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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.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino declared on Tuesday that Iran will fulfill its World Cup 2026 fixtures in the United States as originally planned, reinforcing the governing body’s commitment to a schedule that includes all qualified teams. The Iranian Football Federation had earlier announced that it was negotiating with FIFA to shift its group‑stage matches from U.S. venues to Mexico, citing safety concerns stemming from the war involving the United States and Israel that began on February 28. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum offered her country’s readiness to host Iran’s first‑round games if a relocation became necessary, highlighting regional solidarity. According to the tournament draw, Iran’s Group G campaign will open in Los Angeles on June 15 against New Zealand, followed by a clash with Belgium in the same city on June 21, and a final group match versus Egypt in Seattle on June 27. The war’s outbreak had cast doubt on Iran’s participation, prompting Infantino to address concerns during halftime of Iran’s friendly against Costa Rica in Turkey. He told AFP, “Iran will be at the World Cup… That’s why we’re here,” and praised the team’s quality. Infantino also referenced assurances allegedly given by former U.S. President Donald Trump that the Iranian squad would be welcome, though Trump later warned that the team should not travel “for their own life and safety.” Iran responded firmly, stating that “no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup.” In a March 19 online FIFA Council meeting, Infantino reaffirmed the organization’s stance: “FIFA is committed to ensuring the World Cup proceeds as scheduled with all teams participating,” adding that football can serve as a bridge for peace even when geopolitical conflicts lie beyond its control. Iran’s recent friendly against Nigeria in Belek, Turkey, featured players wearing black armbands and carrying school rucksacks to honor victims of a tragic air strike on a primary school in Minab on February 28, which killed at least 170 people. The New York Times reported that a U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile mistakenly hit the school, according to preliminary military findings. These gestures underscore the intersection of sport and geopolitics, as the global football community strives to maintain the tournament’s integrity while acknowledging the human cost of ongoing conflicts.

Beirut, Lebanon – On 24 March, Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi announced that Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon, Mohammad Reza Sheibani, was declared persona non grata and ordered to depart by 29 March. Two days after the deadline, the envoy remained in Beirut, refusing to leave. The episode unfolds against a broader conflict that has already claimed more than 1,000 lives and displaced over 1.2 million people within a single month of Israeli military action in Lebanon. It also highlights a deepening schism in Lebanese politics between supporters of the pro‑Iranian Shia militia Hezbollah and those demanding its disarmament. Imad Salamey, a political scientist at the Lebanese American University, told Al Jazeera that the ambassador’s defiance is a symptom of a larger contest over legitimacy and authority. IRGC’s Strategic Role Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) helped forge Hezbollah in 1982 as a response to Israel’s invasion. Over the decades, Tehran’s billions of dollars in funding elevated Hezbollah to Lebanon’s most powerful political and military force. Hezbollah’s popularity peaked in 2000 after driving Israeli forces from south Lebanon, but subsequent engagements—including the 2006 war, the 2008 Beirut street battles, the Syrian civil war, and the 2019 domestic protests—have eroded its broader support. When Hezbollah entered open conflict with Israel on 8 October 2023, it enjoyed limited backing beyond the Shia community. By the November 2024 cease‑fire, the group was at a low point, with Israel having killed more than 4,000 Lebanese, including leader Hassan Nasrallah and much of Hezbollah’s command. International pressure then mounted for Hezbollah’s disarmament, prompting Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and President Joseph Aoun to prioritize the issue. According to several analysts, the IRGC exploited the cease‑fire lull to dispatch officials to Lebanon, restructuring Hezbollah’s command and possibly ordering its re‑entry into the war on 2 March—just days after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was assassinated. Prime Minister Salam has publicly claimed the IRGC is “managing the military operation in Lebanon” and even accused Tehran of launching an attack on Cyprus. Ambassador Refuses to Exit In response to the perceived IRGC influence, Raggi’s declaration stripped Sheibani of diplomatic immunity. Dania Arayssi, senior analyst at the New Lines Institute, described the move as a “landmark decision” given Iran’s entrenched role in Lebanese politics. Iran’s Foreign Ministry, however, maintains that Sheibani will not depart, and Hezbollah has openly pledged to protect him, warning that any government attempt to disarm the militia will be met with “punishment.” Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri—longtime Hezbollah ally—initially backed the government’s ban on Hezbollah’s military activity after the March re‑entry, illustrating the fluidity of alliances within Lebanon’s power‑sharing system. State Authority Tested Hezbollah’s renewed campaign, which includes dozens of cross‑border attacks and direct engagements with Israeli forces on Lebanese soil, is reshaping the political calculus. The militia’s revived confidence challenges the Lebanese government’s ability to enforce disarmament. While the ambassador remains protected inside the Iranian diplomatic compound—effectively beyond the reach of Lebanese law—critics argue that Tehran’s refusal to honor the expulsion order undermines the state’s authority, already weakened by months of war. Salamey summed up the dilemma: “The state is asserting its authority on paper, but internal divisions and competing claims of legitimacy constrain its practical power, testing the limits of Lebanon’s fragile power‑sharing arrangement.”

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.

Coordinated strikes by United States and Israeli forces hit Tehran, Isfahan and several other Iranian cities on Tuesday, prompting widespread power outages and extensive damage to civilian sites. The Ministry of Energy confirmed that shrapnel from the raids ruptured a primary power‑transfer line, but the outage was restored within a few hours. Among the most critical targets was the Tofigh Darou pharmaceutical complex in the Karaj industrial zone. The facility, which supplies over 90% of Iran’s domestically produced medicines—including cancer and multiple‑sclerosis treatments—sustained heavy damage from multiple projectiles. In central Iran, Isfahan endured a barrage of heavy bunker‑buster bombs over a nearby mountainous area, likely aimed at military installations. The explosions triggered secondary blasts that illuminated the night sky and produced reverberating shockwaves across the city. North‑west of Tehran, in Zanjan, a building identified as the administrative department of the Hosseinieh Azam religious centre was struck, resulting in at least four fatalities and several injuries. Iranian authorities now claim that more than 2,000 people have been killed by US‑Israeli attacks since the conflict erupted on 28 February, with residential blocks, schools, hospitals and historic sites also affected. Additional targets this week included civilian nuclear facilities, major steel producers, petrochemical plants, and the Iran University of Science and Technology, where an imaging satellite was developed. A professor linked to Iran’s missile programme and his two children were assassinated at their home in northern Tehran. U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated threats to strike Iran’s oil and gas infrastructure, power plants and water‑desalination facilities. Despite the onslaught, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) continues to project defiance. A spokesperson for the Khatam al‑Anbiya Central Headquarters declared that Tehran’s adversaries are “humiliated and on the path of destruction,” while senior commander Ali Fadavi warned that American warships are vulnerable and allegedly transmit false transponder signals. The IRGC also released footage of ballistic missiles aimed at Israel and surrounding nations, and claimed to have downed two U.S. MQ‑9 Reaper drones, promising retaliatory strikes against technology firms linked to the United States and Israel. Domestically, the judiciary announced the execution of two members of the foreign‑based Mojahedin‑e‑Khalq (MEK) group, labeling them terrorists. This follows a series of recent executions tied to the January protests and broader dissent. Authorities also issued new indictments against roughly 200 individuals accused of assisting the U.S. and Israel, including alleged “mercenaries” who disseminated strike footage abroad. Penalties for national‑security offenses now encompass asset confiscation and capital punishment. President Masoud Pezeshkian convened his first cabinet meeting since the war’s onset in a makeshift, blue‑covered space, emphasizing that any peace negotiations will safeguard Iran’s “dignity, security and national interests.” Israel’s Channel 14 reported that Pezeshkian sought greater negotiating leverage with the United States, a request allegedly rebuffed by IRGC chief Ahmad Vahidi.

Three Indonesian peacekeepers have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, according to reports from Al Jazeera. The incident has sparked international concern and condemnation.The peacekeepers were part of a UN peacekeeping mission aimed at maintaining stability in the region. Their deaths underscore the risks faced by peacekeepers in conflict zones.The incident has strained relations between Indonesia and Israel, with Indonesia condemning the attacks. The international community is urging restraint and a return to peace negotiations.

The recent surge in violence in Palestine has resulted in a significant escalation of tensions, with at least 18 people killed in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. The majority of those killed were victims of Israeli air strikes in Gaza, while a combination of settler and army shootings killed three people in the West Bank.The violence comes as Israel continues to restrict worship at Palestinian holy sites, ostensibly due to the threat of Iranian attacks. The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound has been closed to Muslim worshippers since late February, with authorities extending the state of emergency until mid-April. Additionally, Israeli forces prevented Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied East Jerusalem to perform Palm Sunday mass.A global backlash, including soft criticism from United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, led to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promising “a plan to enable church leaders to worship at the holy site in the coming days”. In Gaza, the week brought a surge in Israeli air strikes and artillery fire, often targeting police forces – a campaign Israeli officials describe as aimed at degrading Hamas’s control over the territory.However, the prospect of reaching the plan’s promised second stage – when reconstruction can begin – appears remote. Instead, the months-long status quo of repeated Israeli strikes on Palestinians in Gaza continues. At least 705 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the October “ceasefire”, according to the Palestinian state news agency Wafa.Amid heavily restricted aid and stormy weather flooding the tents of hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians, humanitarian conditions also continue to deteriorate in Gaza. The Ministry of Health warned on Sunday that fuel and parts shortages for hospital generators threatened to halt medical services entirely.

Eight former premature infants who were airlifted out of al‑Shifa Hospital in November 2023 have been brought back to Gaza, reuniting with their families in Rafah after a humanitarian mission lasting over two years.The children were part of a cohort of at least 25 babies born prematurely who were rescued as Israeli forces stormed the Gaza City medical complex. After receiving critical treatment abroad, the eight toddlers returned accompanied by three relatives and two medical staff, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society.Hundreds of thousands gathered in Rafah for the emotional reunion. Since the war began in October 2023, the conflict has claimed more than 72,200 lives, including tens of thousands of women and children."Our feelings are indescribable. This is the most important moment in our lives," said Samer Lulu, father of Kinda Lulu, to Al Jazeera. He added that the joy is tempered by the harsh reality of an uncertain future for Gaza’s children.The International Rescue Committee (IRC) warned that the war is reshaping family structures, leaving a growing number of children without parental care. Ulrike Julia, the IRC’s Child Protection Coordinator, emphasized that community‑based care is essential but cannot survive without sustained external assistance.In 2023, the infants were first moved from al‑Shifa to southern Gaza and then evacuated to Egypt for life‑saving treatment. Inside Gaza’s hospitals, doctors faced severe shortages of antibiotics, IV solutions, and even food, supplies that were reportedly blocked by Israeli restrictions.Ola Hijji, mother of toddler Sulaiman Hijji, recalled being forced into a caesarean section at eight months pregnant and losing contact with her child after he was transferred to al‑Shifa’s neonatal intensive care unit. "It’s a beautiful feeling to be reunited," she said.Despite a declared ceasefire in October 2025, Israeli strikes continue near‑daily. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that recent attacks killed over 700 Palestinians and injured many more, including five casualties in a single day of airstrikes across Jabalia and Khan Younis.These reunions underscore the resilience of Gaza’s families while highlighting the urgent need for sustained humanitarian support and a durable path to peace.

Israeli and U.S. forces launched a series of air strikes on Tuesday that struck Tofigh Daru Research and Engineering Company, one of Tehran’s largest producers of anaesthetics and anti‑cancer medicines. The state‑run firm, owned by the Social Security Investment Company, saw its drug‑production line damaged, according to an official post on X. In the north‑western city of Zanjan, a separate strike hit the Husseiniya Azam, a Shia congregation hall adjacent to a mosque. Iranian Red Crescent teams rescued two people from the rubble; one of the victims died and several others were injured. Further attacks were reported in the western province of Kermanshah, where a civilian contracting company in Qasr‑e Shirin – a border town with Iraq – was hit. One person was killed and eight injured, the Mehr news agency said. Heavy bombing was also confirmed in Isfahan, a strategic hub for Iran’s defence industry and home to key nuclear facilities such as Natanz. Local officials indicated that the strikes may have targeted “military sites,” though the exact locations and damage assessments remain unclear. Iranian officials condemned the operations. Former foreign minister Javad Zarif denounced the targeting of the pharmaceutical plant as a deliberate attack on a medical facility, calling the aggressors “desperate” and accusing them of “diabolical delusions.” Governor‑level security official Akbar Salehi echoed these concerns, noting that the strikes appeared aimed at military installations without specifying which ones. The broader conflict has already claimed 1,937 Iranian lives since the joint U.S.–Israeli campaign began on 28 February, while 20 Israelis have been killed. Recent Israeli interceptions using the Iron Dome and David’s Sling systems have limited damage on Israeli soil, but impact sites were reported in Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak and Petah Tikva. Amid the escalating violence, diplomatic channels remain active. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Al Jazeera that communications between Washington and Tehran continue, primarily through intermediaries, and that the U.S. aims to achieve its war objectives “in weeks, not months.” Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth added that negotiations to end the conflict are “very real, ongoing and gaining strength.” Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed a retaliatory strike, saying it hit an Israeli container ship in the Gulf with a ballistic missile and that Iranian drones targeted a group of U.S. Marines near a UAE military base. Public sentiment in Iran has turned sharply hostile, with pro‑state demonstrations erupting in Tehran as citizens protest the continued air raids. The atmosphere, described by Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi as a “cloud of mistrust,” reflects growing frustration over diplomatic dead‑ends and the relentless cycle of attacks.