America and Israel continue to launch attacks on Iran, for the first time targeting oil storage facilities and refineries.

Explosion after the attack on Azadi Tower near Tehran Mehrabad International Airport on March 7, 2026. [AFP]

America and Israel continue to carry out large-scale attacks on Iran, including an attack on an oil storage facility on Saturday. The conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran has expanded to the Gulf region as well as Lebanon and Iraq.

Iran said that the United States will pay a price for starting a war and will continue to conduct retaliatory strikes against Israel, as well as military facilities of the United States in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Despite Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's promise on Saturday that Iran would stop attacking these countries if their territories are not used to attack Iran.

Here is the latest update on the ninth day of the war:

Iranian side

Military attacks and rising casualties: America and Israel continue to launch large-scale attacks on Iran, and have for the first time targeted the country's oil storage facilities and refineries. Late Saturday, local media captured footage of a large fire at the Shahran oil depot in the suburbs of Tehran. The Israeli military claimed responsibility for the attack on fuel storage facilities and related locations, stating that these facilities were linked to the Iranian armed forces. Since the attacks launched by Israel and the US on February 28, at least 1,332 people have been killed.

American demands: US President Donald Trump continues to demand Iran's "unconditional surrender." Late Saturday, he said the war would continue "for some time," but emphasized that Washington does not seek a "settlement with Tehran."

Maritime threats and movements: The Iranian military confirmed that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, but clearly stated it would strike any American or Israeli ships attempting to pass through the strait. On Saturday, when asked about why traffic through the strait was disrupted, Trump said it was the choice of the ships themselves and claimed that Washington had "destroyed" the Iranian navy.

Relations with neighboring countries: President Pezeshkian reiterated that Tehran hopes to maintain good relations with "brotherly" neighbors and said the enemy is trying to create divisions. According to a report by Iran's state television on Saturday, Pezeshkian said his remarks were "misinterpreted" by the "enemy who tries to create division among neighboring countries." Meanwhile, countries in the Gulf region reported being attacked by Iranian drones.

New leadership in Iran: Ayatollah Mohammad-Mehdi Mirbagheri, a member of the Iranian Assembly of Experts, hinted that the successor to the assassinated Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been determined. In a video posted on Telegram by Fars News Agency, Mirbagheri said that "great efforts" have been made to determine the leadership and "decisive consensus" has been reached.

War crimes: Human Rights Watch said that an attack on a school in southern Iran resulted in at least 160 deaths, many of whom were students, and should be investigated as a war crime. A report by Al Jazeera also found that the attack on the school was likely "intentional," while The New York Times reported that the attack may have been carried out by the United States.

Intelligence reports: According to a report by The Washington Post, a report from the US National Intelligence Council found that a US-led "massive" attack on Iran is unlikely to overthrow the Iranian government. The report also noted that the possibility of the dispersed opposition controlling the country is "not high."

Petroleum trade: The war has disrupted global markets, with oil prices surging to record highs, and the Strait of Hormuz has effectively been blocked. Within a week of the war breaking out, Brent crude prices rose by 27%, marking the largest weekly increase since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Gulf countries

Bahrain: The Bahraini Ministry of Interior said that an Iranian drone attacked a desalination plant in Bahrain, causing material damage. The day before, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed that the US had attacked a freshwater desalination plant on the southern island of Qeshm, setting a "precedent." After Bahrain issued a statement, Iran had not immediately commented. Most residents of the Gulf region rely mainly on desalinated water for their daily water needs.

Qatar, Kuwait, and the UAE: Despite Iran's president's assurance that it would not attack neighboring countries, all three countries reported that their territories were attacked by missiles and drones. Kuwait said two border guards were killed while on duty and that its international airports and other locations were attacked.

Security agencies also caused fires.

UAE: According to a statement by the UAE Ministry of Defense, the attacks by Iran on the UAE have resulted in four deaths.

The UAE Ministry of Defense also reported that the air defense forces successfully intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones.

Saudi Arabia: The Saudi government said that the attack on the diplomatic area in Riyadh was thwarted, and several drones were shot down in its airspace.

Gulf Cooperation Council: The Gulf Cooperation Council said that Iran's continuous attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait are "dangerous acts of aggression" that threaten regional security and stability. The organization consists of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Arab League: Secretary-General Ahmed Abou Ghat said that Iran's attacks on multiple member states "have no excuse or justification to defend them."

Air travel and evacuation updates: After widespread closures of regional airspace and flight cancellations, Qatar's Hamad International Airport has partially restored air navigation through a dedicated "emergency route." Qatar Airways operated special flights from London, Paris, Madrid, Rome, Frankfurt, and Bangkok to Doha on Sunday. According to the airport website, all flights landed safely.

Israeli side

Iranian attacks: The Israeli military said that Iran fired several missiles at Israel. Air raid alerts were sounded in the southern regions of Israel, including the Negev Desert.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) described this attack as the 27th wave of the "True Promise Operation."

Hezbollah: The group issued a statement saying that it launched multiple attacks on Israeli military targets and northern cities, including the Mishgav base in northern Israel. Hezbollah called the base a logistics facility.

Casualties: The Israeli military said that two Israeli soldiers were killed in fighting in southern Lebanon, marking the first Israeli soldiers killed since Israel re-opened hostilities with Hezbollah.

The Israeli rescue authorities reported that three people were injured by shrapnel, including a 40-year-old man with serious injuries.

United States

War timeline: President Trump said the war will last "for some time," and that the progress for US forces is "incredibly good." The White House said the campaign could last four to six weeks.

US military casualties: The caskets of six US soldiers who died in Iran's retaliatory attacks have arrived in the United States. As commander-in-chief of the US military, Trump presided over the arrival ceremony of the fallen soldiers' caskets. He called their sacrifice a "very sad day" for the United States.

New threats from the Pentagon: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued new threats to Iran. "If you kill Americans, if you threaten Americans anywhere on earth, we will pursue you without hesitation or apology, and we will kill you," he said on X.

Nuclear arsenal: According to Axios, the US and Israel have discussed the possibility of deploying special forces to seize Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The news outlet said that this mission is likely to take place in the "later stages" of the war.

Embassy explosion: Norwegian police said that the explosion at the US embassy overnight caused no casualties and may be an act of "terrorism," but the police are also investigating other motives.

Lebanon, Iraq

The Israeli army bombed a hotel in the center of Beirut, killing at least four people and injuring ten others. The Israeli military said the target was "key commanders of the Quds Force's Lebanese unit," who were active in Beirut at the time.

Lebanese Health Minister Rakhan Nasraddin said at a press conference that Israeli attacks over the past week have killed 394 people, including 83 children and 42 women.

Early Sunday morning, Israel launched an attack on the southern suburbs of the capital of Beirut.

Israel warned residents of the villages of Al-Nu'man, Yohmour, Zara'iyeh East, and Zara'iyeh West in the south of Lebanon, saying that an attack is imminent and ordered them to evacuate the northern part of Nabatea province immediately.

Hezbollah said that its attacks targeted the Israeli army stationed in the town of Marbath in southern Lebanon.

An increasing number of residents have fled areas including Tyre and the southern suburbs of Beirut, Dahiyeh. Schools in Beirut are now being used as shelters.

According to Rudaw, Kurdish forces "Peshmerga" shot down a drone in the Kurdish-populated area of Sulaimaniyah in northern Iraq. The area had previously been subjected to a series of air strikes.

Trump said he did not want Kurdish participation in the war to make the situation "more complicated than it is now." Previously, several media outlets reported that Trump was actively negotiating with Iranian and Iraqi Kurdish forces, with Washington hoping to use them to incite public uprisings.

Colonel Haydar Khalqi said that since the war between the US and Israel against Iran broke out, neither the Iraqi military nor members of the Kurdish "Peshmerga" forces have entered Iranian territory.

Source: Al Jazeera

Original: toutiao.com/article/7614924332599165475/

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