Donald Trump warned the US could “obliterate” Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened within 48 hours. Iran fired a missile toward Dimona in southern Israel, injuring dozens near a nuclear site, while tensions rose after a strike on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility. Missiles were also launched toward the US-UK base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, widening the regional confrontation. Follow this live blog for updates on strikes, diplomacy and the conflict’s impact.

04:20 PM, 22 March 2026

Netanyahu doesn’t say whether Israel will strike Iran’s energy grid

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was noncommittal when asked about Trump’s threats to strike Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz isn’t opened, and whether Israel would join.

“I think President Trump knows exactly what he’s doing. And whatever we do we do together and as far as possible in confidence,” Netanyahu Israeli prime minister said Sunday.

04:13 PM, 22 March 2026

Trump’s warning to Iran points to importance of Strait of Hormuz

A warning from US President Donald Trump that the United States will “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if Tehran fails to fully open the Strait of Hormuz in 48 hours underscores how the small strip of water is a vital artery of the world economy.

On a typical day, ships carrying about a fifth of the world’s oil sail out of the Persian Gulf through the narrow passageway between Iran and Oman toward the Indian Ocean.

The war with Iran means it’s effectively closed, hemming in more than 90% of that crude and refined products, according to the International Energy Agency.

04:09 PM, 22 March 2026

Netanyahu calls on international community to join the war

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said missile attacks on Israeli cities, near Jerusalem’s holy sites, and toward a UK military base in the Indian Ocean, along with the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, are all evidence that Iran is a threat to the world.

“Israel and the United States are working together for the entire world,” Netanyahu said in the southern town of Arad, which was hit by an Iranian missile, wounding dozens of people.

“It’s time to see the leaders of the rest of the countries join us.” he told to foreign journalists.

Netanyahu claimed that some are “beginning to move in that direction” but more are needed.

03:59 PM, 22 March 2026

Qatar confirms death of 7th person in the helicopter crash

Qatar’s Interior Ministry says rescuers found the body of a seventh person who initially had been missing.

The Defence Ministry said four Qatari forces and three Turkish nationals — including a military officer and two civilians — were on board the helicopter that crashed Saturday in Qatari territorial waters.

All seven people on board have now been accounted for.

03:51 PM, 22 March 2026

German defence chief demands Iran immediately stop de-facto closure of Strait of Hormuz

Defence Minister Boris Pistorius says joint efforts to secure trade routes through the Strait of Hormuz can come only after a ceasefire is achieved.

Pistorius urged Iran to ensure freedom and safe passage in the strait.

He made the comments Sunday during a trip to Japan for talks with his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi.

03:46 PM, 22 March 2026

Netanyahu tours site of Iranian missile strike

Dozens of people were wounded and several buildings were heavily damaged in the strike in the southern town of Arad.

Netanyahu says it was a “miracle” that no one was killed by the blast. He said that if all residents had rushed to shelters, no one would have been hurt.

Netanyahu urged all Israelis to heed warnings and rush into shelters as soon as they hear a siren.

03:37 PM, 22 March 2026

Over 170 people treated at hospital in southern Israel

Dr. Roy Kessous, deputy director of the Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Beersheba, has said injuries from the two strikes late Saturday included shrapnel wounds as well as trauma.

Kessous says the hospital is trained for such events, but the scale — including entire families wounded together and in some cases left homeless — added to the pressure.

He said the hospital already is prepared for a similar emergency, telling The Associated Press: “We are ready to receive wounded from the area again right now.”

03:31 PM, 22 March 2026

Israel orders destruction of all bridges over Lebanon’s Litani River

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz expanded the military’s list of targets in Lebanon to include all bridges over the country’s Litani River, a focal point of the renewed Israel-Hezbollah conflict.

Katz on Sunday accused Lebanon’s Iran-backed militant group of using the crossings over the waterway, about 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) north of Israel’s border, to move fighters and weapons into southern Lebanon.

Katz also ordered the military to accelerate its destruction of Lebanese homes near Israel’s northern border “to eliminate threats to Israeli communities.”

03:27 PM, 22 March 2026

‘End to war would require ‘guarantees’ Iran won’t be attacked again’

Abbas Araghchi called on “independent nations” to pressure both the US and Israel to stop their war against Iran.

The top Iranian diplomat says any efforts to end the war should include “guarantees” that the U.S. and Israel won’t once again attack the Islamic Republic, according to the state-run news agency IRNA.

Iran needs guarantees that its “sovereignty and national security won’t be violated again,” according to IRNA.

Araghchi’s comments came in a phone call Saturday with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the news agency said.

03:22 PM, 22 March 2026

UAE intercepts 4 ballistic missiles and 25 UAVs today

The UAE Ministry of Defence says its air defence systems dealt with four ballistic missiles and 25 drones launched toward the country today from Iran, officials confirmed. Since the start of the Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have intercepted 345 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,773 UAVs.

Casualties and injuries

The attacks have claimed the lives of two UAE Armed Forces personnel performing their national duty, along with six foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Palestine.

A total of 160 people were injured, with cases ranging from minor to severe. The injured include nationals from the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia, Sweden, and Tunisia.

Defence readiness

The Ministry of Defence affirmed that it remains fully prepared to respond to any threats. Officials stressed that the UAE will firmly confront any attempts to undermine national security, while safeguarding sovereignty, stability, and critical national capabilities.

02:53 PM, 22 March 2026

UAE responds to missile and drone threats from Iran

The UAE says its air defence systems are actively responding to incoming missile and drone threats launched from Iran, amid rising regional tensions.

Authorities clarified that the loud sounds reported across parts of the country were caused by defensive interceptions, not by missile or drone impacts on the ground.

02:33 PM, 22 March 2026

Iraq extends airspace closure for 72 hours

Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority on Sunday announced the extension of the country’s airspace closure to all incoming, outgoing and transit flights for an additional 72 hours, citing ongoing security assessments linked to regional developments. 

In a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the authority said the closure will remain in effect from 12:00pm local time (09:00 GMT) on Sunday, March 22, 2026, until 12:00pm on Wednesday, describing the move as a temporary precautionary measure. 

INA said the decision was based on continuous evaluations of the security situation and the evolving regional landscape, adding that the measure would be reviewed depending on further developments.

02:31 PM, 22 March 2026

Over 400 Iranian missiles fired, 92% intercepted: Israel

Israel’s military said on Sunday that Iran had fired more than 400 ballistic missiles at Israel since the start of the Middle East war, with around 92 percent of them intercepted.

“Iran has fired over 400 ballistic missiles. We have had great inception rates. We have approximately a 92 percent successful interception rate,” Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani told journalists.

Iranian missiles struck two towns in southern Israel on Saturday, leaving some 175 people needing medical treatment.

02:10 PM, 22 March 2026

Qatar chopper crash: Victims identified

The Ministry of Defence announced that, as part of ongoing search and rescue operations for the helicopter that crashed at dawn Sunday in Qatar’s territorial waters, the following have been confirmed deceased:

• Captain (Pilot) Mubarak Salem Daway Al Marri – Qatar Armed Forces
• Sergeant Fahad Hadi Ghanem Al Khayarin – Qatar Armed Forces
• Corporal Mohammed Maher Mohammed – Qatar Armed Forces
• Major Sinan Taştekin – Qatar-Turkiye Joint Forces
• Suleiman Cemra Kahraman – Turkish civilian collaborator
• Ismail Anas Can – Turkish civilian collaborator

The search operation is ongoing for Captain (Pilot) Saeed Nasser Samekh of the Qatar Armed Forces, who remains missing.

02:00 PM, 22 March 2026

Iran missiles targeting Diego Garcia base intercepted: UK  

UK minister Steve Reed on Sunday said one missile launched by Iran targeting a joint UK-US military base in the Indian Ocean “fell short” while another missile was “intercepted”.

“Our assessment is that the Iranians certainly targeted Diego Garcia,” a military base some 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles) away from Iran, Reed told the BBC.

“As we understand it, one missile fell short, failed, the other was intercepted and prevented,” said the housing minister, who was representing the government on the Sunday morning shows.

“But I don’t think it’s a surprise this has happened, Iran has been recklessly firing missiles around the region,” he added.

Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos Islands archipelago, is one of two bases which the UK has allowed the United States to use for what the British government insists are “defensive operations” in its war against Iran.

01:49 PM, 22 March 2026

GCC renews condemnation of ongoing Iranian attacks

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has renewed its strong condemnation and denunciation of the continued Iranian attacks on member states, including the deliberate targeting of infrastructure and oil facilities, in flagrant violation of international law and norms, and a direct threat to regional security, stability and the safety of global energy supplies.

Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, GCC Secretary-General, affirmed that the continuation of these attacks reveals Iran’s escalatory approach toward GCC countries and constitutes unacceptable aggression that undermines de-escalation efforts and threatens regional and international security.

He rejected Iran’s baseless claims blaming GCC states for any military operations, stressing that GCC countries firmly uphold respect for sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, and the promotion of regional and global peace and security.

01:25 PM, 22 March 2026

Bahrain reports new missile and drone attacks

Bahrain Defence Force said its air defense systems were responding to missile and drone attacks from Iran.

The Defence Ministry said two missiles and two drones were launched at the kingdom island, which hosts the US 5th Fleet.

It said a total of 145 missiles and 146 drones have now been fired at Bahrain since the start of the war.

The Bahrain Defence Force said in a statement that its air defence systems were continuing to counter “successive waves” of attacks, which it attributed to Iran.

01:06 PM, 22 March 2026

UAE extends distance learning for two weeks

The distance learning system in the UAE represents a key pillar ensuring the continuity of the educational process and the flexibility of implementing academic plans under various circumstances. The country has developed an advanced and adaptable education system capable of responding swiftly to changes and emergencies without compromising quality or continuity.

The decision to continue distance learning in public and private schools for two weeks reflects the high level of readiness of educational institutions and their ability to transition immediately to alternative learning models that ensure the smooth continuation of education.

12:28 PM, 22 March 2026

Why Iran may prolong the war despite heavy losses

The Supreme Leader is dead. His successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, has not been seen in public since the strike that killed his father — raising fresh questions over who is actually running the country.

Ali Larijani, the regime’s key wartime strategist and de facto decision-maker, has been killed.

Senior figures across defence, intelligence and security ministries have been wiped out, along with some of the most important commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Yet, even after this decapitation of its leadership, Iran is not stepping back. Instead, it is signalling a willingness to prolong the war — betting that endurance, not immediate victory, could reshape the conflict in its favour, according to an analysis by CNN.

12:12 PM, 22 March 2026

Six of seven missing in Qatar helicopter crash found dead

The Ministry of Interior has confirmed that six of the seven people on board a helicopter that crashed in Qatar’s territorial waters have been found dead. Search and rescue teams continue intensive efforts to locate the remaining missing person.

The Ministry expressed condolences to the families of the deceased, praying for mercy for the victims and patience for their loved ones.

11:54 AM, 22 March 2026

Iran: Strait of Hormuz is open, except for ‘enemies’

Iranian diplomat says transit through Strait of Hormuz is open, except for ‘enemies’

Iran’s top diplomat in the UK says transit through the Strait of Hormuz is possible with coordination with Tehran, a semiofficial news agency reported Sunday.

“The Strait of Hormuz is open to everyone except enemies,” Seyed Ali Mousavi, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization, was quoted by Tasnim news agency as saying.

“Navigation is possible with coordination for security and safety arrangements,” said Mousavi, who also serves as Iran’s ambassador to Britain.

11:44 AM, 22 March 2026

Driver found dead after missile strike in Israel

A man trapped in a vehicle was found dead following a direct missile hit on a community near the Lebanon border, CNN reports.

Footage released by Israel’s emergency services showed fierce flames engulfing two vehicles that blocked a road in the northern kibbutz of Misgav Am.

“We arrived at the scene and saw two vehicles on fire,” said an emergency responder from Magen David Adom, noting that the man was found in the driver’s seat with “no signs of life.”

Separately, the Israeli military reported a missile launch from Lebanon toward a community along the northern border. CNN has not confirmed whether the two incidents are linked.

11:38 AM, 22 March 2026

Israeli security minister cites ‘historic battle’ against Iran

Itamar Ben-Gvir is visiting the southern town of Arad, where dozens of people were hurt by a missile strike overnight.

The national security minister says Israel is waging a “historic battle” against Iran and that it must “continue until victory.”

11:31 AM, 22 March 2026

Jazeera Airways resumes Sohag flights via Qaisumah

Jazeera Airways will resume flights to and from Sohag in Egypt via Qaisumah Airport in Saudi Arabia starting March 29. This marks the airline’s sixth Egyptian destination via Qaisumah, alongside Alexandria, Cairo, Sphinx, Assiut, and Luxor.

The move responds to rising demand for family reunions and essential travel among Kuwait’s Egyptian expatriate community, the largest Arab group in the country. Passengers check in at Mishref International Fairground Hall 8 before taking buses to Qaisumah Airport.

Tickets can be booked through Jazeera Airways’ website or mobile app, with plans to gradually expand flights and destinations.

10:53 AM, 22 March 2026

Aftermath of Iranian missile attack in Dimona and Arad

10:49 AM, 22 March 2026

Blasts heard, sirens in Jerusalem after Iran missile alerts

Blasts were heard and air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem on Sunday after the Israeli military warned of incoming missile fire from Iran.

The army issued several alerts saying it had identified that “missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel”.

Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency medical service said after the first warning that there were no immediate reports of casualties.

Israel’s military said personnel were attending “impact sites” in central Israel, with local media showing images of light damage by a road in the city of Holon near Tel Aviv.

The latest alerts come after Iranian missiles struck two towns in southern Israel on Saturday evening.

The Soroka medical centre said it had received and treated 175 people, and 10 were in serious condition, including at least one child.

The blasts in the towns of Dimona and Arad tore open residential buildings and gouged craters in the ground.

10:15 AM, 22 March 2026

One of two Japanese nationals detained in Iran released

Te Japanese government has confirmed the release of one of the two Japanese nationals who had been detained in Iran, according to a report by Kyodo News.

In a development shared on Sunday, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi confirmed that the individual, who had been in custody since June, departed via Azerbaijan last Wednesday and arrived in Japan in good health.

Addressing the status of the remaining detainee, Motegi stated, “We are working toward the early release of the other individual.”

Reports from a non-profit organisation suggest the second individual is the Tehran bureau chief of the public broadcaster NHK, who was taken into custody by local authorities on 20 January.

09:41 AM, 22 March 2026

Oman repatriates citizens from Iran safely

The Omani Foreign Ministry has confirmed that a group of citizens returning from the Islamic Republic of Iran has safely arrived home.

The repatriation process was carried out through coordinated land and air travel, in collaboration with Oman’s diplomatic missions in Tehran and Ankara, as part of an approved plan, Oman News Agency (ONA) reported.

The Ministry said it continues to monitor the situation around the clock, working closely with overseas missions to ensure the safety and security of Omani citizens abroad.

09:37 AM, 22 March 2026

Blasts heard after Iran missile alerts in central Israel

Several blasts could be heard from Jerusalem on Sunday, AFP journalists said, after the Israeli military warned of incoming missile fire from Iran towards central Israel.

Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency medical service said there were no immediate reports of casualties.

09:36 AM, 22 March 2026

Iran state media: Drones target base by Baghdad airport

Iran’s official IRNA news agency said on Sunday that a drone attack targeted a military base near the Baghdad International Airport.

The “military base, located near Baghdad International Airport, has again been the target of drone strikes,” IRNA wrote, referring to a compound that was used in the past by the US military.

09:35 AM, 22 March 2026

Kuwait Airways to resume Cairo flights

Kuwait Airways will restart flights to and from Cairo via Dammam Airport in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, March 26, operating four times a week (Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays).

Passengers will travel by company buses from Kuwait to Dammam and must have a Saudi transit visa.

Royal and Business Class passengers can use a limousine service to Khairan Mall, where all travelers must collect boarding passes 24 hours before departure. Bus departures to the Nuwaiseeb border close eight hours before the flight.

09:13 AM, 22 March 2026

Israeli military reports new Iranian missile attack

The Israeli army says it has detected a new missile launch from Iran aimed at Israeli territory.

According to the military, air defence systems are actively working to intercept the incoming threat and protect civilian areas

08:59 AM, 22 March 2026

Sri Lanka raises fuel prices by 25%

Sri Lanka raised fuel prices by 25 percent, the second increase in two weeks, as the country prepared for more impact from the war in the Middle East.

Regular petrol was increased to 398 rupees ($1.30) per litre, up from 317 rupees, while diesel, the fuel commonly used for public transport, rose by 79 rupees to 382.

Last week, the government ordered an eight percent increase in retail fuel prices and introduced rationing to limit consumption.

08:49 AM, 22 March 2026

Helicopter crash: Specialised teams search Qatar waters

Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has confirmed that specialised teams are conducting search and rescue operations in the country’s territorial waters following a helicopter crash.

The Ministry of Defence reported the incident, while QNA noted that rescue efforts are underway to locate any survivors and secure the crash site.

Details about the cause of the crash have not yet been released. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.

08:35 AM, 22 March 2026

US ship carrying LPG reaches India

Amid the global supply chain crisis, a large cargo ship carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the US has arrived at the Mangalore Port in the country.

Pyxis Pioneer cargo ship carrying LPG from the US state of Texas, successfully docked at the port.

Before the ship from the US, named Aqua Titan, reached India, another vessel carrying Russian crude oil also reached Mangalore, reports media.

This particular vessel was stationed about 18 nautical miles away from the port. The single-point mooring system will be used to transfer the oil to the pipeline system and take it to MRPL.

The Russian crude oil arrived after the US issued a temporary general license, permitting the sale of Russian crude oil already stranded at sea as of March 12.

07:28 AM, 22 March 2026

Iran warns of retaliation if energy sites attacked

Iran warned early Sunday that any strike on its energy facilities would prompt attacks on US and Israeli energy and infrastructure assets in the region, according to a statement carried by Iran’s state media and semiofficial outlets, citing an Iranian military spokesperson.

“If Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure is attacked by the enemy, all energy and information technology infrastructure and desalination plants belonging to the United States and the Israeli entity in the region will be targeted,” the statement said.

The threat came after US President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iranian power plants if Iran didn’t fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz in 48 hours.

07:15 AM, 22 March 2026

Saudi Arabia intercepts missiles, drones in Riyadh, Eastern Region

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence confirmed multiple interceptions of missiles and drones targeting the kingdom.

• In the Eastern Region, authorities destroyed five drones during recent attacks.
• Three ballistic missiles were launched toward the Riyadh Region. One missile was intercepted, while the other two fell in unpopulated areas.
• Officials reported no casualties or damage from the attacks.

The Ministry reiterated that all necessary measures are in place to protect civilians and critical infrastructure.

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07:05 AM, 22 March 2026

Iran missile strikes wound over 100 in two Israel towns

 Iranian missile strikes on two southern Israeli towns wounded more than 100 people on Saturday, medics said, after Israeli air defence systems failed to intercept the projectiles.

The two direct hits tore open the fronts of residential buildings and carved craters into the ground.

Magen David Adom first responders said 84 people were wounded in the town of Arad, 10 of them seriously, hours after 33 were wounded in nearby Dimona.

Iranian state TV said the missile attack on Dimona, which houses a nuclear facility, was a “response” to an earlier strike on its own nuclear site at Natanz.

Fire engines with their lights flashing were at the scene along with dozens of members of the emergency services.

The Israeli military said it would investigate the failed interception.

06:48 AM, 22 March 2026

UAE responds to missile and drone threats from Iran

UAE air defences are actively responding to missile and drone threats from Iran. Authorities have advised residents to move to the nearest secure building, avoid windows, doors, and open areas, and await official instructions. They emphasised the importance of staying in safe locations, following official channels for real-time updates, and remaining vigilant as the situation develops.

05:40 AM, 22 March 2026

Military helicopter crashes into waters off Qatar

Qatar has launched a search and rescue operation after a helicopter crashed into its territorial waters following a technical malfunction.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Qatari Ministry of Defence said the aircraft experienced a mechanical fault while carrying out a routine mission, resulting in the crash at sea.

Specialised teams in Qatar are currently conducting search and rescue operations within the country’s territorial waters, according to a statement from the Qatari Ministry of Interior, according to the Qatar News Agency.

Coordination between high-readiness units remains ongoing as they navigate the designated search areas to ensure a comprehensive response.

04:45 AM, 22 March 2026

The Israeli military says it is striking targets in Tehran

Saturday’s Israeli strikes come after dozens of people were injured in Israel by Iranian missile strikes targeting two areas not far from the country’s main nuclear research center.

03:57 AM, 22 March 2026

Trump threatens to ‘hit and obliterate’ Iran’s power plants

The US president issued the ultimatum in a social media post while he spent the weekend in Florida.

He said he’s giving Iran exactly 48 hours to open the vital waterway or face a new round of attacks. He said the US would destroy “various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!”

03:40 AM, 22 March 2026

Saudi expels Iranian diplomats, embassy staff 

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs renewed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s unequivocal condemnation of the blatant Iranian attacks against the Kingdom, the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and a number of Arab and Islamic countries.

In a statement carried by Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the ministry said that the continued targeting by Iran of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—its sovereignty, civilian objects, civilians, economic interests, and diplomatic premises within the Kingdom—constitutes a flagrant violation of all relevant international conventions, the principles of good neighborliness and respect for states’ sovereignty, the Beijing Agreement, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026).

It also contradicts the principles of Islamic brotherhood and the values and tenets of the Islamic faith that the Iranian side continuously invokes, thereby confirming that such statements are not reflected in its actions.

01:30 AM, 22 March 2026

Saudi Arabia intercepts 11 drones in Eastern Region

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence announced today the interception and destruction of 11 drones in the airspace of the Eastern Region.

The announcement was made in a statement by Major General Turki Al-Malki, Spokesperson of the Ministry, carried by the Saudi Press

01:17 AM, 22 March 2026

Bahrain intercepts 143 missiles, 244 drones since Iran attacks

The Kingdom of Bahrain announced that its air defence systems have successfully intercepted and destroyed 143 missiles and 244 drones that targeted its territory since the start of the Iranian aggression.

The General Command of the Bahrain Defence Force, in a statement carried by the Bahrain News Agency (BNA), affirmed that the use of ballistic missiles and drones to target civilian objects and private property constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and the United Nations Charter.

It stressed that these indiscriminate and malicious attacks represent a direct threat to regional peace and security.

GN