Armed conflicts and attacks
2026 Iran war
Iranian media reports that explosions were heard in southern Iran amidst a new wave of U.S. strikes, including Bandar Abbas and the Kargan area of Minab. (AA)
2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
The Iranian foreign ministry says that the ceasefire with the U.S. is "practically meaningless" after the recent attacks. (The Guardian)
U.S. president Donald Trump cancels an upcoming round of strikes for this evening after previously threatening to strike "very hard tonight", claiming that talks are in progress with Iran. (Reuters) (Axios)
The Pakistani foreign ministry reaffirms that Pakistan is still engaged in ceasefire mediation efforts to end the war amidst renewed tensions between Iran and the United States. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
United Arab Emirates in the 2026 Iran war, Iran–United Arab Emirates relations
Bloomberg reports that officials from the United Arab Emirates and Iran have met face-to-face for the first time since the start of the war on February 28. (The Jerusalem Post) (Bloomberg)
2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries
2026 Iranian strikes on Bahrain, 2026 Iranian strikes on Kuwait
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force and Navy conduct air and drone strikes targeting U.S. military bases, including Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain. (Al Jazeera) (AA)
2026 Iranian strikes on Jordan
Jordanian air defense systems and Royal Jordanian Air Force says that they have intercepted and shot down 20 missiles from Iran towards the Azraq area of Jordan's Zarqa Governorate. (Middle East Monitor)
The headquarters of the Iranian military declares that the Strait of Hormuz is closed to all traffic, including oil tankers and commercial ships, due to renewed tensions in the region and U.S. strikes against Iran. (Reuters)
The United States Central Command denies Iran's claims that the Strait of Hormuz has completely closed, insisting that “commercial ships are continuing to transit in and out of" the waterway. (The Times of Israel) (NBC News)
The South Korean oceans ministry says that a liquefied natural gas carrier has crossed the Strait of Hormuz and arrived in Ulsan, making it the second vessel from the country to cross the waterway. (Yonhap News Agency) (Korea Herald)
Sudanese civil war
A monitoring group reports that drone strikes in El-Obeid, North Kordofan, Sudan, have killed 23 people and injured at least 19 others. The group attributes the attacks to the Rapid Support Forces, although it has not been independently verified. (AFP via Arab News Japan)
Business and economy
The South Korean data protection commission fines e-commerce company Coupang ₩624.68 billion (US$408 million) for a data breach that the commission says exposed personal data from millions of user accounts. (AFP via The Manila Times) (Reuters)
Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
Wall Street indexes, including the S&P 500, Nasdaq Composite, and Dow Jones Industrial Average, rise after Trump has cancelled plans to launch a additional round of strikes against Iran along with the debut of Elon Musk’s SpaceX to the Nasdaq market. (The Strait Times) (Business Insider) (CNBC)
Kuwait reopens its airspace to commercial flights after a temporary closure following Iranian attacks in the region. (AFP via The Daily Star)
Disasters and accidents
Seven people are killed and 17 others are injured in an explosion in Xing'an County, Guangxi, China. (PTI via Deccan Herald) (Xinhua)
International relations
China–Philippines relations
China imposes sanctions on Philippine defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro, citing remarks he made at the recent Shangri-La Dialogue that China said undermined its interests and bilateral relations. China also bans him, his wife, and their son from entering the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau. (AFP via The Star) (Reuters)
Law and crime
2015 Bangkok bombing
Thailand's criminal court sentenced two Uyghur men from China to death for the 2015 bombing at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok, which killed 20 and injured over 120. (AP) (Reuters)
Politics and elections
Premiership of Keir Starmer
John Healey resigns as the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Defence in protest at a lack of government funding for the British Armed Forces, saying prime minister Keir Starmer is "putting the country’s security at risk" at a time of "growing international threats". Al Carns, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, also resigns. (The Guardian) (BBC News)
Sports
2026 FIFA World Cup
In association football, the 2026 FIFA World Cup consisting of 48 national teams for the first time begins with matches in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. (AP) (Olympics)
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