This live blog follows updates for Day 25 of the US-Israeli war on Iran. For a recap of Day 24, go here.

• Israel strikes south Beirut, says captured Hezbollah members
• Netanyahu says spoke with Trump, vows to protect Israel's interests
• Iran foreign ministry says got messages from 'friendly countries' about US request for talks 
• Iranian media says no negotiations with US after Trump announcement
• Israel army says launched 'wide-scale wave of strikes' in Tehran

Rocket attack kills six fighters in Iraqi Kurdistan: security official

Published March 24, 2026 | 08:48 GMT

A rocket attack on Iraq's north killed six Iraqi Kurdish security personnel, a security official told AFP on Tuesday.

"So far, there are six killed, two missing, and 22 wounded," the official said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject, following the strike on Iraqi Kurdish security forces in the Soran border region with Iran.

Kurdish media outlet Rudaw gave a lower toll of five killed in two rocket attacks, quoting a statement from the regional force. There was no indication of who was responsible for the attack.

Iran media says energy infrastructure attacked

Published March 24, 2026 | 07:45 GMT

Iranian media reported on Tuesday that Israeli-US strikes targeted two gas facilities and a pipeline, hours after US President Donald Trump stepped back from his threat to attack power infrastructure.

"As part of the ongoing attacks carried out by the Zionist and American enemy, the gas administration building and the gas pressure regulation station on Kaveh Street in Isfahan were targeted," said the Fars news agency.

The facilities in central Iran were "partially damaged", added Fars, which was Iran's only news outlet to report the incident.

It said an attack also targeted the gas pipeline of the Khorramshahr power plant, in the country's southwest.

"A projectile hit the area outside the Khorramshahr gas pipeline processing station," Fars reported, quoting the governor of the city bordering Iraq.

Iran carries out fresh attacks against Israel

Published March 24, 2026 | 07:35 GMT

Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the IRGC carried out the 78th wave of retaliatory strikes against the American and Israeli targets, launching a range of missiles with pinpoint accuracy.

"In the most recent wave, precise strikes were carried out on Israeli targets in Eilat, Dimona, and northern Tel Aviv, as well as on a number of bases of the US terrorist army in the region, using the pinpoint strike capabilities of the Emad and Qadr multiwarhead missiles, alongside combat drones," the agency reported.

Sirens sound in southern Israel

Published March 24, 2026 | 07:28 GMT

Sirens have sounded in southern Israel, including Dimona and nearby towns, after Israel’s army said it detected a new wave of Iranian missiles fired towards the country, according to Israeli media reports.

Pezeshkian Calls on Islamic States to Break Silence on US-Israeli War on Iran

Published March 24, 2026 | 07:04 GMT

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged Muslim countries not to remain indifferent to the war waged by Washington and the Tel Aviv regime against Tehran

'No middle ground': Qalibaf urges world to choose sides

Published March 24, 2026 | 06:28 GMT

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf says the world must choose to stand either with the besieged Gaza Strip or with child torturers, stressing that there is no middle ground, after Israeli soldiers tortured a one-year-old Gazan child.

Israeli strike on Bshamoun, south of Beirut, kills two: health ministry

Published March 24, 2026 | 06:05 GMT

An Israeli strike on Bshamoun, a town south of Beirut, killed at least two people, Lebanon's health ministry said Tuesday.

"The Israeli enemy raid on the town of Bshamoun in the Aley district resulted, in a preliminary toll, in the martyrdom of two citizens and the injury of five others," the ministry said in a statement.

Bshamoun lies outside of the traditional strongholds of Iran-backed Hezbollah, which has been trading strikes with Israel since the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an Israeli-US attack.

Israel issues new missile threat alert

Published March 24, 2026 | 05:14 GMT

Israel’s air defence system has been activated after the military detected new incoming missiles from Iran, Al Jazeera quoted the Israeli military’s message posted on Telegram.

“In the past few minutes, the Home Front Command has sent a precautionary directive directly to mobile phones in the relevant areas,” the military said, according to Al Jazeera.

The military has directed the public to enter a protected space and remain there until further notice.

Israel strikes hit 7 areas of south Beirut overnight: Lebanon state media

Published March 24, 2026 | 04:12 GMT

Israel targeted seven areas of Beirut's southern suburbs overnight, Lebanese state media reported on Tuesday.

"Enemy warplanes launched seven raids overnight on the southern suburbs," Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported, adding that seven areas were targeted.

Japan to release national oil reserves from Thursday: PM

Published March 24, 2026 | 03:33 GMT

Japan will release another part of its strategic oil reserves from Thursday, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tuesday, after Tokyo began to tap stockpiles last week.

"In order to secure 'the necessary amount for the whole of Japan' ...we will release the state (oil) reserve from 26th March this week," she said in a post on X.

Last Monday, Tokyo started the release of 15 days' worth of private-sector petroleum reserves.

Takaichi previously announced that a month's worth of government stockpiles would also be released.

Japan depends on the Middle East for around 95 percent of its oil imports.

Its strategic oil reserves are among the world's largest and stood at more than 400 million barrels as of December.

Iran state media says 'new wave of missiles' launched at Israel

Published March 24, 2026 | 02:54 GMT

Iran launched another round of missiles towards Israel early Tuesday, state television announced.

"Iran fires new wave of missiles at occupied territories," the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting posted on Telegram.

Iraq armed group says commander, fighters killed in strike

Published March 24, 2026 | 01:17 GMT

A strike in western Iraq on Tuesday killed a commander and several fighters from the former paramilitary coalition Hashed al-Shaabi, the group said.

The bombing targeted a base in Anbar province during a commanders' meeting, a source from the group told AFP on condition of anonymity, blaming the United States for the attack.

Seven Hashed al-Shaabi fighters were "killed and 13 wounded in a US strike", the source added.

EU chief urges immediate end to hostilities in the Middle East

Published March 24, 2026 | 00:50 GMT

European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen called on Tuesday for an immediate end to hostilities in the Middle East, describing a "critical" situation for energy supply chains globally.

"We all feel the knock on effects on gas and oil prices on our businesses and our societies," von der Leyen said alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra.

"It is of utmost importance that we come to a solution that is negotiated, and this puts an end to the hostilities that we see in the Middle East," she added.

Blast over Jerusalem, Israel building hit after Iran missile fire

Published March 24, 2026 | 00:40 GMT

A loud blast rang out over Jerusalem early Tuesday as the Israeli military sent search and rescue teams to a damaged building following two rounds of Iranian missile fire.

Israel's military announced the Iranian launches hours after US President Donald Trump said Washington had held talks with an unnamed Iranian official — a report denied by Tehran.

Minutes after the second missile alert, AFP reporters in Jerusalem heard a loud explosion, but the military said people were now cleared to leave their shelters and medics reported no casualties.

Following the first launch, the military said it had sent "search and rescue forces to operate at a scene in northern Israel where reports of an impact have been received."

The Magen David Adom emergency services released video of a damaged building, with a smashed area on an upper floor and rubble spread across the ground.

The medics said they were providing treatment to a man in his 30s who suffered mild injuries after stepping on shrapnel, but there were no other casualty reports.

Trump announces 'very good' Iran talks denied by Tehran

Published March 24, 2026 | 00:00 GMT

President Donald Trump hailed "very good" talks with an unidentified Iranian official after abruptly shelving plans for fresh attacks, even as Washington's ally Israel vowed to keep up strikes on the Islamic republic.

The surprise disclosure -- denied by Tehran, which accused Trump of manipulating energy markets -- came ahead of a Monday night deadline imposed by Trump for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane or see the US "obliterate" its power plants.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had spoken to Trump and acknowledged the United States thought a deal was possible, but vowed to continue striking Iran and Lebanon to protect Israel.