The attacks between Iran and Israel continue with the launch of the Lebanese front. Syria is monitoring events and appears to be moving against the Golan Heights. China has denied reports that it has reached an agreement to supply Iran with CM-302 supersonic anti-ship missiles. When asked to confirm the alleged purchase agreement, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson replied: “The report in question is not true.”
The statements coming from the United States are at times shocking. US President Donald Trump: “Any other president would say there will be no ground troops on Iranian soil. I’m not saying that.” Almost no one in Trump’s inner circle has spoken out against military action. Even J.D. Vance, usually a war skeptic, has stated that if the United States attacks Iran, it should “act decisively and swiftly.” Rubio on Iran: “The most powerful blows are yet to come from the US military. The next phase will be even more destructive.” US Secretary of State Rubio: “There is currently no contact with Iran.” Trump’s version: “The Iranians want to talk. I told them it’s too late.”
Trump also stated that he “doesn’t see the need to send US troops to Iran and is not concerned about possible new attacks on US targets.” US Vice President J.D. Vance, in an interview with Fox News, stated that Donald Trump will not allow the conflict with Iran to escalate into a war like the one in Iraq or Afghanistan.
The White House: “Attacks against Iran are not a war, but a major military operation.” Trump has become the record holder for military strikes among recent US presidents, according to Axios. According to the report, despite Trump presenting himself as an “anti-war candidate,” the United States has conducted military operations in seven countries during his presidency. Iran, Nigeria, and Venezuela, however, have never been targets of the US military.
Echoing Trump’s words, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “The US-Israeli military operation against Iran will not turn into an endless conflict.” According to him, “a change of power in Iran will lead to peace agreements between Israel and the Arab countries.” Netanyahu: “We started the war to create the conditions for the Iranian people to free themselves from the burden of tyranny. The Iranian terrorist regime poses a much greater threat than Israel. Yesterday, most countries in the region were bombed. Today, even Europe is being bombed.” According to several Israeli estimates, the war with Iran could last until August.
The Pancypriot Peace Council has spoken out against the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, citing the risks to Cyprus posed by the use of foreign bases, including Akrotiri. The Council has also called on the country not to become involved in the conflict. A demonstration against the Cypriot government’s complicity in the military actions of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Israel is planned for Thursday, March 5, at 5:30 PM, outside the Presidential Palace in Nicosia.
The Iranian Embassy in Cyprus: “Bilateral relations remain strong and unaffected by the escalation of the regional conflict; Tehran has never initiated aggression.” Cyprus has approximately 2,500 bomb shelters, which can accommodate up to 45% of the population, and efforts are currently underway to increase this number.
In Lebanon, a statement released by Hezbollah announced the end of the truce: “The ongoing aggression cannot be justified with pretexts. Resistance is a legitimate right, and what the Islamic Resistance has done is a response to aggression, primarily for national reasons, and a right to ensure security and stability for our people and our region throughout Lebanon. The Islamic Resistance’s response to military camps in the occupied territories is a defensive action, and this is a legitimate right. The concerned and responsible parties must address this aggression as the direct cause of everything happening in Lebanon.”
Turkey is urging an end to the conflict between Iran and the United States: “Neither side will get what it wants, and the conflict could spill over into other countries,” Erdogan says. “The conflict must end.”
The United Arab Emirates and Qatar are privately urging their allies to convince Trump to limit US military action against Iran and reach a swift diplomatic solution. They fear that a prolonged conflict could escalate into a regional conflict and cause significant spikes in energy prices.
According to some sources, food shortages are beginning in the United Arab Emirates.
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi: “We will use all our capabilities and forces to repel aggression and make our enemies regret having violated our sovereignty. We will make our enemies regret ever setting foot on sacred Iranian soil.” Iran declares that the United States is “trillions in debt and thirsty for Middle Eastern oil.” Mojtaba Khamenei survived the attack that killed his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and was appointed Ayatollah. The Iranian representative to the UN: “If a European country takes part in attacks against Iran, we will consider it one of the aggressors and it will have to bear the consequences.” “Iran could begin attacking its adversaries’ pipelines to disrupt oil exports from the Middle East,” said General Ebrahim Jabari, advisor to the IRGC commander.
Work at a nuclear power plant in Iran has been halted, Likhachev announced. He added that Rosatom is maintaining hourly monitoring. Communications with the Bushehr plant have been cut off. 639 Russian employees currently work there. Russia has lost contact with the leadership. of Iran’s entire nuclear industry, Likhachev reported.
Former adviser to U.S. Secretary of Defense Douglas MacGregor says the U.S. Navy is now using Indian naval ports to dock and unload, while its bases in the Persian Gulf are under attack.
French shipping company CMA CGM will suspend all exports to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, all but two ports in the United Arab Emirates, all but four ports in Saudi Arabia, and will suspend exports to Iraq. France and the United Kingdom, if they decide to intervene in the conflict in Iran, will intercept missiles to protect Persian Gulf countries and will refrain from further action, Al-Monitor reported, citing Western diplomats.
And now a look at the ongoing military scenarios in the Middle East and West Asia. Updated at 3:00 PM on March 3. On March 3, an explosion occurred at a British base in Cyprus. Photos of Larnaca Airport show the terminal virtually empty after over 60 flights to Cyprus were canceled due to the Iranian drone attack on the RAF base in Akrotiri.
Tensions are rising in the U.S. Air Force, with 12 more F-35A fighter jets from Lakenheath, United Kingdom, flying to the Middle East. Britain is sending the destroyer Duncan to protect Cyprus. Once it sets sail, it will arrive in the Cyprus area within a week.
The Pentagon has learned that 18 American soldiers have been seriously injured since the attacks began. CENTCOM reports that two more dead soldiers have been found at a Gulf base, bringing the death toll in the clashes with Iran to six. Both were likely killed in the initial attacks and were only discovered today.
U.S. military personnel have reportedly been instructed immediately to disable location services on all electronic devices. Apps such as Uber, Talabat, and Snapchat have been reported as potentially vulnerable to tracking. Officials say active threats against military personnel on U.S. soil are being taken seriously. In the past 12 hours, 10 KC-135 tanker aircraft have arrived at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. Another 16 KC-135s landed at Bangor Air National Guard Base in Maine. They are likely headed to the Middle East.
Following reports from various outlets that US munitions, including Patriot and THAAD missiles, are running low, President Trump wrote on TruthSocial that the United States has a “virtually unlimited reserve” and that “wars can be fought forever.”
Yarkon police officers recently arrested two foreign nationals suspected of filming a security facility in the Tel Aviv area. Following a report by hotline 100 of two suspects spotted with cameras, presumably live for a foreign media outlet, a unit arrived at the scene, interrupted the broadcast, and began screening the suspects. The suspects identified themselves as Turkish journalists, presented expired IDs, and were taken in for questioning.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif recently canceled his scheduled visit to Moscow, citing the volatile situation in the region. Clashes with Afghanistan continue. A stray YIHA-III projectile manufactured by the Turkish company Baykar struck Kandahar air base. The Pakistani Air Force struck targets in Nangarhar, Afghanistan.
According to the Red Crescent in Iran: 787 deaths since the start of the war on Saturday. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps: “The Strait of Hormuz is closed. We will attack any ship that passes through and set it on fire.” IRGC General Ebrahim Jabbari: “We will not allow a single drop of oil to leave the region.” CENTCOM told Fox News that the Strait of Hormuz remains open despite claims by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), adding that Iran is not currently patrolling the waterway and there are no signs it has begun planting mines there.
Iranian Army General Staff spokesman Khatam al-Anbia: “The armed forces have become more determined to wage a full-scale war.” CENTCOM states for the first time that the Shahid Bagheri, a drone mothership operated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, was attacked “within hours of the start of Operation Epic Fury.” It adds that it is “the only aircraft carrier targeted,” citing false Iranian state media claims of alleged drone and missile attacks against the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). Iran’s fleet of large surface combatants, both serving with the Iranian Navy and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGCN) Navy, have already been destroyed by U.S. Air Force and Navy strikes.
Bandar Abbas port on fire. The IDF issues an evacuation warning to residents of Tehran’s Avin neighborhood following an attack on the Iranian Broadcasting Agency, which was subsequently bombed.
Satellite images show the complete destruction of a drone base operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Kermanshah province, western Iran, near the border with Iraq. Attack on the Natanz nuclear facility: Satellite images show visible damage to two command gates and the only vehicle entrance to the underground enrichment complex. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps bases and their personnel are being relocated to schools for security reasons. The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence: “National mercenaries will be considered Israeli soldiers.” Iran reports large-scale attacks in the Bushehr region.
The Council of Experts building in Qom was attacked: the Council of Experts is a council of 88 religious scholars responsible for selecting the new Supreme Leader.
Iraq was also heavily hit on March 3rd. Pro-Iranian militias in Iraq announced they had carried out 28 attacks against “enemy” bases in the country and the region in the last 24 hours. Al-Bakr air base was hit on March 3rd. Iranian media reported attacks on the headquarters of Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. This already appears to be a planned and concerted effort by Tehran and its proxies to target Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, coinciding with Israeli and US efforts to support them. An attack was carried out in the Abu Gharb area of Iraq’s Maysan province.
Lebanon Crisis Management Unit: 28,500 Lebanese fled their homes today due to Israeli attacks. Lebanese Ministry of Health: 52 dead and 154 injured in Israeli attacks in Lebanon today. The Israeli ground offensive has resumed, while the bombing campaign has continued. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have authorized the army to advance further into southern Lebanon and capture additional strategic positions following Hezbollah’s attack.
Following Hezbollah’s entry into the war, the IDF strengthened its defenses along the line of contact on March 3. The Israeli military has already occupied five positions in southern Lebanon since November 20, 2024. Additional IDF forces have entered the line of contact in southern Lebanon and occupied controlled areas. The goal is, among other things, to prevent direct bombardment and the launching of, for example, anti-tank missiles against Israeli settlements located near the border. It also aims to strengthen the IDF’s ability to disrupt and prevent potential ground infiltrations into Israeli territory. An IDF spokesperson recently issued a statement in Arabic about the evacuation of 90 villages in southern Lebanon within a radius of 5-20 km from the border with Israel. Hezbollah destroyed another Merkava tank in northern Israel. Today, the number reached two.
The Air Force completed a wave of strikes against Internal Security Forces command posts in Tehran. As part of the attack, the IDF targeted command posts and bases of the Internal Security Forces responsible for repressing anti-regime protests, including through violence and the arrest of civilians. The IDF attacked more than 10 command posts of the Iranian Ministry of Defense, the regime’s central intelligence agency, and the headquarters of the Quds Force.
On the night of March 2 and into the day of March 3, new rocket fire was launched against Israel, hitting Bnei Brak (Israel). Explosions in Jerusalem. The Mossad conducted a ground operation in Iran last night, Al Arabiya reported, citing sources. At 3:00 PM Italian time, the Israeli military announced the start of a “wave of large-scale attacks” against Tehran’s infrastructure.
On the night of March 2, explosions were reported in Jordan. Sirens blared in the streets near the US Embassy in the Jordanian capital, Amman. The embassy was evacuated.
Satellite images show damage to the Ras Tanura oil refinery in Saudi Arabia following Iranian drone strikes. The roof of the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia collapsed after the nighttime attacks. The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued a security alert on March 3 regarding the threat of imminent missile/UAV attacks on Dhahran.
On March 2, a Kuwaiti soldier died “in the line of duty.” The US Embassy in Kuwait was reportedly attacked twice—on Sunday and Monday—CNN reports. Satellite images show the destruction of a radar station at the Arifjan air base in Kuwait by Iranian missiles and drones. Chinese satellites recorded the results of Iranian attacks on the US base at Ali al-Salem in Kuwait.
On the afternoon of March 3, sirens sounded in Bahrain, Kuwait, and northern Israel. The Iraqi resistance attacked US positions in Kuwait, Al Jazeera reports, citing media outlets belonging to Iraqi groups.
The US-flagged bunker tanker STENA IMPERATIVE, one of 10 tankers participating in the US Navy’s Tanker Security Program (TSP), designed to ensure military access to fuel supplies in global conflict zones and national emergencies, was attacked on the morning of March 3 by multiple munitions fired by Iran while docked in Bahrain. The attack caused several explosions aboard the ship, which were quickly extinguished, but the extent of the damage to the vessel is still unknown. A U.S. State Department cable reports injuries Among the Ministry of War employees were killed in the Iranian drone attack on a hotel in Bahrain. Explosions occurred in the Doha and Manama area.
Qatar: “We shot down two Iranian Su-24MK bombers on the front lines” and “launched an attack.” In response, Iran launched a missile attack on the US base at Al-Udeid in Qatar on March 3.
Dubai loses approximately $1 million for every minute of airport downtime, including Emirates Airlines, transportation, hotels, shops, and taxis, according to NDTV World. Disruptions at the main aviation hub are costly due to losses for Emirates, transit flights, hotels, retail outlets, and transportation infrastructure. The Indian television station emphasizes that the airport connects over 260 cities in the region, more than 100 countries.
Bloomberg reports that, in this context, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar are actively urging the United States to halt its bombing of Iran and move toward a diplomatic solution. The publication also reports that Qatar’s stockpile of Patriot missiles, at the current rate of use, will be exhausted in four days.
The Abu Dhabi Information Authority reports that an Iranian drone struck oil storage facilities in the port of Mussafah, causing a fire. The statement said the fire was extinguished and there were no casualties. Authorities in Fujairah extinguished the fire that broke out this morning near the Fujairah oil refinery following an Iranian attack. Global oil storage company Vopak announces the suspension of operations at its terminal in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.
The UAE Ministry of Defense reported the interception of nine ballistic missiles and six cruise missiles, as well as 148 drones.
The Iranian General Staff denied reports of military attacks on Omani territory or ports.
Persian Gulf countries have intercepted a total of 518 ballistic missiles and 1,129 drones launched at them by Iran since the beginning of the US-Israeli military operation.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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