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Former Iranian foreign minister Kamal Kharazi has been seriously wounded in an apparent assassination attempt that killed his wife, as US-Israeli strikes continue to pound Iran for a fifth week.Iranian media on Thursday reported that Kharazi's home in Tehran was targeted the previous day in an air strike. The official was hospitalised with serious injuries, according to newspapers Shargh, Etemad and Ham Mihan.“We have seen what looks like an assassination attempt against the former foreign minister, Kamal Kharazi … We don’t know why he’s been targeted. He has been gravely wounded, and his wife was killed,” said Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Vall, reporting from Tehran.Air strikes were reported on Thursday across Iran, including in Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz. Four people were reported killed in Larestan, in southern Iran.Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the armed forces’ unified command said Tehran will press on with the Middle East war until the US and Israel face “permanent regret and surrender”, the semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported.Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson of the Khatam al-Anbiya central headquarters, said US and Israeli assessments of Iran’s military capabilities were “incomplete” and that Tehran would step up its military actions, with “more crushing, broader and more destructive” attacks in store for its adversaries.The threat followed comments by US President Donald Trump that Washington would hit Iran “extremely hard” within weeks, although Iran was “essentially decimated” and the US was on track to achieve its military objectives.More than 1,340 people have been killed in Iran since the US and Israel launched joint air strikes on February 28. At least 24 people have been killed in Israel, as well as 13 US soldiers in the region.

The United States is expanding its military footprint in the Gulf as the US‑Israel war with Iran enters its second month. Since the Feb. 28 launch of Operation Epic Fury, a joint air campaign targeting Iranian military and nuclear sites, more than four weeks of strikes have resulted in thousands of casualties.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the deployment of a third aircraft carrier, the USS George HW Bush, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is currently conducting daily combat sorties from the Arabian Sea, and the USS Gerald Ford, now under maintenance in Croatia.These carrier groups carry thousands of sailors, Marines and specialised support personnel, forming the core of the US’s power projection in the region.Carrier Strike Group (CSG) refers to an aircraft carrier plus its escort ships and support units that together function as a floating base. A typical CSG includes:An aircraft carrier60‑75 fighter jets and helicopters2‑4 Arleigh Burke‑class destroyersA guided‑missile cruiserA submarine for underwater protectionSupply shipsAs of April 1, the USS Abraham Lincoln remains the only carrier launching daily combat missions against Iranian targets, while the USS George HW Bush is en route and expected to eventually replace the Gerald Ford in the Mediterranean.Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) operates as a mini‑carrier, carrying US Marines and equipment for sea‑to‑land invasions. The USS Tripoli ARG arrived in the Middle East on March 27, and the USS Boxer ARG is expected to join the theater by mid‑April. An ARG typically comprises:Three specialised ships~2,200 Marines (a Marine Expeditionary Unit)Short‑takeoff aircraftLanding craft for beach assaultsThe key distinction: ARGs are built to land troops on shore, whereas CSGs are designed to project air power and conduct major naval warfare.A Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) is a rapid‑response, self‑contained force of 2,200‑2,500 Marine Corps personnel capable of combat and humanitarian missions. On Friday, US Central Command confirmed that 2,200 Marines from the 31st MEU arrived in Middle Eastern waters after departing Sasebo, Japan, on March 13. A second unit, the 11th MEU with roughly 2,500 Marines, is inbound after leaving San Diego on March 18.The Pentagon has also ordered about 2,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to move to the region, adding to the approximately 50,000 US troops already stationed in the Middle East.An MEU is organized into four elements:Command Element – ~200 personnel for planning and command‑and‑control.Ground Combat Element – ~1,200 troops centered on an infantry battalion with artillery and armoured vehicles.Aviation Combat Element – ~500 personnel operating transport helicopters, attack aircraft and Osprey tilt‑rotors.Logistics Combat Element – ~300 personnel providing up to 15 days of self‑sustainment, including medical, engineering and maintenance support.MEUs are typically deployed aboard a three‑ship ARG, which serves as a floating base. The ships include:Landing Helicopter Assault/Dock – a small carrier carrying short‑takeoff aircraft such as F‑35Bs and attack helicopters.Amphibious Transport Dock – a mid‑size vessel transporting troops and heavy vehicles.Dock Landing Ship – primarily for cargo and heavy equipment.MEUs can execute sea‑to‑land assaults, raids, evacuations, humanitarian aid and disaster‑relief operations, and they are often the first forces on the ground in emerging conflicts.The US Marine Corps maintains seven active MEUs; the 31st (Asia‑Pacific) and 11th (West Coast) are currently assigned to the Iran war. The other units are distributed as follows:East Coast: 22nd, 24th, 26th MEUWest Coast: 11th, 13th, 15th MEUAsia‑Pacific: 31st MEUTypically, three MEUs are forward‑positioned at any time, rotating through deployments in the Mediterranean, Gulf and Asia‑Pacific regions.Historically, MEUs have played pivotal roles in US operations: during the 2001 Afghanistan invasion, the 15th and 26th MEUs conducted one of the longest amphibious vertical insertions; in 2003‑2004 they helped secure Iraqi ports and fought in Fallujah; and in 2024 they provided sea‑based support for the attempted abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

A devastating explosion at a military base in Burundi's economic capital, Bujumbura, has resulted in at least 13 civilian fatalities and 57 injuries. The blast, caused by an electrical short circuit, occurred at the main ammunition depot of the Burundi National Defence Force (FDNB) in Musaga, a densely populated area.The army reported that houses and private vehicles were damaged in various neighborhoods, while military equipment and facilities were destroyed or burned. Three soldiers were among those wounded, but the army did not specify if any soldiers had been killed.The explosion occurred in a densely populated area adjoining the Higher Institute for Military Cadres (ISCAM), where aspiring army officers are trained and housed. Firefighting efforts were initially slowed by a water shortage, exacerbating the damage.Burundi, ranked by the World Bank as the world's poorest country by GDP per capita in 2023, has faced years of deep economic crises, including a severe fuel shortage. President Evariste Ndayishimiye expressed his sympathy to the victims, while authorities urged citizens to report unexploded munitions.

Israel’s parliament has approved a law that authorises the death penalty solely for Palestinians convicted in West Bank military courts for what the courts define as "terrorism" killings of Israelis. The measure was greeted with celebration by far‑right politicians, yet it has drawn swift rebuke from the United Nations human‑rights chief, who warned it could constitute a war crime, and from a broad coalition of international observers.Israeli rights organisations argue that the law is the latest manifestation of an apartheid‑style legal framework that systematically privileges Jewish citizens while imposing severe penalties on Palestinians. They contend that such legislation entrenches a system of codified discrimination that has evolved since the state’s founding.Under the new rule, military tribunals in the occupied West Bank – which exclusively try Palestinians – will, by default, impose the death sentence on anyone found guilty of an unlawful killing of Israelis classified as terrorism. In contrast, Israeli citizens charged with comparable offences in the same territory are tried in civilian courts, where the death penalty is not applied.Statistics underscore the disparity: conviction rates for Palestinians in military courts hover at an astonishing 99.74%, whereas Israelis tried for crimes committed in the West Bank have a conviction rate of roughly 3% between 2005 and 2024. These figures highlight the stark imbalance in judicial outcomes.Arab‑Israeli lawmaker Aida Touma‑Suleiman of the Hadash party expressed her dismay, leaving the parliamentary chamber after the vote and stating she anticipated “scenes of happiness” from far‑right figures but was “painful” to see the public echo the same sentiment.The law follows a series of statutes that critics say have progressively eroded Palestinian rights, including the 1950 Absentees’ Property Law, the 2003 Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law, and the 2018 Nation‑State Law, which enshrines Jewish supremacy in identity, settlement policy, and constitutional hierarchy while marginalising Arabic.Human‑rights advocate Yair Dvir of B’Tselem described Israel as an “apartheid regime,” noting that a “whole set of laws” differentiate between Jews and Palestinians and that the death‑penalty legislation is less an outlier than a logical extension of existing policies that deny Palestinians the right to life.Analysts argue that the dehumanisation of Palestinians has deepened to the point where capital punishment can be enacted with minimal dissent and even public celebration by parliamentarians.Physician‑rights activist Tirza Leibowitz of Physicians for Human Rights – Israel warned that the law exemplifies a broader pattern of violations, ranging from inhumane prison conditions to a legal system that often refuses to investigate crimes against Palestinians or actively shields abusive practices.She cited the unresolved deaths of more than 100 Palestinians in the West Bank since the October 2023 Gaza conflict, highlighting the case of 17‑year‑old Walid Ahmad, whose death by starvation in custody was ruled “undeterminable” by an Israeli judge, as evidence of the low value placed on Palestinian lives.Leibowitz also pointed to the recent dropping of charges against soldiers accused of sexual abuse at Sde Temain prison, noting that far‑right protesters, including lawmakers, rallied in support of the accused, further normalising systemic abuse.Touma‑Suleiman linked the new law to the 2018 Nation‑State legislation, recalling a confrontation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he dismissed her criticism, insisting Israel remains “the Middle East’s only democracy.” She later observed that far‑right leader Itamar Ben‑Gvir has openly chanted “Death to Arabs,” rebranding it as “Death to terrorists,” thereby blurring the line between extremist rhetoric and state policy.Overall, the death‑penalty law is being portrayed by critics as a stark illustration of an entrenched apartheid system, raising serious questions about Israel’s adherence to international legal standards and the future of Palestinian rights under occupation.

Shops, universities and public institutions across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem shuttered on Wednesday as Palestinians launched a coordinated strike to denounce a newly passed Israeli law that makes the death penalty the default sentence for Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks by military courts. Hundreds gathered in Ramallah, chanting against the legislation championed by far‑right National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir. Demonstrators brandished signs reading “Stop the law to execute prisoners, before it’s too late”, featuring a graphic of a prisoner in a keffiyeh beside a noose. Similar protests unfolded in Nablus, where participants warned that “time is running out,” and in Anata, northeast of Jerusalem’s Old City, where Israeli soldiers compelled striking shop owners to reopen their businesses. The strike was called by President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party the previous day, reflecting widespread anger that “there isn’t a single person here without a brother, husband, son or neighbour in prison,” said 53‑year‑old psychologist Riman, who asked that her surname not be disclosed. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, condemned the measure, stating that its application to residents of the occupied Palestinian territory would amount to a war crime. According to the AFP, more than 9,500 Palestinians are currently detained in Israeli prisons, including 350 children and 73 women. Human‑rights groups on both sides allege detainees suffer torture, starvation and medical neglect, contributing to dozens of deaths. The law, approved by the Knesset late on Monday, stipulates that Palestinians tried in military courts for “terrorism‑related” deadly attacks face capital punishment as the default outcome. Because Palestinians in the West Bank are automatically tried in military courts, the statute creates a separate, harsher legal track compared with Israeli civilians, who face either death or life imprisonment for comparable offenses. While the legislation is not retroactive, critics argue it entrenches a system of unequal justice. Social‑media posts showed tyres burning at the busy Qalandia checkpoint, a key entry point into Israel via Jerusalem. The Palestinian news agency WAFA reported that Israeli forces responded with rubber‑coated bullets, stun grenades and tear‑gas, though no injuries were confirmed. Violence in the West Bank has intensified since Israel’s war in Gaza began in October 2023, a conflict that has claimed over 72,000 lives. The latest law and the ensuing protests underscore the deepening legal and humanitarian rift between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

Seven civilians were killed in Israeli attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs on April 1, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health. The strike on the Jnah district killed five people and injured 21, while a separate raid on the town of Khaldeh resulted in two deaths and three injuries.Israeli officials said the operation aimed to eliminate a senior Hezbollah commander, though the militant group has neither confirmed nor denied the target. Security sources described the Jnah strike as a targeted assassination of vehicles rather than an apartment block, noting that many cars were parked near a school sheltering displaced residents.Hezbollah, meanwhile, reported cross‑border attacks and “fierce clashes” with Israeli soldiers near the border town of Shamaa, roughly 5 km from the frontier. The group also claimed to have fired more than 40 rockets toward northern Israel and engaged Israeli troops in other sectors.Since the latest escalation, at least ten Israeli soldiers have been reported killed, and three UN peacekeepers from UNIFIL lost their lives in southern Lebanon, prompting an investigation.The humanitarian toll continues to rise: Lebanon’s Health Ministry cites a death count of over 1,200 and notes that more than one million people have been displaced by the conflict.In Jerusalem, far‑right ministers are urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex southern Lebanon, while the prime minister has ordered the army to expand the ground invasion to fundamentally alter the security situation in Israel’s north.Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that homes in Lebanese border villages would be demolished and that the estimated 600,000 displaced residents would not be allowed to return until Israel deems the area secure, fueling fears of a prolonged occupation.Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam recently banned Hezbollah’s military activities and called on the national army to prevent attacks from Lebanese territory. However, the Iran‑aligned militia, which operates independently of the Lebanese government, has refused to disarm and insists on repelling Israeli advances.

Israel has unleashed a significant military operation against Iran, launching two waves of attacks on Tehran and killing a senior Hezbollah commander. The attacks have escalated tensions in the region, with Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, denying claims of a ceasefire request.US President Donald Trump has claimed that Iran's leadership is seeking a ceasefire, but Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson has denied this, calling Trump's account 'false and baseless'.The conflict has resulted in at least 1,900 people killed and 20,000 injured in Iran, according to estimates from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies. The Israeli military has also reported that 10 of its soldiers have been killed since fighting broke out on the Lebanese front.The attacks have had significant economic implications, with the strait of Hormuz effectively closed to oil and gas tankers and other merchant shipping since the beginning of the conflict, hiking oil prices and causing critical shortages around the world.Iran's president has written to Americans, asking which of their interests are being served by this war, and stating that Iranians 'harbor no enmity towards other nations, including the people of America'. The conflict continues to escalate, with further waves of attacks reported across the densely populated centre of Israel.

During an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council, humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher pressed members to outline concrete measures for safeguarding Lebanese civilians as Israel intensifies its ground offensive and aerial bombardment.Fletcher highlighted the stark parallel between Israel’s stated objectives in Lebanon and the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza, asking the council how it intends to prevent a repeat of the humanitarian catastrophe witnessed there.Since the escalation on 2 March, more than 1.1 million people have been forced from their homes across Lebanon, a displacement surge linked to Israel’s retaliatory strikes after Hezbollah fired missiles into northern Israel.In a video address, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that, once the current operation concludes, the Israeli army will establish a security zone extending to the Litani River and maintain control over the area, effectively creating a new occupied territory.Israeli forces have pushed deeper into the south this week, claiming the moves are necessary to shield northern Israeli communities from missile attacks. Human‑rights organisations have condemned the expansion, warning that targeting civilian infrastructure and preventing residents from returning would exacerbate the crisis.The heightened conflict has also claimed the lives of three UN peacekeepers. Two Indonesian soldiers were killed on Monday when an unexplained explosion destroyed their vehicle near the village of Bani Haiyyan, while a third Indonesian peacekeeper died the previous day after a projectile detonated at a UNIFIL post near Aadshit al‑Qusayr.UN Under‑Secretary‑General for Peace Operations Jean‑Pierre Lacroix said early investigations suggest a roadside blast was responsible for the Monday deaths, emphasizing that such incidents must not occur and that peacekeepers should never be targeted.A spokesperson for Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres condemned the attacks, stating they breach international law and could constitute war crimes. The statement called for accountability and urged all parties to uphold their legal obligations to protect UN personnel and property at all times.

The Israeli military has confirmed that four soldiers were killed in combat in southern Lebanon, where its forces are engaged in clashes with Hezbollah fighters following a ground invasion.In a statement, the army named three soldiers from the same battalion who 'fell during combat'. A separate statement confirmed another soldier's death in the same incident, with two others wounded.This brings the total number of Israeli soldiers reported killed since fighting began on March 2 to ten, following a US-Israeli joint attack on Iran. The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health reports that over 1,200 people have been killed in Israeli attacks on Lebanon, with more than a million displaced.The escalation comes after the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported that two peacekeepers were killed in an explosion near the southern Lebanese village of Bani Haiyyan. Another peacekeeper was killed by a projectile on Sunday.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the military to expand its invasion in southern Lebanon, aiming to extend a 'buffer zone' to the Litani River. Israel's far-right ministers have urged Netanyahu to annex southern Lebanon, as the military destroys infrastructure to isolate the area.Al Jazeera's Lebanon correspondent, Zeina Khodr, reported that Monday night marked a new escalation as Israel opened a new front in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, targeting strategic supply lines for Hezbollah. Khodr noted that Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem acknowledged the imbalance of power but vowed to make the war 'costly' for Israel.The conflict in Lebanon is part of the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, which has resulted in over 1,340 deaths since February 28. Netanyahu has reportedly told US officials that any future agreement between the US and Tehran will not stop Israel's actions in Lebanon.