[gpt3]
CATEGORY
News
CATEGORY FOCUS
Breaking news, public safety, politics, crime, courts, disasters, investigations, government actions, major announcements. Prioritize what is confirmed now, precise attribution, and clear timelines.
ROLE
You are Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief, an experienced journalist writing specifically for archyde.com in your authentic voice.
CREDENTIALS (USE NATURALLY, NOT AS A LIST)
Editor-in-Chief Prize-winning journalist with over 20 years of international news experience. Alexandra leads the editorial team, ensuring every story meets the highest standards of accuracy and journalistic integrity.
TOPIC
Write about: Middle East crisis live: Azerbaijan troops at ‘highest level of readiness’ as Iran denies it is behind drone attacks | US-Israel war on Iran
SOURCE
Azerbaijani president orders armed forces to prepare for ‘highest level of combat readiness’
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, called a security meeting on Thursday regarding the alleged drone strike in the Nakhchivan region and delivered a speech stating that “any hostile force will feel the full might of our ‘Iron Fist’”.
The Iranian armed forces have denied launching drones into Azerbaijani territory. Nonetheless, Aliyev said Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this heinous terrorist act” and that his government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the foreign ministry in Baku.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice without delay,” he said. “The Iranian side must provide an official explanation to Azerbaijan, issue an apology, and ensure that the perpetrators are held criminally accountable.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
Key events
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has verified more than a dozen attacks on health infrastructure in Iran amid a US-Israeli campaign.
Four healthcare workers have been killed and 25 others injured, according to the organisation.
“WHO has verified 13 attacks on health care in Iran and one in Lebanon,” the organisation’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference, without attributing blame.
Regional directed Hanan Balkhy said four ambulances in Iran were also affected and that hospitals and other health sites suffered minor damage due to strikes nearby.
She said the WHO logistics hub in Dubai which provides health supplies to dozens of countries is temporarily out of service because of transport restrictions in the region.
Azerbaijani president orders armed forces to prepare for ‘highest level of combat readiness’
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, called a security meeting on Thursday regarding the alleged drone strike in the Nakhchivan region and delivered a speech stating that “any hostile force will feel the full might of our ‘Iron Fist’”.
The Iranian armed forces have denied launching drones into Azerbaijani territory. Nonetheless, Aliyev said Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this heinous terrorist act” and that his government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the foreign ministry in Baku.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice without delay,” he said. “The Iranian side must provide an official explanation to Azerbaijan, issue an apology, and ensure that the perpetrators are held criminally accountable.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
US lawmaker on Iranian leadership: ‘Just keep killing them until they’re gone’
In the US, Senate Republicans voted down on Wednesday a war powers resolution that would have required Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before continuing the war with Iran.
The vote broke down along party lines, with John Fetterman of Pennsylvania as the sole Democrat to vote against the measure. On Wednesday, prior to the vote, Fetterman went on CNN News Central to voice his support of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and say that this was a situation of “country over party”.
“What I’m trying to establish is that every single senator in the Congress says we should never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. That now has made that possible after that. And now they’ve eliminated this leadership,” Fetterman said. “Now, do you really want those things? Does it really matter? Were you really serious about that? Because if you were, why can’t we just acknowledge – I’m not with all of it – but this was a great development for the region.”
Anchor Kate Bolduan asked Fetterman if he thought the US and Israel were aligned in their war goals, specifically in regards to comments made by Israeli defence minister Israel Katz that “any leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime” would become “an unequivocal target for elimination”.
“Yeah just keep killing them until they’re gone,” Fetterman said. “I mean, absolutely. I’ve read that they’re (Israel is) going to target who they (Iran) ever elect to be their next leader and kill them. Absolutely. I fully support it. So, that’s what’s entirely appropriate.”
When Bolduan pushed further on the issue, asking Fetterman who should decide the leader of Iran“if you think the United State should take part in taking out every next leader going forward” if the leader doesn’t meet the right measure, he responded by saing he “absolutely” supports killing the leadership of Iran.
“Hey, I’m sorry, I absolutely support killing, you know, the leadership of the Iranian. Absolutely. I absolutely support that,” Fetterman said. “I think that’s entirely appropriate until hopefully they’ll pick someone that realizes that they need to live and coexist in peace in the region and stop trying to destroy Israel and to stabilize the region.”
The US House of Representatives is set to vote on a similar measure later today. For more, follow along with our live coverage here.
Azerbaijan says drone attacks ‘will not remain unanswered’
Azerbaijan vowed to respond after a drone attack on an airport in its territory, which the Baku government said came from the direction of Iran.
Iran denied involvement and has blamed the attack on Israel, but the Azerbaijani defence ministry placed the blame squarely on Iran.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran bears the entire responsibility for the incident,” the ministry said in a statement.
It added: “These acts of aggression will not remain unanswered.”
The ministry said it would “prepare necessary retaliatory measures” without specifying what they would be. It added that it would investigate the types of drones that were used in the attack in the Nakhchivan exclave close to the border with Iran, which injured four people.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi denied Tehran had targeted Nakhchivan, telling the Azerbaijani outlet AnewZ that his country is “not targeting neighbouring countries”.
Pictures: Damage at Azerbaijani airport and school following reported drone attack
The newswires have uploaded images from a video appearing to show the damage at Nakhchivan airport after what Azerbaijani officials said was a drone attack carried out by Iran. Iran has denied involvement and blamed Israel.
Azerbaijan said one drone fell on the terminal building of the Nakhchivan airport, which is about six miles across the border from Iran, and another drone landed close to a school building in a nearby village.
The AP news agency has issued this photograph which it says shows damage to a school in Julfa, about 20 miles south of the airport and less than two miles from the Iranian border at the Aras river.
Iran denies launching drone attack on Azerbaijan
The Iranian armed forces denied launching a drone attack on Azerbaijan, following reports that two drones flying from the direction of Iran fell near the airport in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.
“The Islamic republic of Iran … denies its armed forces launched a drone toward the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the general staff of the armed forces said in a statement carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Blaming the attack on Israel, it said: “Such actions by the Zionist regime to disrupt relations between Muslim countries through various means are well documented.”
Iranian ship attacked by US was sailing home after naval exercise hosted by India, officials say
The Iranian warship that was sunk by a US submarine was on its way home after taking part in naval exercises hosted by India, officials in New Delhi have said.
The Iris Dena sank in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka yesterday after a US torpedo attack, killing more than 80 people. Scores of people are still missing while 32 people were rescued by Sri Lankan authorities.
India’s defence ministry said the Iranian warship had participated in the International Fleet Review – a ceremonial event designed to showcase the maritime capabilities of the Indian navy and international partners – and the multilateral naval exercise Milan 2026 in the port of Visakhapatnam from 15 February to 25 February. The ministry said 74 countries had joined the events.
A second Iranian ship has been reported in waters close to Sri Lanka today and has sought emergency permission to dock. Sources told the Guardian the ship was a logistical pipe-laying vessel, which is not categorised as a warship. It may be as close as 10 nautical miles from the western coast of Sri Lanka, putting it within the country’s sovereign waters.
You can ready more on this story here:
Consternation in Cyprus over British sovereign base areas following strike on RAF Akrotiri
Helena Smith
Over in Cyprus, British defence minister John Healey has just wrapped up talks with his Cypriot counterpart.
Emphasizing the two countries’ long- standing friendship, Healey said talks had focused on “how the UK is further reinforcing our air defences to support our shared security,” following Sunday’s drone attack on the RAF Akrotiri airbase.
The presence of UK sovereign base areas – a remnant of British colonial rule – has long been a bone of contention among both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The drone strike, which caused marginal damage to the military installation’s landing strip, has brought that disgruntlement out into the open at an official level as never before.
For the first time the island’s political and diplomatic elite has expressed consternation over the dangers posed by the facilities, saying Britain has not done enough to protect the installations and surrounding areas where locals live.
The UK, unlike Europe, is perceived to have dragged its feet in deciding to deploy military support.
“There’s a sense of there being too little too late,” one senior official told The Guardian this morning. “There’s been a lot of talking at the highest level and the defense minister’s visit is part of that. But now we’ve gone beyond words. Now is a time for serious cooperation regarding the bases. Now is the time for action.”
Bahrain: air defences have intercepted 75 missiles and 123 drones
Bahrain air defences have destroyed 75 missiles and 123 drones since the start of the conflict, the Bahrain Defence Force said on Thursday.
The general command urged residents to stay home and not go out unless absolutely necessary.
EU’s Kallas says Iran ‘sowing chaos’
Jennifer Rankin
The EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said Iran is exporting the war to as many countries as possible to cause chaos, ahead of talks with Gulf countries.
Kallas is hosting a virtual meeting with EU foreign ministers and Gulf counterparts to discuss the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. She said she expected a common statement from the EU and Gulf Cooperation Council: “We want stability in the region, we want that this war does not go any further and we want the respect of international law.”
“Iran is exporting the war, trying to expand it to as many countries as they can to sow chaos. And we are calling for stability and seeing what we can do together.”
Without being drawn on specifics she said EU countries would discuss support for the Gulf. She stressed Ukraine could also help Gulf countries develop drone interceptors.
“In the Middle East, we see actually the same drones that are attacking Kyiv every day, now attacking also the Middle East,” she said in a reference to Iran’s Shahed drones that have been supplied to Russia to attack Ukraine.
The EU is concerned that the Middle East conflict will deplete Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Russia, as a result of rising oil prices that help Moscow fund its war effort and tighter supplies of drone interceptor technology.
“When it comes to drones and drone interceptor drones then Ukraine has really been able to produce a lot and can also share this knowledge with the Gulf countries to boost this production,” Kallas said. “So of course we are looking into this but I am worried that just the capabilities are limited and that’s why it will have an impact also on different wars.”
Six injured in Abu Dhabi from falling debris from intercepted drone
Six people were injured by falling debris in Abu Dhabi after air defences intercepted a drone, according to the Abu Dhabi media office.
The individuals injured were Pakistani and Nepalese nationals, the media office said. Their injuries were considered minor to moderate.
Abu Dhabi authorities have responded to an incident of debris falling in two locations in ICAD 2, following the successful interception of drones by air defence systems. The incident resulted in minor and moderate injuries to six Pakistani and Nepali nationals.
The public is…
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) March 5, 2026
Tell us: how have you been affected by the latest events in the Middle East?
The conflict in the Middle East has continued to escalate, with Israel announcing it had launched more strikes against Tehran and in Lebanon.
Iran has continued to fire retaliatory strikes against Israel and US targets in the region, prompting major airlines to cancel flights that has left thousands of people stranded.
If you’re living or working in the region and have been impacted by the US-Israel conflict with Iran, we would like to hear from you.
For more details on how to contact the Guardian, click here:
Qatar says air defences are combatting a missile attack
Air defences were working to intercept a missile attack targeting Qatar on Thursday, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency.
The ministry of interior called on residents to stay indoors and away from windows and open areas, stating that the security threat level was high.
Analysis: Globalisation is under threat from Iran war – and Britain is uniquely vulnerable
James Meadway
In retaliation for the US-Israeli missile attacks, Iran has launched what amounts to all-out economic warfare. Should the conflict continue even for another week, its impacts will start to be felt around the world as the third price surge since the pandemic washes through global markets.
For Britain, a further turn of the screw on living standards arrives just as political instability mounts at home, with the Labour and Conservative parties facing existential challenges to their left and right.
Keir Starmer’s half-cocked response to war reflects a deeper, strategic problem for the UK: an economy built over decades for a globalised world cannot fit into a world where globalisation is falling apart.
You can read James Meadway’s analysis here:
Summary of developments so far
-
An Iranian drone struck an Azerbaijani airport near the two countries’ shared border, according to officials, marking the first time a state in the Caucasus has been targeted by Iran since the start of the US-Israel war against Tehran. Two people were reported injured after a drone hit the terminal building at an airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran.
-
Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, said the Kurdish region “must not become part of any conflict”, after the Iranian military claimed it targeted the headquarters of Iranian Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. There are reports that Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in Iraq are preparing for a cross-border military operation in Iran, creating a potential new front in an already expanding conflict.
-
The first repatriation flight from Oman to bring home stranded citizens had been rescheduled due to “operational issues”, including delays in getting passengers on board, a minister said.
-
Iran claimed it had hit a US oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf and that the vessel was on fire. There was no immediate confirmation of the incident or comment from the US. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it maintains full control of the Strait of Hormuz and has effectively closed it to oil and gas exports.
-
UK defence secretary John Healey flew into Cyprus on Wednesday night to calm the diplomatic fallout over a drone that evaded detection and hit an RAF base, prompting fury from local ministers. UK officials believe a drone that hit an RAF base in Cyprus evaded detection by flying low and slow when it was launched by pro-Iranian militia in Lebanon or western Iraq.
-
Sri Lanka said it is trying to “safeguard lives” on another Iranian ship off its coast. An official said the ship was in the economic zone beyond Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, a day after a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate, killing at least 87 people.
-
Iran continued to launch a wave of missiles at Israel, sending millions of residents into bomb shelters, just hours after moves to halt the US air assault were blocked in Washington.
-
The Israeli military said it was beginning a new widespread wave of attacks in Tehran. Israel also said it carried out strikes on Beirut targeting Hezbollah while Lebanese state media reported an Israeli drone strike killed a Hamas official.
Azerbaijan summoned the Iranian envoy after two people were wounded in a drone attack on an airport and near a school.
“One drone struck the terminal building of the airport in the Nakhchivan autonomous republic, while another drone fell near a school building in the village of Shakarabad,” Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“We strongly condemn these drone attacks launched from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which resulted in damage to the airport building and injuries of two civilians.”
Pictures: US-Israeli attacks continue in Iran amid escalating conflict
Azerbaijan says drones launched from Iran land in its territory
Pjotr Sauer
An Iranian drone is said to have struck an Azerbaijani airport near the two countries’ shared border, marking the first time a state in the Caucasus has been targeted by Iran since the start of the US-Israel war against Tehran.
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said the drone hit the terminal building at an airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran, damaging part of the complex and injuring two civilians.
A second drone fell near a school in a nearby village. Baku said it reserved the right to take retaliatory measures.
Azerbaijan, an oil-rich authoritarian state that has adopted a neutral stance in the Middle East conflict, has recently developed closer ties with Israel and the Trump administration while gradually moving away from Moscow, the traditional power broker in the Caucasus.
The country hosts no US military bases, suggesting Iran may be expanding its strikes beyond targets directly linked to American forces.
Baku’s growing military cooperation with Israel has caused friction with Tehran, though the two neighbours have largely maintained pragmatic relations. Both countries are majority Shia Muslim, and Iran is home to millions of ethnic Azeris – estimates range from about 15 to more than 20 million – many living in the north-western provinces bordering Azerbaijan.
UK’s Oman repatriation flight pushed back after ‘operational issues’, says minister
The first repatriation flight from Oman to bring home stranded citizens had been rescheduled due to “operational issues”, including delays in getting passengers on board, a minister said.
The UK government had chartered a flight last night from Muscat to London for British nationals and their spouses or partners and children, but the Foreign Office said this morning that the flight was not able to depart due to technical issues.
The flight was now expected to depart later today.
When asked why the flight did not leave as planned, Home Office minister Alex Norris told BBC Breakfast: “Well, there are operational reasons that can happen in circumstances where these things are being stood up quickly. I know that’s stressful for those people – that’s why there’s support on the ground.
“We made sure we got them hotel rooms for the night as well and we are facilitating and rebooking today’s flight.
“We hope that they do, and there’s multiple flights after it as well.”
During his media round this morning he told Sky News that there were also delays in getting passengers on board as part of the operational challenges.
British Airways, which is currently unable to fly from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv, said it would run flights from Muscat on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and that they were fully booked.
LIVE INTERNET ACCESS (MANDATORY FACT-CHECKING)
You have internet access. Before stating ANY claim as fact, you MUST verify it via web search. This includes every {name|person|organization}, {date|time}, {location|place}, {number|figure|amount}, {quote|statement}, and {major event detail|key detail} referenced in
Azerbaijani president orders armed forces to prepare for ‘highest level of combat readiness’
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, called a security meeting on Thursday regarding the alleged drone strike in the Nakhchivan region and delivered a speech stating that “any hostile force will feel the full might of our ‘Iron Fist’”.
The Iranian armed forces have denied launching drones into Azerbaijani territory. Nonetheless, Aliyev said Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this heinous terrorist act” and that his government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the foreign ministry in Baku.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice without delay,” he said. “The Iranian side must provide an official explanation to Azerbaijan, issue an apology, and ensure that the perpetrators are held criminally accountable.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
Key events
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has verified more than a dozen attacks on health infrastructure in Iran amid a US-Israeli campaign.
Four healthcare workers have been killed and 25 others injured, according to the organisation.
“WHO has verified 13 attacks on health care in Iran and one in Lebanon,” the organisation’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference, without attributing blame.
Regional directed Hanan Balkhy said four ambulances in Iran were also affected and that hospitals and other health sites suffered minor damage due to strikes nearby.
She said the WHO logistics hub in Dubai which provides health supplies to dozens of countries is temporarily out of service because of transport restrictions in the region.
Azerbaijani president orders armed forces to prepare for ‘highest level of combat readiness’
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, called a security meeting on Thursday regarding the alleged drone strike in the Nakhchivan region and delivered a speech stating that “any hostile force will feel the full might of our ‘Iron Fist’”.
The Iranian armed forces have denied launching drones into Azerbaijani territory. Nonetheless, Aliyev said Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this heinous terrorist act” and that his government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the foreign ministry in Baku.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice without delay,” he said. “The Iranian side must provide an official explanation to Azerbaijan, issue an apology, and ensure that the perpetrators are held criminally accountable.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
US lawmaker on Iranian leadership: ‘Just keep killing them until they’re gone’
In the US, Senate Republicans voted down on Wednesday a war powers resolution that would have required Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before continuing the war with Iran.
The vote broke down along party lines, with John Fetterman of Pennsylvania as the sole Democrat to vote against the measure. On Wednesday, prior to the vote, Fetterman went on CNN News Central to voice his support of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and say that this was a situation of “country over party”.
“What I’m trying to establish is that every single senator in the Congress says we should never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. That now has made that possible after that. And now they’ve eliminated this leadership,” Fetterman said. “Now, do you really want those things? Does it really matter? Were you really serious about that? Because if you were, why can’t we just acknowledge – I’m not with all of it – but this was a great development for the region.”
Anchor Kate Bolduan asked Fetterman if he thought the US and Israel were aligned in their war goals, specifically in regards to comments made by Israeli defence minister Israel Katz that “any leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime” would become “an unequivocal target for elimination”.
“Yeah just keep killing them until they’re gone,” Fetterman said. “I mean, absolutely. I’ve read that they’re (Israel is) going to target who they (Iran) ever elect to be their next leader and kill them. Absolutely. I fully support it. So, that’s what’s entirely appropriate.”
When Bolduan pushed further on the issue, asking Fetterman who should decide the leader of Iran“if you think the United State should take part in taking out every next leader going forward” if the leader doesn’t meet the right measure, he responded by saing he “absolutely” supports killing the leadership of Iran.
“Hey, I’m sorry, I absolutely support killing, you know, the leadership of the Iranian. Absolutely. I absolutely support that,” Fetterman said. “I think that’s entirely appropriate until hopefully they’ll pick someone that realizes that they need to live and coexist in peace in the region and stop trying to destroy Israel and to stabilize the region.”
The US House of Representatives is set to vote on a similar measure later today. For more, follow along with our live coverage here.
Azerbaijan says drone attacks ‘will not remain unanswered’
Azerbaijan vowed to respond after a drone attack on an airport in its territory, which the Baku government said came from the direction of Iran.
Iran denied involvement and has blamed the attack on Israel, but the Azerbaijani defence ministry placed the blame squarely on Iran.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran bears the entire responsibility for the incident,” the ministry said in a statement.
It added: “These acts of aggression will not remain unanswered.”
The ministry said it would “prepare necessary retaliatory measures” without specifying what they would be. It added that it would investigate the types of drones that were used in the attack in the Nakhchivan exclave close to the border with Iran, which injured four people.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi denied Tehran had targeted Nakhchivan, telling the Azerbaijani outlet AnewZ that his country is “not targeting neighbouring countries”.
Pictures: Damage at Azerbaijani airport and school following reported drone attack
The newswires have uploaded images from a video appearing to show the damage at Nakhchivan airport after what Azerbaijani officials said was a drone attack carried out by Iran. Iran has denied involvement and blamed Israel.
Azerbaijan said one drone fell on the terminal building of the Nakhchivan airport, which is about six miles across the border from Iran, and another drone landed close to a school building in a nearby village.
The AP news agency has issued this photograph which it says shows damage to a school in Julfa, about 20 miles south of the airport and less than two miles from the Iranian border at the Aras river.
Iran denies launching drone attack on Azerbaijan
The Iranian armed forces denied launching a drone attack on Azerbaijan, following reports that two drones flying from the direction of Iran fell near the airport in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.
“The Islamic republic of Iran … denies its armed forces launched a drone toward the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the general staff of the armed forces said in a statement carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Blaming the attack on Israel, it said: “Such actions by the Zionist regime to disrupt relations between Muslim countries through various means are well documented.”
Iranian ship attacked by US was sailing home after naval exercise hosted by India, officials say
The Iranian warship that was sunk by a US submarine was on its way home after taking part in naval exercises hosted by India, officials in New Delhi have said.
The Iris Dena sank in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka yesterday after a US torpedo attack, killing more than 80 people. Scores of people are still missing while 32 people were rescued by Sri Lankan authorities.
India’s defence ministry said the Iranian warship had participated in the International Fleet Review – a ceremonial event designed to showcase the maritime capabilities of the Indian navy and international partners – and the multilateral naval exercise Milan 2026 in the port of Visakhapatnam from 15 February to 25 February. The ministry said 74 countries had joined the events.
A second Iranian ship has been reported in waters close to Sri Lanka today and has sought emergency permission to dock. Sources told the Guardian the ship was a logistical pipe-laying vessel, which is not categorised as a warship. It may be as close as 10 nautical miles from the western coast of Sri Lanka, putting it within the country’s sovereign waters.
You can ready more on this story here:
Consternation in Cyprus over British sovereign base areas following strike on RAF Akrotiri
Helena Smith
Over in Cyprus, British defence minister John Healey has just wrapped up talks with his Cypriot counterpart.
Emphasizing the two countries’ long- standing friendship, Healey said talks had focused on “how the UK is further reinforcing our air defences to support our shared security,” following Sunday’s drone attack on the RAF Akrotiri airbase.
The presence of UK sovereign base areas – a remnant of British colonial rule – has long been a bone of contention among both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The drone strike, which caused marginal damage to the military installation’s landing strip, has brought that disgruntlement out into the open at an official level as never before.
For the first time the island’s political and diplomatic elite has expressed consternation over the dangers posed by the facilities, saying Britain has not done enough to protect the installations and surrounding areas where locals live.
The UK, unlike Europe, is perceived to have dragged its feet in deciding to deploy military support.
“There’s a sense of there being too little too late,” one senior official told The Guardian this morning. “There’s been a lot of talking at the highest level and the defense minister’s visit is part of that. But now we’ve gone beyond words. Now is a time for serious cooperation regarding the bases. Now is the time for action.”
Bahrain: air defences have intercepted 75 missiles and 123 drones
Bahrain air defences have destroyed 75 missiles and 123 drones since the start of the conflict, the Bahrain Defence Force said on Thursday.
The general command urged residents to stay home and not go out unless absolutely necessary.
EU’s Kallas says Iran ‘sowing chaos’
Jennifer Rankin
The EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said Iran is exporting the war to as many countries as possible to cause chaos, ahead of talks with Gulf countries.
Kallas is hosting a virtual meeting with EU foreign ministers and Gulf counterparts to discuss the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. She said she expected a common statement from the EU and Gulf Cooperation Council: “We want stability in the region, we want that this war does not go any further and we want the respect of international law.”
“Iran is exporting the war, trying to expand it to as many countries as they can to sow chaos. And we are calling for stability and seeing what we can do together.”
Without being drawn on specifics she said EU countries would discuss support for the Gulf. She stressed Ukraine could also help Gulf countries develop drone interceptors.
“In the Middle East, we see actually the same drones that are attacking Kyiv every day, now attacking also the Middle East,” she said in a reference to Iran’s Shahed drones that have been supplied to Russia to attack Ukraine.
The EU is concerned that the Middle East conflict will deplete Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Russia, as a result of rising oil prices that help Moscow fund its war effort and tighter supplies of drone interceptor technology.
“When it comes to drones and drone interceptor drones then Ukraine has really been able to produce a lot and can also share this knowledge with the Gulf countries to boost this production,” Kallas said. “So of course we are looking into this but I am worried that just the capabilities are limited and that’s why it will have an impact also on different wars.”
Six injured in Abu Dhabi from falling debris from intercepted drone
Six people were injured by falling debris in Abu Dhabi after air defences intercepted a drone, according to the Abu Dhabi media office.
The individuals injured were Pakistani and Nepalese nationals, the media office said. Their injuries were considered minor to moderate.
Abu Dhabi authorities have responded to an incident of debris falling in two locations in ICAD 2, following the successful interception of drones by air defence systems. The incident resulted in minor and moderate injuries to six Pakistani and Nepali nationals.
The public is…
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) March 5, 2026
Tell us: how have you been affected by the latest events in the Middle East?
The conflict in the Middle East has continued to escalate, with Israel announcing it had launched more strikes against Tehran and in Lebanon.
Iran has continued to fire retaliatory strikes against Israel and US targets in the region, prompting major airlines to cancel flights that has left thousands of people stranded.
If you’re living or working in the region and have been impacted by the US-Israel conflict with Iran, we would like to hear from you.
For more details on how to contact the Guardian, click here:
Qatar says air defences are combatting a missile attack
Air defences were working to intercept a missile attack targeting Qatar on Thursday, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency.
The ministry of interior called on residents to stay indoors and away from windows and open areas, stating that the security threat level was high.
Analysis: Globalisation is under threat from Iran war – and Britain is uniquely vulnerable
James Meadway
In retaliation for the US-Israeli missile attacks, Iran has launched what amounts to all-out economic warfare. Should the conflict continue even for another week, its impacts will start to be felt around the world as the third price surge since the pandemic washes through global markets.
For Britain, a further turn of the screw on living standards arrives just as political instability mounts at home, with the Labour and Conservative parties facing existential challenges to their left and right.
Keir Starmer’s half-cocked response to war reflects a deeper, strategic problem for the UK: an economy built over decades for a globalised world cannot fit into a world where globalisation is falling apart.
You can read James Meadway’s analysis here:
Summary of developments so far
-
An Iranian drone struck an Azerbaijani airport near the two countries’ shared border, according to officials, marking the first time a state in the Caucasus has been targeted by Iran since the start of the US-Israel war against Tehran. Two people were reported injured after a drone hit the terminal building at an airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran.
-
Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, said the Kurdish region “must not become part of any conflict”, after the Iranian military claimed it targeted the headquarters of Iranian Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. There are reports that Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in Iraq are preparing for a cross-border military operation in Iran, creating a potential new front in an already expanding conflict.
-
The first repatriation flight from Oman to bring home stranded citizens had been rescheduled due to “operational issues”, including delays in getting passengers on board, a minister said.
-
Iran claimed it had hit a US oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf and that the vessel was on fire. There was no immediate confirmation of the incident or comment from the US. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it maintains full control of the Strait of Hormuz and has effectively closed it to oil and gas exports.
-
UK defence secretary John Healey flew into Cyprus on Wednesday night to calm the diplomatic fallout over a drone that evaded detection and hit an RAF base, prompting fury from local ministers. UK officials believe a drone that hit an RAF base in Cyprus evaded detection by flying low and slow when it was launched by pro-Iranian militia in Lebanon or western Iraq.
-
Sri Lanka said it is trying to “safeguard lives” on another Iranian ship off its coast. An official said the ship was in the economic zone beyond Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, a day after a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate, killing at least 87 people.
-
Iran continued to launch a wave of missiles at Israel, sending millions of residents into bomb shelters, just hours after moves to halt the US air assault were blocked in Washington.
-
The Israeli military said it was beginning a new widespread wave of attacks in Tehran. Israel also said it carried out strikes on Beirut targeting Hezbollah while Lebanese state media reported an Israeli drone strike killed a Hamas official.
Azerbaijan summoned the Iranian envoy after two people were wounded in a drone attack on an airport and near a school.
“One drone struck the terminal building of the airport in the Nakhchivan autonomous republic, while another drone fell near a school building in the village of Shakarabad,” Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“We strongly condemn these drone attacks launched from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which resulted in damage to the airport building and injuries of two civilians.”
Pictures: US-Israeli attacks continue in Iran amid escalating conflict
Azerbaijan says drones launched from Iran land in its territory
Pjotr Sauer
An Iranian drone is said to have struck an Azerbaijani airport near the two countries’ shared border, marking the first time a state in the Caucasus has been targeted by Iran since the start of the US-Israel war against Tehran.
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said the drone hit the terminal building at an airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran, damaging part of the complex and injuring two civilians.
A second drone fell near a school in a nearby village. Baku said it reserved the right to take retaliatory measures.
Azerbaijan, an oil-rich authoritarian state that has adopted a neutral stance in the Middle East conflict, has recently developed closer ties with Israel and the Trump administration while gradually moving away from Moscow, the traditional power broker in the Caucasus.
The country hosts no US military bases, suggesting Iran may be expanding its strikes beyond targets directly linked to American forces.
Baku’s growing military cooperation with Israel has caused friction with Tehran, though the two neighbours have largely maintained pragmatic relations. Both countries are majority Shia Muslim, and Iran is home to millions of ethnic Azeris – estimates range from about 15 to more than 20 million – many living in the north-western provinces bordering Azerbaijan.
UK’s Oman repatriation flight pushed back after ‘operational issues’, says minister
The first repatriation flight from Oman to bring home stranded citizens had been rescheduled due to “operational issues”, including delays in getting passengers on board, a minister said.
The UK government had chartered a flight last night from Muscat to London for British nationals and their spouses or partners and children, but the Foreign Office said this morning that the flight was not able to depart due to technical issues.
The flight was now expected to depart later today.
When asked why the flight did not leave as planned, Home Office minister Alex Norris told BBC Breakfast: “Well, there are operational reasons that can happen in circumstances where these things are being stood up quickly. I know that’s stressful for those people – that’s why there’s support on the ground.
“We made sure we got them hotel rooms for the night as well and we are facilitating and rebooking today’s flight.
“We hope that they do, and there’s multiple flights after it as well.”
During his media round this morning he told Sky News that there were also delays in getting passengers on board as part of the operational challenges.
British Airways, which is currently unable to fly from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv, said it would run flights from Muscat on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and that they were fully booked.
.
– If a detail cannot be verified, omit it OR clearly mark it as {unconfirmed|not independently confirmed} with neutral attribution.
– Never guess. Never fabricate. Never invent URLs, sources, quotes, or figures.
– If credible sources disagree, acknowledge the discrepancy briefly and neutrally and attribute each version with links.
TASK
{Rewrite|Rework|Recompose|Recraft} the story in
Azerbaijani president orders armed forces to prepare for ‘highest level of combat readiness’
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, called a security meeting on Thursday regarding the alleged drone strike in the Nakhchivan region and delivered a speech stating that “any hostile force will feel the full might of our ‘Iron Fist’”.
The Iranian armed forces have denied launching drones into Azerbaijani territory. Nonetheless, Aliyev said Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this heinous terrorist act” and that his government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the foreign ministry in Baku.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice without delay,” he said. “The Iranian side must provide an official explanation to Azerbaijan, issue an apology, and ensure that the perpetrators are held criminally accountable.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
Key events
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has verified more than a dozen attacks on health infrastructure in Iran amid a US-Israeli campaign.
Four healthcare workers have been killed and 25 others injured, according to the organisation.
“WHO has verified 13 attacks on health care in Iran and one in Lebanon,” the organisation’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference, without attributing blame.
Regional directed Hanan Balkhy said four ambulances in Iran were also affected and that hospitals and other health sites suffered minor damage due to strikes nearby.
She said the WHO logistics hub in Dubai which provides health supplies to dozens of countries is temporarily out of service because of transport restrictions in the region.
Azerbaijani president orders armed forces to prepare for ‘highest level of combat readiness’
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, called a security meeting on Thursday regarding the alleged drone strike in the Nakhchivan region and delivered a speech stating that “any hostile force will feel the full might of our ‘Iron Fist’”.
The Iranian armed forces have denied launching drones into Azerbaijani territory. Nonetheless, Aliyev said Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this heinous terrorist act” and that his government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the foreign ministry in Baku.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice without delay,” he said. “The Iranian side must provide an official explanation to Azerbaijan, issue an apology, and ensure that the perpetrators are held criminally accountable.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
US lawmaker on Iranian leadership: ‘Just keep killing them until they’re gone’
In the US, Senate Republicans voted down on Wednesday a war powers resolution that would have required Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before continuing the war with Iran.
The vote broke down along party lines, with John Fetterman of Pennsylvania as the sole Democrat to vote against the measure. On Wednesday, prior to the vote, Fetterman went on CNN News Central to voice his support of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and say that this was a situation of “country over party”.
“What I’m trying to establish is that every single senator in the Congress says we should never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. That now has made that possible after that. And now they’ve eliminated this leadership,” Fetterman said. “Now, do you really want those things? Does it really matter? Were you really serious about that? Because if you were, why can’t we just acknowledge – I’m not with all of it – but this was a great development for the region.”
Anchor Kate Bolduan asked Fetterman if he thought the US and Israel were aligned in their war goals, specifically in regards to comments made by Israeli defence minister Israel Katz that “any leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime” would become “an unequivocal target for elimination”.
“Yeah just keep killing them until they’re gone,” Fetterman said. “I mean, absolutely. I’ve read that they’re (Israel is) going to target who they (Iran) ever elect to be their next leader and kill them. Absolutely. I fully support it. So, that’s what’s entirely appropriate.”
When Bolduan pushed further on the issue, asking Fetterman who should decide the leader of Iran“if you think the United State should take part in taking out every next leader going forward” if the leader doesn’t meet the right measure, he responded by saing he “absolutely” supports killing the leadership of Iran.
“Hey, I’m sorry, I absolutely support killing, you know, the leadership of the Iranian. Absolutely. I absolutely support that,” Fetterman said. “I think that’s entirely appropriate until hopefully they’ll pick someone that realizes that they need to live and coexist in peace in the region and stop trying to destroy Israel and to stabilize the region.”
The US House of Representatives is set to vote on a similar measure later today. For more, follow along with our live coverage here.
Azerbaijan says drone attacks ‘will not remain unanswered’
Azerbaijan vowed to respond after a drone attack on an airport in its territory, which the Baku government said came from the direction of Iran.
Iran denied involvement and has blamed the attack on Israel, but the Azerbaijani defence ministry placed the blame squarely on Iran.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran bears the entire responsibility for the incident,” the ministry said in a statement.
It added: “These acts of aggression will not remain unanswered.”
The ministry said it would “prepare necessary retaliatory measures” without specifying what they would be. It added that it would investigate the types of drones that were used in the attack in the Nakhchivan exclave close to the border with Iran, which injured four people.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi denied Tehran had targeted Nakhchivan, telling the Azerbaijani outlet AnewZ that his country is “not targeting neighbouring countries”.
Pictures: Damage at Azerbaijani airport and school following reported drone attack
The newswires have uploaded images from a video appearing to show the damage at Nakhchivan airport after what Azerbaijani officials said was a drone attack carried out by Iran. Iran has denied involvement and blamed Israel.
Azerbaijan said one drone fell on the terminal building of the Nakhchivan airport, which is about six miles across the border from Iran, and another drone landed close to a school building in a nearby village.
The AP news agency has issued this photograph which it says shows damage to a school in Julfa, about 20 miles south of the airport and less than two miles from the Iranian border at the Aras river.
Iran denies launching drone attack on Azerbaijan
The Iranian armed forces denied launching a drone attack on Azerbaijan, following reports that two drones flying from the direction of Iran fell near the airport in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.
“The Islamic republic of Iran … denies its armed forces launched a drone toward the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the general staff of the armed forces said in a statement carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Blaming the attack on Israel, it said: “Such actions by the Zionist regime to disrupt relations between Muslim countries through various means are well documented.”
Iranian ship attacked by US was sailing home after naval exercise hosted by India, officials say
The Iranian warship that was sunk by a US submarine was on its way home after taking part in naval exercises hosted by India, officials in New Delhi have said.
The Iris Dena sank in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka yesterday after a US torpedo attack, killing more than 80 people. Scores of people are still missing while 32 people were rescued by Sri Lankan authorities.
India’s defence ministry said the Iranian warship had participated in the International Fleet Review – a ceremonial event designed to showcase the maritime capabilities of the Indian navy and international partners – and the multilateral naval exercise Milan 2026 in the port of Visakhapatnam from 15 February to 25 February. The ministry said 74 countries had joined the events.
A second Iranian ship has been reported in waters close to Sri Lanka today and has sought emergency permission to dock. Sources told the Guardian the ship was a logistical pipe-laying vessel, which is not categorised as a warship. It may be as close as 10 nautical miles from the western coast of Sri Lanka, putting it within the country’s sovereign waters.
You can ready more on this story here:
Consternation in Cyprus over British sovereign base areas following strike on RAF Akrotiri
Helena Smith
Over in Cyprus, British defence minister John Healey has just wrapped up talks with his Cypriot counterpart.
Emphasizing the two countries’ long- standing friendship, Healey said talks had focused on “how the UK is further reinforcing our air defences to support our shared security,” following Sunday’s drone attack on the RAF Akrotiri airbase.
The presence of UK sovereign base areas – a remnant of British colonial rule – has long been a bone of contention among both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The drone strike, which caused marginal damage to the military installation’s landing strip, has brought that disgruntlement out into the open at an official level as never before.
For the first time the island’s political and diplomatic elite has expressed consternation over the dangers posed by the facilities, saying Britain has not done enough to protect the installations and surrounding areas where locals live.
The UK, unlike Europe, is perceived to have dragged its feet in deciding to deploy military support.
“There’s a sense of there being too little too late,” one senior official told The Guardian this morning. “There’s been a lot of talking at the highest level and the defense minister’s visit is part of that. But now we’ve gone beyond words. Now is a time for serious cooperation regarding the bases. Now is the time for action.”
Bahrain: air defences have intercepted 75 missiles and 123 drones
Bahrain air defences have destroyed 75 missiles and 123 drones since the start of the conflict, the Bahrain Defence Force said on Thursday.
The general command urged residents to stay home and not go out unless absolutely necessary.
EU’s Kallas says Iran ‘sowing chaos’
Jennifer Rankin
The EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said Iran is exporting the war to as many countries as possible to cause chaos, ahead of talks with Gulf countries.
Kallas is hosting a virtual meeting with EU foreign ministers and Gulf counterparts to discuss the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. She said she expected a common statement from the EU and Gulf Cooperation Council: “We want stability in the region, we want that this war does not go any further and we want the respect of international law.”
“Iran is exporting the war, trying to expand it to as many countries as they can to sow chaos. And we are calling for stability and seeing what we can do together.”
Without being drawn on specifics she said EU countries would discuss support for the Gulf. She stressed Ukraine could also help Gulf countries develop drone interceptors.
“In the Middle East, we see actually the same drones that are attacking Kyiv every day, now attacking also the Middle East,” she said in a reference to Iran’s Shahed drones that have been supplied to Russia to attack Ukraine.
The EU is concerned that the Middle East conflict will deplete Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Russia, as a result of rising oil prices that help Moscow fund its war effort and tighter supplies of drone interceptor technology.
“When it comes to drones and drone interceptor drones then Ukraine has really been able to produce a lot and can also share this knowledge with the Gulf countries to boost this production,” Kallas said. “So of course we are looking into this but I am worried that just the capabilities are limited and that’s why it will have an impact also on different wars.”
Six injured in Abu Dhabi from falling debris from intercepted drone
Six people were injured by falling debris in Abu Dhabi after air defences intercepted a drone, according to the Abu Dhabi media office.
The individuals injured were Pakistani and Nepalese nationals, the media office said. Their injuries were considered minor to moderate.
Abu Dhabi authorities have responded to an incident of debris falling in two locations in ICAD 2, following the successful interception of drones by air defence systems. The incident resulted in minor and moderate injuries to six Pakistani and Nepali nationals.
The public is…
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) March 5, 2026
Tell us: how have you been affected by the latest events in the Middle East?
The conflict in the Middle East has continued to escalate, with Israel announcing it had launched more strikes against Tehran and in Lebanon.
Iran has continued to fire retaliatory strikes against Israel and US targets in the region, prompting major airlines to cancel flights that has left thousands of people stranded.
If you’re living or working in the region and have been impacted by the US-Israel conflict with Iran, we would like to hear from you.
For more details on how to contact the Guardian, click here:
Qatar says air defences are combatting a missile attack
Air defences were working to intercept a missile attack targeting Qatar on Thursday, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency.
The ministry of interior called on residents to stay indoors and away from windows and open areas, stating that the security threat level was high.
Analysis: Globalisation is under threat from Iran war – and Britain is uniquely vulnerable
James Meadway
In retaliation for the US-Israeli missile attacks, Iran has launched what amounts to all-out economic warfare. Should the conflict continue even for another week, its impacts will start to be felt around the world as the third price surge since the pandemic washes through global markets.
For Britain, a further turn of the screw on living standards arrives just as political instability mounts at home, with the Labour and Conservative parties facing existential challenges to their left and right.
Keir Starmer’s half-cocked response to war reflects a deeper, strategic problem for the UK: an economy built over decades for a globalised world cannot fit into a world where globalisation is falling apart.
You can read James Meadway’s analysis here:
Summary of developments so far
-
An Iranian drone struck an Azerbaijani airport near the two countries’ shared border, according to officials, marking the first time a state in the Caucasus has been targeted by Iran since the start of the US-Israel war against Tehran. Two people were reported injured after a drone hit the terminal building at an airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran.
-
Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, said the Kurdish region “must not become part of any conflict”, after the Iranian military claimed it targeted the headquarters of Iranian Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. There are reports that Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in Iraq are preparing for a cross-border military operation in Iran, creating a potential new front in an already expanding conflict.
-
The first repatriation flight from Oman to bring home stranded citizens had been rescheduled due to “operational issues”, including delays in getting passengers on board, a minister said.
-
Iran claimed it had hit a US oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf and that the vessel was on fire. There was no immediate confirmation of the incident or comment from the US. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it maintains full control of the Strait of Hormuz and has effectively closed it to oil and gas exports.
-
UK defence secretary John Healey flew into Cyprus on Wednesday night to calm the diplomatic fallout over a drone that evaded detection and hit an RAF base, prompting fury from local ministers. UK officials believe a drone that hit an RAF base in Cyprus evaded detection by flying low and slow when it was launched by pro-Iranian militia in Lebanon or western Iraq.
-
Sri Lanka said it is trying to “safeguard lives” on another Iranian ship off its coast. An official said the ship was in the economic zone beyond Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, a day after a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate, killing at least 87 people.
-
Iran continued to launch a wave of missiles at Israel, sending millions of residents into bomb shelters, just hours after moves to halt the US air assault were blocked in Washington.
-
The Israeli military said it was beginning a new widespread wave of attacks in Tehran. Israel also said it carried out strikes on Beirut targeting Hezbollah while Lebanese state media reported an Israeli drone strike killed a Hamas official.
Azerbaijan summoned the Iranian envoy after two people were wounded in a drone attack on an airport and near a school.
“One drone struck the terminal building of the airport in the Nakhchivan autonomous republic, while another drone fell near a school building in the village of Shakarabad,” Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“We strongly condemn these drone attacks launched from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which resulted in damage to the airport building and injuries of two civilians.”
Pictures: US-Israeli attacks continue in Iran amid escalating conflict
Azerbaijan says drones launched from Iran land in its territory
Pjotr Sauer
An Iranian drone is said to have struck an Azerbaijani airport near the two countries’ shared border, marking the first time a state in the Caucasus has been targeted by Iran since the start of the US-Israel war against Tehran.
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said the drone hit the terminal building at an airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran, damaging part of the complex and injuring two civilians.
A second drone fell near a school in a nearby village. Baku said it reserved the right to take retaliatory measures.
Azerbaijan, an oil-rich authoritarian state that has adopted a neutral stance in the Middle East conflict, has recently developed closer ties with Israel and the Trump administration while gradually moving away from Moscow, the traditional power broker in the Caucasus.
The country hosts no US military bases, suggesting Iran may be expanding its strikes beyond targets directly linked to American forces.
Baku’s growing military cooperation with Israel has caused friction with Tehran, though the two neighbours have largely maintained pragmatic relations. Both countries are majority Shia Muslim, and Iran is home to millions of ethnic Azeris – estimates range from about 15 to more than 20 million – many living in the north-western provinces bordering Azerbaijan.
UK’s Oman repatriation flight pushed back after ‘operational issues’, says minister
The first repatriation flight from Oman to bring home stranded citizens had been rescheduled due to “operational issues”, including delays in getting passengers on board, a minister said.
The UK government had chartered a flight last night from Muscat to London for British nationals and their spouses or partners and children, but the Foreign Office said this morning that the flight was not able to depart due to technical issues.
The flight was now expected to depart later today.
When asked why the flight did not leave as planned, Home Office minister Alex Norris told BBC Breakfast: “Well, there are operational reasons that can happen in circumstances where these things are being stood up quickly. I know that’s stressful for those people – that’s why there’s support on the ground.
“We made sure we got them hotel rooms for the night as well and we are facilitating and rebooking today’s flight.
“We hope that they do, and there’s multiple flights after it as well.”
During his media round this morning he told Sky News that there were also delays in getting passengers on board as part of the operational challenges.
British Airways, which is currently unable to fly from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv, said it would run flights from Muscat on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and that they were fully booked.
into a {compelling|engaging|clear|high-utility}, SEO-optimized, human-sounding news article for archyde.com about Middle East crisis live: Azerbaijan troops at ‘highest level of readiness’ as Iran denies it is behind drone attacks | US-Israel war on Iran.
– Preserve the core meaning and verified facts.
– Make the article {fully original|100% unique|freshly written} in structure and phrasing.
– Do NOT mention the source article, Google News, or that this is a rewrite.
– Do NOT include the original outlet name, author name, or original URL from
Azerbaijani president orders armed forces to prepare for ‘highest level of combat readiness’
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, called a security meeting on Thursday regarding the alleged drone strike in the Nakhchivan region and delivered a speech stating that “any hostile force will feel the full might of our ‘Iron Fist’”.
The Iranian armed forces have denied launching drones into Azerbaijani territory. Nonetheless, Aliyev said Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this heinous terrorist act” and that his government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the foreign ministry in Baku.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice without delay,” he said. “The Iranian side must provide an official explanation to Azerbaijan, issue an apology, and ensure that the perpetrators are held criminally accountable.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
Key events
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has verified more than a dozen attacks on health infrastructure in Iran amid a US-Israeli campaign.
Four healthcare workers have been killed and 25 others injured, according to the organisation.
“WHO has verified 13 attacks on health care in Iran and one in Lebanon,” the organisation’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference, without attributing blame.
Regional directed Hanan Balkhy said four ambulances in Iran were also affected and that hospitals and other health sites suffered minor damage due to strikes nearby.
She said the WHO logistics hub in Dubai which provides health supplies to dozens of countries is temporarily out of service because of transport restrictions in the region.
Azerbaijani president orders armed forces to prepare for ‘highest level of combat readiness’
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, called a security meeting on Thursday regarding the alleged drone strike in the Nakhchivan region and delivered a speech stating that “any hostile force will feel the full might of our ‘Iron Fist’”.
The Iranian armed forces have denied launching drones into Azerbaijani territory. Nonetheless, Aliyev said Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this heinous terrorist act” and that his government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the foreign ministry in Baku.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice without delay,” he said. “The Iranian side must provide an official explanation to Azerbaijan, issue an apology, and ensure that the perpetrators are held criminally accountable.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
US lawmaker on Iranian leadership: ‘Just keep killing them until they’re gone’
In the US, Senate Republicans voted down on Wednesday a war powers resolution that would have required Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before continuing the war with Iran.
The vote broke down along party lines, with John Fetterman of Pennsylvania as the sole Democrat to vote against the measure. On Wednesday, prior to the vote, Fetterman went on CNN News Central to voice his support of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and say that this was a situation of “country over party”.
“What I’m trying to establish is that every single senator in the Congress says we should never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. That now has made that possible after that. And now they’ve eliminated this leadership,” Fetterman said. “Now, do you really want those things? Does it really matter? Were you really serious about that? Because if you were, why can’t we just acknowledge – I’m not with all of it – but this was a great development for the region.”
Anchor Kate Bolduan asked Fetterman if he thought the US and Israel were aligned in their war goals, specifically in regards to comments made by Israeli defence minister Israel Katz that “any leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime” would become “an unequivocal target for elimination”.
“Yeah just keep killing them until they’re gone,” Fetterman said. “I mean, absolutely. I’ve read that they’re (Israel is) going to target who they (Iran) ever elect to be their next leader and kill them. Absolutely. I fully support it. So, that’s what’s entirely appropriate.”
When Bolduan pushed further on the issue, asking Fetterman who should decide the leader of Iran“if you think the United State should take part in taking out every next leader going forward” if the leader doesn’t meet the right measure, he responded by saing he “absolutely” supports killing the leadership of Iran.
“Hey, I’m sorry, I absolutely support killing, you know, the leadership of the Iranian. Absolutely. I absolutely support that,” Fetterman said. “I think that’s entirely appropriate until hopefully they’ll pick someone that realizes that they need to live and coexist in peace in the region and stop trying to destroy Israel and to stabilize the region.”
The US House of Representatives is set to vote on a similar measure later today. For more, follow along with our live coverage here.
Azerbaijan says drone attacks ‘will not remain unanswered’
Azerbaijan vowed to respond after a drone attack on an airport in its territory, which the Baku government said came from the direction of Iran.
Iran denied involvement and has blamed the attack on Israel, but the Azerbaijani defence ministry placed the blame squarely on Iran.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran bears the entire responsibility for the incident,” the ministry said in a statement.
It added: “These acts of aggression will not remain unanswered.”
The ministry said it would “prepare necessary retaliatory measures” without specifying what they would be. It added that it would investigate the types of drones that were used in the attack in the Nakhchivan exclave close to the border with Iran, which injured four people.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi denied Tehran had targeted Nakhchivan, telling the Azerbaijani outlet AnewZ that his country is “not targeting neighbouring countries”.
Pictures: Damage at Azerbaijani airport and school following reported drone attack
The newswires have uploaded images from a video appearing to show the damage at Nakhchivan airport after what Azerbaijani officials said was a drone attack carried out by Iran. Iran has denied involvement and blamed Israel.
Azerbaijan said one drone fell on the terminal building of the Nakhchivan airport, which is about six miles across the border from Iran, and another drone landed close to a school building in a nearby village.
The AP news agency has issued this photograph which it says shows damage to a school in Julfa, about 20 miles south of the airport and less than two miles from the Iranian border at the Aras river.
Iran denies launching drone attack on Azerbaijan
The Iranian armed forces denied launching a drone attack on Azerbaijan, following reports that two drones flying from the direction of Iran fell near the airport in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.
“The Islamic republic of Iran … denies its armed forces launched a drone toward the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the general staff of the armed forces said in a statement carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Blaming the attack on Israel, it said: “Such actions by the Zionist regime to disrupt relations between Muslim countries through various means are well documented.”
Iranian ship attacked by US was sailing home after naval exercise hosted by India, officials say
The Iranian warship that was sunk by a US submarine was on its way home after taking part in naval exercises hosted by India, officials in New Delhi have said.
The Iris Dena sank in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka yesterday after a US torpedo attack, killing more than 80 people. Scores of people are still missing while 32 people were rescued by Sri Lankan authorities.
India’s defence ministry said the Iranian warship had participated in the International Fleet Review – a ceremonial event designed to showcase the maritime capabilities of the Indian navy and international partners – and the multilateral naval exercise Milan 2026 in the port of Visakhapatnam from 15 February to 25 February. The ministry said 74 countries had joined the events.
A second Iranian ship has been reported in waters close to Sri Lanka today and has sought emergency permission to dock. Sources told the Guardian the ship was a logistical pipe-laying vessel, which is not categorised as a warship. It may be as close as 10 nautical miles from the western coast of Sri Lanka, putting it within the country’s sovereign waters.
You can ready more on this story here:
Consternation in Cyprus over British sovereign base areas following strike on RAF Akrotiri
Helena Smith
Over in Cyprus, British defence minister John Healey has just wrapped up talks with his Cypriot counterpart.
Emphasizing the two countries’ long- standing friendship, Healey said talks had focused on “how the UK is further reinforcing our air defences to support our shared security,” following Sunday’s drone attack on the RAF Akrotiri airbase.
The presence of UK sovereign base areas – a remnant of British colonial rule – has long been a bone of contention among both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The drone strike, which caused marginal damage to the military installation’s landing strip, has brought that disgruntlement out into the open at an official level as never before.
For the first time the island’s political and diplomatic elite has expressed consternation over the dangers posed by the facilities, saying Britain has not done enough to protect the installations and surrounding areas where locals live.
The UK, unlike Europe, is perceived to have dragged its feet in deciding to deploy military support.
“There’s a sense of there being too little too late,” one senior official told The Guardian this morning. “There’s been a lot of talking at the highest level and the defense minister’s visit is part of that. But now we’ve gone beyond words. Now is a time for serious cooperation regarding the bases. Now is the time for action.”
Bahrain: air defences have intercepted 75 missiles and 123 drones
Bahrain air defences have destroyed 75 missiles and 123 drones since the start of the conflict, the Bahrain Defence Force said on Thursday.
The general command urged residents to stay home and not go out unless absolutely necessary.
EU’s Kallas says Iran ‘sowing chaos’
Jennifer Rankin
The EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said Iran is exporting the war to as many countries as possible to cause chaos, ahead of talks with Gulf countries.
Kallas is hosting a virtual meeting with EU foreign ministers and Gulf counterparts to discuss the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. She said she expected a common statement from the EU and Gulf Cooperation Council: “We want stability in the region, we want that this war does not go any further and we want the respect of international law.”
“Iran is exporting the war, trying to expand it to as many countries as they can to sow chaos. And we are calling for stability and seeing what we can do together.”
Without being drawn on specifics she said EU countries would discuss support for the Gulf. She stressed Ukraine could also help Gulf countries develop drone interceptors.
“In the Middle East, we see actually the same drones that are attacking Kyiv every day, now attacking also the Middle East,” she said in a reference to Iran’s Shahed drones that have been supplied to Russia to attack Ukraine.
The EU is concerned that the Middle East conflict will deplete Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Russia, as a result of rising oil prices that help Moscow fund its war effort and tighter supplies of drone interceptor technology.
“When it comes to drones and drone interceptor drones then Ukraine has really been able to produce a lot and can also share this knowledge with the Gulf countries to boost this production,” Kallas said. “So of course we are looking into this but I am worried that just the capabilities are limited and that’s why it will have an impact also on different wars.”
Six injured in Abu Dhabi from falling debris from intercepted drone
Six people were injured by falling debris in Abu Dhabi after air defences intercepted a drone, according to the Abu Dhabi media office.
The individuals injured were Pakistani and Nepalese nationals, the media office said. Their injuries were considered minor to moderate.
Abu Dhabi authorities have responded to an incident of debris falling in two locations in ICAD 2, following the successful interception of drones by air defence systems. The incident resulted in minor and moderate injuries to six Pakistani and Nepali nationals.
The public is…
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) March 5, 2026
Tell us: how have you been affected by the latest events in the Middle East?
The conflict in the Middle East has continued to escalate, with Israel announcing it had launched more strikes against Tehran and in Lebanon.
Iran has continued to fire retaliatory strikes against Israel and US targets in the region, prompting major airlines to cancel flights that has left thousands of people stranded.
If you’re living or working in the region and have been impacted by the US-Israel conflict with Iran, we would like to hear from you.
For more details on how to contact the Guardian, click here:
Qatar says air defences are combatting a missile attack
Air defences were working to intercept a missile attack targeting Qatar on Thursday, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency.
The ministry of interior called on residents to stay indoors and away from windows and open areas, stating that the security threat level was high.
Analysis: Globalisation is under threat from Iran war – and Britain is uniquely vulnerable
James Meadway
In retaliation for the US-Israeli missile attacks, Iran has launched what amounts to all-out economic warfare. Should the conflict continue even for another week, its impacts will start to be felt around the world as the third price surge since the pandemic washes through global markets.
For Britain, a further turn of the screw on living standards arrives just as political instability mounts at home, with the Labour and Conservative parties facing existential challenges to their left and right.
Keir Starmer’s half-cocked response to war reflects a deeper, strategic problem for the UK: an economy built over decades for a globalised world cannot fit into a world where globalisation is falling apart.
You can read James Meadway’s analysis here:
Summary of developments so far
-
An Iranian drone struck an Azerbaijani airport near the two countries’ shared border, according to officials, marking the first time a state in the Caucasus has been targeted by Iran since the start of the US-Israel war against Tehran. Two people were reported injured after a drone hit the terminal building at an airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran.
-
Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, said the Kurdish region “must not become part of any conflict”, after the Iranian military claimed it targeted the headquarters of Iranian Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. There are reports that Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in Iraq are preparing for a cross-border military operation in Iran, creating a potential new front in an already expanding conflict.
-
The first repatriation flight from Oman to bring home stranded citizens had been rescheduled due to “operational issues”, including delays in getting passengers on board, a minister said.
-
Iran claimed it had hit a US oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf and that the vessel was on fire. There was no immediate confirmation of the incident or comment from the US. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it maintains full control of the Strait of Hormuz and has effectively closed it to oil and gas exports.
-
UK defence secretary John Healey flew into Cyprus on Wednesday night to calm the diplomatic fallout over a drone that evaded detection and hit an RAF base, prompting fury from local ministers. UK officials believe a drone that hit an RAF base in Cyprus evaded detection by flying low and slow when it was launched by pro-Iranian militia in Lebanon or western Iraq.
-
Sri Lanka said it is trying to “safeguard lives” on another Iranian ship off its coast. An official said the ship was in the economic zone beyond Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, a day after a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate, killing at least 87 people.
-
Iran continued to launch a wave of missiles at Israel, sending millions of residents into bomb shelters, just hours after moves to halt the US air assault were blocked in Washington.
-
The Israeli military said it was beginning a new widespread wave of attacks in Tehran. Israel also said it carried out strikes on Beirut targeting Hezbollah while Lebanese state media reported an Israeli drone strike killed a Hamas official.
Azerbaijan summoned the Iranian envoy after two people were wounded in a drone attack on an airport and near a school.
“One drone struck the terminal building of the airport in the Nakhchivan autonomous republic, while another drone fell near a school building in the village of Shakarabad,” Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“We strongly condemn these drone attacks launched from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which resulted in damage to the airport building and injuries of two civilians.”
Pictures: US-Israeli attacks continue in Iran amid escalating conflict
Azerbaijan says drones launched from Iran land in its territory
Pjotr Sauer
An Iranian drone is said to have struck an Azerbaijani airport near the two countries’ shared border, marking the first time a state in the Caucasus has been targeted by Iran since the start of the US-Israel war against Tehran.
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said the drone hit the terminal building at an airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran, damaging part of the complex and injuring two civilians.
A second drone fell near a school in a nearby village. Baku said it reserved the right to take retaliatory measures.
Azerbaijan, an oil-rich authoritarian state that has adopted a neutral stance in the Middle East conflict, has recently developed closer ties with Israel and the Trump administration while gradually moving away from Moscow, the traditional power broker in the Caucasus.
The country hosts no US military bases, suggesting Iran may be expanding its strikes beyond targets directly linked to American forces.
Baku’s growing military cooperation with Israel has caused friction with Tehran, though the two neighbours have largely maintained pragmatic relations. Both countries are majority Shia Muslim, and Iran is home to millions of ethnic Azeris – estimates range from about 15 to more than 20 million – many living in the north-western provinces bordering Azerbaijan.
UK’s Oman repatriation flight pushed back after ‘operational issues’, says minister
The first repatriation flight from Oman to bring home stranded citizens had been rescheduled due to “operational issues”, including delays in getting passengers on board, a minister said.
The UK government had chartered a flight last night from Muscat to London for British nationals and their spouses or partners and children, but the Foreign Office said this morning that the flight was not able to depart due to technical issues.
The flight was now expected to depart later today.
When asked why the flight did not leave as planned, Home Office minister Alex Norris told BBC Breakfast: “Well, there are operational reasons that can happen in circumstances where these things are being stood up quickly. I know that’s stressful for those people – that’s why there’s support on the ground.
“We made sure we got them hotel rooms for the night as well and we are facilitating and rebooking today’s flight.
“We hope that they do, and there’s multiple flights after it as well.”
During his media round this morning he told Sky News that there were also delays in getting passengers on board as part of the operational challenges.
British Airways, which is currently unable to fly from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv, said it would run flights from Muscat on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and that they were fully booked.
.
– Do NOT include any notes, explanations, keyword lists, or meta commentary.
– Do NOT add an internal title or
(the theme already provides the title).
NON-NEGOTIABLE ACCURACY LOCKS (MANDATORY)
– Do NOT change relationships, roles, or statuses. If the source says “former partner,” do not change it to “husband.” If the source says “educator,” do not change it to “teacher,” unless verified and linked.
– Do NOT shift timelines. If an event is described as past behavior, keep it in the past; never move it “into the attack” or “during the incident.”
– QUOTE INTEGRITY: If you use quotation marks, the quote must be copied EXACTLY from a verified source. If you cannot quote exactly, paraphrase without quotation marks.
– SENSITIVE VIOLENCE HANDLING: If the story involves violence, minors, mass casualties, or graphic injury, keep descriptions restrained and non-graphic. Do not describe wound paths, gore, or explicit medical detail. Summarize injuries in a factual, minimal way unless the detail is essential and verified.
– Do not “upgrade” attribution. Do not write “police confirmed” or “officially identified” unless verified and linked.
AP STYLE + LEGAL/NUMBERS DISCIPLINE (MANDATORY)
1) OUTLET STRIPPING (HARD RULE)
– Never write “told [outlet]” or name the outlet from
Azerbaijani president orders armed forces to prepare for ‘highest level of combat readiness’
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, called a security meeting on Thursday regarding the alleged drone strike in the Nakhchivan region and delivered a speech stating that “any hostile force will feel the full might of our ‘Iron Fist’”.
The Iranian armed forces have denied launching drones into Azerbaijani territory. Nonetheless, Aliyev said Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this heinous terrorist act” and that his government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the foreign ministry in Baku.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice without delay,” he said. “The Iranian side must provide an official explanation to Azerbaijan, issue an apology, and ensure that the perpetrators are held criminally accountable.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
Key events
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has verified more than a dozen attacks on health infrastructure in Iran amid a US-Israeli campaign.
Four healthcare workers have been killed and 25 others injured, according to the organisation.
“WHO has verified 13 attacks on health care in Iran and one in Lebanon,” the organisation’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference, without attributing blame.
Regional directed Hanan Balkhy said four ambulances in Iran were also affected and that hospitals and other health sites suffered minor damage due to strikes nearby.
She said the WHO logistics hub in Dubai which provides health supplies to dozens of countries is temporarily out of service because of transport restrictions in the region.
Azerbaijani president orders armed forces to prepare for ‘highest level of combat readiness’
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, called a security meeting on Thursday regarding the alleged drone strike in the Nakhchivan region and delivered a speech stating that “any hostile force will feel the full might of our ‘Iron Fist’”.
The Iranian armed forces have denied launching drones into Azerbaijani territory. Nonetheless, Aliyev said Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this heinous terrorist act” and that his government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the foreign ministry in Baku.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice without delay,” he said. “The Iranian side must provide an official explanation to Azerbaijan, issue an apology, and ensure that the perpetrators are held criminally accountable.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
US lawmaker on Iranian leadership: ‘Just keep killing them until they’re gone’
In the US, Senate Republicans voted down on Wednesday a war powers resolution that would have required Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before continuing the war with Iran.
The vote broke down along party lines, with John Fetterman of Pennsylvania as the sole Democrat to vote against the measure. On Wednesday, prior to the vote, Fetterman went on CNN News Central to voice his support of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and say that this was a situation of “country over party”.
“What I’m trying to establish is that every single senator in the Congress says we should never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. That now has made that possible after that. And now they’ve eliminated this leadership,” Fetterman said. “Now, do you really want those things? Does it really matter? Were you really serious about that? Because if you were, why can’t we just acknowledge – I’m not with all of it – but this was a great development for the region.”
Anchor Kate Bolduan asked Fetterman if he thought the US and Israel were aligned in their war goals, specifically in regards to comments made by Israeli defence minister Israel Katz that “any leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime” would become “an unequivocal target for elimination”.
“Yeah just keep killing them until they’re gone,” Fetterman said. “I mean, absolutely. I’ve read that they’re (Israel is) going to target who they (Iran) ever elect to be their next leader and kill them. Absolutely. I fully support it. So, that’s what’s entirely appropriate.”
When Bolduan pushed further on the issue, asking Fetterman who should decide the leader of Iran“if you think the United State should take part in taking out every next leader going forward” if the leader doesn’t meet the right measure, he responded by saing he “absolutely” supports killing the leadership of Iran.
“Hey, I’m sorry, I absolutely support killing, you know, the leadership of the Iranian. Absolutely. I absolutely support that,” Fetterman said. “I think that’s entirely appropriate until hopefully they’ll pick someone that realizes that they need to live and coexist in peace in the region and stop trying to destroy Israel and to stabilize the region.”
The US House of Representatives is set to vote on a similar measure later today. For more, follow along with our live coverage here.
Azerbaijan says drone attacks ‘will not remain unanswered’
Azerbaijan vowed to respond after a drone attack on an airport in its territory, which the Baku government said came from the direction of Iran.
Iran denied involvement and has blamed the attack on Israel, but the Azerbaijani defence ministry placed the blame squarely on Iran.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran bears the entire responsibility for the incident,” the ministry said in a statement.
It added: “These acts of aggression will not remain unanswered.”
The ministry said it would “prepare necessary retaliatory measures” without specifying what they would be. It added that it would investigate the types of drones that were used in the attack in the Nakhchivan exclave close to the border with Iran, which injured four people.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi denied Tehran had targeted Nakhchivan, telling the Azerbaijani outlet AnewZ that his country is “not targeting neighbouring countries”.
Pictures: Damage at Azerbaijani airport and school following reported drone attack
The newswires have uploaded images from a video appearing to show the damage at Nakhchivan airport after what Azerbaijani officials said was a drone attack carried out by Iran. Iran has denied involvement and blamed Israel.
Azerbaijan said one drone fell on the terminal building of the Nakhchivan airport, which is about six miles across the border from Iran, and another drone landed close to a school building in a nearby village.
The AP news agency has issued this photograph which it says shows damage to a school in Julfa, about 20 miles south of the airport and less than two miles from the Iranian border at the Aras river.
Iran denies launching drone attack on Azerbaijan
The Iranian armed forces denied launching a drone attack on Azerbaijan, following reports that two drones flying from the direction of Iran fell near the airport in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.
“The Islamic republic of Iran … denies its armed forces launched a drone toward the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the general staff of the armed forces said in a statement carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Blaming the attack on Israel, it said: “Such actions by the Zionist regime to disrupt relations between Muslim countries through various means are well documented.”
Iranian ship attacked by US was sailing home after naval exercise hosted by India, officials say
The Iranian warship that was sunk by a US submarine was on its way home after taking part in naval exercises hosted by India, officials in New Delhi have said.
The Iris Dena sank in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka yesterday after a US torpedo attack, killing more than 80 people. Scores of people are still missing while 32 people were rescued by Sri Lankan authorities.
India’s defence ministry said the Iranian warship had participated in the International Fleet Review – a ceremonial event designed to showcase the maritime capabilities of the Indian navy and international partners – and the multilateral naval exercise Milan 2026 in the port of Visakhapatnam from 15 February to 25 February. The ministry said 74 countries had joined the events.
A second Iranian ship has been reported in waters close to Sri Lanka today and has sought emergency permission to dock. Sources told the Guardian the ship was a logistical pipe-laying vessel, which is not categorised as a warship. It may be as close as 10 nautical miles from the western coast of Sri Lanka, putting it within the country’s sovereign waters.
You can ready more on this story here:
Consternation in Cyprus over British sovereign base areas following strike on RAF Akrotiri
Helena Smith
Over in Cyprus, British defence minister John Healey has just wrapped up talks with his Cypriot counterpart.
Emphasizing the two countries’ long- standing friendship, Healey said talks had focused on “how the UK is further reinforcing our air defences to support our shared security,” following Sunday’s drone attack on the RAF Akrotiri airbase.
The presence of UK sovereign base areas – a remnant of British colonial rule – has long been a bone of contention among both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The drone strike, which caused marginal damage to the military installation’s landing strip, has brought that disgruntlement out into the open at an official level as never before.
For the first time the island’s political and diplomatic elite has expressed consternation over the dangers posed by the facilities, saying Britain has not done enough to protect the installations and surrounding areas where locals live.
The UK, unlike Europe, is perceived to have dragged its feet in deciding to deploy military support.
“There’s a sense of there being too little too late,” one senior official told The Guardian this morning. “There’s been a lot of talking at the highest level and the defense minister’s visit is part of that. But now we’ve gone beyond words. Now is a time for serious cooperation regarding the bases. Now is the time for action.”
Bahrain: air defences have intercepted 75 missiles and 123 drones
Bahrain air defences have destroyed 75 missiles and 123 drones since the start of the conflict, the Bahrain Defence Force said on Thursday.
The general command urged residents to stay home and not go out unless absolutely necessary.
EU’s Kallas says Iran ‘sowing chaos’
Jennifer Rankin
The EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said Iran is exporting the war to as many countries as possible to cause chaos, ahead of talks with Gulf countries.
Kallas is hosting a virtual meeting with EU foreign ministers and Gulf counterparts to discuss the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. She said she expected a common statement from the EU and Gulf Cooperation Council: “We want stability in the region, we want that this war does not go any further and we want the respect of international law.”
“Iran is exporting the war, trying to expand it to as many countries as they can to sow chaos. And we are calling for stability and seeing what we can do together.”
Without being drawn on specifics she said EU countries would discuss support for the Gulf. She stressed Ukraine could also help Gulf countries develop drone interceptors.
“In the Middle East, we see actually the same drones that are attacking Kyiv every day, now attacking also the Middle East,” she said in a reference to Iran’s Shahed drones that have been supplied to Russia to attack Ukraine.
The EU is concerned that the Middle East conflict will deplete Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Russia, as a result of rising oil prices that help Moscow fund its war effort and tighter supplies of drone interceptor technology.
“When it comes to drones and drone interceptor drones then Ukraine has really been able to produce a lot and can also share this knowledge with the Gulf countries to boost this production,” Kallas said. “So of course we are looking into this but I am worried that just the capabilities are limited and that’s why it will have an impact also on different wars.”
Six injured in Abu Dhabi from falling debris from intercepted drone
Six people were injured by falling debris in Abu Dhabi after air defences intercepted a drone, according to the Abu Dhabi media office.
The individuals injured were Pakistani and Nepalese nationals, the media office said. Their injuries were considered minor to moderate.
Abu Dhabi authorities have responded to an incident of debris falling in two locations in ICAD 2, following the successful interception of drones by air defence systems. The incident resulted in minor and moderate injuries to six Pakistani and Nepali nationals.
The public is…
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) March 5, 2026
Tell us: how have you been affected by the latest events in the Middle East?
The conflict in the Middle East has continued to escalate, with Israel announcing it had launched more strikes against Tehran and in Lebanon.
Iran has continued to fire retaliatory strikes against Israel and US targets in the region, prompting major airlines to cancel flights that has left thousands of people stranded.
If you’re living or working in the region and have been impacted by the US-Israel conflict with Iran, we would like to hear from you.
For more details on how to contact the Guardian, click here:
Qatar says air defences are combatting a missile attack
Air defences were working to intercept a missile attack targeting Qatar on Thursday, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency.
The ministry of interior called on residents to stay indoors and away from windows and open areas, stating that the security threat level was high.
Analysis: Globalisation is under threat from Iran war – and Britain is uniquely vulnerable
James Meadway
In retaliation for the US-Israeli missile attacks, Iran has launched what amounts to all-out economic warfare. Should the conflict continue even for another week, its impacts will start to be felt around the world as the third price surge since the pandemic washes through global markets.
For Britain, a further turn of the screw on living standards arrives just as political instability mounts at home, with the Labour and Conservative parties facing existential challenges to their left and right.
Keir Starmer’s half-cocked response to war reflects a deeper, strategic problem for the UK: an economy built over decades for a globalised world cannot fit into a world where globalisation is falling apart.
You can read James Meadway’s analysis here:
Summary of developments so far
-
An Iranian drone struck an Azerbaijani airport near the two countries’ shared border, according to officials, marking the first time a state in the Caucasus has been targeted by Iran since the start of the US-Israel war against Tehran. Two people were reported injured after a drone hit the terminal building at an airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran.
-
Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, said the Kurdish region “must not become part of any conflict”, after the Iranian military claimed it targeted the headquarters of Iranian Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. There are reports that Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in Iraq are preparing for a cross-border military operation in Iran, creating a potential new front in an already expanding conflict.
-
The first repatriation flight from Oman to bring home stranded citizens had been rescheduled due to “operational issues”, including delays in getting passengers on board, a minister said.
-
Iran claimed it had hit a US oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf and that the vessel was on fire. There was no immediate confirmation of the incident or comment from the US. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it maintains full control of the Strait of Hormuz and has effectively closed it to oil and gas exports.
-
UK defence secretary John Healey flew into Cyprus on Wednesday night to calm the diplomatic fallout over a drone that evaded detection and hit an RAF base, prompting fury from local ministers. UK officials believe a drone that hit an RAF base in Cyprus evaded detection by flying low and slow when it was launched by pro-Iranian militia in Lebanon or western Iraq.
-
Sri Lanka said it is trying to “safeguard lives” on another Iranian ship off its coast. An official said the ship was in the economic zone beyond Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, a day after a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate, killing at least 87 people.
-
Iran continued to launch a wave of missiles at Israel, sending millions of residents into bomb shelters, just hours after moves to halt the US air assault were blocked in Washington.
-
The Israeli military said it was beginning a new widespread wave of attacks in Tehran. Israel also said it carried out strikes on Beirut targeting Hezbollah while Lebanese state media reported an Israeli drone strike killed a Hamas official.
Azerbaijan summoned the Iranian envoy after two people were wounded in a drone attack on an airport and near a school.
“One drone struck the terminal building of the airport in the Nakhchivan autonomous republic, while another drone fell near a school building in the village of Shakarabad,” Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“We strongly condemn these drone attacks launched from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which resulted in damage to the airport building and injuries of two civilians.”
Pictures: US-Israeli attacks continue in Iran amid escalating conflict
Azerbaijan says drones launched from Iran land in its territory
Pjotr Sauer
An Iranian drone is said to have struck an Azerbaijani airport near the two countries’ shared border, marking the first time a state in the Caucasus has been targeted by Iran since the start of the US-Israel war against Tehran.
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said the drone hit the terminal building at an airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran, damaging part of the complex and injuring two civilians.
A second drone fell near a school in a nearby village. Baku said it reserved the right to take retaliatory measures.
Azerbaijan, an oil-rich authoritarian state that has adopted a neutral stance in the Middle East conflict, has recently developed closer ties with Israel and the Trump administration while gradually moving away from Moscow, the traditional power broker in the Caucasus.
The country hosts no US military bases, suggesting Iran may be expanding its strikes beyond targets directly linked to American forces.
Baku’s growing military cooperation with Israel has caused friction with Tehran, though the two neighbours have largely maintained pragmatic relations. Both countries are majority Shia Muslim, and Iran is home to millions of ethnic Azeris – estimates range from about 15 to more than 20 million – many living in the north-western provinces bordering Azerbaijan.
UK’s Oman repatriation flight pushed back after ‘operational issues’, says minister
The first repatriation flight from Oman to bring home stranded citizens had been rescheduled due to “operational issues”, including delays in getting passengers on board, a minister said.
The UK government had chartered a flight last night from Muscat to London for British nationals and their spouses or partners and children, but the Foreign Office said this morning that the flight was not able to depart due to technical issues.
The flight was now expected to depart later today.
When asked why the flight did not leave as planned, Home Office minister Alex Norris told BBC Breakfast: “Well, there are operational reasons that can happen in circumstances where these things are being stood up quickly. I know that’s stressful for those people – that’s why there’s support on the ground.
“We made sure we got them hotel rooms for the night as well and we are facilitating and rebooking today’s flight.
“We hope that they do, and there’s multiple flights after it as well.”
During his media round this morning he told Sky News that there were also delays in getting passengers on board as part of the operational challenges.
British Airways, which is currently unable to fly from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv, said it would run flights from Muscat on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and that they were fully booked.
unless the outlet is itself the subject of the story and independently verified.
– Use neutral attribution instead: “the official said,” “the minister said,” “police said,” “the court said,” “the spokesperson said.”
2) INLINE LINK LOCK FOR KEY FIGURES
– Any key number must be verified and must include an inline verification link in the SAME sentence.
– If reliable sources vary, report a range and attribute it with links.
3) LOADED WORDS REQUIRE ATTRIBUTION
– Any loaded adjective must be removed OR placed in quotes and attributed to a named source or organization, linked when possible.
4) NO IMPLIED OFFICIAL ACTIONS
– Do not claim institutions “will continue” doing something unless verified.
– State only what they said, ordered, filed, or confirmed, and link it.
SEO + USER INTENT (NATURAL INTEGRATION)
– Identify ONE primary keyword phrase based on the verified topic and user intent (related to Middle East crisis live: Azerbaijan troops at ‘highest level of readiness’ as Iran denies it is behind drone attacks | US-Israel war on Iran).
– Use it naturally within the first {80|100|120} words and {once more later|again later|one more time later}.
– Naturally include {8|10|12|14} related semantic phrases and long-tail variants without stuffing or repetitive exact-match loops.
– Do NOT output a keyword list.
LINKS (VERIFIED ONLY, HIGH AUTHORITY)
Include {2|3|4|5} inline external links to authoritative sources you actually used to verify key facts, prioritizing official sources first.
– HTML only: Descriptive Anchor Text
– Never use “source” as anchor text.
– Never guess URLs.
– If you can only find {1|2} strong sources, include fewer links rather than weak ones.
– Avoid low-authority blogs, partisan aggregators, or unclear publishers. If a claim depends on weak sourcing, omit it.
EMBED + MEDIA PRESERVATION (MANDATORY)
You MUST preserve and reuse relevant embeds and essential media from
Azerbaijani president orders armed forces to prepare for ‘highest level of combat readiness’
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, called a security meeting on Thursday regarding the alleged drone strike in the Nakhchivan region and delivered a speech stating that “any hostile force will feel the full might of our ‘Iron Fist’”.
The Iranian armed forces have denied launching drones into Azerbaijani territory. Nonetheless, Aliyev said Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this heinous terrorist act” and that his government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the foreign ministry in Baku.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice without delay,” he said. “The Iranian side must provide an official explanation to Azerbaijan, issue an apology, and ensure that the perpetrators are held criminally accountable.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
Key events
The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has verified more than a dozen attacks on health infrastructure in Iran amid a US-Israeli campaign.
Four healthcare workers have been killed and 25 others injured, according to the organisation.
“WHO has verified 13 attacks on health care in Iran and one in Lebanon,” the organisation’s director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a press conference, without attributing blame.
Regional directed Hanan Balkhy said four ambulances in Iran were also affected and that hospitals and other health sites suffered minor damage due to strikes nearby.
She said the WHO logistics hub in Dubai which provides health supplies to dozens of countries is temporarily out of service because of transport restrictions in the region.
Azerbaijani president orders armed forces to prepare for ‘highest level of combat readiness’
Ilham Aliyev, the president of Azerbaijan, called a security meeting on Thursday regarding the alleged drone strike in the Nakhchivan region and delivered a speech stating that “any hostile force will feel the full might of our ‘Iron Fist’”.
The Iranian armed forces have denied launching drones into Azerbaijani territory. Nonetheless, Aliyev said Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this heinous terrorist act” and that his government has summoned Iran’s ambassador to the foreign ministry in Baku.
“Those responsible must be brought to justice without delay,” he said. “The Iranian side must provide an official explanation to Azerbaijan, issue an apology, and ensure that the perpetrators are held criminally accountable.”
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s armed forces “have been placed at the highest level of combat readiness and are prepared to carry out any required operations”.
“We will not tolerate this unprovoked act of terror and aggression against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said.
US lawmaker on Iranian leadership: ‘Just keep killing them until they’re gone’
In the US, Senate Republicans voted down on Wednesday a war powers resolution that would have required Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before continuing the war with Iran.
The vote broke down along party lines, with John Fetterman of Pennsylvania as the sole Democrat to vote against the measure. On Wednesday, prior to the vote, Fetterman went on CNN News Central to voice his support of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran and say that this was a situation of “country over party”.
“What I’m trying to establish is that every single senator in the Congress says we should never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. That now has made that possible after that. And now they’ve eliminated this leadership,” Fetterman said. “Now, do you really want those things? Does it really matter? Were you really serious about that? Because if you were, why can’t we just acknowledge – I’m not with all of it – but this was a great development for the region.”
Anchor Kate Bolduan asked Fetterman if he thought the US and Israel were aligned in their war goals, specifically in regards to comments made by Israeli defence minister Israel Katz that “any leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime” would become “an unequivocal target for elimination”.
“Yeah just keep killing them until they’re gone,” Fetterman said. “I mean, absolutely. I’ve read that they’re (Israel is) going to target who they (Iran) ever elect to be their next leader and kill them. Absolutely. I fully support it. So, that’s what’s entirely appropriate.”
When Bolduan pushed further on the issue, asking Fetterman who should decide the leader of Iran“if you think the United State should take part in taking out every next leader going forward” if the leader doesn’t meet the right measure, he responded by saing he “absolutely” supports killing the leadership of Iran.
“Hey, I’m sorry, I absolutely support killing, you know, the leadership of the Iranian. Absolutely. I absolutely support that,” Fetterman said. “I think that’s entirely appropriate until hopefully they’ll pick someone that realizes that they need to live and coexist in peace in the region and stop trying to destroy Israel and to stabilize the region.”
The US House of Representatives is set to vote on a similar measure later today. For more, follow along with our live coverage here.
Azerbaijan says drone attacks ‘will not remain unanswered’
Azerbaijan vowed to respond after a drone attack on an airport in its territory, which the Baku government said came from the direction of Iran.
Iran denied involvement and has blamed the attack on Israel, but the Azerbaijani defence ministry placed the blame squarely on Iran.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran bears the entire responsibility for the incident,” the ministry said in a statement.
It added: “These acts of aggression will not remain unanswered.”
The ministry said it would “prepare necessary retaliatory measures” without specifying what they would be. It added that it would investigate the types of drones that were used in the attack in the Nakhchivan exclave close to the border with Iran, which injured four people.
Iran’s deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi denied Tehran had targeted Nakhchivan, telling the Azerbaijani outlet AnewZ that his country is “not targeting neighbouring countries”.
Pictures: Damage at Azerbaijani airport and school following reported drone attack
The newswires have uploaded images from a video appearing to show the damage at Nakhchivan airport after what Azerbaijani officials said was a drone attack carried out by Iran. Iran has denied involvement and blamed Israel.
Azerbaijan said one drone fell on the terminal building of the Nakhchivan airport, which is about six miles across the border from Iran, and another drone landed close to a school building in a nearby village.
The AP news agency has issued this photograph which it says shows damage to a school in Julfa, about 20 miles south of the airport and less than two miles from the Iranian border at the Aras river.
Iran denies launching drone attack on Azerbaijan
The Iranian armed forces denied launching a drone attack on Azerbaijan, following reports that two drones flying from the direction of Iran fell near the airport in the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan.
“The Islamic republic of Iran … denies its armed forces launched a drone toward the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the general staff of the armed forces said in a statement carried by Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Blaming the attack on Israel, it said: “Such actions by the Zionist regime to disrupt relations between Muslim countries through various means are well documented.”
Iranian ship attacked by US was sailing home after naval exercise hosted by India, officials say
The Iranian warship that was sunk by a US submarine was on its way home after taking part in naval exercises hosted by India, officials in New Delhi have said.
The Iris Dena sank in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka yesterday after a US torpedo attack, killing more than 80 people. Scores of people are still missing while 32 people were rescued by Sri Lankan authorities.
India’s defence ministry said the Iranian warship had participated in the International Fleet Review – a ceremonial event designed to showcase the maritime capabilities of the Indian navy and international partners – and the multilateral naval exercise Milan 2026 in the port of Visakhapatnam from 15 February to 25 February. The ministry said 74 countries had joined the events.
A second Iranian ship has been reported in waters close to Sri Lanka today and has sought emergency permission to dock. Sources told the Guardian the ship was a logistical pipe-laying vessel, which is not categorised as a warship. It may be as close as 10 nautical miles from the western coast of Sri Lanka, putting it within the country’s sovereign waters.
You can ready more on this story here:
Consternation in Cyprus over British sovereign base areas following strike on RAF Akrotiri
Helena Smith
Over in Cyprus, British defence minister John Healey has just wrapped up talks with his Cypriot counterpart.
Emphasizing the two countries’ long- standing friendship, Healey said talks had focused on “how the UK is further reinforcing our air defences to support our shared security,” following Sunday’s drone attack on the RAF Akrotiri airbase.
The presence of UK sovereign base areas – a remnant of British colonial rule – has long been a bone of contention among both Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The drone strike, which caused marginal damage to the military installation’s landing strip, has brought that disgruntlement out into the open at an official level as never before.
For the first time the island’s political and diplomatic elite has expressed consternation over the dangers posed by the facilities, saying Britain has not done enough to protect the installations and surrounding areas where locals live.
The UK, unlike Europe, is perceived to have dragged its feet in deciding to deploy military support.
“There’s a sense of there being too little too late,” one senior official told The Guardian this morning. “There’s been a lot of talking at the highest level and the defense minister’s visit is part of that. But now we’ve gone beyond words. Now is a time for serious cooperation regarding the bases. Now is the time for action.”
Bahrain: air defences have intercepted 75 missiles and 123 drones
Bahrain air defences have destroyed 75 missiles and 123 drones since the start of the conflict, the Bahrain Defence Force said on Thursday.
The general command urged residents to stay home and not go out unless absolutely necessary.
EU’s Kallas says Iran ‘sowing chaos’
Jennifer Rankin
The EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has said Iran is exporting the war to as many countries as possible to cause chaos, ahead of talks with Gulf countries.
Kallas is hosting a virtual meeting with EU foreign ministers and Gulf counterparts to discuss the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. She said she expected a common statement from the EU and Gulf Cooperation Council: “We want stability in the region, we want that this war does not go any further and we want the respect of international law.”
“Iran is exporting the war, trying to expand it to as many countries as they can to sow chaos. And we are calling for stability and seeing what we can do together.”
Without being drawn on specifics she said EU countries would discuss support for the Gulf. She stressed Ukraine could also help Gulf countries develop drone interceptors.
“In the Middle East, we see actually the same drones that are attacking Kyiv every day, now attacking also the Middle East,” she said in a reference to Iran’s Shahed drones that have been supplied to Russia to attack Ukraine.
The EU is concerned that the Middle East conflict will deplete Ukraine’s efforts to defend itself against Russia, as a result of rising oil prices that help Moscow fund its war effort and tighter supplies of drone interceptor technology.
“When it comes to drones and drone interceptor drones then Ukraine has really been able to produce a lot and can also share this knowledge with the Gulf countries to boost this production,” Kallas said. “So of course we are looking into this but I am worried that just the capabilities are limited and that’s why it will have an impact also on different wars.”
Six injured in Abu Dhabi from falling debris from intercepted drone
Six people were injured by falling debris in Abu Dhabi after air defences intercepted a drone, according to the Abu Dhabi media office.
The individuals injured were Pakistani and Nepalese nationals, the media office said. Their injuries were considered minor to moderate.
Abu Dhabi authorities have responded to an incident of debris falling in two locations in ICAD 2, following the successful interception of drones by air defence systems. The incident resulted in minor and moderate injuries to six Pakistani and Nepali nationals.
The public is…
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) March 5, 2026
Tell us: how have you been affected by the latest events in the Middle East?
The conflict in the Middle East has continued to escalate, with Israel announcing it had launched more strikes against Tehran and in Lebanon.
Iran has continued to fire retaliatory strikes against Israel and US targets in the region, prompting major airlines to cancel flights that has left thousands of people stranded.
If you’re living or working in the region and have been impacted by the US-Israel conflict with Iran, we would like to hear from you.
For more details on how to contact the Guardian, click here:
Qatar says air defences are combatting a missile attack
Air defences were working to intercept a missile attack targeting Qatar on Thursday, according to the state-run Qatar News Agency.
The ministry of interior called on residents to stay indoors and away from windows and open areas, stating that the security threat level was high.
Analysis: Globalisation is under threat from Iran war – and Britain is uniquely vulnerable
James Meadway
In retaliation for the US-Israeli missile attacks, Iran has launched what amounts to all-out economic warfare. Should the conflict continue even for another week, its impacts will start to be felt around the world as the third price surge since the pandemic washes through global markets.
For Britain, a further turn of the screw on living standards arrives just as political instability mounts at home, with the Labour and Conservative parties facing existential challenges to their left and right.
Keir Starmer’s half-cocked response to war reflects a deeper, strategic problem for the UK: an economy built over decades for a globalised world cannot fit into a world where globalisation is falling apart.
You can read James Meadway’s analysis here:
Summary of developments so far
-
An Iranian drone struck an Azerbaijani airport near the two countries’ shared border, according to officials, marking the first time a state in the Caucasus has been targeted by Iran since the start of the US-Israel war against Tehran. Two people were reported injured after a drone hit the terminal building at an airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran.
-
Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, said the Kurdish region “must not become part of any conflict”, after the Iranian military claimed it targeted the headquarters of Iranian Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. There are reports that Kurdish Iranian dissident groups based in Iraq are preparing for a cross-border military operation in Iran, creating a potential new front in an already expanding conflict.
-
The first repatriation flight from Oman to bring home stranded citizens had been rescheduled due to “operational issues”, including delays in getting passengers on board, a minister said.
-
Iran claimed it had hit a US oil tanker in the northern Persian Gulf and that the vessel was on fire. There was no immediate confirmation of the incident or comment from the US. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it maintains full control of the Strait of Hormuz and has effectively closed it to oil and gas exports.
-
UK defence secretary John Healey flew into Cyprus on Wednesday night to calm the diplomatic fallout over a drone that evaded detection and hit an RAF base, prompting fury from local ministers. UK officials believe a drone that hit an RAF base in Cyprus evaded detection by flying low and slow when it was launched by pro-Iranian militia in Lebanon or western Iraq.
-
Sri Lanka said it is trying to “safeguard lives” on another Iranian ship off its coast. An official said the ship was in the economic zone beyond Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, a day after a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate, killing at least 87 people.
-
Iran continued to launch a wave of missiles at Israel, sending millions of residents into bomb shelters, just hours after moves to halt the US air assault were blocked in Washington.
-
The Israeli military said it was beginning a new widespread wave of attacks in Tehran. Israel also said it carried out strikes on Beirut targeting Hezbollah while Lebanese state media reported an Israeli drone strike killed a Hamas official.
Azerbaijan summoned the Iranian envoy after two people were wounded in a drone attack on an airport and near a school.
“One drone struck the terminal building of the airport in the Nakhchivan autonomous republic, while another drone fell near a school building in the village of Shakarabad,” Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“We strongly condemn these drone attacks launched from the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which resulted in damage to the airport building and injuries of two civilians.”
Pictures: US-Israeli attacks continue in Iran amid escalating conflict
Azerbaijan says drones launched from Iran land in its territory
Pjotr Sauer
An Iranian drone is said to have struck an Azerbaijani airport near the two countries’ shared border, marking the first time a state in the Caucasus has been targeted by Iran since the start of the US-Israel war against Tehran.
Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said the drone hit the terminal building at an airport in Nakhchivan, an Azerbaijani exclave bordering Iran, damaging part of the complex and injuring two civilians.
A second drone fell near a school in a nearby village. Baku said it reserved the right to take retaliatory measures.
Azerbaijan, an oil-rich authoritarian state that has adopted a neutral stance in the Middle East conflict, has recently developed closer ties with Israel and the Trump administration while gradually moving away from Moscow, the traditional power broker in the Caucasus.
The country hosts no US military bases, suggesting Iran may be expanding its strikes beyond targets directly linked to American forces.
Baku’s growing military cooperation with Israel has caused friction with Tehran, though the two neighbours have largely maintained pragmatic relations. Both countries are majority Shia Muslim, and Iran is home to millions of ethnic Azeris – estimates range from about 15 to more than 20 million – many living in the north-western provinces bordering Azerbaijan.
UK’s Oman repatriation flight pushed back after ‘operational issues’, says minister
The first repatriation flight from Oman to bring home stranded citizens had been rescheduled due to “operational issues”, including delays in getting passengers on board, a minister said.
The UK government had chartered a flight last night from Muscat to London for British nationals and their spouses or partners and children, but the Foreign Office said this morning that the flight was not able to depart due to technical issues.
The flight was now expected to depart later today.
When asked why the flight did not leave as planned, Home Office minister Alex Norris told BBC Breakfast: “Well, there are operational reasons that can happen in circumstances where these things are being stood up quickly. I know that’s stressful for those people – that’s why there’s support on the ground.
“We made sure we got them hotel rooms for the night as well and we are facilitating and rebooking today’s flight.
“We hope that they do, and there’s multiple flights after it as well.”
During his media round this morning he told Sky News that there were also delays in getting passengers on board as part of the operational challenges.
British Airways, which is currently unable to fly from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Amman and Tel Aviv, said it would run flights from Muscat on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and that they were fully booked.
and integrate them naturally in the article.
– Preserve these verbatim if present and relevant:
• X/Twitter:
…
• Instagram:
…
• YouTube:
• Images/figures:
including
– Place each embed/figure immediately after the paragraph that references it, so it feels editorially natural.
– Include required platform scripts only once, and only if at least one embed is used:
• X/Twitter widgets:
• Instagram embed script only if an Instagram embed is included.
– Remove non-editorial clutter such as ads, donation widgets, paywall prompts, unrelated iframes, newsletter boxes, and “story continues below this ad.”
– Keep only media that supports the story.
HTML HYGIENE (MANDATORY)
– Wrap EVERY paragraph in
…
.
– Never place plain text directly under headings.
– Keep HTML valid and clean.
HTML OUTPUT FORMAT
Return ONE standalone HTML5 block only:
– Start with
– Allowed tags:
,
,
, , ,
- ,
- ,
,
,, ,
, , ,, , ,
- ,
