Summary

  1. BBC visits aftermath of Israeli strike on Lebanon that killed familypublished at 05:09 GMT

    The yellow flag of the Hezbollah group hanging by the ruins of a house
    Image caption,

    The yellow flag of the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah was hanging on top of a pile of rubble

    As Israel continues to attack targets connected to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the BBC visited the remains of a home where eight members of a family, including three children, were killed in a strike.

    The strike hit a home and shop on Wednesday evening as an extended family, including three children - aged five, nine and 14 - were gathering to break the Ramadan fast, locals said.

    It is one of hundreds of strikes the Israeli military has carried out in Lebanon since the war with Hezbollah resumed almost two weeks ago.

    The Israeli military told the BBC it had targeted "Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure while Hezbollah operatives were present".

    Neighbours and relatives at the scene said they had no knowledge of this.

    Read more from BBC reporter Alice Cuddy in Younine, Lebanon here.

  2. How countries have responded to Trump's call to secure Strait of Hormuzpublished at 04:33 GMT

    In a post on his platform Truth Social on Saturday, Trump wrote that he hoped five countries - China, France, Japan, South Korea and the UK - would send warships to the Strait of Hormuz so it can "no longer be a threat" by Iran.

    Here's how some of the countries have responded so far:

    UK: "As we've said previously, we are currently discussing with our allies and partners a range of options to ensure the security of shipping in the region," a UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson says.

    China: A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington told CNN that China calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

    The spokesperson did not say whether Beijing would accept Trump's request, but said all parties have a responsibility to ensure a stable and unimpeded energy supply, adding that China would continue to strengthen communication with relevant parties.

    The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping route in the Gulf region, is one of the world's most important shipping routes. Bounded to the north by Iran and to the south by Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Strait of Hormuz connects the Gulf with the Arabian Sea. The strait is deep enough for the world's biggest crude oil tankers, and is used by the major oil and gas producers in the Middle East - and their customers.

    Japan: Tokyo, which sees the US as its closest ally, has not officially responded to Trump's call yet. But officials told Japanese outlet NHK Sunday that this issue could be on the agenda of PM Sanae Takaichi's upcoming trip to the US, which starts Wednesday.

    A foreign ministry official told the outlet that Japan will not immediately dispatch naval vessels just because Trump asked. "Japan decides its own response, and independent judgment is fundamental," the official said.

    France: The French government has not issued an immediate response either.

    But on Saturday, hours after Trump's post, the foreign ministry's official response account on X denied reports that the country was sending its warships to the Strait of Hormuz.

    "No, [the French] aircraft carrier and its group [are] staying the eastern Mediterranean. Posture has not changed: defensive it is," the post reads.

    South Korea: There has been no immediate response from Seoul.

  3. F1 cancels two upcoming races in Middle Eastpublished at 03:53 GMT

    Formula One cars race along a track in front of a grandstand at night.Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    The Bahrain Grand Prix in 2025

    The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grand Prix events have officially been cancelled, Formula One has announced.

    They were initially scheduled for 12 April and 19 April respectively.

    In a statement, Formula One says the cancellation is due to the "ongoing situation in the Middle East" and while alternatives were considered, no substitutions will be made for the races.

    The cancellations mean there will be a five-week gap between the Japanese Grand Prix on 27-29 March and Miami on 1-3 May.

    "The FIA will always place the safety and wellbeing of our community and colleagues first. After careful consideration, we have taken this decision with that responsibility firmly in mind," said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

    You can read more about the impact of the decision here.

  4. Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Qatar report interceptionspublished at 03:26 GMT

    The Saudi Arabian defence ministry says on its official X account that it has recently intercepted and destroyed seven drones in Riyadh and the Eastern Region.

    Earlier this morning, authorities in Dubai and Qatar also reported air defence interceptions.

    Dubai’s media office posted on X, saying the sounds heard in the Marina and Al Sufouh areas were the result of successful interceptions.

    Kuwait has also reported several drone interceptions.

    Meanwhile, the Qatari defence ministry said it had intercepted four ballistic missiles and a number of drones launched by Iran on Saturday.

  5. Americans urged to leave countries across Middle Eastpublished at 02:54 GMT

    As we reported earlier, the US embassy in Baghdad has issued a fresh warning for its citizens to leave Iraq after a missile hit the embassy building earlier on Saturday.

    In its warning, the US embassy said citizens should "leave Iraq now".

    "US citizens choosing to remain in Iraq are strongly encouraged to reconsider in light of the significant threat posed by Iran-aligned terrorist militia groups," the embassy wrote.

    As Iran has launched strikes at US targets across the Middle East, the US has urged its citizens to leave more than a dozen countries.

    Separately, the US said on Saturday it had ordered non-emergency government employees and the relatives of government employees to leave Oman, according to Reuters.

    Map of US evacautions in Middle East
  6. Israel intercepts Iranian missilespublished at 02:23 GMT

    The Israeli military says it has been intercepting missiles launched from Iran in the early hours of the morning.

    The missile barrage was targeted at central Israel, emergency services say.

    No injuries have been reported so far by Israeli authorities.

    Streaks of light illuminate the sky with a bright yellow circle during a missile interception.Image source, Reuters
    Streaks of light illuminate the night sky during a missile interception.Image source, Reuters
    Streaks of light illuminate the night sky during a missile interception.Image source, AFP
  7. Tokyo cautious over Trump's Strait of Hormuz call, reports saypublished at 01:54 GMT

    Sanae Takaichi speaks to media at her residence in Tokyo on 11 MarchImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is visiting the US soon for talks with Trump

    Tokyo has not officially responded to Trump's call for its warships to be sent to the Strait of Hormuz.

    But the Japanese government believes the issue could be on the agenda during Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's upcoming trip to the US, which starts on Wednesday, according to local media.

    A defence ministry official told Japanese outlet NHK on Sunday morning that Japan could be "forced to make difficult decisions" if it dispatches its Self-Defence Forces.

    The official added that the government needs to "carefully assess" whether there will be special requests regarding this during the Japan-US summit.

    Meanwhile, a foreign ministry official told the outlet that Tokyo will not immediately dispatch naval vessels just because Trump asked.

    "Japan decides its own response, and independent judgment is fundamental," the official said.

  8. US identifies six soldiers killed in refuelling aircraft crashpublished at 01:26 GMT

    The US Department of Defense has identified the six soldiers who died in a military refuelling aircraft crash in Iraq on 12 March.

    A statement released on Saturday named them as John A. Klinner, Ariana G. Savino, Ashley B. Pruitt, Seth R. Koval, Curtis J. Angst and Tyler H. Simmons.

    They were crew members of a KC-135 aircraft, a tanker that was involved in ongoing US operations against Iran.

    The Pentagon has said the incident is under investigation. The US previously said neither hostile nor friendly fire was involved in the loss of the aircraft.

    A woman with brown hair wearing a military jumpsuit smiles at the camera.Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Captain Ariana G. Savino was one of the US personnel killed in the crash

  9. Iraq to fly private plane to World Cup play-off in Mexicopublished at 01:08 GMT

    Iraq's football team before a match in NovemberImage source, Reuters

    Iraq’s football team plans to travel to Mexico by private plane for their World Cup play-off, though coach Graham Arnold has asked to postpone the match because of the US-Israeli war with Iran.

    Iraq’s team is due to play either Bolivia or Suriname in Monterrey on 31 March, with the winner of the inter-continental play-off booking their place at the 2026 World Cup.

    Airspace across much of the Middle East has been closed since 28 February.

    In a video statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency, Iraq Football Association chief Adnan Dirjal said he had written to Fifa to explain the "difficulty of the journey" because of the war.

    "The national team will depart at the end of the week to Mexico via a private plane,” he said.

    "My message to everyone: only 17 days remain, and we must focus and prepare for the match. We have one goal, which is qualifying for the World Cup," Dirjal added.

  10. Trump questions whether Iran's new supreme leader alivepublished at 00:36 GMT

    In that interview with NBC on Saturday, Trump also raised questions about the fate of Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's slain former leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

    “I don’t know if he’s even alive. So far, nobody’s been able to show him,” Trump said, because Khamenei issued his first statement via writing rather than speaking on camera on Thursday.

    “I’m hearing he’s not alive, and if he is, he should do something very smart for his country, and that’s surrender,” Trump added, before describing the news of his death as a "rumour".

  11. Trump says he's not ready to make a dealpublished at 23:57 GMT 14 March

    In a telephone interview with US outlet NBC News on Saturday, US President Donald Trump said Iran wanted to make a deal, but he was unwilling to do so now "because the terms are not good enough yet".

    Though he refused to say what those terms would be, Trump said that an Iranian commitment to abandon any nuclear ambitions would be part of a potential deal.

    In the same interview, Trump also said that several countries have committed to helping secure the Strait of Hormuz, though he refused to name them.

    Trump also said that the US had "totally demolished" Kharg Island - a critical hub for Iranian oil exports - but added that "we may hit it a few more times just for fun".

    He also shrugged off fears about rising oil prices. "There’s so much oil, gas - there’s so much out there, but you know, it’s being clogged up a little bit. It’ll be unclogged very soon," he said.

  12. Footballers withdraw Australia asylum applications, Iran sayspublished at 23:30 GMT 14 March

    Ghoncheh Habibiazad
    Senior reporter, BBC Persian

    As we learned a little earlier, Iran's Ministry of Sports has officially confirmed that three more members of Iranian women's national football team withdrew their asylum applications to Australia.

    According to the statement published by the website of reformist daily Shargh, Mona Hamoudi, Zahra Sarbali, and Zahra Meshkeh Kar - two players and one member of the coaching staff - are returning to Iran.

    The statement says that another player, Mohaddeseh Zolfi, had previously announced her decision to return to Iran.

    "The national spirit and patriotism of the Iranian women's national football team defeated the enemy's plans against this team", the statement says, also accusing Australia's government of "playing in Trump's field".

    US President Donald Trump had said that on Truth Social platform that Australia should "give asylum" to the women or "the US will take them if you won't."

  13. Swiss government denies request from US military to fly over its territorypublished at 22:20 GMT 14 March

    Switzerland has denied two requests from the US to fly over its territory as part of the military action in the Middle East.

    It cited its law of neutrality, which "prohibits overflights by parties to the conflict that serve a military purpose related to the conflict", the government's statement says.

    However, the Swiss government says it did allow three other flights, one for maintenance and two for transport aircraft.

  14. 'We will end up with a ruined Iran': Three Iranians share views on US striking key oil islandpublished at 21:54 GMT 14 March

    Ghoncheh Habibiazad
    Senior reporter, BBC Persian

    It's still very difficult to contact those inside Iran amid the internet outage imposed by the government at the start of the war, but some residents have been finding ways - such as using Starlink devices and sharing their connection with others - to get in touch with the outside world.

    I asked a few of them for their reaction to the US strikes on Kharg Island.

    "I strongly disagree and I’m worried. I think at this pace we will end up with a ruined Iran," a man in his 20s, from Tehran, tells me.

    "I just hope energy facilities are not attacked. It’s unclear how many years it would take to rebuild them, but I really don't care about military sites," says another man in his 20s, from Karaj.

    "I went there once, years ago. It’s a very small island with kind people, but even then the situation wasn’t very good," a man in his 30s from the capital tells me. "I felt the island hadn’t progressed much, and I think it’s the Islamic Republic fault that they were neglected."

    Media caption,

    Watch: Why Kharg Island is a lifeline for Iran

    • BBC Persian is the Persian language service of BBC News, used by 24 million people around the world - the majority in Iran - despite being blocked and routinely jammed by Iranian authorities.
  15. Lebanon says Israeli strike on health centre killed 12 medical workerspublished at 21:41 GMT 14 March

    An Israeli strike on a health centre in southern Lebanon on Friday killed 12 medical workers, including doctors and nurses, Lebanon's ministry of public health says.

    The strike has been condemned by the chief of the World Health Organization. "These incidents highlight the ongoing assault on Lebanon’s healthcare system, which is crucial for the populations it serves," Tedros Ghebreyesus says.

    "WHO condemns this tragic loss of life and emphasises that health workers must always be protected."

    The Israeli military says it's aware of reports of a strike in the Borj Qalaouiye area in southern Lebanon, and the incident is under review.

  16. You are attacking the peacemakers, UAE tells Iranpublished at 20:59 GMT 14 March

    UAE's Minister of State Lana NusseibehImage source, Reuters

    A little earlier, UAE Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh told NBC News her country had responded well to a "really disgusting, illegal onslaught" from Iran, which has included strikes "shockingly aimed at civilian infrastructure".

    The UAE did not want this war but will "fully and assertively" defend itself, she added, accusing Iran of "attacking the peacemakers in the region".

    Commenting on Iran's ballistic missile programme, she said the past 14 days have shown there is no world in which countries can safely coexist with Iran while it has those capabilities.

    Despite this, Nusseibeh described life in the UAE as "pretty normal" given the circumstances, albeit "tense".

  17. Six arrested in Bahrain for sharing videos of Iran attackspublished at 20:47 GMT 14 March

    Six people have been arrested in Bahrain for posting videos of the aftermath of Iranian strikes, the country's interior ministry says.

    In a statement, it says the detainees were glorifying Iran's actions and "spreading false information".

    "The Interior Ministry stated that the videos were circulated through their social media accounts, which could mislead public opinion, spread fear among citizens and residents, and undermine security and public order," it adds.

    Earlier we shared that at least 45 people have been arrested the United Arab Emirates, for sharing images on social media related to Iranian attacks on that country.

  18. Fire continues to burn at key oil port in UAE, government sayspublished at 20:39 GMT 14 March

    The Fujairah Government media office says they are still trying to put out a fire caused by debris that fell on the port after a targeted strike.

    In a statement, it adds that a Jordanian citizen sustained minor injuries in the incident.

    The UAE port Fujairah was targeted by a strike earlier on Saturday. It's a key location for the refuelling of ships and one of the largest oil storage facilities in the region.

    Two plumes of black smoke rise among white siloes on the side of a wide highway where white cars are also drivingImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Smoke rises from a major energy installation in Fujairah

  19. Strikes heard across Tehran, sources tell the BBCpublished at 20:14 GMT 14 March

    Ghoncheh Habibiazad
    Senior reporter, BBC Persian

    Strikes have been heard in Tehran's centre and west, as air defence sounds are heard in the east, three sources in the Iranian capital city tell me.

  20. More than 40 people arrested over filming, sharing photos of Iran attacks in UAEpublished at 20:08 GMT 14 March

    Nick Beake
    Europe Correspondent reporting from Dubai

    Police in Abu Dhabi, the federal capital of the United Arab Emirates, say they have arrested 45 people for filming and sharing images on social media related to Iranian attacks on the country.

    Officers said those who’d been detained were of various nationalities.

    The UAE authorities have warned they will crack down on activity that "provokes public opinion and spread rumours.”

    Yesterday, the British Embassy in the UAE shared a message on its social media about the risk of prosecution for people taking photos or videos where there had been Iranian attacks or of recording at military or sensitive locations.

    Here in Dubai, a 60 year-old British man was charged under cyber-crime laws in Dubai after allegedly filming Iranian missiles over the city.

    Few details about the case have emerged.

    It’s a reminder that while the UAE may market itself as a global hub and beacon of business, there are often greater restrictions on what you can say and post in Gulf states than in most of the western countries many expats have left for Dubai.