US

Khamenei's son takes charge as Iran war sends oil price soaring

US

Iran war sends crude prices soaring as Khamenei son takes charge

BY AFP TEAMS IN TEHRAN, JERUSALEM, WASHINGTON, DUBAI AND BEIRUT

  • With the Strait of Hormuz off Iran remaining closed to almost all oil tankers, the price of benchmark crude oil contracts rocketed past $100 a barrel on Monday -- their highest levels since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 -- before edging back slightly. 
  • The Iran war sent oil prices soaring on Monday after Tehran, under new leader Mojtaba Khamanei, fired a new barrage of missiles at its Gulf neighbours and signalled that the strategic Strait of Hormuz would likely remain shut.
  • With the Strait of Hormuz off Iran remaining closed to almost all oil tankers, the price of benchmark crude oil contracts rocketed past $100 a barrel on Monday -- their highest levels since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 -- before edging back slightly. 
The Iran war sent oil prices soaring on Monday after Tehran, under new leader Mojtaba Khamanei, fired a new barrage of missiles at its Gulf neighbours and signalled that the strategic Strait of Hormuz would likely remain shut.
On the first day in power for Khamanei, the 56-year-old son of slain leader Ali Khamenei, Iranian troops mustered another wave of missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Israel.
Another missile was fired at NATO member Turkey, the second such incident in five days, with the alliance's air defences intercepting it before it could hit its target.
With the Strait of Hormuz off Iran remaining closed to almost all oil tankers, the price of benchmark crude oil contracts rocketed past $100 a barrel on Monday -- their highest levels since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 -- before edging back slightly. 
French President Emmanuel Macron said that his country and its allies were working on a "purely defensive" mission to reopen the strait, through which nearly 20 percent of the world's crude oil usually transits.
The mission would be aimed at escorting ships "after the end of the hottest phase of the conflict", but experts say it would mean putting navy vessels at risk of incoming fire from the nearby Iranian coast.
US President Donald Trump said last Tuesday that American warships would escort oil tankers in a bid to get supplies of crude and liquefied natural gas (LNG) moving again, but no attempts have so far been reported.
Finance ministers from the G7 group of wealthy nations met virtually to discuss releasing strategic oil reserves to try to dampen prices, which are up around 40-50 percent since the US and Israel launched their first attacks.
Following the meeting, however, French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said the group was "not there yet".
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that Iran was "trying to hold the world hostage", but experts had warned for years that Tehran would likely lash out if attacked directly.  
As oil prices rise, stock markets around the world are diving, hitting pension funds and savings.
Inflation caused by a sustained oil shock would also push up the price of goods for consumers everywhere. 
Queues at petrol stations have been seen as far afield as Vietnam and the Philippines as drivers anticipate higher prices, while Hungary and Croatia in the EU announced fuel price caps.

'Brutal aggression'

Iran faced a fresh blitz of US and Israeli strikes after its Assembly of Experts, the top clerical body, appointed its first new supreme leader in 37 years.
Iranian state media carried images of tens of thousands of people celebrating his selection in central Tehran on Monday, many carrying his picture. 
Iran's rebel Houthi allies in Yemen and the Hezbollah armed group in Lebanon pledged allegiance, while Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday promised "unwavering support".
Unconfirmed US media reports over the weekend said that Moscow has been providing targeting intelligence to the Islamic republic's military. 
US President Donald Trump told the New York Post newspaper he was "not happy" about Khamenei's appointment on Monday, after saying on Sunday that "if he doesn't get approval from us he's not going to last long".
In its first official reaction to his selection, Israel's foreign ministry called Khamenei "another tyrant to continue the Iranian regime's brutality".
Ali Ansari, a professor of Iranian history at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, said the new supreme leader was a hardliner who had "been involved in all the most violent repressions that have taken place over the last 15-16 years". 
It was possible, but very unlikely, that Khamenei might attempt to make a deal with the Americans and Israelis to end the war, or even take a more modernising approach within Iran, Ansari told AFP. 
"But I find it very difficult to imagine because at the moment, the regime is probably thinking 'if we show weakness, we're finished'," he said.

Oil risks

Oil traders, policymakers and central bankers are all watching the Middle East for news about Gulf energy infrastructure, which is crucial for the world economy. 
After France's leader mentioned plans to reopen Hormuz, Iranian security chief Ali Larijani said security in the strait was unlikely to be restored "amid the fires ignited by the United States and Israel in the region".
About 10 vessels in or near the Strait of Hormuz have come under attack since Iran blocked the waterway in retaliation for the US-Israeli attack.
Following strikes on Bahrain's Al Ma'ameer oil facility that ignited a fire, the country's state-owned energy company Bapco joined its counterparts in Qatar and Kuwait in declaring "force majeure" -- a warning that events beyond its control may lead it to miss export targets.
The Saudi defence ministry said Monday it had thwarted a drone attack targeting an oil field in the kingdom's east, near the Emirati border.
In Israel, around 10 explosions were audible in Tel Aviv after the military announced it had detected missiles inbound from Iran.
At least one Israeli was killed when he was hit by shrapnel, emergency services said.
The multi-front war also intensified in Lebanon, which was dragged into the conflict last week. 
Iran-backed militants Hezbollah said they were engaging Israeli forces who landed in eastern Lebanon by helicopter, and more strikes hit the southern districts of Beirut.
burs-adp/smw

US

France, allies preparing 'defensive' mission to reopen Strait of Hormuz: Macron

BY VALERIE LEROUX

  • Macron said during a visit to Cyprus earlier in the day that the Hormuz mission would be aimed at escorting container ships and tankers in order to gradually reopen the strait "after the end of the hottest phase of the conflict".
  • France and its allies are preparing a "defensive" mission to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, President Emmanuel Macron said Monday as the Middle East war entered its second week.
  • Macron said during a visit to Cyprus earlier in the day that the Hormuz mission would be aimed at escorting container ships and tankers in order to gradually reopen the strait "after the end of the hottest phase of the conflict".
France and its allies are preparing a "defensive" mission to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, President Emmanuel Macron said Monday as the Middle East war entered its second week.
The French leader landed by helicopter on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, dispatched to the Mediterranean after US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 triggered a war that has sown chaos in the Middle East and threatens to spill into other regions.
Macron said during a visit to Cyprus earlier in the day that the Hormuz mission would be aimed at escorting container ships and tankers in order to gradually reopen the strait "after the end of the hottest phase of the conflict".
"This is essential for international trade, but also for the flow of gas and oil, which must be able to leave this region once again," Macron said during a visit to the island to discuss regional security.
Speaking alongside Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Macron said a "purely defensive, purely support mission" will be put together by European and non-European states.
The European Union on Monday said it was ready to "enhance" its operations to protect maritime traffic in the Middle East.
The EU has been discussing reinforcing its naval mission in the Red Sea after the US-Israeli attacks on Iran triggered a broader regional war.
Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, a key Gulf waterway through which a fifth of global crude passes, has all but halted since the war broke out on February 28.
Macron visited Cyprus after the island nation and EU member was targeted by Iranian-made drones in early March.
The French leader said an attack on Cyprus was an attack on all of Europe.
"When Cyprus is attacked, it is Europe that is attacked," he said.
"We will not accept that the slightest piece of European territory, like Cyprus, be exposed to danger," added Mitsotakis.
The drone attack in Cyprus led to France's deployment of the Charles de Gaulle carrier to the Mediterranean, as well as a frigate and air defence units to the island. 
Paris has insisted its stance in the region is "strictly defensive".

'Freedom of navigation'

Aboard the Charles de Gaulle, Macron was due to speak with the sailors serving in the carrier strike group, the Elysee said.
The flagship is at the heart of a French naval operation that will also mobilise eight frigates and two amphibious helicopter carriers in a vast area including the eastern Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, he said.
A French frigate was already taking part in the EU's "Operation Aspides", which was launched in the Red Sea in 2024 to prevent attacks on trade vessels by Iran-backed Houthi rebel forces.
Macron said that France would contribute "in the long term" with two frigates to Operation Aspides.
"What we want to do is to ensure freedom of navigation and maritime security," he said. 
Separately, Macron on Monday morning spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the situation in the Middle East and Lebanon, the Elysee said.
vl-cc/pdw

Global Edition

Stocks slide as oil soars past $100 on Mideast war

  • Investors nevertheless remain worried that a spike in energy prices would trigger inflation and slow growth.
  • Stock markets slumped as energy prices soared on Monday as supply disruptions from the Middle East war drove volatility and fanned inflation fears. 
  • Investors nevertheless remain worried that a spike in energy prices would trigger inflation and slow growth.
Stock markets slumped as energy prices soared on Monday as supply disruptions from the Middle East war drove volatility and fanned inflation fears. 
Oil prices rocketed above $100 a barrel for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, after Iran retaliated to US-Israeli strikes by targeting sites in crude-producing Gulf nations.
After increasing by around 30 percent during Asian trading, international benchmark Brent and the main US oil contract WTI both pared gains and slid back under $100 per barrel.
The jump in prices was even more vertiginous than after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, when oil touched $130.50 per barrel.
Iran marked the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father as its supreme leader with a new barrage of missiles against Israel and the Gulf states, adding to concerns about energy infrastructure as well as a long conflict.
"The overnight panic in oil has eased for now as the price reverses its madcap gains above $100 but the underlying reasons for the shock move remain in place," said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading and investing platform IG.
"It is now open season on oil infrastructure across the region, which puts a near-term floor under the price well above the pre-war highs," he said.
Brent is currently up around 38 percent from right before the war and up 64 percent from the start of the year.
WTI has climbed 43 percent since the eve of the war and 67 percent since the start of the year.
Iranian retaliatory attacks have all but halted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz through which a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas pass.
Asian stocks fell sharply as oil prices spiked.
But equities in Europe and on Wall Street cut their losses as oil prices gave up their gains, even as G7 nations held off releasing oil from their strategic reserves.
The Nasdaq Composite even pushed higher in midday trading in New York.
Investors nevertheless remain worried that a spike in energy prices would trigger inflation and slow growth.
"The surge higher for the price of oil is significantly increasing stagflation risks for the global economy and could trigger a deeper sell-off in global equity markets," said analyst Lee Hardman at Mitsubishi UFJ financial group
Stagflation refers to a period of high inflation coupled with economic stagnation. 
Central banks are forced to raise interest rates to deal with inflation, thus hindering growth.
The prospect of interest rates being kept elevated, or even raised to combat inflation, pushed government bond yields higher on Monday.
Trade Nation analyst David Morrison noted that investors now expect just one interest rate cut from the US Federal Reserve this year, compared to two cuts just last week, while the European Central Bank is now tipped to hike rates sharply instead of holding them steady.

Key figures at around 1630 GMT

Brent North Sea Crude: UP 7.6 percent at $99.76 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 5.3 percent at $95.67 per barrel
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.8 percent at 47,141.95 points
New York - S&P 500: DOWN 0.3 percent at 6,717.96
New York - Nasdaq Composite: FLAT at 22,395.73
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 10,249.52 (close)
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 1.0 percent at 7,915.36 (close)
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.8 percent at 23,409.37 (close)
Seoul - Kospi: DOWN 6.0 percent at 5,251.87 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 5.2 percent at 52,728.72 (close) 
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.4 percent at 25,408.46 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.7 percent at 4,096.60 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1591 from $1.1604 on Friday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3396 from $1.3385
Dollar/yen: UP at 158.15 yen from 157.88 yen
Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.52 pence from 86.67 pence
bur-rl/gil

Iran

Trump says Australia will grant asylum to Iran women footballers

  • The son of Iran's late shah, US-based Reza Pahlavi, warned on Monday that the refusal to sing the anthem could have "dire consequences", and urged Australia to offer the team protection.
  • US President Donald Trump said Monday that Australia had agreed to grant asylum to some of Iran's visiting women's football team, amid fears they could face retaliation back home for not singing the national anthem before a match.
  • The son of Iran's late shah, US-based Reza Pahlavi, warned on Monday that the refusal to sing the anthem could have "dire consequences", and urged Australia to offer the team protection.
US President Donald Trump said Monday that Australia had agreed to grant asylum to some of Iran's visiting women's football team, amid fears they could face retaliation back home for not singing the national anthem before a match.
The gesture ahead of the team's Asian Cup match against South Korea last week was seen by many as an act of defiance against the Islamic republic just two days after the United States and Israel attacked it.
"I just spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, of Australia, concerning the Iranian National Women's Soccer Team. He's on it! Five have already been taken care of," Trump said Monday on his Truth Social network, less than two hours after an initial post urging Australia to take them in.
Trump added that "some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don't return."
There was no immediate comment from the Australian government, which has so far declined to say whether it could offer the players asylum.
Asked about their case on Sunday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia "stands in solidarity" with the people of Iran.
The son of Iran's late shah, US-based Reza Pahlavi, warned on Monday that the refusal to sing the anthem could have "dire consequences", and urged Australia to offer the team protection.
Trump then weighed in, pressing Albanese to "give ASYLUM" to the team and adding: "The US will take them if you won't."
"Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman's Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed," the US leader said on Truth Social.
Pahlavi, who has not returned to Iran since before the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the monarchy, has billed himself as the man to lead a democratic transition to a secular Iran as the theocratic regime fights to survive.
Politicians, human rights activists and even "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling have also called for the team to be offered official protection.
"Please, protect these young women," Rowling said in a post on social media.

'Save our girls'

A presenter on Iranian state TV had branded the players "wartime traitors" after they stood motionless during the anthem before their match against South Korea.
In subsequent games, the players saluted and sang.
Crowds gathered outside the Gold Coast stadium where the side played their last match over the weekend, banging drums and shouting "regime change for Iran".
They then surrounded the Iranian team bus, chanting "let them go" and "save our girls".
On Monday, an AFP journalist saw members of the team speaking on phones from their balcony of their hotel.
Asked about the possibility of granted asylum, a spokesperson for Australia's Home Affairs department told AFP earlier it "cannot comment on the circumstances of individuals".
Amnesty International campaigner Zaki Haidari said they faced persecution, or worse, if they were sent home.
"Some of these team members probably have had their families already threatened," Haidari told AFP.
"Them going back... who knows what sort of punishment they will receive?"
Despite being heavily monitored, the side would have a "small window of opportunity" to seek asylum at the airport, he said.
Iran's embassy in Australia did not respond to a request for comment.
sft-oho/mjw/msp/des/

Israel

NATO intercepts second Iran missile in Turkish airspace

BY BURCIN GERCEK

  • "A ballistic munition launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was neutralised by NATO air and missile defence assets in the eastern Mediterranean," it said.
  • NATO said it shot down a second ballistic missile from Iran in Turkish airspace on Monday, prompting a stern warning from Turkey to Tehran, which told its neighbour not to take "provocative steps".
  • "A ballistic munition launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was neutralised by NATO air and missile defence assets in the eastern Mediterranean," it said.
NATO said it shot down a second ballistic missile from Iran in Turkish airspace on Monday, prompting a stern warning from Turkey to Tehran, which told its neighbour not to take "provocative steps".
It was the second such incident in the skies over NATO member Turkey in five days, leading the alliance to stress its readiness "to defend all allies against any threat".
Washington meanwhile urged all American citizens to leave southeastern Turkey, where US troops are stationed at several bases.
Since the US-Israeli attacks began, Iran has retaliated with strikes across the Middle East in a bid to hit American assets. But Turkey appears to have been spared, despite the presence of US troops, including at Incirlik airbase just outside the southern city of Adana.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after the missile incident the country would "take the necessary measures to defend our nation".
"Despite our sincere warnings, extremely wrong and provocative steps continue to be taken that will jeopardise Turkey's friendship," he said after a cabinet meeting.
"Persistence and stubbornness in wrongdoing should be avoided."
NATO forces also intercepted a Turkey-bound ballistic missile launched from Iran on March 4.

'Neutralised'

The United States closed its consulate in Adana and advised non-essential staff and all family members to leave.
The US embassy in Turkey referenced a State Department travel advisory saying: "Americans in southeast Turkey are strongly encouraged to depart now."
Barely an hour later, Turkey's defence ministry confirmed another ballistic missile fired from Iran had been intercepted by NATO defence systems.
"A ballistic munition launched from Iran and entering Turkish airspace was neutralised by NATO air and missile defence assets in the eastern Mediterranean," it said.
The military alliance confirmed the information.
"NATO has again intercepted a missile heading to Turkiye. NATO stands firm in its readiness to defend all Allies against any threat," spokeswoman Allison Hart said on X, using Turkey's official name.
Incirlik air base is an important NATO facility that has been used by US troops for decades.
Also Monday, Turkey deployed six F-16 fighter jets to Northern Cyprus as a security measure, days after the island was hit by a drone attack. Nicosia said the Iranian-made drone was probably sent by Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah, and not from Iran itself.

Fragments hit construction site

Some fragments from the munition fired on Monday fell in open territory in the Gaziantep area, about 200 kilometres (120 miles) east of Adana, causing no injuries, Turkey's defence ministry said.
"At around 11:30 am (0830 GMT), a fragment of ballistic munition fell onto an empty area above the TOKI housing estate," the Gaziantep governor's office said, adding there was no damage.
Images appeared to show the fragment lying on the ground at a building site.
"We were sitting at home when suddenly we heard a big bang. Since there's a construction site here, we thought the noise was coming from there. But when we came and looked, we saw the missile fragment," local resident Ramazan Akpinar told DHA news agency.
After the March 4 missile interception over Turkey, NATO said it was strengthening its "ballistic missile defence posture".
Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles said the earlier missile had been spotted by Spanish troops manning a Patriot missile battery, who are based at Incirlik.
They had "detected and reported the missile attack", though they were not the ones that shot it down, she said.
bg-hmw/jhb

US

G7 'not there yet' on release of oil reserves: French minister

BY SOPHIE LAUBIE

  • The war in the Middle East is unlikely to trigger a collapse of the world economy on the scale of the 2008 global financial crisis, Nobel prize-winning economist Philippe Aghion said Monday.
  • France's finance minister said Monday the G7 was "not there yet" in terms of any release of strategic oil reserves as the world's leading industrialised nations held crisis talks on the economic fallout of the Middle East war.
  • The war in the Middle East is unlikely to trigger a collapse of the world economy on the scale of the 2008 global financial crisis, Nobel prize-winning economist Philippe Aghion said Monday.
France's finance minister said Monday the G7 was "not there yet" in terms of any release of strategic oil reserves as the world's leading industrialised nations held crisis talks on the economic fallout of the Middle East war.
Earlier Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Group of Seven advanced economies, said the G7 would this week discuss a possible release of strategic oil reserves.
A possible meeting of G7 leaders on the energy issue could take place this week, Macron told journalists on his way to Cyprus.
However, speaking to reporters after chairing a video meeting of G7 finance ministers, French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said the group was "not there yet".
Asked if they had agreed on releasing stockpiles to lower prices, Lescure said from Brussels: "What we've agreed upon is to use any necessary tools, if need be, to stabilise the market, including the potential release of necessary stockpiles."
Such a measure can only be effective if it is implemented in a "coordinated" manner, Lescure added.
The war triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran is fuelling fears for the global economy, with global stock markets sinking and oil rocketing above $100 a barrel for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Financial Times reported earlier Monday that the finance ministers of the G7, which also includes Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, were scheduled to discuss a joint release of strategic oil reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The report said three G7 countries, including the United States, had so far backed the idea.
France is also seeking to put together a meeting of G7 energy ministers that would take place on the sidelines of a nuclear energy summit in Paris on Tuesday.
"I wanted us to be able to mobilise close coordination at G7 level to better manage energy issues," said Macron.

'No imminent shortage'

The European Union insisted there was "no imminent oil supply" shortage in Europe.
"Per our rules, all member states must have the 90 days emergency stocks," said European Commission spokeswoman Anna-Kaisa Itkonen.
Oil has continued its surge as the US-Israeli war against Iran stretches into a second week and Tehran carries out retaliatory strikes against crude-producing Gulf nations, leaving governments scrambling to respond.
The Nikkei daily reported that the Japanese government had instructed domestic oil reserve bases to prepare to make releases. Tokyo said no decision had been taken.
Japan's strategic oil reserves were more than 400 million barrels as of December, and are among the world's largest. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said last week the reserves were equivalent to 254 days of domestic consumption.
Investors are concerned about the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for maritime trade.
Around 20 percent of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) usually transit through the strait.
Macron said France and its allies were working to put together a "purely defensive" mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
He said the mission would be aimed at escorting container ships and tankers in order to gradually reopen the strait "after the end of the hottest phase of the conflict".
The EU said it was ready to bolster its maritime operations in the Middle East to protect shipping routes after holding talks with regional leaders.

'Temporary fix'

A G7 release of strategic oil reserves "would offset around 2 to 3 weeks of normal Strait of Hormuz flows", said Lee Hardman, a senior currency analyst at Japanese bank MUFG.
"It would be a temporary fix to help prevent an even more disruptive surge in the price of oil in the coming weeks," he added.
The IEA was created to coordinate responses to major supply disruptions after the 1973 oil crisis.
In order to ensure energy security, the IEA imposes on its members an obligation to hold emergency oil stocks equivalent to at least 90 days of net oil imports.
The war in the Middle East is unlikely to trigger a collapse of the world economy on the scale of the 2008 global financial crisis, Nobel prize-winning economist Philippe Aghion said Monday.
"I see a possible slowdown," he said on RTL radio. "I don't see a collapse."
slb-od-vl-nal-jul-fpo-raz-as/cc/jhb

US

War in the Middle East: latest developments

  • - G7 to talk oil reserves - French President Emmanuel Macron said the G7 would discuss a possible release of strategic oil reserves, as the Middle East war caused crude prices to steam past $100 a barrel.
  • Here are the latest events in the Middle East war on Monday: - Zelensky says tapped for help - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 11 countries had tapped Kyiv for help on how to counter Iranian drones, being launched by Tehran across the Middle East. 
  • - G7 to talk oil reserves - French President Emmanuel Macron said the G7 would discuss a possible release of strategic oil reserves, as the Middle East war caused crude prices to steam past $100 a barrel.
Here are the latest events in the Middle East war on Monday:

Zelensky says tapped for help

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that 11 countries had tapped Kyiv for help on how to counter Iranian drones, being launched by Tehran across the Middle East. 
Ukraine touts itself as having world-class drone defence capabilities, built up through fending off nightly barrages of Iran-style attack drones launched by Russia.

NATO blocks missile in Turkey

Turkey's defence ministry said a ballistic missile fired from Iran was intercepted in Turkish airspace by NATO defence systems, in the second such incident in five days. 
Some fragments from the weaponry fell in open territory in the southern Gaziantep area but did not cause injuries, the ministry added.

Strike hits Iraq base

An airstrike hit a base belonging to the Hashed al-Shaabi coalition in northern Iraq, according to officials from the former paramilitary alliance, which includes pro-Iran factions.
One of the officials blamed the strike on the United States, saying it hit a base in the Bartella area near the city of Mosul in Nineveh province. No casualities were reported. 

Explosions near Doha

Several more explosions were heard across Doha and warning sirens sounded in Manama, according to AFP journalists, as Iran pressed its aerial campaign against Gulf neighbours.

EU says oil supply stable

A European Commission spokeswoman insisted there was "no imminent oil supply shortage" in Europe as the Middle East war sent energy prices soaring, with the benchmark price for a barrel of crude exceeding $100.
- 'Wide-scale' Iran strikes - 
The Israeli military said it had launched new "wide-scale" strikes on Tehran, Isfahan and southern Iran. 
AFP journalists had earlier reported heavy explosions rocking the Iranian capital.

Rally for new ayatollah

Thousands flocked to a central square in Tehran in a show of support for Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, appointed as Iran's supreme leader following the death of his father in US-Israeli strikes, AFP journalists saw. 

US urges citizens out of south Turkey

Washington has advised non-essential staff to leave its consulate near the southern Turkish city of Adana near a key NATO base. It also ordered US citizens to leave southeast Turkey, in the latest pullout of US consular services of the war.

US, Israel 'despair'

Iranian security chief Ali Larijani said the election of Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his father had left Israel and the United States in "despair".

Putin backs new ayatollah

Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged his "unwavering support" to Khamenei.
"At a time when Iran is confronting armed aggression, your tenure in this high position will undoubtedly require great courage and dedication," the Russian leader added.

G7 to talk oil reserves

French President Emmanuel Macron said the G7 would discuss a possible release of strategic oil reserves, as the Middle East war caused crude prices to steam past $100 a barrel.

One killed in Israel

Israel's first responders said a man was killed by shrapnel and another person severely wounded as several blasts rocked central Israel, shortly after the military reported detecting new missiles launched from Iran.
More than 10 explosions were also heard by AFP journalists in Tel Aviv.

Iran blames Europe

Iran said European countries including France had created the conditions that led to the United States and Israel attacking the Islamic republic, accusing them of not standing up to Washington's "bullying".

Qatar arrests 313

Qatari authorities have arrested more than 300 people for sharing images and "misleading information" during days of attacks by Iran, the interior ministry said.

Israel strikes Lebanon

An air strike hit Beirut's southern suburbs, with live AFPTV footage showing large plumes of smoke rising from the area, after Israel warned it would target branches of a firm linked to Hezbollah.
The Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group earlier said it was engaging Israeli forces who landed in eastern Lebanon overnight by helicopter across the Syrian border.

Stocks fall

European stock markets slid at the open on the back of surging energy prices caused by the war, after Japan's Nikkei index of stocks closed down more than five percent and South Korea's Kospi by nearly six percent.

China on new leader

China said it opposes any targeting of Iran's new supreme leader, after the Israeli military threatened to target any successor to his slain father, Ali Khamenei.
The younger Khamenei's appointment was purely an internal matter, foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters.

European gas spikes

European gas prices soared as much as 30 percent. The Dutch TTF natural gas contract, considered the European benchmark, jumped to 69.50 euros ($80), before paring gains slightly.
burs/giv/gil

US

Stranded Iran sailors put Sri Lanka, India in diplomatic dilemma

BY AMAL JAYASINGHE WITH UZMI ATHAR IN NEW DELHI

  • The ships had taken part in a naval exercise organised by India off the coast of Visakhapatnam, when the United States and Israel began bombing Iran.
  • Sri Lanka and India are providing sanctuary to 434 sailors from three Iranian naval vessels targeted or threatened by the United States, a diplomatic conundrum as the war spills into the Indian Ocean.
  • The ships had taken part in a naval exercise organised by India off the coast of Visakhapatnam, when the United States and Israel began bombing Iran.
Sri Lanka and India are providing sanctuary to 434 sailors from three Iranian naval vessels targeted or threatened by the United States, a diplomatic conundrum as the war spills into the Indian Ocean.
The ships had taken part in a naval exercise organised by India off the coast of Visakhapatnam, when the United States and Israel began bombing Iran.
For Sri Lanka and India, wary of a US response, the dilemma of what to do with the ships and crew has sent legal officials scouring conventions and the laws of the sea.

What happened?

IRIS Dena, a frigate, was sunk with a torpedo fired by a US submarine on Wednesday, just outside Sri Lanka's territorial waters. Between 130 and 180 sailors were on board, and at least 84 were killed.
Sri Lanka rescued 32 survivors, many since discharged from hospital to be hosted at the Koggala air force base in the island's south.
IRIS Lavan, an amphibious landing ship, docked in India's southern port of Kochi on Wednesday. It had 183 sailors aboard, now hosted in naval facilities.
IRIS Bushehr, a supply vessel, entered Sri Lankan waters on Thursday, carrying 219 crew members.
Among those, 15 remain onboard to assist Sri Lanka's navy, which has taken full control of the vessel. The total of Iranian sailors hosted by Sri Lanka is currently 251.

What have the countries said?

The two South Asian nations have not taken sides in the Middle East war and have justified their decision to host the Iranian sailors on humanitarian grounds.
"Our approach is that every life is as precious as our own," Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in a statement.
Sri Lanka maintains close ties with the United States, its biggest export market, and Iran, a key buyer of tea, Sri Lanka's main export commodity.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar spoke in parliament in New Delhi on Monday about the sailors.
"We believe that this was the right thing to do and the Iranian Foreign Minister has expressed his country's thanks for this humane gesture," Jaishankar said.
Media reports suggested Washington was pressing Sri Lanka not to repatriate the Iranians.
But a US State Department spokesperson said their fate was up to Colombo.
"The United States, of course, respects and recognises Sri Lanka's sovereignty in the handling of this situation," the spokesperson told AFP in Washington.

What happens now?

Sri Lanka is keeping the sailors from the two vessels apart because separate international conventions apply.
International humanitarian law applies to the 32 survivors of the first vessel, the sunken IRIS Dena. That means they could be repatriated if they wish.
But the second vessel, IRIS Bushehr and its 219 sailors, falls under the 1907 Hague Convention on the rights and duties of a neutral power, a senior administration official told AFP.
That requires Sri Lanka to hold those sailors and their vessel until the end of hostilities. They are being held in a naval base, just north of Colombo.
"The two groups need to be treated differently under our treaty obligations," the official said, asking not to be named, saying Sri Lanka has asked the International Committee of the Red Cross for help.
Colombo would follow the Hague Convention, the official added, noting it says that "a neutral power which receives on its territory troops belonging to the belligerent armies shall intern them".
But the 84 bodies recovered from the IRIS Dena will be sent back to Iran once logistics are possible, the government has said.
Sri Lankan officials said India was also likely to treat the IRIS Lavan and its crew the same way as Colombo will deal with the IRIS Bushehr.
But India, for its part, has not publicly addressed the fate or status of its Iranian guests.
uzm-aj/pjm/mjw

USA

Asian economies move to limit Mideast war's impact at home

  • - Philippines keeps civil servants home - Government departments in the Philippines, a country heavily dependent on oil imports, began adopting a four-day working week Monday to cope with soaring fuel prices.
  • Faced with soaring prices and disruptions to their oil and gas supplies, Asian countries heavily dependent on fossil fuels from the war-struck Gulf are moving to protect their domestic markets.
  • - Philippines keeps civil servants home - Government departments in the Philippines, a country heavily dependent on oil imports, began adopting a four-day working week Monday to cope with soaring fuel prices.
Faced with soaring prices and disruptions to their oil and gas supplies, Asian countries heavily dependent on fossil fuels from the war-struck Gulf are moving to protect their domestic markets.
Here are some of the measures being considered to limit the war's impact:

South Korea eyes price caps

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has said the manufacturing powerhouse, the world's eighth-largest consumer of crude oil, is moving towards instituting fuel price caps to alleviate pressure on the country's energy supply.
"We should swiftly introduce and decisively implement a price ceiling system for petroleum products that have recently seen excessive price increases," he told a Monday cabinet meeting. 
His chief of staff said Friday the country had already secured the "emergency delivery" of four million barrels of crude oil from ports in the United Arab Emirates.

Vietnam moves to slash tariffs

Vietnam has prepared a draft decree that would slash import tax rates to zero on certain petroleum products in a bid to "stabilise the domestic market", its finance ministry has said. 
Current tariffs of 10 percent on unleaded gasoline and seven percent on diesel, aviation fuel and kerosene would all be temporarily removed under the decree.

Japan may tap strategic stocks

According to Japanese news agency Kyodo, Tokyo is considering drawing on its national oil reserves to protect itself against possible prolonged supply disruptions -- a measure being demanded by the country's refiners.
The government said last week that Japan had stocks equivalent to 254 days of crude oil consumption -- including reserves held by the private sector -- and three weeks of liquefied natural gas (LNG) consumption.

Philippines keeps civil servants home

Government departments in the Philippines, a country heavily dependent on oil imports, began adopting a four-day working week Monday to cope with soaring fuel prices.
President Ferdinand Marcos has also ordered all government agencies to reduce their fuel and electricity consumption by 10 to 20 percent, while police have warned against hoarding as queues were seen forming at some petrol stations.

India gambles on Russia 

India has been pushing ahead with imports of Russian oil, after the United States issued a temporary waiver allowing New Delhi  to buy Moscow's oil if it was currently stranded at sea.
An Indian government source, however, said that New Delhi does not need any country's permission to source the fuel from Russia, its largest crude supplier.
The source also said India was "well stocked" with more than 250 million barrels of crude and petroleum products to "handle short-term disruptions".
The country's petroleum ministry has reassured the public that India "has sufficient energy reserves", without ruling out potential measures to mitigate the impact.

Taiwan locks down LNG supplies

Taiwan, a country dominated by the tech industry and highly dependent on hydrocarbon imports, is moving swiftly to compensate for missing LNG from Qatar.
"We need to organise the supply of about 22 shipments of LNG for March and April," economic affairs minister Kung Ming-hsin said Monday, while noting 20 of those shipments had already been secured.
The government was also seeking to keep prices "as stable as possible" for consumers via "a fuel pricing formula" that would take into account neighbouring markets, he said.

China suspends exports

According to financial outlet Bloomberg News, China, the world's second-biggest economy, has asked its main refiners to suspend exports of diesel and gasoline to prioritise domestic needs.
The Middle East accounted for about 57 percent of China's direct imports of crude transported by sea in 2025, according to the analysis firm Kpler.

Indonesia warns subsidies won't last

Indonesia, under pressure due to a fiscal policy that worries the markets, warned of the limits of its room for manoeuvre.
"If the budget can no longer cope with (oil price increases), there is no other solution than to share... the burden with the population," Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said Friday.
"This means that fuel prices will have to rise and the budget can no longer support" increased energy subsidies, he said.

Cambodia ups prices at the pump

Cambodia's commerce ministry set retail fuel prices higher for a three-day period to Tuesday, noting the increase was due to the spike in global oil prices.
The Southeast Asian country, which relies completely on imported diesel and petroleum for its consumer fuel needs, has enough reserves to last for about three weeks, its energy minister has said.

Myanmar rations, but holds prices steady

Since Saturday, Myanmar's military government has enforced rules to ration fuel, requiring half of all private vehicles to stay off the roads each day, depending on their licence plate numbers.
AFP reporters in Yangon have seen queues outside some petrol stations and restrictions on the amount of fuel sold to each driver, but the junta has only allowed modest price hikes so far.

Thailand halts exports

Thailand said last week it had secured two months' worth of oil supplies but was suspending exports to conserve its holdings.
The government also capped the price of diesel at just under 30 baht ($0.94) per litre for a 15-day period.
burs-cwl/mjw

trial

Jail for up to 16 years for Australian hitmen who killed compatriot in Bali

  • Prosecutors had sought sentences of 17 and 18 years for the men.
  • Two Australian hitmen were sentenced to 16 years in prison Monday for shooting dead a compatriot over a debt dispute on the Indonesian resort island of Bali last year.
  • Prosecutors had sought sentences of 17 and 18 years for the men.
Two Australian hitmen were sentenced to 16 years in prison Monday for shooting dead a compatriot over a debt dispute on the Indonesian resort island of Bali last year.
A third man, convicted of organising the hit on Zivan Radmanovic at a tourist villa, was jailed for 12 years by a court in Denpasar, Bali, where violent crime is rare and guns hard to come by.
Radmanovic was killed when gunmen burst into his villa in Badung last June and opened fire. A second man, 34-year-old Sanar Ghanim, was seriously injured.
Gunmen Paea-I-Middlemore Tupou, 27, and Mevlut Coskun, 23, said they had been hired to collect a debt from Ghanim, but refused to name their client.
The third man, 27-year-old Darcy Jenson, was found guilty of supplying weapons and planning the attack.
Jenson was arrested at the airport in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, while apparently trying to flee. The other two did manage to escape, but were returned to Bali from Cambodia to stand trial.
Prosecutors had sought sentences of 17 and 18 years for the men.
Judge I Wayan Suarta found Coskun and Tupou guilty of premeditated murder and illegal gun possession, and Jenson of "aiding and abetting" the crime.
Radmanovic's wife and lawyer avoided the media after the verdict and left the court without commenting.
Gun crime is rare on the island of Bali and in wider Indonesia, and the archipelago has strict laws for illegal gun possession.
str-dsa/mlr/fox

US

Khamenei's son takes charge as Iran war sends oil price soaring

BY AFP TEAMS IN TEHRAN, JERUSALEM, WASHINGTON, DUBAI AND BEIRUT

  • - Oil price spikes - As Iran retaliated against its oil-rich Gulf Arab neighbours, the benchmark price for a barrel of crude soared beyond $100 for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine four years ago.
  • Iran marked the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father as its supreme leader with a new barrage of missiles against Israel and the Gulf states on Monday, as the Middle East war sent oil prices soaring.
  • - Oil price spikes - As Iran retaliated against its oil-rich Gulf Arab neighbours, the benchmark price for a barrel of crude soared beyond $100 for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine four years ago.
Iran marked the appointment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to replace his father as its supreme leader with a new barrage of missiles against Israel and the Gulf states on Monday, as the Middle East war sent oil prices soaring.
As Iran entered its new era -- and the conflict its 10th day -- world oil prices soared, Saudi Arabia battled drones targeting oil fields and Bahrain's state energy company warned after a missile strike that it may be unable to fulfil export contracts.
Finance ministers from the G7 group of rich countries were due to meet on the crisis later in the day and, according to a French government source, they were to discuss releasing strategic oil reserves to dampen the pressure on energy prices and protect the world economy.
The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait also reported new attacks, and Asian economies reacted quickly. The Japanese and South Korean stock markets closed down by more than five percent, Filipino motorists queued to fill their tanks and Vietnam prepared to scrap tariffs on fuel imports.
European markets also opened sharply down, and gas prices on the continent soared 30 percent. Since the start of the war, the benchmark oil contract WTI has risen more than 75 percent and Brent more than 60. 
Iranian state media said the Assembly of Experts, Tehran's top clerical body, did not hesitate in choosing a new leader despite "the brutal aggression of the criminal America and the evil Zionist regime", then showed a missile ready for launch bearing the slogan "At your command, Sayyid Mojtaba".

Younger hardliner

Following strikes on Bahrain's sprawling Al Ma'ameer oil facility that ignited a fire and material damage, the country's state-owned energy company Bapco joined its counterparts in Qatar and Kuwait in declaring "force majeure" -- a warning that events beyond its control may lead it to miss export targets. 
The war came juts weeks after Iranian authorities under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei crushed nationwide protests against the government, killing thousands according to rights groups. 
The younger Khamenei, appointed to replace the cleric who led Iran for nearly four decades and who was killed in the first wave of US-Israeli strikes, is considered a fellow hardliner who will pursue his father's rejection of dissent. 
US President Donald Trump had previously dismissed Mojtaba Khamenei as a "lightweight", and insisted again Sunday on ABC News before the announcement that: "If he doesn't get approval from us he's not going to last long."
After similar threats from Israel, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman warned that Beijing opposes targeting leaders and insists "Iran's sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity should be respected."

Oil price spikes

As Iran retaliated against its oil-rich Gulf Arab neighbours, the benchmark price for a barrel of crude soared beyond $100 for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine four years ago.
Trump dismissed the price spike, a politically sensitive issue in the United States, as a "small price to pay" for removing the alleged threat of Iran's nuclear programme.
In a sign that the United States does not expect a quick end to the war, the State Department ordered non-emergency staff to leave Saudi Arabia, days after a drone hit the US embassy.
As questions swirl over the length and goals of the war, Trump told the Times of Israel that any decision on when to end hostilities will be a joint one with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"I think it's mutual... a little bit. We've been talking. I'll make a decision at the right time, but everything's going to be taken into account," Trump said.
Few expect major changes in Iran's stance under the younger Khamenei, a trained cleric close to Iran's powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The Guards quickly pledged support for the new leader, who comes into the role with far less experience than his father, saying they were "ready for complete obedience and self-sacrifice in carrying out the divine commands".
Iran's allies and proxies also rushed to express support, with the powerful Badr organisation in Iraq saying the new leadership represents "blessed continuity of the path of the Islamic revolution". 

'Fierce clashes'

The multi-front war also intensified in Lebanon. Iran-backed militants Hezbollah said they were engaging Israeli forces who landed in eastern Lebanon on 15 helicopters across the Syrian border and a new powerful strike hit the southern districts of Beirut.
Large plumes of smoke rose from the are after the strike, which came after the Israeli military warned it would destroy branches of Al-Qard al-Hassan, a Hezbollah-linked financial firm.
Lebanon was drawn into the conflict last week when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of the elder Khamenei.
Hezbollah said combat was ongoing in eastern Lebanon after its fighters "engaged the helicopters and the infiltrating force with appropriate weapons".
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency earlier reported "fierce clashes" around the town of Nabi Sheet, where an Israeli operation over the weekend killed 41 people.
Lebanon's health minister said Israeli strikes have killed at least 394 people since the start of the war, including 83 children and 42 women.
In Bahrain, the health ministry reported 32 people wounded overnight by an Iranian drone attack on the island of Sitra.
The wounded include a 17-year-old girl who suffered severe head and eye injuries, and a two-month-old baby, according to the ministry.
Saudi Arabia said Sunday that two people were killed and 12 wounded as a projectile landed in Al-Kharj province.
Iran's health ministry said Sunday that at least 1,200 civilians had been killed and around 10,000 wounded -- figures AFP could not independently verify.
In Israel, Iranian missile attacks have killed 10 people, according to authorities. Two soldiers were killed in Lebanon, the military said.
burs/dc/ser

defense

Sharp drop in Chinese military aircraft near Taiwan raises questions

BY ALLISON JACKSON AND AMBER WANG

  • An average of six Chinese warships have been spotted on a daily basis around the island in the past 10 days, which was the same as last year.
  • Taiwan has not detected a single Chinese military aircraft around the island for nine of the past 10 days, leaving experts puzzling over the reasons for the dramatic reduction in sorties.
  • An average of six Chinese warships have been spotted on a daily basis around the island in the past 10 days, which was the same as last year.
Taiwan has not detected a single Chinese military aircraft around the island for nine of the past 10 days, leaving experts puzzling over the reasons for the dramatic reduction in sorties.
China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring the island under its control.
Beijing has stepped up military pressure on Taiwan in recent years, deploying fighter jets and warships around the island on a near-daily basis.
But since February 28, only two Chinese aircraft have been recorded in a single 24-hour period near Taiwan, according to an AFP tally of figures released daily by the defence ministry. 
That compares with 86 for the same period last year. It is the longest stretch of no detections since AFP began recording the figures in 2024.
An average of six Chinese warships have been spotted on a daily basis around the island in the past 10 days, which was the same as last year.
Chinese military sorties around Taiwan also fell around 42 percent in January and February compared with the same period last year. The number of warships was about 4.5 percent lower than a year ago.
Experts have been speculating about the reasons for the sharp drop in Chinese aircraft deployments, with possibilities ranging from China's annual political gathering, known as the "two sessions", currently underway in Beijing, to its recent military purges.
Other reasons include US President Donald Trump's scheduled trip to Beijing later this month to meet his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, and the Middle East conflict.
"I didn't expect to be worried about the cessation of PLA operations around Taiwan, but the lack of a rational explanation is disconcerting," Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, wrote on Substack.
Another longtime observer of the Chinese military told AFP it was "not clear at all how to read it".
"I'm puzzling over the same thing."

'Significant disruption'

Ben Lewis of the analysis website PLATracker said it was "clearly a significant disruption to routine activity".
"The longer the activity gap persists, the more concerned I will be about broader implications, but I have not seen any indications that the PRC is preparing for any major kinetic action," Lewis told AFP.
Su Tzu-yun, a military expert at Taipei's Institute for National Defense and Security Research, surmised Beijing might be trying to "weaken public support" for Taiwan's plans to increase its defence spending.
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te has proposed $40 billion in extra defence spending by his government over eight years, but the plan has been met with strong resistance in the opposition-controlled parliament.
Other analysts were not surprised by the easing of aircraft activity. 
"PLA air incursions into Taiwan's ADIZ drop to/near zero around the time of the annual 'two sessions' every year," Brian Hart, deputy director and fellow of the China Power Project at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, wrote on X.
"If this pattern persists well beyond the two sessions, then it would be unusual. But I don't think there's evidence of anything unusual yet."
A Taiwanese security official told AFP that Beijing may be trying to "create a false impression that China is easing its threats against Taiwan in order to deceive the US into reducing its support for Taiwan's security."
The United States does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but Washington is Taipei's most important backer and biggest arms provider. 
"We must not let our guard down," the official said. 
amj-aw/fox

music

Singer Rihanna's LA mansion struck by gunfire: reports

  • The singer was inside the residence, the reports said.
  • Pop superstar Rihanna's Los Angeles home was hit by gunfire on Sunday after a woman opened fire on the property while the singer was reportedly inside, according to US media.
  • The singer was inside the residence, the reports said.
Pop superstar Rihanna's Los Angeles home was hit by gunfire on Sunday after a woman opened fire on the property while the singer was reportedly inside, according to US media.
The shooting erupted after 1:00 pm (2000 GMT) when a suspect fired approximately 10 rounds from a vehicle across the street from the mansion in the Beverly Hills area, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing police.
At least one round pierced a wall of the residence, where Rihanna lives with partner A$AP Rocky and their children, local news station KTLA said. The singer was inside the residence, the reports said.
Rihanna, one of the world's most popular pop stars, has not publicly commented on the shooting.
Officers said the suspect was a woman in her 30s who allegedly fled the scene before being arrested without incident a short time later. Police recovered a weapon during the arrest, KTLA added.
Investigators are still determining a motive for the attack.
bur-abs/lga

US

Hezbollah says fighting Israeli forces who landed in east Lebanon

  • In a statement on Monday, Hezbollah said it detected "the infiltration of approximately 15 Israeli enemy helicopters" from the Syrian side of the border in eastern Lebanon, an area where Hezbollah holds sway.
  • Hezbollah said on Monday it was fighting Israeli forces who landed in eastern Lebanon by helicopter across the Syrian border, the second such operation since the outbreak of the latest conflict with Israel.
  • In a statement on Monday, Hezbollah said it detected "the infiltration of approximately 15 Israeli enemy helicopters" from the Syrian side of the border in eastern Lebanon, an area where Hezbollah holds sway.
Hezbollah said on Monday it was fighting Israeli forces who landed in eastern Lebanon by helicopter across the Syrian border, the second such operation since the outbreak of the latest conflict with Israel.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during US-Israeli strikes.
Israel, which has kept up strikes targeting Hezbollah despite a 2024 ceasefire, launched multiple waves of strikes last week across Lebanon and sent ground troops into border areas.
In a statement on Monday, Hezbollah said it detected "the infiltration of approximately 15 Israeli enemy helicopters" from the Syrian side of the border in eastern Lebanon, an area where Hezbollah holds sway.
The group said its fighters "engaged the helicopters and the infiltrating force with appropriate weapons, and the confrontation" was ongoing.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) earlier reported "fierce clashes... towards the outskirts of the town of Nabi Sheet to repel Israeli forces that carried out a landing by helicopters" in the area.
Two Hezbollah officials in the Bekaa region, where Nabi Sheet is located, told AFP that an Israeli helicopter was downed.
The Israeli army did not immediately comment on the incident.
It is the second such attack after an Israeli commando operation in Nabi Sheet and its surrounding areas overnight Friday failed to find the remains of Ron Arad, an airman missing since 1986, killing 41 people.

Beirut strikes

In the Hezbollah stronghold of Beirut's southern suburbs, an AFP correspondent said a loud explosion was heard on Monday, with smoke seen rising from the area.
A brief statement from the Israeli military said it had "struck infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organisation in Beirut".
The area was pounded by Israel over the past week but had not suffered any strikes since Saturday.
The military had told residents of the Beirut suburbs as well as Lebanon's south -- both strongholds of Hezbollah -- to evacuate, warning of attacks against the militant group.
The NNA reported several strikes early Monday, including one on the town of Tayr Debba near the southern city of Tyre, which "resulted in an initial toll of three citizens martyred and 15 others wounded".
Closer to the Israeli border, Hezbollah said on Monday that it targeted Israeli soldiers entering the towns of Odaisseh and Aitaroun with artillery shells.
It also said it clashed with Israeli soldiers in Odaisseh.
Lebanon's health minister Rakan Nassereddine said on Sunday that Israeli strikes on Lebanon had killed 394 people over the past week, including 83 children and 42 women.
Israel's military said that two of its soldiers were killed in combat in southern Lebanon, the first fatalities among its forces since the latest offensive began on March 2.
strs-nad/ami/jfx

US

Iran launches missiles as Khamenei's son takes charge

BY AFP TEAMS IN TEHRAN, JERUSALEM, WASHINGTON, DUBAI AND BEIRUT

  • Khamenei "is appointed and introduced as the third leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on the decisive vote of the respected representatives of the Assembly of Experts", the statement said.
  • Iran fired missiles at Israel and Gulf nations early Monday after the Islamic republic named Mojtaba Khamenei its new leader to succeed his late father despite threats by the United States and Israel to target him next.
  • Khamenei "is appointed and introduced as the third leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on the decisive vote of the respected representatives of the Assembly of Experts", the statement said.
Iran fired missiles at Israel and Gulf nations early Monday after the Islamic republic named Mojtaba Khamenei its new leader to succeed his late father despite threats by the United States and Israel to target him next.
Nine days after US-Israeli strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and plunged the Middle East into war, Iranian clerics picked the country's third supreme leader since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Israel launched a new wave of strikes, this time targeting infrastructure in central Iran, as the expanding war sent stocks plunging and crude prices surging 30 percent on supply disruption fears.
Saudi Arabia intercepted drones headed for an eastern oil field, while the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait reported missile attacks and Bahrain said sirens were activated.
Khamenei's appointment was announced on Iranian state television, with the presenter solemnly reading a statement from the 88-member Assembly of Experts next to a picture of the new 56-year-old leader.
Khamenei "is appointed and introduced as the third leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on the decisive vote of the respected representatives of the Assembly of Experts", the statement said.
It said the clerical body "did not hesitate for a minute" in choosing a new leader despite "the brutal aggression of the criminal America and the evil Zionist regime".
State media then showed a projectile said to be launched at Israel bearing the slogan, "At Your Command, Sayyid Mojtaba", using an Islamic honorific.
The war came weeks after Iranian security forces crushed nationwide protests against the government, killing thousands. The younger Khamenei is considered a fellow hardliner who will pursue his father's rejection of dissent. 
US President Donald Trump had previously dismissed the Mojtaba Khamenei as a "lightweight", and insisted again Sunday that he should have a say in appointing a new leader.
"If he doesn't get approval from us he's not going to last long," he told ABC News before the announcement was made.
Israel's defence minister has warned last week that the new supreme leader would become "a target", while the military vowed to go after any successor.

Oil price spikes

As Iran retaliates against its oil-rich Gulf Arab neighbours, the benchmark price for a barrel of crude soared beyond $100 for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine four years ago.
Trump dismissed the price spike, a politically sensitive issue in the United States, as a "small price to pay" for removing the alleged threat of Iran's nuclear programme.
But markets across Asia, where key economies Japan and South Korea are heavily dependent on energy imports, plunged on Monday.
In a sign that the United States does not expect a quick end to the war, the State Department ordered non-emergency staff to leave Saudi Arabia, days after a drone hit the US embassy.
As questions swirl over the length of the war, Trump told the Times of Israel that any decision on when to end hostilities will be a joint one with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"I think it's mutual... a little bit. We've been talking. I'll make a decision at the right time, but everything's going to be taken into account," Trump said, in response to a question on whether he alone will decide.
Few expect major changes under the younger Khamenei, a trained cleric close to Iran's powerful military force the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The Guards quickly pledged support for the new leader, who comes into the role with far less experience than his father -- a former president under the first supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
The Guards said in a statement they were "ready for complete obedience and self-sacrifice in carrying out the divine commands" of the new leader.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the naming of the new leader will "guarantee national sovereignty and territorial integrity" as he led Iranian diplomats in declaring "our allegiance" to Khamenei.

'Fierce clashes'

The multi-front war intensified in Lebanon on Monday, with Iran-backed militants Hezbollah saying they were engaging Israeli forces who landed in eastern Lebanon on 15 helicopters across the Syrian border.
Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war last week when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Ali Khamenei.
Hezbollah said its fighters "engaged the helicopters and the infiltrating force with appropriate weapons, and the confrontation" was ongoing.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency earlier reported "fierce clashes" around the town of Nabi Sheet, where an Israeli operation over the weekend killed 41 people.
Israel had struck a hotel in central Beirut on Sunday, targeting five commanders of the Revolutionary Guards' international Qods Force, the patron of Hezbollah, as they met at a Beirut hotel.
Lebanon's health ministry said four people died and 10 others were injured in the Beirut strike.
Lebanon's health minister said Israeli strikes have killed at least 394 people since the start of the war, including 83 children and 42 women.
In Bahrain, the health ministry reported 32 people wounded overnight by an Iranian drone attack on the island of Sitra.
The wounded include a 17-year-old girl who suffered severe head and eye injuries, and a two-month-old baby, according to the ministry.
Saudi Arabia said Sunday that two people were killed and 12 wounded as a projectile landed in Al-Kharj province.
Iran's health ministry said Sunday that at least 1,200 civilians had been killed and around 10,000 wounded -- figures AFP could not independently verify.
In Israel, Iranian missile attacks have killed 10 people, according to authorities. Two soldiers were killed in Lebanon, the military said.
burs/hmn/ami

US

Mojtaba Khamenei: son and successor to Iran's supreme leader

  • Ali Khamenei had "delegated a part of his leadership responsibilities" to his son, "who worked closely" with Iranian security forces "to advance his father's destabilising regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives", the US Treasury said at the time.
  • Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of late Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei who has been appointed as the new head of the Islamic republic, is a discreet figure who offers continuity of his father's hardline leadership.
  • Ali Khamenei had "delegated a part of his leadership responsibilities" to his son, "who worked closely" with Iranian security forces "to advance his father's destabilising regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives", the US Treasury said at the time.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of late Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei who has been appointed as the new head of the Islamic republic, is a discreet figure who offers continuity of his father's hardline leadership.
The 56-year-old had no official post during his father's rule, but was speculated to be acting behind the scenes to pull strings at the heart of power in Iran.
He is regarded as close to conservatives, notably because of his ties with the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which swiftly pledged allegiance to the new leader.
The Islamic republic's third supreme leader also received endorsements from President Masoud Pezeshkian, the armed forces and the judiciary within hours of his appointment.
Because of his discretion at official ceremonies and in the media, Khamenei's true influence has been the subject of intense speculation for years among the Iranian population as well as in diplomatic circles.
He was named supreme leader by Iran's top clerical body, the Assembly of Experts, in a statement published shortly after midnight on Monday (2030 GMT Sunday).
Even though the Islamic revolution had put an end to a multi-century royal dynasty headed by the shah, the council opted for the kind of hereditary transition that Ali Khamenei had rejected on principle in 2024.
Born on September 8, 1969 in the holy city of Mashhad in eastern Iran, Mojtaba Khamenei is the only one of the late supreme leader's six children to hold a public position.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed aged 86 during the first wave of US-Israeli air strikes on Tehran that triggered the war in the Middle East on February 28.

Security force links

Mojtaba Khamenei, a cleric who has a salt-and-pepper beard and the black turban of the "seyyed" -- descendants of the Prophet Mohammed -- is a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s.
The United States imposed sanctions on him in 2019 during President Donald Trump's first term, saying Khamenei represented his father "despite never being elected or appointed to a government position aside from work in the office of his father".
Ali Khamenei had "delegated a part of his leadership responsibilities" to his son, "who worked closely" with Iranian security forces "to advance his father's destabilising regional ambitions and oppressive domestic objectives", the US Treasury said at the time.
Opponents have accused the younger Khamenei of playing a role in the violent crackdown that followed the re-election of ultra-conservative president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009, which triggered a vast protest movement.
According to an investigation by the Bloomberg news organisation, which cited anonymous sources and Western intelligence agency reports, Mojtaba Khamenei has amassed wealth estimated at more than $100 million.
Money from oil sales had been channelled into investments in luxury British real estate, hotels in Europe and property in Dubai through shell companies in tax havens, according to the investigation.
On the religious front, Mojtaba Khamenei studied theology in the holy city of Qom, south of Tehran, where he also taught.
He had attained the rank of Hujjat al-Islam, but was presented as ayatollah -- a higher rank held by his father and by revolutionary leader Ruhollah Khomeini -- upon his appointment as supreme leader.
Mojtaba Khamenei's wife, Zahra Haddad-Adel, died in the US-Israeli strikes that killed the former supreme leader, according to Iranian authorities.
Israel has issued a stark warning to the new supreme leader and whoever selected him, saying "the hand of the State of Israel will continue to follow any successor and anyone who seeks to appoint a successor".
The Assembly of Experts has 88 members who are elected every eight years.
It has overseen two leadership transition process to date -- this week, and when Ali Khamenei was selected in 1989 following the death of Khomeini.
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US

Fake AI satellite imagery spurs US-Iran war disinformation

BY ANUJ CHOPRA

  • As the US-Israeli war against Iran rages, Tehran Times, a state-aligned English daily, posted on X a "before vs. after" image it claimed showed "completely destroyed" US radar equipment at a base in Qatar.
  • The satellite image posted by an Iranian news outlet looked real: a devastated US base in Qatar.
  • As the US-Israeli war against Iran rages, Tehran Times, a state-aligned English daily, posted on X a "before vs. after" image it claimed showed "completely destroyed" US radar equipment at a base in Qatar.
The satellite image posted by an Iranian news outlet looked real: a devastated US base in Qatar. But it was an AI-generated fake, underscoring the accelerating threat of tech-enabled disinformation during wartime.
The rise of generative AI has turbocharged the ability of state actors and propagandists to fabricate convincing satellite imagery during major conflicts, a trend that researchers warn carries real-world security implications.
As the US-Israeli war against Iran rages, Tehran Times, a state-aligned English daily, posted on X a "before vs. after" image it claimed showed "completely destroyed" US radar equipment at a base in Qatar.
In fact it was an AI-manipulated version of a Google Earth image from last year of a US base in Bahrain, researchers said.
The subtle visual giveaways included a row of cars parked in identical positions in both the authentic satellite photo and the manipulated image.
Yet the manipulated photo garnered millions of views as it spread across social media in multiple languages, illustrating how users are increasingly failing to distinguish reality from fiction on platforms saturated with AI-generated visuals.
Brady Africk, an open-source intelligence researcher, noted an "increase in manipulated satellite imagery" appearing on social media in the wake of major events including the Middle East war.
"Many of these manipulated images have the hallmarks of imperfect AI-generation: odd angles, blurred details, and hallucinated features that don't align with reality," Africk told AFP.
"Others appear to be an image manipulated manually, often by superimposing indicators of damage or another change on a satellite image that had no such details to begin with," he said.

 'Fog of war'

Information warfare analyst Tal Hagin flagged another AI-generated satellite image purporting to show that Israeli-US jets had targeted the painted silhouette of an aircraft on the ground in Iran, while Tehran seemingly moved real planes elsewhere.
The telltale clues included gibberish coordinates embedded in the fake image, which spread across sites including Instagram, Threads and X.
AFP detected a SynthID, an invisible watermark meant to identify images created using Google AI.
The fabricated satellite images follow the emergence of imposter OSINT -- or open-source intelligence -- accounts on social media that appear to undermine the work of credible digital investigators.
"Due to the fog of war, it can be very difficult to determine the success of an adversary's strikes. OSINT came as a solution, using public satellite imagery to circumvent the censorship" inside countries like Iran, Hagin said.
"But it's now being preyed upon by disinformation agents," he added.
Reports of fake satellite imagery created or edited using AI also followed the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the four-day war between India and Pakistan last year.

 'Critical awareness'

"Manipulated satellite imagery, like other forms of misinformation, can have real-world impacts when people act on the information they come across without verifying its authenticity," Africk said.
"This can have effects that range from influencing public opinion on a major issue, like whether or not a country should engage in conflict, to impacting financial markets."
In the age of AI, authentic high-resolution satellite imagery collected in real time can give decision-makers vital clues to assess security threats and debunk falsehoods from unverified sources.
During a recent militant attack on Niamey airport in Niger, satellite intelligence company Vantor said it detected images circulating online purporting to show the main civilian terminal on fire.
The company's own satellite imagery helped confirm that the photos were fake, almost certainly generated using AI, Vantor's Tomi Maxted told AFP.
"When a satellite image is presented as visual evidence in the context of war, it can easily influence how people interpret events," Bo Zhao, from the University of Washington, told AFP.
As AI-generated imagery grows increasingly convincing, it is "important for the public to approach such visual content with caution and critical awareness," Zhao said.
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US

Shelter rankings and shower-timing apps: Israelis, Palestinians adjust to Iranian rockets

  • - Married in bomb shelter - There have also been endearing moments that have captured the public's attention.
  • What is Israel's best bomb shelter?
  • - Married in bomb shelter - There have also been endearing moments that have captured the public's attention.
What is Israel's best bomb shelter? And when is the best time of day to shower without interruption from a missile alert?
The Middle East war that began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran has provoked waves of retaliatory Iranian fire as well as some tricky questions for Jews and Arabs from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
A new app, which went viral in the country within hours of launching, uses statistical analysis of recent air raid alerts in specific areas to guide users on the optimal time of day to bathe, while limiting the chances of having to run for cover mid-wash.
"Can't even take a shower. I'm naked in the dining room. Is that normal?" quipped an Israeli on a Telegram account with 60,000 followers, as an alert warning of incoming Iranian missiles ordered residents to head for shelter.
Time Out, a publication known for directing people towards trendy restaurants and cocktail bars, is also trying to help the public navigate the war.
It has published a list of desirable Tel Aviv beach spots based on their proximity to a shelter.
"We searched and found beaches that are near compliant protected areas (shelters) you can reach in just a few minutes' walk if necessary. Don't panic!"
Journalist Ofek Tzach has offered a ranking of Tel Aviv's public shelters.
Among the low performers are one that he derides as packed with tourists, another "with barking dogs," and a third he says is "quiet but with no one to talk to."

Married in bomb shelter

There have also been endearing moments that have captured the public's attention.
The wedding venue booked by Lior and Michael was no longer available, due to security restrictions, so the couple got married in a shelter -- four levels below ground in a shopping centre parking lot.
"It was a wonderful moment," even if seventy percent of the people there were strangers, Michael told Israel's Channel 13.
There has also been a surge of online advice on how to make time in shelters more bearable.
Books, music and cushions are popular recommendations, standing in contrast to the more austere guidance from Israeli authorities, which includes having a radio, batteries, a phone charger and ID papers.
For Palestinians living in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, responses to the relentless air raid sirens have tilted towards dark humour.
There are few public shelters in the eastern part of the city and private shelters are almost non-existent.
"At the moment, Palestinians are taking a plate of qatayef and going up to the roof" to watch the missiles, said a Facebook post by pastry chef Mohammad Alayan, referring to the dessert traditionally eaten during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Palestinians in east Jerusalem regularly film rockets streaking through the sky from their rooftops.
Palestinians also took playful aim at a Facebook post by Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion detailing the proper conduct when an air raid siren sounds.
One comment on the post, apparently from a resident of the east Jerusalem refugee camp Shuafat, asked: "What is someone in Shuafat refugee camp supposed to do? Jump out the window?"
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Israel

Trump defends Iran war decision as oil soars above $100

  • US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that the government was considering lifting sanctions on more Russian oil, a day after it temporarily authorized India to buy from Moscow as global oil prices surged.
  • Oil prices surged above $100 a barrel for the first time in nearly four years on Sunday over worries that the spiralling Middle East war could create prolonged supply disruptions.
  • US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that the government was considering lifting sanctions on more Russian oil, a day after it temporarily authorized India to buy from Moscow as global oil prices surged.
Oil prices surged above $100 a barrel for the first time in nearly four years on Sunday over worries that the spiralling Middle East war could create prolonged supply disruptions.
Both crude oil benchmarks, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent, jumped by over 15 percent as markets opened Sunday evening, touching levels not seen since the early months of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump, however, dismissed the spike as a "small price to pay" to eliminate Iran's nuclear threat, reiterating the White House's insistence that the rise is temporary.
"Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace," he wrote on social media Sunday evening.
"ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!" he argued.
Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz -- through which 20 percent of global crude and gas passes -- has all but halted since the war began on February 28.
Oil and gas producers around the Gulf have meanwhile begun to decrease output, while Israeli strikes on fuel depots in Tehran have raised fears of retaliatory attacks on neighboring countries' infrastructure.
Soaring crude prices have already translated into rising costs at the fuel pump in the United States, a highly sensitive political issue heading into midterm elections in November.

'No energy shortage'

Earlier Sunday, Trump's energy chief Chris Wright argued that disruptions would be short lived.
"Worst case, that's a few weeks. That's not months," the US energy secretary told CNN.
"They shouldn't go much higher than they are here because the world is very well supplied with oil," he added to CBS. "There's no energy shortage in all of the Western hemisphere."
He said the United States was now talking with shipping companies eager to get their vessels out of the Gulf.
"Early tankers probably will involve some direct protection by the US military" to get through the Strait of Hormuz, he said, adding that he thought traffic would return to normal "relatively soon."
Iran accounts for about four percent of world oil production, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
Its oil industry is subject to international sanctions but some is still exported, mainly to China, oil industry data shows.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that the government was considering lifting sanctions on more Russian oil, a day after it temporarily authorized India to buy from Moscow as global oil prices surged.
The US International Development Finance Corporation also said Friday that it was creating a reinsurance mechanism of up to $20 billion to cover risk associated with travel through the Strait of Hormuz.  
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US

Macron to visit Cyprus as French warships deploy to counter Iran threat

  • Letymbiotis also highlighted the role of Italy, which like the United Kingdom, has deployed a warship to Cyprus.
  • President Emmanuel Macron will visit Cyprus on Monday, his office said, as France deploys warships to the Mediterranean following a drone attack on the island EU member days ago.
  • Letymbiotis also highlighted the role of Italy, which like the United Kingdom, has deployed a warship to Cyprus.
President Emmanuel Macron will visit Cyprus on Monday, his office said, as France deploys warships to the Mediterranean following a drone attack on the island EU member days ago.
Macron will meet his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Paphos to show "solidarity" and detail moves to "strengthen security around Cyprus and in the eastern Mediterranean", the Elysee said on Sunday.
The visit will take place as the war pitting the US and Israel against Iran is in its second week, affecting much of the Middle East.
Cyprus was targeted last week by Iranian-made drones, leading Macron to order France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean and a frigate and air defence units to Cyprus.
"This trip is intended to demonstrate France's solidarity with Cyprus, a member state of the European Union with which we have a strategic partnership" and which was recently hit "by several drones and missile strikes", the Elysee said.
Macron said later he had spoken with his US and Iranian counterparts on Sunday ahead of the trip.
The first Western leader to speak with Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian since the outbreak of the war, Macron said on X that he "stressed the need for Iran to immediately cease its strikes against countries in the region".
He also urged Iran to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. He gave no details of his conversation with US President Donald Trump.
Pezeshkian's office said in a statement that he warned against any action by France or others "in support of the aggressors of our country", and would consider it "participation in this war".
"Such actions will only complicate and escalate the situation in the region. The people, government, and armed forces of Iran are determined to defend the country and the system," it quoted him as saying.

Hormuz Strait security

France has insisted its stance in the region is "strictly defensive".
The visit to Cyprus will also allow Macron "to emphasise the importance of guaranteeing freedom of navigation and maritime security in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz, in particular through the European Union's Aspides maritime operation", it added.
Numerous attacks have struck ships navigating the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint in the Gulf, since the US-Israeli war on Iran started on February 28.
A government spokesman for Cyprus, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, said the visit would allow the leaders of Cyprus, Greece, and France to assess the "high level of coordination" between their nations.
Letymbiotis also highlighted the role of Italy, which like the United Kingdom, has deployed a warship to Cyprus.
On Sunday, Macron wrote on X that he had also spoken with the Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the presidents of Egypt and Azerbaijan.
Discussing the region with the Qatari ruler, Macron said he highlighted France's "defensive military support", particularly in the air, which he noted was deployed to the "benefit of Qatar".
"Qatar and France share the same conviction: beyond the clamour of arms, lasting stability for all must come through de-escalation and negotiation," Macron added.
Macron also said he offered France's "support and solidarity" to Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev after a drone strike on the country, which neighbours Iran, raised fears that the Middle East war could spill into the Caucasus.
With Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, he discussed "the important of securing as quickly as possible the maritime transport in the Red Sea", including for energy resources, Macron said on X.
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