Dubai — The war in the Middle East showed no sign of abating as Iran reported eight people killed and 95 injured during Nowruz Day outdoor celebrations after a US strike hit the country’s tallest bridge. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, condemned the hit, saying ‘‘striking civilian infrastructure only conveys the defeat and moral collapse of an enemy in disarray.’’
Tehran also reported incoming attacks on neighbouring states as Israel warned of launches from Iran and both Kuwait and Bahrain said they were under attack. US strikes and Iranian counterstrikes have extended the fighting well beyond front lines, disrupting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and global energy flows.
Casualties across the conflict remain high. Iranian authorities say more than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran since the war expanded; Israel reports 19 dead at home. Gulf states and the occupied West Bank account for more than two dozen deaths, 13 US service members have been killed, and Lebanon — amid an Israeli ground offensive against Hezbollah — has seen over 1,300 killed and more than 1 million displaced, with ten Israeli soldiers reported dead there.
Kuwait reported that drones struck the Mina al-Ahmadi oil refinery early Friday, igniting fires at operating units; Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said no injuries were reported. The Kuwaiti government also said a desalination plant suffered material damage after what it called an Iranian attack, without further detail.
On the political and diplomatic front, the US has presented Iran with a 15-point ceasefire proposal that includes reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but there have been no signs of agreement. Iran has repeatedly pointed to prior US attacks that preceded negotiations as a reason for mistrust. Britain convened a call with nearly three dozen countries to discuss reopening the strait once fighting subsides.
The UN Security Council was expected to vote on a Bahraini draft resolution to authorize defensive measures to ensure safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz. That draft initially allowed states to ‘‘use all necessary means’’ to secure the waterway; Russia, China and France — permanent members of the council — indicated opposition to authorizing force.
On the battlefield, Iran launched missiles at Israel and several Gulf states on Friday, with explosions reported near Tehran and Isfahan as the US moved to reinforce forces in the region. Israel, Bahrain and Kuwait issued warnings of incoming missile fire, while activists and local reports described strikes near Iranian cities; independent confirmation of all reported impacts remained limited.
President Donald Trump pledged further strikes on Iranian infrastructure on social media, writing that the US ‘‘hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran’’ and naming bridges and electric power plants as future targets. Separately, Iran said it is drafting a proposal with Oman to ‘‘monitor’’ the Strait of Hormuz to facilitate safe passage; Oman had not publicly confirmed the plan.
Iranian attacks and the broader security threat have sharply reduced commercial traffic through the strait. Lloyd’s List Intelligence reported a 94% drop in traffic since March 1 compared with the same period last year. Before the current round of strikes, about 20% of traded oil moved through the strait; that volume has fallen steeply, and a small number of vessels have been allowed passage under special arrangements or after paying fees.
As the exchanges of strikes and counterstrikes continue, diplomatic efforts are underway but fragile, and key international bodies and regional players remain divided over whether and how to authorize defensive measures to protect shipping and restore calm. For now, officials on multiple sides say there is no sign the fighting is winding down.
