Key developments
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US troop deployment: Reports suggest 3,000 additional US troops may be sent to Middle East; Placement order expected soon.
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JD Vance may lead US talks: Possible peace negotiations with Iran could take place in Pakistan, with Islamabad working as a mediator.
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Iran promises “total victory”: The Iranian army vows to continue operations until complete victory is achieved.
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Israel strikes Beirut: Seven areas of southern Beirut targeted; The death toll in Lebanon has reached 1,039 since March 2.
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Israel takes control of southern Lebanon: Military to secure the area up to the Litani River; displaced residents are prohibited from returning.
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Iran’s new National Security Secretary: named a former commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as the new secretary of the country’s supreme national security council, replacing Ali Larijani, who was killed in an overnight Israeli airstrike earlier this month.
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Lebanon expels Iran’s envoy: Ambassador of Tehran declared persona non grata; Hezbollah objects.
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Energy crisis: Asia turns to coal; Crude futures bounce amid Middle East volatility.
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Pakistan offers to host talks: Islamabad signals willingness to mediate between the US and Iran.
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PM Modi calls for de-escalation: It emphasizes keeping the Strait of Hormuz open and securing the global energy supply.
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US-Israeli attacks on Iran: Target ballistic missile sites, IRGC facilities and gas infrastructure; civilian casualties are reported.
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Global reactions: Germany condemns the US-Israel war against Iran; The EU demands the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz; Qatar supports diplomatic efforts.
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Regional impact: Fuel shortage in Bangladesh; Japan to release oil reserves; Ukraine secures oil amid rising prices.
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Financial markets: US stocks rise despite uncertainty; energy markets remain volatile.
France says US ‘less and less predictable’ amid Iran war
France’s armed forces chief, Fabien Mandon, told a defense forum in Paris that while ties with Washington remain “very strong”, the US is becoming a less “predictable” ally. He criticized the US for intervening in the Middle East without informing France, saying it “affects our security and interests”.
“We have won this war,” asserts Trump
Speaking at the White House, President Donald Trump asserted, “This war has been won,” asserting that Iran has “disappeared militarily” and would be powerless if the U.S. targeted key sites such as the South Pars gas field, according to The Guardian.
Trump says US has received ‘extraordinary gift’ from Iran linked to Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump said the United States received a “very big gift” from Iran, describing it as related to oil and gas and connected to the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at the White House during the swearing-in of Sen. Markwayne Mullin as the new Homeland Security Secretary, Trump said the gift, which arrived on Tuesday, was “a great deal of money” and “very meaningful,” though he did not reveal further details.
Trump emphasized that the gift is not related to Iran’s nuclear program and insisted that the US is “talking to the right people” in Tehran who “want to make a deal so bad.” He claimed Iran had agreed it would never develop a nuclear weapon and described the current US position on Iran as “free roaming over Tehran… we can do whatever we want”.
The president did not clarify whether US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will meet with Iranian officials this week. Trump’s comments follow Tehran’s repeated denials that negotiations are underway with Washington, with Iranian officials calling such claims “fake news”.
Meanwhile, there is talk of peace talks brokered by Pakistan, which have not been confirmed by Iran.
wrapping | Iran names former Guard commander to succeed Larijani as security chief
Iran on Tuesday appointed Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a former Revolutionary Guards commander, as head of the Supreme National Security Council following the assassination of Ali Larijani by Israel. Zolghadr, with decades of experience in the Guard and government, is expected to play a key role in Iran’s war effort against US and Israeli attacks. His appointment was confirmed by President Masoud Pezeshkian and approved by Mojtaba Khamenei.
wrapping | US-Israeli strikes in Iran have destroyed more than 82,000 civilian structures across Iran
US-Israeli attacks on Iran have damaged or destroyed more than 82,000 civilian structures across the country, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS).
The head of the IRCS, Pirhossein Kolivand, has said that, “since the beginning of the war until now, 82,417 civilian units have been damaged and destroyed in airstrikes.”
“During this period, 281 medical centers were targeted, including hospitals, clinics and pharmacies,” he added.
wrapping | Pakistan’s willingness to mediate the US-Iran conflict
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Tuesday that Islamabad is “ready and honoured” to host meaningful and conclusive talks between the US and Iran to end the ongoing war in the Middle East. The offer comes amid reports of back-channel brokering efforts from Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey.
Sharif emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to diplomacy and called for restraint in media speculation pending official announcements. The United States, under Donald Trump, recently halted threatened attacks on Iranian power plants for five days, citing “productive talks” with Tehran.
Reports indicate that Pakistan’s military and intelligence officials, including Field Marshal Asim Munir and ISI chief Lt. Gen. Asim Malik, have acted as intermediaries between Washington and Tehran. Sharif also held talks with Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian, seeking de-escalation.
The mediation offer follows US-Israeli attacks on Iran since February 28, which killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and escalated the conflict across the Gulf.
Iran is reportedly loading ships for passage through the Strait of Hormuz
Iran has allegedly begun demanding transit fees from some merchant ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz,Bloombergreports. Sources cited by the newspaper said payments of up to $2 million per trip are being sought on an ad hoc basis, creating what is effectively an informal fee.
Some ships are understood to have paid, although details on the process and currency remain unclear and the system does not appear to be stable.
Iran’s embassy in India denied the reports in X, calling them “baseless” and stressing that the claims do not reflect the Islamic Republic’s official position.
The Strait of Hormuz carries about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas exports, making any potential change in control a key concern for global markets.
wrapping | Israel moves to control southern Lebanon, Beirut expels Iranian envoy
Israel says its forces will secure southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, about 30 km from the border, amid ongoing airstrikes and ground incursions. Displaced residents will not return until northern Israel is secure, Defense Minister Israel Katz says.
Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry has declared Iran’s ambassador persona non grata, giving him until Sunday to leave. Hezbollah strongly opposed the move, calling on the government to reverse it.
The three-week conflict has killed at least 1,072 people and displaced more than a million. The latest attacks hit the southern suburbs of Beirut and areas in southern and eastern Lebanon. In Bshamoun, AFP correspondents reported extensive damage to civilian homes; three people were killed, among them a three-year-old girl.
Explosions were also reported north of Beirut, believed to be the interception of an Iranian missile at sea. Israel says it has killed a member of the Hezbollah-linked Quds Force near Beirut.
Lebanese authorities have said Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are leading Hezbollah operations, and have recently banned their activities in the country. Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, hailed the expulsion of the Iranian envoy as “justified and necessary”.
wrapping | US may deploy 3,000 more troops to Middle East amid Iran tensions: Reports
The United States is preparing to send thousands of additional troops to the Middle East, according to reports from Reuters and The Wall Street Journal, signaling a further escalation of its military presence in the region.
Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter, reported that troops from the elite 82nd Airborne Division are expected to deploy, even as the Donald Trump administration continues to signal openness to talks with Iran.
The Wall Street Journal said as many as 3,000 additional troops could be sent, with a written deployment order expected in the next few hours, citing US officials.
It remains unclear where in the region the troops will be stationed or when they will arrive.
The US military referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
The move follows earlier reports of about 5,000 US Marines and sailors, along with an amphibious assault ship, deployed to the region on March 13.
While Trump has repeatedly said he does not want American “boots on the ground” in Iran, he has not ruled out the possibility.
wrapping | JD Vance may lead US side in Iran talks in Pakistan: Report
US Vice President JD Vance may lead Washington’s delegation to possible peace talks with Iran in Pakistan, according to a report fromThe Guardian.
Pakistan’s military leadership is said to be working to broker negotiations, after army chief Asim Munir held a phone call with US President Donald Trump on Sunday to discuss the conflict.
Diplomatic sources indicated that US-Iran talks could take place in Islamabad as early as this week, although the venue has not been officially confirmed and neither side has publicly agreed.
Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, is believed to be preparing to travel to Islamabad, but there is still no confirmation of Iranian participation.
wrapping | PM Modi, Trump discuss war in West Asia, emphasize keeping Strait of Hormuz open
US President Donald Trump held a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing conflict in West Asia, which has led to an energy crisis in the country.
Modi said India supports de-escalation and stressed the need to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, secure and accessible after speaking with Trump.
“Received a call from President Trump and had a useful exchange of views on the situation in West Asia. India supports de-escalation and restoration of peace as soon as possible. Ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, secure and accessible is essential to the entire world,” Modi wrote on X.
He added that the two leaders agreed to stay in touch.
