Netherlands to deploy frigate to Mediterranean to assist Cyprus
The Dutch government on Monday said it would send a frigate to the Mediterranean at France's request to help protect Cyprus and other allies and secure maritime traffic imperilled by the escalating crisis in the Middle East.
The government said last week that France had asked it to provide an air defence and command frigate to support the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier that President Emmanuel Macron said would be sent to the Mediterranean.
No decision yet on deploying US troops to Iran to secure nuclear stockpile: Trump
President Donald Trump said on Monday that he was "nowhere near" deciding whether to send US troops into Iran to secure the stockpile of highly enriched uranium there.
"We haven’t made any decision on that. We’re nowhere near it,” Trump told the New York Post when asked about reported discussions between Israel and the United States on possibly deploying special forces to Iran to seize and secure the material. A longstanding dispute over Iran's nuclear program escalated into military conflict ten days ago, with the US and Israel launching strikes against Iran and Iran responding with attacks across the Middle East.
Qatar Airways evacuates 300 Indians stranded in Doha
The Indian Embassy in Doha said that Qatar Airways operated a Doha-New Delhi flight this morning on which more than 300 Indian passengers stranded in Doha travelled to India.
"Altogether, close to 1000 Indians stranded in Doha on transit or short-term visits have departed on Qatar Airways flights over the last three days," the embassy said on X.
It added that the airline is planning three flights to Delhi, Mumbai and Kochi for March 10, encouraging stranded Indian passengers to use these flights for travelling to India.
IAEA chief says over 200 kg of Iran’s uranium remains stored in Isfahan
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Mariano Grossi said the agency believes that more than 200 kg of Iran's uranium stockpile, enriched up to 60% purity, was stored at Isfahan, a city in central Iran.
Grossi added that the prevailing assumption is that the material remains there.
Almost 700,000 displaced in Lebanon as war enters second week
Escalating hostilities have forced nearly 700,000 people to flee their homes in Lebanon, a UN agency said on Monday, as the war between Israel and the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah entered a second week.
Lebanon has been pulled deep into the war in the Middle East since Hezbollah opened fire to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader, igniting an Israeli offensive which has killed more than 400 people in Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities.
Israeli strikes sent columns of smoke billowing from Beirut's Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs, and over the hilltops of southern Lebanon.
Security sources in Lebanon said Israeli airstrikes hit five branches of a financial institution run by Hezbollah, Al-Qard Al-Hassan, in the southern suburbs after Israel announced it would act against it.
‘Making a terrible mistake’: Trump urges Australia to grant asylum to Iranian women’s soccer team
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that Australia was "making a terrible humanitarian mistake" by allowing Iran's national women's soccer team to be sent back to Iran and called on Australia's prime minister to give asylum to team members.
UAE helicopter crashes due to malfunction, two members of armed forces killed
Two members of the United Arab Emirates' armed forces were killed on Monday in a helicopter crash caused by a technical malfunction, the defence ministry said in a statement
Greece calls on EU states to bolster naval force Aspides in Gulf
Greece will seek support from other European states to boost the European Union's naval force Aspides amid the Iran conflict, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday in Cyprus.
France will send two warships to Red Sea, President Macron says mission 'purely defensive'
France will send two frigates as part of the European Union's naval mission Aspides in the Red Sea, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday.
"We are in the process of setting up a purely defensive, purely escort mission, which must be prepared together with both European and non-European states," Macron said after meeting with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Cyprus
Ukraine received requests from Iran’s neighbours to counter Shahed drones: Zelensky
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that Ukraine had received 11 requests from countries neighboring Iran as well as European states and the United States for drone interceptors, electronic warfare systems and training.
"We also reviewed in detail requests from the states for security support from our side in countering 'Shahed' drones and other similar challenges," Zelenskiy said on the Telegram app after meeting his top military and government officials.
"Some requests have already been met with concrete decisions and specific support."
Kuwait claims some attacks originated from Iraq as Iran's offensive continues
Iraq's foreign ministry said Kuwait had urged Baghdad to take action, claiming some attacks on the country were launched from Iraqi territory.
Turkey says NATO air defences intercepted second Iranian missile
NATO air defences in the eastern Mediterranean have shot down a second ballistic missile that was fired from Iran and entered Turkey's airspace, the Turkish Defence Ministry said on Monday, warning that it will take necessary steps without hesitation.
Indian carriers plan 50 inbound flights from West Asia
The Ministry of Civil Aviation, in a statement, said that Indian carriers planned 50 inbound flights from the West Asia region today.
Airlines are continuously monitoring the ground situation in other airports in the Middle East so that more flights could be operated from the region, the ministry added.
On March 8, Indian carriers - Air India, Air India Express, Indigo, Spicejet and Akasa- planned 49 inbound flights from airports in the region such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Muscat and Jeddah.
Iran claims drone, missile strike on Kuwait’s al-Adiri airbase
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement carried by local media that its naval forces targeted Kuwait’s al-Adiri helicopter airbase using drones and cruise missiles.
The IRGC claimed the strike destroyed fuel and gas storage tanks, US helicopter ramps, and several logistics and support facilities at the base.
Saudi Aramco reducing output at two oilfields, two sources say
Saudi oil giant Aramco has begun cutting output at two of its oilfields, two sources said on Monday, after the vital Strait of Hormuz was choked by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and subsequent attacks on the waterway.
It was not immediately clear at which fields and by how much production was being curtailed. Aramco, which has been rerouting some of its crude cargoes to the Red Sea port of Yanbu, did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Several of Saudi Arabia's neighbours, which have also been subject to attacks, have also cut production.
Indian national injured in Israel
An Indian national in Israel was injured after shrapnel from an Iranian missile struck him in the neck, officials said on Monday.
The man, who was injured on Sunday, underwent surgery at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv and is now in stable condition.
"He arrived yesterday in critical condition with a neck injury. The medical team at Ichilov fought to save his life, and he underwent a long surgery. Thankfully, he is now stabilising," a spokesperson for the hospital told PTI.
The Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv is monitoring the situation and visited the hospital to check on his well-being, officials said.
It is also in touch with Indian nationals in Israel regularly amid the ongoing hostilities in the region, they said.
Lebanon signals readiness to resume talks
Lebanese president says he has informed the UN and international community Lebanon's readiness to resume negotiations to stop Israeli escalation.
Hezbollah reports Israeli raid in east Lebanon
Hezbollah said on Monday its fighters clashed with Israeli troops in eastern Lebanon during an Israeli airborne raid overnight, in what would be the second such operation in the area in recent days, as the war between Israel and the Iran-backed group entered a second week.
A spokesperson for the Israeli military had no immediate comment when asked about the Hezbollah statement.
A Hezbollah statement said its fighters "confronted the helicopters and the infiltrating forces with appropriate weapons".
In its statement, Hezbollah said its fighters had observed 15 helicopters flying over eastern Lebanon just after midnight, dropping Israeli troops who were observed approaching Lebanese territory from an area on the Syrian side of the border.
Israel says one killed in Iranian missile attack
Israel said on Monday that an Iranian missile attack killed a man, raising the country's death toll in the war to 11. This marked the first death from missiles in Israel in a week. The man was killed in an attack that targeted central Israel.
Putin: For my part, I would like to confirm our unwavering support for Tehran and solidarity with our Iranian friends
Russia’s Putin congratulates Mojtaba Khamenei on his appointment as Iran’s new leader: Kremlin
Putin: I am confident that you will continue your father’s work with honour and unite Iranian people in face of severe trials
Putin: For my part, I would like to confirm our unwavering support for Tehran and solidarity with our Iranian friends.
