Hezbollah strikes Israel as American and Israeli planes pound Iran : NPR
On this picture taken with a sluggish shutter pace, a Center East Airways airplane flies over Beirut as smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes on Dahiyeh in Beirut’s southern suburbs, early Monday, March 2, 2026.
Hassan Ammar/AP
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Hassan Ammar/AP
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran and Iranian-backed militias fired missiles at Israel and Arab states, apparently hitting the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait, whereas Israel and america pounded targets in Iran because the struggle expanded on Monday with statements of defiance and growing casualties.
At the least 555 individuals have been killed in Iran to date by the U.S.-Israeli marketing campaign, the Iranian Crimson Crescent Society mentioned, and greater than 130 cities throughout the nation having come underneath assault. Eleven individuals have been killed in Israel, in keeping with authorities there.
In Kuwait Metropolis, as hearth and smoke rose from contained in the U.S. Embassy compound, the nation’s protection ministry mentioned “a number of” American warplanes had additionally crashed within the nation. The ministry didn’t elaborate on what triggered the crashes or what number of plane had been concerned, however mentioned the pilots had been taken to a hospital and had been in steady situation. The U.S. army didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The embassy compound was hit not lengthy after U.S. issued a warning to People there to take cowl and for others to remain away. There have been no fast studies on harm or casualties.
Meantime, because the American and Israeli airstrikes continued, high Iranian safety official Ali Larijani vowed on X that “we won’t negotiate with america.”
In Iraq, a pro-Iranian militia claimed accountability for a drone assault focusing on U.S. troops on the Baghdad airport, the day after it mentioned it fired at a U.S. base within the metropolis of Irbil within the north, and Cyprus mentioned a drone assault focused a British base on the Mediterranean island nation.
Israel and the U.S. bombed Iranian missile websites and focused its navy, claiming to have destroyed its headquarters and a number of warships.
Iran expands assaults to regional oil infrastructure
With world markets already rattled by the preventing and oil costs hovering, Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery got here underneath assault Monday from drones, with defenses downing the incoming plane, a army spokesman made the announcement on the state-run Saudi Press Company.
On-line movies from the positioning appeared to point out thick black smoke rising after the assault. Even efficiently intercepted drones trigger particles that may spark fires and injure these on the bottom.
Ras Tanura, close to the town of Dammam in japanese Saudi Arabia, is among the world’s largest with a capability over half one million barrels of crude oil a day. It was quickly shut down as a precaution after the assault, Saudi state tv reported.
Earlier within the day, particles fell on Kuwait’s Ahmadi oil refinery, injuring two staff, after drones had been shot down, the state-run KUNA information company reported.
Iran’s choice to expands its assaults to main regional oil infrastructure add a brand new ingredient to the struggle gripping the Center East, straight focusing on the lifeblood of the realm’s financial system.
“The assault on Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery marks a big escalation, with Gulf vitality infrastructure now squarely in Iran’s sights,” mentioned Torbjorn Soltvedt, an analyst on the danger intelligence firm Verisk Maplecroft.
“An prolonged interval of uncertainty lies forward as Iran seeks to impose a heavy financial value by placing tankers, regional vitality infrastructure, commerce routes and U.S. safety companions within the crosshairs,” he added.
This picture supplied by U.S. Central Command reveals a F/A-18F Tremendous Hornet getting ready to make an arrested touchdown on the united statesAbraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in assist of Operation Epic Fury, on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026.
AP/U.S. Central Command
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AP/U.S. Central Command
Already, Iran has been threatening ships within the Strait of Hormuz, the slender mouth of the Persian Gulf via which a fifth of all oil traded passes. A number of ships have been attacked as properly there.
Sascha Bruchmann, a protection analyst with the Worldwide Institute for Strategic Research in Bahrain, advised The Related Press that Iran’s purpose in hitting vitality infrastructure is to ‘trigger international backlash and impose prices” on the U.S. president.
To date, nevertheless, “this isn’t the healthful destruction of crucial infrastructure the Iranian regime seeks,” Bruchmann mentioned.
In the meantime, Iran’s Ambassador to the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the Worldwide Atomic Power Company, Reza Najafi, advised reporters that the U.S.-Israeli airstrikes had focused Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment web site on Sunday.
“Once more they attacked Iran’s peaceable safeguarded nuclear amenities yesterday,” he mentioned. “Their justification that Iran needs to develop nuclear weapons is just an enormous lie.”
Israel and the U.S. haven’t acknowledged strikes on the web site, which the U.S. bombed again within the 12-day struggle between Iran and Israel in June. The Israeli army additionally didn’t instantly touch upon Najafi’s allegation.
Israel has not publicized particular targets in Iran however has mentioned that it’s focusing on “management and nuclear infrastructure.”
Hezbollah fires on Israel, prompting large response
Because the assaults on Iran continued, Hezbollah mentioned it fired missiles from Lebanon into Israel early Monday in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Chief Ali Khamenei and “repeated Israeli aggressions.” There have been no studies of accidents or harm, and Israel mentioned that it had intercepted one projectile whereas a number of fell in open areas.
Israel retaliated with strikes on Lebanon, killing no less than 31 individuals and wounding 149 others, in keeping with Lebanon’s Well being Ministry. About two thirds of the useless had been within the nation’s south.
Lebanon’s authorities mentioned it was holding an emergency assembly after Hezbollah’s assault on Israel triggered the Israeli airstrikes.
Iran has been firing missiles at Israel and Arab states in a counteroffensive because the joint America-Israeli assault Saturday that killed Khamenei and lots of high Iranian officers.
A person takes footage of the harm in an house constructing after it was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut’s southern suburb, Lebanon, Monday, March 2, 2026.
Hussein Malla/AP
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Hussein Malla/AP
Casualties rise as assaults unfold throughout the area
Gulf Arab states have warned that they may retaliate towards Iran after strikes that hit key websites and killed no less than 5 civilians, and U.S. President Donald Trump promised Washington would “avenge” the deaths of three American troops who had been killed in Kuwait, whereas predicting extra casualties.
“Sadly, there’ll doubtless be extra earlier than it ends,” Trump mentioned. “That is the way in which it’s.”
Trump has urged Iranians to “take over” their authorities and, whereas he has additionally signaled he can be open to dialogue with new management there following the loss of life of Khamenei, prompt Sunday there was no finish in sight to the army operations.
“Fight operations proceed at the moment in full-force, and they’ll proceed till all of our aims are achieved,” he mentioned in a video message. “We now have very robust aims,” he added, with out elaborating.
The U.S. army mentioned B-2 stealth bombers struck Iran’s ballistic missile amenities with 2,000-pound bombs. Trump mentioned on social media that 9 Iranian warships had been sunk and that the Iranian navy’s headquarters had been “largely destroyed.”
Others have largely stayed out of the struggle and pressed for diplomacy. However in a sign that the battle might attract different nations, Britain, France and Germany mentioned Sunday they had been able to work with the U.S. to assist cease Iran’s assaults.
Early Monday, Cyprus mentioned an uncrewed drone “triggered restricted harm” when it hit a British air base on the southern coast. Additional particulars weren’t instantly accessible, however it got here after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer mentioned the U.Okay. would assist the U.S. within the struggle towards Iran.
The weekend assaults had been the second time in eight months that the U.S. and Israel had mixed towards Iran, in a startling present of army may for an American president elected on an “America First” platform and pledged to maintain out of “perpetually wars.”
Within the 12-day struggle final June, Israeli and American strikes enormously weakened Iran’s air defenses, army management and nuclear program. However the killing of Khamenei, who dominated Iran for greater than three many years, creates a management vacuum, growing the chance of regional instability.
Iranian proxies be part of the fray
Hezbollah’s launch of missiles at Israel was the primary time in additional than a yr that the militant group has claimed an assault.
Iran’s proxies had been a chief concern for American and Israeli officers earlier than they suspended negotiations with Iran final week and moved forward with strikes on Iran.
Israel mentioned the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group had “joined the marketing campaign” alongside Iran because it retaliated with strikes on Beirut, Lebanon’s capital.
Related Press journalists in Beirut had been jolted awake by a sequence of loud explosions that shook buildings and triggered home windows to shatter. Warplanes might be heard flying low overhead.
“The strikes proceed,” mentioned Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo, head of Israel’s Northern Command. “Their depth will enhance.”
The Iraqi Shiite militia Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed a drone assault Monday focusing on U.S. troops on the airport within the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, additional widening the retaliation over the killing of Khamenei. It had claimed a drone assault on Sunday towards a U.S. air base in Irbil, in Iraq’s north.
The group is one among quite a lot of Shiite militias working in Iraq. The U.S. and Iraq didn’t instantly touch upon the claims.
Within the Persian Gulf, Iran’s retaliatory strikes pushed the battle into cities which have lengthy marketed themselves as regional protected havens. Three individuals had been reported killed within the United Arab Emirates and one every in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Within the United Arab Emirates, authorities mentioned most Iranian missiles and drones had been intercepted. However some both obtained via or fell as particles, inflicting the deaths and vital harm. Bahrain and Kuwait mentioned Iranian strikes in each international locations hit civilian targets exterior the U.S. bases the place Iran had pledged to retaliate.
WHO calls for cover of civilians
Tehran’s streets have been largely abandoned with individuals sheltering throughout airstrikes. The paramilitary Basij pressure, which has performed a central function in crushing latest protests, arrange checkpoints throughout the town, in keeping with witnesses.
Within the northern Iranian metropolis of Babol, a pupil, talking anonymously over considerations of retribution, advised the AP that armed riot police had been on the streets Saturday night time and into the early hours of Sunday after the loss of life of Khamenei.
“We do not know whether or not to be completely happy in regards to the elimination of the criminals who oppress us or to stay silent within the face of the U.S. and Israel’s struggle towards the nation and its pursuits and the phobia that’s going down,” he mentioned.
In Israel, rescue providers have confirmed a number of areas have been hit by Iranian missiles, together with Jerusalem and a synagogue in Beit Shemesh, the place 9 individuals had been killed and 28 wounded, bringing the general loss of life toll within the nation to 11.
The World Well being Group referred to as Monday for sparing civilians and healthcare amenities within the Center East amid the escalating battle.
“The safety of civilians and well being care have to be absolute,” Hanan Balkhy, regional dietitian at WHO wrote on social media. “All events should … guarantee medical amenities stay protected.”
