LIVE: US and Iraq to 'intensify cooperation' against attacks

This live blog follows updates for Day 29 of the US-Israeli war on Iran. For a recap of Day 28, go here.

• Zelensky says Ukraine, UAE 'agreed to cooperate' on defense
• Production at major Iran steel plant halted after Israeli-US strikes: Media
• Israel strikes towns, villages across southern Lebanon
• Significant damage to Kuwait airport radar in drone attack: Authorities
• Explosion heard near Iraq's Erbil airport: AFP journalist

Iraq must not be drawn into 'escalation', France's Macron says

Published March 28, 2026 | 18:15 GMT

Every effort must be made to avoid Iraq being sucked up into an escalation of the Middle East war, French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday after speaking with the head of the country's autonomous Kurdistan region.

Macron posted his message on X after a deadly strike in northern Iraq against the former paramilitary group the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF).

"Everything must be done to avoid Iraq being drawn into the current escalation," he said.

The PMF -- now part of Iraq's army but which includes some pro-Iran factions -- said three of its fighters were killed in what it described as a US-Israeli attack.

Loud explosions heard in Iranian capital: AFP journalist 

Published March 28, 2026 | 17:44 GMT

A series of loud explosions on Saturday evening rattled the Iranian capital, an AFP journalist reported, as the war with Israel and the United States ground on.

The blasts were heard in central Tehran for several minutes, although it was not clear what was targeted.

Emirates Global Aluminium reports significant damage after attack

Published March 28, 2026 | 17:03 GMT

The firm Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) said one of its sites in Abu Dhabi had suffered significant damage after an Iranian attack that left six people wounded, according to authorities.

In its statement, EGA - one of the world's largest aluminium producers - said its "Al Taweelah site sustained significant damage during the Iranian missile and drone attacks at Khalifa Economic Zone Abu Dhabi".

"A number of EGA employees were injured. None of the injuries are life threatening," it added.

Lebanon says more than 50 health workers killed in Israel-Hezbollah war

Published March 28, 2026 | 14:26 GMT

Lebanon says more than 50 health workers killed in Israel-Hezbollah war.

Qatar, Ukraine sign deal on countering missiles, drones: Qatari defence ministry

Published March 28, 2026 | 13:14 GMT

Qatar and Ukraine signed a defence agreement on Saturday including cooperation on countering threats from missiles and drones, the Gulf state's defence ministry said while Iran pressed an aerial campaign against its neighbours.

"The agreement includes collaboration in technological fields, development of joint investments and the exchange of expertise in countering missiles and unmanned aerial systems," the ministry said in a statement during a visit to Qatar by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Lebanon president calls Israeli strike on journalists 'blatant crime'

Published March 28, 2026 | 12:57 GMT

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun condemned the Israeli strike that killed a journalist for Hezbollah's Al Manar TV and another for the pro-Hezbollah Al Mayadeen channel in southern Lebanon on Saturday.

"Once again, the Israeli aggression violates the most basic rules of international law, international humanitarian law and the laws of war, by targeting journalists, who are ultimately civilians performing a professional duty," Aoun said in a statement released by the presidency.

"This is a blatant crime that violates all the norms and treaties under which journalists enjoy international protection in wars."

Iran president lauds Pakistan for mediation to stop US, Israel 'aggression'

Published: March 28, 2026 | 12:35 GMT

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday hailed mediation efforts by Pakistan to stop the war with US and Israeli.

In a call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pezeshkian "thanked Pakistan for its mediation efforts to stop the aggression against the Islamic republic," according to the presidency.

The call took place as foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey prepared to meet in Islamabad for talks on the war in the Middle East.

Ukraine denies Iran destroyed its anti-drone system depot in UAE

Published March 28, 2026 | 12:05 GMT

Kyiv on Saturday denied Iran's claim that Tehran had targeted and destroyed a Ukrainian anti-drone system depot in the United Arab Emirates, calling it a "lie" and a "disinformation".

"This is a lie, we officially refute this information. The Iranian regime often conducts such disinformation operations -- and in this it is no different from the Russians," Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy told reporters.

Blasts heard over Jerusalem after Iran missiles detected: AFP

Published March 28, 2026 | 11:47 GMT

AFP journalists reported two blasts heard over Jerusalem, after the Israeli military said it had detected incoming missiles launched from Iran.

The apparent attack came shortly after the Israeli military said it had completed a wave of strikes across the Iranian capital Tehran. 

Maersk says operations at Oman's Salalah port suspended after drone attack

March 28, 2026 | 11:20 GMT 

Danish shipping giant Maersk said operations had been temporarily halted at Oman's port of Salalah after a drone attack on Saturday injured one worker and damaged a crane.

Maersk, whose subsidiary APM Terminals runs the port, said "it was immediately evacuated and operations across the facility were temporarily suspended", predicting it would remain closed for 48 hours.

On Saturday, Iran said it had targeted a US logistics vessel "at a considerable distance from the port".

Iran military say targeted Ukranian anti-drone system depot in UAE

Published: March 28, 2026 | 10:58 GMT

Iran's military said on Saturday it had targeted a Ukrainian anti-drone system depot in the United Arab Emirates, which it said was used to assist US forces.

"As the hideouts of American commanders and soldiers in Dubai were targeted... a Ukrainian anti-drone system depot that was located in Dubai to assist the US military ... was targeted and destroyed," Iran's military central operational command Khatam Al-Anbiya said in a statement carried by state TV.

Iran footballers pay tribute to victims of school strike

Published: March 28, 2026 | 10:58 GMT

The Iranian men's national team wore black armbands and posed with school rucksacks as the national anthem played before a match with Nigeria to remember the victims of a strike on a primary school in Iran on the first day of the Middle East war.

The airstrike on the school in the southern Iranian city of Minab on February 28 killed at least 170 people, including students and teachers.

The attack happened on the day the United States and Israel launched the war with attacks across Iran.

Before kick-off in their friendly fixture against Nigeria in the Turkish town of Belek on Friday, the Iran players, including former FC Porto and Inter Milan striker Mehdi Taremi, held pink and purple school bags with ribbons on them.

US and Iraq to 'intensify cooperation' against attacks

Published: March 28, 2026 | 09:35 GMT

The United States and Iraq will "intensify cooperation" to prevent attacks and ensure Iraqi territory is not used to launch assaults against US facilities, Washington's embassy in Baghdad said in a statement.

Since the war began on Feb. 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran, Iraq has been increasingly drawn into a conflict it had sought to avoid at all costs.

Pro-Iran Iraqi armed groups have carried out drone and rocket attacks against multiple US targets, including the embassy in Baghdad.

These pro-Iran factions, some of which are integrated into the Iraqi security forces, have themselves been regularly targeted by strikes, which the groups have blamed on the US or Israel.

The US embassy and Iraq released statements late on Friday, announcing the creation of a "High Joint Coordination Committee" to oversee efforts to tackle attacks in Iraq.

"The Iraqi and US sides decided to intensify cooperation to prevent terrorist attacks and ensure that Iraqi territory is not used as a launching point for any aggression against the Iraqi people, the Iraqi Security Forces, Iraqi strategic facilities and assets, as well as against US personnel, diplomatic missions, and the Global Coalition," the US embassy in Baghdad said in a statement posted on X.

Zelensky says Ukraine, UAE 'agreed to cooperate' on defense

Published: March 28, 2026 | 09:08 GMT

Ukraine and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to cooperate on defense amid Iran's drone strikes across the region, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.

Zelensky said on social media he had met with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and that the two leaders "agreed to cooperate in the field of security and defense. Our teams will finalise the details."

"For all normal states, it is important to ensure stability and protect lives amid today's threats. Ukraine has relevant expertise in this area," he said.

Production at major Iran steel plant halted after Israeli-US strikes: Media

Published: March 28, 2026 | 09:08 GMT

Production at a major steel factory in Iran has been halted following US-Israeli strikes, Iranian media said on Saturday.

Citing a statement by the Khuzestan Steel Company in Iran's southwest, Shargh daily said the plant's "production lines have been shut down" after several units and steelmaking facilities were hit by strikes on Friday.

Israel strikes towns, villages across southern Lebanon

Published: March 28, 2026 | 09:00 GMT

Israel carried out dawn airstrikes on several towns in southern Lebanon on Saturday, Lebanese state media reported, as Israel and Hezbollah said they continued to target each other's forces.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported "a series of strikes" at dawn on the town of Majdal Selm and "successive strikes" on the towns of Kafra, Hanniyeh, Touline and Adloun.

It added that several Israeli strikes also targeted the city of Nabatiyeh, hitting "residential and commercial buildings and a fuel station".

At the same time, the agency reported strikes on border towns, particularly Taybeh, along with "an attempt by enemy forces to advance toward the Litani area".

Significant damage to Kuwait airport radar in drone attack: Authorities

Published: March 28, 2026 | 09:00 GMT

The radar system at Kuwait's international airport was heavily damaged in a drone attack on Saturday, Kuwaiti authorities said.

The attack on the tiny Gulf country caused no casualties, a civil aviation spokesperson told Kuwait's official news agency, but the radar system was badly damaged.

Explosion heard near Iraq's Erbil airport: AFP journalist

Published: March 28, 2026 | 09:00 GMT

An explosion was heard on Saturday morning near the international airport of Erbil, a city in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, an AFP journalist reported and a witness said they saw smoke.

Erbil is home to a major US consulate complex, while its airport houses military advisors attached to a US-led international anti-jihadist coalition. 

Regular drone attacks by pro-Iran armed groups are usually intercepted by air defences.

Yemen's Houthis launch first missile attack on Israel during Mideast war

Published: March 28, 2026 | 09:00 GMT

Yemen's Houthi rebels on Saturday claimed their first strike on Israel since the start of the Middle East war a month ago, after the Israeli military said it was intercepting an attack.

The attack came after the Yemeni group had threatened to join the regional war if Tehran continued to be attacked or if more countries joined the conflict.

In a video statement posted on X, spokesman Yahya Saree said the group, which controls most of northern Yemen and targeted Israel with drones and missiles throughout much of the Gaza war, had launched ballistic missiles at Israeli military sites.

A few hours earlier, the Israeli military said in a statement, it had "identified the launch of a missile from Yemen toward Israeli territory, aerial defence systems are operating to intercept the threat".

There were no reports of any casualties or damage in Israel, and media reports suggested the missile may have been intercepted.

Attacks across Middle East as Iran war enters second month

Published: March 28, 2026 | 07:13 GMT

Gulf countries and Israel came under missile fire and Israeli forces struck Iran on Saturday, as the war raged into its second month with Washington expressing hopes for progress in talks with Tehran.

In a sign that the conflict may be expanding further, Israel's military said air defenses responded to a missile launched from Yemen -- the first since the start of the war on Feb. 28.

The war began when the United States and Israel launched airstrikes across Iran, assassinating Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and sending shockwaves across the globe.

A month later, the conflict showed no sign of ending, with Israel announcing fresh strikes on Tehran and an AFP journalist in the city reporting around 10 intense blasts and a plume of black smoke.

Emirati authorities said debris from a successful missile interception started fires at an Abu Dhabi industrial zone, injuring five Indian nationals.

Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted a missile and several drones, and Bahrain said a blaze caused by the "Iranian aggression" had been brought under control.

In Israel, repeated air raid sirens sent people to shelters, including in Tel Aviv where one man was killed and two others wounded, and in the country's north, where media reported a simultaneous attack from Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah.

An Iranian missile and drone attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia wounded at least 12 American soldiers, two of them seriously, according to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, citing unidentified officials.

Foreign worker wounded in drone attack on major Omani port

Published: March 28, 2026 | 06:32 GMT

A drone attack on one of Oman's main ports wounded a foreign worker, the Gulf country's authorities said on Saturday.

Two drones hit the port of Salalah in the far south of Oman, a statement carried by the country's official news agency said, injuring the worker and causing "limited" damage to a crane.

Israel says Iran missile attack kills man in Tel Aviv

Published: March 28, 2026 | 05:06 GMT

Israeli authorities said an Iranian missile attack killed a man in Tel Aviv on Friday, as Tehran pressed its retaliatory strikes across the region a month into the war.

The Israeli military said it had "identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel" in at least five rounds in just over five hours, triggering air defense systems and warning sirens late on Friday and early Saturday.

The Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency medical service said a man was killed in Tel Aviv in one of the attacks.

Two other men, aged 65 and 50, were wounded in a separate incident in the city, and another two in the southern town of Kuseife, MDA said.

In a video from one of the impact sites shared by the military, Home Front Command official Miki David said a residential apartment was hit by a cluster munition.

Cluster munitions explode mid-air and scatter bomblets across a wide area. Iran and Israel have previously accused each other of using cluster bombs.

Israel army reports war's first missile attack from Yemen

Published: March 28, 2026 | 05:06 GMT

Israel's military reported a first missile launch from Yemen since the Middle East war began on Feb. 28, after Iran's Houthi allies threatened to join the fighting.

A military statement said Israeli forces had "identified the launch of a missile from Yemen toward Israeli territory, aerial defence systems are operating to intercept the threat".

Thai PM says reached deal with Iran for vessels to transit Hormuz Strait

Published: March 28, 2026 | 05:06 GMT

Thailand has reached an agreement with Iran to allow Thai oil vessels safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the Southeast Asian nation's Prime Minister said on Saturday.

"An agreement has been reached to allow Thai oil tankers to transit safely through the Strait of Hormuz," Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said at a press conference, adding the development would alleviate concerns over fuel imports.

UAE says fire breaks out after Iran missile attack

Published: March 28, 2026 | 04:02 GMT

UAE authorities said fires broke out early Saturday at an industrial zone following an incoming missile and drone attack from Iran, with no reports of casualties.

The United Arab Emirates' defence ministry said air defences were responding to incoming cruise missiles and drones fired by Iran, as Tehran pressed strikes in the Gulf a month into the regional war.

The Abu Dhabi government media office said in a statement posted online that authorities were dealing with two fires in the area of the emirate's Khalifa Economic Zones.

The statement said the fires had broken out due to falling debris from a "successful interception" of a ballistic missile.

Iran reports strike at Bushehr nuclear plant, third in 10 days: IAEA

Published: March 28, 2026 | 03:26 GMT

A strike hit near Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant but caused no radiation leak or damage to the reactor, the UN atomic watchdog said, after Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic.

Iran told the International Atomic Energy Agency that the plant was operating normally and had suffered no technical or structural impact, the agency said on X.

The incident was the third in a series of reported strikes in Iran within the past 10 days, the IAEA said, as the war in the Middle East entered its second month.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi urged "maximum military restraint".

12 US troops wounded in Iran strike on Saudi base: reports

Published: March 28, 2026 | 03:22 GMT

An Iranian attack on a base in Saudi Arabia has wounded at least 12 American soldiers, two of them seriously, US media reported Friday.

Iran has kept up retaliatory attacks on Gulf nations it accuses of serving as a launchpad for US strikes on the country, which began in a joint operation with Israel on February 28.

The attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia included at least one missile and several drones, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unidentified officials.

The soldiers were inside a building at the base when it was struck, the Journal reported.

UAE says air defences responding to Iran missile, drone attack

Published: March 28, 2026 | 02:52 GMT

The United Arab Emirates said its air defences were responding to an incoming missile and drone attack from Iran early Saturday, as Tehran pressed strikes in the Gulf a month into the regional war.

A defence ministry statement said forces were "intercepting cruise missiles and UAVs (drones)" fired from Iran.

Israel military says striking 'regime targets' in Tehran

Published: March 28, 2026 | 00:22 GMT

Israel's military said it launched strikes on Iranian "regime targets" early Saturday, as an AFP journalist in the capital Tehran reported hearing around 10 intense blasts and seeing a plume of black smoke.

A brief military statement said Israeli forces were "currently striking Iranian terror regime targets across Tehran", without elaborating.