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Thousands of Iranians have gathered nationwide to honour the memory of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who governed the nation for nearly 40 years until his death in recent US-Israeli strikes that sparked the latest Middle East conflict.The national tribute commenced at 9:40am (06:10 GMT), the exact time Ali Khamenei was killed on February 28 at his Tehran residence, along with several other senior Iranian officials.State television broadcast footage showing thousands participating in memorial rallies across Iran on Thursday, with many carrying portraits of the late leader in cities including Urmia in the northwest, Gorgan in the northeast, and the capital Tehran.His successor, son Mojtaba Khamenei, has remained out of public view since before the war began, and was not expected to attend the nationwide commemorative events held Thursday.The attack initiated the Middle East conflict that has since engulfed the region, with Iran responding by targeting US assets and allies across the Gulf and launching strikes against Israel.Due to the ongoing war, a formal state funeral for the late supreme leader has yet to be held.

The Gulf region breathed a sigh of relief on Tuesday after Iran and the United States agreed to a two-week truce, halting over five weeks of escalating attacks and hostile rhetoric.However, Gulf states are expressing caution, concerned that the US, seeking a swift exit, might agree to terms granting Iran some control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which one fifth of the world's oil and natural liquefied gas passes.Iran had nearly brought traffic through the strait to a standstill in response to joint US-Israeli attacks on its soil since February 28. Under the truce, Iran has agreed to halt attacks for two weeks in exchange for resumed maritime transit in the key waterway.Despite this, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are stressing that any deal must result in a permanent, long-term arrangement to keep the strait open. They fear a weakened yet intact Iranian leadership could use the strait as leverage, leaving them under constant threat of disruption and economic blackmail.“There is a quiet but palpable concern that President Trump, eager for a quick political victory, could tolerate some Iranian leverage over the strait in exchange for a fragile truce, prioritising optics over Gulf realities,” said Hesham Alghannam, a Saudi Arabia-based scholar at the Malcolm H Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center.The GCC countries, which have faced near-daily Iranian missile and drone attacks, have welcomed the truce but emphasize that the Strait of Hormuz must reopen. They are also concerned about Iran's future influence over the strait, with a Bahrain-sponsored UN Security Council resolution calling for countries to use defensive missions to keep the maritime chokepoint open being vetoed by Russia and China.A further escalation could have devastating consequences for the GCC economies, undoing decades of work to make the region a safe hub for finance, tourism, and culture. Analysts say GCC countries have stepped up diplomacy in the lead-up to the conflict, but officials across the region have warned Iran should not mistake their inaction as a sign of weakness.“The Gulf will leave no stone unturned if Iran continues to take the path of aggression,” said Hamad Althunayyan, a political analyst and professor at Kuwait University. “The Gulf expects its interests to be represented, and included, in any deal with Iran.”

Israeli forces launched a series of coordinated strikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, killing dozens and wounding hundreds, just hours after a ceasefire was announced in the US-Israeli war on Iran. The attacks, which targeted areas in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon, were the largest coordinated strike by Israel since it began a new military operation in Lebanon on March 2. The Israeli military carried out a surprise strike on hundreds of Hezbollah terrorists at command centers across Lebanon, according to Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. The strikes targeted Hezbollah infrastructure, with over 100 Hezbollah command centers and military sites hit. Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health reported that dozens of people were killed and hundreds wounded in the attacks. The Lebanese Red Cross said 100 of its ambulances were responding to the attacks, with teams working to transport the injured to hospitals. Hospitals were overcrowded, and health officials warned of a dire situation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier stated that the US-Iran truce excluded Lebanon, a country Israel has invaded in a new campaign against the armed group Hezbollah. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the attacks, saying Israel was killing 'defenceless civilians' and showing disregard for international law. The violence has resulted in over 1,530 people killed in Lebanon since March 2, including women and children, and over 1.2 million people displaced. The situation remains volatile, with Hezbollah warning of a response from Iran and its allies if Israel does not adhere to a ceasefire.

Shell is poised to report a substantial increase in profits from its commodity trading activities in the first quarter, driven by recent market volatility sparked by the Iran crisis. The energy giant's chemicals and products unit, which encompasses its primary oil trading desk, is expected to see a significant boost in trading results.The company's trading windfall is particularly notable in its renewable energy division, with predicted earnings ranging from $200m to $700m in the first quarter, up from approximately $100m in the previous quarter. This surge is attributed to the historic price rises in oil and gas markets following Iran's retaliation to US-Israeli aggression, which included throttling energy trade through the Strait of Hormuz and launching strikes against key energy infrastructure in the Gulf region.However, Shell's gas production is expected to decline by about 5% to between 880,000 and 920,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, compared to 948,000 in the fourth quarter, due to the impact of the Middle East conflict on its assets in Qatar. A strike damaged Shell's assets at the Ras Laffan liquified natural gas (LNG) complex in Qatar, contributing to the expected decline.Despite these challenges, Shell's boss, Wael Sawan, has warned that Europe could face an energy and fuel shortage in April without a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The company is working with governments to address the oil and gas supply crisis, which has already led to energy rationing in some Asian countries.

A devastating US-Israeli airstrike has destroyed a synagogue in Tehran, the capital of Iran, and claimed the lives of over a dozen people. The strike is part of an escalating conflict in the region, with tensions between the US, Israel, and Iran continuing to rise.The airstrike, which occurred on [date], targeted the synagogue in Tehran, causing significant damage and loss of life. The exact number of fatalities has not been confirmed, but reports indicate that it exceeds a dozen. The incident has sparked widespread concern and condemnation from various quarters.The destruction of the synagogue in Tehran is seen as a significant escalation of the conflict, with Iran and Israel having a long-standing adversarial relationship. The US has also been involved in the conflict, with previous airstrikes and military actions in the region. The situation remains volatile, with fears of further retaliation and escalation.

Iranian authorities have confirmed that a synagogue in Tehran was hit by a projectile they believe was of US-Israeli origin. The incident has heightened tensions in the region, with Iran attributing the attack to its longstanding adversaries.The attack on the synagogue in the Iranian capital has sparked concerns about escalating conflicts in the Middle East. Iran has been at odds with both the US and Israel for decades, with periodic escalations in tensions and conflicts.The Iranian government has not provided detailed information on the extent of the damage or any casualties resulting from the attack. However, the incident is seen as a significant development in the region's geopolitical landscape.

The conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran has reached a critical point, with intensified airstrikes on Iranian targets, including universities and oil facilities. US President Donald Trump has warned of the “complete demolition” of Iran’s key infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by a looming deadline.Iran’s military has dismissed Trump’s threats as “delusional”, saying they cannot mask what it described as US “disgrace and humiliation” in the region. Iranian missiles and drones continue to target sites across the Gulf region.US ultimatum: Trump has issued a strict deadline, threatening the “complete demolition” of Iran’s power plants and bridges by Tuesday evening (00:00 GMT, Wednesday) if Tehran does not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Experts say targeting civilian infrastructure is a war crime.Iran rejects pause offer: Iran has rejected a proposal for a temporary ceasefire, arguing it would give the US and Israel time to regroup and launch further attacks. Instead, Iranian officials have put forward a 10-point proposal calling for a comprehensive and permanent end to the war.The conflict has also spread to other countries in the region, with Saudi Arabia intercepting up to 18 drones over the past few hours and Bahrain closing an important bridge linking the island nation to Saudi Arabia due to fears of attacks from Iran.The United Nations has reported that more than 1.1 million people have now been registered as displaced in Lebanon as Israel continues its ground invasion in the country’s south.

American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped from a Baghdad street corner last week, has been released, according to an Iraqi official with direct knowledge of the situation. Kittleson was freed in the afternoon, and before her release, she had been held in Baghdad.The powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah said in a statement earlier in the day it had decided to free Kittleson, who was abducted on March 31. The group said its decision came “in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing prime minister”, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without giving more details. It added: “This initiative will not be repeated in the future.”The statement also included a condition – that Kittleson must “leave the country immediately” upon her release. Kittleson, 49, a freelance journalist, had lived abroad for years before the kidnapping, using Rome as her base for a time and building a respected journalism career across the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria.Kataib Hezbollah has previously been accused of kidnapping foreigners, including Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton graduate student with Israeli and Russian citizenship, who disappeared in Baghdad in 2023 and was freed in September 2025. The group never officially claimed responsibility for kidnapping her.Iran-backed militias in Iraq have also launched regular attacks on US facilities in the country since the beginning of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Iran, threatening to unleash a severe attack on its civilian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened by his stated deadline of Monday.In a profanity-laden social media post on Sunday, Trump repeated previous threats to target vital infrastructure across Iran, saying 'Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F****** Strait, you crazy b*******, or you'll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!'The Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route for the global energy market, has been closed since the US and Israel first attacked Iran on February 28. Trump set a 10-day deadline for Iran to reopen the strait on March 26.Iranian officials have strongly condemned Trump's threats, with Iran's mission to the United Nations stating that 'the international community and all states have legal obligations to prevent such atrocious acts of war crimes. They must act now. Tomorrow is too late.'Iran's deputy for communications, Seyyed Mehdi Tabatabaei, dismissed Trump's threats as 'a sign of desperation and anger' and stated that the strait would only be reopened following the payment of reparations for damages caused by the war.The conflict has already seen US-Israeli strikes target civilian infrastructure, including bridges, schools, healthcare facilities, and universities. Experts have warned that some of these strikes could constitute war crimes.Trump has also confirmed that a US airman from an F-15E fighter jet shot down over Iran on Friday has been rescued from deep inside the mountains of Iran, describing the operation as 'an AMAZING show of bravery and talent by all!'