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The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has issued a grave warning that Lebanon faces the threat of a humanitarian catastrophe as Israel continues its weeks-long bombardment and expands ground operations across the country.UNHCR's Lebanon representative Karolina Lindholm Billing reported that Israeli strikes and forced displacement orders have affected people throughout Lebanon, from the southern regions to the Bekaa Valley, Beirut, and northern areas. More than 1.2 million people have been forced from their homes since Israel's intensified attacks began in early March, according to UN figures."The situation remains extremely worrying and the risk of a humanitarian catastrophe ... is real," Lindholm Billing stated during a briefing in Geneva. She emphasized that Lebanon's overstretched shelter system is struggling to meet the growing needs of displaced families.The UN representative highlighted particularly concerning developments, including strikes on central Beirut's densely populated neighborhoods where many had sought refuge in collective shelters. "The families are ... living in constant fear, and the psychological toll, particularly on children, will last far beyond this current escalation," she added.Israel launched its intensified attacks against Lebanon after Hezbollah fired rockets toward Israeli territory following the February 28 assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the US-Israel war on Iran. The Israeli military has since conducted aerial and ground operations across Lebanon while issuing mass forced displacement orders for residents of southern areas and several Beirut suburbs.On Friday, the Israeli military announced air strikes on Beirut and issued new displacement orders for neighborhoods including Haret Hreik and Burj al-Barajneh. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has continued rocket attacks into northern Israel and confrontations with Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.Rights groups have strongly condemned Israel's expanded operations, with Human Rights Watch warning that preventing Lebanese civilians from returning to their homes in the south may constitute the war crime of forced displacement. "Israel's tactics of mass expulsion in Lebanon raise serious risks of forced displacement," the organization stated. "Forced displacement and collective punishment are war crimes."International concerns have been further heightened by the Israeli military's destruction of civilian homes and several bridges connecting southern Lebanon to the rest of the country. "The destruction of key bridges in the south has cut off entire districts ... isolating over 150,000 people and severely limiting humanitarian access," Lindholm Billing explained.As the crisis deepens, Lebanon's government faces mounting challenges in responding to the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, with evacuation orders now extending to areas previously considered safe, exacerbating panic among the civilian population.

The UK is on the brink of a medicine shortage crisis, with experts warning that the country is just weeks away from feeling the effects of the ongoing conflict in Iran. The war has already disrupted the supply of essential raw materials, including oil, gas, crop fertiliser, and helium.The pharmaceutical industry, which relies heavily on imports, is particularly vulnerable to these disruptions. India, known as the 'pharmacy of the world', produces a significant proportion of generic drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used globally. However, with the Strait of Hormuz largely closed due to the conflict, the transportation of these vital supplies is becoming increasingly difficult.Medicine prices are also expected to rise as a result of the conflict. The US-Israel war on Iran has doubled air freight costs, which could make some medicines loss-making to supply to the NHS. While suppliers have long-term pricing agreements with NHS hospitals, they have more flexibility to increase prices for drugs supplied to GP practices and pharmacies.The UK's reliance on imported medicines is significant, with about half of its medicines produced domestically, a third coming from India, and another chunk from the EU. During the Covid pandemic, paracetamol and other painkillers were in short supply in Britain and elsewhere, as drugmakers in India struggled to keep up with demand.Medical distributors typically stock six to eight weeks of supplies to avoid shortfalls, but if the conflict drags on, drug shortages could emerge in only a few weeks' time. Experts warn that the overall ripple effect on the industry is significant, with the patient ultimately picking up the tab, either directly or via public health systems like the NHS.

Ella Baron, a renowned cartoonist, has created a thought-provoking cartoon titled 'Ella Baron on Donald Trump and the Iran war – cartoon' for The Guardian. The cartoon, which can be viewed on The Guardian's website, offers a visual commentary on Donald Trump's approach to the Iran war and its implications on global politics.The cartoon is part of The Guardian's series on US-Israel war on Iran, providing readers with a unique perspective on the complex relationships between the United States, Israel, and Iran. By using satire and humor, Ella Baron aims to stimulate discussion and raise awareness about the potential consequences of conflict in the Middle East.As a prominent cartoonist, Ella Baron's work often addresses pressing global issues, and this cartoon is no exception. Her depiction of Donald Trump's involvement in the Iran war is likely to spark conversation and debate among readers, encouraging them to think critically about the situation.

Iran's men's football team, Team Melli, has been training in southern Turkiye as they prepare for two upcoming friendly matches before the FIFA World Cup. The team's preparations come against the backdrop of the US-Israel war on Iran, which is likely to attract heightened attention during the World Cup.The team held a training session in Belek, Antalya, with tightly restricted media access. Officials stated that they wanted to avoid distractions before the matches, which are critical to their World Cup preparations.Iran's football federation is in discussions with FIFA about moving its World Cup matches to Mexico from the US due to concerns over player safety. The friendly matches were originally scheduled to take place in Jordan but were moved to Turkiye following the outbreak of the war on Iran.The team will play against Nigeria on Friday and Costa Rica on Tuesday. Striker Sardar Azmoun was omitted from the squad after posting a picture on his Instagram feed of a meeting with Dubai's ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Iranian media reported that Azmoun had been expelled from the national team for a perceived act of disloyalty to the government.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that an Israeli air strike killed Alireza Tangsiri, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy, on Wednesday night. Katz stated that the assassination targeted other 'senior officers of the naval command'.Katz described Tangsiri as the man 'directly responsible for the terrorist operation of mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz to shipping'. He added that Tangsiri was 'blown up and eliminated'. Tangsiri was a 'well-known commander' who shaped Iran's naval doctrine and developed drones for military maritime use. He was also involved in overseeing Iran's efforts to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz by blocking some vessels.Since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran on February 28, Israel has announced the assassination of several top Iranian officials. The civilian toll is significant, with at least 1,937 people killed, including 452 women and children, and 24,800 injured, according to Iran's Deputy Health Minister Ali Jafarian.Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US Central Command, said the assassination of Tangsiri 'makes the region safer'. US forces have destroyed about 92 percent of Iran's large naval vessels in ongoing operations.

US markets witnessed a significant downturn on Thursday, marking their biggest slump since the onset of the US-Israel war with Iran. The Dow closed 450 points down, while the S&P 500 dipped 1.7%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 2.3%, plunging into correction territory, which occurs when an index falls at least 10% below its most recent peak. The conflict has led to a surge in oil prices, reaching levels not seen since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. At the end of the day on Thursday, Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, was about $107 a barrel, while US crude hit $93 a barrel. Average US gas prices at the pump reached $3.98 a gallon, according to AAA. Despite the soaring prices, Donald Trump said that oil prices “have not gone up as much as I thought” during a cabinet meeting on Thursday. He predicted that prices would “come back down to where it was, and probably lower,” and that the impact on the stock market would reverse once the conflict ends. Markets have been growing weary of Trump's mixed signals on the US's stance in negotiations with Iran. Stocks dipped on Thursday morning after Trump posted a warning to Iranian negotiators that they “better get serious, before it’s too late.” However, later in the morning, Trump said that there were “very substantial talks” happening with Iran and that the country allowed 10 oil tankers to pass the blocked strait of Hormuz. The White House announced it will extend a pause on Iranian energy infrastructure strikes by 10 days, until 6 April. A new report estimates US inflation will average 4.2% this year, compared with an average of about 2.6% in 2025, according to the Organization for Economic and Cooperation and Development (OECD). The increase in inflation reverses what was expected to be strong growth for the global economy before the conflict began.

UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves is facing pressure to raise taxes on businesses generating 'windfall' profits linked to the US-Israel war on Iran to fund emergency cost of living support for UK households.A group of leading charities, campaigners, and trade unions, including Greenpeace UK, the National Education Union, and Tax Justice UK, have written an open letter to Keir Starmer and Reeves, urging the government to strengthen its existing North Sea energy windfall tax and introduce new levies for firms in other sectors that stand to financially benefit from the conflict.The letter highlights that energy companies, banks, agricultural commodities businesses, defence companies, and tech firms are likely to profit from the economic fallout of the war. The group argues that the extra revenue generated from taxing these 'excess profits' could be used to support households struggling with the cost of living and invest in the UK's future energy security.R Reeves has signalled that the government is ready to provide targeted help for households grappling with the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict, amid a surge in energy prices since the onset of the war. The chancellor has also warned companies that she will not tolerate corporates profiteering from the crisis, telling bosses that the Competition and Markets Authority has been put on notice to detect and crack down on price gouging.The UK already has a windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas firms, the energy profits levy, which is due to run until 2030. However, Reeves had been planning to ease the tax before the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February.

The US-Israel war on Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for materials used in the production of various everyday products. As the conflict enters its fifth week, global oil shortages are forcing countries to take severe measures to conserve their reserves. While US gas prices have surged to their highest level in years, the impact of rising oil prices extends far beyond drivers. Oil is a crucial component in the supply chain, powering machines that manufacture goods and fueling trucks that transport them to stores. The price increases come at a time when many Americans are already strained by rising housing costs, grocery bills, and electricity statements. A recent Gallup poll found that a third of Americans have had to skip meals and forego other needs to afford their healthcare. Oil and Gas The average cost of gas in the US has jumped about 30% over the last month, with the national average hitting $3.97, the highest since 2023. Diesel, which fuels many trucks transporting goods, has increased by about 50%, or $1.69 more than it did a year ago. Higher diesel costs could soon affect transportation costs and grocery prices, as roughly 85% of agricultural goods are transported by trucks. The impact of oil and gas shortages on the supply chain can be categorized as first-order effects, such as higher prices at the gas pump, and second-order effects, including potential price increases for crops, semiconductor chips, and medical devices. Fertilizer Farmers are struggling as the spring growing season approaches, facing higher fertilizer costs and falling commodity prices. A third of global urea trade, a solid nitrogen fertilizer, passes through the Middle East region, with about 20% of imported fertilizer to the US coming from Qatar. Nitrogen fertilizer is critical to grow corn, which is cultivated by about 500,000 farmers in the US. The White House has promised to minimize disruptions to the US economy, with alternative sources of fertilizer being sought from around the world. Helium The conflict has disrupted the global helium supply after Iranian attacks in Qatar, the second-largest producer of helium after the United States. Helium is a key import used in aerospace, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and semiconductor chips that power AI. Jet Fuel Increases in oil prices could result in higher airfare and shipping costs. The price of jet fuel has doubled since the start of the war, according to the International Air Transport Association. United Airlines announced last Friday that it would have to cut flights due to the surging cost of fuel. < h2>Mortgage Rates Just as US mortgages were starting to fall in February, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate ticked up to its highest level in months, reaching 6.22%. Mortgage rates are closely tied to the overall state of the economy, and the US Federal Reserve's decision to leave rates unchanged last week cited uncertainty in the economy, particularly with conflict in the Middle East.

Iran has launched a significant missile attack on Israel, causing damage and injuries in Tel Aviv. The attack, which occurred on Tuesday, triggered air raid sirens across the city, including in the densely populated areas of Tel Aviv. A multistorey apartment building suffered extensive damage, with gaping holes torn through it, although it was unclear if the damage was from a direct hit or debris from an interception. At least six people were lightly injured at four different sites, according to Israel's Magen David Adom emergency medical service. Police in Tel Aviv reported dealing with multiple impact sites of munitions, while the National Fire and Rescue Authority was searching for people trapped in one building and found civilians in a shelter in another damaged building. In response to the missile strikes, Israel's military carried out a wave of airstrikes in central Tehran on Monday, targeting key command centers associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' intelligence arm and the Iranian Intelligence Ministry. The military also hit over 50 additional targets overnight, including ballistic missile storage and launch sites. The escalation comes amid ongoing uncertainty about possible talks to end the three-week US-Israel war on Iran. The situation remains volatile, with both sides engaging in military actions that could have broader implications for regional stability.