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Yemen's Houthi rebels have launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel, marking their first such attack since the US-Israel war on Iran began. The assault was announced by Brigadier-General Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the Houthis, on their Al-Masirah satellite television. The attack targeted what Saree described as 'sensitive Israeli military sites' in southern Israel. The Israeli military reported intercepting one of the missiles. This development comes as Iran and Hezbollah continue to fire on Israel, with sirens sounding around Beer Sheba and near Israel's main nuclear research centre. Saree stated that the strikes 'will continue until the declared objectives are achieved, as stated in the previous statement by the armed forces, and until the aggression against all fronts of the resistance ceases'. This escalation follows a vague statement by Saree on Friday signaling the rebels' intention to join the conflict. The Houthis, who have controlled Yemen's capital, Sanaa, since 2014, had previously stayed out of the US-Israel war. However, they have been involved in attacks on shipping vessels during the Israel-Hamas war, disrupting commercial transit in the Red Sea. Over 100 merchant vessels were attacked with missiles and drones, resulting in two ships sinking and four sailors killed between November 2023 and January 2025. Experts consider the Houthis' entry into the US-Israeli war on Iran as 'very significant'. Mohamad Elmasry, a professor of Media Studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, noted that if the Houthis were to shut down the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Suez Canal, it would impact two major international shipping waterways, alongside the Strait of Hormuz. Al Jazeera's Nida Ibrahim reported from Ramallah that the opening of a new front in the war is likely to raise questions in Israel about 'the viability of the operations and the way the government is conducting its war'. She expects Israel to retaliate to this attack, as seen in previous instances when Yemen joined the battle.

Reports have emerged of Israeli strikes targeting significant industrial and nuclear facilities in Iran. The nature and extent of the damage are not yet fully disclosed.The incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, with potential implications for regional stability and global security.The Israeli military's actions have been widely reported, though official statements from Israel remain scarce.

The Houthis have put their forces on high alert, warning of potential military intervention. This development escalates tensions in the region, drawing international attention to the volatile situation.The group's leadership has emphasized their readiness to respond to any threats, signaling a significant increase in military preparedness.This move comes amid rising concerns about stability in the region, with multiple parties closely monitoring the situation for any signs of escalation.

Islamabad has re‑emerged as a pivotal conduit between Washington and Tehran, delivering a U.S. 15‑point cease‑fire proposal on March 25, 2026, as the US‑Israeli campaign against Iran enters its second month. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed that Pakistan is transmitting the proposal, with Turkey and Egypt offering additional diplomatic backing. Chief US negotiator Steve Witkoff later verified Pakistan’s role as a messenger, and President Donald Trump announced a 10‑day pause on planned strikes against Iranian power plants, citing a request from Tehran. Iran has denied direct talks, yet the pause marks the second deferment of Trump’s original threat, underscoring Pakistan’s function as a key diplomatic facilitator in a high‑stakes conflict. The pattern is not new. In August 1969, President Nixon tasked Pakistan’s military ruler Yahya Khan with opening a channel to Beijing. Two years later, a secret flight carried U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger from Islamabad to China, paving the way for Nixon’s historic 1972 visit and the eventual U.S. recognition of the People’s Republic of China. Analysts note that Pakistan’s unique position—maintaining working ties with both Washington and Beijing—made it the only trusted intermediary capable of handling such a sensitive mission, a view echoed by former ambassador Masood Khan. Beyond the Cold‑War episode, Pakistan has repeatedly leveraged its geography and Muslim‑world connections. It served as the primary conduit for U.S., Saudi and Chinese support to the Afghan mujahideen in the 1980s, helped broker the 1988 Geneva Accords that ended the Soviet occupation, and hosted the 2015 Murree talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. During the 2020 Doha Agreement, Pakistani pressure on the Taliban was cited by U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad as instrumental, though the rapid U.S. withdrawal and subsequent Taliban takeover left Pakistan’s long‑term interests ambiguous. Efforts to mediate Saudi‑Iran tensions have been less fruitful. In 2016, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s shuttle diplomacy failed to produce a formal agreement, and a 2019 outreach by Prime Minister Imran Khan, prompted by President Trump, yielded no concrete outcome. When China facilitated the 2023 Saudi‑Iran rapprochement, Pakistan’s foreign office claimed it had laid the groundwork, but analysts still view the result as a Chinese‑led success. Pakistan’s brief 2005 overture to Israel, led by Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, similarly collapsed under domestic opposition, illustrating the limits of its diplomatic reach when internal politics intervene. Since the launch of Operation Epic Fury—the US‑Israeli air campaign that began in late February 2026 and resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei—Pakistan’s leadership has intensified back‑channel activity. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has held multiple calls with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, while Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir spoke directly with President Trump. Both officials have also visited Saudi Arabia, where Pakistan signed a mutual defence pact in September 2025. Former ambassador Naghmana Hashmi observes that Pakistan’s diplomatic narrative is often eclipsed by conflict, yet a “quieter, more consistent thread” persists: the state’s effort to turn its strategic location and Muslim‑world ties into a lever for peace. Whether the current cease‑fire talks will yield a durable settlement remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that Pakistan enjoys a rare blend of trust from Washington, Tehran and Gulf capitals—a leverage few regional actors possess.

Russia has officially designated Pavel Talankin, the main protagonist of the Oscar-winning documentary 'Mr Nobody Against Putin', as a 'foreign agent'. This move comes after Talankin, a teacher and videographer, spent two years documenting pro-war propaganda at a school in the Chelyabinsk region of west-central Russia.Talankin, in collaboration with US director David Borenstein, won the Best Documentary award at the Academy Awards earlier this month. The documentary features footage Talankin smuggled out of Russia in 2024, showcasing how students were exposed to pro-war messaging.A Russian court recently banned the documentary from several streaming platforms, citing that it promoted 'negative attitudes' about the Russian government and the war in Ukraine. Since Russia's full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian authorities have sought to suppress opposition to the war and rally support among citizens.As a 'foreign agent', Talankin is subject to stringent bureaucratic requirements and income restrictions in Russia. He is also obligated to label his social media posts and publications with the 'foreign agent' designation.In his Oscar acceptance speech on March 15, 2026, Talankin urged an end to global conflicts, stating, 'Stop all of these wars now'. The documentary has sparked controversy, with some Russians opposing Putin and the war criticizing Talankin for filming colleagues and children without consent.

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 Houthis, allied with Iran, have stated they are prepared to intervene militarily if new alliances join the US and Israel against Iran or if the Red Sea is used for hostile operations. The group's military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, made the announcement in a televised speech on Friday.Saree emphasized that their 'fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention' under these conditions. The warning heightens the risk of a broader regional conflict, especially considering the Houthis' capability to strike targets far beyond Yemen and disrupt shipping lanes in the Arabian Peninsula.The Houthis have controlled Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and much of the northwest since 2014. Following Israel's actions in Gaza, the Houthis have targeted vessels in the Red Sea and carried out drone and missile attacks on Israel, citing solidarity with Palestinians.In response to escalating tensions, Saree also called for an immediate halt to US and Israeli attacks on Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq. The Houthis have previously agreed to a truce with the US, which included a commitment to cease attacks on US shipping in the Red Sea.

El Salvador's emergency decree, implemented to combat gang violence, has had a devastating impact on the country's most vulnerable population: its children. Thousands of minors have been left without parents due to the aggressive measures taken by the government. The decree, which grants the military and police sweeping powers to detain and prosecute suspected gang members, has led to widespread arrests and alleged human rights abuses. Many of those detained have been parents, leaving their children without caregivers. Human rights organizations have expressed deep concern about the welfare of these orphaned children, warning of a potential humanitarian crisis in the making. The situation highlights the need for a balanced approach to addressing gang violence while protecting the rights and well-being of all citizens, especially the most vulnerable.

The ongoing conflict between the US and Iran has yielded limited results in terms of destroying Iran's ballistic missile capabilities. According to a report by Reuters, based on information from five people familiar with US intelligence, the US has only destroyed about a third of Iran's missile and drone arsenal after a month of military action. The report suggests that another third of Tehran's missiles may have been damaged or buried in underground tunnels and bunkers, leaving a sizeable stockpile still accessible to Iran. This assessment directly contradicts statements made by Donald Trump on Thursday that Tehran had "very few rockets left" and claims from other US officials that the war has eliminated Iran's ballistic missile capabilities. Iranian officials view their ballistic missile program as a crucial deterrent against the US and Israel, given the significant military superiority of these countries. Iran has effectively used ballistic missiles and drones over the last month to attack Israel and critical infrastructure in the Gulf, causing substantial damage to the global economy. The US and Israel have identified degrading Iran's ballistic missile capacity as a primary objective of the war. Washington has deployed thousands of additional troops to the Middle East in recent days, with the administration reportedly considering a ground operation on Kharg island to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Israel has targeted ballistic missile caches and launchers in its aerial campaign against Iran, claiming to have "neutralized" 335 or 70% of Tehran's missile launchers. However, Iran has dispersed its launchers across the country to evade detection and airstrikes, making it challenging for Israel and the US to completely eliminate the threat. Despite the decline in the number of launches due to the ongoing bombing campaign, Iranian missiles have still managed to hit Israel and the Gulf, as interceptors also run out. The conflict has resulted in billions of dollars spent and critical interceptor stocks expended by Israel, the US, and Gulf states to block Iranian missile barrages. A US official noted that assessing Iran's missile stockpile accurately is difficult due to much of it being stored underground, suggesting that "I don't know if we'll ever have an accurate number". The vast tunnel network created an extra challenge in destroying Iran's missile stockpile, but the US military has vowed to continue its efforts.