Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
War in the Middle East: latest developments
Paris, France, March 5 (AFP) Mar 05, 2026
Here are the latest main events related to the war in the Middle East:


- Iran launches more attacks -


Iran's army said on Thursday it had launched a drone attack on a US site in the Iraqi Kurdistan city of Erbil, after targeting the headquarters of Kurdish forces with three missiles.

The Revolutionary Guard earlier said missiles carrying one-tonne warheads were also launched at Israel's main airport Ben Gurion, and an air force base in the area.

It was unclear if any of the missiles reached the airport. The first two Israeli flights bringing home travellers stranded by the fighting also landed Thursday at the airport, which is closed for commercial traffic.

Iran's military said later Thursday a naval drone had attacked a US site in Kuwait.


- Thousands stuck at sea -


The UN's International Maritime Organization told AFP that some 20,000 seafarers and 15,000 cruise passengers are stuck in the Gulf because of the war.

- Iran urged to cease strikes -


EU and Gulf ministers called for Iran on Thursday to immediately end its "indiscriminate" attacks against Gulf countries, warning the strikes threatened international security.


- Beirut residents flee -


Residents in Beirut's southern suburbs fled en masse Thursday following an evacuation warning by Israel.

An Israeli air strike hit the Hezbollah stronghold of south Beirut earlier in the day.

Lebanese authorities say at least 72 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced since Monday.


- Azerbaijan vows retaliation -


Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev accused Iran of "terrorism" and threatened retaliation after drone attacks Thursday into Azerbaijan's exclave of Nakhichevan wounded four people.

Tehran denied the allegation and blamed Israel, Azerbaijan's ally, of trying to stage a provocation.


- Blasts in Jerusalem -


Air raid sirens blared and two blasts were heard in Jerusalem on Thursday, AFP journalists reported, after Israel said it had identified missiles launched from Iran.

The blasts came shortly after Israel's air raid warning system sent out an alert to people living across central Israel.


- Six injured in Abu Dhabi -


Debris from a drone injured six people in an industrial zone of the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi on Thursday, while Dubai, Doha and Manama were subjected to missile attacks.

Saudi Arabian officials said they had intercepted three cruise missiles and several drones.


- No call for aid -


Iran has not requested military aid from its ally Russia since Israel and the United States began striking the country last week, the Kremlin said Thursday.


- Cyprus ring of steel -


Spain will send its most advanced frigate to protect Cyprus after a drone strike on a British base on the Mediterranean island, the defence ministry said on Thursday.

The "Cristobal Colon" will join French aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" and Greek navy ships to offer protection and help evacuate civilians, the ministry said. Italy also said it would send "naval assets" to the EU member state in coming days.

Britain's Defence Minister John Healey arrived in Cyprus on Thursday.


- Fresh Israeli strikes -


Israel's military said Thursday it had "just begun a large-scale wave of strikes against infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime across Tehran".

Iranian news agency Tasnim and local media reported several explosions heard in Tehran Thursday morning.

Earlier, AFP journalists heard explosions in Jerusalem as Iran launched a fresh round of missiles at Israel, according to Iranian state media and the Israeli military.


- Israel kills Hamas official -


Lebanese state media said an Israeli strike had killed a senior Hamas official Thursday, the first reported targeted killing of a member of the Palestinian militant group since the war began.


- US will 'regret' sinking -


Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of committing an atrocity by sinking an Iranian navy ship off Sri Lanka.

"Mark my words: The US will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set," he posted on X.

A second Iranian warship was heading towards Sri Lanka's territorial waters Thursday, a minister told parliament.


- Iran says hit US tanker -


Iran hit a US oil tanker with a missile Thursday, "in the north of the Persian Gulf" and set it on fire, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement reported by state television.

The incident has not been independently confirmed.


- Iran internet blackout -


Iran's internet is "around 1 percent of ordinary levels" with a communication blackout sparked by the war with Israel and the United States entering a fifth day, monitor Netblocks said Thursday.

burs-giv/st


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