Live! Iran hits Bahrain desalination plant; smoke from oil depot strike shrouds Tehran

Iran's parliament speaker said Sunday (March 8) that oil prices will continue to soar, inflicting pain on the global economy as long as the war in the Middle East goes on.

Oil prices have soared since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, reaching their highest levels since 2023.

The price for a barrel of Brent crude jumped 8.5 per cent to USD 92.69 on Friday (March 6) — up from nearly USD 70 a barrel just late last week. Meanwhile, benchmark US crude climbed 12.2 per cent, to USD 90.90 a barrel on Friday.

“If the war continues like this, there will be neither a way to sell oil nor the ability to produce it,” Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said in a social media post. He said the war is not only impacting the US, but also the Middle East and the whole world “due to Netanyahu's delusions,” referring to the Israeli prime minister

Israel on Sunday (March 8) struck southern Lebanon, Beirut and oil storage facilities in Tehran as the war in the Middle East keeps escalating, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised “many surprises” for the next phase of the conflict.

Iran also hit a desalination plant in Bahrain. Earlier Sunday, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said a US airstrike damaged an Iranian desalination plant on Qeshm Island, warning that in doing so “the US set this precedent, not Iran.” Such infrastructure is critical for drinking water supplies in the parched deserts of the Gulf.

An Israeli attack on oil storage sites in Tehran sent up pillars of fire that could be seen in Associated Press video as a glow against the Saturday (March 7) night sky. It appeared to be the first time a civil industrial facility has been targeted in the war.

The war, which erupted on Feb. 28 after joint US-Israeli strikes hit Iran, has so far killed at least 1,230 people in the Islamic Republic, more than 300 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials.

The United Arab Emirates says Iran has launched 16 ballistic missiles and over 117 drones in new barrages on Sunday (March 8).

The UAE's Defence Ministry says it intercepted all 16 missiles, while a 17th fell into the sea. It says it intercepted most of the drones, but four fell in UAE territory. The ministry said it is ready to “firmly confront” the threats.

Iran's president earlier Sunday threatened to increase attacks on US targets across the region in the face of ongoing Israeli and US strikes.

The Emirati statement did not specify the locations of Sunday's attacks

A land crossing near eastern Turkey's Van province is one of the few routes connecting Iranians to the rest of the world amid an airspace shutdown since the US and Israel launched strikes on Tehran over a week ago, triggering war in the Middle East.

Most travellers at the border gate in recent days had connections with Turkey through work, family, and friends, and many had moved up pre-planned visits because of the war. Some had residency or citizenship in a third country and were transiting through Turkey.

Only a small number of Iranians who spoke to The Associated Press at the Kapikoy crossing said they planned to stay in Turkey to escape the war for an indefinite period.

Reza Gol, a 38-year-old plastic surgeon, said the war was not the only reason for his trip. He was travelling from Urmia in western Iran to see patients in Istanbul, where he used to live.

“It's not clear whether we will leave Iran for good, but I can clear my head a little bit in the meantime,” he said. “You can see it's not that crowded at the border. Everyone is staying in their houses. For now, people are not leaving everything they have behind and running away.” Pooneh Asghari and her husband, Iranian-Canadian citizens, were reluctantly preparing to fly to Canada, although they no longer have a house there and both of them work in Iran. Asghari said they are hoping the trip will be brief.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has issued an evacuation warning for residents of Arnoun, Yohmor, Zrariyeh East and Zrariyeh West in southern Lebanon, urging them to move north of Nabatieh Governorate, Al Jazeera reported.

Army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the military would target Hezbollah fighters, facilities and weapons in the area.

The UAE Ministry of Interior issued an emergency alert warning residents of a possible missile threat, Gulf News reported. Authorities asked people to immediately move to the nearest secure building, stay away from windows, doors and open areas, and wait for further instructions.

Officials also urged residents to follow safety guidelines and rely on official channels for updates.

Nearly 10,000 civilian buildings and facilities in Iran have been damaged or destroyed in US and Israeli attacks since the conflict began, Al Jazeera reported, citing the Iranian Red Crescent Society. The damage includes thousands of homes and commercial properties, highlighting the scale of the impact on civilian infrastructure. The organisation called for urgent steps to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian efforts continue.

Separately, Iran’s Health Ministry said the strikes have killed over 1,200 people, including about 200 children and 200 women, the Associated Press reported. Spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said more than 1,000 others, including around 400 women, have been injured since February 28.

Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani on Sunday (March 8) warned that US President Donald Trump “will pay” for the killing of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, claiming Iran has also “captured some American soldiers”.

“We will relentlessly avenge the blood of our leader and our people. Trump must pay and will pay,” Larijani said in a post on X.

Trump dismissed the threat, saying he did not know Larijani. “I have no idea what he's talking about or who he is. I couldn't care less,” he told CBS News, adding that Larijani had “already been defeated”.

He also said US strikes on Iran would continue and demanded Tehran’s “unconditional surrender”.

In another post, Larijani warned neighbouring countries not to allow the US to use their territory to attack Iran. “When the enemy attacks us from bases in the region, we respond — and will continue to respond,” he said.

Israeli forces carried out airstrikes on Isfahan Airport, destroying several Iranian Grumman F-14 Tomcat fighter jets, according to The Times of Israel. These aircraft were originally supplied to Iran by the United States before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Israel Defence Forces also reported hitting air defence and detection systems that posed threats to Israeli aircraft. This operation follows earlier strikes at Mehrabad International Airport, where 16 aircraft linked to the IRGC Quds Force were destroyed.