The expanding war in Iran entered its second week on Saturday amid renewed uncertainty about how or when hostilities will end, as US President Donald Trump declared he would only accept Tehran's "unconditional surrender" and Israel traded fresh attacks with Iran and Lebanon.
Here are the latest events in the Middle East war:
05:00pm
Israeli military says found no remains of missing airman in Lebanon operation
Israel's military said Saturday it had carried out an operation in Lebanon to find remains of airman Ron Arad, but failed to uncover any trace of the navigator missing since 1986.
"As part of IDF activities in Lebanon, IDF special forces operated overnight in an attempt to locate findings related to the missing navigator Ron Arad. No IDF injuries were reported," the Israeli army said in a statement.
"No findings related to him were located at the search site."
AFP
04.50pm
Iran hits UAE’s al-Dhafra airbase: Report
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) navy has launched a drone attack on the al-Dhafra airbase in the United Arab Emirates, according to the Tasnim news agency.
A US satellite communication centre, early warning and fire control radars were hit, the report said.
The statement could not be verified immediately. The UAE has not commented on this yet.
Al Jazeera
02:30pm
Iran says will not target neighbours unless attacked from them
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that the country's neighbours will not be targeted unless attacks are launched from them during the war with Israel and the United States.
"The interim leadership council agreed yesterday that no more attacks will be made on neighbouring countries and no missiles will be fired unless an attack on Iran originates from those countries," said Pezeshkian in a speech broadcast on state TV.
The leadership council has been leading Iran since last week's killing of the Islamic republic's supreme leader, in the US and Israel strikes which triggered a Middle East war.
AFP
02:08pm
Dubai airport suspends operations after interception
Dubai airport, the world's busiest for international traffic, suspended operations on Saturday after an aerial interception in the area during attacks from Iran.
"For the safety of passengers, airport staff, and airline crew, operations at Dubai International (DXB) have been temporarily suspended," the government's Dubai Media Office said in a social media post.
The announcement came shortly after the aerial interception of an object near the airport, with a witness telling AFP of a loud explosion followed by a cloud of smoke.
AFP
01:45pm
Iran president apologises to neighbouring countries for attacks
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian apologised on Saturday to neighbouring countries for attacks launched during the Islamic republic's war with Israel and the United States.
"I apologise... to the neighbouring countries that were attacked by Iran," said Pezeshkian in a speech broadcast by state TV.
AFP
01:35pm
Iran president says country will not surrender to Israel, US
Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Saturday that his country will not surrender to Israel and the United States as the war entered its second week.
"The enemies must take their wish for the surrender of the Iranian people to their graves," said Pezeshkian, in a speech broadcast on state TV.
AFP
01:20pm
Emirates says all flights to and from Dubai suspended
Emirates said on Saturday that all flights to and from Dubai have been suspended until further notice, according to a post from the UAE flag carrier on X.
All flights to and from Dubai have been suspended until further notice.
— Emirates Support (@EmiratesSupport) March 7, 2026
Please do not go to the airport.
Emirates will share updates when available. We would like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience.
The safety of our passengers and crew is our… pic.twitter.com/6NhEajVslU
Emirates has been operating limited services from Dubai and Abu Dhabi through safe air corridors.
Reuters
1:15pm
Arab League to meet Sunday over Iranian attacks
The foreign ministers of the Arab League will hold an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss Iranian attacks on several of the group's members, the bloc's assistant secretary-general told AFP.
The meeting, which will be held via videoconference, was requested by Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Jordan and Egypt, Hossam Zaki said.
US and Israeli forces launched a massive air campaign against Iran on February 28. Iran has retaliated with strikes against Israel and Gulf countries.
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit had earlier condemned the Iranian attacks, saying they are "fully reprehensible" and "not only a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter, but also an assault on the principles of good neighbourliness".
AFP
01:05pm
Putin calls for immediate halt to Iran conflict
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his condolences to Iran's president over the numerous civilian casualties resulting from "the armed Israeli-American aggression against Iran" and called for an immediate halt to hostilities, the Kremlin said.
In a phone call late on Friday with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Putin expressed his deep condolences over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, members of Khamenei's family, Iranian political and military leaders and "numerous civilians".
"Vladimir Putin reaffirmed Russia's principled stance in favour of an immediate cessation of hostilities, the rejection of force as a method to solve any issues surrounding Iran or arising in the Middle East, and a swift return to the path of diplomatic resolution," the Kremlin said.
Putin said he was in constant contact with the leaders of Gulf Cooperation Council member states.
"Masoud Pezeshkian expressed gratitude for Russia's solidarity with the Iranian people as they defend their sovereignty and the independence of their country. He also provided a detailed update on the developments during the latest active phase of the conflict," the Kremlin said.
Reuters
12:55pm
Iran Guards say targeted 'separatist groups' in Iraq's Kurdistan
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Saturday they have targeted "separatist groups" in Iraq's Kurdistan region, as the war against Israel and the United States entered its second week.
"Three locations of separatist groups in the Iraqi region (of Kurdistan) were hit... this morning," said the Guards in a statement carried by Tasnim news agency.
"If separatist groups in the region (of Kurdistan) make any move against Iran's territorial integrity, we will crush them."
AFP
12:18pm
Israel says over 80 fighter jets struck Tehran, central Iran
Israel's military said more than 80 fighter jets completed a wave of strikes on Iranian military sites, missile launchers and other targets in Tehran and central Iran on Saturday.
"Over 80 Israeli Air Force fighter jets... completed an additional wave of strikes targeting infrastructure belonging to the Iranian terror regime," the military said in a statement.
AFP
11:55pm
Russia is providing Iran intelligence to target US forces, Washington Post reports
Russia is providing Iran with targeting information that includes locations of US warships and aircraft in the Middle East, the Washington Post reported on Friday, citing three officials familiar with the intelligence.
The extent of Russia's support to Iran was not entirely clear but the Iranian military's own ability to locate US forces has been degraded since the US and Israel launched strikes against Tehran last week, the Post reported.
Reuters
11:42am
Iran Guards say 'waiting' for US forces at Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Saturday they were waiting for US forces to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway where traffic remains strangled as the regional war rages.
"We are waiting for their presence," said Guards spokesman Ali Mohammad Naini, after the US energy secretary announced the Navy was preparing to escort ships through the strait "as soon as it's reasonable to do it".
"We recommend that before making any decision, the Americans remember the fire of the American supertanker Bridgeton in 1987 and the oil tankers that were recently targeted," Naini said, according to Fars news agency.
AFP
11:40am
Iran army says targeted Israel, US bases in UAE, Kuwait
Iran's army said Saturday its navy had launched a wave of drone attacks targeting Israel as well as US bases in the UAE and Kuwait, as the regional war raged into its second week.
"The Iranian Navy targeted American bases and occupied territories with a massive wave of drone attacks," the army said in a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency.
It said the targets included the UAE's Al Minhad base and another in Kuwait, as well as a "strategic facility" in Israel.
AFP
11:20am
Interception seen over Dubai airport: witness to AFP
An explosion was heard over Dubai airport on Saturday followed by a cloud of smoke in the air, a witness told AFP.
Several loud explosions were heard in Abu Dhabi, a witness told Reuters Saturday morning, as the United Arab Emirates reported its air defense systems were responding to a missile threat.
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) March 7, 2026
Dubai Media Office described "a minor incident resulting from the fall of debris after an interception", but dismissed unspecified social media reports about the airport in a post on X.
AFP
11:10am
Saudi defence minister warns Iran against 'miscalculation'
Saudi Arabia's Defence Minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, urged Iran on Saturday to "exercise wisdom and avoid miscalculation", following repeated missile and drone launches at the kingdom.
After meeting with Pakistan's military chief, the Saudi minister posted on X: "We discussed Iranian attacks on the Kingdom and the measures needed to halt them... We stressed that such actions undermine regional security and stability and expressed hope that the Iranian side will exercise wisdom and avoid miscalculation."
AFP
10:55am
Blasts in Dubai, Manama
AFP journalists heard explosions in Dubai and Bahrain's capital, Manama, on Saturday, one week into Iran's retaliatory attacks on targets around the Gulf.
A warning siren sounded in Manama, with Bahrain's interior ministry urging residents in an X post to "head to the nearest safe place".
AFP
Third Carrier Surge: USS George H.W. Bush Heads to Middle East as Iran War Escalates, Fox Reports pic.twitter.com/MkbaYHTBKI
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) March 7, 2026
10:43am
Tehran's Mehrabad Airport hit in latest round of strikes
Footage on social media and photos provided by news agencies showed Mehrabad Airport on fire after Israel's military announced a new round of strikes.
Huge explosions rocked areas in western Tehran near Mehrabad Airport and Ekbatan neighborhood early Saturday, videos shared by @Vahid show. pic.twitter.com/wrf2VP0N44
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) March 6, 2026
Mehrabad Airport is located within Tehran's city limits. The airport, which is owned by the Iranian government, is considered the busiest in the country. It only has domestic flights, in contrast with Imam Khomeini International Airport, located outside the city.
DW
10:35am
Saudi Arabia intercepts 4 drones
A spokesperson for Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense said the Gulf country intercepted four drones.
The spokesperson said the drones were intercepted in the "Empty Quarter" desert in southern Saudi Arabia. The Defense Ministry said the drones were heading towards the Shaybah oil field, which is on the northern edge of the desert.
DW
10:20am
US Treasury Secretary Bessent: 'Tonight will be our biggest bombing campaign'
In an interview with US outlet Fox Business, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said "tonight will be our biggest bombing campaign" in Iran.
"We'll do the most damage to the Iranian missile launchers, the factories that build the missiles," Bessent said. "We are substantially degrading them."
Trump and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth have both suggested that the US military has not yet launched its biggest attacks on Iran.
DW
10:05am
US approves weapons to Israel
The US State Department approved the "emergency" sale of 12,000 bomb casings to Israel on Friday as the countries engage Iran in an escalating Middle East war.
"The proposed sale will improve Israel's capability to meet current and future threats, strengthen its homeland defense, and serve as a deterrent to regional threats," the State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs said.
DW
09:53am
Israel responding to missile attacks
The Israeli military said that air defenses were responding to Iranian missile attacks on Saturday that sparked air raid alerts across the country.
Iran has been striking Israel in retaliation for the US-Israeli campaign that killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and has pounded sites around the country.
AFP
09:40am
Clashes on Lebanon-Syria border
Lebanese official media said on Saturday that clashes had erupted on the Lebanon-Syria border as Israel attempted a landing operation, with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah saying its fighters were involved.
Israel has sent troops into Lebanon since Tehran-backed Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel on Monday to avenge the killing of Khamenei.
AFP
09:33am
Saudi Arabia intercepts attacks
Saudi Arabia's defense ministry said Saturday it intercepted a ballistic missile fired at an air base which houses US military personnel, as Iran pressed attacks across the Gulf.
The oil-rich nation's state news agency said it thwarted a drone attack on an oilfield near the Emirati border, following at least two reported drone attacks earlier this week that targeted the Ras Tanura refinery in the east.
AFP
09:20am
Israel launches 'broad-scale' strikes
The Israeli military said Saturday it had launched a "broad-scale wave of strikes" on targets in Tehran, as the Iranian state broadcaster reported an explosion in the western part of the capital.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said earlier it had detected another round of Iranian missiles headed towards Israel after a series of explosions were heard in the Israeli commercial hub of Tel Aviv following the Iranian launches.
AFP
09:15am
Israel says Iran using cluster bombs
Israel accused Iran on Friday of launching cluster munitions "multiple times" since the start of the war -- referring to bombs that explode in mid-air and scatter bomblets.
Iran and Israel are not party to a convention that prohibits the use, transfer, production and storage of cluster bombs -- which can cause casualties over time, particularly children, as some of them do not explode on impact.
AFP
09:13am
Russia feeds Iran intel, US 'aware'
The White House downplayed a report Friday that Russia was helping Iran target US forces in the Middle East, with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth telling CBS News's "60 Minutes" program that "our commanders are aware of everything."
The Washington Post, citing officials familiar with the intelligence, said Russia has provided Iran with the locations of US military assets, including ships and aircraft.
AFP
09:10am
Iran rejects Trump's succession overtures
Iran's ambassador to the United Nations condemned US interference on Friday, after President Donald Trump insisted that he should be involved in selecting the successor of Khamenei.
"The selection of Iran's leadership will take place strictly in accordance with our constitutional procedures and solely by the will of the Iranian people, without any foreign interference," Amir Saeid Iravani told reporters in New York.
AFP
09:03am
US to boost weapons production
Major US defense companies have agreed to quadruple production of advanced weapons, Trump said.
The United States struck more than 3,000 targets during the first week of the conflict, the military said.
AFP
08:53am
Oil prices surge
Crude prices surged on mounting fears about oil supply disruption as the US-Israel strikes and Tehran's retaliatory attacks across the Gulf region upended the world's energy and transport sectors.
West Texas Intermediate crude rose 12 percent to $90.92 a barrel on Friday, topping off the biggest weekly gain on record.
AFP
08:43am
Rockets target Baghdad airport complex
Rockets targeted the Baghdad airport complex that hosts a military base and a US diplomatic facility.
A shadowy group called Saraya Awliyaa al-Dam (Guardians of Blood), which claims to be part of the Tehran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq, said it was behind the attack on the base.
AFP
08:33am
Trump to attend return of dead troops
Trump said Friday he will attend the arrival of the remains of six soldiers killed in an Iranian attack on Kuwait, the first US dead from the Middle East war.
The troops "returning home for the last time," as Trump put it, were killed when a drone struck in Kuwait's southern industrial hub of Port Shuaiba.
AFP
08:20am
UN peacekeepers wounded in Lebanon
Several Ghanaian members of a United Nations peacekeeping were wounded when their base was hit in southern Lebanon, state media reported, without specifying the source of the attack.
Israel has been hitting southern Lebanon in its battle against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia.
AFP
08:13am
Trump demands 'unconditional surrender'
Trump demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender" as the only acceptable outcome to end the Middle East war, promising to help rebuild the country's economy if it complied.
His new stance appeared to be a major expansion of US aims for the war, which Washington has previously said was focused on Iran's missile program and naval forces.
AFP
08:10am
UN chief slams 'unlawful attacks'
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned "unlawful attacks" across the Middle East and warned that the war could spiral out of control.
Guterres said the crisis was causing "tremendous suffering and harm" and posed a "grave risk" to the global economy.
AFP
08:05am
Only nine commercial ships navigate Hormuz
Just nine oil tankers, cargo and container ships have been recorded passing through the Strait of Hormuz since Monday, according to MarineTraffic data analyzed by AFP.
Nearly 20 percent of the world's crude oil and about 20 percent of liquefied natural gas (LNG) usually transit the waterway, but the conflict has virtually shut it down.
AFP
08:00am
France deploys helicopter carrier
France has sent a helicopter carrier to the Mediterranean in response to the war, the French military told AFP.
Paris decided to deploy its flagship aircraft carrier and a frigate earlier in the week.
AFP
