The UK Ministry of Defence said a “Shahed-type drone” that struck the Royal Air Force base at Akrotiri in Cyprus was not launched from Iran. The Iranian-made drone hit the runway at the RAF base near Limassol around midnight on March 2. Officials said the strike caused minimal damage and no injuries. It is believed to be the first attack on the military facility since 1986. In a statement, the ministry said: “A Shahed-like drone which targeted RAF Akrotiri was not launched from Iran.” The UK also said it has resupplied air defence systems to British and allied bases in the region. Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters armed with Martlet missiles will arrive in Cyprus soon. (PC: The Indian Express)

Iran fired another round of missiles at Israel on Thursday as the conflict with the US and Israel entered its sixth day. Air raid alerts were triggered in several Israeli areas, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The Israeli military issued three warnings of incoming Iranian missiles within two hours. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Local media also reported explosions in Tehran. The fighting began after US and Israeli strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Meanwhile, the US sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the ship “thought it was safe in international waters”. (PC: X)

Actor Sonu Sood has offered free accommodation to travellers stranded in Dubai amid disruptions linked to the US–Iran Conflict. Flights were cancelled after rising tensions in the Middle East, leaving many passengers unable to return home. In a video message on Instagram, Sood asked affected travellers to contact him or Dugasta Properties for help. “Anyone who’s stranded in Dubai because of the ongoing crisis… we will make sure you get free-of-cost accommodation,” he said. Sood added the offer is open to people of any nationality. The actor earlier helped migrant workers travel home during the COVID-19 lockdown in India. (PC: HT)

The US Senate voted 53–47 against a bipartisan resolution that sought to limit President Donald Trump’s authority to continue military action in Iran without congressional approval. The vote largely followed party lines. Democratic Senator John Fetterman opposed the measure, while Republican Senator Rand Paul supported it. Democrats said Trump had sidelined Congress and changed his reasons for the war. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer asked, “Do you stand with the American people who are exhausted with forever wars in the Middle East?” Republican Senator Susan Collins said passing the bill would send the wrong signal to Iran and US troops. The resolution will now go to the House of Representatives for a vote. (PC: BBC)

A US-Israel airstrike in Iran’s Minab city killed about 160 schoolgirls aged seven to twelve, according to Iranian authorities. The students were at Shajareh Tayyebeh School when the strike hit on February 28. The operation reportedly targeted Iranian nuclear facilities and senior leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi criticised Washington, saying this is how America “rescues”. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US was “looking into it” and called Iran a “terror state”. Reports said the school was near facilities linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. However, checks showed the closest IRGC barracks is about six kilometres from the school. (PC: India Today)

Iran has postponed the funeral ceremony for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as US-Israeli bombardment continues. The event, initially scheduled at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Prayer Hall, was delayed without explanation, though officials confirmed a three-day public mourning period will be held, with the funeral procession date to be announced later. Iran’s Consulate in Mumbai denied reports that leadership candidates had been selected. Russia blamed Washington and Tel Aviv for escalating the conflict and urged the IAEA to assess radiological risks. The death toll from five days of strikes has reportedly surpassed 1,000 in Iran, while regional energy and security concerns continue to mount. (PC: X)

A Pakistani businessman, Asif Merchant, on trial in New York, testified that he was recruited in 2022 by a handler from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to plan assassinations of Donald Trump, then President Joe Biden and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley. Merchant said his family in Iran was under threat and he “had no other choice.” Arrested on July 12, 2024, he admitted traveling to the United States to hire hitmen, who were actually undercover FBI agents. Prosecutors argue he never alerted authorities. The IRGC, designated a foreign terrorist organisation by Washington, allegedly assigned him additional tasks including theft and money laundering. (PC: X)

India has rejected as “fake and false” claims that the United States is using Indian ports or naval bases to conduct strikes against Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs issued a fact-check statement after former US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor, speaking on One America News Network, alleged that American forces were relying on Indian facilities. The MEA cautioned against “baseless and fabricated comments.” The denial comes amid escalating US-Israel-Iran hostilities, including missile exchanges and the sinking of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean. India has expressed deep concern over the conflict, urging restraint, de-escalation and prioritisation of civilian safety as casualties mount.

At least 37 Indian-flagged ships carrying 1,109 seafarers are stranded around the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating US-Israel-Iran tensions. The Indian National Shipowners’ Association confirmed the vessels are positioned across the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, with some awaiting cargo and others fully laden, and urged government intervention to secure safe passage. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced closure of the strait and threatened action against vessels attempting transit, sharply reducing maritime traffic. Nearly 46 per cent of India’s crude imports pass through Hormuz, and about a fifth of total imports could face disruption. Prolonged instability risks higher freight, insurance costs, inflation and supply chain pressures. (PC: X)

US President Donald Trump rated America’s war effort against Iran “about a 15” out of 10, claiming rapid progress as the conflict entered its fifth day. Speaking at the White House, Trump said US and allied forces were gaining the upper hand, with Iranian leadership figures and ballistic missile arsenals being “wiped out rapidly.” The Pentagon says the campaign aims to cripple Iran’s missile capabilities and military infrastructure. In a major escalation, a US submarine sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka’s coast. Trump defended the strikes as necessary to prevent Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and vowed operations would continue, while post-war plans remain unclear. (PC: X)