Several dozen Iranians crossed into northern Iraq today, the first day the border was opened since the start of the war in the Middle East, to buy cheaper groceries, access the internet, contact relatives and find work.
Travelers said constant airstrikes and rising food prices have made life in Iran increasingly difficult.
Trucks loaded with goods were passing through the Haji Omeran crossing from Iraq's Kurdish region, offering hope for a respite from the high costs on the Iranian side.
Even before the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, Iranian Kurds regularly crossed into Iraqi Kurdistan for trade and family visits.
Now, the Iraqi Kurdish region has become a key line for Iranians in the war-torn region to reach the outside world.
The border was closed in response to heightened regional military tensions.
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UN peacekeepers said they were fired upon "probably by non-state armed groups" in southern Lebanon on Sunday, while a Hamas source said an official from the Palestinian militant group was killed in an Israeli strike.
The UN statement came as Israeli officials said talks with Lebanon were expected in the coming days. The aim of the talks is to secure a permanent ceasefire that would include the disarmament of Hezbollah, although the timing and terms have not yet been agreed, Reuters reports.
A Lebanese official said Lebanon had not yet received official notification from Israel about the talks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has released a short video mocking viral rumors on social media that he has been assassinated.
Taking a sip from a cup in a cafe near Jerusalem, he jokingly posted on his official X-network account: "I'm dead to coffee," using Hebrew slang in which the expression for someone to be "dead" to something means that they adore it.
Netanyahu then raised his hands to the camera and asked, "Will you count the number of fingers?" It was a direct message to online conspiracy theorists who claimed his previous televised address was a deepfake, pointing to an optical illusion that made it appear as if he had six fingers on one hand.
Turning to the ongoing conflict, he urged Israelis to remain vigilant and follow security protocols during rocket alerts, saying their collective resilience "gives strength to me, the government, the army, the Mossad."
"We are doing things that I cannot talk about at this time, but we are hitting Iran very hard, as well as Lebanon," he said, emphasizing the scale of the current military offensive, the Guardian reports.
Five people were injured in a rocket attack on Baghdad International Airport in Iraq, which also houses a US diplomatic facility, Iraqi authorities said.
The Iraqi government's security media cell said that "five rockets targeted Baghdad International Airport and its surroundings, injuring four airport employees and security personnel, as well as an engineer."
It added that the rockets hit an airport and a water desalination plant, while others fell near a prison holding suspected Islamic State (IS) members and an Iraqi air base next to a US diplomatic facility.
Authorities also said security forces had seized a launch pad used in the attack in the Al-Radwaniya area, southwest of Baghdad. Security sources told AFP that three drones had also been shot down near the airport, the Guardian reports.
Baghdad Airport includes a large military complex divided into several bases used by the Iraqi military and security services, as well as a US diplomatic and logistics facility, and a central prison.
US Central Command (Centcom) has rejected claims by the Iranian Foreign Minister, saying that accusations that the US is carrying out drone attacks on Gulf countries are a "lie".
In a statement posted on social media, Centcom said that "Iranian forces have launched thousands of drones and missiles at their neighbors, indiscriminately targeting civilian hotels, commercial airports, residential communities, and economic infrastructure. U.S. combat drones are targeting Iranian military capabilities exclusively to eliminate threats to the region."
While Centcom claims its operations are strictly precision and defensive, Iranian humanitarian and government sources give a much bleaker assessment of the damage to civilian infrastructure. The Iranian Red Crescent said more than 19.000 homes were damaged or destroyed, the Guardian reports.
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said there was a "very good chance" that fuel prices would fall below $3 a gallon by the summer - but that it depended on the end of the conflict with Iran.
Wright told NBC that American drivers are "feeling it now" at the pumps and will "feel it for a few more weeks," but that when the war with Iran is over, they will "enter a world with more energy, more affordable energy and less risk to American soldiers and commerce in the Middle East."
He also acknowledged that "there are no guarantees in war" and that the timeframe for fuel prices to fall back below $3 a gallon "is not yet entirely clear." He added that the pre-war price target, in time for the summer travel season, "is the goal of the (Donald) Trump administration."
On Saturday, the average fuel price was $3,70 per gallon, according to GasBuddy data, up from $2,94 per gallon on March 1, the Guardian reports.
Trump dismissed concerns about rising fuel prices in the US in a phone interview with NBC on Saturday.
"I think they're going to go lower than they were before, and I had them at record lows. There's so much oil, gas - there's so much, but, you know, it's a little clogged up right now. It's going to come unclogged very quickly," Trump said.
Key to the realization of these predictions is the Strait of Hormuz. Wright acknowledged on Sunday that the strait is currently unsafe for transit, but said securing it is "one of the goals at the end of this conflict."
Iran has warned that if the US attacks its oil infrastructure on the island of Kharg, it will target the oil infrastructure of the US and its allies in the region. On Saturday, Trump called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK and anyone else "affected by this artificial restriction" to send ships to the area "so that Iran no longer threatens the strait."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CBS News in an interview that they are open to talks with countries that want to talk to them about the safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.
"We are open to countries that want to talk to us about the safe passage of their vessels," Aragchi replied. Asked if Tehran was negotiating with diplomats from France and Italy, he replied:
"I cannot specifically mention any country, but a number of countries have approached us that want to ensure safe passage for their vessels. And our military decides on that, and it has already decided to allow a group of vessels from different countries to pass safely and securely. So, we are providing them with security for passage, because we have not closed this strait. They themselves are not coming because of the insecurity that exists, which was caused by the US aggression," said Aragchi.
Oil from the International Energy Agency's (IEA) emergency reserves will soon begin arriving on world markets, as member countries pledged to make 411,9 million barrels available, the agency said in a statement released today.
Governments have pledged to make available 271,7 million barrels of oil from state reserves, 116,6 million barrels from mandatory industrial stocks and 23,6 million barrels from other sources, the statement said.
It added that 72 percent of planned deliveries are in the form of crude oil and 28 percent are petroleum products, Reuters reported.
Supplies from Asia and Oceania countries will be available immediately, while supplies from Europe and America will be available at the end of March.
The United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Defense said it had intercepted multiple ballistic missiles and drones launched from Iran.
"UAE air defenses intercepted four ballistic missiles and six drones," the statement posted on social media said.
It added that since the start of the US-Israeli war against Iran, air defenses have "intercepted 298 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1.606 drones."
In the United Arab Emirates, at least six people were killed and 142 injured in Iranian attacks during the war.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, issued a strong appeal on Monday for an immediate ceasefire in the escalating war with Iran, deploring the "horrible violence" that he said had killed thousands of non-combatants and caused suffering across the region, Reuters reported.
As the US-Israeli war against Iran enters its third week, the first American pope has warned that violence will not bring the justice, stability and peace that the people of the region long for.
"For two weeks now, the peoples of the Middle East have been suffering the terrible violence of war," the pope said during the Sunday Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square.
"On behalf of Christians in the Middle East and all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict: Cease fire!" said Pope Leo.
"Thousands of innocent people have been killed, and many more have been forced to flee their homes. I reiterate my closeness to all those who have lost their loved ones in the attacks," he said.
Lav added that the situation in Lebanon - torn apart by war between Israel and the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah - was also a cause for "great concern."
"I hope for paths of dialogue that can help the authorities of that country to implement lasting solutions to the serious crisis currently underway, for the common good of all Lebanese citizens," the pope said.
A fragment of an Iranian missile hit an apartment building used by the US consul in Israel, Israeli media reported today, Reuters reports.
Those reports have not provided any additional details about the incident at this time.
Israel today launched extensive attacks on Iran and strikes on infrastructure belonging to the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Iran continued its attacks on Israel and the Gulf countries.
The Israeli Defense Forces announced this morning that they are carrying out new strikes on western Iran. In Lebanon, the Israeli military has issued new evacuation orders for several southern suburbs of Beirut.
An Israeli military spokesman said the Israel Defense Forces will not hesitate to target anyone who is near Hezbollah operatives.
"You are risking yourself and your lives, evacuate the area immediately," he wrote on the X network, according to the BBC.
Lebanon's national news agency NNA reported this morning that an Israeli attack on a Lebanese town south of Beirut killed one person and wounded three children. The attack took place in Parhabil, Sidon district, about 30 kilometers south of Beirut, NNA reported, citing the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
The Israeli military said yesterday's strikes hit several launch sites in the Lebanese Al-Qatrani area, claiming that Hezbollah was planning to launch direct attacks from there. The military said it also hit command centers belonging to Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.
Iran also carried out multiple attacks on Gulf countries and Israel last night and this morning.
The Israeli military announced this morning that the fifth wave of Iranian attacks in the previous nine hours was underway and urged residents of the affected areas to take shelter.
Israeli emergency services said there were no reported casualties in the latest wave of attacks from Iran. Search and rescue teams are continuing to work in areas where reports of attacks have come in, it said.
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US Central Command (CENTCOM) has accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of spreading false claims about the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, the BBC reports.
On its Farsi-language page on the Iks network, CENTCOM states that the IRGC "once again" claimed to have "disabled" the warship.
"Let's be clear: the Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group continues to maintain complete dominance over Iranian airspace from the sea," it said.
The United States (US) has begun to strengthen its military presence in the Middle East ahead of the conflict. In addition to the Lincoln, the US Navy's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is also operating in the region.
US media have also widely reported that the US is sending additional forces to the Gulf, including what is known as an amphibious battle group (ARG), with up to 5.000 Marines and sailors.
The existing armada is expected to be joined by the amphibious assault ship "USS Tripoli".
Israel has warned residents of several neighborhoods in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut to evacuate "immediately" ahead of Israeli military action, the BBC reports.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Avichai Adrai said the warning specifically applies to residents of Haret Hreik, Gobeiri, Lilaki, Hadat, Burj al-Barajneh, Tahvitat al-Ghadir and Shiyah.
He states that the IDF will not hesitate to target "anyone found near Hezbollah operatives."
"You are putting yourself and your lives in danger... leave the area immediately," he wrote on the X network.
In an interview with the Al-Arabi al-Jadid website, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that his country is ready to form a committee with countries in the region to investigate who is behind attacks on civilian or residential areas in the Middle East, the British newspaper The Guardian reports.
He denied that Iran had targeted such areas.
Aragchi said diplomatic channels of communication are open with Gulf states, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
In response to the US-Israeli attacks, Iran has begun carrying out missile and drone attacks across the Gulf region, targeting what it claims are US military assets - but many of those strikes have hit civilian infrastructure and killed civilians, according to the Guardian.
The Gulf countries are angry that they have been dragged into a war, a conflict that they tried to prevent through diplomatic means.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview with Al-Arabi al-Jadid that Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is "in good health" and "has the situation completely under control," the BBC reported.
Mojtaba Khamenei has not appeared in public since his appointment on March 8. His first public address was broadcast on state media on March 12, read out by an anchor.
Aragchi said that "there are currently no concrete initiatives on the table to end the war."
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegsett said on March 13 that Mojtaba Khamenei was wounded and likely maimed.
Debris is strewn across the street, while smoke rises from buildings damaged in an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, the Lebanese capital:
The Israeli Health Ministry said 108 people were admitted to hospital with injuries in the past 24 hours, the BBC reported.
It is stated that of that number, 96 people had minor injuries, two were in "moderate" condition, while nine were still undergoing medical assessment.
Since the beginning of the conflict, it is reported that 3.195 people have been treated in hospitals for injuries, and 81 people remain in hospital for treatment as of 8:00 a.m. Central European Time today.
The Ministry of Health does not announce the number of registered deaths.
The Israel Defense Forces said that Israel has launched a new wave of large-scale attacks on targets in western Iran, reports the BBC.
Gulf countries reported new attacks from Iran overnight and this morning, a day after Iran called for the evacuation of three major ports in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), making the first threats to non-American assets in a neighboring country since the start of the US-Israeli campaign against Iran and the spread of conflict in the Middle East region.
The Israeli military announced this morning that a new barrage of rockets and drones had been launched at Israel, and sirens sounded in those areas.
Tehran has accused the United States of using "ports, docks and hideouts" in the UAE to launch attacks on Harg Island, home to Iran's main oil terminal for oil exports, without providing any evidence.
The United Arab Emirates announced at around 4:30 a.m. this morning that anti-aircraft systems were responding to incoming missile and drone attacks from Iran.
The attacks followed a fire that engulfed the port of Fujairah, home to the country's main oil export terminal on the east coast, following a drone attack on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry announced this morning that its anti-aircraft systems intercepted and destroyed ten drones over the capital Riyadh and the eastern region of the kingdom.
At the same time, Bahrain announced that it had sounded sirens and urged residents to head to the nearest shelter.
Overnight, the US ordered non-essential government employees and their family members to leave Oman for security reasons.
Kuwait announced this morning that the National Guard had shot down five Iranian drones in the previous 24 hours.
Qatar issued an updated report late last night on missile and drone attacks it repelled yesterday, but did not report any new strikes overnight.
The Israeli military said early this morning that Iran had launched another round of rockets towards Israel. Sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and other areas and explosions were heard.
The Israeli military said sirens warned residents in areas under attack and that air defenses were activated.
Iran's Joint Military Command in a statement today accused what it said was the "enemy" of using copies of Iranian drones to attack neighboring countries in order to blame Tehran, Iranian state media reported.
According to the AP, Iran usually uses the word "enemy" when referring to the US and Israel.
The statement said that copies of Iran's Shahid-136 drones, known as LUCAS, were used to hit "irrelevant targets in countries in the region," including attacks on Turkey, Iraq and Kuwait. They provided no evidence of this.
The Iranian military command also added that Iran openly shares information about its targets, which it describes as American and Israeli interests, and called for trust and cooperation among countries in the region.
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