US-Israel-Iran War Enters In Third Week: Recent News Updates

An airstrike struck a house in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, early Saturday, killing at least one person, according to a security official and another official linked to Iranian-backed armed groups in the country.

The strike took place in the Karrada district and also left two people wounded, the officials said. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the press.

In a statement, the Iraqi military condemned the strike as “a blatant violation of all humanitarian values and a disregard for international conventions.”

The airstrike occurred before a missile attack targeted the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad.

A missile struck the U.S. Embassy in Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, earlier, according to reports from multiple news agencies.

Reuters, citing sources, reported that a missile hit the building and smoke was seen rising from the embassy structure. The report did not include details about any damage.

The Associated Press reported that a missile struck a helipad inside the U.S. Embassy compound.

AFP, meanwhile, quoted sources as saying that a drone struck the embassy.

The attack came shortly after two Iran-backed fighters were killed in strikes on Iraq’s capital, AFP reported, citing several sources.

-BBC

The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on Saturday urged Iran not to target neighbouring countries, while also backing Tehran’s right to respond to Israel and the United States.

“While affirming the right of the Islamic Republic of Iran to respond to this aggression by all available means in accordance with international norms and laws, the movement calls on the brothers in Iran to avoid targeting neighbouring countries,” Hamas said in a statement.

-AFP

Qatar’s interior ministry earlier announced evacuations in several areas as a precautionary measure, though the nature of the threat remains unknown. Qatar intercepted two missile attacks overnight and again this morning.

Locals received phone alerts to immediately evacuate Doha’s central Musheireb district, where offices for Google and American Express are located. Witnesses said some residents rushed to underground car parks for shelter.

Guards are also reported to be stationed at Microsoft’s Qatar headquarters. Reuters reported that authorities evacuated part of an area hosting branch campuses of six U.S. universities.

-BBC

Iranian media reported on Saturday (March 14, 2026) that oil infrastructure on Kharg Island was not damaged following U.S. strikes.

Fars news agency, citing sources on the ground, said there had been no damage to oil facilities after President Donald Trump said U.S. bombardment of the island had destroyed military targets.

Trump had threatened in a social media post to target oil infrastructure on the island, a crucial hub for Iran, if Tehran continued to block the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

-AFP

Reports from southern Lebanon say Israeli airstrikes have hit additional targets not directly linked to Hezbollah.

The Lebanese health ministry said at least 12 medics, including doctors and nurses, were killed in the town of Burj Qalawiya after the town’s primary healthcare centre was struck overnight.

Israel has also bombed other civilian infrastructure, including roads and bridges. It has nearly doubled the size of its self-declared evacuation zone in southern Lebanon, urging hundreds of thousands more people to leave and head north, where charities and state authorities are struggling to cope with the influx of displaced people.

Tensions in Lebanon are rising. With hardline language from both Israel and Hezbollah, there are growing concerns that the conflict could widen.

-BBC

President Donald Trump wrote in a social media post: “The Fake News Media hates to report how well the United States Military has done against Iran, which is totally defeated and wants a deal - But not a deal that I would accept!”

A residential building in the western Iranian city of Eyvan was destroyed early Saturday in an airstrike, the judiciary’s official news agency Mizan reported, citing local authorities. The dead included a 6-month-old.

-AP

The Israeli military has issued an evacuation warning for people in an industrial area of the western Iranian city of Tabriz.

The warning included a map of the designated zone and said the Israeli army will be "active in this area in the coming hours."

It added that the attack would be similar to recent strikes in Tehran targeting Iranian regime military infrastructure.

Authorities urged residents to leave the specified area immediately for their safety, warning that staying would put lives at risk.

The United Arab Emirates has detained 10 foreigners accused of posting footage on social media of missile and drone attacks on the country.

UAE General Prosecutor Hamad Al Shamsi ordered them to remain in detention over allegations of spreading disinformation, including some AI-generated videos showing supposed attacks on UAE landmarks.

He said in a statement that their actions are punishable by at least a year in prison and a fine of at least 100,000 dirhams ($27,230).

-AP

The Israeli Defense Forces say they have hit a weapons storage facility in southern Lebanon.

According to the IDF, members of the Iranian-backed group Hezbollah were seen carrying rockets into the facility in the Al-Majadel area on Friday.

Minutes later, the Israeli Air Force struck the warehouse and "eliminated" the Hezbollah members, the IDF said in a social media post.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said an Israeli airstrike struck an apartment in the southern city of Sidon. The ministry provided no further details.

-AP

An Israeli strike targeted an apartment building in a northern Beirut suburb that had been hit a day earlier, Lebanese state media reported on Saturday (March 14, 2026). The report also noted strikes elsewhere in southern Lebanon.

Earlier Saturday, an overnight Israeli strike killed a dozen medical staff at a clinic in south Lebanon, health authorities said, after Iran-backed Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said his group was prepared for a long confrontation with Israel.

Lebanon was drawn into the West Asian war last week when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli strikes.

-AFP

Iran’s Cultural Heritage and Tourism Ministry said on Saturday that at least 56 museums and historic sites across the country have been damaged as the West Asia war enters its 15th day.

In Tehran, U.S.-Israeli strikes damaged the UNESCO-listed Golestan Palace in the early days of the conflict, local media reported. The palace complex is one of the oldest sites in the capital and formerly served as the residence of the Qajar dynasty.

The ministry said Tehran has recorded the highest number of damaged monuments, with 19 sites affected at varying levels.

-AFP

Earlier on Saturday (March 14, 2026) morning, some oil loading operations at the port of Fujairah, outside the Strait of Hormuz, were suspended following a drone attack and fire, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The Fujairah media office said the fire occurred after debris fell during the interception of the drone, and no injuries were reported.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday (March 14, 2026) said Lebanon was ready to engage in “direct talks” with Israel and offered to host negotiations in Paris.

“The Lebanese government has signalled its willingness to engage in direct talks with Israel,” he said on X.

“France is ready to facilitate these talks by hosting them in Paris,” Mr. Macron said, adding he had spoken to the President and Prime Minister of Lebanon.

Source: AFP

Iran has advised residents of the United Arab Emirates to avoid ports and maritime areas, warning they could become targets as tensions escalate with the United States and its regional allies.

The advisory comes amid escalating tensions in the Gulf and concerns about possible attacks on key infrastructure and maritime routes.

-The Hindu

Donald Trump said U.S. forces had “obliterated” Iranian military targets on Kharg Island, off Iran’s southwest coast, and warned that the island’s oil infrastructure could be the next target. Following the strike, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) told the United Arab Emirates that U.S. “hideouts” in the country would be considered legitimate targets.

- Al Jazeera

The Defence Ministry said nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones were launched towards the United Arab Emirates on Saturday. It added that since February 28, a total of 1,600 drones, 294 ballistic missiles and 15 cruise missiles have been fired at the country, killing six people and injuring 141 others.

- AP

According to Lebanon's Health Ministry, 51 paramedics and medical workers have been wounded since the latest Israel–Hezbollah fighting began on March 2. A strike on Friday night in the southern village of Burj Qalaouiyah hit a health centre, killing 12 people and seriously injuring one, while four others remain missing under the rubble. The ministry accused Israel of deliberately targeting medical workers, rejecting Israeli claims that ambulances are being used for military purposes as a pretext.

Earlier Saturday, the Israeli military Arabic spokesman said Hezbollah is widely using ambulances for military purposes. He said the militant group should stop or the Israeli military will act. 

- AP

President Donald Trump said on Friday (March 13, 2026) that U.S. forces have “obliterated” military targets on Iran’s Kharg Island and warned that the oil infrastructure there could be next.

The small island in the Persian Gulf is the primary terminal through which Iran’s oil exports pass. Trump announced the action in a Truth Social post as he prepared to fly to Florida for the weekend.

“The United States Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East, and totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island,” Mr. Trump said on social media.

Source: The Hindu

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency is urging people in the United Arab Emirates to “immediately” evacuate areas surrounding Jebel Ali port in Dubai, Khalifa port in Abu Dhabi, and Fujairah port.

“These areas have become legitimate targets due to the presence and concealment of US military forces among civilian installations and will be targeted in the coming hours,” the agency reported.

Source: Al Jazeera

Explosions have rung out over West Jerusalem, AFP news agency reports, shortly after the Israeli military warned it detected incoming missiles from Iran.

As the Middle East war triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Tehran entered its third week, the military said its “defence system is operating to intercept the threat”.

We will bring you more news when we get it.

Hezbollah says it launched rockets at Goren in northern Israel, our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic report.

The Lebanese group also said it targeted an Israeli air defence system in the town of Ma’alot-Tarshiha.

Two Indian LPG carriers — Shivalik and Nanda Devi have safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions in West Asia, a senior government official said. The vessels are now headed to Mundra Port and Kandla Port in Gujarat.

Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports Shipping and Waterways, said during a media briefing that the ships were moving safely toward Indian ports despite the ongoing regional tensions.

The ongoing conflict involving Iran and the United States has raised concerns over global oil and LPG supplies, as much of the world’s energy shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Any disruption in this narrow waterway could affect crude oil exports and LPG cargo movements, pushing up energy prices and increasing risks for shipping and regional energy security.

- PTI

826 deaths reported in Lebanon, At least 2,009 people have also been injured since the latest round of fighting began in March. 2, said the Lebanese Health Ministry on Saturday. The dead include 106 children and 65 women.

- AP

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, Iran continues to function normally despite the war, crediting government officials for maintaining essential services. In a social media post, he said that although the conflict has created transport and communication challenges, there has been no major disruption to public services and the country will rebuild what has been destroyed.

- Al Jazeera

Hamas has urged Iran to stop targeting Gulf countries, while condemning attacks on Tehran and right to defend itself against attacks by Israel and the United States. In a statement on Saturday, Hamas called on its “brothers in Iran” to avoid striking neighbouring states and appealed for efforts to halt the widening regional conflict.

- Reuters, Al Jazeera

Israel and Lebanon are expected to hold direct talks in the coming days, marking their first such engagement since the Iran war sparked renewed clashes with Hezbollah. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, is expected to be involved in the discussions, which may take place in Paris or Cyprus. The Israeli delegation will reportedly be led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s close aide, Ron Dermer.

- Al Jazeera

New details have emerged about an earlier attack near the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. CNN reported that two drones struck the U.S. embassy compound on Saturday, although initial reports had suggested a missile attack. More details are awaited on the extent of the damage and possible casualties.

- Al Jazeera