Live! Trump taunts Iran as ‘loser of Middle East’ after Pezeshkian apologises to neighbours
Iran’s president says Americans should take ‘unconditionally surrender’ dream ‘to their grave’; tries to assuage Gulf anger as neither side is ready to back down
There is no foreseeable end to the war.
Explosions sent up clouds of dark smoke in the Iranian capital city early Saturday (March 7) and Tehran retaliated by firing missiles at Israel as the United States warned of a forthcoming bombing campaign that officials said would be the most intense yet in the weeklong conflict.
US President Donald Trump's administration approved a new USD 151 million arms sale to Israel after Trump said he would not negotiate with Iran without its “unconditional surrender.” Iran's UN ambassador said the country would “take all necessary measures” to defend itself.
An Associated Press video showed explosions flashing and smoke rising over western Tehran as Israel said it had begun a broad wave of strikes. Also early Saturday, the Israeli military said it was moving to intercept a new salvo of missiles launched from Iran.
Alarm in Saudi, Bahri
In a sign of the widening nature of the conflict, sirens sounded early Saturday in Bahrain as an Iranian attack targeted the island kingdom. And Saudi Arabia said it destroyed drones headed toward its vast Shaybah oil field and shot down a ballistic missile launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base, which hosts US forces.
Here is the top, trending news of Saturday, March 7, 2026, including Iran war, Indian politics, states' politics, geopolitics, federal issues, economics, development issues, sports, entertainment, and so on.
Scroll down for all Live updates.
Live Updates
- 7 March 2026 9:06 PM IST
UAE says it's responding to Iran missile threat, hours after Pezeshkian's 'no attack on neighbours' stance
Days after Iran launched missile attacks on key points the United Arab Emirates, the latter said it was responding to more such attacks from Tehran.
The UAE's interior ministry said the country’s air defences are responding to a missile threat and advised the people to remain in safe places.
“Please remain in a safe place and follow the warnings and updates on official websites,” it urged people in a social media post.
The UAE's stance comes after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said earlier on Saturday that Iran would not target its neighbours "unless attacked first".
- 7 March 2026 8:58 PM IST
Lakshya Sen enters All England Open final
Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen reached the men's singles final of the All England Open with a 21-16, 18-21, 21-15 win over Canada's Victor Lai.
- 7 March 2026 8:57 PM IST
US doing 'very well' in Iran, says Trump in Florida speech
US President Donald Trump on Saturday said in remarks he delivered in Florida that America was doing "very well" in Iran and that its forces have knocked out "42 navy ships" of the West Asian nation in just three days, besides its air force and telecommunications. "It's been amazing," he said.
Trump also praised the US service personnel who have died in the ongoing conflict in West Asia and was set to meet their families. The president also said that the US would keep the number of casualties among its soldiers "to a minimum".
According to Trump, the Iran war is “a service" that the US was providing to the world.
- 7 March 2026 8:26 PM IST
Trump taunts Iran as ‘loser of the Middle East’
US President Donald Trump on Saturday branded Tehran as the “loser of the Middle East” after Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued an apology to neighbouring nations for attacks carried out during its conflict with Israel and the United States. Trump warned that Iran “will be hit very hard” today.
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote that Iran, which he said is being “beat to hell,” had apologized and pledged not to target its Middle Eastern neighbours again — a move he attributed to relentless US and Israeli strikes.
The Republican leader claimed Iran had ambitions to dominate the region but argued those plans had collapsed. “Iran is no longer the bully of the Middle East. They are, instead, the loser of the Middle East, and will remain so for decades until they surrender or, more likely, completely collapse,” Trump asserted.
- 7 March 2026 8:12 PM IST
CBSE cancels more exams
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Saturday postponed the Class 12 board exams scheduled on March 9, 10 and 11 in the Middle East region amid the Iran-Israel conflict, officials said.
"Due to the current situation in parts of the Middle East--Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE, the board has decided to postpone 12 exams on March 9, 10 and 11,” said CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj.
The new dates will be announced later, and for further exams, the situation will be reviewed on March 10, Bhardwaj added.
Previously, the board had postponed the exam scheduled on March 2, March 5 and March 7 in the region.
The board has cancelled Class 10 exams till March 11 and said mode of declaration of results will be announced separately.
- 7 March 2026 6:36 PM IST
Bahrain says it repelled fresh missile and drone attacks
Bahrain's military intercepted two missiles and a drone on Saturday, the Defence Ministry said.
That brought the total to 86 missiles and 148 drones that have been intercepted over Bahrain since the US and Israel launched a war against Iran last weekend. - 7 March 2026 6:36 PM IST
Israel says it struck Hezbollah targets in southern and eastern Lebanon
The latest wave of Israeli airstrikes included targets in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley, the Israeli military said.
The Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with an Israeli force that landed there late Friday. Israel hasn't commented on the fighting in the Bekaa Valley.
The military also said its Saturday strikes hit rocket launchers, weapons storage facilities and two command centres of Hezbollah's Radwan Force in southern Lebanon. - 7 March 2026 6:35 PM IST
Qatar Airways operates limited flights to Doha
Qatar Airways says it will operate six flights into Doha on Sunday through a “safe corridor,” as the country's airspace remains closed.
The state-owned airline said the flights will come from five European cities as well as Bangkok. - 7 March 2026 6:34 PM IST
Iranian cleric warns Khamenei's successor to be named quickly
A prominent cleric in Iran, Ayatollah Nasser Makarem Shirazi, urged the country's Assembly of Experts to act quickly and name a new supreme leader, likely in response to the ongoing political confusion.
Buildings associated with the 88-cleric panel have been hit by airstrikes in the war, likely slowing any meeting of the group.
“The timely realisation of this important matter will lead to national authority and the best possible organisation of affairs,” Shirazi said in a statement. - 7 March 2026 6:33 PM IST
Israel launches operation in Lebanon to find info on missing pilot
The Israeli military says its special forces conducted an operation deep inside Lebanon in an attempt to gather information about an Israeli navigator who has been missing for nearly 40 years.
The Israeli army's Arabic spokesman posted on X that no evidence was found related to Israeli pilot Ron Arad, who was captured alive after his fighter jet crashed over southern Lebanon in 1986.
According to Lebanon's state media, Israeli forces landed in the eastern Lebanese town of Nabi Chit late Friday and were intercepted by members of the militant Hezbollah group, triggering a gunfight that lasted until the early hours of Saturday.
Ron Arad was believed to have been held in Nabi Chit until 1988, when he went missing.
