Iran vows revenge for Khamenei killing “You have crossed our red line and must pay the price,” Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said in a televised address Sunday. “We will deliver such devastating blows that you yourselves will be driven to beg”
Dubai: Iran vowed revenge on Sunday after the killing of its supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, confirmed by state officials and US President Donald Trump, traded strikes with Israel as part of a widening war prompted by a surprise US and Israeli bombardment, and rained missiles on other Gulf nations. The US military said three service members have been killed, the first known American casual ties from the conflict. In Israel, nine people died in the city of Beit Shemesh in an Iranian missile strike. Other Gulf nations began counting their dead from Iranian retaliatory strikes while Israel pledged "non stop" strikes against Iran. Iranian authorities said more than 200 people had been killed since the start of the strikes, including six senior officials apart from Ayatollah Khamenei. Iran formed a new governing council comprising senior cleric Ayatollah Aoreza Arafi, Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian and Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehei, head of the judiciary. A senior US official said that “new potential leadership" in Iran has suggested they are open for talks with the US. Tehran attacked the UAE but said it is attacking US bases located in those countries.
An Oman port and an oil tanker off its coast were attacked Sunday, official media said, marking the first strikes on the sultanate -- which mediated US-Iran talks -- since Tehran launched a retaliation campaign.
Iran's continued Gulf bombardment has raised fears of a wider conflict and rattled a region long seen as a haven of peace and security in the turbulent Middle East.
"A security source reported that the commercial port of Duqm was targeted by two drones," the Oman News Agency said in a social media post.
"One drone struck a mobile workers' accommodation, injuring one foreign worker, while debris from the other landed near fuel tanks, causing no casualties or material damage," it added.
Shortly after, Oman said an oil tanker was targeted off the coast. Its crew was evacuated and four of them were injured, the news agency reported.
What to know so far:
- How we got here: The joint U.S.-Israel attack on Iran, which officials say was planned for months, followed unsuccessful negotiations about Iran’s nuclear program and warnings from Trump. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and targeting U.S. military installations in the region.
- Arafi to lead temporarily: Alireza Arafi was appointed on Sunday as the jurist member of Iran’s Leadership Council, a body tasked with fulfilling the supreme leader’s role until the Assembly of Experts elects a new leader, Reuters report said citing ISNA news agency.
- Violence in Pakistan: At least six people have been killed in Karachi after protesters stormed the US Consulate in response to the killing of Khamenei. Local authorities report the situation is currently under “control” but remains volatile.
- Regional retaliation: Iran has launched a massive wave of drone and missile strikes. Explosions have been reported for a second consecutive day in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha.
- Humanitarian toll: The Iranian Red Crescent reports over 201 fatalities nationwide, including a strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran with at least 85 feared dead.
- Airport Disruptions in Gulf: Major flight cancellations reported at Kuwait, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai airports due to ongoing drone activity and interceptions by Saudi and Jordanian defences.
- Iran’s chief of army staff and defense minister killed in airstrike: Iran’s chief of army staff and defense minister were killed in an airstrike targeting a meeting of the country’s defense council, Iranian state television reported Sunday.
Live Updates
- 2 March 2026 1:01 AM IST
Police station near Tehran hit by strikes, people trapped under rubble: local media
Police station near Tehran hit by strikes, people trapped under rubble: local media
TEHRAN: Iranian media reported that a police station in a city on the outskirts of Tehran was hit by strikes on Sunday, killing an unspecified number of people, with others said to be trapped under debris.
"Following the enemy attack on the city of Rey, the Rey Police Headquarters building and nearby residential buildings were hit," the Tasnim news agency reported. "According to initial reports, a number of citizens were martyred and some were trapped under the rubble." - AFP
- 2 March 2026 12:59 AM IST
Asad condemns assassination of Iran’s supreme leader
Asad condemns assassination of Iran’s supreme leader
Hyderabad: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday condemned the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei in aerial attacks launched by the US and Israel and termed it as immoral and unlawful act, especially when Tehran was in talks with the US in Geneva.
He said Israel’s attack on Iran, and Pakistan’s attack on Afghanistan “shows us that Israel and Pakistan are forces of aggression and mischief” in their respective neighbourhoods.
“More than 200 people have been killed across Iran, including 108 who were killed when strikes hit a girls' school. Ayatollah Khamenei’s assassination is an immoral and unlawful act. My sincere condolences. These attacks on Iran should stop at the earliest, otherwise the whole region will be embroiled in instability. We must remember that 10 million Indians work in this region,” he posted on X.
Speaking to media persons, the Hyderabad MP hoped that the Union government would also condemn the killing of Khamenei, given the historic relations between India and Iran.
He cautioned that if the war escalated, oil prices may rise dramatically impacting even the Indian economy. “US President Donald Trump and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have jointly attacked Iran in the holy month of Ramzan. We despise the attack. This is a cowardly and inhuman attack. If this war continues, oil prices will rise and even a difference of $1 will have a huge impact on the Indian economy,” he added.
- 2 March 2026 12:21 AM IST
Iran Weighs 2026 World Cup Boycott Following US-Israel Strikes
Iran Weighs 2026 World Cup Boycott Following US-Israel Strikes
Iran’s football federation is considering a boycott of the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli military strikes — a development that has sharply escalated tensions and cast doubt over the country’s participation in the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, said the attacks make it “unlikely we can look forward to the World Cup,” signaling that participation is under serious review. He noted that the final decision will rest with national sports authorities as the country navigates the deepening geopolitical crisis. In the meantime, Iran has suspended its domestic football league amid mounting instability.
Iran had already secured qualification for its fourth consecutive World Cup and was drawn into Group G alongside New Zealand, Belgium, and Egypt. All of its group-stage matches are scheduled to be played in the United States, including the June 15 opener in Los Angeles — a logistical complication given the current hostilities.
The crisis erupted on February 28, 2026, when US and Israeli forces targeted key sites in Tehran in strikes that resulted in Khamenei’s death. US President Donald Trump confirmed the operation, describing it as justice for what he called the regime’s past actions. Iran responded with retaliatory missile attacks against Israel and US military bases across the Gulf region, intensifying fears of a wider conflict.
FIFA has said it is closely monitoring geopolitical developments to ensure a safe tournament with full participation from qualified teams. Tensions surrounding Iran’s involvement are not entirely new; earlier visa-related disputes had sparked boycott threats ahead of the official tournament draw, though Iranian representatives ultimately attended.
With just 107 days remaining before kickoff, no formal decision has been announced. However, if hostilities persist or escalate further, Iran’s participation in the 2026 World Cup could become another casualty of the widening conflict.
- 2 March 2026 12:13 AM IST
Gulf Markets Plunge and Kuwait Halts Trading as Middle East Conflict Intensifies
Gulf Markets Plunge and Kuwait Halts Trading as Middle East Conflict Intensifies
Gulf stock markets plunged sharply on Monday, with Kuwait suspending all trading after a dramatic escalation in the Middle East rattled global financial systems. The turmoil followed Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone strikes on US and Israeli targets, launched in response to joint attacks that reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—triggering one of the region’s most volatile security crises in recent years.
Iran’s strikes targeted Israeli positions and US military bases across several Gulf states, including Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Explosions were reported in major hubs such as Dubai and Doha, forcing the closure of key airports, including Dubai International, and severely disrupting international aviation routes. Tehran denounced the earlier attacks as a “declaration of war” and vowed an “unrelenting response,” while neighboring Gulf nations condemned Iran’s retaliation amid mounting fears of a broader regional conflict.
The financial fallout was immediate. Boursa Kuwait announced an indefinite suspension of trading beginning March 1, citing “exceptional circumstances” and the need to safeguard market stability. Across the region, markets slid steeply before clawing back some losses. Saudi Arabia’s benchmark index fell 2 percent after dropping as much as 4.6 percent earlier in the session. Banking stocks bore the brunt, with Al Rajhi down 2.8 percent and Saudi National Bank off 4.3 percent. Aviation shares also slumped, with flynas tumbling 5.8 percent amid airspace disruptions. Energy stocks, however, bucked the trend as oil price forecasts surged toward $100 per barrel, lifting Saudi Aramco by 2.6 percent.
Beyond financial markets, the crisis is disrupting global supply chains. Major energy companies have suspended shipments of crude oil, refined fuel, and liquefied natural gas through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy trade. The United Nations has urgently called for restraint as concerns grow over the risk of full-scale regional war. Meanwhile, reports indicate that US President Donald Trump has agreed to hold talks with Iranian leaders in an effort to contain the rapidly escalating confrontation.
- 1 March 2026 11:39 PM IST
Passengers stranded after flights get cancelled
Passengers rest on the floor of the international departure lounge at RGIA. Several flights have been grounded in response to the ongoing Iran-Israel and US conflict, leaving the terminal largely deserted. (Picture by P. Surendra)
Passengers stranded after flights get cancelled
V. Shivani Reddy I DC
Hyderabad, March 1
Several passengers, including foreigners and Indians, were stranded at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) due to flight cancellations caused by airspace closures over the West Asian region in view of ongoing US-Israel attack on Iran.
According to the RGIA, 18 flights, including 14 departures and four arrivals, were cancelled by Sunday evening. These include flights to and via Doha, Medina, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Kuwait. Passengers, who reached the airport on Sunday to board flights to their destinations, appeared tense and anxious as they came across their flights being cancelled.
In an advisory, the RGIA asked passengers to verify flight status directly with their respective airline prior to departure for the airport.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle at RGIA, a Romania national, Teena, who was concerned about her travel plans, complained that her flight to Dubai was cancelled and the customer service was not helpful.
“Until we find another route to go back home, there is no option left for us to leave the airport. We will wait and see how the situation pans out and what we can do,” she added.
Teena was not alone. Three other foreign passengers, who were seen sitting on the floor, were worried about travel plans and families back home. One such passenger was Ivan from Dubai. He was tense about his wife and daughter back home due to the prevailing situation. “I spoke to my family in Dubai and they are living in fear. I will travel back once the air services resume.”
Dr Salzman, an Israeli who was supposed to travel London, said he was speechless about the ongoing situation and hoped that situation quickly de-escalates.
Khadim Hussain, a Kashmiri migrant worker at Madina, was shocked to see his flight to Saudi Arabia getting cancelled. “After reaching Hyderabad, I was informed that my flight was cancelled. Now I planned to go back to Kashmir and booked a flight to Delhi,” he said.
Ajith, who was to fly to the US via Doha on Qatar Airways, said the flight was as per the schedule, when he checked it. “However, when I reached the airport, I was not allowed inside stating that the flight had been cancelled. Now, I am looking for other alternatives,” he said.
Another passenger, who requested not to be quoted, said she was informed about her flight cancellation after reaching the airport. “I have to join back to work and accordingly booked a flight to Vancouver, with a connecting flight from New Delhi. However, I am informed that the flight from New Delhi was cancelled. Now, my job is at risk due to delay in joining back work,” she added.
- 1 March 2026 10:55 PM IST
U.S. Embassy in the United Arab Emirates says its government personnel are sheltering in the country
The U.S. Embassy in the United Arab Emirates has said its government personnel are sheltering in the country and urged Americans to do the same, as flights remain “indefinitely suspended” due to Iranian retaliatory strikes.
UAE’s airspace remains closed, and flights from is airports including one of the busiest worldwide in Dubai are suspended. “To the extent possible, remain in your residence, hotel, or other secure structure, and stay away from windows,” the statement read.
Iran says its attacks target U.S. military bases in the region, of which some are in the UAE. But the strikes have damaged buildings in civilian areas, including the Dubai airport and the the city’s iconic Burj al-Arab hotel. — AP
- 1 March 2026 10:27 PM IST
Israel has closed Gaza crossings and Palestinians are scared
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip say they are scared of going hungry after Israel announced it was closing all crossings into the territory in the wake of its strikes against Iran.
Palestinians say they are rushing to markets, haunted by memories of food scarcity last year under months of Israel’s blockade. Part of Gaza was declared in famine.
“When the crossings shut down, everything was suspended from the market. The prices go up and people live in misery,” said Osamda Hanoda from Khan Younis.
The current ceasefire between Israel and Hamas had led to more aid and other supplies entering the strip of over 2 million people. Now Palestinians are hoarding again. — AP
- 1 March 2026 10:26 PM IST
11 missing in the strike on synagogue in central Israel
Israeli police say they are still searching for 11 people following an Iranian missile strike in central Israel.
The missile slammed into a synagogue in the town of Beit Shemesh on Sunday, and police confirmed nine deaths and 45 injured. It’s the deadliest attack on Israel since it launched attacks on Iran jointly with the U.S. on Saturday. — AP
