The war in West Asia entered its third week as the United States and Israel intensified strikes on Iran, with Tehran retaliating as both sides targeted each other’s military, diplomatic and strategic infrastructure.
The conflict, triggered by the Feb. 28 US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has spread across the region, roiling energy markets and driving up oil prices as Tehran maintains a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a route for about 20% of global oil exports, while both sides threaten to target each other’s oil infrastructure.
TOP DEVELOPMENTS
'Ready for a long war': Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Iran was not interested in talks with the US and is “ready for a long war”, pushing back on President Donald Trump’s claim that Tehran wants a deal to end the conflict.
Netanyahu posts video amid death rumours: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a video from a café dismissing viral claims of his death, joking “I’m dying for coffee” and displaying his hands after AI-generated images online suggested he had more than 10 fingers.
Oil reserves released: Strategic oil reserves will be released "immediately" in Asia and Oceania, and as early as the end of March in America and Europe, the International Energy Agency said, as governments try to contain the surge in prices caused by the war.
No takers for Trump’s Hormuz plea: Donald Trump’s appeal for countries to send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz “open and safe” drew no commitments on Sunday as oil prices surged during the war. Meanwhile, Iran said the key shipping lane remains open to all vessels except those from the US and its allies.
IRGC vows to kill Netanyahu: Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Sunday said it would pursue and kill the leader “if the child-killing criminal is alive” amid rumours about Netanyahu’s health.
Lebanon says 850 dead: Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli attacks have killed 850 people in the country during two weeks of war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, including 66 women, 107 children and 32 health workers, with 2,105 wounded.
Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on ARD television Sunday: “Will we soon be an active part of this conflict? No.”
Wadephul said that “we will only get security for the Strait of Hormuz… if there is a negotiated solution.”
He said he is skeptical about expanding the European Union’s naval mission in the Red Sea, Operation Aspides, to the Strait of Hormuz because it hasn’t been effective in its current area.
Wadephul added: “It is completely clear that Europe always gives constructive support when it comes to securing sea routes, but I see neither an immediate necessity nor above all Germany participating.”
Israeli military, in a statement on Sunday, said the targets it struck in western and central Iran over the past day included command centers and weapons storage and production sites.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron by phone to discuss regional developments, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
Pezeshkian told Macron that Tehran’s actions are within its right to self-defence and warned that any support by other countries, including France, for those attacking Iran would be seen as direct participation in the war, according to Iran’s official website cited by Tasnim.
Iran: Over 1,200 killed and 10,000+ injured, according to Iran’s health ministry. HRANA estimates 1,825 dead, including 1,276 civilians and at least 200 children.
Israel: 14 killed, including 12 civilians in Iranian missile strikes and two soldiers in combat in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon: 850 killed in Israeli strikes since the war with Hezbollah began, including 66 women and 107 children; 2,105 wounded.
Gulf states: 26 killed, including 13 civilians and US service members, according to regional authorities and CENTCOM. (Kuwait - 6, UAE - 6, Saudi Arabia - 2, Bahrain - 2, Oman - 3, US military personnel - 7)
Iraq: At least 49 killed, including Iran-backed fighters, foreign troops and civilians in strikes and related incidents.
Jordan: 28 injured by falling debris from Iranian missiles and drones; no deaths reported.
Syria: Eight injured by falling debris from exchanges of fire between Iran and Israel.
Iran on Sunday warned other countries against getting involved in its war with the United States and Israel, as Rome reported a base in Kuwait hosting US and Italian troops was hit by a drone attack. It also came after Tehran sent a stern message to its neighbours that it had "ample evidence" US bases on their territory were being used to launch attacks.
Iran's warning to keep out of the war came a day after President Donald Trump had called on other countries to work with the US to secure the vital Strait of Hormuz, whose closure since the conflict broke out has thrown energy markets into turmoil.
Arguing that the US security umbrella in the region was "inviting rather than deterring trouble", Tehran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi on X urged neighbouring countries "to expel foreign aggressors."
"This war will end when we are certain that it will not be repeated and that reparations will be paid," Araghchi told Arabic-language news platform Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
The drone attack at the Ali Al Salem airbase in Kuwait destroyed an unmanned aircraft belonging to Italy, but caused no casualties, the Italian military said.
Rome's foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, sought to play down the attack -- the second on an Italian base in the Middle East this week -- insisting: "We are not at war with anyone."
Iraqi authorities meanwhile said rockets wounded five people at Baghdad's airport, which houses a US diplomatic facility.
The military’s statement says the territory’s crossing with Egypt will open Wednesday for “limited” movement in both directions: people only, not cargo.
It says procedures will be the same as before the crossing closed. Israel closed Gaza’s crossings on the first weekend of the Iran war. Rafah has been critical for medical evacuations abroad.
The Israeli military said it still has thousands of targets to hit across Iran, with new ones identified every day, as the war entered its third week on Sunday.
"We have a precise plan. We still have thousands of targets in Iran, and we are identifying new targets every day," military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said in a televised briefing.
Director of the National Economic Council Kevin Hassett was speaking on CBS News’ Face the Nation on Sunday. “The latest number I was briefed on was 12,” Hassett said.
Pentagon estimates provided to Congress said the war would cost $11.3 billion in its first week. Hassett did not specify the time frame for the $12 billion in spending.
Asked whether the U.S. will need to request more money from Congress, Hassett responded: “I think right now we’ve got what we need, whether we have to go back to Congress for more is something that I think that Russ Vought and OMB will look into.”
OMB is the United States Office of Management and Budget.
A rocket attack on Baghdad International Airport, which houses a US diplomatic facility, wounded five people on Sunday, Iraqi authorities said.
The Iraqi government's security media cell said "five rockets targeted Baghdad International Airport and its surrounding area, injuring four airport employees and security personnel, and an engineer".
It added that rockets struck the airport and a water desalination plant, while others crashed near a prison where Islamic State group (IS) suspects are detained and an Iraqi airbase next to the US diplomatic facility.
Security forces seized the launchpad used for the attack in the al-Radwaniya area southwest of Baghdad, the authorities added.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran was not interested in talks with the United States, pushing back on President Donald Trump's stance that Tehran wants a deal to end the war.
"We are stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people," Araghchi told CBS's 'Face The Nation', in an interview aired on Sunday.
"We don't see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because we were talking with them when they decided to attack us... There is no good experience talking with Americans."
"We never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiation," Araghchi said.
He added that Iran was ready to talk to countries who want to negotiate for selected oil tankers to pass through the key Strait of Hormuz export route. "I cannot mention any country in particular, but we have been approached by a number of countries who want to have a safe passage for their vessels," he said.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said its peacekeepers were fired upon three times, "likely by non-state armed groups", in the country's south, two days after another position was hit.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu published a short video on Sunday making light of rumours on social media that he was dead.
"I'm dead for coffee," he said sarcastically on his official X account as he received a steaming cup at a cafe outside Jerusalem, employing a colloquial Hebrew expression meaning to love something to death.
He then raised his hands to the camera, asking, "Do you want to count the number of fingers?" -- a reference to speculation on social media that his latest televised address was generated by AI as he appeared to have six fingers on one hand.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) threatened on Sunday to kill Netanyahu, as the war against the Islamic republic led by Israel and the US entered its third week. "IRGC vows to pursue and kill 'child-killer' Netanyahu if he is still alive," Iran's IRNA news agency said in a post on X.