Here's the latest
• US troops: Iran’s parliament speaker accused the US of “secretly planning a ground invasion” while talking of negotiations. The USS Tripoli — carrying 3,500 US service members — has arrived in the Middle East.
• Wartime diplomacy: Pakistan said it is prepared to host talks between the US and Iran “in coming days,” after meeting with regional leaders in Islamabad on Sunday to discuss efforts on de-escalating the conflict.
• Israeli operations: The Israel Defense Forces said it is days away from hitting all the targets in Iran that it classifies a “top priority.” Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he’s ordered the expansion of Israel’s security buffer zone in southern Lebanon, where its forces are exchanging fire with Hezbollah.
• Palm Sunday: For the first time in centuries, Catholic leaders say the Israeli military barred them from celebrating Palm Sunday at Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, citing security concerns.
US Central Command chief meets with IDF forces in Israel
US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Adm. Brad Cooper met with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other top Israeli generals in Israel today, an Israeli source with knowledge of the meeting told CNN.
According to the sources, the meeting focused on the war against Iran and efforts to halt Iranian weapons production.
This comes a day after IDF spokesman Effie Defrin said Israel is a “few days” away from finishing a campaign targeting all of the “critical” assets of Iran’s military production industries.
CNN has reached out to the CENTCOM for comment.
Pakistan says it is prepared to host US-Iran talks "in coming days"
Pakistan said it is prepared to host and facilitate talks between the US and Iran “in coming days,” after a four-nation meeting in the Pakistani capital with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt focused on de-escalation and ending the war in Middle East.
Trump administration officials are working to arrange a meeting in Pakistan to discuss an off-ramp to the war in Iran, two senior administration officials told CNN last week.
“Pakistan will be honoured to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in coming days, for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a statement at the conclusion of the second round of consultations among the four countries in Islamabad on Sunday.
Dar also said he briefed the visiting ministers on the prospects of potential US-Iran talks in Islamabad, adding that the Saudi, Turkish and Egyptian foreign ministers expressed “full support” for the initiative.
He said both Iran and the United States “have all extended their full support and confidence in our efforts,” to facilitate the talks. CNN has reached out to the White House in Washington for comment.
Dar also said that he spoke by phone with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and UN Secretary-General António Guterres and they supported Pakistan’s initiative.
CNN’s Riane Lumer contributed to this report.
CNN team takes cover near Israel-Lebanon border
A CNN crew was forced into a bunker mid-interview as sirens sounded near the Israel-Lebanon border. The incident underscores the volatility along the border area, where Israeli military operations have shifted the front line and displaced nearby Lebanese communities.
CNN’s Jim Sciutto explains how Israel’s expansion into Lebanon is playing out:
While reporting near Israel’s border with Lebanon, CNN’s Jim Sciutto and his crew were forced into a bunker as sirens sounded during an interview with local resident and security force volunteer Nissan Zeevi. No one on the team was hurt. The incident underscores the volatility along the border area, where Israeli military operations have shifted the front line and displaced nearby Lebanese communities.
Remember: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today he ordered the expansion of Israel’s security buffer zone in southern Lebanon with the aim of repelling Lebanese cross-border attacks.
Israel has pushed further into southern Lebanon in recent weeks. Israeli forces are occupying the land south of the Litani River, an area it called on Lebanese civilians to evacuate. The Israeli military has blown up several bridges over the river – which bisects Lebanon – over the past days as part of a broader assault in the south.
CNN’s Lauren Izso and Sophie Tanno contributed to this report.
At least 49 killed in Lebanon in past 24 hours, health ministry says
At least 49 people have been killed in Lebanon in the past 24 hours, according to a daily death toll report released by the country’s health ministry a short while ago.
Thousands of people have been killed during the conflict in the Middle East since it began on February 28, according to a CNN tally of death tolls released by regional authorities.
Here’s what those authorities have said about the number of people reportedly killed in the region since the war began. CNN is not able to independently verify these numbers.
- Lebanon: At least 1,238 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon since March 2, the country’s health ministry said in an update today. Yesterday, that figure was 1,189. At least 124 children are among those killed, the health ministry said.
- Iran: At least 1,900 people have been killed in attacks on Iran since February 28, the Iranian Red Crescent reported on Friday. On March 16, Iran’s foreign minister said “hundreds of Iranian civilians,” including more than 200 children, had been killed since the conflict began.
- Iraq: At least 101 people have been killed across Iraq since the war began, authorities have said. In the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region, at least 13 people have been killed, according to the regional government.
- Israel: Some 19 civilians have been killed inside Israel since the conflict began, not including those who died indirectly because of strikes. Four Israeli soldiers have also been killed in southern Lebanon, according to the Israeli military.
- USA: Thirteen US service members have been killed since the US war with Iran began a month ago, according to the US Central Command.
Dozens of people have also been killed in other countries in the region since the conflict began. Deaths due to the conflict have been reported in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, the occupied West Bank, Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia since February 28, according to local authorities.
CNN’s Issy Ronald, Charbel Mallo, Aqeel Najim, Nechirvan Mando, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Dana Karni, Eugenia Yosef, Oren Liebermann, Tal Shalev, Tamar Michaelis, and Zachary Cohen contributed to this reporting.
Foreign ministers finish talks as war continues to expand. Catch up on the latest
A meeting between foreign ministers of Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan ended today and a joint statement is expected to be released soon. We’ll keep you updated on further developments.
The meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, which did not include the United States and Iran, aimed to find ways to avoid further expansion of the war across the Middle East.
Here’s other news from the last couple hours:
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the expansion of Israel’s security buffer zone in southern Lebanon with the aim of repelling Lebanese cross-border attacks.
- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it will target US and Israeli-affiliated universities in the Middle East in retaliation for recent attacks on Iranian higher education centers.
- Thirty-four fire crews worked for hours to extinguish a huge blaze that broke out in an industrial site in central Israel when it was struck by “a weapon fragment or interceptor fragment.”
- A senior United Arab Emirates official called for compensation from Iran for damage caused to the country from Tehran’s strikes.
- A personal message from Iran’s supreme leader was delivered to the head of a major Iraqi Shiite political party, according to Iran’s Jamaran news agency, although the contents of the message are unclear.
CNN’s Sophia Saifi, Issy Ronald, Ivan Watson, Lauren Izso, Sophie Tanno, Catherine Nicholls and Eugenia Yosef contributed to this report.
US universities in Middle East move online as Iran threatens retaliation against campuses
Earlier today, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it will target American and Israeli-affiliated universities in the Middle East in retaliation for recent attacks on Iranian higher education centers.
Today, the president of the American University of Beirut said in a letter that, because of the IRGC threat, the university will be operating fully remotely tomorrow and Tuesday “out of an abundance of caution.”
In an update on its website, the Lebanese American University in Beirut also said that it will switch to “fully online operations” tomorrow and Tuesday “as a precaution given the broad threats to educational institutions in the region.”
Many universities in the region had already switched to online learning when the Iran war first broke out more than a month ago.
The Qatari education ministry announced on February 28, the day the war began, that all kindergartens, schools, educational centers, and universities across the country would shift to distance learning until further notice, according to the Qatar News Agency.
Georgetown University in Qatar, Texas A&M University at Qatar and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar have all announced that their teaching will take place online until further notice.
The American University of Kuwait, the American University in Dubai, and the American University of Ras Al Khaimah also all announced their shift to online learning earlier this month.
CNN’s Charbel Mallo and Dalia Abdelwahab contributed to this reporting.
In pictures: Day 30 of the expanding Middle East conflict
The Israeli military is days away from striking all targets in Iran it considers a “top priority,” an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said today.
Meanwhile, Iran’s internet blackout has entered its 30th day, with civilians cut off for at least 696 hours, according to internet watchdog NetBlocks.
And in Jerusalem, for the first time in centuries, Catholic leaders have been barred from the holy city’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday, according to church leaders.
Here are more photos from across the region as we track the latest developments:
Netanyahu orders expansion of Israeli buffer zone in southern Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has ordered the expansion of Israel’s security buffer zone in southern Lebanon with the aim of repelling Lebanese cross-border attacks.
In recent weeks, Israel has pushed further into southern Lebanon. Israeli forces are occupying the land south of the Litani River, an area it has called on Lebanese civilians to evacuate.
The Israeli military has blown up several bridges over the river – which bisects Lebanon – over the past days, as part of a broader assault in the south.
On Friday, human rights workers warned Israeli forces’ demolition of crossings through the river will cut off tens of thousands of residents in southern Lebanon from “essential lifelines,” as the rate of killings, destruction and displacement across the country spiraled.
Also during the video statement, Netanyahu said Israel is striking at Iran and its proxies “with tremendous force.”
“We are bringing about tremendous achievements, achievements that are creating visible cracks in the terrorist regime in Tehran,” he said.
CNN’s Sana Noor Haq contributed reporting.
Iran's supreme leader delivers message to Iraqi Shiite party leader
A personal message from Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was delivered to the head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), a major Iraqi Shiite political party established in Iran in 1982, according to Iran’s Jamaran news agency.
The message was handed to the party’s head, Sheikh Hammam Hamoudi, by the Iranian ambassador to Iraq during a meeting.
The contents of the supreme leader’s message are unclear, but Jamaran reported that the ambassador praised Iraq’s Shiite religious authority for its stance on the US-Israeli war as well as Hamoudi’s “sincere positions.”
Khamenei has remained elusive and has not appeared in public since his father and former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was assassinated last month in joint US-Israeli strikes. Only written statements have been issued in his name.
Earlier this month, a source familiar with the situation told CNN that he had suffered a fractured foot and other minor injuries on the first day of the US-Israeli bombardment campaign. In addition to his injured foot, Khamenei, 56, received a bruise around his left eye, as well as minor lacerations to his face, the source said.
Meeting of foreign ministers from Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan wraps in Islamabad
The quadrilateral meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, held in Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad has ended a day earlier and a joint statement is expected.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan after the quad meeting had concluded. In the meeting the Prime Minister “appreciated the remarkable restraint exercised by Saudi Arabia amid the current crisis,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. Sharif also “assured” the Saudi Foreign Minister that “Pakistan would always stand shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia.”
The nuclear armed south Asian nation signed a defense treaty with Saudi Arabia last year, and while Pakistan has been playing the role of peacemaker between the United States and Iran, there have been concerns that it could be dragged into the conflict in the Middle East if Saudi Arabia decides to enter the war against Iran.
The Saudi foreign minister shared “the latest Saudi perspective on the regional situation” and both countries agreed to “continue to coordinate their positions closely in order to secure peace and stability in the region.”
The meeting was attended by the by Pakistani Foreign Minister Sen. Mohammad Ishaq Dar as well as the national security adviser and Pakistan’s intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Muhammad Asim Malik. CNN had reported earlier that Malik is one of the Pakistani officials engaging with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to mediate the situation in Iran.
The foreign minister of Turkey, Hakan Fidan and the foreign minister of Egypt, Dr. Badr Abdelatty also had meetings with the Pakistani prime minister.
Firefighters work to contain blaze at industrial site in Israel struck by attack
Thirty-four fire crews worked for hours to extinguish a huge blaze that broke out an industrial site in central Israel today when it was struck by “a weapon fragment or interceptor fragment.”
Footage and images showed fires burning and plumes of thick black smoke rising from the Neot Hovav complex, which houses more than 30 factories belonging to different companies.
Alerts have been issued across Israel today signaling incoming attacks launched from Iran.
Israel’s fire and rescue service said it worked to “prevent an explosion or additional leaks” and warned the public not to approach the area due to the “presence of hazardous materials.”
It had earlier urged nearby residents to “lock themselves in their homes, close windows and vents, and obey the instructions of the security and rescue forces.”
The incident was limited to “within the boundaries of the industrial zone,” and poses no danger to the general public if they are situated more than 800 meters away from the site, the fire service added.
No casualties were reported, said Israel’s national emergency service, Magen David Adom.
This post has been updated with additional developments.
UAE official demands compensation from Iran
A senior United Arab Emirates (UAE) official has called for Iranian compensation for the damage caused to the country due to Tehran’s strikes.
It comes after Iran has demanded compensation from the US and Israel for war damages from the conflict that is now into its thirtieth day.
Gargesh claimed that Tehran “misled” its neighbors before the outbreak of war and has shown “premeditated aggression.” He described Iran as a regime that has become the “primary threat to Gulf Arab security.”
Ministers in Islamabad discuss conflict de-escalation, as Israel and Iran trade attacks
As we’ve just been reporting, foreign ministers representing Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan met in Islamabad today to discuss de-escalating the US and Israel’s war with Iran, as well as other regional issues.
The talks came as Israel and Iran continue to trade attacks and the possibility of US ground troops entering Iran still appears to be swirling.
If you’re just joining us, here are the very latest developments:
- Iran’s parliament speaker said the country’s forces are “waiting” for American troops as he accused the US of “secretly planning a ground invasion” while talking of negotiations.
- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is days away from hitting all the targets in Iran it classes as “top priority,” a spokesperson said today.
- Iran’s internet blackout has entered its 30th day, with civilians cut off for at least 696 hours, according to internet watchdog NetBlocks.
- Bahrain has announced a maritime curfew which it says will be in place “until further notice” to protect the Gulf nation’s coasts amid ongoing attacks from Iran.
CNN’s Sophia Saifi, Issy Ronald, Ivan Watson, Sophie Tanno, Eugenia Yosef and Ibrahim Dahman contributed to this reporting.
Talks between Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan end
Talks between Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have concluded for the day.
The four countries’ foreign ministers were meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan to discuss the de-escalation of the US and Israel’s war with Iran and other regional issues.
Afterward, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met privately with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, his office said.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, along with the country’s National Security Adviser and Director General of the ISI, Lieutenant General Mohammad Asim Malik were also in attendance.
A joint statement is expected to be released soon. We’ll bring you any further developments.
Demonstrators in cities around the world protest against the war
People have taken to streets around the world in recent days to protest against the US and Israel’s war with Iran, now ongoing for more than a month.
In Tel Aviv, Israel, yesterday, demonstrators called for an end to the war, with one sign reading “disarm Israel first,” and another with the words “stop repeating the Gaza playbook in Iran and Lebanon and the West Bank.”
Images taken by Reuters show Israeli security forces breaking up the demonstrations in the city’s Habima Square.
At a march against far-right extremism in London yesterday, some participants could be seen protesting against the war with Iran, with one holding a sign reading “Stop US/Israel unlawful war on Iran,” while others waved Palestinian flags.
In Athens, Greece yesterday, people waved Iranian, Lebanese and Palestinian flags at a demonstration in front of the US embassy.
In Dakar, Senegal on Friday, people marched waving Lebanese, Iranian and Palestinian flags. One woman held up a sign comparing the treatment of Palestinians by Israel to apartheid in South Africa. Others held up images of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In Beirut, Lebanon on Friday, people demonstrated in support of Hezbollah and Iran, holding candles and portraits of the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah while they marched. On Saturday, protests also took place in the city after three journalists were killed in a targeted Israeli strike.
In Sanaa, Yemen, thousands of people took to the streets in support of Iran, with many waving Iranian and Palestinian flags. Video taken by Reuters shows young boys holding guns as they chanted with the crowd.
Meanwhile, in Barcelona, Spain, some protesters took to the streets to support the ongoing conflict.
Navid, a 25 year old Iranian dentist, told Reuters: “Maybe it sounds a bit crazy to say we support the war, but the thing is, there’s no other way. We tried every other way to overthrow the government, especially in the January (anti-regime protests in Iran).”
Zelensky arrives in Jordan for "important meetings"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has touched down in Jordan today for what he said were “important meetings.”
It is the latest stop on his tour across the Gulf, where he has met with leaders and signed defense agreements with both Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Ukraine’s drone warfare expertise, developed over four years of defending itself against Russian attacks, has become sought after by countries in the Persian Gulf as they seek to defend themselves against similar Iranian attacks.
Bahrain announces maritime ban to protect country's coasts
Bahrain has announced a maritime ban which it says will be in place “until further notice” to protect the Gulf nation’s coasts, amid ongoing attacks from Iran.
The ban will apply to seafarers using fishing and leisure vessels and will be in place every day from 6 p.m. until 4 a.m. local time, the country’s interior minister said today.
The new measures are being enforced due to “blatant Iranian aggression” and the “serious risks” it poses to the safety of citizens and residents, the ministry said.
It urged “all seagoers to comply with the maritime ban timings and avoid approaching the coasts, in order to ensure their safety and avoid legal accountability.”
How Iran's new leadership could change its stance on nuclear bombs
When Iran’s covert nuclear program came to international attention over two decades ago, Tehran insisted that its intentions were peaceful and that it had no plans to develop weapons.
The country’s then-supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, even went as far as issuing a fatwa, or legal ruling under Islamic law, banning them.
But his death at the hands of the US and Israel last month could clear a path for the regime’s hardest-line factions to rethink the ruling. The public discourse in Iran is already heading that way.
“The nuclear fatwa is dead,” Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft told CNN. “Elite opinion as well as public opinion has shifted dramatically on this, which shouldn’t be surprising since Iran has been bombed twice in the midst of negotiations by two nuclear-equipped states.”
For years, the former supreme leader resisted internal pressure to authorize the building of a nuclear weapon, particularly after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear pact negotiated between Iran and the Obama administration in 2018.
Faced with escalating American and Israeli hostility, Khamenei instead adhered to his doctrine of what experts call “strategic patience.” He allowed Iran to steadily advance its uranium enrichment program, bringing the material ever closer to weapons-grade levels without crossing the threshold into actual bomb development.
The calls to pursue a nuclear bomb grew louder with Israel’s unprecedented military operation against Iran last year which killed several of the country’s military and nuclear leaders. The calls increased again with Trump’s order to strike three of Iran’s most important nuclear sites.
Even before those strikes, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had warned that Tehran was prepared to shift its nuclear posture.
Read the full story here.
Talks begin between Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to discuss de-escalating war
High-level talks between the foreign ministers representing Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have begun.
The regional powers are gathering in Islamabad, Pakistan today and tomorrow to discuss de-escalating the US and Israel’s war with Iran as well as other regional issues.
Due to its cordial ties with the US and Iran, Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary in any diplomatic efforts, delivering a 15-point peace plan proposed by Washington to Tehran.
What the US and Iran have said about the possibility of ground warfare
We’ve recently reported on comments made by the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. He said Iran’s forces are “waiting” for US troops and that they are “ready to unleash devastation upon them and punish their regional allies permanently.”
Ghalibaf also accused the US of “secretly planning a ground invasion” while talking of negotiations.
Here’s a look at some of what Washington and Tehran have said about the possibility of US troops on the ground in Iran this week:
- On Tuesday, CNN reported that more than 1,000 US soldiers were expected to deploy to the Middle East in the following days, according to two sources familiar with the matter. US officials approved written deployment orders late Tuesday, one source familiar with the matter said.
- On Thursday, an Iranian army commander warned that ground warfare would be “more dangerous, more costly, and irreparable” for the “enemy,” according to the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA).
- The next day Ghalibaf said in a post on X: “How can the US, which can’t even protect its own soldiers at its bases in the region and instead leaves them stashed away in hotels and parks, protect them on our soil?”
- A few hours later, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US can achieve its objectives in the Iran war “without any ground troops.” In a statement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that US President Donald Trump said he was not planning to send ground troops anywhere.
- On Saturday, the USS Tripoli, carrying 3,500 US sailors and Marines, arrived in the Middle East, US Central Command announced in a post on X.
CNN’s Sophie Tanno, Haley Britzky, Zachary Cohen, Nadeen Ebrahim and Kylie Atwood contributed to this reporting.
Here's the latest
• US troops: Iran’s parliament speaker accused the US of “secretly planning a ground invasion” while talking of negotiations. The USS Tripoli — carrying 3,500 US service members — has arrived in the Middle East.
• Wartime diplomacy: Pakistan said it is prepared to host talks between the US and Iran “in coming days,” after meeting with regional leaders in Islamabad on Sunday to discuss efforts on de-escalating the conflict.
• Israeli operations: The Israel Defense Forces said it is days away from hitting all the targets in Iran that it classifies a “top priority.” Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he’s ordered the expansion of Israel’s security buffer zone in southern Lebanon, where its forces are exchanging fire with Hezbollah.
• Palm Sunday: For the first time in centuries, Catholic leaders say the Israeli military barred them from celebrating Palm Sunday at Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, citing security concerns.
US Central Command chief meets with IDF forces in Israel
US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Adm. Brad Cooper met with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other top Israeli generals in Israel today, an Israeli source with knowledge of the meeting told CNN.
According to the sources, the meeting focused on the war against Iran and efforts to halt Iranian weapons production.
This comes a day after IDF spokesman Effie Defrin said Israel is a “few days” away from finishing a campaign targeting all of the “critical” assets of Iran’s military production industries.
CNN has reached out to the CENTCOM for comment.
Pakistan says it is prepared to host US-Iran talks "in coming days"
Pakistan said it is prepared to host and facilitate talks between the US and Iran “in coming days,” after a four-nation meeting in the Pakistani capital with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt focused on de-escalation and ending the war in Middle East.
Trump administration officials are working to arrange a meeting in Pakistan to discuss an off-ramp to the war in Iran, two senior administration officials told CNN last week.
“Pakistan will be honoured to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in coming days, for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a statement at the conclusion of the second round of consultations among the four countries in Islamabad on Sunday.
Dar also said he briefed the visiting ministers on the prospects of potential US-Iran talks in Islamabad, adding that the Saudi, Turkish and Egyptian foreign ministers expressed “full support” for the initiative.
He said both Iran and the United States “have all extended their full support and confidence in our efforts,” to facilitate the talks. CNN has reached out to the White House in Washington for comment.
Dar also said that he spoke by phone with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and UN Secretary-General António Guterres and they supported Pakistan’s initiative.
CNN’s Riane Lumer contributed to this report.
CNN team takes cover near Israel-Lebanon border
A CNN crew was forced into a bunker mid-interview as sirens sounded near the Israel-Lebanon border. The incident underscores the volatility along the border area, where Israeli military operations have shifted the front line and displaced nearby Lebanese communities.
CNN’s Jim Sciutto explains how Israel’s expansion into Lebanon is playing out:
While reporting near Israel’s border with Lebanon, CNN’s Jim Sciutto and his crew were forced into a bunker as sirens sounded during an interview with local resident and security force volunteer Nissan Zeevi. No one on the team was hurt. The incident underscores the volatility along the border area, where Israeli military operations have shifted the front line and displaced nearby Lebanese communities.
Remember: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today he ordered the expansion of Israel’s security buffer zone in southern Lebanon with the aim of repelling Lebanese cross-border attacks.
Israel has pushed further into southern Lebanon in recent weeks. Israeli forces are occupying the land south of the Litani River, an area it called on Lebanese civilians to evacuate. The Israeli military has blown up several bridges over the river – which bisects Lebanon – over the past days as part of a broader assault in the south.
CNN’s Lauren Izso and Sophie Tanno contributed to this report.
At least 49 killed in Lebanon in past 24 hours, health ministry says
At least 49 people have been killed in Lebanon in the past 24 hours, according to a daily death toll report released by the country’s health ministry a short while ago.
Thousands of people have been killed during the conflict in the Middle East since it began on February 28, according to a CNN tally of death tolls released by regional authorities.
Here’s what those authorities have said about the number of people reportedly killed in the region since the war began. CNN is not able to independently verify these numbers.
- Lebanon: At least 1,238 people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon since March 2, the country’s health ministry said in an update today. Yesterday, that figure was 1,189. At least 124 children are among those killed, the health ministry said.
- Iran: At least 1,900 people have been killed in attacks on Iran since February 28, the Iranian Red Crescent reported on Friday. On March 16, Iran’s foreign minister said “hundreds of Iranian civilians,” including more than 200 children, had been killed since the conflict began.
- Iraq: At least 101 people have been killed across Iraq since the war began, authorities have said. In the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region, at least 13 people have been killed, according to the regional government.
- Israel: Some 19 civilians have been killed inside Israel since the conflict began, not including those who died indirectly because of strikes. Four Israeli soldiers have also been killed in southern Lebanon, according to the Israeli military.
- USA: Thirteen US service members have been killed since the US war with Iran began a month ago, according to the US Central Command.
Dozens of people have also been killed in other countries in the region since the conflict began. Deaths due to the conflict have been reported in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, the occupied West Bank, Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia since February 28, according to local authorities.
CNN’s Issy Ronald, Charbel Mallo, Aqeel Najim, Nechirvan Mando, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Dana Karni, Eugenia Yosef, Oren Liebermann, Tal Shalev, Tamar Michaelis, and Zachary Cohen contributed to this reporting.
Foreign ministers finish talks as war continues to expand. Catch up on the latest
A meeting between foreign ministers of Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan ended today and a joint statement is expected to be released soon. We’ll keep you updated on further developments.
The meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan, which did not include the United States and Iran, aimed to find ways to avoid further expansion of the war across the Middle East.
Here’s other news from the last couple hours:
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the expansion of Israel’s security buffer zone in southern Lebanon with the aim of repelling Lebanese cross-border attacks.
- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it will target US and Israeli-affiliated universities in the Middle East in retaliation for recent attacks on Iranian higher education centers.
- Thirty-four fire crews worked for hours to extinguish a huge blaze that broke out in an industrial site in central Israel when it was struck by “a weapon fragment or interceptor fragment.”
- A senior United Arab Emirates official called for compensation from Iran for damage caused to the country from Tehran’s strikes.
- A personal message from Iran’s supreme leader was delivered to the head of a major Iraqi Shiite political party, according to Iran’s Jamaran news agency, although the contents of the message are unclear.
CNN’s Sophia Saifi, Issy Ronald, Ivan Watson, Lauren Izso, Sophie Tanno, Catherine Nicholls and Eugenia Yosef contributed to this report.
US universities in Middle East move online as Iran threatens retaliation against campuses
Earlier today, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it will target American and Israeli-affiliated universities in the Middle East in retaliation for recent attacks on Iranian higher education centers.
Today, the president of the American University of Beirut said in a letter that, because of the IRGC threat, the university will be operating fully remotely tomorrow and Tuesday “out of an abundance of caution.”
In an update on its website, the Lebanese American University in Beirut also said that it will switch to “fully online operations” tomorrow and Tuesday “as a precaution given the broad threats to educational institutions in the region.”
Many universities in the region had already switched to online learning when the Iran war first broke out more than a month ago.
The Qatari education ministry announced on February 28, the day the war began, that all kindergartens, schools, educational centers, and universities across the country would shift to distance learning until further notice, according to the Qatar News Agency.
Georgetown University in Qatar, Texas A&M University at Qatar and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar have all announced that their teaching will take place online until further notice.
The American University of Kuwait, the American University in Dubai, and the American University of Ras Al Khaimah also all announced their shift to online learning earlier this month.
CNN’s Charbel Mallo and Dalia Abdelwahab contributed to this reporting.
In pictures: Day 30 of the expanding Middle East conflict
The Israeli military is days away from striking all targets in Iran it considers a “top priority,” an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said today.
Meanwhile, Iran’s internet blackout has entered its 30th day, with civilians cut off for at least 696 hours, according to internet watchdog NetBlocks.
And in Jerusalem, for the first time in centuries, Catholic leaders have been barred from the holy city’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday, according to church leaders.
Here are more photos from across the region as we track the latest developments:
Netanyahu orders expansion of Israeli buffer zone in southern Lebanon
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has ordered the expansion of Israel’s security buffer zone in southern Lebanon with the aim of repelling Lebanese cross-border attacks.
In recent weeks, Israel has pushed further into southern Lebanon. Israeli forces are occupying the land south of the Litani River, an area it has called on Lebanese civilians to evacuate.
The Israeli military has blown up several bridges over the river – which bisects Lebanon – over the past days, as part of a broader assault in the south.
On Friday, human rights workers warned Israeli forces’ demolition of crossings through the river will cut off tens of thousands of residents in southern Lebanon from “essential lifelines,” as the rate of killings, destruction and displacement across the country spiraled.
Also during the video statement, Netanyahu said Israel is striking at Iran and its proxies “with tremendous force.”
“We are bringing about tremendous achievements, achievements that are creating visible cracks in the terrorist regime in Tehran,” he said.
CNN’s Sana Noor Haq contributed reporting.
Iran's supreme leader delivers message to Iraqi Shiite party leader
A personal message from Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was delivered to the head of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), a major Iraqi Shiite political party established in Iran in 1982, according to Iran’s Jamaran news agency.
The message was handed to the party’s head, Sheikh Hammam Hamoudi, by the Iranian ambassador to Iraq during a meeting.
The contents of the supreme leader’s message are unclear, but Jamaran reported that the ambassador praised Iraq’s Shiite religious authority for its stance on the US-Israeli war as well as Hamoudi’s “sincere positions.”
Khamenei has remained elusive and has not appeared in public since his father and former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was assassinated last month in joint US-Israeli strikes. Only written statements have been issued in his name.
Earlier this month, a source familiar with the situation told CNN that he had suffered a fractured foot and other minor injuries on the first day of the US-Israeli bombardment campaign. In addition to his injured foot, Khamenei, 56, received a bruise around his left eye, as well as minor lacerations to his face, the source said.
Meeting of foreign ministers from Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan wraps in Islamabad
The quadrilateral meeting attended by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, held in Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad has ended a day earlier and a joint statement is expected.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan after the quad meeting had concluded. In the meeting the Prime Minister “appreciated the remarkable restraint exercised by Saudi Arabia amid the current crisis,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. Sharif also “assured” the Saudi Foreign Minister that “Pakistan would always stand shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia.”
The nuclear armed south Asian nation signed a defense treaty with Saudi Arabia last year, and while Pakistan has been playing the role of peacemaker between the United States and Iran, there have been concerns that it could be dragged into the conflict in the Middle East if Saudi Arabia decides to enter the war against Iran.
The Saudi foreign minister shared “the latest Saudi perspective on the regional situation” and both countries agreed to “continue to coordinate their positions closely in order to secure peace and stability in the region.”
The meeting was attended by the by Pakistani Foreign Minister Sen. Mohammad Ishaq Dar as well as the national security adviser and Pakistan’s intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Muhammad Asim Malik. CNN had reported earlier that Malik is one of the Pakistani officials engaging with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to mediate the situation in Iran.
The foreign minister of Turkey, Hakan Fidan and the foreign minister of Egypt, Dr. Badr Abdelatty also had meetings with the Pakistani prime minister.
Firefighters work to contain blaze at industrial site in Israel struck by attack
Thirty-four fire crews worked for hours to extinguish a huge blaze that broke out an industrial site in central Israel today when it was struck by “a weapon fragment or interceptor fragment.”
Footage and images showed fires burning and plumes of thick black smoke rising from the Neot Hovav complex, which houses more than 30 factories belonging to different companies.
Alerts have been issued across Israel today signaling incoming attacks launched from Iran.
Israel’s fire and rescue service said it worked to “prevent an explosion or additional leaks” and warned the public not to approach the area due to the “presence of hazardous materials.”
It had earlier urged nearby residents to “lock themselves in their homes, close windows and vents, and obey the instructions of the security and rescue forces.”
The incident was limited to “within the boundaries of the industrial zone,” and poses no danger to the general public if they are situated more than 800 meters away from the site, the fire service added.
No casualties were reported, said Israel’s national emergency service, Magen David Adom.
This post has been updated with additional developments.
UAE official demands compensation from Iran
A senior United Arab Emirates (UAE) official has called for Iranian compensation for the damage caused to the country due to Tehran’s strikes.
It comes after Iran has demanded compensation from the US and Israel for war damages from the conflict that is now into its thirtieth day.
Gargesh claimed that Tehran “misled” its neighbors before the outbreak of war and has shown “premeditated aggression.” He described Iran as a regime that has become the “primary threat to Gulf Arab security.”
Ministers in Islamabad discuss conflict de-escalation, as Israel and Iran trade attacks
As we’ve just been reporting, foreign ministers representing Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan met in Islamabad today to discuss de-escalating the US and Israel’s war with Iran, as well as other regional issues.
The talks came as Israel and Iran continue to trade attacks and the possibility of US ground troops entering Iran still appears to be swirling.
If you’re just joining us, here are the very latest developments:
- Iran’s parliament speaker said the country’s forces are “waiting” for American troops as he accused the US of “secretly planning a ground invasion” while talking of negotiations.
- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is days away from hitting all the targets in Iran it classes as “top priority,” a spokesperson said today.
- Iran’s internet blackout has entered its 30th day, with civilians cut off for at least 696 hours, according to internet watchdog NetBlocks.
- Bahrain has announced a maritime curfew which it says will be in place “until further notice” to protect the Gulf nation’s coasts amid ongoing attacks from Iran.
CNN’s Sophia Saifi, Issy Ronald, Ivan Watson, Sophie Tanno, Eugenia Yosef and Ibrahim Dahman contributed to this reporting.
Talks between Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan end
Talks between Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have concluded for the day.
The four countries’ foreign ministers were meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan to discuss the de-escalation of the US and Israel’s war with Iran and other regional issues.
Afterward, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met privately with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, his office said.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, along with the country’s National Security Adviser and Director General of the ISI, Lieutenant General Mohammad Asim Malik were also in attendance.
A joint statement is expected to be released soon. We’ll bring you any further developments.
Demonstrators in cities around the world protest against the war
People have taken to streets around the world in recent days to protest against the US and Israel’s war with Iran, now ongoing for more than a month.
In Tel Aviv, Israel, yesterday, demonstrators called for an end to the war, with one sign reading “disarm Israel first,” and another with the words “stop repeating the Gaza playbook in Iran and Lebanon and the West Bank.”
Images taken by Reuters show Israeli security forces breaking up the demonstrations in the city’s Habima Square.
At a march against far-right extremism in London yesterday, some participants could be seen protesting against the war with Iran, with one holding a sign reading “Stop US/Israel unlawful war on Iran,” while others waved Palestinian flags.
In Athens, Greece yesterday, people waved Iranian, Lebanese and Palestinian flags at a demonstration in front of the US embassy.
In Dakar, Senegal on Friday, people marched waving Lebanese, Iranian and Palestinian flags. One woman held up a sign comparing the treatment of Palestinians by Israel to apartheid in South Africa. Others held up images of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In Beirut, Lebanon on Friday, people demonstrated in support of Hezbollah and Iran, holding candles and portraits of the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah while they marched. On Saturday, protests also took place in the city after three journalists were killed in a targeted Israeli strike.
In Sanaa, Yemen, thousands of people took to the streets in support of Iran, with many waving Iranian and Palestinian flags. Video taken by Reuters shows young boys holding guns as they chanted with the crowd.
Meanwhile, in Barcelona, Spain, some protesters took to the streets to support the ongoing conflict.
Navid, a 25 year old Iranian dentist, told Reuters: “Maybe it sounds a bit crazy to say we support the war, but the thing is, there’s no other way. We tried every other way to overthrow the government, especially in the January (anti-regime protests in Iran).”
Zelensky arrives in Jordan for "important meetings"
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has touched down in Jordan today for what he said were “important meetings.”
It is the latest stop on his tour across the Gulf, where he has met with leaders and signed defense agreements with both Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Ukraine’s drone warfare expertise, developed over four years of defending itself against Russian attacks, has become sought after by countries in the Persian Gulf as they seek to defend themselves against similar Iranian attacks.
Bahrain announces maritime ban to protect country's coasts
Bahrain has announced a maritime ban which it says will be in place “until further notice” to protect the Gulf nation’s coasts, amid ongoing attacks from Iran.
The ban will apply to seafarers using fishing and leisure vessels and will be in place every day from 6 p.m. until 4 a.m. local time, the country’s interior minister said today.
The new measures are being enforced due to “blatant Iranian aggression” and the “serious risks” it poses to the safety of citizens and residents, the ministry said.
It urged “all seagoers to comply with the maritime ban timings and avoid approaching the coasts, in order to ensure their safety and avoid legal accountability.”
How Iran's new leadership could change its stance on nuclear bombs
When Iran’s covert nuclear program came to international attention over two decades ago, Tehran insisted that its intentions were peaceful and that it had no plans to develop weapons.
The country’s then-supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, even went as far as issuing a fatwa, or legal ruling under Islamic law, banning them.
But his death at the hands of the US and Israel last month could clear a path for the regime’s hardest-line factions to rethink the ruling. The public discourse in Iran is already heading that way.
“The nuclear fatwa is dead,” Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft told CNN. “Elite opinion as well as public opinion has shifted dramatically on this, which shouldn’t be surprising since Iran has been bombed twice in the midst of negotiations by two nuclear-equipped states.”
For years, the former supreme leader resisted internal pressure to authorize the building of a nuclear weapon, particularly after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the nuclear pact negotiated between Iran and the Obama administration in 2018.
Faced with escalating American and Israeli hostility, Khamenei instead adhered to his doctrine of what experts call “strategic patience.” He allowed Iran to steadily advance its uranium enrichment program, bringing the material ever closer to weapons-grade levels without crossing the threshold into actual bomb development.
The calls to pursue a nuclear bomb grew louder with Israel’s unprecedented military operation against Iran last year which killed several of the country’s military and nuclear leaders. The calls increased again with Trump’s order to strike three of Iran’s most important nuclear sites.
Even before those strikes, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had warned that Tehran was prepared to shift its nuclear posture.
Read the full story here.
Talks begin between Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to discuss de-escalating war
High-level talks between the foreign ministers representing Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have begun.
The regional powers are gathering in Islamabad, Pakistan today and tomorrow to discuss de-escalating the US and Israel’s war with Iran as well as other regional issues.
Due to its cordial ties with the US and Iran, Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary in any diplomatic efforts, delivering a 15-point peace plan proposed by Washington to Tehran.
What the US and Iran have said about the possibility of ground warfare
We’ve recently reported on comments made by the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. He said Iran’s forces are “waiting” for US troops and that they are “ready to unleash devastation upon them and punish their regional allies permanently.”
Ghalibaf also accused the US of “secretly planning a ground invasion” while talking of negotiations.
Here’s a look at some of what Washington and Tehran have said about the possibility of US troops on the ground in Iran this week:
- On Tuesday, CNN reported that more than 1,000 US soldiers were expected to deploy to the Middle East in the following days, according to two sources familiar with the matter. US officials approved written deployment orders late Tuesday, one source familiar with the matter said.
- On Thursday, an Iranian army commander warned that ground warfare would be “more dangerous, more costly, and irreparable” for the “enemy,” according to the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA).
- The next day Ghalibaf said in a post on X: “How can the US, which can’t even protect its own soldiers at its bases in the region and instead leaves them stashed away in hotels and parks, protect them on our soil?”
- A few hours later, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US can achieve its objectives in the Iran war “without any ground troops.” In a statement, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that US President Donald Trump said he was not planning to send ground troops anywhere.
- On Saturday, the USS Tripoli, carrying 3,500 US sailors and Marines, arrived in the Middle East, US Central Command announced in a post on X.
CNN’s Sophie Tanno, Haley Britzky, Zachary Cohen, Nadeen Ebrahim and Kylie Atwood contributed to this reporting.
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