In photo: Israel intercepts Iranian missiles as conflict escalates
Smoke trails in the sky after Israel intercepted missiles launched from Iran, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, as seen from Tel Aviv (Reuters)
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 07:10
Virgin Atlantic to suspend Dubai operations after 16-hour ‘flight to nowhere’
Flights were briefly suspended on Saturday morning and passengers were taken into tunnels at Dubai airport, which is normally the busiest global hub in the world, following fresh drone strikes in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) city.
Flight VS400 had taken off from Heathrow at 10.22pm on Friday night for the seven-hour flight to Dubai. But after six hours in the air, while the Airbus A350 was flying over eastern Saudi Arabia, airspace was closed due to the latest attack.
The pilots turned around to fly back to London, but they landed at Budapest at 11am on Saturday to refuel. After 90 minutes on the ground, the aircraft took off again for a two-hour flight to Heathrow and landed shortly before 2pm.
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 06:54
Will war in the Middle East ruin Mohammed Bin Salman’s plan to make Saudi the new Dubai?
With his ambitious ”Vision 2030“ project, he hoped Saudi Arabia would soon rival Dubai as the regional business hub in the Middle East, attracting Western talent and enabling his influence to spread beyond the Kingdom’s borders.
But with just four years before his self-imposed deadline, those plans have been suddenly plunged into uncertainty. Earlier this week, Saudi air defences downed several Iranian drones and cruise missiles, while a strike on the Ras Tanura oil refinery temporarily halted operations.
In just a few days, the illusion of safety in the Gulf appeared to be shattered.
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 06:44
Israeli strikes kill 12 more people in Lebanon
Israel has struck southern Lebanon and Beirut again in the early hours today and killed 12 more people, the Lebanese health ministry said, as the war in the Middle East keeps escalating.
Israeli officials said the strikes targeted commanders of the Lebanese branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force, after prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised “many surprises” for the next phase of the conflict.
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 06:33
Iran’s president says his remarks were ‘misinterpreted by enemy’ – state TV
Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian said his remarks were “misinterpreted by the enemy that seeks to sow division with neighbours”, state TV reported this morning, after they were viewed as a decision to suspend attacks on Gulf countries while strikes did not stop.
“It has repeatedly been said we are brothers and we must have good relations with neighbours. However, we are forced to retaliate to attacks but this does not mean we have a dispute with a (neighbouring) country or want to upset their people,” Pezeshkian said.
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 06:12
In photos: Major explosions reported in Iran after Israel launches another wave of attacks
Explosions erupt following strikes at Tehran Oil Refinery in Tehran (AFP via Getty Images)Explosions erupt following strikes in Tehran (AFP via Getty Images)Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike targeted an area in Beirut’s southern suburbs (AFP via Getty Images)Fire burns and smoke rises from Aqdasieh Oil Depot after being reportedly hit by strike in Tehran (Reuters)
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 06:04
Kuwati army says civilian facilities damaged from drone interceptions
The falling debris from drone interception in Kuwait has damaged civilian facilities, the Kuwait army said this morning.
“Some civilian facilities have sustained material damage as a result of debris and shrapnel falling from interception operations”, an official spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence said.
Visuals shared on social media showed a major fire engulfing a tower in Kuwait.
Kuwait air force “continues to engage hostile aerial targets”, the spokesperson said as the army urged citizens and residents to “adhere to the safety and security instructions”.
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 05:37
US and Israel could send special forces to seize Iran’s nuclear stockpile – report
The United States and Israel have discussed sending special forces into Iran to secure its stockpile of highly enriched uranium at a later stage of the war, Axios reported on Saturday, citing four sources with knowledge of the discussions.
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 05:22
Thousands of people protest against Iran war in London
Thousands of protesters marched through London on Saturday calling for an end to the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Between 5,000 and 6,000 people turned out for the “Hands Off Iran” march, the Metropolitan Police said, with demonstrators chanting: “Stop the bombing now, now, now”.
It came as US president Donald Trump said Iran is being “beaten to hell” and warned that the country “will be hit hard today”. Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said demands for an unconditional surrender were a “dream that they should take to their grave”.
However, he apologised for attacks on neighbouring countries in an apparent attempt to calm regional anger at Iranian attacks on the Gulf.
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 05:10
Watch: Donald Trump attends dignified transfer for six American soldiers killed in Iranian strike on Kuwait base
Donald Trump attends dignified transfer for six American soldiers killed in Iranian strike on Kuwait base
Arpan Rai8 March 2026 04:57
