Bottom line, all options are on the table. We will act to disarm Hezbollah,” Brigadier General Effie Defrin said in response to the question during a televised briefing.

Earlier today, the military’s international spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said there was no reason to launch a ground invasion of Lebanon “imminently”.

Black smoke billows following an Israeli air strike on Burj al-Barajneh in Beirut. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews has called on the Irish government to coordinate with EU countries to prepare to evacuate Irish people from the Middle East through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

The mechanism allows countries affected by crises to request emergency assistance, such as logistical support and funding for transport.

The EU has already said it is taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of EU citizens in the region, “including by activating the EU Civil Protection Mechanism if necessary”.

In a statement, Andrews said there are “over 20,000 Irish citizens stuck in the Middle East, many of whom wish urgently to leave and many worried families at home”. 

“The situation in the region is clearly worsening and so there is no time to lose. As soon as the airports reopen, thousands of families want to see their loved ones brought home to Ireland,” he said.

“The EU has a mechanism to mobilise the much-needed evacuation resources such as airplanes, consular assistance and evacuation support teams.

“I welcome the recent additions to Ireland’s evacuation capability, with the purchase of new airplanes such as the new Dassault Falcon. However, given the scale of the current crisis, we will continue to rely largely on our European allies to help evacuate Irish citizens from the Middle East.”

Ireland’s embassy in Abu Dhabi will remain closed tomorrow due to the ongoing shelter in place warning in the United Arab Emirates.

pic.twitter.com/Txot9farVs

— Irish Embassy UAE (@IrelandEmbUAE) March 2, 2026

The IDF said it has struck multiple Iranian intelligence offices and other command centres in strikes on the Islamic republic.

“The (Israeli military) struck over 10 headquarters belonging to the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence – the regime’s main intelligence body – as well as numerous Quds Force headquarters,” the military said in a statement, referring to the branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards which oversees its foreign operations.

US Central Command, which is responsible for American forces in the Middle East, said said the US hit more than 1,250 targets in the first 48 hours of its war on Iran. 

This is up more than 1,000 on the first day of the conflict. 

Targets struck included command-and-control centers, ballistic missile sites, Iranian navy ships and submarines, and anti-ship missile sites, according to a fact sheet released by the military command. 

Two days ago, the Iranian regime had 11 ships in the Gulf of Oman, today they have ZERO. The Iranian regime has harassed and attacked international shipping in the Gulf of Oman for decades. Those days are over. Freedom of maritime navigation has underpinned American and global… pic.twitter.com/nzdkMVMqZC

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 2, 2026

Alamy Stock Vector


Alamy Stock Vector

Reuters is reporting that a senior advisor to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has said that the Strait of Hormuz is closed. 

The news organisation says in remarks carried on Iranian state television, Ebrahim Jabari said that the Revolutionary Guards will set fire to any ships that try to pass.

Some 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passes through the narrow 21-mile-wide strait, which lies between Iran and Oman. 

Closing the strait in full could cause oil prices to skyrocket. Some of the largest shipping giants in the world, including Maersk, have already suspended their operations through the strait and have rerouted their ships. 

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Sky News


Sky News

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been taking questions from journalists in Washington in the last few minutes. 

He says the US attacked Iran “pre-emptively” on Saturday after learning that ally Israel was going to strike.

He claims that there was “an imminent threat” against the US from Iran. 

“We knew that if Iran was attacked, and we believed they would be attacked, that they would immediately come after us, and we were not going to sit there and absorb a blow before we responded,” Rubio says. 

He says the so-called Department of War assessed that if the US did not act and “waited for them to hit us first”, they would have suffered “more casualties and more deaths”.

Rubio also says the operation “needed to happen” because Iran “in about a year or a year-and-a-half, would cross the line of immunity, meaning they would have so many short range missiles, so many drones, that no one could do anything about it”. 

Asked about the prospect of regime change in Iran, Rubio says America’s focus is on the destruction of the country’s ballistic missile capabilities, as well as any threat posed by their navy to global shipping.

“We hope that the Iranian people can overthrow this government and establish a new future for that country. We would love for that to be possible, but the objective of this mission is the destruction of their ballistic missile capabilities and of their naval capabilities.”

Rubio also said the US would not “deliberately” target a school, after Iran said 168 people died in an alleged US-Israeli strike.

“The United States would not deliberately target a school. Our objectives are missiles, both the ability to manufacture them and the ability to launch them,” Rubio told reporters, while adding that the Pentagon was investigating the incident.

A total of six US military personnel have been killed since the start of the Iran war, US Central Command (CENTCOM) has said, raising the death toll from four.

“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,” CENTCOM said in a post on X.

CENTCOM Update

TAMPA, Fla. – As of 4 pm ET, March 2, six U.S. service members have been killed in action. U.S. 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.…

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 2, 2026

The Israeli military has confirmed that it has begun a new wave of strikes on the Iranian capital Tehran. 

Explosions have been heard in several neighbourhoods in the city, according to Iranian media. 

צה”ל החל בגל תקיפות של משטר הטרור האיראני בטהרן. פרטים נוספים בהמשך

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) March 2, 2026

The IDF said it planned to strike the Evin area in the north of Tehran.

“The military will soon strike the Evin area of Tehran, in the Broadcasting Authority compound, as marked on the map,” the military said in a Farsi-language post on X.

“In the coming hours, the (Israeli military) will operate in the area, as it has in recent days throughout Tehran, to strike military infrastructure belonging to the Iranian regime.”

The Tehran Times has shared a short video on social media of fresh explosions in the east of Tehran, which the newspapers says was filmed “moments ago”. 

#BREAKING
Eastern part of Tehran, moments ago pic.twitter.com/x8uj22ky0Q

— Tehran Times (@TehranTimes79) March 2, 2026

As Israel launches fresh strikes on Tehran, here is some of the impact the last round of strikes had on the city.

A plume of smoke rises after a strike. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

A destroyed police station. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

A poster of the late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the US-Israeli strikes on Saturday. Alamy Stock Photo


Alamy Stock Photo

The US State Department has urged Americans to immediately leave a number of countries in the Middle East via commercial means due to “serious safety risks” amid the US-Israeli strikes on Iran. 

Mora Namdar,  Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs at the US State Department, shared the list on social media. 

They are Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

The @SecRubio @StateDept urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from… pic.twitter.com/vdplAik2Sq

— Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar (@AsstSecStateCA) March 2, 2026

The IDF claims to have destroyed the headquarters of Iran’s state broadcaster, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), in Tehran.

“A short while ago, Air Force aircraft dropped dozens of munitions and destroyed the communications center of the Iranian terror regime,” the Israeli military wrote on X. 

צה”ל השמיד לפני זמן קצר את מרכז התקשורת והתעמולה של משטר הטרור האיראני

חיל האוויר בהכוונה מדויקת של אמ”ן, החל בתקיפה נוספת לעבר מטרות של משטר הטרור האיראני בטהרן.

לפני זמן קצר, מטוסי חיל האוויר הטילו עשרות חימושים והשמידו את מרכז התקשורת של משטר הטרור האיראני.

המרכז שימש בעת… pic.twitter.com/8NuUrPTROg

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) March 2, 2026

Donald Trump has claimed that Iran would have had a nuclear weapon “three years ago” if he had not terminated former US president Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with the country. 

“That was the most dangerous transaction we have ever entered into, and had it been allowed to stand, the World would be an entirely different place right now,” he wrote on Truth Social, without providing any evidence.

“You can blame Barack Hussein Obama, and Sleepy Joe Biden. THANK YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP!”.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found that Iran was implementing its nuclear-related commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in early 2018. 

Trump withdrew from the accord in May 2018 and put sanctions on Iran.

A year later, Iran announced it would suspend implementation of parts of JCPOA and said it had breached the limit set on its stockpile of low-enriched uranium, which the IAEA confirmed.

After launching fresh strikes on Tehran, the IDF has said it is working to intercept new missiles launched from Iran towards Israel. 

The UAE’s defence ministry said its air defences are currently dealing with “a barrage of ballistic missiles” coming from Iran.

“The Ministry of Defense confirms full readiness to address all threats to ensure the protection of the state’s territories and the safety of citizens and residents,” the ministry said in a statement on X. 

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 fifteen months, Israeli aggression against Lebanon has continued through killing, destruction, bulldozing, and all forms of criminal acts,” a statement from the group said.

The group’s “response against a military barracks in the usurping entity is a defensive act and a legitimate right”, it added.

Thanks for staying with our coverage throughout the day. We’re going to leave this liveblog here for now. 

We’ll have all the latest updates on the escalating US-Israel-Iran conflict on our site.