Iran War News Highlights (March 5): US says it has sunk more than 30 Iranian ships

The United States has sunk more than 30 Iranian ships during the ongoing war, while ballistic missile and drone attacks by Tehran's forces are down substantially, a top US military officer said Thursday.

"We're now up over 30 ships (sunk), and in just the last few hours, we hit an Iranian drone carrier ship, roughly the size of a World War II aircraft carrier. And as we speak, it's on fire," Admiral Brad Cooper told a news conference.

Saudi Arabia said Friday it had intercepted three ballistic missiles launched towards an air base, as Iran pressed attacks across the Gulf.

"Three ballistic missiles launched towards Prince Sultan Air Base were intercepted and destroyed," the Saudi defence ministry posted on X.

The death toll from Israeli strikes on Lebanon this week increased to 123, the Lebanese health ministry said, as a new wave of strikes hit Beirut's southern suburb.

"The toll from the Israeli aggression on Monday... increased to 123 martyrs and 683 wounded," a ministry statement said.

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi leader said his group was ready to strike at any moment in a televised speech on Thursday, on day six of the US-Israeli campaign against the Islamic republic.

"Regarding military escalation and action, our fingers are on the trigger, ready to respond at any moment should developments warrant it," Abdul Malik al-Houthi said.

An Israeli strike targeted the southern suburbs of Beirut late Thursday, according to Lebanese state media, following an Israeli evacuation warning.

AFPTV footage showed a plume of smoke rising from the site in Lebanon, which was drawn into the Middle East war on Monday when the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iran's supreme leader.

The Israeli military said late Thursday it had begun striking infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah in Beirut's southern suburb of Dahiyeh, after earlier warning residents of the area to evacuate.

"The IDF has begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure in the Dahiyeh area in Beirut," the military said.

Israel's military chief said Thursday he had ordered troops to expand the area under Israeli control in southern Lebanon, as the country's ongoing operation against Hezbollah intensified.

"We are striking with force, on the front line and deeper in Lebanon. I instructed Israeli army forces to move forward and deepen the line of control along the border, while establishing positions at key points in southern Lebanon," Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said during a televised address.

Israel's military chief on Thursday said the US-Israeli campaign against Iran was entering its next stage, with operations aimed at further dismantling the Islamic republic's military capabilities.

"We are now moving to the next phase of the operation. In this phase, we will further dismantle the regime and its military capabilities. We have additional surprises ahead which I do not intend to disclose," Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said in a televised statement.

Israel's military chief said Thursday that more than 60 percent of Iran's ballistic missile launchers and 80 percent of its air-defence systems have been destroyed in the ongoing US-Israeli campaign against the Islamic republic.

"We have neutralised and destroyed more than 60 percent of the ballistic missile launchers," Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said in a televised statement.

He added that Israel had also destroyed 80 percent of Iran's air defence systems and had "achieved almost complete air superiority in the skies of Iran".

Iranian state TV said Thursday that drones fired by the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of the Islamic republic's military, had struck the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

State television did not provide any details on the claim. The Guards had previously alleged to have hit the US carrier, but the Pentagon said at the time that the "missiles launched didn't even come close".

NATO said Thursday it strengthened the alliance's "ballistic missile defence posture", which will remain at "heightened level" until the threat from Iran's retaliatory strikes to US-Israeli attacks subsides.

"Yesterday... NATO increased its alliance-wide ballistic missile defence posture," spokesman Martin O'Donnell said in a statement shared on social media, adding that the move came as NATO had intercepted a missile targeting Turkey.

Iranian state TV said Thursday that drones fired by the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of the Islamic republic's military, had struck the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

State television did not provide any details on the claim. The Guards had previously alleged to have hit the US carrier, but the Pentagon said at the time that the "missiles launched didn't even come close".

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday that the Middle East war had taken tensions in the region to a "terrifying level" that could spread further.

"With the air strikes against our neighbour Iran, regional tensions have reached a terrifying level," Erdogan said in a televised speech. "The missiles and kamikaze drones directed by Iran against other countries in the region raise fears of the conflict spreading to a much wider area."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday his country was prepared for any potential ground invasion, saying such a move would spell "disaster" for the Islamic republic's foes.

"We are waiting for them," Araghchi told US broadcaster NBC News, as the United States and Israel kept up strikes on Iran. "We are confident that we can confront them and that would be a big disaster for them."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday that the Islamic republic was neither asking for a ceasefire nor negotiations with the US, adding that Iran had no plans to close the Strait of Hormuz for now.

Iran currently has 'no intention' to close Strait of Hormuz, says Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi

An Iranian missile strike sparked a blaze at Bahrain's main state-owned oil refinery on Thursday, which was later contained, the Gulf country's communications centre said.

"A fire broke out at a unit of the Bapco Energies refinery following an Iranian missile strike. The fire has been fully contained," Bahrain's National Communication Centre, the government's media arm, said in a statement.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asked his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Thursday to urge Israel not to bomb Beirut's southern suburbs, after the Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for the area.

In a phone conversation, Aoun asked Macron "to intervene with Israel to prevent Beirut's southern suburbs from being targeted", and to help bring about a "ceasefire as soon as possible", according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency.

U.S. President Donald ‌Trump told Axios on Thursday ​that he needs ​to be personally ⁠involved in selecting ​Iran's next leader.

"Khamenei's ​son is unacceptable to me. We want ​someone that ​will bring harmony and peace ‌to ⁠Iran," Axios quoted Trump as saying in an ​interview.

"I ​have ⁠to be involved in ​the appointment, ​like ⁠with Delcy in Venezuela," Trump said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday accused Israel of launching a drone attack in Azerbaijan that was blamed on Iran, describing it as an attempt to harm Tehran's relations with its neighbour.

In a phone call with his Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov, Araghchi "denied that Iran fired any projectiles" at Azerbaijan. He also condemned "the role of the Israeli regime in such attacks in order to divert public opinion and destroy Iran's good relations with its neighbours", according to a statement from Iran's foreign ministry.

Four people were wounded in the midday drone attack in Azerbaijan's exclave of Nakhichevan near the Iranian border.

Turkey's foreign ministry on Thursday roundly condemned a series of drone attacks on Azerbaijan which Baku blamed on Iran, calling for such attacks to end "immediately".

"We strongly condemn the drone attacks carried out today on Azerbaijan," a ministry statement said, adding that such attacks "increase the risk of the war spreading" and insisting that they "must end immediately".

Iran's army said on Thursday it had launched a drone attack on a US site in the Iraqi Kurdistan city of Erbil.

"The headquarters of the American aggressor forces in Erbil, Iraq, was attacked by the army's ground forces' attack drones," the army said in a statement broadcast by state TV.

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev accused Iran of 'terrorism' and threatened retaliation after four people were wounded on Thursday in drone attacks on an airport and near a school that Aliyev blamed on his country's neighbour.

"Today a terrorist act was carried out from the Iranian side against the territory of Azerbaijan," Aliyev told a security council meeting.

Azerbaijan's military "have been instructed to prepare and carry out retaliatory measures" and "placed on mobilisation level number one, and must be ready to conduct any operation," he added.

A Sri Lankan minister said Thursday that another Iranian ship has arrived in its waters, a day after a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship off the country’s coast, killing at least 87 people and wounding 32 others.

Government spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa confirmed the presence of the second Iranian ship in response to a question in parliament. But he did not provide further details about the ship or the number of people on board.

He said the government was making an “intervention to minimise loss of lives and to safeguard the regional peace.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss the evolving situation in West Asia and the need to restore peace in the region. In a post on X, Modi said, “Spoke with my friend President Emmanuel Macron today. We discussed our shared concerns over the evolving situation in West Asia and the need for a return to dialogue and diplomacy. We will continue to engage closely and coordinate efforts towards the early restoration of peace and stability in the region.” The conversation comes amid rising tensions in West Asia, with global leaders calling for restraint and diplomatic engagement.

A security official with Iraq’s navy said an oil tanker flying the Bahamas flag was hit by an explosion Thursday while docked near Khor al-Zubair port in southern Iraq. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.

The official said a small, unidentified boat approached the tanker at 01:20 a.m. local time, shortly before an explosion was heard near the vessel’s left side. The cause of the explosion and the extent of the damage were not immediately clear.

Also Thursday, Iraq’s state-run Iraqi News Agency reported that an attempt to launch missiles from an area in Basra province in southern Iraq “intended to target a neighboring country,” was thwarted and that security forces seized a mobile launch platform carrying two missiles that were ready to be fired.

Iran's military said on Thursday that it had launched a drone attack against a US military site in Kuwait.

"Drone units of the armed force's navy targeted a site of the US forces Camp Udairi in Kuwait using combat drones," the army said in a statement broadcast by state TV.

Camp Buehring, formerly known as Udairi, is a major US military facility in northwestern Kuwait.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday they had targeted Israel's Ben Gurion airport and an air force base in the area.

"The heavy Khorramshahr-4 missiles carrying one-tonne warheads were launched at dawn today ...  toward the heart of Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion airport and the base of the Israeli air force's 27th squadron located at the airport," the Guards said in a statement carried by Tasnim news agency.

Iran accused Israel and the United States on Thursday of deliberately targeting civilian areas during their war on the Islamic republic, which began six days ago.

"Our people are being brutally slaughtered as the aggressors deliberately target civilian areas and any location they believe will inflict the maximum possible suffering and loss of life," said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei in a post on X.

A drone interception in the capital of the United Arab Emirates saw shrapnel fall to the ground that wounded six people, authorities said.

The Abu Dhabi Media Office announced the injuries Thursday, saying they happened in the capital’s ICAD II industrial area. That’s near Al Dhafra Air Base, which hosts American forces.

It identified those hurt as being from Nepal and Pakistan.

Iran's army said it had carried out drone strikes in Israel on Thursday including a radar site.

The strikes hit "targets in Tel Aviv as well as Meron radar base" in Israel's north, the army said as quoted by state TV.

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto told parliament Thursday that Italy would send "naval assets" to protect EU member Cyprus, along with Spain, France and the Netherlands.

Crosetto said the deployment would occur in the coming days.

He also said Italy would be sending "air-defence, anti-drone and anti-missile systems" to certain "strategic partners" in the Gulf, confirming a statement from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

France has allowed US aircraft on some of its bases in the Middle East during the conflict opposing the United States and Israel with Iran, the French military said Thursday.

"As part of our relations with the United States, the presence of their aircraft has been temporarily authorised on our bases" in the region, a spokeswoman for the military general staff told AFP.

"These aircraft contribute to the protection of our partners in the Gulf."

A fourth American F-15 Strike Eagle is reported to have been shot down over southwestern Iran, according to air power analyst Tom Cooper. There has been no confirmation or denial from the U.S. Air Force or the government.

Iran's internet blackout has now lasted more than 120 hours, with connectivity in the country remaining at roughly 1% of normal levels, according to independent watchdog organization NetBlocks. NetBlocks also reported that Iranian telecommunications companies are taking "Orwellian" measures, including threatening legal action against users attempting to access the global internet. The blackout has made it extremely difficult to get a complete picture of events unfolding within the country.

The Azerbaijan government has reported that two civilians were injured in an Iranian drone attack. According to the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry, one drone hit the terminal building of the airport in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, while another fell near a school in the village of Shakarabad. The attack caused damage to the airport building and resulted in injuries to two civilians. The Iranian ambassador to Azerbaijan has been summoned, the ministry said, where a "strong protest" will be conveyed and an official note of protest presented to the Iranian side.

Column of black smoke on Doha horizon following explosions, say AFP reporter

A second Iranian warship was heading towards Sri Lanka's territorial waters Thursday, a day after a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate, killing at least 87 sailors, a minister told parliament. Media minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the second Iranian warship was just outside Sri Lankan waters, but gave no further details. Official sources said the vessel was carrying more than 100 crew and feared they too could be targeted the same way a sister vessel was sunk by a US submarine just off Sri Lanka's southern coast on Wednesday. (Read More)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said military confrontation cannot provide solutions to global crises, stressing that dialogue, diplomacy and adherence to international law remain the only viable path forward. Speaking at a joint press conference in New Delhi with Alexander Stubb, the President of Finland, Modi said the world is currently facing a period of instability and uncertainty, with conflicts continuing from Ukraine to West Asia. He emphasised that India believes strongly in the rule of law and that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy rather than military confrontation.

Israel pounded Tehran with fresh strikes and Iran targeted Kurdish guerilla groups in Iraq on Thursday as a spiralling war in the Middle East engulfed the entire region. A conflict ignited Saturday with US-Israeli attacks that killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has spread rapidly, snarling global shipping and energy markets, and sowing panic and chaos in previously safe-haven Gulf nations.  In Lebanon, AFPTV images showed buildings in rubble and plumes of black smokes drifting over Beirut after Israeli strikes aimed at Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. - AFP

Ben Gurion Airport has reopened after being shut for five days following the start of joint Israeli and US military strikes on Iran. The first repatriation flight from Athens landed at the airport on Thursday morning, bringing back Israelis who had been stranded abroad. Israeli airlines are now expected to assist in flying home an estimated 100,000 Israelis who have been unable to return since the country closed its airspace on Saturday. Authorities said the reopening of Israeli airspace will take place gradually and in stages, depending on security developments.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has strongly condemned the United States over the sinking of the Iranian frigate Dena, describing the strike as an "atrocity at sea." In a post on X, Araghchi said the warship - which he described as a "guest of India's Navy" carrying nearly 130 sailors - was hit without warning in international waters about 2,000 miles from Iran's shores. "The US has perpetrated an atrocity at sea," he wrote, warning that Washington would "come to bitterly regret the precedent it has set." The Iranian frigate IRIS Dena was reportedly struck in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sri Lanka, marking a dramatic escalation in naval tensions amid the widening regional conflict.

The world's second-largest shipping company, Maersk, has suspended all cargo bookings for several Gulf countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Iraq. The move comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, which have disrupted shipping routes and raised concerns over the safety of maritime trade in the region.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday that "military assets" have been deployed to the Middle East as part of contingency planning. "I thank those Australians going into a dangerous situation in order to help their fellow Australians," Albanese told Australia's parliament. The prime minister did not provide further details about the type of assets deployed. However, SBS News reported that the assets are aircraft.

Qatar Airways has announced that it will operate relief flights from the Middle East to several European destinations on Thursday. Flights departing from Muscat, Oman, will head to London Heathrow, Berlin, Copenhagen, Madrid, Rome and Amsterdam. Another flight is scheduled to depart from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for Frankfurt. The airline said its main operations from Doha remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace. In a statement posted on X, the airline advised passengers not to travel to the airport unless they have received an official notification from Qatar Airways confirming their flight.

China announced a seven percent boost to its defence budget for 2026 on Thursday as it steadily increases spending to counter the United States and enforce its claims over Taiwan and the South China Sea. The latest rise keeps China's spending at a third of that of the United States, but the Asian power is working to close the gap. Beijing plans to spend 1.9096 trillion yuan ($276.8 billion) on defence, according to a report published at the opening of the annual "Two Sessions" parliamentary meeting. Premier Li Qiang told delegates that China will aim to strengthen the military and "carry out major defence-related projects" over the next five years. - AFP

Israeli strike kills Hamas official in Lebanon, state media reports

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has requested additional military intelligence officers from the Pentagon to support operations against Iran at its headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, according to a report by Politico. The reinforcements are expected to assist with operational planning and intelligence work for at least 100 days, and possibly through September. In a separate update on X, CENTCOM said it is continuing to target mobile missile launchers across Iran. "The effort to eliminate the Iranian regime's mobile missile launch capabilities continues," the command said. "We are finding and destroying these threats with lethal precision."

Sweden's central bank has updated its guidance, advising households to keep around 1,000 Swedish kronor (approximately $109) in cash at home due to what it described as a "deteriorating international situation," a latest Bloomberg report said. The recommendation from the Riksbank is intended to ensure that people can continue purchasing essential goods for up to a week if digital payment systems are disrupted. Aino Bunge, the bank's first deputy governor, told Swedish news agency TT that the dramatic developments in the Middle East since Saturday are part of a broader climate of international uncertainty.

China has instructed its largest oil refiners to suspend exports of diesel and gasoline, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, as escalating conflict in the Middle East raises fears of a potential energy supply crunch. Although China is a net importer of crude, it remains heavily reliant on energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, where maritime traffic is currently disrupted. Several major Asian economies also depend on the strategic waterway for oil supplies. According to energy analytics firm Kpler, the Middle East accounted for 57 percent of China's direct seaborne crude imports in 2025. Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the discussions, reported that officials from China's National Development and Reform Commission met refinery representatives and verbally directed them to temporarily halt shipments of refined fuel products with immediate effect.

India has strongly rejected claims that the United States is using its ports to launch attacks on Iran. Dismissing these assertions as inaccurate, India reaffirmed that its ports are not being used for any US military operations against Iran. "We caution you against such baseless and fabricated comments," MEAFactCheck posted on X. (Read More)

Iranian bombers came within minutes of striking the largest military base housing US troops in the Middle East before Qatari fighter jets shot them down in their first aerial combat mission, two sources briefed on the operation told CNN. On Monday morning, Iran's Revolutionary Guard dispatched two Soviet-era Su-24 tactical bombers toward Al Udeid Air Base, which typically hosts around 10,000 US service members, as well as Ras Laffan, a crucial natural gas processing hub central to Qatar's economy. One source said the Iranian jets were just "two minutes" from their targets. A second source told CNN the aircraft were visually identified and photographed carrying bombs and guided munitions.

South Korea's president ordered the activation of a $68 billion market stabilisation fund Thursday, citing the need to smooth out volatility caused by "the escalating crisis in the Middle East". "The government should... appropriately execute and manage the 100 trillion won market stabilisation programme designed to pre-empt instability in the capital market," President Lee Jae Myung said. AFP

Israel's offensive in Lebanon entered a fourth day on Thursday, with ground forces moving into several border towns and air strikes targeting the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Footage from AFPTV showed smoke billowing over Beirut's southern suburbs - a known Hezbollah stronghold - after an early morning strike. The Israeli military had earlier warned residents to evacuate the area, saying it was preparing to hit a site linked to Hezbollah. In northern Israel near the border, repeated air raid sirens sent residents rushing to shelters in multiple locations. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Lebanon was pulled into the widening Middle East conflict on Monday when Hezbollah launched attacks on Israel, citing the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes over the weekend.

Asian markets showed signs of recovery on Thursday morning after plunging in the wake of Israeli and US strikes over the weekend. South Korea's Kospi index jumped 10% in early trading, a day after suffering one of its steepest declines in decades with a 12% drop at close. Trading on the Kospi was briefly suspended on Wednesday after it slid more than 8%, triggering a circuit breaker aimed at curbing panic-driven selling. Japan's Nikkei 225 index also rose 4% in morning trade, following a 3.6% decline in the previous session. Both South Korea and Japan are major importers of Middle Eastern oil. Shipments have stalled after Iran threatened to target vessels transiting the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Nearly one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supplies pass through the crucial waterway.

Explosions were heard in Jerusalem on Thursday following warnings of incoming Iranian missile fire, AFP journalists reported, as Israel's emergency services said there were no casualties. Israel's military issued three separate alerts within less than two hours, cautioning residents about Iranian missile launches. There were no reports of major damage, and authorities later cleared residents to leave their shelters.

The Pentagon has announced that the sixth US soldier killed in the Kuwait attack is believed to be Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California. In a statement, the Pentagon said Marzan "was at the scene of the incident on March 1, 2026, in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, and is believed to be the individual who perished at the scene." The statement added that positive identification of Chief Warrant Officer 3 Marzan will be completed by the medical examiner. A photograph of Marzan has not yet been released. Six US soldiers were killed when an unmanned aircraft system bypassed air defences and struck a command centre in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait, on Sunday.

A tanker operating off the coast of Kuwait was struck by a "large explosion," leading to an oil spill, the UK maritime security agency UKMTO said. According to UKMTO, oil is leaking into the water from a damaged cargo tank, potentially posing environmental risks. The vessel has also taken on water, though no fires have been reported and the crew members are safe. The agency added that the tanker's crew observed a small watercraft fleeing the area shortly after the explosion.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday offered an emphatic assessment of the American military campaign against Iran, declaring that US forces were performing far beyond expectations as the conflict entered its fifth day.

Speaking at a White House roundtable on the Ratepayer Protection Pledge attended by technology executives, Trump said, “We’re doing well on the war front, to put it mildly. Somebody said on a scale of 10, where would you rate it? I said about a 15."

“We came here from Hyderabad on the 24th to visit Bahrain on a tourist visa. After four days, when we returned and reached the airport, while we were standing in the check-in line, bombs were dropped, missiles were dropped, counters were closed,” a man stranded in Bahrain said.

He added, “There was no proper response from the Indian embassy. We are in a very dangerous situation here.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is preparing plans to send specialists to Gulf nations to assist partners in defending against Iranian drones and missile attacks.

He revealed that he held discussions with leaders of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar on Wednesday, followed by talks with counterparts in Jordan and Bahrain on Thursday.

After meeting with senior ministers and military commanders to review the Middle East situation, Zelensky instructed officials to draft proposals for supporting allied nations - while ensuring that Ukraine's own defensive capabilities are not compromised.

In a post on X, he wrote, "Ukraine can help protect lives and stabilize the situation…"

Authorities in Qatar have begun evacuating people living "in the vicinity" of the US Embassy, describing the move as a temporary precaution. The interior ministry said the step was taken to safeguard public safety but did not provide details on what triggered the decision. Officials added that those displaced will be offered appropriate accommodation while the measure remains in place.

The IRIS Shahid Sayyad Shirazi, a Soleimani-class corvette, has been confirmed ablaze near Bandar Abbas following US strikes carried out under Operation Epic Fury. Updates from Naval News, US Central Command, and satellite imagery appear to corroborate circulating footage showing thick plumes of smoke rising from Iran's principal naval base at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz.

Admiral Brad Cooper stated that 17 Iranian naval vessels have been destroyed in the operation, including the IRIS Dena, which was reportedly sunk by a US submarine-launched torpedo near Sri Lanka.

Maritime data indicates a steep decline in vessel movement through the Strait of Hormuz, with traffic reportedly falling between 70% and 94%, according to MarineTraffic and JMIC figures, reflecting a significant slowdown in commercial shipping activity in the wake of the strikes.

Chinese nationals traveling across the Middle East are among thousands of passengers facing difficulties returning home as widespread flight cancellations and airspace restrictions continue.

Kun Wang, a traveler currently in Dubai, told CNN that he spent more than $4,350 (about 30,000 renminbi) purchasing three separate airline tickets in hopes that at least one flight would depart and allow him to leave the region.

The situation has sparked a surge of posts on Chinese social media, with users exchanging advice on alternative travel routes and sharing evacuation experiences.

One user on Xiaohongshu said they intended to rent a car for $1,450 to drive from the United Arab Emirates to Oman, then fly onward to Southeast Asia before eventually making their way back to China.

Additional drone attacks targeted two Amazon facilities in the United Arab Emirates. According to Fars News Agency, these operations are part of a wider IRGC campaign against strategic centers in Dubai and other regional locations.

Amazon Web Services said the drone strike caused structural damage, disrupted power delivery, and in some cases triggered water damage due to fire suppression measures.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps carried out a drone strike on an Amazon data center in Bahrain. The operation aimed to evaluate how such facilities support the military and intelligence operations of Tehran's rivals.

Iranians speaking to the BBC said that Tehran "feels empty" and voiced a desire for a return to normal life amid the escalating conflict.

The Pentagon confirmed that a US submarine sank the Iranian warship Iris Dena. Around 180 people were on board; 32 were rescued, and Sri Lankan authorities have recovered 80 bodies so far.

Republicans in the US Senate on Wednesday blocked a resolution that would have required President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before authorizing future military action against Tehran. At the same time, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff signaled that US forces are preparing to carry out progressively deeper strikes into Iranian territory.

Israel's military has announced a fresh wave of attacks targeting military infrastructure in Tehran as the conflict intensifies.