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War in the Middle East: latest developments
Petrol pump attendants count currency notes after refuelling a vehicle at an Indian Oil fuel station in Varanasi on March 10, 2026. The oil price spike caused by the war in the Middle East has sparked exasperation at petrol pumps around Asia, where many economies are heavily dependent on fossil fuel imports. (Photo by Niharika KULKARNI / AFP)
International News, Latest News
March 12, 2026

War in the Middle East: latest developments

Here are the latest events in the Middle East war on Thursday:

– Israel strikes Basij force –

Israel’s military said it had struck checkpoints set up in Tehran by the Basij paramilitary force of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as part of efforts to undermine control by the authorities.

– Iran to fight until US ‘sorry’ –

Iran’s security chief said that his country would not stop fighting until the United States (US) came to regret launching its war against the Islamic Republic.

“We will not relent until making you sorry for this grave miscalculation,” Ali Larijani said on X.

– Two Iran-backed fighters killed in Iraq –

A strike on a base occupied by a former paramilitary coalition killed at least two fighters from an Iran-backed group in the suburbs of the Iraqi capital, two faction officials told AFP.

– Hormuz mines –

Iran is not laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, its deputy foreign minister said after US President Donald Trump said US forces had struck 28 Iranian mine-laying vessels in the waterway.

He told AFP Iran was allowing ships from some countries to cross the narrow shipping lane, which has remained effectively closed during the war.

– Beirut strikes –

Israel continued striking Beirut as it threatened to expand operations and seize territory in Lebanon if militant group Hezbollah did not stop its attacks.

AFPTV footage showed dark smoke rising into the sky above Bashoura, in the heart of Beirut.

– IEA: biggest ever oil shock –

The war “is creating the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market”, as Iran’s chokehold on regional supplies forces Gulf producers to slash production, the International Energy Agency said.

An IEA market report said crude oil production was currently down by at least 8.0 million barrels per day, with an additional 2.0 million of petroleum products shut off.

– Iran ‘only targeting US bases’ –

Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, ordered the vital Strait of Hormuz oil shipping lane to remain closed and called on Middle East countries to shut US bases they host.

Earlier Thursday, security chief Ali Larijani warned Iran would target power grids in the region if the United States attacked its electricity supplies.

– Trump rebuffs oil price concerns –

US President Donald Trump wrote on social media that stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons was “of far greater interest and importance to me” than controlling oil prices.

– Emergency talks on Hormuz –

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced an “extraordinary session” next week to discuss threats to shipping in the Middle East and particularly in the Strait of Hormuz.

The US military has said it is “not ready” to escort tankers through the critical Strait of Hormuz because all its assets are focused on striking Iran.

– Israel moves further into Lebanon –

The Israeli military moved further into southern Lebanon, telling residents to “move immediately north of the Zahrani River”, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the Israeli border.

It said Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah had launched “approximately 200 rockets” towards it overnight, in what it said was the biggest barrage of the war so far.

– Turkey warns Israel on Lebanon –

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called for an end to Israel’s bombardment of neighbouring Lebanon “before it collapses”, a disaster that would “profoundly affect the entire region”.

“The government of (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu is at the heart of every crisis in the region,” he told journalists.

–  Toll rises in Lebanon –

The government in Beirut said an Israeli strike on the city centre’s seafront killed eight people, bringing to at least 687 the number of people killed in attacks from its neighbour since March 2.

– Explosions in Tehran, Jerusalem –

A series of powerful explosions hit western Tehran, an AFP journalist said.

Israel’s military said it had begun a new “wide-scale” wave of strikes across Iran, hitting the Taleghan compound, where it says Iran was developing nuclear weapons.

Blasts were also heard over Jerusalem, AFP journalists said, as the Israeli military reported missiles fired from Iran.

– 3 million displaced in Iran: UN –

Up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the war erupted nearly two weeks ago, the United Nations refugee agency said.

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