Middle East conflict

March 20, 2026 4:33 PM

Six Indians dead, one missing in Gulf amid West Asia conflict; 3 lakh return since Feb 28: MEA

Six Indian nationals have lost their lives and one remains missing in separate incidents across the Gulf region amid the ongoing West Asia conflict, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday. Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing, Additional Secretary (Gulf) in the MEA, Aseem R Mahajan, said Indian missions in the region are working closely with local authorities to trace the missing individual and facilitate the early repatriation of the deceased. “Six Indian nationals have u...

March 20, 2026 12:49 PM

US and Israeli war aims in Iran are not the same, US spy chief says

American and Israeli objectives for the war on Iran are not the same, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on Thursday, with Israel focused on disabling Iran's leadership and U.S. President Donald Trump focused on destroying Iran's ballistic missile program and navy. "The objectives that have been laid out by the president are different from the objectives that have been laid out by the Israeli government," Gabbard told the House intelligence committee's annual hearing on w...

March 20, 2026 11:57 AM

EAM Jaishankar, Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar discuss West Asia conflict

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held a telephonic conversation with his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar on Thursday to discuss the ongoing conflict in West Asia and its wider repercussions. Following the call, Jaishankar said in a post on X, “Had a telecon with FM Gideon Saar of Israel this evening. Exchanged views on the ongoing West Asia conflict and its many repercussions.” The conversation comes amid heightened tensions in the region following strikes by the United States and ...

March 20, 2026 11:56 AM

Global oil prices fall up to 3% as US signals possible easing of Iran sanctions

Global oil prices declined on Friday after the United States signalled a potential easing of sanctions on Iranian crude, amid efforts to stabilise supplies and ensure smooth shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent Crude futures fell as much as 3.39 per cent to an intra-day low of $104.96 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude declined 3.22 per cent to $92.47, also touching an intra-day low. The drop in oil prices followed remarks by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who ...

March 20, 2026 10:28 AM

EU leaders call for moratorium on strikes against energy and water facilities in Middle East

European Union leaders called on Thursday for a moratorium on military strikes on energy and water facilities in the Middle East, amid growing concerns about the impact of the Iran war on the global economy. "The European Council calls for de-escalation and maximum restraint, the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and full respect of international law by all parties," the leaders of the EU's 27 countries said in written conclusions of a summit in Brussels. "In this regard, it ...

March 20, 2026 10:17 AM

Trump calls for Japan, NATO to ‘step up’ on Iran as oil prices bite

President Donald Trump on Thursday urged Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to "step up" as he pressed allies for more support over the war with Iran and rising oil prices, while defending the secrecy of the campaign by invoking Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Trump, who greeted Takaichi with hugs at the White House, heaped praise on the leader of Washington's closest ally in East Asia during an Oval Office meeting where the expected topics of discussion included tense relations ...

March 20, 2026 10:15 AM

Netanyahu wants oil, gas to flow through Israel post-Iran war

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he believes pipelines should be built to transport Middle East oil and gas across the Arabian Peninsula and up to Israeli ports to avoid threats by Iran in the Hormuz Strait and other Gulf waters. A day after Israel attacked Iran's main gas field in a sharp escalation of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, Netanyahu told a press conference that Tehran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium, a claim that has been contested by the U.N.'s nuclear ...

March 20, 2026 10:12 AM

US may remove sanctions on Iranian oil stranded in tankers, Bessent says

The U.S. may soon remove sanctions on Iranian oil stranded on tankers at sea, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday as Washington seeks to curb prices soaring over Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. "In the coming days, we may unsanction the Iranian oil that's on the water. It's about 140 million barrels," Bessent told Fox Business Network's "Mornings with Maria" program. He said the release of the sanctioned Iranian oil into global supplies would help keep oil prices down for...

March 20, 2026 10:30 AM

Trump tells Israel not to repeat strikes on Iranian energy as crisis deepens

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he had told Israel not to repeat its attacks on Iranian natural gas infrastructure as tit-for-tat strikes on energy plants sent energy prices spiralling, sharply escalating the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Trump's comment came as energy prices jumped on Thursday after Iran responded to an Israeli attack on a major gas field by hitting Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, which processes around a fifth of the world's liquefied natural gas, causing damage ...

March 20, 2026 9:49 AM

Iran attacks wipe out 17% of Qatar’s LNG capacity for up to five years, QatarEnergy CEO says

Iranian attacks have knocked out 17% of Qatar's liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity, causing an estimated $20 billion in lost annual revenue and threatening supplies to Europe and Asia, QatarEnergy's CEO and state minister for energy affairs told Reuters on Thursday. Saad al-Kaabi said two of Qatar's 14 LNG trains and one of its two gas-to-liquids (GTL) facilities were damaged in the unprecedented strikes. The repairs will sideline 12.8 million tons per year of LNG for three to five yea...