Flightradar map shows an aircraft departing from Doha after Qatar partially reopened its airspace following disruptions caused by the regional conflict. Photo: Flightradar.
The US–Israel war on Iran entered its eighth day on Saturday, March 7, anßd continues to intensify, with huge overnight explosions reported across several locations in Iran, including the capital Tehran. The Israeli military said it carried out “large-scale” strikes on Tehran, while also targeting the southern suburbs of Beirut.
US President Donald Trump reiterated that Washington would only accept Iran’s “unconditional surrender”, warning there would be no deal to end the war without it.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard continued intensive missile attacks on Israel, coinciding with rocket fire from Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were also targeted by fresh Iranian missile and drone attacks, most of which were intercepted with no casualties reported.
The Iranian Red Crescent said at least 1,332 people have been killed in Iran since the US-Israeli attacks began. Trump also announced an agreement with arms companies to increase the production of precision-guided munitions as the conflict continues to escalate.
12:56 pm IST: Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported that Iranian air defences intercepted an Israeli Orbiter 4 reconnaissance drone in the skies over the central city of Isfahan. The drone was reportedly brought down by Iran’s air defence systems during the ongoing escalation.
12:48 pm IST: US-Israeli strikes on Iran’s central Isfahan province killed at least eight people on Saturday, including a woman, according to a provincial security official cited by the Tasnim news agency.
The official said fighter jets targeted areas of Isfahan city and seven other cities, with about 80 houses severely damaged in Isfahan as well as the Lenjan and Borkhar areas.
12:45 pm IST: Lebanon’s Health Ministry said at least 12 people were killed and 33 wounded in Israeli air raids on the town of Nabi Chit in the eastern Bekaa Valley.
12:40 pm IST: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence said air defences intercepted two additional drones — one east of the capital Riyadh and another in the Empty Quarter as it headed towards the Shaybah oilfields. It said air defence systems have been engaging and destroying drones and ballistic missiles since the early hours of Saturday.
12:36 pm IST: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the latest phase of its operation involved large-scale missile and drone strikes on US positions in the region.
According to a statement carried by the IRNA news agency, targets included the al-Dhafra airbase in the UAE and the Ali al-Salem airbase in Kuwait, where the IRGC claimed missiles and drones struck radar systems, fuel facilities and other installations used by US forces.
12:28 pm IST: The UAE’s Ministry of Defence said its air defence systems are currently responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran.
It added that the sounds heard in various parts of the country are the result of intercepting ballistic missiles and drones.
12:20 pm IST: The Arab League is set to meet on Sunday, March 8, to discuss the Iranian attacks, according to the organisation’s assistant secretary-general.
12:15 pm IST: Global Village announced on its social media platforms that it will remain closed on Saturday, March 7, and Sunday, March 8, as a precautionary safety measure in line with official guidance.
12:08 pm IST: US President Donald Trump will attend the return of the remains of six American soldiers killed in an Iranian attack on Kuwait. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on Saturday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
12 pm IST: The Israeli military said more than 80 Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck key Iranian military infrastructure in Tehran and central Iran.
According to the IDF, the targets included the IRGC Imam Hossein military university, ballistic missile storage facilities, underground missile command infrastructure and launch sites aimed at Israel in western and central Iran. The military said the strikes were intended to degrade Iran’s ability to target Israeli civilians.
11:51 am IST: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence said air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched towards Prince Sultan Air Base. The ministry did not provide further details.
11:45 am IST: The US Embassy in Qatar urged American citizens in the region to remain vigilant as efforts continue to assist them in leaving the Middle East.
In a notice, the embassy said it is exploring additional options to help US nationals depart safely and advised citizens to closely monitor their email for updates or last-minute travel changes.
11:35 am IST: Qatar has partially reopened its airspace in a cautious first step towards restoring flights to one of the Gulf’s key aviation hubs.
According to flight tracking service Flightradar, an A380 bound for London was the first aircraft to depart Doha since the war began on February 28. Authorities said priority will be given to stranded passengers travelling with families, elderly travellers, and those with urgent medical or compassionate needs.
11:18 am IST: Satellite imagery from March 1 shows smoke rising from a radar site near Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, where dozens of US military aircraft are stationed.
Analysis cited by CNN said the site was among five radar locations struck by Iran or its allies. The images show damage to a compound housing a radar linked to the US-made THAAD missile defence system, used to detect and intercept ballistic missiles.
10:55 am IST: India’s Ambassador to Bahrain, Vinod K Jacob, has issued a message urging Indian nationals in the kingdom to strictly follow Bahrain’s laws and regulations, stressing the importance of respecting local rules during the current regional tensions.
10:48 am IST: Authorities in Dubai said a “minor incident” occurred after debris fell following an interception, according to the Dubai Media Office. Officials said the situation was quickly contained and no injuries were reported, adding that operations at Dubai International Airport were unaffected.
10:22 am IST: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington is preparing what he described as its “biggest bombing campaign” against Iran.
Speaking to Fox News, Bessent said the strikes would target Iranian missile launchers and missile-production facilities, adding that US attacks are aimed at substantially degrading Tehran’s capabilities.
He also accused Iran of trying to create “economic chaos”, pointing to its influence over the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil shipping route.
10:08 am IST: An earthquake of magnitude 4.1 struck west of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage following the tremor.
9:54 am IST: Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Bushehr airport was targeted in an attack that destroyed an IranAir passenger plane, describing it as a “cowardly attack on a civilian airport”.
The official called the incident a “wicked chapter” in what Tehran described as an ongoing campaign against Iran and warned that the country is determined to respond fiercely.
9:45 am IST: Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli troops after four Israeli military helicopters entered eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley near the town of Nabi Chit. Lebanese authorities said at least nine people were killed in Israeli air strikes in the area.
9:38 am IST: Oil prices jumped sharply amid fears that the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran could disrupt global energy supplies.
Brent crude rose to about USD 92.69 a barrel, up 8.5 percent on the day and nearly 30 percent for the week. Traders are closely watching developments around the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes, as Iran has repeatedly threatened to block traffic.
9:25 am IST: The Israeli military said it detected new missile launches targeting Beersheba, the Gaza enclave and southern regions of Israel. Air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem, the southern Negev and large parts of southern Israel, warning residents to move to shelters as air defence systems responded to the incoming projectiles.
9:12 am IST: A missile was intercepted in the airspace above the Jordanian city of Aqaba. The city lies directly across from Eilat in southern Israel.
9 am IST: US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington may lift sanctions on additional Russian oil to address a temporary global supply gap.
Speaking in an interview with Fox Business, Bessent said the move is being considered to help stabilise global energy markets amid the ongoing turmoil in West Asia. He added that the United States had already granted India permission to purchase Russian oil to ease disruptions in global supply.
8:41 am IST: US President Donald Trump has privately expressed interest in deploying US ground forces to Iran, according to a report by NBC News citing several sources.The report said Trump discussed the idea with White House aides and Republican officials while outlining his vision for Iran after the war, including possible cooperation with Washington on oil production. However, the discussions reportedly focused on a small contingent of US troops for specific strategic missions rather than a large-scale ground invasion, and no decision has been made so far.
8:30 am IST: Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior said warning sirens were activated and urged citizens and residents to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place.
8:16 am IST: Iran has launched a new wave of missiles towards Israel, according to the Iranian Fars news agency. The latest barrage comes amid continuing escalation in the conflict following ongoing US and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets.
8:08 am IST: Iran’s Foreign Ministry called on UN Secretary-General António Guterres to remain neutral, saying the country is facing “unjustified aggression from two nuclear states”.
The ministry criticised Guterres for focusing on the global economic impact of the conflict while, it said, hundreds of people have been killed in Iran in what it described as “Israeli-American crimes”. It added that the United Nations must fulfil its legal and moral responsibilities regarding what it called an “illegal war” against Iran.
8 am IST: The Embassy of India in Doha has issued an advisory for Indian nationals stranded in Qatar due to flight cancellations between February 28 and March 7, 2026.
The embassy urged tourists and short-term visitors holding Hayya A1 visas to submit their details through an online form to help authorities determine the number of stranded Indian nationals who are not residents of Qatar.
7:50 am IST: The Indian Embassy in Doha said it has activated additional 24/7 helpline numbers to assist Indian nationals as the security situation in West Asia continues to deteriorate.
In a post on X, the embassy shared the following contact numbers: +974 55647502, +974 55362508, +974 55384683, and an email helpline. It also said the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) and the Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) have set up helpdesks operating from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm to support the community.
Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Kuwait urged citizens to remain indoors and strictly follow instructions from the General Staff of the Armed Forces, especially if missiles or unidentified falling objects are observed.
7:35 am IST: The United States struck more than 3,000 targets during the first week of the war with Iran, the US military said.
US Central Command said the targets included command-and-control centres, air defence systems, missile sites, as well as Iranian navy ships and submarines.
7:22 am IST: The US State Department said it is likely to approve the sale of ammunition to Israel worth about USD 151.8 million.
It said Secretary of State Marco Rubio determined that the sale was in the interest of US national security and therefore waived the requirement for congressional review, citing an emergency situation requiring the immediate transfer of munitions.
7: 15 am IST: Qatar Airways said it will operate a series of special repatriation flights on March 7 after the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority authorised a temporary safe operating corridor.
The flights will depart from Hamad International Airport in Doha to London, Paris, Madrid, Rome and Frankfurt. The airline said priority will be given to stranded passengers travelling with families, elderly travellers, and those with urgent medical or compassionate needs.
7:06 am IST: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain is ready to support the defence of Saudi Arabia after speaking with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the Israel–US war on Iran and its wider regional spillover.
Starmer added that additional British fighter jets, helicopters and a destroyer are being sent to the Middle East, while the two leaders also discussed expanding intelligence sharing.
6:55 am IST: The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said Iran’s only athlete at the Winter Paralympics will not take part after being unable to travel due to the ongoing conflict.
Cross-country skier Aboulfazl Khatibi Mianaei, 23, was due to compete at the Games in Verona, Italy, but will miss the event after failing to reach the country. He had previously participated in the last two Winter Olympics and was scheduled to compete on Tuesday.
6:48 am IST: The official spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Defence said air defences intercepted and destroyed four drones in the Empty Quarter that were heading towards the Shaybah oil field in the southeast of the Kingdom.
6:40 am IST: Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior confirmed that warning sirens were activated in parts of the country as a precaution amid the ongoing regional escalation.
6:30 am IST: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that its air defences intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched towards Prince Sultan Air Base, located southeast of Al-Kharj city, with no casualties reported.
6:05 am IST: Israel’s military said it has begun a “broad-scale wave of strikes” targeting sites in the Iranian capital, Tehran. The announcement came as Iran’s state broadcaster reported an explosion in the western part of the city.
This post was last modified on March 7, 2026 12:57 pm