Middle East War: The escalating violence has claimed over 1,230 lives in Iran, 70 in Lebanon, and roughly a dozen in Israel, with the US reporting six military fatalities.US-Israel-Iran War: As the Middle East crisis continues to rage on for the seventh straight day, residents of Dubai have received text messages warning them about their social media usage.
Besides this, Tehran is under heavy fire after Israel said that it was hitting "regime infrastructure" in a "new phase" of the war it has launched with the US against Iran.
Moreover, US President Donald Trump on Friday said that he is not worried about gas prices rising in the US as a result of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. He said in an interview with Reuters, "If they rise, they rise."
He added, "I don't have any concern about it." “They’ll drop very rapidly when this is over, and if they rise, they rise, but this is far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit.”
Gas prices have gone up 20 cents a gallon, or 7% in just a few days.
Previously, Trump said that he wants the current leadership structure of Iran dismantled and indicated he has preferences for a "good leader" to take charge of the Islamic country.
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The escalating violence has claimed over 1,230 lives in Iran, 70 in Lebanon, and roughly a dozen in Israel, with the US reporting six military fatalities. In the wake of Iranian retaliatory strikes, the US Embassy in Kuwait suspended operations as a security precaution.
Beyond the human toll, the conflict is destabilising the global economy—driving up oil prices, shaking financial markets, and creating significant bottlenecks in the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.
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Middle East Conflict: Check the latest developments on BusinessToday.In
While speaking at the Raisina Dialogues in New Delhi, Iran Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh said, "President Trump is asking for a leadership change in Iran, while he can't even appoint the mayor of New York...Can you imagine this colonial approach? While he would like to see democracy at home, he would like to topple the democratically elected president of Iran."
Jomhuri Avenue, a major shopping street and one of the busiest parts of Tehran, was among the areas hit by intense Israeli bombardment on Friday morning. According to Iran's state broadcaster IRIB, parts of Jomhuri Street, Jami BRT station and a house in a nearby residential area were reduced to debris.
Earlier, the Israeli military said that it had launched a "broad-scale wave of strikes" targeting key regime infrastructure in Tehran.
The Iranian leadership council met and discussed how to hold a meeting of the country's Assembly of Experts, an 88-member panel which will select the nation's new Supreme Leader. The council includes President Masoud Pezeshkian, judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi and cleric Ayatollah Ali Reza Arafi.
According to Iranian state TV, no timeline has been provided on the selection of the Supreme Leader. No information has been given on whether the Assembly of Experts would meet in person or remotely for the vote.
Buildings associated with the Assembly of Experts have been attacked during the raging war.
Messages attributed to Dubai Police saying that "photographing or sharing security or critical sites, or reposting unreliable information, may result in legal action and compromise national security and stability" have been doing the rounds in Dubai. There was no elaboration of any sort in the message.
Bahrain has also issued a similar but sterner warning to its residents.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that 370 people from the state are stranded in the Gulf amid the escalating conflict in the region, and his government is actively coordinating with the Centre to ensure their safe return.
-- PTI
Due to the worsening conflict in the Middle East, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has cancelled all examinations scheduled from March 7-11 for class 10 students. Exams scheduled for March 2, 5, and 6, which were initially postponed, have also been cancelled.
"The mode of declaration of results for Class X candidates in the Middle East will be notified separately in due course," the Indian Embassy's statement read. It added that exams scheduled for class 12 students on March 7 have also been postponed and that revised dates would be announced later.
"The Board will review the situation on Saturday, 07 Marchb 2026 and issue appropriate directions regarding examinations scheduled from Monday, 09 March 2026 onwards. All Class XII students are advised to remain in close contact with their schools and follow official announcements closely."
Indian budget carrier IndiGo will operate 17 departures to 8 destinations across the Middle East on Friday. Moreover, Air India Express will continue scheduled flights to and from Muscat on the same day. Additional flights are also being operated from Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah to repatriate stranded Indians.
Besides this, Emirates will operate around 100 flights today.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is weighing a move to freeze billions of dollars’ worth of Iranian assets held within its banking system. If implemented, the step could sharply restrict Tehran’s access to crucial foreign currency reserves and international trade channels at a time when tensions with the US and Israel have escalated militarily, according to the Wall Street Journal.
