Middle East conflict

April 4, 2026 5:44 PM

Iran leaves door open for peace talks as hunt for missing US pilot continues

Iranian forces were hunting for a missing U.S. pilot on Saturday from one of two warplanes downed over Iran and the Gulf, raising the stakes for Washington as the war entered its sixth week with scant prospect of peace talks in sight. The incidents show the risks still facing U.S. and Israeli aircraft over Iran, despite assertions by President Donald Trump and his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that U.S. forces had total control of the skies. The prospect of a U.S. service member alive and on ...

April 4, 2026 9:31 AM

Trump proposes ‘historic’ defense spending budget, eyes 10% cut to other federal programs

President Donald Trump on Friday requested a 10% cut in non-defense spending for the 2027 fiscal year and a massive $500 billion increase in the military budget, as the U.S. continues its war against Iran. The 2027 budget request comes as the president faces risky choices abroad, with the administration sending U.S. service members to the Middle East, and a weary public at home feeling the economic crunch of skyrocketing gas prices due to the conflict. The request ultimately requires approval ...

April 4, 2026 9:26 AM

Trump says US can take Strait of Hormuz with more time

President Donald Trump on Friday said the U.S. can open the Strait of Hormuz with a little more time, as pressure mounts for his administration to find a quick resolution to a war against Iran. "With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL,& MAKE A FORTUNE," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Nearly five weeks after it started ⁠with a joint U.S.-Israeli aerial assault, the war in Iran continues to spread chaos across the region and roil financial markets...

April 2, 2026 9:24 AM

Global Stocks sink, oil surges as Trump vows to keep hitting Iran

Global markets recoiled on Thursday as war jitters over Iran deepened, with stocks sliding, oil surging and the dollar firming after U.S. President Donald Trump dashed hopes for clarity on when the Middle East conflict might end. Trump said in a prime-time address that the U.S. would hit Iran "extremely hard" within weeks, claiming military goals were nearly achieved and the conflict was close to ending. The front-month Brent contract for June jumped about 5% to $106.16 per barrel after invest...

March 30, 2026 2:21 PM

Pakistan, Afghanistan trade fire as Islamabad prepares to host US-Iran talks

Afghanistan and Pakistan have traded heavy fire, both sides said, days after they announced a temporary pause in fighting, escalating tensions in the volatile region as Islamabad said it hopes to host potential talks between the U.S. and Iran. The border clashes came on Sunday, the day Pakistan hosted regional powers to discuss de-escalation in the war in the Middle East, with an announcement that Islamabad could host the talks in coming days. Both sides used artillery and heavy weapons to hit...

March 30, 2026 1:48 PM

Arab League condemns Iran attacks on Gulf states, backs right to respond

The Council of the League of Arab States has issued a strong condemnation of what it described as Iran’s deliberate and unprovoked attacks on several Arab countries, warning that the strikes threaten regional stability and international security. In a virtual meeting chaired by Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani - Foreign Minister of Bahrain, Arab foreign ministers condemned attacks targeting Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq. The Council said the strikes hit r...

March 30, 2026 12:56 PM

Aluminium prices surge after Iran-linked strikes hit gulf smelters

Aluminium prices on the London Metal Exchange jumped six percent on Monday, nearing four-year highs after Iranian-linked strikes damaged key Gulf production facilities over the weekend, raising fears of supply disruptions from one of the world’s most important aluminium-producing regions. Benchmark three-month aluminium climbed to 3,492 dollars per metric tonne, its highest level since mid-March, as markets reacted to damage at facilities operated by Emirates Global Aluminium and Aluminium Ba...

March 30, 2026 10:56 AM

Indian national killed as Kuwait reports damage to desalination plant

Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy says a service building at one of its power and water desalination plants was damaged in an Iranian attack, leaving one worker of Indian nationality dead and causing significant material losses. According to ministry spokesperson Fatima Abbas Jawhar Hayat, the incident took place on Sunday evening, March 29. Emergency and technical teams were deployed immediately, following established contingency plans, to contain the damage and ma...

March 30, 2026 10:50 AM

Israel expands Mount Hermon operations as strikes intensify across Lebanon

Israeli military operations across Lebanon have intensified in the latest escalation, with Israel expanding its buffer zone in southern Lebanon and launching fresh strikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the expansion, saying the move is aimed at preventing Hezbollah infiltration and strengthening security along Israel’s northern frontier. Israeli forces also reported killing Hezbollah fighters allegedly planting explosives near the border, as artillery and airstrikes target...

March 30, 2026 10:44 AM

West Asia conflict widens as fresh strikes hit Iran and regional tensions rise

West Asia is bracing for further escalation after Israeli forces carried out another wave of airstrikes on Tehran and other parts of Iran, targeting weapons storage sites, production facilities, command centres, air defence systems and observation posts. The Israeli military said its forces are fully prepared for a multi-front war, signalling the possibility of a broader regional confrontation. Separately, an Israeli soldier was killed during ongoing operations in southern Lebanon, while three o...