Live! New supreme leader in ‘one or two days’, says Araghchi as missile attacks continue
Twelve killed in clashes outside US consulate in Karachi after Khamenei’s death; Iran fires more missiles as Israel targets 'heart' of Tehran
At least 12 people were reportedly killed and several injured on Sunday (March 1) after clashes broke out between police and protesters outside the US Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the US-Israel strike on Iran.
A large number of demonstrators were gathered around the consulate, prompting local police to use tear gas and fire warning shots to disperse the crowd, police said.
Edhi Information confirmed that six people have been killed and several injured near Mai Kolachi Road during the firing and unrest. They were transferred to the Civil Hospital Trauma Centre, the Express Tribune reported.
Sindh Minister for Interior Ziaul Hasan Langar has requested immediate details from the Additional IG Karachi, stressing that, "No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands." He called for enhanced security at sensitive installations. He added that alternative routes should be determined to maintain traffic flow during the protests.
Iran vows fierce revenge
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Sunday (March 1) vowed to avenge the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose death was confirmed by state television hours after US President Donald Trump announced that the 86-year-old cleric, whom he called “one of the most evil people in History”, had been killed.
In a post on Telegram, the Guards warned that “the most ferocious offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran's armed forces” would begin imminently, targeting what they described as the “occupied territories and American terrorist bases” in the region.
Those bases are situated in Gulf countries that are already grappling with the fallout from an unprecedented wave of deadly Iranian strikes. “The hand of revenge of the Iranian nation will not release the murderers of the Imam of the Ummah from a severe, decisive and regrettable punishment,” the Guards added.
Also read | Explained: What is Operation Epic Fury? Where is Khamenei? What we know so far
Khamenei’s daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter have also been killed in strikes by the US and Israel. "After establishing contact with informed sources in the Supreme Leader's household, the news of the martyrdom of the daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter of the Revolutionary Leader has unfortunately been confirmed," Fars news agency and other Iranian media reported.
Earlier, Trump said on Saturday (February 28) that a major attack launched by Israel and the United States killed Khamenei, announcing an assassination that he said gave Iranians their “greatest chance” to “take back" their country but that also put the future of the Islamic Republic in doubt and raised the risk of regional instability.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” Trump wrote in a social media post. He warned of “heavy and pinpoint bombing” that he said would continue throughout the week and even beyond, part of a lethal assault the US has justified as necessary to disable the country's nuclear capabilities.
Also read | US-Israel strikes on Iran: What it means for India and South Asia
The killing of Khamenei in the second Trump administration assault on Iran in eight months appeared certain to create a leadership vacuum given the absence of a known successor and because the 86-year-old supreme leader had final say on all major policies during his decades in power. He led Iran's clerical establishment and its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, the two main centres of power in the governing theocracy.
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Live Updates
- 1 March 2026 11:21 AM IST
West Asia conflict: 84 MBA students from Pune stuck in Dubai
Eighty-four MBA students from a Pune-based institute were stranded in Dubai after airspace closures triggered by the conflict in West Asia, the institute said on Sunday.
The students of the Indira School of Business Studies (ISBS) had gone to Dubai as part of an annual five-day study tour. They were safe and shifted to a hotel, ISBS officials said.
While 40 students were scheduled to return to Pune on Saturday, the remaining 44 were to board a flight on Sunday. However, due to the West Asia conflict and the subsequent closure of airspace, they could not travel, the officials said.
"All are safe and have been moved to a hotel," ISBS Dean Janardhan Pawar said.
The MBA students and staff went to Dubai as part of a study visit. However, the airspace was closed and as a result they were stranded, Indira Group of Institutes Chairperson Tarita Shankar said.
"All students and the staff are safe. We are in constant touch with them. We are also coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs as well as with the Ministry of Civil Aviation. They will be brought back at the earliest," she said.
- 1 March 2026 11:18 AM IST
India issues advisory for foreign nationals stranded in India after Iran-US conflict
India has offered to help foreign nationals stranded in India and had to change their travel plans on account of the ongoing clashes in Middle East and gulf region. The advisory comes at a time when several countries shut their airspaces and airlines cancelled flight operations as the US-Israel joint strikes against Iran on Saturday snowballed into a wider conflict in the region.
“All foreign nationals in India, who have had to change their travel plans due to the ongoing developments in the West Asia region and need assistance with extension of their visa or to regularize their stay, are requested to contact the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office ( FRRO),” said the Ministry of External Affairs, in a statement on Sunday.
The advisory comes amid spate of flight cancellations as the conflict in the Middle East has disrupted several flight routes. Major airports of the United Arab Emirates such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi suspended their operations after Iran launched attacks against US facilities following the Israel-US attacks on Sunday.
Earlier, Khaleej Times reported that over 700 flights across the Gulf and Middle East region have been suspended on Sunday given the flareup in the region. The number is likely to rise during the day.
- 1 March 2026 11:16 AM IST
Air India cancels 50 international flights amid Middle East crisis
Air India has cancelled 22 more international services for Sunday, taking the total number of overseas flight cancellations announced so far to 50 due to the Middle East crisis.
Indian airlines are expected to cancel 444 international flights on March 1 due to airspace restrictions in the Middle East, according to the Civil Aviation Ministry.
The Tata Group-owned airline on Sunday said close monitoring and careful assessment of the evolving situation in the Middle East have necessitated further curtailment of its scheduled operations.
Flights to and from Mumbai-London (AI131/ AI130), Delhi- Birmingham (AI113/ AI118), Delhi-Amsterdam (AI155/ AI156), Delhi-Zurich (AI151/ AI152), Delhi-Milan (AI137 / AI138), Delhi-Vienna (AI153 / AI154) and Bengaluru-London (Heathrow) (AI133 / AI132) have been cancelled for the day.
Other cancelled flights are AI157 / AI158 on the Delhi-Copenhagen, AI2017 / AI2018 and AI2015/AI2016 on the Delhi-London (Heathrow), as well as AI2029 / AI2030 on the Delhi-Frankfurt routes, the airline said in a post on X.
On Saturday, Air India announced the cancellation of 28 overseas flights on various routes for Sunday.
- 1 March 2026 11:15 AM IST
Trump warns Iran not to escalate attacks, saying US will strike back
US President Donald Trump warned Iran on Sunday not to escalate its attacks, writing online that America will strike back 'WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!” Trump's comments on Truth Social follow Iranian threats on Sunday morning after acknowledging the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“Iran just stated that they are going to hit very hard today, harder than they have ever hit before,” Trump wrote. “THEY BETTER NOT DO THAT, HOWEVER, BECAUSE IF THEY DO, WE WILL HIT THEM WITH A FORCE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE!”
- 1 March 2026 10:56 AM IST
18 international flights bound for West Asia cancelled
Passengers were left high and dry as several international flights were affected on Sunday following the conflict in West Asia, airport authorities said on Sunday.
As many as 18 international flights operating between Chennai and Gulf countries have been cancelled, sources in the Chennai Airport said.
The Chennai Airport issued an advisory instructing passengers bound for overseas destinations, particularly via the West Asian countries, to check with their respective airlines ahead of their journey.
Some of the airlines that have cancelled the flight movement include Emirates, Etihad, IndiGo, Gulf Air, among others.
Meanwhile, Tiruchirappalli airport in an advisory said Air India Express operating on the Dubai-Tiruchirappalli sector on Sunday has been cancelled.
Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines before proceeding to the airport, it said in an update.
The US and Israel launched a major attack on Iran on Saturday. Iran responded, targeting Israel with missiles and drones and also striking US military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.
- 1 March 2026 10:55 AM IST
Iran launches fresh missile, drone strikes on Israel and US bases after Khamenei’s death
Iran has launched a fresh round of extensive missile and drone attacks on Israel and US bases in the Middle East, hours after vowing revenge for the death of its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to media reports, several loud blasts have been heard in Dubai and over Qatar's capital Doha as Iran launched fresh strikes. The UAE and Qatar are US allies, and Iran's offensive is to send a message to its neighbours that siding with its enemy will have consequences.
- 1 March 2026 10:38 AM IST
Explosion near Dubai airport leaves Sindhu, coach shaken
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu on Sunday described a "tense and scary" situation at the Dubai Airport after an explosion occurred close to where she and her coach were staying amid an unfolding crisis.
In a post on social media, Sindhu said the ordeal was becoming "more frightening by the hour" and revealed that an explosion had taken place near the area where they were holed up.
Sindhu is scheduled to compete at the All England Open Badminton Championships, starting March 3 and is stranded at Dubai airport since Saturday with her Indonesian coach Irwansyah Adi Pratama. "A few hours ago, there was an explosion close to where we were holed up at the airport. My coach had to quickly run out of the area as he was closest to the smoke and debris. It was an extremely tense and scary moment for all of us," Sindhu wrote on X.
The former world champion, however, confirmed that she and her support staff are safe and have been moved to a secure location. "We are all safe now and have been moved to a more secure place, thanks to the tireless efforts of the staff at Dubai Airport and the Dubai authorities," she said.
Sindhu also expressed gratitude to the Consulate General of India in Dubai for its assistance during the crisis. "A special thanks as well to the Indian High Commission in Dubai for their incredible support and constant assistance in helping keep us safe,” she added.
The 2019 world champion did not provide further details about the nature of the explosion or the circumstances leading up to it, but said they are trying to rest while waiting for the situation to stabilise.
- 1 March 2026 10:12 AM IST
Gulf-bound flights getting cancelled from four Kerala airports
A majority of flights scheduled to the Gulf regions remain cancelled from four international airports in Kerala following the conflict in West Asia on Sunday.
Though authorities had issued an advisory asking passengers to check flight status before arriving at the airport, several travellers waited at airports across the state expecting services to resume.
As many as 37 international flights scheduled to depart from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Limited (TIAL) to various Gulf countries have been cancelled since Saturday afternoon.
Of these, 26 flights scheduled on Sunday were cancelled. Similarly, six flights to various Gulf destinations from Kannur International Airport on Sunday were also cancelled, authorities said.
At Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), 35 flights to the Gulf region were cancelled as per the schedule posted on the official website. However, an Oman Air flight from Kochi to Muscat operated at 8.10 am.
Similarly, a Saudia Airlines flight to Jeddah, Oman Air’s flight to Muscat, an IndiGo flight to Dubai, Air Arabia flights to Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, an Etihad flight to Abu Dhabi, and a SpiceJet flight to Dubai are listed as scheduled on the website.
At Calicut International Airport, around 10 flights to the Gulf region were cancelled, officials said. A Saudia Airlines flight from Riyadh arrived at the airport around 8.15 am. Airlines have opened help desks at all four airports to assist passengers.
- 1 March 2026 9:25 AM IST
UAE intercepts Iranian missiles; one killed, seven injured in airport attack
At least one person was killed and seven were injured after after the United Arab Emirates intercepted several Iranian missiles on Saturday.
Several waves of Iranian attacks targeting the airport and several other sites across the UAE kept people awake on Saturday night.
One person was killed and 7 were injured in Drone interception incident targeting Zayed International Airport.
Dubai’s airport and the iconic Burj Al Arab were among the places hit by what the UAE officials described as drone attacks.
The authorities urged the public not to circulate video clips dating back to the Jebel Ali Port fire on July 7, 2021, and confirmed that more reliable information will be broadcast upon receipt.
Amid silent alerts sounded across the country for possible missile attacks, an incident of one such attack taking place at the airport was reported.
“Dubai Airports has confirmed an incident at Dubai International Airport (DXB) just moments ago. Emergency response teams have been activated immediately, and the incident is being handled in coordination with the relevant authorities,” the statement said.
- 1 March 2026 9:23 AM IST
Head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard killed in airstrikes, state media reports
The head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and a top security adviser to the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were killed in American-Israel airstrikes on the country, state media reported Sunday.
The state-run IRNA news agency announced the death of Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, who took over as the Guard's top commander after Israel killed its past commander in the 12-day war last June. Also killed was Ali Shamkhani, who has long been a figurehead within Iran's security establishment, IRNA said.
