Summary

  1. Pentagon expected to send marines and additional warships to Middle East - CBSpublished at 18:59 GMT

    The Pentagon is expected to send a marine unit and additional warships to the Middle East, two US officials tell the BBC's US partner, CBS News.u

    Elements of the America amphibious ready group and the embarked 31st marine expeditionary Unit are expected to be sent, they say, following a report on the plans in the Wall Street Journal.

    The group is typically made up of 5,000 marines and sailors across several warships.

  2. Israel launches another wave of strikes on Iranian capitalpublished at 18:47 GMT
    Breaking

    The Israel Defense Forces says it has begun more "extensive strikes" throughout Iran's capital Tehran.

  3. US offers $10m bounties for Iranian leaders and military figurespublished at 18:21 GMT

    The US is offering rewards of up to $10m (£7.6m) to anyone with information on "key leaders" of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

    A notice issued by the US State Department references 10 individuals in particular, though only six are named.

    Among them are new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani, who was pictured attending a pro-establishment rally in central Tehran earlier.

    The US says they "command and direct various elements" Iran's IRGC military wing.

    A poster offering cash rewards for 10 Iranian leadersImage source, US State Department
  4. Senior Iranian leaders emerge to attend pro-regime ralliespublished at 17:58 GMT

    Ghoncheh Habibiazad
    Senior reporter, BBC Persian

    Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the back of a motorcycle while attending the Quds Day march in Tehran, Iran,Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    President Masoud Pezeshkian waved to crowds from the back of a motorcycle at a rally in Tehran

    Iranian outlets have published several photos and videos of officials attending pro-establishment rallies in central Tehran to mark Quds Day, an annual pro-Palestinian event.

    They include Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani, Police Chief Ahmadreza Radan, and Judiciary Chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei.

    In one video, Ejei is seen giving an interview to Iran’s state TV when an explosion happens nearby, with the pro-establishment crowd chanting Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest) near him after the explosion.

    In another video, Pezeshkian is seen walking down a street and taking selfies with the crowd.

    BBC Persian and BBC Verify have verified footage showing an explosion in the Iranian capital near the crowd.

    In his message yesterday, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called on Iranians to participate in rallies today to help "confront the enemy".

    Media caption,

    Moment of strike during Tehran pro-government rally

  5. Mojtaba Khamenei: A largely unknown man who became supreme leaderpublished at 17:44 GMT

    Headshot of Khamenei who looks into the camera. he wears a black head covering and glassesImage source, Reuters

    Earlier today, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said the newly-appointed Iranian supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is now in hiding - "wounded" and "likely disfigured".

    Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - who was killed in US-Israeli strikes last week - was chosen as his successor on Sunday. He hasn't appeared in public so far, only releasing a written statement that was read out on Iranian state television yesterday.

    The 56-year-old has kept a low profile, never held government office or given public speeches or interviews.

    But for years there have been rumours that he held considerable influence behind the scenes in Iran.

    At 17, Mojtaba served in the military for several short periods during the Iran-Iraq War, according to Iranian media. In 1999, he went to Qom to continue his religious studies.

    Mojtaba remains a mid-ranking cleric, which could pose an obstacle to his acceptance as the new supreme leader.

  6. No attacks in Strait of Hormuz in last 24 hours, says monitoring grouppublished at 17:34 GMT

    The bottom half of the image is a sea with little waves and in the far distance at the horizon is the outline of a tanker sailingImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    A tanker sailing in the Straits of Hormuz, as seen from Ras al-Khaimah in the UAE

    There have been no confirmed attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz over the last 24 hours, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a Royal Navy-backed monitoring group which tracks shipping incidents.

    UKMTO says at least 29 maritime incidents involving commercial vessels and offshore infrastructure have been reported since 1 March, the day after the US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran.

    Iran has since said it is retaliating by attacking Western vessels in the important shipping channel, but the monitoring group says there has been "no consistent pattern" in those targeted.

    Instead, it says Iran's tactic appears to be to create "broad maritime disruption rather than selective vessel targeting".

    The threat level in the Strait, as well as the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, remains critical, an update adds.

  7. Death toll rises as conflict continues across the Middle Eastpublished at 17:23 GMT

    A drone view shows two destroyed buildings and several damaged cars from aboveImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    A drone view of damaged buildings, following barrages towards Israel from Hezbollah in Lebanon

    The Lebanese health ministry has said that 773 people have been killed and 1,933 others have been injured since the conflict with Israel began.

    The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports that, up until the end of 12 March, at least 1,858 people have been killed in Iran, including 1,286 civilians and 199 military personnel.

    Israeli authorities say that, as of 10 March, 12 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire since the start of the war. Two Israeli soldiers have also been killed in combat in Lebanon, according to the Israeli military.

    The US military death toll has risen to 13 after six crew members on a US military refuelling aircraft were confirmed dead after their plane crashed in western Iraq.

    The paramilitary Shia-dominant Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) says that 27 people have also been killed in airstrikes in Iraq since the start of the month, reports BBC Monitoring and Iraqi media.

    Also in Iraq, a French soldier was killed in a drone strike in Erbil which left six other service members injured.

    The UAE Ministry of Defencesays six people have been killed since Iran began its attacks. And in Oman, two Indian nationals were killed in a strike in Sohar, India's Ministry of External Affairs has said.

  8. Iran arrests ‘head of Starlink internet sales network’ - reportpublished at 17:10 GMT

    Ghoncheh Habibiazad
    Senior reporter, BBC Persian

    Iran police have arrested a person in the southern Fars Province over allegedly “set[ting] up a network across several provinces of the country to sell unfiltered internet via Starlink”, according to a report by the semi-official Mehr News Agency.

    The deputy commander of the Fars Province Police has identified the person as a 37-year-old man, adding that a “Starlink device and related equipment were discovered at the suspect’s hideout”.

    It is still very difficult to contact those inside Iran amid the internet outage imposed by the government at the start of the war, but some tech-savvy residents have been using Starlink devices and sharing their connection with others.

    Using Starlink in Iran carries a punishment of up to two years in prison, and authorities have reportedly been searching for the dishes to stop people from connecting.

  9. Israel says it's killed 'several' Basij soldiers in Tehranpublished at 17:00 GMT

    The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says its air force "struck and eliminated several soldiers" that were part of the Basij forces at roadblocks in Tehran overnight.

    The Basij is a loyalist volunteer paramilitary force, often used to crack down on protests against the regime. Its forces have been operating checkpoints in Tehran.

    The IDF says the strikes were part of its goal to destroy Iran's military systems and operatives.

    Israel has said throughout the conflict that they urge Iranians to protest against the regime.

  10. Israeli emergency services tackle fire near Tel Avivpublished at 16:50 GMT

    Emergency services have been tackling a fire on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had launched missile attacks on Israel jointly with Hezbollah, according to Iranian state media.

    Air alerts sounded in Tel Aviv, central Israel and parts of the occupied West Bank.

    Fire engulfs a buildingImage source, Reuters
    Firefighters climb a ladder into a building on fireImage source, AFP via Getty Images
    Thick plumes of smoke in the sky next to a building on fireImage source, Reuters
  11. Analysis

    Questions still unanswered on war's timeline and endgamepublished at 16:40 GMT

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from the White House

    Pete Hegseth points towards a raised hand as he speaks during a press conferenceImage source, EPA

    We still do not have much in the way of insight from Donald Trump or members of his administration on how long this conflict will take, or what the end might look like.

    In an interview with Fox News earlier, Trump said only that the conflict will end "when I feel it in my bones".

    Defence officials, including Pete Hegseth, have previously only said that US military operations will continue until its objectives - which include the destruction of Iran's naval and missile capacity - are achieved.

    And while Trump has said he expects "unconditional surrender" from Iran's government and a hand in choosing a new leader, there is very little indication from the administration of what that might look like.

    Trump has previously suggested that he hopes a figure from within Iran's government - someone "internal and eternal" might emerge to serve as the country's equivalent of Venezuela's Delcy Rodriguez.

    But so far, Iran's leadership has remained defiant and seemingly so far unwilling to come to a negotiated end to the conflict.

  12. BBC Verify

    Verified images show damaged US tanker jet in Israelpublished at 16:31 GMT

    By Peter Mwai and Rob Corp

    BBC Verify has confirmed as genuine images showing a US Air Force KC-135 refuelling aircraft with damage to its tailfin at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.

    It is so far not clear what caused the damage nor whether this particular aircraft was involved in an incident on Thursday where another US KC-135 crashed over western Iraq, killing all six crew onboard.

    A BBC Verify annotation of a picture of KC-135 at Tel Aviv airport with damage to the tailfin that we have highlighted

    The first image shows the aircraft on the ground at the airport next to a white car, which has an Israeli number plate.

    Additional images published by Israeli public broadcaster Kan show the other side of the aircraft where the damage to the tail can be clearly seen. Checks on the pictures show they were taken at Ben Gurion Airport and were not uploaded before today.

    Data from Flightradar24 shows the aircraft over Jordan before it headed towards Israel. It was seen circling several times before tracking stopped short of the airport. The aircraft was broadcasting the 7700 emergency code to air traffic control.

  13. A closer look at the easing of US sanctions on Russian oilpublished at 16:19 GMT

    Yellow and red shipping containers piled how in a portImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Shipping containers waiting at Umm Qasr Port located in Basra Governorate in southern Iraq on 12 March 2026

    The US has loosened sanctions on Russian oil in a bid to reduce the global economic impact of disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, the world's busiest oil shipping passage.

    What's changed?

    • The US has introduced a waiver that will allow countries to buy up Russian oil which, under current sanctions, has been floating at sea, unable to be sold
    • The waiver will be active for one month
    • It applies to oil which was loaded onto vessels before Wednesday

    Until now

    • US sanctions have been in place preventing countries from purchasing Russian oil as a result of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine
    • The US has retaliated against countries it thinks might be violating the sanctions. In August, Washington imposed a 50% tariff on imports from India over allegations the country was helping to finance Putin's war in Ukraine by buying Russian oil
  14. Britain shot down 'multiple drones' overnight, MoD sayspublished at 16:06 GMT

    A British counter-drone unit has shot down "multiple drones overnight" following recent strikes on coalition bases in Iraq, the Ministry of Defence says.

    It comes after a French soldier was killed in a drone attack in Iraq's Erbil region last night, and a base housing UK and US forces in the area came under attack on Wednesday.

    Overnight, UK Typhoon jets flew air defence operations over Bahrain for the first time, the ministry adds.

    It says: "British Typhoon and F-35 jets are now flying in defence of British interests and allies across Qatar, Cyprus, UAE, Jordan, and Bahrain."

  15. Iran says it has launched joint attack on Israel with Hezbollahpublished at 15:44 GMT
    Breaking

    Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has launched missile attacks on Israel jointly with Hezbollah, reports Iranian state-linked news agency Tasmin.

    The Iranian military wing says the IRGC navy and drone unit were involved alongside the Lebanese armed group, with which it is allied.

    Air alerts have been triggered in Tel Aviv, central Israel and parts of the occupied West Bank.

    There have been no reports of casualties or damage from this latest wave of strikes so far.

  16. Trump says war with Iran will end 'when I feel it, okay?'published at 15:25 GMT

    Trump speaks during a Women's History Month eventImage source, Reuters

    US President Donald Trump has been speaking to Fox News, in an interview that aired on Friday.

    Here are the key lines:

    On when the war with Iran might end: When asked when he will know the war is over, Trump replies: "When I feel it, okay? I feel it in my bones"

    On Iran's new supreme leader: "I think he's damaged, but I think he's probably alive in some form," Trump says of Mojtaba Khamenei, who is yet to be seen in public

    On the Strait of Hormuz: The US would escort oil tankers through the Strait "if we need to", but "hopefully things are going to go very well. We'll see what happens", Trump says

    On damaging Iran: He says over the next week "we're going to be hitting them very hard". He adds: "We've already damaged them so badly it would take years for them to ever rebuild"

    On Gulf allies: Trump says the "unity is tremendous", and he has spoken to most of them today. They're "doing a very good job in protecting themselves", he adds

  17. 'A serious bailout': Experts speak to BBC on easing of US sanctions on Russia oilpublished at 15:17 GMT

    Archie Mitchell
    Business reporter

    Putin and Trump shake handsImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    A file photo of Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump meeting in Alaska, August 2025

    With world leaders - including Zelensky and Macron - warning that the US's easing of sanctions on Russian oil "does not help peace", the BBC has been speaking to experts warning that Russia stands to make huge financial gains.

    For Russia

    The move is "a serious bailout" for Putin's regime, says Benjamin Hilgenstock, head of macroeconomic research and strategy at the Kyiv School of Economics.

    He estimates that Russian oil exports could be boosted by around $10bn (£7.5bn), with half of this being paid in tax straight into the government's coffers.

    If the crisis in Iran continues for longer than a month or two, it could put Russia's economy "back in quite a comfortable situation", says Hilgenstock.

    For the wider world

    On a global scale, the move will "only scratch the surface" of the supply disruption in the Persian Gulf, says Warren Patterson, head of commodities strategy at Dutch bank ING.

    "There is only one solution for the oil market and that is getting oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz," he says.

    Patterson says that India and other Asian countries - that have been most affected by the Strait's closure - are most likely to buy up the newly-available Russian oil.

  18. US easing sanctions on Russian oil 'does not help peace', Zelensky sayspublished at 14:58 GMT

    Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and France's President Emmanuel Macron (R) put on a earpiece as they deliver a speech during a joint press conferenceImage source, Reuters

    During a visit to France, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the US decision to ease sanctions on Russian oil "does not help peace".

    Speaking at a news conference alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, he says it could provide Russia with about $10bn (£7.4bn) to fund its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

    Macron says Russia is "mistaken" if it believes the US-Israel war with Iran would "offer it a respite".

    He also says that the G7 reaffirmed during a meeting on Wednesday that rising oil costs "must in no way lead us to reconsider our sanctions policy toward Russia".

  19. Lebanon says Israel has not responded to calls for negotiationspublished at 14:42 GMT

    Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun (R) receiving United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres (L) at the Presidential Palace in BaabdaImage source, Lebanese Presidency Press Office/AFP via Getty Images

    The Lebanese president says he has not received a response to his proposal for direct negotiation with Israel amid its war with Hezbollah.

    "I expressed my readiness to negotiate, but until now we have not received a response from the other side," says Joseph Aoun in a statement after meeting with UN Secretary General António Guterres in Beirut.

    Aoun also criticises "Israeli aggressions" and says they "must be halted".

    He has previously called Hezbollah an "armed faction" that gives "no weight to Lebanon's interests or to the lives of its people".

    Israel argues that Beirut has not taken meaningful steps toward disarming Hezbollah, viewing it as the responsibility of the Lebanese government under a previous ceasefire agreement.

  20. 'There was a boom sound - like a strike - and suddenly we saw leaflets'published at 14:33 GMT

    Alice Cuddy
    Reporting from southern Lebanon

    I’ve been speaking to people in the Lebanese capital Beirut after the Israeli military dropped leaflets over the city today, calling on civilians to act against Hezbollah.

    Alaa Shikhani says he thought it was an air strike when he heard the bang of leaflets being released overhead.

    He looked up and saw them in the sky, blowing to other parts of the city.

    State media says an Israeli aircraft was flying at a low altitude before dropping the leaflets over a number of areas, including the Hamra neighbourhood of west Beirut.

    The leaflets say: "You must disarm Hezbollah, Iran’s shield”, and “Lebanon is your decision, not someone else’s”.

    They include a QR code, along with the phrase: “Unit 504 is working to secure the future of Lebanon and its people", referring to an Israeli military intelligence unit.

    The Lebanese army has warned people against scanning the code, and people I've been speaking to here tell me locals are saying the same. One man has showed me a leaflet with the code ripped in half.

    Ali Chedid, who is selling strawberries in Beirut after being displaced from his home in southern Lebanon, says there was a "boom sound, like a strike, and suddenly we saw the leaflets".

    The 33-year-old laughs as he describes the wording on the leaflets as "gibberish". Another man says that "no matter what they do we're going to stay and resist".

    The Israeli military has not commented.