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LIVE UPDATES: Middle East Tensions Mount After Strikes on Iran – Day 10

Sputnik International

Tensions across the Middle East continue to escalate following the large-scale military campaign launched by the US and Israel against Iran on February 28.

2026-03-09T09:37+0000

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LIVE UPDATES: Middle East Tensions Mount After Strikes on Iran – Day 10

09:37 GMT 09.03.2026

Tensions across the Middle East continue to escalate following the large-scale military campaign launched by the US and Israel against Iran on February 28.

Iran has launched overnight missile and drone strikes across Iraq, Jordan, and the Gulf states following a fresh wave of Israeli attacks. The operation comes as Iran's Assembly of Experts formally appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the nation's new Supreme Leader, ensuring continuity of the Islamic Revolution's principles amid the escalating conflict.

At least 32 were injured in Bahrain, while a US base near Erbil was targeted as the IRGC expands its retaliatory campaign.

Follow Sputnik's live updates for more!

Table of contents

New firstOld first

16:51 GMT 09.03.2026

IDF Says It Struck IRGC UAV HQ as Israel Expands Attacks on Iran’s Drone and Missile Infrastructure

16:48 GMT 09.03.2026

Trump Says US 'Nowhere Near' Decision to Send Ground Troops to Iranian Nuclear Site

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he is "nowhere near" ordering US boots on the ground to "safeguard" nuclear material at Iran's Isfahan nuclear facility.

"We haven't made any decision on that. We're nowhere near it," Trump told The New York Post when asked about discussions on a possible US deployment to the site.

On March 2, Iranian Vice President and head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Eslami said that the United States and Israel launched two series of strikes on the Iranian nuclear facility in Natanz on March 1.

On March 4, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported damage to two buildings near the Isfahan nuclear site.

13:45 GMT 09.03.2026

Iran Hits 5 US Bases in Mideast, Israeli Bases in Tel Aviv, Haifa Area - IRGC

Iran has attacked five US strategic bases in the Middle East, as well as Israeli bases in the Tel Aviv and Haifa area, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday.

"The Heroes of the IRGC aerospace forces ... delivered powerful strikes against five US strategic bases in the region, especially the area of the 5th fleet of the US Navy, as well as the military bases of the Zionist regime in the area of Tel Aviv and Haifa," the IRGC said in a statement, as quoted by the Tasnim news agency.

13:45 GMT 09.03.2026

IRGC Says Conducted New Wave of Attacks on US, Israeli Targets Using Super-Heavy Missiles

Iran's military has carried out a new wave of attacks on US and Israeli targets using super-heavy missiles, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday.

"With the use of powerful super-heavy missiles against American-Zionist targets, the thirty-first wave of Operation True Promise 4 was carried out," the IRGC said in a statement.

13:44 GMT 09.03.2026

Qatar's Air Defense Repels Missile Attack on Country's Territory - Defense Ministry

Qatar's air defense forces repelled a missile attack on the country's territory, the Qatari Defense Ministry said on Monday.

"The Qatari armed forces intercepted a new missile attack aimed at the country's territory," the ministry said in a statement.

12:14 GMT 09.03.2026

Iran's New Supreme Leader Not Under EU Sanctions - EU Commission

New Supreme Leader of Iran Mojtaba Khamenei is not under sanctions of the European Union, European Commission spokesman Anouar El Anouni said on Monday.

The EU has taken a note of the announcement of the election of a new supreme leader in Iran, the spokesman said.

"Mojtaba Khamenei is not subject to European sanctions, decisions to any new measures are taken by the council," he told reporters.

12:14 GMT 09.03.2026

Israel Attacks 2 Civil Defense Posts in Southern Lebanon, Leaving Casualties - Gov't

Israeli aircraft attacked two civil defense posts in southern Lebanon, leaving casualties, the Lebanese Ministry of Health said on Monday.

"The Israeli enemy continues to systematically target ambulance crews. Two civil defense posts were attacked: the first near the municipality of Tayr Debba, where one rescuer was killed and two were injured, the second in Jwaya, where one rescuer was killed and four others were injured," the ministry said in a statement.

12:13 GMT 09.03.2026

IDF Says Launching New Airstrikes Simultaneously in Tehran, Isfahan, Southern Iran

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Monday that it is launching new airstrikes simultaneously in Tehran, Isfahan and southern Iran.

"Initial report - the IDF has just begun a wide-scale wave of strikes against infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime across Tehran, Isfahan, and southern Iran," the IDF wrote on Telegram.

11:28 GMT 09.03.2026

IRGC Says Attacked US Helicopter Base in Kuwait

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday that it had attacked a US helicopter base in Kuwait.

"The IRGC Navy attacked the Al-Adiri helicopter base in Kuwait with various types of UAVs and missiles this morning during an offensive operation against American terrorists," IRGC said in a statement, as quoted by the Fars news agency.

11:27 GMT 09.03.2026

Iran Hits Radar of US Base 'Site 512' in Israel, Hangars With US Equipment in Kuwait

"The Iranian army attacked ... targets with the help of drones ... the early warning radar station of the US base 'Site 512' in the occupied territories, as well as American collection centers and equipment depots at the Al-Adiri camp in Kuwait," the Iranian army said in a statement, as quoted by the IRIB broadcaster.

11:27 GMT 09.03.2026

Trump Says 'Not Happy' With Khamenei’s Son Election as Iran’s Leader

US President Donald Trump said that he was "not happy" with the election of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son Mojtaba as Iran’s Supreme Leader and that he would be watching developments closely.

"I am not happy [with the election of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's supreme leader]," Trump was quoted as saying by Fox News reporter Brian Kilmeade on Sunday.

Also, Trump told Israeli newspaper The Times of Israel that he would be observing developments surrounding the election of Iran's new supreme leader.

"We’ll see what happens," Trump told the newspaper without providing any further details.

Earlier in the day, Iran's Council of Experts confirmed that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in strikes by the US and Israel, had been elected as the new supreme leader of the Islamic Republic.

10:16 GMT 09.03.2026

Russia

Putin Congratulates Mojtaba Khamenei on His Election as Supreme Leader of Iran

10:16 GMT

09:53 GMT 09.03.2026

Tehran on Truce: Iran Will Retaliate While Military Aggression Against It Underway

While there is military aggression against Iran, it is inappropriate to talk about anything other than Iran's retaliatory measures, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday.

"The military aggression continues. In the current circumstances, it is not very inappropriate to talk about anything unrelated to defense, a crushing response to the enemy," Baghaei told reporters, as quoted by the SNN broadcaster.

09:46 GMT 09.03.2026

Iranian Foreign Ministry Says United States Wants to Gain Access to Iranian Oil Resources

The US wants to gain access to Iranian oil resources, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday.

"There is no doubt about what the US goal is, so far now no one has doubted that the US goal is to gain access to oil resources," Baqaei told reporters, as quoted by the SNN broadcaster.

09:46 GMT 09.03.2026

Iran Did Not Carry Out Attacks on Cyprus, Turkey, Azerbaijan - Iranian Foreign Ministry

The Iranian armed forces did not carry out attacks on Cyprus, Turkey and Azerbaijan, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday.

"As for Azerbaijan, Turkey and Cyprus, the General Staff of the armed forces [of Iran] has clearly and officially stated that there have been no such rocket launches from the territory of Iran or the armed forces," Baqaei told reporters, as quoted by the SNN broadcaster.

09:45 GMT 09.03.2026

Witkoff, Kushner Cancel Visit to Israel Scheduled for March 10 - Reports

US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and son-in-law Jared Kushner have canceled their visit to Israel scheduled for March 10, Israel's Channel 12 reported on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Axios reported about their planned visit.

09:44 GMT 09.03.2026

Israel Attacks Southern Suburbs of Beirut - Eyewitnesses

Israeli combat aircraft attacked the Sfeir area in the southern suburbs of Beirut, eyewitnesses told Sputnik on Monday.

"Israeli planes attacked apartment buildings in the Sfeir area in the southern suburbs," one of the eyewitnesses said.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed new attacks on the Hezbollah movement's infrastructure in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahieh.

"The IDF is now striking Hezbollah infrastructure in the Dahieh area in Beirut. Details to follow," the IDF wrote on Telegram.

09:44 GMT 09.03.2026

Iran Carries Out 30th Wave of Missile, Drone Strikes on Israeli, US Targets – IRGC

The Iranian armed forces have carried out the 30th wave of strikes against the US and Israeli targets in the Middle East with the use of drones and hypersonic and ballistic missiles, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Monday.

"Simultaneously with the election of new Supreme Leader [Mojtaba Khamenei] … the 30th wave of Operation True Promise 4 was conducted with 100% success targeting US terrorist bases in the region and northern occupied territories using Khorramshahr, Fattah, Kheibar missiles on liquid and solid fuel, as well as strategic drones," the IRGC said, as quoted by the state-run IRIB broadcaster.

Also on Monday, the Bahraini National Communication Centre said that the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) facility in the village of Maameer caught fire after an Iranian strike. Later, it added that the strike caused no material damage and the firefighting teams had contained the blaze.

09:43 GMT 09.03.2026

No Strikes on Bushehr NPP, Construction Site of New Units Recorded - Russia's Rosatom

The situation in the area of the Iranian Bushehr nuclear power plant (NPP) remains difficult, but no strikes have been recorded on it or on the construction site of new power units, Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev said.

"The situation in the Bushehr NPP area remains difficult. But, fortunately, there were no strikes on the plant itself, nor on the construction site and staff settlements," Likhachev told the Strana Rosatom newspaper.

Part of the Russian staff is currently involved in the maintenance of equipment at the construction site of the new power units of the Iranian Bushehr NPP, the corporation head said, adding that the main work there has been temporarily suspended.

"Our priority in the current situation in Iran is to ensure the safety of Russian personnel working on the construction of units 2 and 3 of the Bushehr NPP. That is over 600 people," Likhachev said.

The Rosatom head added that he regularly informs the Russian leadership about the situation both at the Bushehr NPP site in Iran and among Russian employees.

"I know that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not only keeping the situation under control, but is also personally involved in ensuring the safety of our employees," Likhachev said.

Additionally, Rosatom has set up a permanent hotline for relatives of Russian employees working on the construction of new units at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant, the head said.

"We have completed preparations for the second stage of staff optimization, namely the evacuation of family members and part of the staff to Russia. We will be moving them to a safe place in the near future," Likhachev said.

09:42 GMT 09.03.2026

Saudi Arabia Aware of Danger of Escalation of Conflict in Middle East – Foreign Minister

Saudi Arabia is well aware of the danger of an escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and consistently shows maximum restraint, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said on Monday.

"Saudi Arabia is well aware of the danger of an escalation of the conflict and consistently shows maximum restraint," the minister said at a meeting with Chinese Special Envoy for the Middle East Zhai Jun, as quoted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.