Web Desk/AFP

<em style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 18px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>This live blog follows updates for Day 23 of the US-Israeli war on Iran. For a recap of Day 22, go here<em style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 18px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;'>. <hr style="line-height: 2;"><ul style="list-style-type: square;"><li id="isPasted" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2;">Missiles strike southern Israel towns, causing damage, injuries, and widespread panic</li><li id="isPasted" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2;">Israel launches strikes on Iran, targeting missile sites and nuclear facilities</li><li id="isPasted" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2;">Iran retaliates with missiles and drones across Israel and Gulf countries</li><li id="isPasted" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2;">Clashes intensify as Hezbollah fights Israeli forces along Lebanon border towns</li><li id="isPasted" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); line-height: 2;">Global tensions rise as nations call for restraint and protect vital oil routes</li></ul><hr style="line-height: 2;">Trump says will &#39;obliterate&#39; Iran power plants unless Hormuz opens within 48 hours<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;' id="isPasted">Published March 22, 2026 | 00:13 GMT<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'> US President Donald Trump gave Iran a 48-hour deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping traffic or face the destruction of its energy infrastructure. &quot;If Iran doesn&#39;t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!&quot; Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. Israel military says striking central Tehran<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;' id="isPasted">Published March 22, 2026 | 01:09 GMT<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'> The Israeli military said its forces launched a wave of strikes on Tehran early Sunday, hours after Iranian missile fire hit two cities in southern Israel. A brief statement said Israeli forces were &quot;currently conducting strikes on Iranian terror regime targets in the heart of Tehran&quot;. Iran army says will target energy, desalination infrastructure after US threats<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;' id="isPasted">Published March 22, 2026 | 01:41 GMT<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'> Iran&#39;s military renewed threats against the region&#39;s infrastructure after the US president vowed to &quot;obliterate&quot; power plants in the Islamic republic if the Strait of Hormuz is not swiftly reopened. &quot;Following previous warnings, if Iran&#39;s fuel and energy infrastructure is violated by the enemy, all energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US and the regime in the region will be targeted,&quot; the Iranian military&#39;s operational command Khatam Al-Anbiya said in a statement carried by Fars news agency. The statement comes after Donald Trump gave Iran a 48-hour deadline to open the vital route in the Gulf to shipping traffic after it was effectively closed in response to the Middle East war. Saudi Arabia expels Iran military attache<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;' id="isPasted">Published March 22, 2026 | 00:02 GMT<p style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: oklch(0.985 0.002 247.839); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;'> Saudi Arabia has ordered an Iranian diplomat and three members of his team to leave the country, as the kingdom and its Gulf neighbors face Iranian strikes in retaliation for US-Israeli attacks. In a statement condemning &quot;repeated Iranian attacks,&quot; Riyadh said it &quot;decided to declare persona non grata the military attache of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, along with three members of the embassy&#39;s military mission.&quot; They were given 24 hours to leave the country, the foreign ministry said in a message posted on social media.

Middle East

Americas

Saudi Arabia has ordered an Iranian diplomat and three members of his team to leave the country, Riyadh has given them 24 hours to leave the country.

Trump says will 'obliterate' Iran power plants unless Hormuz opens within 48 hours

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned Israel&rsquo;s ongoing military aggression against Lebanon, which has resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths and the displacement of nearly half a million people, according to a statement from the Foreign Office. According to the statement, the Israeli actions, which are in &ldquo;contravention of international law,&quot; are undermining the efforts of the Government of Lebanon to ensure peace and stability in the country. It added that this could further exacerbate the ongoing security and humanitarian crises in the region. Earlier, two Israeli air attacks hit Lebanon&rsquo;s southern city of Tyre on Tuesday, known as Sour in Arabic, reported Al-Jazeera. This came shortly after the Israeli army issued a statement threatening attacks on Tyre and Sidon, known as Saida, urging residents to &ldquo;evacuate immediately and move at least 300 meters (about 1,000 ft) away.&quot;&nbsp;According to media reports, more than half a million people in Lebanon have been registered as displaced after fighting restarted between Israel and Hezbollah following the United States and Israel&rsquo;s war on Iran. &ldquo;We urge the international community to take urgent action to end the Israeli military aggression, the indiscriminate targeting of civilians, and the continued violations of Lebanon&rsquo;s sovereignty and territorial integrity,&quot; said the statement by the Foreign Office.&nbsp; The statement called for Israel&#39;s withdrawal from all &ldquo;occupied Lebanese territories&rdquo; immediately, fully, and unconditionally.&nbsp;It stated that Pakistan fully supports the brotherly people of Lebanon during this &ldquo;aggression&rdquo; and will continue to back all efforts to ensure lasting peace in Lebanon and the wider region.

Security

Foreign Affairs

According to a Foreign Office statement, Israeli actions are in 'contravention of international law,' and are undermining the efforts of the Government of Lebanon to ensure peace and stability in the country.

Articles tagged with "Israeli military aggression"

Trump says will 'obliterate' Iran power plants unless Hormuz opens within 48 hours

Pakistan condemns Israeli military aggression against Lebanon

Trump says will 'obliterate' Iran power plants unless Hormuz opens within 48 hours