Live! Trump warns Iran: 'Big wave of strikes yet to happen'
'We haven’t even started hitting them hard,' says US President; UAE set to resume flights
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s elite force spearheading the counter-attack against the US and Israel, is now leaderless and acting on its own, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has told Al Jazeera in an interview.
Araghchi said the IRGC acted independently in striking Oman, calling it “not our choice”. Formed in 1979 to safeguard the Islamic system, the IRGC operates separately from Iran’s army and reports directly to the Supreme Leader.
With Ayatollah Khamenei killed in the US Israel offensive, the force is now headless but not functioning on the orders of the Iranian government. It is acting according to the instructions Khamenei gave before his assassination.
On Monday (March 2), the third day of the West Asia crisis, the IRGC claimed to have attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office as well as the headquarters of the Israeli air force commander. The veracity of the claim or the duo's fate was not immediately clear.
PM stresses need for dialogue and diplomacy
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a statement on the West Asia crisis two days after a joint attack by the US and Israel claimed the life of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and pushed West Asia (the Middle East) into a severe crisis.
"India's position on the many ongoing tensions in the world is clear. We have always called for maintaining peace and stability, and when two democracies stand together, the voice for peace becomes even stronger. The current situation in West Asia is a matter of deep concern for us. India supports the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomacy. We will continue to work closely with all countries to ensure the safety of all Indian citizens in the region," Modi said in Delhi after holding a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security late on Sunday.
The crisis claimed the first Indian victim on Monday as an oil tanker was hit in the Gulf of Oman. The person was a crew member onboard.
War expands as militias join in
The war expanded during the day, as Iran and Iranian-backed militias fired missiles at Israel and Arab states while Israel and the US pounded targets in Iran, with statements of defiance and warnings of more US casualties.
Also read | ‘Betrayal’ of long-time ally Iran; Indians at risk: Opposition tears into ‘silent’ govt
As the American and Israeli airstrikes continued, top Iranian security official Ali Larijani vowed defiantly on X that “we will not negotiate with the United States.” In Iraq, a pro-Iranian militia claimed a drone attack targeting US troops at the Baghdad airport, the day after it said it fired at a US base in Irbil in the north, and Cyprus said a drone attack targeted a British base on the Mediterranean island nation.
Strikes escalate Middle East conflict
Israel and the US bombed Iranian missile sites and targeted its navy, claiming to have destroyed its headquarters and multiple warships. More than 500 people have been killed since the start of the strikes, according to Iranian leaders.
As the bombardment continued, Hezbollah said it fired missiles from Lebanon into Israel early Monday in response to the killing of Khamenei and “repeated Israeli aggressions”. There were no reports of injuries or damage, and Israel said that it had intercepted one projectile while several fell in open areas.
Also read | By striking Iran, Trump and Netanyahu make a mockery of global order
Israel retaliated with strikes on Beirut and urged civilians in nearly 50 villages in eastern and southern Lebanon to evacuate ahead of more possible attacks, sending people fleeing.
Trump vows vengeance for US deaths
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said in a video posted on social media that the US would “avenge” the deaths of the service members and that “there will likely be more” killed before the conflict ends.
Israel, which had pledged “nonstop” strikes, said it was increasing its attacks, with 100 fighter jets simultaneously striking targets in Tehran, Brig Gen Effie Defrin told reporters at a briefing.
The US military, meanwhile, said B-2 stealth bombers struck Iran's ballistic missile facilities with 2,000-pound bombs. Trump said on social media that nine Iranian warships had been sunk and that the Iranian navy's headquarters had been “largely destroyed.”
Iranian strikes extend beyond US, Israel
In the Gulf, Iran's retaliatory strikes went beyond US and Israeli targets, pushing the conflict into cities that have long marketed themselves as regional safe havens.
Also read | Protests across India over killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader: ‘A thousand Khameneis will rise’
The foreign ministers of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain said Sunday that their countries retain “the legal right to respond and the right to self-defence” after Iranian strikes hit hotels, airports and other sites in multiple cities throughout the Gulf.
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Live Updates
- 2 March 2026 10:49 AM IST
US futures, Asian shares open lower, oil prices soar as US and Israeli attack Iran
The US and Israeli attacks on Iran rattled world markets on Monday, with US futures initially falling more than 1 per cent and oil prices soaring, though both moderated as trading picked up.
The futures for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average were down about 0.8 per cent by mid-morning in Bangkok.
Asian shares opened lower. Japan's Nikkei 225 index initially fell more than 2 per cent, but by midday Tokyo time it was down 1.5 per cent at 57,981.54. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng lost 1.6 per cent to 26,215.91, and the Shanghai Composite index was flat at 4,163.01.
Taiwan's benchmark lost 0.6 per cent and Singapore's dropped 1.9 per cent. In Bangkok, the SET fell 2.1 per cent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.3 per cent to 9,173.50. Markets were closed in South Korea for a holiday.
The price of gold, usually viewed as a safe haven for investment in times of uncertainty, rose 2.4 per cent to about USD 5,371 per ounce.
Traders were betting the supply of oil from Iran and elsewhere in the Middle East would slow or grind to a halt. Attacks throughout the region, including on two vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, have restricted countries' ability to export oil to the rest of the world.
- 2 March 2026 9:59 AM IST
Restrictions imposed in Kashmir after protests over killing of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei
Authorities on Monday imposed severe restrictions on the movement of people in parts of Kashmir where massive street protests were witnessed over the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a joint strike by the US and Israel.
The iconic Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk has been sealed with barricades erected all around it, officials said. They said a large number of police and paramilitary CRPF personnel have been deployed across the city to prevent gatherings of protestors.
Khamenei was killed in an airstrike in Tehran on Saturday during a joint Israel-US attack on Iran. Iranian state media confirmed the same on Sunday, triggering a wave of protests and mourning across the world, including India.
Kashmir — which has about 15 lakh Shias — witnessed major protests at Lal Chowk, Saida Kadal, Budgam, Bandipora, Anantnag and Pulwama, an official said. The protesters were seen beating their chests as they shouted anti-US and anti-Israel slogans.
The officials said the restrictions were imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. Concentrated wires and barricades have been placed at important intersections leading into the city, they said. Similar curbs have been imposed in Shia-dominated areas in other districts of the valley.
The restrictions come in the backdrop of a one-day strike call given by Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulama (MMU) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. "We urge the people to observe it with unity, dignity, and complete peacefulness," the Mirwaiz said. The MMU strike call was supported by several political parties, including opposition PDP president Mehbooba Mufti.
- 2 March 2026 9:25 AM IST
Watch | Day 2 of Iran War: Khamenei dead, Gulf on fire, Hormuz closed, a world shaken
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, 85, is dead. A temporary leadership council is now in place under President Masoud Pezeshkian. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has moved to close the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint that controls roughly a fifth of the world's oil. Explosions have been reported across the Gulf, from Qatar to Bahrain to Oman.
In this video, we walk through everything that happened on March 1st: the strikes on Tehran, the new IRGC command structure, the divided reaction inside Iran, and what a Hormuz closure means for global energy markets — and for countries like India.
- 2 March 2026 9:25 AM IST
Sensex falls 1,100 points, Nifty 330 as markets open after Iran strikes
Indian equities market witnessed a gap down on Monday as global markets reeled from the escalating conflict in West Asia. The BSE Sensex fell 1,100 points. Meanwhile, the NSE Nifty 50 declined 330 points.
At pre open, the Sensex fell 3.4 per cent or 2,743 points at 78,543.73 points, while the Nifty 50 was trading 2.06 per cent or 519.40 points down at 24,659.25. Earlier, the GIFT Nifty signalled a gap-down opening for Dalal Street, sliding over 150 points in early trade. The weak cues followed a sell-off across global markets after the US-Israel joint strikes on Iran over the weekend. The rupee also slided, opening at 91.26 against US dollar on Monday. It settled at 90.98 a dollar on Friday.
- 2 March 2026 8:58 AM IST
Air India extends UAE, Saudi, Israel, Qatar flight suspension until midnight
Air India has extended the suspension of all its flights to and from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Qatar until 11.59 pm on Monday, as escalating tensions arising from the Israel–Iran conflict continue to disrupt aviation operations across West Asia.
The airline also announced that select Europe-bound flights scheduled for March 2 have been cancelled due to operational constraints linked to restricted airspace over parts of the Middle East.
The latest extension has left several passengers stranded at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, where multiple international departures were either cancelled or delayed amid rapidly changing flight schedules.
- 2 March 2026 8:54 AM IST
CCS reviews West Asia situation, directs steps to assist stranded Indians
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has reviewed the evolving situation in West Asia and directed all concerned departments to take necessary and feasible measures to assist Indian nationals affected by the developments.
The CCS, which met last evening under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also underscored the importance of an early cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue and diplomacy.
An official statement said the CCS met to review the evolving situation in West Asia, and was briefed on the air strikes in Iran on February 18 and the subsequent escalation, including attacks in several Gulf countries.
"It expressed serious concern over the safety and security of the large Indian expatriate community in the region," the statement said.
The CCS also reviewed the difficulties faced by Indian travellers transiting the region and students appearing for scheduled examinations, as well as the broader implications for regional security and economic, and commercial activities.
"The CCS directed all concerned departments to take necessary and feasible measures to assist Indian nationals affected by the developments. It underscored the importance of an early cessation of hostilities and a return to dialogue and diplomacy," the statement said.
The CCS meeting was also attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Principal Secretaries to the Prime Minister P K Mishra and Shaktikanta Das, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
- 2 March 2026 8:54 AM IST
Strait of Hormuz must not be allowed to shut down: Indian-American maritime executive
Amid escalating tensions in West Asia in the wake of US-Israel strikes against Iran, a leading Indian-American maritime executive has voiced concern over the impact on the crucial oil artery of the Strait of Hormuz and implications for global oil prices.
"Shipping is the hardest-hit industry in any such turbulence in the geopolitical situation,” Chairman of maritime company Safesea Group Dr S.V. Anchan told PTI. “The Strait of Hormuz must not be allowed to be shut down,” Anchan said, calling for urgent action to ensure safe passage of vessels in the area.
Anchan said oil prices are expected to rise on Monday in the wake of the geopolitical developments in the region, but added that prolonged high oil prices will be bad for the economy.
"It’s in no one’s interest globally, including the US,” he said, adding that “blocking the Hormuz is no less than choking the people at large of the region, at a time when even the airspaces are also closed.” There are estimates that already 150 tankers dropped anchor outside the Strait of Hormuz and are not going in, he said.
"It’s in the economic interest as well as in the interest of people of the Arabian Gulf Nations to continue the vessels' operations at ports and offer a safe passage to vessels to trade in and out of the Strait of Hormuz, if need be, with the support from Navy vessels," Anchan said.
The Strait of Hormuz is located between Oman and Iran and connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. It is one of the world's most important oil chokepoints.
- 2 March 2026 8:40 AM IST
PM Modi speaks to Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu, discusses West Asia situation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke to his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, to discuss the West Asia situation and conveyed India's concerns.
During his telephonic conversation with Netanyahu, Modi emphasised the safety of civilians as a priority. "Had a telephone call with PM Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the current regional situation. Conveyed India's concerns over recent developments and emphasised the safety of civilians as a priority. India reiterates the need for an early cessation of hostilities," Modi said in a post on 'X'.
The telephonic conversation took place in the wake of the attack on Iran by the US and Israel and the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran also fired a series of missiles towards Israel and several other West Asian countries.
Prime Minister Modi on Sunday night spoke to the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and strongly condemned the attacks on the Gulf nation, saying India stands in solidarity with the UAE in these difficult times.
- 2 March 2026 7:52 AM IST
Iran says no plan to close Strait of Hormuz amid regional tensions
Iran’s foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has sought to calm fears over the crucial maritime passage, telling Al Jazeera that Tehran has “no intention of closing the Strait of Hormuz” and currently doesn’t plan to disrupt navigation there. He emphasised that Iran has no plan to do “anything that would disrupt maritime activities” in the strategic waterway.
- 2 March 2026 7:32 AM IST
UAE closes embassy in Tehran after Iranian missile strikes
The United Arab Emirates has closed its embassy in Tehran and withdrawn all diplomatic staff, condemning the Iranian missile strikes targeting the Gulf nation.
In a statement on X, the UAE foreign ministry said: “These hostile attacks against civilian sites, including residential areas, airports, ports, and service facilities, endangered innocent civilians in a serious and irresponsible escalation and constitute a flagrant violation of national sovereignty.”
