U.S. embassy in Riyadh hit by drones as Israel, Iran exchange strikes

The conflict with Iran widened on Monday as the Islamic Republic and its proxies targeted Israel, Arab states and U.S. bases in retaliation for the deadly airstrikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

At a glance:

• Iran Red Crescent Society says at least 555 killed in Iran
• Israel struck Lebanon after Hezbollah fired rockets
• Eleven people killed in Israel, 31 in Lebanon
• Six U.S. soldiers have been killed
• Kuwait accidentally shot down 3 U.S. warplanes

Hezbollah has entered the fray by launching rockets from Lebanon to Israel, which partnered with the U.S. to initiate the attacks against Iran on Saturday.

Hundreds are reported dead in Iran while dozens of casualties have also been recorded in Israel, Lebanon and other countries on the region.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Arabian defense ministry confirmed multiple reports that drones hit the U.S. embassy in Riyadh.

Read more:

• Oil, gas surge as Iran conflict disrupts Middle Eastern flows
• Canada urges diplomatic solution in Iran
• How succession works in Iran
• Are Trump’s strikes against Iran legal?
• Carney rules out Canada’s military participation in Middle East

Here’s everything that happened on March 2, 2026.

U.S. embassy in Riyadh hit by drones: Saudi defense ministry

The U.S. embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones resulting in a limited fire and some material damage, the kingdom’s defense ministry said in a post on X on Tuesday, citing an initial assessment.

The drone attack came amid ongoing Iranian missile and drone strikes on Gulf states that host U.S. bases, following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday.

Reuters was not immediately able to confirm the circumstances of the incident.

A loud blast was heard and flames were seen at the U.S. embassy in Riyadh early on Tuesday morning, three people familiar with the matter said, with one person saying the fire was minor.

Black smoke was seen rising over Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, which houses foreign missions.

Reuters

Iran’s foreign minister says U.S. fighting ‘on behalf of Israel’

Iran’s top diplomat early Tuesday sought to turn the tables on the United States, describing it as entering “a war of choice on behalf of Israel.”

After Trump urged Iranians to take over their government, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi made the same call to Americans.

“Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters,” Araghchi wrote on X. “American people deserve better and should take back their country.”

Netanyahu says war against Iran will not be endless

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran will involve quick and decisive action.

“This is not an endless war. This is the gateway to peace,” Netanayahu said on Fox News’ ‘Hannity’ program.

“Yes I do,” Netanyahu said, when asked if he saw a lasting path to peace in the Middle East.

Reuters

Iran nuclear program would be impossible to attack: Netanyahu

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Iran had been building new nuclear weapon sites that would have been impossible to attack within months, creating urgency for strikes on the country.

“They started building new sites, new places, underground bunkers, that would make their ballistic missile programs and their atomic bomb programs immune within months,” Netanyahu told Fox News.

“If no action was taken now, no action could be taken in the future.”

AFP

U.S. death toll rises to 6 troops

The U.S. military on Monday announced the deaths of two more American service members during the operations against Iran, bringing the total death toll to six people.

U.S. Central Command stated in a post on X that U.S. forces “recently recovered the remains of two previously unaccounted for service members from a facility that was struck during Iran’s initial attacks in the region.”

The post did not state where two service members were killed. Their identities are being withheld until 24 hours after their families are notified, the military said.

The Associated Press

Australia says Iran hit Middle East military HQ

Australia said Tuesday its military headquarters in the Middle East was hit by an Iranian drone attack over the weekend and that all staff were safe.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said he could confirm reports the Al Minhad Air Base -- just 24 kilometres (15 miles) south of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates -- had been hit over the weekend.

“There was some drones which did attack that base on the first night,” Marles, also deputy prime minister, said.

AFP

Israel begins new wave of strikes on Tehran

The Israeli military said late on Monday it has begun a new wave of strikes on Tehran.

The strikes came after it issued an evacuation warning for residents in Tehran, particularly those residing near state broadcaster IRIB’s headquarters.

Reuters

Rubio says Israel’s strike plan triggered U.S. attack on Iran

The United States attacked Iran only after learning that ally Israel was going to strike and fearing Tehran would retaliate against U.S. forces, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday.

“We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didn’t pre-emptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties,” Rubio told reporters, adding Iran had told field commanders to respond automatically against U.S. forces if there was an attack.

“If we stood and waited for that attack to come first before we hit them, we would suffer much higher casualties,” Rubio said.

AFP

Israel says working to intercept new Iranian missiles

Israel’s military said just after midnight on Tuesday that it was working to intercept a new wave of missiles launched from Iran, warning residents in multiple locations to seek shelter.

“A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat,” the military said.

AFP

U.S. tells citizens to leave 12 Middle East countries

The U.S. Department of State on Monday called on Americans to immediately depart more than a dozen countries in the Middle East amid U.S-Israeli strikes against Iran.

Americans were urged to depart using commercial means from Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates and Yemen, according to Mora Namdar, the State Department’s assistant secretary for consular affairs.

Reuters

Middle East conflict makes Canadian oil more desirable: Hodgson

In an interview on CTV Power Play with Vassy Kapelos on Monday, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson was asked what in his view could come from the conflict in the Middle East, specifically when it comes to oil prices.

“What’s happening in the Middle East is making our allies more and more focused on Canada,” Hodgson said. “What our allies have told us over and over again is they want a reliable, a secure and a sustainable source of energy going forward, (and) they need diversity of supply.”

Hodgson added that the climbing oil prices resulting from the unrest in the Middle East has highlighted Canada among allies as a reliable and energy supplier, and one which would never use energy for coercion.

Spencer Van Dyk, CTV News journalist

Fake Iran conflict images spreading online: expert

A secondary battlefield is being established online, with the spread of misinformation and fake images and videos related to the active conflict in the Middle East.

Marisha Goldhamer, AFP’s head of digital investigations for North America, told CTV News Channel on Monday that the issue is widespread and across multiple languages.

For example, one post of an explosion claiming to be from an Israeli nuclear facility is actually footage from Ukraine in 2017. Another video purporting to be an Iranian plane strike is videogame footage.

Social media platforms like X include community notes to notify users of misinformation or fake images, which Goldhamer said can be useful if the information is verified.

However, she warned that information shouldn’t be shared online if there are any questions about its authenticity or accuracy.

“We want to be sure that if we have any doubt about what we’re looking at on social media, we don’t want to share that on,” she said. “We are part of breaking that cycle of virality.”

Elianna Lev, CTVNews.ca journalist

Read the full story

No evidence of ‘imminent threat’: security expert

A military and national security expert says he has seen no evidence of an imminent Iranian threat to the United States that would justify bypassing U.S. Congress for an extended military operation.

“They have a very effective missile program … that part is certainly true, but I have not seen any evidence of an imminent threat,” Anthony Seaboyer said in an interview with CTV News Channel on Monday, adding that airstrikes alone cannot eliminate a nuclear or ballistic missile program.

“You can set it back by years. You can destroy many of the capabilities, but you can’t destroy the whole program,” he said. “You can’t bomb away the knowledge in the heads of the scientists.”

Seaboyer said lasting dismantlement would require forces on the ground to verify damage, a step that would significantly escalate U.S. involvement.

Tammy Ibrahimpoor, CTVNews.ca producer

Iran conflict underscores pipeline need: Smith

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the war in Iran underscores the need for a new pipeline connecting her province’s oil reserves to the West Coast.

The threat of shipping disruptions has seen global oil prices jump since American-Israeli attacks on Iran over the weekend.

Smith says any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil choke point at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, only underscores the need for a new pipeline that could bring her province’s pivotal export to Pacific shipping lanes.

The Canadian Press

Full story here

Iran would have nukes if Obama deal stood: Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday if he hadn’t terminated former president Barack Obama’s Iran Nuclear Deal, the Middle Eastern country would have had a nuclear weapon three years ago.

“That was the most dangerous transaction we have ever entered into, and had it been allowed to stand, the World would be an entirely different place right now,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post late Monday afternoon.

Trump also blamed former president Joe Biden for the “horrendous” deal with Iran.

Hunter Crowther, CTVNews.ca producer

U.S. wouldn’t ‘deliberately target’ Iran school: Rubio

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday the United States would not “deliberately target” a school after Iran said 168 people died in an alleged U.S.-Israeli strike.

“Our objectives are missiles, both the ability to manufacture them and the ability to launch them,” Rubio told reporters, while adding that the Pentagon was investigating the alleged incident.

AFP

Could Canada’s military be drawn in?

Iran and its proxies in the Middle East continued with retaliatory strikes on Monday after the U.S. and Israel launched an air offensive in the country over the weekend that killed the regime’s Supreme Leader and dozens of other high-ranking officials.

While Prime Minister Mark Carney broadly voiced his support for the U.S.-led military action in Iran, he did not commit to providing any military support, and a former Canadian minister of foreign affairs says he doesn’t see Canada being dragged into the conflict anytime soon.

“In spite of the fact that we have expressed support, along with other Western allies, for the U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran and now inside Lebanon, Canada doesn’t have any significant military assets in the region,” Peter MacKay told CTV News Channel on Monday.

“So that does not appear to be a likelihood in any scenario happening soon.”

If the conflict, which as of Monday had been contained to the Middle East, were to spill over into other regions, or if the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) somehow entered into the fray, the possibility of Canadian military involvement “could exist,” MacKay said.

“Canada has, obviously, a vested interest as an international country, a country that for many years has come to the aid of our allies,” he said, “and so this is very much a wait-and-see scenario.”

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

Iran risks further isolation with retaliation: analyst

By launching retaliatory strikes against its neighbours in the Persian Gulf, one Middle East political analyst says Iran risks isolating itself even further in the region.

“There has been a recent reproachment between Iran and its Arab neighbours, principally Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, now that has almost all come undone,” Nader Hashemi told CTV News Channel on Monday.

“I think what Iran is trying to do is raise the cost for its neighbours, because they are very closely allied with the United States and increasingly with Israel.”

Hashemi, an associate professor at Georgetown University’s foreign service school, says that Saudia Arabia’s crown prince has been playing a “double role” by publicly stating he wants good relations with Iran while reportedly working behind-the-scenes to encourage a U.S. attack.

“Since the beginning of the Iranian Revolution, there have been deep antagonisms between these two countries, and that has nothing to do with … sectarian differences,” Hashemi said.

Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist

Iran says Strait of Hormuz closed

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards commander said on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz is closed and Iran is to set any ship trying to pass on fire, Iranian media reported.

The move comes after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an Israeli strike, which would threaten to choke a fifth of global oil flows and send crude prices sharply higher.

Reuters

Oil prices could keep rising: analyst

Oil prices jumped Monday as the war in Iran disrupted tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. If Iran starts targeting tanker traffic or continues to attack oil facilities in nearby Arab states, prices will continue to rise, according to Randy Ollenberger, managing director of oil and gas equity research at BMO Capital Markets.

“This is potentially the biggest shock for the oil market since 1990, when Iraq invaded Kuwait,” Ollenberger told CTV News Channel on Monday. “You’ve got about 25 percent of global production in the Persian Gulf.”

The Strait of Hormuz is a relatively narrow passage that connects the Persian Gulf with the open ocean. With the exception of Iran, the six Arab countries that surround the Persian Gulf all have a U.S. military presence.

“What we’re seeing in oil prices so far, I think, is really just an assumption or a reaction to a reduction in shipments through the Strait of Hormuz,” Ollenberger explained.

Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist

Canadian missions staff ‘safe and accounted for’

Speaking to reporters in India on Saturday, Anand said non-essential diplomatic staff in Tel Aviv have been asked to relocate, but not elsewhere in the region.

According to GAC, Canadian missions staff in the Middle East are “safe and accounted for.”

The agency is also deploying members of the Standing Rapid Deployment Team — employees on standby to respond to emergency situations — to the region to assist in a handful of countries, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Israel, Jordan, Turkmenistan and Türkiye.

Canadians are also advised to avoid all travel to several other Middle Eastern countries, including Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Canadians are also being cautioned to avoid non-essential travel to Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Spencer Van Dyk, CTV News journalist

How many Canadians are in the Middle East?

More than 85,000 Canadians and permanent residents currently in the Middle East have registered with Global Affairs Canada (GAC), according to the latest update from the federal government.

According to GAC, as of Monday morning, the number of Canadians and permanent residents includes 2,932 in Iran and 6,006 in Israel.

As of Monday morning, GAC says the federal government is not aware of any Canadians who have been injured or killed as a result of the hostilities.

Adding the caveat that these numbers are an estimate, because registration is voluntary and some people may have already left the region, GAC is also listing:

• 1,438 in Bahrain;
• 7,238 in Egypt;
• 943 in Iraq;
• 4,469 in Jordan;
• 4,070 in Kuwait;
• 23,165 in Lebanon
• 793 in Oman;
• 438 in Palestine;
• 8,234 in Qatar;
• 10,948 in Saudi Arabia;
• 1,484 in Syria;
• 23,064 in the United Arab Emirates; and,
• 227 in Yemen.

The federal government is urging Canadians in the Middle East to register with GAC in order to receive updates about travel advisories.

Spencer Van Dyk, CTV News journalist

How long could the war last?

Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon told reporters at a news conference that the war with Iran will go on for as long as is needed.

His comments came in response to a question about U.S. President Donald Trump saying that the operation may last four to five weeks.

“It’s not easy, we all sacrifice, but it will continue as long as it takes to achieve the goal of the operation,” Danon said.

Michael Lee, CTVNews.ca journalist

Strikes violate international law: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ‌criticized the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran as ‌a “clear violation” of international law.

“As their neighbour and brother, we share the pain of the Iranian people,” he said at a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner in Ankara, adding ⁠that the U.S.-Iran dispute had grown into war after provocations from Israel.

Turkiye, a NATO member, historically has had complex ties with Iran, with the two countries backing opposing sides ⁠for years in the civil war in Syria, but managing cordial ties and strong trade in various areas despite political differences.

Erdogan said Turkiye would ‌intensify contacts “at every level” until a ⁠ceasefire is achieved ⁠and room is made for diplomacy, adding that Turkiye did not want “fighting, war, tensions, and massacres” right across ⁠its borders.

Reuters

Who could replace Khamenei?

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed over the weekend when joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes hit the country, leaving the regime leaderless at perhaps its weakest moment since it came to power in the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

As the regime looks to appoint its next head, a grandson of its late founder and first Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini has come into focus, Reuters reported on Monday.

Hassan Khomeini is the most visible of the late Khomeini’s 15 grandchildren, according to the news service, and is considered a “relative moderate” within the clerical establishment of the Islamic Republic.

He is 53 years old and holds a symbolically important public role as custodian of his grandfather’s mausoleum in Tehran, though he has never served in government, Reuters reported.

Some Iranian politicians see him as a rival to hardliners who gained sway under Khamenei, as he has made comments in the past criticizing Iran’s leadership.

According to Reuters, he demanded accountability from the regime following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in 2022 after she was arrested by the country’s morality police for allegedly violating conservative dress rules. Her death sparked mass protests around the world.

Despite voicing dissent against authorities in that instance, the “mid-ranking cleric” then criticized protesters who chanted against Khamenei and also backed the establishment during more recent protests in December and January that left thousands of demonstrators dead, Reuters reported.

Read the full story

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

What is the political risk for Trump?

U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to launch air strikes against Iran over the weekend has sparked a regional war that could destabilize the Middle East, but it may also be politically damaging for Trump at home, Reuters reported on Monday.

Two senior White House officials and a Republican close to the Trump administration told the news service that senior aides privately warned the U.S. president that war in Iran could carry heavy risks for Republicans in midterm elections later this year.

The officials told Reuters that Trump’s “foreign policy gamble” may come back to bite him and his party if it angers voters who are more concerned with domestic issues such as immigration or the cost of living.

Trump critics say his administration’s handling of foreign affairs appears to be diametrically opposed to his “America First” agenda, which promised less involvement in overseas conflicts.

But Trump ultimately sided with those in his administration who believed decisive action in Iran would show him as a strong leader, even if it carried long-term risks, the officials told Reuters.

Read the full story

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

Lebanon bans Hezbollah military actions

Lebanon’s government on Monday banned military activities by Hezbollah after it opened fire on Israel to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader.

The government’s decision was rejected by a senior Hezbollah politician.

Israel launched heavy airstrikes on the Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut and more widely in Lebanon, in response to the Hezbollah drone and rocket strike. That killed 52 people and wounded more than 150, according to a Lebanese health ministry official.

Reuters

EU welcomes Lebanon decision to end Hezbollah activities

European Council President Antonio Costa said Monday he welcomed the decision from the Lebanese government to end Hezbollah’s military activities and demanding that those responsible for firing at Israel be brought to justice.

“It is now important for Israel and Lebanon to resume security co-ordination, so the Lebanese Armed Forces can disarm Hezbollah and ensure the security of all Lebanese people,” Costa said in a post on X, after he had a conversation with Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun.

Reuters

Airstrike targets Hezbollah official: Israeli military

An Israeli airstrike in the Lebanese capital heavily damaged a building as the Israeli military said it targeted a senior Hezbollah official.

The strike occurred near the old compound of the Iranian embassy in Beirut’s Beir Hassan neighbourhood.

The Associated Press

Trump awards Medal of Honor to service members

Trump recognized three U.S. Army soldiers with the Medal of Honor at the White House on Monday, with two of the commendations being awarded posthumously.

Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Terry P. Richardson was recognized for actions during the Vietnam War that were credited with saving the lives of 85 other service members.

Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2013, was recognized for valor during the combat that resulted in his death.

Master Sgt. Roderick W. Edmonds, who died in 1985, was recognized for his leadership and resistance as a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II.

“There’s no ceremony that can be more important than this,” Trump said to begin the East Room ceremony that included the recipients’ family members.

The Associated Press

Trump says the U.S. expected the Iran operation to take 4 to 5 weeks

The president said during an unrelated event at the White House that from the beginning, the U.S. has projected that time frame but “we have the capability to go far longer than that.”

He then said he wouldn’t get “bored” of continuing the operation over such time. “I don’t get bored. There’s nothing boring about this.”

Trump said the U.S. had also projected it would take four weeks to get rid of Iran’s military leadership, but that was quickly accomplished “so we’re ahead of schedule there.”

The Associated Press

Trump’s four objectives in Iran

The president said U.S. forces are out to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities, wipe out its naval capacity, stop the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon and “ensuring that the Iranian regime cannot continue to arm fund and directors armies outside of their borders.”

He said U.S. attacks have already “knocked out” 10 ships, and that attacks on Iran’s missile capacity is ensuring they is destroyed while stopping “their capacity to produce brand ones.”

“This was our last, best chance to strike — what we’re doing right now — and eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime,” Trump said.

The Associated Press

‘Big wave’ is yet to come: Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump told CNN on Monday that the American military is accomplishing its objectives in Iran but warned that its campaign is just getting started.

“We haven’t even started hitting them hard,” Trump told CNN’s Jake Tapper in a phone interview. “The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon.”

In the interview, Trump said he “always thought” that his stated goal of wiping out the Iranian regime’s ability to build nuclear weapons, would take around a month to achieve through military action.

“And we’re a little ahead of schedule,” he said. “We’re knocking the crap out of them … I think it’s going very well. It’s very powerful. We’ve got the greatest military in the world and we’re using it.”

Read the full story

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

Thousands of flights cancelled

The war in Iran has forced many airlines that operate in the Middle East to cancel flights, CNN reported on Monday.

Thousands of international flights were cancelled on Sunday and Monday, according to data from FlightAware.com, with numbers expected to rise as hostilities continued to escalate across the region.

Following initial air strikes in Iran over the weekend by the U.S. and Israel, Iran launched retaliatory attacks on many U.S.-friendly Gulf states that host American bases, leading to the closure of “a wide corridor” of air space across the Middle East, according to CNN.

Major airlines based in the region include Emirates and Etihad in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, as well as Qatar Airways, based in the Qatari capital of Doha. All three cities are major global travel hubs that service millions of passengers each year.

Read the full story

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

Iran strikes could hurt Trump’s approval ratings: analyst

U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran could lead to domestic political fallout ahead of midterm elections in November, according to CTV News Political Analyst Eric Ham.

“We’ve heard from a number of, particularly far-right media people, Tucker Carlson and others, who have pushed back on this military offensive by President Donald Trump,” Ham told CTV News Channel on Monday. “So clearly, this is beginning to at least cause some uproar in the MAGA camp about what the president is doing.”

With all 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and 35 out of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate up for grabs in the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections, the Iran strikes could erode the Republicans’ slim majority.

“As far as his political approval ratings, I suspect this will continue to cause dramatic fallout for the president,” Ham said. “Where he is beginning to lose even more support is with those all-important independents, which we know actually power success or failure in all elections here in the United States.”

Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist

Netanyahu looking for political boost: former ambassador

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces corruption charges and criticism over his country’s conduct in Gaza, he could leverage the Iran conflict for his own political gain, says Jon Allen, who served as Canada’s ambassador to Israel from 2006 to 2010.

Allen says Netanyahu is likely expecting Israelis to be overwhelmingly in favour of the latest strikes against Iran.

“In Israel, you’re thinking and hoping that your poll numbers, in advance of an election that has to happen before October, are going up, will go up and will hopefully stay up,” Allen said.

“You’re banking on a rally round the flag, which generally happens in situations like this, especially against Iran, which has been considered an existential threat in Israel for years and years.”

As Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, Netanyahu has spent more than 18 years in power over three non-consecutive terms. Israel’s next legislative election must be held by October 27.

Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist

U.S. goals in Iran ‘overly optimistic’: analyst

U.S. plans to destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons program within weeks could be “overly optimistic,” CTV military analyst and retired Canadian major-general David Fraser says.

“Anyone who actually puts a timeline on this really will be disappointed when they find out it doesn’t go exactly [as] they wanted,” Fraser told CTV News Channel on Monday. “Wars never do. It’s just like water on a table.”

Fraser, who previously commanded NATO forces in southern Afghanistan, points to that country as well as Iraq and Libya as examples of messy foreign interventions. Fraser says it’s “highly unlikely” that the U.S. will achieve 100 per cent of its goals in Iran without deploying American soldiers.

“How are they going to assure they’ve got all the nuclear material, unless they’ve got boots on the ground?” Fraser said.

“I think that the Americans are being overly optimistic if they think they can do this without boots on the ground, and I’m not advocating boots on the ground, but you know, they’ve got to limit some of their objectives.”

Fraser also does not expect a swift regime change in the wake of U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.

“Quite frankly, when you actually put a regime in the corner, you make them actually more dangerous,” Fraser said. “And so, for the people to stand up and try to take over power right now, the security forces will be on such a trigger-happy point that it actually puts the Iranian people in more danger than anything else.”

Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist

U.K. not joining U.S. offensive: Starmer

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the U.K. parliament on Monday that the country’s military would not be joining the U.S. or Israel in offensive air strikes against Iran.

However, he agreed to allow the U.S. military’s use of British bases for “defensive purposes,” as the conflict in the Middle East ramps up.

“The only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source, in their storage depots, or at their launches,” Starmer said.

“The U.S. requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose, because they have the capabilities to do so.” The British government accepted the U.S. request Sunday evening, Starmer confirmed.

Starmer said Britain’s allies in the Gulf region that have been hit with retaliatory Iranian strikes are “outraged” by Iran’s actions, “particularly as they played no part in any strikes,” he added.

“They’ve asked us to do more to defend them,” he said. “Moreover, it is my duty, the highest duty of my office, to protect British lives. That is why we put British jets in the air … as part of co-ordinated defensive operations, which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes.”

Starmer continued to say that it isn’t possible to shoot down every Iranian missile or drone once it’s been launched.

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

Hegseth criticizes allies

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said at a Pentagon press briefing Monday morning that the American military is “grateful” for Israel’s involvement in its war against Iran, while slamming other U.S. allies for inaction.

“Israel has clear missions as well … as we’ve said since the beginning, capable partners are good partners,” he said.

“Unlike so many of our traditional allies who wring their hands and clutch their pearls, hemming and hawing about the use of force, America, regardless of what so-called international institutions say, is unleashing the most lethal and precise air power campaign in history.”

Israel and Iran have been at odds since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which saw the current regime take power. Iran has consistently refused to acknowledge Israel’s legitimacy, often referring to it as a “Zionist regime” that is occupying Palestinian territory.

Hegseth’s comments about “traditional” U.S. allies came after Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a joint statement with Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand that Canada supports the U.S. in acting to prevent the Iranian regime from “further threatening international peace and security.”

The statement, posted to social media Saturday, stopped short of committing any military support for the ongoing U.S. action.

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

Canada not involved or notified of Iran attack: Anand

Canada’s minister of foreign affairs says the country has no plans to participate in ongoing attacks against Iran.

“Canada wasn’t involved, we weren’t notified and we do not have an intention to be involved in any military strikes or operation,” Anita Anand told reporters on Monday.

Anand says that while Canada shares concerns with the United States about nuclear proliferation in Iran, it prefers a diplomatic solution.

“This is why I have spent the last two days speaking with my counterparts across the Middle East and in the Gulf States… and all of G7 counterparts, stressing that Canada believes in a diplomatic and peaceful solution,” Anand said. “And as soon as possible, we would like parties to get to the table.”

In a written statement Monday morning, Anand reiterated that stance while condemning Iran’s retaliatory strikes on civilian infrastructure across the Middle East.

“These attacks are a dangerous threat to regional stability and civilian safety,” Anand said in the prepared statement. “They represent an unacceptable escalation and a blatant attempt to further destabilize the region.”

Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist

Iran’s internet blackout surpasses 48 hours: NetBlocks

The global internet monitor says Iran’s internet blackout has left the country’s population of 90 million people “out of touch as war spreads.”“Shutdowns are a go-to tactic for the regime, with the previous instance in January lasting several weeks and masking severe human rights violations,” NetBlocks said in a post on X.

Iran imposed an internet blackout in January amid major protests against the regime. A violent crackdown by security forces killed thousands of people.

Michael Lee, CTVNews.ca journalist

Nuclear-armed Iran would threaten humanity: Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country and the U.S. attacked Iran to “thwart existential threats to Israel and great threats to America and the entire world.”

Netanyahu delivered the remarks on Monday while touring a site in Israel that had been struck by a retaliatory attack.

“If this regime, this terrorist regime of the kind we’ve never seen in the world, if they get nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them, ballistic missiles, intercontinental ballistic missiles, they will threaten all of humanity,” Netanyahu said. “So we set out to protect ourselves, but in so doing, we protect many others.”

Netanyahu also took the opportunity to thank “our great friend and a great leader of the world, [U.S. President] Donald Trump for joining us in this crucial effort.”

Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist

Not a regime change war, despite Khamenei’s death: Hegseth

Joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in Iran over the weekend killed the regime’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei along with numerous other high-ranking Iranian officials.

However, Pete Hegseth claims that leadership change was not the American military’s main objective.

“This is not a so-called regime change war, but the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it,” the U.S. secretary of war told reporters at a Pentagon press briefing on Monday.

But despite Khamenei’s death, there were no indications as of Monday that the Iranian regime had actually been toppled. The Associated Press reported that Iranian cleric Alireza Arafi said in televised remarks that a new supreme leader would be “quickly” appointed.

This growing regional conflict has led some critics of U.S. President Donald Trump to compare the war to other American military interventions in the Middle East such as operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, Hegseth was adamant that the current American involvement in Iran is different.

“To the media outlets and political left screaming endless wars: stop. This is not Iraq. This is not endless, I was there for both,” he said.

“Our generation knows better, and so does this president. He called the last 20 years of nation-building wars dumb, and he’s right. This is the opposite.”

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

‘Most precise aerial operation in history’: Hegseth

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told reporters Monday that the American military’s weekend strikes on Iran, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury,” represented “the most lethal, most complex and most precise aerial operation in history.”

At a Pentagon press briefing, Hegseth said that Iran’s “expansionist and Islamist” regime had been waging a “savage, one-sided war” against the U.S. and its allies for nearly 50 years, even if it wasn’t always formally declared.

“They did it through the blood of our people; car bombs in Beirut, rocket attacks on our ships, murders at our embassies, roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan, funded and armed by the Iranian Quds Force and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killers,” he said.

“We didn’t start this war, but under (U.S. President Donald Trump), we are finishing it.”’

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

Iranians hopeful, anxious about regime change: author

People in Iran are both hopeful and anxious about regime change following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“People that I’ve been speaking with from different walks of life, not just in Tehran, but across the country, are looking at this as a momentous time in their modern history,” journalist Tara Kangarlou told CTV’s Your Morning on Monday from London. “This is a man who has been ruling Iran with an iron fist over the past 30 plus years, and he is regarded by many millions of Iranians in the country as a dictator, as a force of repression that has perpetually choked any form of dissent and isolated the Iranian public.”

Kangarlou, who is the author of the 2020 book The Heartbeat of Iran: Real Voices of a Country and Its People, explains that there are still people in Iran who support the current regime.

“Sources underground are telling me that, at the moment, the population that supports the regime, whether that be ideologic, or because of power and finances, is something around 18 per cent,” Kangarlou said. “The rest are the people and nation that want to move beyond the regime.”

Kangarlou says while many Iranians now see a “glimmer of hope” for regime change, they are also anxious that Khamenei’s killing could lead to more brutality.

“This is a precarious time and people are on the edge and standing on their toes as to what’s next,” Kangarlou said. “Speaking with folks in the country … they’re telling me that if this regime stays as is in this way and shape and form, they are going to be even more brutal and repressive toward the public.”

Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist

‘No direct strategies that lead to a regime change’: retired general

Retired Canadian Armed Forces general Tom Lawson says “we’re a long way” from seeing regime change in Iran.

“When the end state is a regime change, I think it confuses most commanders,” Lawson told CTV News Channel on Sunday. “Because when you open up the books that cover all of your many years of training, there are no weapons, there are no direct strategies that lead to regime change.”

Lawson rose through the ranks of the Royal Canadian Air Force before serving as chief of the defence staff of the Canadian Armed Forces between 2012 and 2015. He says that while the U.S. and Israel can create conditions that may lead to regime change in Iran, the direct overthrow of the Islamic Republic is a much more challenging task.

“What the military can do is they can bomb government sites and create havoc that then could lead to conditions that may link to a future where regime change happens,” Lawson explained. “But I think what we heard over recent days and weeks is that … this would not be an easy thing for the military to carry out.”

Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist

Read full story

Global markets rattled

Military strikes on Iran rattled global markets on Monday with U.S. futures following markets in Europe and Asia lower. Energy prices rose sharply.

Futures for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average each sank about 1%.

Travel sectors, from airlines and cruise operators to global hotel chains, tumbled. Natural gas futures rose early 6% and futures for fuel used for transportation as well as industrial purposes, spiked more than 14%.

Germany’s DAX dropped 1.9% to 24,817.42, while in Paris the CAC 40 lost 1.7% to 8,435.80. Britain’s FTSE 100 slipped 1% to 10,808.53.

Shares fell in most Asian markets but they rose in Shanghai, where higher oil prices lifted some oil company stocks such as CNOOC, China Petroleum & Chemical and PetroChina to the 10% limit. The Shanghai Composite index climbed 0.5% to 4,182.59, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng lost 2.1% to 26,059.85. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index initially fell more than 2%.

Gold, a safe haven for investment in times of uncertainty, rose 3.1% to about $5,408.10 per ounce.

Cyprus says 2 drones targeting air base have been intercepted

Cyprus says two drones moving in the direction of a British air base on the island have been intercepted.

Cyprus government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis posted on X that the two drones were heading toward RAF Aktotiri Air Base.

Sirens sounded at around 1000 GMT at the key base, minutes before two Typhoon fighter jets and a pair of F-35s took off, ostensibly to intercept the drones. The sirens stopped an hour later with the aircraft landing shortly after.

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides said earlier that a Shaheed-type drone had cause minor damage when it struck inside the base just after midnight.

Fourth U.S. soldier dies: Central Command

A U.S. soldier has died during the war with Iran, the U.S. Central Command announced on Monday, bringing the official total to four.

The soldier was wounded during the initial stage of Operation Epic Fury and died on Monday, it said.

A total of four U.S. soldiers have been killed since Israel and the U.S. launched strikes against Iran on Saturday.

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a video posted to his Truth Social platform on Sunday that “sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is. Likely be more, but we’ll do everything possible where that won’t be the case.”

Governments scramble to return stranded travellers

Countries across the world are scrambling to bring citizens home who are stranded in the Middle East.

Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways said flights remain suspended, with its next update planned for Tuesday morning, while Jordan announced a partial closure of its airspace.

About 30,000 German tourists are currently stranded on cruise ships, in hotels or at closed airports. Air France cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh, while carriers from Air India to KLM suspended flights and issued advisories.

The Czech Republic is sending two planes to Egypt and Jordan to bring home Czech nationals, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said. Four more planes are heading to Muscat and Salalah in Oman to fly home Czech tourists.

In Asia, thousands of travellers were stranded on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali because international flights were cancelled. Bali’s international airport said at least 15 flights, including eight departures and seven arrivals, on routes to Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi were cancelled as of Monday afternoon.

Putin speaks to UAE president: Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke Monday to the United Arab Emirates president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss “the unprecedented tragic events in the Middle East in the context of the American-Israeli aggression against Iran and Tehran’s harsh retaliatory actions,” the Kremlin said.

Putin noted that Russia had sought to help facilitate a settlement of the situation regarding the Iranian nuclear program, but those efforts were “thwarted by an unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign UN member state, in violation of the fundamental principles of international law.”

Al Nahyan described the Iranian strikes on the Emirates as completely unjustified, noting that the country’s territory wasn’t used for launching attacks on Iran. Putin expressed his readiness to convey these signals to Tehran and to provide all possible assistance to stabilize the overall situation in the region, the Kremlin said.

Greece sends naval vessels to Cyprus

Greece is sending two frigates and two fighter jets to Cyprus after attacks against a British base on the island.

Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said one of the frigates was equipped with an anti-drone system recently tested in a European Union-led deployment in the Red Sea to protect international shipping.

“(Greece) will contribute in every possible way to the defence of the Republic of Cyprus, in order to confront the threats and unlawful actions taking place on its territory,” Dendias said.

`There will have to be dialogue at some point’: IAEA chief

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi expressed hope that a diplomatic process will resume with regard to Iran’s nuclear program, highlighting the “indispensable role” that the UN nuclear watchdog could play in such a scenario.

“My hope...is that we will be back at the negotiating table sooner rather than later. It is obvious that after this military conflict ends -- and we all hope that this will be very, very soon -- we will still need to have a long, durable solution, which will provide a sense of predictability and a sense of certainty for Iran and neighbouring countries,” Grossi told reporters after the special session of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna.

The IAEA chief underlined that “there is a recognition” that “there will have to be a dialogue at some point.”

QatarEnergy to halt LNG production

QatarEnergy, one of world’s top natural gas producers, said it is halting production of liquified natural gas, taking one of the world’s top suppliers off the market.

“Due to military attacks on QatarEnergy’s operating facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City and Mesaieed Industrial City in the state of Qatar, QatarEnergy has ceased production of liquefied natural gas and associated products,” it said. “QatarEnergy values its relationships with all of its stakeholders and will continue to communicate the latest available information.”

It offered no timeline for restoring its production.

Lebanon says Hezbollah’s attack on Israel is an `illegal’ act

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun said Hezbollah’s rocket attack on Israel were “illegal” acts, adding that such activities give Israel a pretext to destroy the country.

The government held a five-hour Cabinet meeting to discuss the Hezbollah action that triggered massive Israeli retaliation and the displacement of tens of thousands of people.

Information Minister Paul Morcos cited Aoun as saying that what happened overnight “was not to defend Lebanon or protect the Lebanese people. What are witnessing is building collapsing on their residents as they sleep.”

Attack on Israel’s Beer Sheba

Israel’s rescue services said at least 15 people were injured by Iranian missiles in the southern city of Beer Sheba.

Searches are ongoing for additional victims. Several missile barrages targeted Israel from Iran on Monday.

Etihad extends suspension of flights

Long-haul carrier Etihad Airways said in an update that all flights to and from its base in the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi, will be now suspended until 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday.

Etihad, like fellow Gulf airlines Emirates and Qatar Airways, mainly serves long-haul travellers whose plans have been disrupted by the closure of regional airspace.

Oil prices surge

The price of oil jumped as tanker disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz raise fears about supply shortages from the Persian Gulf.

U.S. oil rose to about $71.97 a barrel on Monday and Brent climbed to about $78.46. Higher prices increase the risk of costlier gasoline and pricier goods.

The U.K. maritime centre also reported attacks on vessels and warned of heavy electronic interference. Oman said a drone boat hit an oil tanker and killed one mariner. Saudi media said drones hit near Ras Tanura and Saudi Arabia shut the refinery as a precaution.

Read full story

Newly appointed Iranian cleric makes first comments

Iranian cleric Alireza Arafi has delivered some of his first public remarks since he was made a member of Iran’s temporary leadership council.

In remarks aired on state television, Arafi said he hoped that a new supreme leader would be “quickly” appointed. The 88-seat Assembly of Experts, a group of mostly hard-line clerics, will choose former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s replacement. But no clear successor is in place.

Arafi is serving on a temporary leadership council that includes President Masoud Pezeshkian and Iran’s hard-line judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei. Arafi added that state institutions were continuing to function “under these extremely difficult circumstances.”

Read full story

Iran launches drones at a Qatari power plant

Iran has targeted a power plant in Qatar, the country’s defense ministry said. There were no casualties.

The ministry reported that Iran launched two drone attacks, one targeting a water tank at a power plant in Mesaieed, in southern Qatar, and another targeting an energy facility operated by Qatar Energy in the industrial city of Ras Laffan.

Lebanon slams Hezbollah’s activities as illegal

Lebanon’s government says it considers Hezbollah’s military activities illegal and says the group should hand over its weapons. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said only the state can decide on matters of war and peace.

Kuwait shot down 3 U.S. warplanes by mistake, U.S. military says

The U.S. military said Monday that Kuwait “mistakenly shot down” thee American F-15E Strike Eagles during a combat mission as Iran attacked the country.

The U.S. military’s Central Command said the combat included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones -- the first time Iran’s aging combat fleet has been engaged in the war.

“The U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defences,” it said. “All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition. Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defence forces and their support in this ongoing operation.”

Oil tanker is attacked in the Gulf of Oman, killing 1

A bomb-carrying drone boat exploded against a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman on Monday, killing one mariner on board, Oman said.

The state-run Oman News Agency said the attack occurred in the Gulf of Oman off Muscat, the sultanate’s capital. It identified the vessel as the MKD VYOM. It said the dead crew member was from India.

Iran has been threatening vessels approaching the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf.

Iran’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva condemns attacks

Ali Bahreini, Iran’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, said the “use of force and the deliberate killing of civilians” is a violation of the UN Charter and condemned the recent strikes by the U.S. and Israel.

“The ongoing unlawful military aggression against Iran exemplifies the dominance of raw power over the principles of human rights,” he said.

Iran says it targeted a U.S. aircraft that crashed in Kuwait

Iranian state television claimed that Iran had targeted one of the U.S. aircraft that crashed in Kuwait. It did not elaborate.

Kuwait’s Defense Ministry said earlier Monday that several U.S. warplanes crashed, and all the pilots safely bailed out and were in stable condition.

The U.S. military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Drones over Abu Dhabi have been intercepted, UAE says

Air defences in the United Arab Emirates have intercepted drones over Abu Dhabi, officials said.

Debris fell on a warehouse and a commercial facility in the city’s industrial areas. There was minor damage but no injuries, according to a statement posted on X by the Abu Dhabi Media Office.

Jordan says partial airspace closure remains in effect

The Jordanian Civil Aviation Authority says airspace will be closed between 6 p.m. (1500 GMT) to 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) daily until further notice. It called the closure “partial and temporary.”

Lebanese seek shelter from Israeli strikes in Beirut schools

Displaced families from southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs sought refuge in schools in the capital, after Israel launched its deadliest barrage of airstrikes in more than a year. It came hours after Hezbollah fired missiles across the border.

At a public school hastily converted into a temporary shelter, families arrived carrying mattresses, plastic bags and bundles of clothing. People sat on sidewalks beside their belongings, some smoking quietly as they waited for space to open inside.

Hussein Abu Ali, who fled with his wife and children, described the moment the strikes hit. “My son began shaking and crying. ... Where are you supposed to go? I stepped outside, then back in because I was afraid of shooting in the air. I gathered my children and went down to the street.”

Israeli attacks killed at least 31 people and wounding 149, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry

Russia in contact with Iran and Gulf countries

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that Russia remains “in constant contact with the Iranian leadership” while also keeping up communication with the Persian Gulf states.

Peskov said Moscow was deeply disappointed to see the U.S. and Israel attack Iran despite the progress made in the U.S.-Iranian talks.

He said Russia will continue to take part in the U.S.-mediated talks on Ukraine and praised Washington’s efforts to help negotiate an end to the conflict.

Iran says its Natanz nuclear enrichment site was targeted

Iran’s ambassador to the UN’s nuclear watchdog alleged on Monday that U.S.-Israeli airstrikes targeted Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment site.

Israel and the U.S. have not acknowledged strikes at the site, which the United States bombed during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.

Iran’s Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Reza Najafi, told journalists he condemned what he called the “unlawful, criminal and brutal” attacks by the U.S. and Israel against Iran.

“Again they attacked Iran’s peaceful safeguarded nuclear facilities yesterday,” he said. “Their justification that Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons is simply a big lie.”

Israeli warplanes strike Beirut again on Monday

Israel’s air force carried out new airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs Monday. The blasts were heard in parts of the Lebanese capital.

The strikes hit an area where the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group has a giant hall used to hold rallies. It was not immediately clear if there were casualties.

Saudi Arabia shuts key oil refinery after attack

Saudi Aramco temporarily shut down its Ras Tanura oil refinery near Dammam on Monday after it was targeted by Iranian drones.

Saudi state television reported the decision, citing what it described as an “official source.” It added there were no casualties from the fire and its decision was a precautionary one.

The refinery has a capacity over half a million barrels of crude oil a day.

An Iranian student describes heavy security presence

An Iranian university student reached by The Associated Press on Monday described a heavy security presence in the northern city of Babol and nearby towns.

Communications into Iran remain unstable with internet access mostly blocked. The student, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of security fears, said he had briefly regained an internet connection and was able to talk with friends in nearby towns where a similar security presence was reported. Babol is 136 miles (220 kilometres) north of the capital, Tehran.

The student said armed riot police were on the streets Saturday night and into the early hours of Sunday as crowds gathered to mourn the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Germany unable to evacuate tourists stuck in Middle East

About 30,000 German tourists are currently stuck on cruise ships, in hotels or at closed airports in the Middle East and cannot get back home because of the conflict.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said late Sunday that a military evacuation was currently not possible because of the closed airspace.

He said that the government was looking into other options to help bring its citizens home and that everyone should follow advise by German travel agencies and local authorities.

The German Travel Association called on tourists to “remain at their booked hotels as a matter of urgency” and not “make their own way to the airport or to a neighbouring country.”

No damage so far to Iranian nuclear facilities, IAEA chief says

The UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Mariano Grossi on Monday said that “up to now” the International Atomic Energy Agency has “no indication that any of the nuclear installations, including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the Tehran Research Reactor or other nuclear fuel cycle facilities” in Iran have been damaged or hit.

Addressing a special session of the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna, he said that the IAEA continues to try and contact the Iranian nuclear regulatory authorities via the IAEA’s own Incident and Emergency Center “with no response so far,” given the limitations in communications caused by the conflict.

Grossi urged military restraint, warning that Iran and many other countries in the region that have been targeted militarily have “operational nuclear power plants and nuclear research reactors, as well as associated fuel storage sites,” which increases the threat to nuclear safety.

So far, he said, “no elevation of radiation levels above the usual background levels has been detected in countries bordering Iran.”

Iranian Red Crescent says death toll in Iran at least 555

The Iranian Red Crescent Society said Monday that the U.S.-Israeli airstrike campaign targeting Iran has killed at least 555 people so far in the Islamic Republic.

The society added that 131 cities have come under attack so far in the war.

Iranian attack on Saudi refinery marks ‘significant escalation,’ analyst says

Iran’s decision to target the Saudi refinery further expands the war gripping the Middle East, directly targeting the lifeblood of the kingdom’s economy.

Already, Iran has been threatening ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil trade passes.

Several ships have been attacked as well there.

“The attack on Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura refinery marks a significant escalation, with Gulf energy infrastructure now squarely in Iran’s sights,” said Torbjorn Soltvedt, an analyst at the risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

“An extended period of uncertainty lies ahead as Iran seeks to impose a heavy economic cost by putting tankers, regional energy infrastructure, trade routes and U.S. security partners in the crosshairs,” he said.

Saudi oil refinery is attacked by drones

Saudi Arabia’s Ras Tanura oil refinery came under attack Monday from drones, the kingdom’s defence ministry said, with authorities downing the incoming aircraft.

A Saudi military spokesman made the announcement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency.

Online videos from the site appeared to show thick black smoke rising after the attack. Even successfully intercepted drones cause debris that can spark fires and injure those on the ground.

Ras Tanura, near Dammam, has a capacity over half a million barrels of crude oil a day.

Israel expects many days of combat in Lebanon

Israel’s military has launched an offensive campaign in Lebanon that could include “many prolonged days of combat ahead,” Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the military chief of staff, said on Monday morning.

Hezbollah launched several rockets and drones toward Israel overnight, and Israel responded by striking dozens of targets in Beirut and southern Lebanon, he said.

“Hezbollah will pay a very heavy price for this,” Israel’s military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said. He added that Israel is keeping “all options on the table” for a possible ground operation in Lebanon.

Israel has called up more than 100,000 reservists since the war with Iran began on Saturday.

Israel also recommended that residents of 53 villages in southern Lebanon evacuate, causing massive traffic jams.

Strikes kill 3 in western Iran

Strikes killed three people in the western city of Sanandaj early Monday, Iran’s state-run news agency said.

IRNA said the strikes hit two residential sites without providing further details.

U.S. warplanes crash, Kuwait says

Several U.S. warplanes crashed Monday in Kuwait, the country’s Defence Ministry said, with all the pilots safely bailing out.

The ministry did not elaborate on what caused the crashes but it came during an intense period of Iranian fire targeting the country.

The Kuwaiti Defense Ministry said the pilots were taken to a hospital for checkups and their condition was stable.

The U.S. military’s Central Command did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Turkey temporarily stops border crossings by Iranians visiting for short trips

Turkey has temporarily closed its border with Iran to crossings by Iranians visiting for short trips, the Trade Ministry said, following public concerns that the tensions could trigger migration flows.

A ministry statement said that in a mutual agreement reached with Iran, Turkey is allowing its citizens and third country nationals to enter from Iran but short trips by Iranians have been temporarily suspended.

Meanwhile, commercial freight crossings between Turkey and Iran are continuing “in a controlled manner,” the ministry said.

Israel says Gaza crossings to remain closed

Israel said crossings to Gaza, where much-needed humanitarian aid passes, will remain closed while the war with Iran continues.

COGAT claimed that Gaza has sufficient stockpiles of food for an “extended period” though some organizations, including the World Central Kitchen which operates soup kitchens across Gaza, have warned that they are running out of supplies.

“We need food deliveries every single day to feed hungry families who are not part of this war,” chef Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen, wrote on X.

Fire and smoke rise from inside U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait

Fire and smoke rose from inside the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait after an Iranian attack on the small Mideast nation on Monday.

The United States had earlier issued an urgent warning to Americans there to take cover and remain indoors.

It said: “Do not come to the Embassy,” without elaborating.

Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon kill at least 31 people

Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon after Hezbollah attacked it have killed at least 31 people, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Monday.

The Hezbollah attack and the Israeli retaliatory strikes expand the ongoing war gripping the Mideast after the U.S. and Israel launched an airstrike campaign targeting Iran.

The Health Ministry said that the strikes also wounded 149 people.

It said about two-thirds of those killed were in southern Lebanon.

Airstrikes reported in Iran

Overnight, airstrikes were reported across Iran.

Elsewhere, explosions were heard in Dubai on Monday.

In Bahrain, the Interior Ministry said sirens sounded across the country as it urged residents to “head to the nearest safe place.”

And in Kuwait, authorities said debris fell on its Ahmadi oil refinery, slightly injuring two workers there.

The state-run KUNA news agency said earlier that Kuwait’s forces had thwarted a drone attack early Monday.

Pentagon to brief media on Iran strikes

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, are planning to hold a press conference Monday morning about the military operation against Iran.

The Pentagon announced the 8 a.m. EST media briefing on social media Sunday night.

On Tuesday, Hegseth and Caine will join U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe in briefing the full membership of Congress on the strikes, the White House said.

Rubio also was slated to brief Hill leadership Monday.

___

A previous version of this story included a post on fire and smoke rising from US Embassy in Kuwait that referenced a video obtained by The Associated Press; however the video was not from the same location.

The Associated Press