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LAST UPDATE | 3 Mar
Updates by Jane Moore, Diarmuid Pepper, Andrew Walsh and Sophie Finn
The Israeli military said it had carried out air strikes on Iran’s presidential office and the National Security Council building in Tehran this morning.
“The Israeli Air Force… struck and dismantled facilities within the leadership compound of the Iranian terrorist regime in the heart of Tehran” overnight, the military said in a statement.
“During the strike on the compound, numerous munitions were dropped on the presidential office and the building of the Supreme National Security Council,” it added.
🎯STRUCK: The Iranian Regime’s Leadership Compound — the central headquarters have been dismantled
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 3, 2026
This command headquarters was one of the most heavily secured assets in Iran. The compound that housed the regime’s most senior forum was struck by the IAF overnight using precise… pic.twitter.com/4iW2xd71bC
All 16 flights scheduled between Dublin Airport & airports in the Middle East have been cancelled once again today (Tuesday).
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) March 3, 2026
Further disruption is possible over the days ahead. As always, passengers should contact their airline directly for updates regarding the status of… pic.twitter.com/K4ttEL5NsE
Israeli forces have also advanced into a border area in Lebanese territory this morning, shortly after the Israeli defence minister instructed his troops to “take control of additional strategic positions in Lebanon”.
“Israeli ground forces advanced from Kfar Kila and the Khiam plains,” along the Lebanon-Israel border, a source told AFP, requesting anonymity and expressing concern over “Israel’s attempt to establish a broad security belt in south Lebanon”.
The Israeli military has also issued evacuation orders for residents of more than two dozens towns in southern Lebanon.
In response to the Israeli attacks, the Lebanese army has redeployed soldiers from several recently established border positions.
The troops, “numbering in total eight to nine soldiers at each point, were redeployed to their bases because of the danger to their safety”, the Lebanese military said.
At least 30,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon due to the escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, the United Nations has said.
The UN’s nuclear watchdog has said that a key Iranian nuclear site suffered “recent damage”, a day after Iran said the underground uranium enrichment plant was attacked.
“Based on the latest available satellite imagery, IAEA can now confirm some recent damage to entrance buildings of Iran’s underground Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant,” The IAEA said in a post on X, adding that there was “no radiological consequence expected.”
The UN agency had said yesterday there was “no indication” any nuclear installations had been hit, though Iran’s ambassador to the IAEA said that Tehran had informed the agency that Natanz was attacked.
Last night, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed that the US attacked Iran only after learning that ally Israel was going to strike and fearing Tehran would retaliate against US forces.
“We knew that there was going to be an Israeli action. We knew that that would precipitate an attack against American forces, and we knew that if we didn’t preemptively go after them before they launched those attacks, we would suffer higher casualties,” Rubio told reporters.
Rubio, who was preparing to brief key US lawmakers, said that Iran had told field commanders to respond automatically against US forces if there was an attack.
“If we stood and waited for that attack to come first before we hit them, we would suffer much higher casualties. And so the president made the very wise decision”, Rubio said of the move to strike alongside Israel.
Rubio said that the United States would like to see the overthrow of the Iran’s clerical state but that that was not the goal.
“We hope that the Iranian people can overthrow this government and establish a new future for that country. We would love for that to be possible,” Rubio said.
“But the objective of this mission is the destruction of their ballistic missile capabilities and of their naval capabilities.”
Speaking earlier this morning, Foreign Affairs Minister Helen McEntee told the roughly 22,000 Irish citizens in the Middle East that the advice remains the same: Stay in place and don’t “remove yourself from the accommodation that you’re in.”
The government is currently examining potential evacuation options for Irish citizens across the region.
“We are exploring options to try and get as many people home safely,” McEntee said.
“There have been a small number of flights that have gone from within the UAE. We know that there have been a number of Irish passenger passengers on those flights, and we expect that there will be a smaller number of flights again.
“Today, we are looking at chartering flights, not just ourselves, but also with European countries, and it’s important that we explore all of these options.”
Tánaiste Simon Harris said “all options are on the table” but warned that airspace restrictions pose significant challenges.
“It may not be possible to get flights into the epicentre of the conflict,” Harris said.
“We’re looking at all of the options now, on what the most efficient and effective option is – there are a number of options,” Harris said.
As things stand, there is no planning for an Irish Emergency Consular Assistance Team (ECAT) to be dispatched to bring trapped Irish citizens out of the affected countries.
Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways have cancelled flights to and from Dublin, disrupting key routes through the Middle East.
Citizens with concerns can contact the Department of Foreign Affairs’ consular team in Dublin at +353 1 408 2000, while those in the region are advised to contact their local Irish embassy.
Here’s a look at the Israeli attacks in Lebanon, as local officials continue to work at the scene of several strikes.
Israel’s defence forces claim the strikes are part of “an enhanced forward defense posture”, and said the strikes are targeting “Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure”.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned this morning that they would unleash more intense attacks on the United States and Israel.
“The enemy must await continuous punitive attacks; the gates of hell will open more and more, moment by moment, upon the United States and Israel,” the Guards spokesman Ali Mohammad Naini told state TV.
The US State Department said Tuesday it had ordered non-emergency staff to leave six Middle Eastern countries, as Iran retaliated against US-Israeli strikes.
The war in the Middle East began on Saturday when joint US-Israeli strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader, causing Tehran to launch retaliatory salvos across the region.
The department said it had updated travel advisories for Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates “to reflect the ordered departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel”.
The advisories for five of the countries cited an “ongoing threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran”, while the notice for Iraq cited “security concerns”.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards targeted a US air base in Bahrain, the Islamic republic’s elite force said in a statement carried on Tuesday by the official IRNA news agency.
In Iraq, hundreds of protesters in the capital Baghdad, many dressed in black, attempted Sunday to storm the fortified Green Zone where the US embassy is located.
In Jordan, the US embassy in the capital Amman said Monday it had temporarily evacuated its staff due to an unspecified threat.
The US embassy in Kuwait said Tuesday it was closed until further notice, a day after an AFP correspondent saw smoke rising from the mission following Iranian attacks on the country.
AFP journalists in Qatar heard explosions on Tuesday, while in the UAE, falling debris from an intercepted drone caused a fire at an oil storage zone.
The State Department earlier urged Americans to leave all of the Middle East from Egypt eastward due to safety concerns.
The @SecRubio @StateDept urges Americans to DEPART NOW from the countries below using available commercial transportation, due to serious safety risks. Americans who need State Department assistance arranging to depart via commercial means, CALL US 24/7 at +1-202-501-4444 (from… pic.twitter.com/vdplAik2Sq
— Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar (@AsstSecStateCA) March 2, 2026
The UK is considering sending Type 45 air defence destroyer HMS Duncan to the Middle East, the Press Association understands.
Iran on Tuesday urged the United Nations Security Council to take action to stop the Islamic republic’s war with Israel and the United States.
“The United Nations Security Council has a duty… if it wishes, it can certainly act, because there is no obstacle to its action except its own will,” said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei during a foreign ministry briefing.
The Defence Forces has confirmed that Irish troops in Lebanon are well.
“The Defence Forces can confirm that all Irish personnel are well and accounted for amid ongoing tensions along the Blue Line, where the situation is most intense,” it said today in a statement on X.
“We extend our thoughts to our UN colleagues in these areas as they continue to operate in, what is, an increasingly challenging environment.
“All necessary force protection measures are being strictly observed by all Irish personnel. Our soldiers continue to carry out all their mandated role and responsibilities. The safety of our personnel remains the top priority as the situation continues to evolve.”
Óglaigh na hÉireann Situational Update on 127th Infantry Battalion, UNIFIL.
— Óglaigh na hÉireann (@defenceforces) March 3, 2026
The Defence Forces can confirm that all Irish personnel are well and accounted for amid ongoing tensions along the Blue Line, where the situation is most intense. We extend our thoughts to our UN… pic.twitter.com/KRTIGqBAR7
Could Trump’s Iran gamble be the war that splits MAGA?
Trump’s annihilation of Iran’s leadership may initially thrill his base — but the fallout could redraw the Middle East and define his presidency, writes Marion McKeone.
The Iranian embassy in Ireland has called on the government to condemn the actions of the US and Israel in its first statement since Iran was attacked.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran solemnly calls upon all nations and governments, including Ireland, as well as relevant international bodies, to take immediate, concrete, and effective measures to condemn these acts, prevent further violations, and hold those responsible fully accountable under international law”, it said.
The embassy called for action in light of the “ongoing and grave crimes” it has accused the US and Israel of committing, including deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.
“The deliberate targeting of schools, hospitals, humanitarian facilities, and residential areas represents grave breaches of international humanitarian law and demonstrates a blatant disregard for the most fundamental principles of humanity, including the right to life of civilians.”
It also paid tribute to the late Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the conflict.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin has warned filling stations against price gouging as crude oil prices rise in response to the ongoing war.
Speaking to reporters before Cabinet this morning, the Taoiseach said government is “very concerned” at the increase of energy prices since the US and Israel began war with Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of the world’s oil supply passes, has been shut by Iran. Yesterday, crude oil prices were about 10% higher than before the conflict began, and remain at a similar level today.
However, wholesale prices of petrol, diesel, kerosene have not gone up by the same amount. The wholesale price is influenced by the wider global economy, as well as shipping and supply.
“There’s no excuse for prices going up on the pumps yesterday, or anywhere, because our oil is coming from the North Sea, and we don’t want any price gouging going on,” Martin said.
“We don’t want anyone taking unfair advantage over consumers and people because of this.”
Yesterday, both Finance Minister Simon Harris and CEO of Fuels for Ireland Kevin McPartlan warned that the situation remains dynamic and could change at any moment.
The United Arab Emirates has intercepted the vast majority of missiles and drones launched towards it since the outbreak of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, according to the country’s Ministry of Defence.
According do a Ministery spokesperson, 186 missiles had been fired at the UAE since hostilities began. Of those, 172 were intercepted by air defences, 13 fell into the sea and one landed on UAE territory.
Air defence systems also detected 812 Iranian drones, 755 of which were shot down. Fifty-seven drones fell within the country’s territory.
The UAE said it also intercepted and destroyed eight cruise missiles.
Three people have been killed in the UAE since the conflict began, the spokesperson said, with 68 others sustaining minor injuries.
المتحدث الرسمي بإسم وزارة الدفاع: تعاملت الدفاعات الجوية الإماراتية منذ بدء الاعتداء الإيراني مع 186 صاروخاً باليستياً تم إطلاقها تجاه الدولة، حيث تم تدمير 172 صاروخاً، فيما سقط 13 منها في مياه البحر وسقط عدد 1 صاروخ باليستي في أراضي الدولة.#وزارة_الدفاع…
— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) March 3, 2026
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar urged countries to cut their ties with Iran during a virtual meeting with around 60 envoys stationed in Israel.
“The foreign minister told the ambassadors that following the Iranian regime’s attacks on all its neighbours and the massacre of its own people, countries around the world must cut off their relations with it,” a statement issued by Saar’s office said, without specifying whether the 60 envoys’ countries had ties with Iran in the first place.
The Israeli military has claimed that it hit a high-ranking Iranian commander in Tehran today, in one of a number of air strikes.
“A short while ago, the (Israeli military) struck a senior Iranian terror regime commander in Tehran,” an army statement said, without providing further details.
The Iranian Red Crescent has said that more than US and Israeli strikes have killed 780 people across Iran since the attacks began on Saturday.
“According to field reports from operational teams, unfortunately, 787 compatriots have been martyred in these attacks,” the Red Crescent said on its website.
The organisation added that strikes had hit 153 cities and more than 500 locations across Iran in more than 1,000 attacks.
US President Donald Trump has claimed Iran’s “air defense, Air Force, Navy, and Leadership is gone” following ongoing US strikes, declaring on Truth Social that Tehran now wants negotiations but that it is “Too Late!”.
In the same post, he linked to a The Washington Post opinion article titled ‘We’re witnessing the birth of the Trump Doctrine’, which argues that his decision to strike Iran does not amount to the start of a “forever war” but rather the end of one.
The US embassy in Riyadh has warned of an imminent attack in the eastern Saudi city of Dhahran, home to much of the kingdom’s energy installations along the Gulf coast.
“There is a threat of imminent missile and UAV attacks over Dhahran. Do not come to the U.S. Consulate” the embassy wrote on its official X account.
The warning came just hours after the US mission in Riyadh was attacked by two drones that sparked a small fire on the embassy grounds, as Iran pressed on with retaliatory strikes across the Gulf.
On Monday, the massive Ras Tanura refinery on Saudi Arabia’s Gulf coast went into partial shutdown after a strike by drones.
The complex run by the Saudi state oil giant Aramco is home to one of the largest refineries in the entire Middle East and a cornerstone of the kingdom’s energy sector.
Saudi Arabia is the world’s biggest oil exporter, with most of its oil fields and petroleum infrastructure located along its eastern coast, across the Gulf from Iran.
Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency services said they were treating seven people with injuries following the latest salvo of missiles fired from Iran.
“At three scenes in central Israel, MDA paramedics and EMTs are providing medical treatment to 7 injured people, including: a woman around 40 years old in moderate condition with blast injuries, and 6 additional casualties in mild condition suffering from glass shrapnel and blast-related injuries,” an MDA statement said.
At three scenes in central Israel, MDA paramedics and EMTs are providing medical treatment to 7 injured people, including 1 in moderate condition, and 6 in mild condition with blast and shrapnel injuries pic.twitter.com/J5Q4P7Ba2u
— Magen David Adom (@Mdais) March 3, 2026
Israeli police said officers were operating at several sites in the central and Tel Aviv districts where shrapnel had fallen.
Israeli and US strikes hit the Tehran building of a body tasked with electing Iran’s new supreme leader, local media has reported.
“The American-Zionist criminals attacked the Assembly of Experts building in Qom,” south of Tehran, according to the Tasnim news agency.
Local media showed footage of the building severely damaged in the strikes.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US and Israeli strikes on Saturday.
A commercial airplane was seen taking off in Beirut as Israeli airstrikes hit the Lebanese capital. pic.twitter.com/xXWJ4WWSYA
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 3, 2026
Iran has held a mass funeral ceremony for schoolgirls and staff killed in a missile strike on a girls’ school in the southern city of Minab.
Iran says 168 people were killed in the strike on a girls’ school, with thousands gathering to mourn as dozens of flag-draped coffins were carried through the streets.
State media had earlier published aerial images showing rows of freshly dug graves ahead of the funerals.
Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, condemned the attack as a war crime.
An update from the Dáil from our political editor Christina Finn:
Leaders’ Questions was dominated by the violence in the Middle East, with the opposition rounding on Taoiseach and asking why the Irish government cannot call out the attacks by the US and Israel in Iran as a clear breach of international law. Labour’s Ivana Bacik said the attacks are a flagrant breach of international law, while also stating that the Iranian regime is tyrannical.
She the two things can be true at the same time, stating that the Taoiseach should be clear that international law must be upheld. You “cannot bring yourself” to condemn the US and their actions, said Bacik, stating that the only conclusion to be reached is that the Taoiseach fears upsetting the Washington ahead of his White House visit next month.
She accused the Taoiseach of “double speak” when it came to calling out the US and Israel. Martin is going to “genuflect” in front of Trump in the name of the Irish people, said Bacik.
There are no “good guys here”, said Bacik.
Martin responded by stating that the bombing of Iran was not in accordance with a UN mandate, but stopped short of stating that it was a breach of international law. He said that St Patick’s Day will come and go, but that relationship between Ireland and the US runs deeper than that.
Speaking about the cost of fuel, the Taoiseach said that there is evidence of price gouging in the last number of days. He urged the CRU to “very closely” monitor what is happening, stating that if people have evidence of price hikes, they should complain to CRU.
He said the government will keep it under “urgent review” as the conflict unfolds. He said there is potential for this to turn into a real energy crisis, similar to what was experienced following the war in Ukraine.
In the past few minutes, Hezbollah said it has targeted an Israeli tank on the edge of a Lebanese border village.
It comes as as Israel continues to strike Lebanon, including the capital Beirut.
Wall Street stocks tumbled early today, joining a global sell-off as markets worry about a long-running Middle East war that boosts oil prices and inflation.
European markets were hit even harder with losses of three percent and more.
Brent North Sea crude, the international benchmark, topped $85 a barrel for the first time since July 2024.
Iran’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, has cast doubt on the prospect of negotiations with the US.
“For the time being we are very doubtful about the usefulness of negotiation,” Ali Bahreini told reporters in Geneva today, according to the Reuters news agency.
It comes after Trump declared it was ”too late” to talk in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.
In the past few minutes, Iranian media has reported that Tehran’s Mehrabad airport has been targeted by strikes.
It comes as Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his country will continue to strike Iran “with force”.
Netanyahu has also vowed in the past few minutes to strike Hezbollah in Lebanon with “even greater force”.
Israel’s military meanwhile has said its air force struck industrial sites “throughout Iran” that were used to produce weapons, including ballistic missiles.
There is more information now available on Hezbollah’s attack on an Israeli tank.
Hezbollah said it targeted the tank on the edge of a Lebanese border village, hours after Israel’s defence minister ordered his troops to take control of more strategic positions inside Lebanon.
In a statement, Hezbollah said: “In response to the criminal Israeli aggression… and after monitoring movements by the Israeli enemy army in Tel Nahas on the outskirts of Kfar Kila, our fighters targeted a Merkava tank with appropriate weapons and scored a direct hit.”
Earlier today, a Lebanese army source said Israel was undertaking a ground incursion “from Kfar Kila and the Khiam plains” along the Lebanon-Israel border.
Our News Correspondent Niall O’Connor reports that there are concerns about the pressures on the air interceptors currently keeping cities across the UAE safe:
As Iranians launch salvos of rockets and unmanned aircraft the US and United Arab Emirates are struggling to keep up.
The UAE comprises a number of emirates – most famously Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It also borders Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. All locations have been struck since the war began.
There are two main types of air defence missiles being used – the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) and Patriot missile batteries.
The US is operating systems across the region but as repeat salvos come across the Strait of Hormuz the teams are struggling to keep up. Videos depicting the launches have been circulating on social media and news reports.
A typical THAAD battery is large and comprises 95 soldiers, manning six truck-mounted launchers with 48 interceptors in total. They are expensive – coming in at around $1bn per battery. There is a specialist radar system and a fire and control component also. It is understood that around 10 THAAD batteries exist in the world.
In analysis seen by The Journal the first two days of the war saw approximately 400 missiles and 1,000 drones were launched by Iran. The response from Arab countries and the US has seen multiple missiles being launched on single incoming targets – either missiles or drones.
The concern now is that those stocks are dwindling and if they run out they could leave UAE cities badly exposed.
Naval ships, such as a British frigate, are now being rushed to the region to backfill the land-based launchers, but they will not arrive for several days.
Meanwhile Israel is also using large amounts of their Iron Dome interceptors as Hezbollah and Iran launch attacks.
In neutral Cyprus, which is hosting the EU Presidency, attacks by Hezbollah drones have seen British fighter jets mounting Combat Air Patrols to intercept the incoming aircraft.
More from Netanyahu, who vows to hit Hezbollah with increasing force.
“We continue to strike Iran with force. Our pilots are over the skies of Iran and Tehran, and also over the skies of Lebanon.
“Hezbollah made a very big mistake when it attacked us. We have already responded forcefully, and we will respond with even greater force,” Netanyahu said, according to a statement from his office.
Donald Trump is meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is in Washington DC on a White House visit.
It’s expected that Trump will soon speak to the media and we’ll bring you his remarks here.
The UK will send helicopters with counter drone capabilities and air defence destroyer HMS Dragon to protect British military personnel in Cyprus, Keir Starmer has said.
In a statement posted on site X, Starmer said: “The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there.
“We’re continuing our defensive operations and I’ve just spoken with the President of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter drone capabilities and HMS Dragon is to be deployed to the region.
“We will always act in the interest of the UK and our allies.”
The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) March 3, 2026
We’re continuing our defensive operations and I've just spoken with the President of Cyprus to let him know that we are sending helicopters with counter drone capabilities and HMS… pic.twitter.com/0tsZb4dG2i
Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald today called on Taoiseach Micheál Martin to “condemn the US-Israeli strikes without qualification and state that they are in breach of international law”.
Speaking during Leaders’ Question, McDonald said: “A sovereign state has been bombed. Its leader assassinated. 185 innocent schoolgirls killed.
“These are not defensive actions. These are actions of powerful states acting in defiance of international law.
“Let me state very clearly – the Iranian government is brutal and repressive. It has crushed protestors, oppressed women and jailed dissidents. That merits the highest condemnation. But the brutality of one government does not license another to set international law aside and engage in military aggression.”
McDonald added: “Neutrality matters precisely at moments like this. It means we do not align ourselves with aggression. But more to the point it means we defend international law consistently.”
Fine Gael Senator Seán Kyne has called on the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to “establish if there is price gouging or price fixing across the Irish fuel market as a result of the conflict in the Middle East”.
“People understand that global events can affect prices, but they can’t accept that a fuel company could be using international instability as cover for unjustified increases,” said Kyne.
“If stock was bought at a lower price, consumers should not be paying war-time rates for it.
“I understand Minister for Business, Enterprise and Trade Peter Burke has asked the CCPC to investigate this urgently. I fully support this.
Kyne added that the “pattern of price movements simply doesn’t add up”.
“When pump prices are rising faster than wholesale costs and falling slower when markets stabilise, it raises legitimate questions around whether the system is working in the public’s interest.
“An independent review by the CCPC would help determine whether recent price movements are justified or whether consumers are being unfairly burdened during a period of uncertainty.”
It’s being reported that loud explosions have been heard across Doha, the capital of Qatar, and Dubai in the UAE in the past few minutes.
Trump is now addressing the media in the Oval Office.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is in Washington DC on a White House visit, which was arranged before war broke out in Iran.
Trump says the two will talk about Iran.
“They have no air force, navy, air protection. Just about everything has been knocked out,” says Trump.
Merz says “we are on the same page in terms of getting this terrible regime in Tehran out of the way,” and adds that they will “talk about the day after”.
Merz adds that Ukraine will be on the agenda during talks with Trump.
Trump describes the Iranian regime as “lunatics” and says he “felt strongly” that Iran were going to attack first.
“I didn’t want that to happen so if anything I might have forced Israel’s hand,” says Trump.
He also says he is “surprised” Iran has targeted neighbouring countries “which have nothing to do with what is going on.”
Trump also claims Iran is “only hitting civilian locations” and claims that the US is targeting military sites.
“These are bad people,” says Trump.
“The leader of the pack is gone, and there was another hit today on the new leadership and it looks like that was pretty substantial.”
Trump also claims a lot of people in the Iranian regime are seeking immunity.
Trump says Iran has been “beaten militarily” and soon won’t be able to fire any missiles.
He says worst case scenario is that something “who is no better” takes over Iran.
He adds most of the people he had “in mind” to take over the leadership of Iran are dead and have been killed in strikes.
“Pretty soon we’re not gonna know anyone,” says Trump.
Trump now says “he has to finish off the military”.
He says “somebody who is there, who is currently popular, if such a person exists,” will be the next leader.
Trump says some European nations have been helpful and some haven’t.
He praises the head of Nato but says “Spain has been terrible” and that he has “cut off all dealings” with the country.
“Spain said we can’t use their bases. We could use them if we want, nobody can tell us what to do, but Spain has nothing that we need.”
“We’re gonna cut off all trade with Spain, we don’t want anything to do with Spain,” says Trump.
He is now saying he isn’t happy with the UK either, and Trump says “this is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with”.
Trump says there were no evacuation plans in place because “I thought it was all going to happen very quickly”.
He again says he thought Iran was going to attack first.
“We have massive amounts of ammunition,” says Trump.
He now says, “I’m all for Ukraine” but attacks Biden for “giving away” weapons to Ukraine.
He says makes Ukraine pay for ammunition from the US.
You can watch Trump’s press conference live here:
⭕ LIVE: President Donald Trump addresses the media on US attacks on Iran at the White House, Washington, DC. https://t.co/agIjcI02eg
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) March 3, 2026
Trump calls the Democrats “losers” and says he has never received more compliments than for his current actions in Iran.
Says higher oil prices are a price worth paying and that prices will drop soon.
Merz earlier said the war is “damaging our economies”.
Trump now criticising Spain again.
Says he may embargo Spain and is asking his aides in the room if he can do such a thing – they all say he can.
Trump says Iranians in America “are happy with what we did” and “you could never have true peace in the Middle East” without the war.
He also claims Iran would have used a nuclear weapon on Israel had it had the opportunity.
“These people are crazy and if they had a nuclear weapon they would have used it,” said Trump.
Merz now asked about Trump’s threat against Spain, replies that he too wants Spain to up its contribution to Nato.
“Spain has been very un-cooperative,” says Trump.
But he adds the UK has been too and says that is “surprising but we are not in the age of Churchill”.
“I love the UK,” says Trump, “it’s a place I feel warmly about but what they’re doing is horrible.”
He is now venting against the use of windmills in the UK.
Trump says Ukraine war is high on is list of priorities and that he thought it would be easy to solve but hasn’t turned out to be.
Says there is “top scale” hatred between Putin and Zelenskyy and that “sometimes he blames one, sometimes he blames the other”.
Trump says US action in Iran is needed “because you would have had a nuclear war and they would have take out many countries because they’re sick people, they’re mentally ill, they’re angry, they’re crazy, they’re sick”.
And with that, Trump’s media briefing with Merz comes to an end.
US and Israeli strikes have continued to pummel targets across Tehran, as Israel pushed troops deeper into Lebanon to battle Hezbollah.
Meanwhile, loud explosions were heard across the cities of Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi around an hour ago.
Dubai authorities later said the explosions heard across the city were caused by “interception operations” by air defence forces.
Trump has also just concluded a media appearance in the Oval Office of the White House.
When asked if Israel “forced his hand”, Trump says he was the one to “force” Israel’s hand because it was his “opinion that they were going to attack first”.
Trump added that Iran now has “no navy, no air force or air detection”.
“Just about everything’s been knocked out,” said Trump.
He also vowed to embargo Spain and has hit out at British prime minister Keir Starmer, saying “this is not the age of Churchill”.
Meanwhile, Trump acknowledged rising oil prices but added: “We have a little high oil prices for a little while… as soon as this ends those prices are going to drop, I believe lower than even before”.
Our columist Tom Clonan has written about what he deems “the death of our international rules-based order” as set out in UN charters and laws of armed conflict following the US-Israel attack on Iran.
He writes:
What Trump and Netanyahu have just done in their air campaign against Iran is akin to a medieval king beheading the king of a rival, warring province. Unlike in previous US military interventions such as Afghanistan or Iraq, Trump made no attempt to justify his ‘Epic Fury’ operation against Iran in legal or ethical terms.
There was no consultation with the UN Security Council. There was no consultation with the United States Congress. Trump acted unilaterally, framing his assault as a ‘major combat operation’ – stopping short of calling it what it is, an act of war.
You can read more here.
The Israeli military has announced it would imminently strike buildings in the south Lebanese city of Tyre, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, saying it was targeting Hezbollah infrastructure and warning residents to leave.
“To the residents of the buildings marked in red on the attached maps and those in the vicinity – you are positioned in the immediate vicinity of Hezbollah assets,” the military’s Arabic-language spokesman, Avichay Adraee, posted on X.
“For your safety, you must evacuate immediately and maintain a minimum distance of 300 metres,” he added.
#عاجل ‼️ انذار عاجل لسكان لبنان وتحديدًا سكان مدينة صور
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) March 3, 2026
🔸سيهاجم جيش الدفاع على المدى الزمني القريب بنى تحتية عسكرية لحزب الله في ضوء محاولاته المحظورة لاعادة اعمار أنشطته في المنطقة
🔸نحث سكان المبنييْن المحدديْن بالأحمر في الخريطتيْن المرفقتيْن والمباني المجاورة لهما: انتم… pic.twitter.com/yqS5U3SWDH
Iranian state news agency Mehr is reporting that US-Israeli strikes caused damage at an airport in Bushehr, a port city in the south of the country that also hosts a nuclear power plant.
“Following an enemy attack, a projectile struck an Airbus aircraft… this plane is completely damaged,” the agency said.
“The shockwave (from the strike) caused damage to the airport terminal,” it added, noting a second aircraft had also been hit.
AFP journalists have reported hearing loud bangs this evening in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region, which hosts US bases.
Explosions were heard mostly near Erbil airport, which hosts US-led coalition troops.
Since the start of the US-Israel campaign against Iran, drones have repeatedly been intercepted over Erbil, which is also home to a major US consulate complex.
An air strike has hit a military base in southern Iraq housing the Iran-backed Kataeb Hezbollah group, a source from the armed faction said.
The Jurf al-Nasr base, which serves as one of the main bastions of the powerful Tehran-backed group, has been struck several times since the start of the war in the Middle East.
Unsurprisingly, Dublin Airport has confirmed all 12 flights due to fly to and from Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi tomorrow have been cancelled.
Disruption to flights between Dublin Airport & airports in the Middle East will continue tomorrow (Wednesday).
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) March 3, 2026
Airlines have confirmed the cancellation of all 12 flights scheduled for Wednesday to/from Doha, Dubai & Abu Dhabi. This follows the cancellation of all flights today… pic.twitter.com/01riJnC2Dq
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee has confirmed that the government will charter a flight to evacuate up to 280 Irish citizens from the Middle East in the coming days.
You can read more here.
Following that news that the government is set to charter a flight to the Middle East to bring Irish citizens home, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Helen McEntee has issued a statement on the matter.
It reads:
I am highly aware of the large numbers of Irish citizens in the UAE as the current conflict continues. In this context, I asked our Consular Crisis team today to activate plans for an assisted departure.
Our team will now take the necessary steps to finalise a first government of Ireland charter flight for Irish citizens to depart the region from Oman Airport in the coming days, providing security and operational considerations permit.
This first charter flight will be targeted at Irish citizens currently in UAE, particularly those who are non-resident, and who are vulnerable and require assistance most urgently.
Those citizens requiring most assistance will be contacted directly by my Department in the coming days. I would ask for everyone’s patience as our most vulnerable citizens are contacted in this first phase of our response to this crisis.
We will continue to offer consular assistance to all citizens in the region. All citizens should register with the appropriate Embassy if they have not already done so and continue to follow our Embassy social media accounts for the latest updates.
Iran has said it is ready for a long war against the US and Israel and has so far not used its most advanced weapons.
“We have the capacity to resist and to continue an offensive defence longer than what (the enemy) has planned for this imposed war,” defence ministry spokesman Reza Talaei-Nik was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency.
“We do not intend to deploy all our advanced weapons and equipment in the first days,” he added.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Fars news agency is reporting that supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the US-Israeli strikes on Saturday, will be buried in the holy city of Mashhad.
The 86-year-old was originally from Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, where his father is buried at the Imam Reza shrine. No date for the burial was disclosed.
The Pentagon’s policy chief distanced the US from the death of Iran’s supreme leader today, saying he was killed by an Israeli strike.
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Elbridge Colby said the strike that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian leaders was not part of the American military campaign.
“Those are Israeli operations,” Colby said, pushing back when pressed by lawmakers about whether regime change was an objective of US action.
Colby’s restrained tone contrasted with that of Donald Trump, who has framed the conflict in sweeping and triumphant terms since the strikes began.
In a social media post, Trump said Khamenei was “unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems” and that, “working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do.”
The divergence in tone underscored broader questions about the administration’s aims in Iran.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said yesterday that Washington acted only after learning Israel was preparing to strike, suggesting the US role was reactive rather than part of a broader plan.
Colby sought to narrow the scope of US objectives.
“The objectives of the military campaign… are focused on addressing the ability of the Islamic Republic to project military power against us, our bases, our forces, et cetera, as well as our allies and partners in the region and beyond,” he said.
He described the primary targets as Iran’s missile firepower, as well as its capacity to produce those weapons and elements of the Iranian navy.
Those goals, he argued, were “scoped and reasonable objectives that can be attained.”
Pressed by Jack Reed, the panel’s top Democrat, on how the killing of Iran’s top leader fit with those objectives, Colby reiterated that he was “talking about the goals of the American military campaign,” adding that the leadership strikes were Israeli actions.
While Trump has publicly urged the Iranian people to seize an “unprecedented opportunity” to overthrow the government, Colby maintained that the US military campaign is focused on degrading Iran’s power projection capabilities – not explicitly on regime change.
President Emmanuel Macron has given a televised address to the French people in the last few minutes.
In the speech, he said the US and Israel acted “outside international law” in striking Iran.
He confirmed that France was sending extra air defence forces and a French frigate to Cyprus following a drone attack on a British base on the Mediterranean island.
“I have … decided to send additional air defence assets and a French frigate, the Languedoc, which will arrive off the coast of Cyprus this evening,” he said, a day after Iranian-made drones hit the RAF base.
It comes after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed earlier today that he is sending helicopters with counter drone capabilities and air defence destroyer HMS Dragon to protect UK military personnel in Cyprus.
Macron also said that French forces downed drones “in self-defence” during the opening hours of the Middle East conflict.
“We reacted immediately and shot down drones in self-defence in the early hours of the conflict to defend the airspace of our allies, who know they can count on us,” Macron said, referring to defence agreements with Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE.
Adresse aux Français sur la situation en Iran et au Moyen-Orient. pic.twitter.com/SO2RKAOLEy
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 3, 2026
Turkey’s foreign minister has said the US should limit its attacks on Iran to degrading its military capabilities as forcing regime change would causes “risks” for the region.
Attacking military targets and regime change were the two main options for the war, Foreign Ministeer Hakan Fidan said in a television interview.
“Moving toward the second (regime change) means introducing very different scenarios and risks for the region,” he declared.
Iran has said it fired another salvo of missiles at Israel this evening, the Revolutionary Guards said in a statement carried by the Fars news agency.
“The sixteenth wave of ‘Operation True Promise 4′ has begun with a large number of missiles and drones launched by the aerospace forces of the Revolutionary Guards against the heart of the occupied territories,” the statement said, referring to Israel.
A drone attack caused a fire near the US consulate in Dubai on Tuesday, a government statement said, a day after the US embassy in Riyadh was hit by an Iranian strike.
“Dubai authorities have confirmed that a fire resulting from a drone-related incident near the US Consulate has been successfully contained,” the official Dubai Media Office posted on X.
Dubai authorities have confirmed that a fire resulting from a drone-related incident near the US Consulate has been successfully contained. Emergency teams responded immediately. No injuries have been reported.
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 3, 2026
Israel’s transport minister has said the country will gradually reopen its airspace overnight between Wednesday and Thursday, after it was closed to civilian flights as the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
“The airspace will reopen gradually starting already on the night between Wednesday and Thursday, and of course subject to security developments,” Miri Regev said during a press conference at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport.
A spokesperson for the ministry said the airspace will initially reopen for repatriation flights only, and that people will not be allowed to fly out.
The Israeli military meanwhile has announced it struck an underground nuclear site in Iran where it said scientists were “covertly” developing a key component for an atomic weapon.
“The IDF intelligence continued to follow the scientists’ activities and located their new location at this site in a manner that enabled a precise strike on the covert underground compound,” the military said, displaying a map showing the facility on the western outskirts of Tehran.
“In the site, a group of nuclear scientists operated covertly to develop a key component for nuclear weapons,” it said, adding the scientists had been working at the underground location after Israel struck several Iranian nuclear sites during the previous war in June.
And here is alleged video footage of an Iranian drone striking the US Consulate in Dubai.
JUST IN: 🇺🇸🇦🇪 Video shows moment Iranian drone strikes US Consulate in Dubai.
— BRICS News (@BRICSinfo) March 3, 2026
UAE government says no injuries reported and the fire has been extinguished. pic.twitter.com/ZQjOIYpBs2
The Israeli military has said its strikes have disabled around 300 missile launchers in Iran.
“Since the start of Operation ‘Roaring Lion’, the Israeli Air Force has dismantled approximately 300 Iranian missile launchers.
“This is the result of more than 1,600 sorties and a systematic, around-the-clock effort to locate and target launchers and missile stockpiles in order to reduce fire toward the Israeli home front,” the army said in a statement.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is currently speaking to the press.
He’s asking US citizens in the region to make themselves known.
He also references reports about a strike on the US consulate in Dubai and says that an Iranian strike struck a carpark nearby.
He also says staff had been taken from the consulate recently.
Rubio says Iran will not be allowed to “hide behind the immunity” of ballistic missiles and that the US and Israel will destroy its missile launchers and navy.
He also says there will be a “change in the scope and intensity of these attacks” in the coming days in an effort to “defang this terroristic regime”.
“We saw what they were willing to do to their own people, imagine what they would do to us,” says Rubio.
Rubio is telling reporter’s that Iran was “playing us on negotiations” and that “this was a threat that was untenable”.
Rubio also claims the Trump administration has “over complied” with what is required by law.
He also says the closure of airspace and airports being struck has hampered the ability to evacuate US citizens from the region.
Rubio said last weekend presented a “unique opportunity to take joint action” against Iran.
“The president acted on the timing that gave us the highest chance of success and that’s what you’re seeing play out right now.”
“Iran is run by lunatics, they have an ambition to have nuclear weapons,” says Rubio.
“This is the weakest they’ve ever been, now is the time to go after them so that they can never have a nuclear weapon and the world will be a safer place when they no longer have access to these weapons.”
When asked if Israel is “dictating” the war, Rubio says, “this is the weakest they’ve ever been, if we don’t hit them now, a year and a half from now noone will be able to touch them and they’ll be able to do whatever they want”.
He says Trump “went first because he was not going to run the risk that they could attack us before we attack them”.
And with that, Rubio draws his remarks to an end.
Iran’s slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be buried in the holy city of Mashhad, the Fars news agency has said.
Khamenei was killed at 86 during a wave of US-Israeli attacks on Saturday.
He was originally from Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city, where his father is buried at the Imam Reza shrine.
Before the burial, a “large farewell ceremony” will be held in Tehran, the Revolutionary Guards said on their Telegram account.
No date for the burial was disclosed.
After Khamenei’s death, power was entrusted to a three-man interim council until the Assembly of Experts elects his successor.
It includes the president, the head of the judiciary and a jurist from the Guardian Council, the body that oversees legislation and vets electoral candidates.
Fars, citing an official familiar with the process, reported that “for security reasons”, the assembly’s final meeting could be postponed until after Khamenei’s burial.
A drone has been shot down near Baghdad International airport, Iraqi authorities said, with no casualties or material damage reported, the Iraqi government’s security media cell said.
Baghdad International Airport includes a military base that hosts American advisors and previously housed US-led coalition troops.
The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency has said that there has been “no evidence of Iran building a nuclear bomb”.
Rafael Grossi went on to say that the country had a stockpile of near-weapons grade enriched uranium and refused to grant IAEA inspectors full access to view them, describing this as “cause for serious concern”.
I have been very clear and consistent in my reports on Iran’s nuclear programme: while there has been no evidence of Iran building a nuclear bomb, its large stockpile of near-weapons grade enriched uranium and refusal to grant my inspectors full access are cause for serious…
— Rafael Mariano Grossi (@rafaelmgrossi) March 3, 2026
Donald Trump has said that the US Navy will “if necessary” begin escorting oil tankers through the closed Strait of Hormuz “as soon as possible”.
“No matter what, the United States will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD,” he wrote on Truth Social.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20% of the world’s oil supply passes, was shut yesterday by Iran.
Crude prices continued to surge early today, with Brent futures topping $85 a barrel for the first time since July 2024 amid talk of $100 oil due to a lengthy outage of Strait of Hormuz activity.
But Brent instead finished at $81.40 per barrel, still up 4.7%, after Trump ordered Washington to provide insurance for shipping.
Iraqi authorites have said a “small drone” was shot down on the outskirts of Baghdad International Airport this evening. There were no casualties and no damage reported.
The airport includes a military base that hosts American advisors and previously housed US-led coalition troops.
The IDF has said defence systems are working to incercept new missiles launched from Iran towards Israel.
AFP journalists in Jerusalem have reported hearing blasts in the last 10 minutes.
Dubai’s media office said a fire in the vicinity of the US Consulate in the city has been fully extinguished, with no injuries recorded.
بالصور: إخماد الحريق بالكامل في محيط القنصلية الأمريكية بدبي دون تسجيل أي إصابات؛ والجهات المختصة في دبي تؤكد حرصها على ضمان أمن وسلامة الجميع. pic.twitter.com/3fqjHkEHMl
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 3, 2026
Israel’s police said they are currently dealing with fallen munitions debris in the Tel Aviv area, where a woman suffered mild shrapnel injuries.
“A short time ago, reports were received by the Israel police regarding the fall of munition debris in the Tel Aviv District. Police officers and bomb disposal experts are operating to secure and isolate the affected areas,” the force said in a statement reporting the first wave of missiles.
Minutes later, the military reported a second wave of missile launches from Iran, which were followed by blasts, AFP journalists reported.
Tel Aviv District officers are currently handling several impact scenes involving fallen munition fragments within the district. Property damage has been reported; at this stage, no injuries are known. pic.twitter.com/bPV9cd8sWO
— Israel Police (@israelpolice) March 3, 2026
Qatar’s defence ministry said an Iranian ballistic missile has hit US’ military base at Al-Udeid, around 40km south-west of Doha.
The ministry said Qatar was targeted by two missiles, adding: “Air defence systems successfully intercepted one of the missiles, while the second missile struck Al-Udeid Qatari Base without causing any casualties.”
The US State Department has announced a number of charter flights for American citizens from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
“In the past several days, over 9,000 American citizens have safely returned from the Middle East, including over 300 from Israel,” the department said in a statement, adding that over 3,000 citizens had been in touch wanting to return to the US.
The department also said it will waive “any statutory requirement for American citizens to reimburse the government for travel expenses”.
“Commercial aviation options remain available in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Egypt, and the Department is actively helping American citizens book those tickets. For those in countries lacking commercial aviation availability, the Department is facilitating travel to third countries as conditions allow. That includes increasing ground transportation options for American citizens wishing to leave Israel.”
Qatar has dismantled two spy cells linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, its official press agency has reported.
“Close surveillance made it possible to arrest ten suspects: seven were tasked with spying and gathering information about vital and military infrastructure in the country, and three were meant to carry out sabotage operations,” the agency said.
It added the suspects “admitted during the investigation their links to the Revolutionary Guards and having been instructed to conduct espionage and sabotage activities”.
The director-general of the World Health Organisation has said that three health centres in separate Iranian cities have been damaged amid the ongoing conflict.
“I again urge all parties to prevent health facilities, workers and patients from becoming casualties of the conflict,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
Health facilities, staff and patients are being affected amid the ongoing conflict in #Iran.
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 3, 2026
Blasts near the Motahari Hospital, in Iran’s capital Tehran, reportedly damaged parts of the health facility and forced the evacuation of patients and health staff on 1 March.
Two… pic.twitter.com/6cafhSS5W1
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