US Israel Iran War LIVE: He added that Iran was negotiating with the US, and the latter attacked them. US-Israel-Iran War: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any strike on Iran’s energy facilities will be met with retaliation against US-backed companies operating in the region. He said Tehran will respond directly if its oil or gas infrastructure is targeted. Iran also stated that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, but restrictions apply to vessels belonging to “enemies and their allies.”
US President Donald Trump threatened heavy strikes on Iranian boats and coastal positions amid rising tensions in the Gulf, warning of strong military action. He also urged countries including China, Japan, France, and the UK to deploy naval ships to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian naval forces have launched strikes on US military bases in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, according to Iranian state media, marking a sharp escalation in tensions in the Gulf region. IRGC navy chief Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said the attacks targeted radar systems, aircraft and fuel storage facilities at the al-Dhafra and Sheikh Isa bases.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also warned that US interests in the UAE, including ports and military sites, are now legitimate targets after recent American strikes on Iranian positions. Meanwhile, Iran criticised US oil policy, saying Washington is now urging countries, including India, to buy Russian crude amid supply concerns triggered by the conflict.
As the West Asia conflict involving Iran and the US-Israel enters its 15th day, Dr Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader in India, countered US President Donald Trump's claim that Tehran wants to negotiate with Washington DC.
The representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader in India said that Iran would "never ever" negotiate with the Trump administration, adding that the US started this war. He added that Iran was negotiating with the US, and the latter attacked them.
His comments come after Trump claimed in a Truth Social post on Saturday morning that Iran is "totally defeated" and wants a deal that he would not accept. Meanwhile, Indian low-cost airline Akasa Air said on Saturday that it would apply a fuel surcharge on all its domestic and international flights starting March 15 (Sunday) due to the significant increase in the prices of aviation turbine fuel (ATF).
Akasa Air will introduce a fuel surcharge ranging from ₹199 to ₹1,300 on its domestic and international routes. With this announcement, Akasa Air has joined the likes of IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express.
The airlines have levied fuel surcharge as crude oil prices have gone up by more than 40 per cent in just 15 days amid the raging war in West Asia, which has disrupted global energy supply via the Strait of Hormuz. By Saturday, crude oil prices surged to around $103 per barrel from $73 per barrel a day before the war began on February 28.
If the disruptions at Hormuz continue, Middle Eastern crude supply outages could rise to 10 million barrels per day by the end of the month. As of March 13, supply outages reached 8 million barrels per day, according to Kpler estimates.
Also Read: Crude oil prices surge over 40% in a fortnight as West Asia conflict enters third week
Previously, Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency reported that oil infrastructure on Kharg Island was not damaged as a result of US forces' strikes on the island. Kharg Island handles around 90 per cent of Iran's crude exports, making it a critical point for global energy markets.
The confirmation came after Trump threatened that if Tehran continues to disrupt shipping movement at the Strait of Hormuz, its oil infrastructure could be affected. Meanwhile, US Interior Secretary Doug Burghum said that the US can provide a "reliable" energy supply to the Asia-Pacific. Burghum's comments come at a time when continued disruptions at the strategically vital Hormuz waterway have resulted in skyrocketing oil and gas prices worldwide.
The live blog is closed now.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned on Saturday that any attack on Iran’s energy infrastructure would be met with retaliation against facilities linked to US-backed companies in the region, raising fears of further escalation in the Iran-US-Israel conflict. He said Tehran would respond if its oil or gas installations were targeted. Iran also stated that the Strait of Hormuz is not fully closed but restrictions apply to vessels belonging to “enemies and their allies.” The warning comes amid rising tensions in the Gulf, with concerns growing over global energy supplies as the Strait of Hormuz carries a large share of the world’s oil and LNG shipments.
US President Donald Trump threatened heavy strikes on Iranian boats and coastal positions amid rising tensions in the Gulf, warning of strong military action.
He also urged countries including China, Japan, France, and the UK to deploy naval ships to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump on Saturday warned of strong military action against Iranian naval assets and coastal positions, saying the United States would respond forcefully to any threat to shipping and security in the Gulf region amid the escalating Israel-Iran conflict.
Speaking during a briefing, Trump said the US military was prepared to intensify strikes if Iranian forces continued hostile actions at sea. “We will be bombing the hell out of the shoreline, and we will keep shooting Iranian boats and ships out of the water,” he said, signalling a tougher stance as tensions remain high in West Asia.
The remarks come as concerns grow over the safety of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil shipping routes. Trump called on major global powers to help secure the waterway, saying the responsibility should not rest on the United States alone.
He said countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom should deploy naval ships to the region to ensure that the passage remains open and safe for global trade. According to Trump, keeping the Strait of Hormuz secure is essential for energy supply and international stability.
The US president also addressed reports of attacks on American military assets in the region, saying a Saudi-based facility had been targeted but the damage was limited. He said four out of five aircraft affected in the incident suffered only minor damage and had already returned to service.
Iranian naval forces have carried out strikes on US military positions in the Gulf region, targeting bases in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, according to Iranian state media, as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to intensify.
Iranian reports quoted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy chief Admiral Alireza Tangsiri as saying that Iranian forces launched “several consecutive waves” of attacks on US assets at the al-Dhafra base in Abu Dhabi and the Sheikh Isa base in Bahrain. The strikes were said to have targeted radar systems, aircraft and fuel storage facilities, though there was no immediate confirmation from US authorities.
The IRGC also warned that American interests in the United Arab Emirates, including ports, docks and military installations, would be treated as legitimate targets following recent US strikes on Iranian positions. Residents in the UAE were advised to stay away from such locations to avoid civilian casualties.
Meanwhile, Iran criticised US oil policy, saying Washington had earlier pressured India to cut Russian crude imports but is now urging purchases after the conflict tightened global supply, raising fears of wider disruption to energy markets.
As tensions remain high in the West Asia region, 22 Indian-flagged vessels are still present in and around the Strait of Hormuz, while two LPG carriers have safely crossed the strategic waterway and are on their way to India, government officials said on Saturday.
Rajesh Kumar Sachdeva, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, said the LPG carriers Shivalik and Nanda Devi have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz and are expected to reach Indian ports on March 16 and 17. The vessels are heading towards Mundra and Kandla ports after crossing the key shipping route earlier in the day.
Officials said the government is closely tracking the movement of Indian ships in the region to ensure their safety amid the ongoing conflict and rising security concerns in the Persian Gulf.
Rajesh K. Sinha, Special Secretary in the Shipping Ministry, said all Indian sailors in the Persian Gulf region are safe and constant communication is being maintained with ships operating in the area. He confirmed that 22 Indian-flagged vessels remain in the Strait of Hormuz and nearby waters, and authorities are monitoring the situation round the clock.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, through which a large share of global crude oil and liquefied petroleum gas shipments pass. Any disruption in the route can affect energy supplies to several countries, including India, which depends heavily on imports for its fuel needs.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs said Iranian authorities arranged a chartered flight from Kochi to evacuate their nationals stranded in India, including tourists, diplomats and non-essential crew members of an Iranian vessel currently docked at Kochi port. Officials said the flight departed on Friday night.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that US interests in the UAE, including ports, docks and military locations, are "legitimate targets" after the US CENTCOM attacked Iranian islands. In a statement accessed by Reuters, the IRGC requested residents in the UAE to evacuate areas around ports, docks, and US military shelters to avoid civilian casualties.
The Centre on Saturday said that a viral video on social media claiming that Iran launched a heavy strike on an Indian oil tanker is fake. It further claimed that this is an AI generated video, advising citizens to remain alert against such sensational and fake content on social media.
Iranian authorities have arrested 54 supporters of exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi following a three-day crackdown on an alleged plot to incite nationwide riots.
According to state-linked Fars News Agency, officials "neutralized" 11 members of a monarchist faction during the 72-hour operation.
Additionally, police detained two individuals accused of spying for Israel and the United States. The suspects were reportedly caught photographing sensitive locations.
India on Saturday repatriated the non-essential crew members of the Iranian ship that has been docked in Keralam's Kochi, India Today reported.
Iran's Culture Ministry said that at least 56 of the country's cultural sites, including museums and historical monuments, have suffered "serious structural damage" due to the joint US-Israel strikes since the war began on February 28. The ministry said in a statement that Tehran province reported the highest number of damaged monuments at 19, followed by the Kurdistan province (12).
After a drone attack by Iran and resultant fire, some oil operations have reportedly been halted at the Fujairah oil terminal in the UAE.
Middle Eastern crude supply outages reached 8 million barrels per day (Mbd) on March 13 and may rise to 10 Mbd by the end of the month if the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted, according to Kpler estimates.
Iranian Army Commander-in-Chief Amir Hatami on Saturday warned that the killing of 104 crew members from the frigate IRIS Dena "will not go unanswered", Iran's IRNA news agency reported. IRIS Dena was returning from a military exercise on March 4 when the US Navy submarine USS Charlotte torpedoed and sank the Iranian frigate in international waters approximately 25-40 nautical miles off the Sri Lankan coast.
Hatami added that the crew completed a peaceful mision and were targeted while on the way back to Iran despite not being engaged in a direct battle. He further said that the sailors' sacrifice would remain a symbol of courage in the history of Iranian Navy.
The Fujairah oil terminal, which handles around 2 million barrels per day of UAE exports, has reportedly been hit by Iran in retaliation for the joint US-Israeli actions against Tehran.
Crisis in Gulf countries: US tanker struck, set on fire in Sharjah, says report
Donald Trump said at a Florida debate, "You're going to see a big decrease in the price of gasoline, gas, anything having to do with energy as soon as this is ended."
