Donald Trump has said the US military has hit Iran’s crucial Kharg Island in “one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East”.
The US president said the military has “totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island” in a post on Truth Social.
The island is the linchpin of Iran’s oil industry, a dominant export port which is connected by pipeline to the major oil fields in southwest Iran.
Trump said he chose not to wipe out the island’s oil infrastructure “for reasons of decency” - but warned Tehran that he may do so if it does not allow free passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz.
It comes as the US deploys thousands of troops and more warships to the Middle East as Iran steps up on the Strait of Hormuz.
The Pentagon is sending a Marine expeditionary unit to defend against Iran, US officials told the Wall Street Journal.
Around 2,500 troops and one extra warship will be sent, the Associated Press reported.
The WSJ also reported five US Air Force refueling planes were struck in Saudi Arabia by an Iranian missile in recent days.
Key Points
- Trump: US has carried out one of 'history's most powerful bombing raids' on crucial Kharg Island
- What is Kharg Island and why is it so crucial?
- US to deploy more warships and 2,500 marines to the Middle East
- US president admits that Putin could be helping Iran despite Witkoff claims
- Israel threatens Gaza-scale destruction in Lebanon as it scales up attacks
- Trump: US will hit Iran 'very hard over next week'
European leaders criticise Trump's decision to ease oil sanctions
05:15 , Shweta SharmaEuropean leaders have reacted sharply to a US decision to temporarily ease sanctions on the purchase of Russian oil.
The waiver will allow countries to buy Russian oil already on vessels at sea but unsold due to sanctions.
European Council President Antonio Costa said the decision was "very concerning" as it "impacts European security".
"Weakening sanctions increases Russian resources to wage the war of aggression against Ukraine," he wrote in a post on X.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said at a news conference the move could allow Russia to gain about $10bn, adding: "It certainly does not help peace."
French president Emmanuel Macron, speaking alongside Zelensky, said the reported shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz "in no way" justified lifting sanctions.
Canada's prime minister Mark Carney said earlier that Canada's position was to "maintain sanctions on Russia".
German chancellor Friedrich Merz also criticised the decision, calling it "wrong" at a separate news conference.
Trump's AI tsar proposes exit from Iran conflict in rare de-escalation suggestion
05:00 , Shweta SharmaWhite House AI czar David Sacks said on Friday the US should "declare victory and get out" of its war with Iran, a rare instance of a prominent figure in Donald Trump's administration calling for an exit from the conflict.
"This is a good time to declare victory and get out," Sacks, Trump's crypto and AI tsar, said in an appearance on the "All-In Podcast."Sacks said the US had degraded Iran's military capabilities.
"I agree that we should try to find the off-ramp," he added.
"If escalation doesn't lead anywhere good, then you have to think about, well, how do you de-escalate? De-escalation, I think, involves reaching some sort of ceasefire agreement or some sort of negotiated settlement with Iran," he said.
Iran's UN ambassador says more than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran in US and Israeli attacks.
Israel says 12 people have been killed in Israel by Iranian attacks.
The US military says seven of its members have been killed.
Missile strikes helipad inside US embassy in Baghdad
04:45 , Shweta SharmaA missile struck a helipad inside the US Embassy compound in Baghdad, two Iraqi security officials said.
Footage seen by AP showed a column of smoke rising Saturday morning over the embassy compound.
The sprawling embassy complex, one of the largest US diplomatic facilities in the world, has been repeatedly targeted by rockets and drones fired by Iran-aligned militias.
There was no immediate comment from the US Embassy in Baghdad.
On Friday, the embassy renewed its Level 4 security alert for Iraq, warning that Iran and Iran-aligned militia groups have previously carried out attacks against US citizens, interests and infrastructure, and "may continue to target them."
NOW: Smoke and fire seen at US Embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq after reported Iranian drone attack pic.twitter.com/FeKTpa6LoJ
— Rapid Report (@RapidReport2025) March 14, 2026
Former US congresswoman says Americans didn't vote for Iran war in 2024 election
04:30 , Rachel DobkinFormer US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, has said Americans didn't vote for the Iran war in President Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory.
When asked by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Friday night local time, about the 13 US service members who have been killed so far in the US-Israeli military effort against Iran, Greene said it was “absolutely heartbreaking”.
“These are 13 lives that I believe should not have been lost. This war is not something that Americans voted for in 2024. As a matter of fact, we voted for the opposite. We voted for no more foreign wars, no more regime change”, the Trump supporter-turned-critic said.
“This was an unprovoked war and Israel pulled us into it, pulled America into it, and so those are 13 lives that should not have been lost”, she added.
When Trump won the 2024 election, he said in his victory speech, “I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars”.
Trump has claimed the US needed to attack Iran because the Middle Eastern country posed an “imminent” threat to the American people due to its “nuclear ambitions” and pursuit of “developing the long range missiles”.
He has insisted Israel did not force America’s hand to launch military strikes, which began nearly two weeks ago, telling reporters, “I might of forced their hand”.
Breaking: Israeli military issues evacuation warning for Iran's Tabriz area
04:23 , Shweta SharmaThe Israeli military on Saturday issued an evacuation warning for a designated industrial area in Iran’s northwestern city of Tabriz, urging civilians to leave the area immediately.
Trump says Iran war 'going very well'
04:00 , Rachel DobkinUS President Donald Trump told reporters Friday evening local time the Iran war is “going very well”.
“The situation in Iran is going very well. A lot of big hits today, a lot of big wins today, as you probably have heard, militarily, and I think it's going very well and very good control. We'll see what's happening with the straits”, Trump said, referring to the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed.
“They continue to try and sabotage their own country in the Middle East, but it's been very, very strong militarily”, the president said at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, before departing to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Trump asked about seizing Kharg Island day before US military 'totally obliterated' oil export port
03:45 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump was asked about seizing Kharg Island a day before he announced the US military “totally obliterated” the Iranian oil export port.
Speaking to Fox News Radio in an interview taped Thursday night local time and aired the next morning, Trump said seizing the island was “not high on the list”.
He said the island was “one of so many different things, and I can change my mind in seconds”.
Friday night, Trump wrote on Truth Social, “Moments ago, at my direction, the United States Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East, and totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island.”
JD Vance shares prayers for six US service members killed in Iraq
03:30 , Rachel DobkinUS Vice President JD Vance has shared his prayers for the six American service members killed in a plane crash over Iraq.
“Please join me in praying for the six service members who lost their lives in a plane crash over the skies of Iraq”, Vance wrote on X Friday night local time. “Three were Ohioans serving with the 121st Air Refueling Wing, a unit I was honored to visit as a senator. A grateful nation mourns their loss”.
US Central Command announced Thursday evening local time that a KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq.
“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing”, the military wrote on X, referring to the name of the US military campaign against Iran.
U.S. Central Command is aware of the loss of a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft. The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing. Two aircraft were involved in the incident. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the…
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 12, 2026
WATCH: Trump says Iran's new supreme leader is alive but 'damaged'
03:15 , Rachel DobkinWhy the Houthi rebels have yet to join the war in Iran
03:00 , Alex CroftIran's Shi'ite allies in Lebanon and Iraq have joined the war in the region unleashed by US and Israeli strikes on Tehran.
But Yemen's Houthi rebels, heavily armed and capable of striking Gulf neighbours and causing major disruption to maritime navigation around the Arabian Peninsula, have not yet entered the fray.
Here is a look at why that might be:
On March 5, Houthi leader Abdul Malik Al-Houthi said his group was ready to strike at any moment.
“Regarding military escalation and action, our fingers are on the trigger at any moment should developments warrant it," he said in a televised speech. But unlike Lebanon's Hezbollah and Iraqi armed groups, they have not made any formal announcement of joining the war.
Houthi religious doctrine does not adhere to Iran's supreme leader in the same way Hezbollah and the Iraqi groups do.
While Iran champions the Houthis as part of its regional "Axis of Resistance", Yemen experts say the movement is motivated primarily by a domestic agenda though they share a political affinity with Iran and Hezbollah.
The US says Iran has armed, funded and trained the Houthis with help from Hezbollah.
The Houthis deny being an Iranian proxy and say they develop their own weapons.
US orders non-emergency government workers to leave Oman due to 'safety risks'
02:15 , Rachel DobkinThe US has ordered non-emergency government workers and families of government workers to leave Oman due to “safety risks”.
Oman is one of several Gulf countries Iran has attacked amid the growing conflict in the Middle East, according to the United Nations.
Oman: The State Department updated the Travel Advisory for Oman to reflect the ordered departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members of U.S. government personnel. Read the full advisory at: https://t.co/0c1elfy7X3 pic.twitter.com/KWYf2EAS3s
— TravelGov (@TravelGov) March 13, 2026
Five US Air Force planes hit by Iranian strike
01:53 , Rachel DobkinFive US Air Force refueling planes were struck while on the ground at Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia by an Iranian missile in recent days, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday night, citing US officials.
There were no casualties, and damage to the planes is being repaired, per the WSJ.
Israeli strikes kill 14 medical workers in Lebanon: report
01:30 , Rachel DobkinIsraeli strikes in south Lebanon killed 14 medical workers and injured six more, the country’s health ministry said early Saturday local time, per The New York Times.
The health ministry said the workers were affiliated with either Hezbollah’s social services network or with the Shia Amal Movement, the NYT reported.
Israeli military kills two more children in Gaza, medics say
01:00 , Alex CroftAn Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed three Palestinians, including two 17-year-olds, Palestinian medics said on Friday, with violence continuing in the West Bank and Gaza even as Israel expands its offensive across the region.
Israel has used lethal force in Iran, Lebanon, Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Israeli forces killed two in the West Bank city of Nablus on Thursday, according to Palestinian officials, while the death toll in Lebanon reached 773, its Health Ministry said on Friday.
After nearly two weeks of war, 2,000 people have been killed, most of them in Iran, with several million people displaced from their homes.
Trump says Iran is 'DEAD'
00:47 , Rachel DobkinPresident Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social Friday night local time that Iran is “DEAD” as the conflict in the Middle East has dragged on for nearly two weeks.
“Iran had plans of taking over the entire Middle East, and completely obliterating Israel. JUST LIKE IRAN ITSELF, THOSE PLANS ARE NOW DEAD”, Trump said.
Trump’s social media post came after he announced the US military “totally obliterated” Kharg Island, Iran’s vital oil export port.
Iranian supreme leader wounded and may be disfigured, says Hegseth
00:30 , Alex CroftIran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is wounded and may be disfigured, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday.
In the remarks, Hegseth questioned Khamenei's ability to govern after nearly two weeks of US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
No images have been released of Khamenei since an Israeli strike at the start of the war that killed much of his family, including his father and wife.
The supreme leader’s first comments came in a statement read by a television presenter on Thursday. In the statement, he vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz shut and called on neighboring countries to close US bases on their territory or risk Iran targeting them.
"We know the new so-called not-so-supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured. He put out a statement yesterday. A weak one, actually, but there was no voice and there was no video. It was a written statement," Hegseth told a briefing.
"Iran has plenty of cameras and plenty of voice recorders. Why a written statement? I think you know why. His father - dead. He's scared, he's injured, he's on the run and he lacks legitimacy."
What is Kharg Island and why is it so crucial?
Friday 13 March 2026 23:38 , Alex CroftDonald Trump says the US has carried out one of the most ferocious bombing attacks on all time, on Iran’s Kharg Island.
The island is the linchpin of Iran’s oil industry, a dominant export port which is connected by pipeline to the major oil fields in southwest Iran.
It is also one of the only places on Iran;s western coast that can accomodate supertankers due to the depth of the water.
Iran has centralised much of its exports from Kharg Island over several decades, significantly reducing its costs.
While Iran’s reliance on a single oil terminal appeared to be a major vulnerability, it had also led to it being deemed untouchable because of the potential impact on the global oil economy if it came under attack.
Under the current US administration, and its vicious war on Iran, this has all changed.
Some analysts have even predicted that oil prices could soar to US$150 (£112) a barrel if Kharg is hit, a move that could shatter any remaining confidence in the financial markets that Trump can achieve his war aims without significant and long-term disruption to the global economy.
UN warns closure of Strait of Hormuz could impact on humanitarian operations
Friday 13 March 2026 23:34 , Alex CroftA top UN humanitarian official warned on Friday that closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route in the Middle East, could have "immense impact" on humanitarian operations amid the US-Israeli war on Iran.
"When ships stop moving through that Strait, the consequences travel fast,” said Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator.
“Food, medicine, fertilizer and other supplies become harder to move and more expensive to deliver.”
Watch: JD Vance refuses to reveal advice he gave Trump on Iran - ‘I don’t want to go to prison’
Friday 13 March 2026 23:15 , Alex CroftUS carries out one of 'most powerful bombing raids in history' on crucial Kharg Island
Friday 13 March 2026 23:01 , Alex CroftDonald Trump has said the US military has carried out “one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East”.
Speaking in a post on Truth Social, the US president said the military has “totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island”.
He continued: “For reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island. However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision.”
Tehran has imposed a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, wreaking havoc on the global oil economy and driving up fuel prices across the world.
“Iran has NO ability to defend anything that we want to attack — There is nothing they can do about it!” Trump added.
US-owned tanker was hit by unmanned boats, initial findings show
Friday 13 March 2026 22:53 , Alex CroftTwo explosive-laden, unmanned boats rammed the Safesea Vishnu tanker in an Iraqi seaport on Wednesday, sparking a fiery blast that engulfed the vessel's port side in flames and left crew only seconds to react, according to an early assessment conducted by the vessel's US owner and operator.
"After speaking to the surviving crew members, the attack appears to have been deliberate and calculated," New Jersey-based Safesea Group said in a statement according to the Reuters news agency.
At least 16 tankers and other vessels have come under attack in the Gulf during the US-Israeli war with Iran.
Hundreds more have dropped anchor due to Tehran's threat to attack vessels in or near the Strait of Hormuz, which is used to transport roughly one-fifth of the world's oil.
Trump rejects offer from Putin to move Iran's enriched uranium to Russia
Friday 13 March 2026 22:31 , Alex CroftDonald Trump rejected an offer by Russian president Vladimir Putin to move Iran's enriched uranium to Russia, Axios is reporting.
The offer was posed as part of possible future deal to end the US and Israel's war against Tehran.
Putin made the proposal in a phone call with Trump this week and the Republican president turned it down, the report added, citing sources.
US to deploy more warships and 2,500 marines to the Middle East
Friday 13 March 2026 22:16 , Alex CroftThe US is deploying more troops and warships to the Middle East as Iran steps up its attacks on the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports.
Here is everything you need to know, via The Independent’s Bulletin:
- The Pentagon is sending a Marine expeditionary unit to defend against Iran, three US officials told the Wall Street Journal.
- Such units are typically made up of multiple warships and 5,000 troops, and the request from Centcom was approved directly by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the news outlet reported.
- The Associated Press reported, citing a source, that the military is sending roughly 2,500 Marines and at least one extra warship to the Middle East.
- The war, launched by the US and Israel on Feb. 28, doesn’t appear to be slowing, with the US promising the most intense strikes yet Friday. Iran, meanwhile, isn’t backing down, and some leaders have even taken to the streets at a regime march, showing their defiance against President Donald Trump and his attacks.
Full report: Trump admits that Putin could be helping Iran despite what his envoy claimed
Friday 13 March 2026 22:10 , Rebecca WhittakerDonald Trump has admitted that Russian president Vladimir Putin could be helping Iran in its military efforts against the U.S., contrary to claims made previously by his envoy to the Middle East.
“I think he might be helping them a little bit, yeah, I guess, and he probably thinks we’re helping Ukraine, right?” Trump said, speaking to Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade in a Friday interview. “Yeah, we’re helping them also.”
The two nations have been at war since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
“So he [Putin] says that, and China would say the same thing, you know,” Trump said. “It’s like, hey, they do it and we do it, in all fairness. They do it and we do it.”
Mike Bedigan brings our full report:
Trump admits that Putin could be helping Iran despite what his envoy claimed
Trump rejects offer from Putin to move Iran's enriched uranium to Russia
Friday 13 March 2026 21:48 , Rebecca WhittakerDonald Trump rejected an offer by Russian president Vladimir Putin to move Iran's enriched uranium to Russia, Axios is reporting.
The offer was posed as part of possible future deal to end the US and Israel's war against Tehran.
Putin made the proposal in a phone call with Trump this week and the Republican president turned it down, the report added, citing sources.
'Ukraine truly wants to see a free Iran that does not cooperate with Russia,' Zelensky said
Friday 13 March 2026 21:40 , Rebecca WhittakerUkraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky met exiled crown prince of Iran, Reza Pahlavi, in Paris today, where they "discussed in detail the situation in Iran" and “American operations against the terrorist regime”.
In a post on X, Zelensky said: “Ukraine truly wants to see a free Iran that does not cooperate with Russia and destabilise the Middle East region, Europe, and the entire world.
“I am grateful to the Crown Prince for his explicit emphasis on support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Our teams will maintain their communication.”
با ولیعهد ایران در تبعید @PahlaviReza در پاریس ملاقات کردم. ما به تفصیل در مورد وضعیت ایران و منطقه و عملیات آمریکایی علیه رژیم تروریستی صحبت کردیم. شاهزاده و تیم وی به من سیگنالهایی را که از داخل کشور دریافت میکنند، رساندند. ریاستت رژیم در واقع متحمل خسارات قابل توجهی شده است… pic.twitter.com/yw1WtegDcI
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 13, 2026
Watch: American B-2 stealth bombers take off to 'eliminate Iranian regime threat'
Friday 13 March 2026 21:31 , Rebecca WhittakerAnalysis | Republican Islamophobia comes unleashed amid the war in Iran
Friday 13 March 2026 21:18 , Alex CroftThis week, Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama compared Zohran Mamdani’s mayorship of New York City to the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks.
“The enemy is inside the gates,” he posted. Later, Tuberville, a former head football coach at Auburn University, felt compelled to clarify his statement. “To be clear, I didn’t ‘suggest’ Islamists are the enemy,” he posted. “I said it plainly.”
Eric Garcia writes:
Republican Islamophobia comes unleashed amid the war in Iran
'Humanitarian aid must be allowed to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz,' says UN official
Friday 13 March 2026 21:05 , Rebecca WhittakerA United Nations official has called for humanitarian aid to be allowed to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz.
Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator said: "When routes close and costs surge, the help we can deliver shrinks and the people who need it most are the ones who lose it first.”
"So my message to the parties to the conflict and all those with influence over them is simple: humanitarian cargo must be allowed to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz."
Watch: Irate Hegseth tells the press what their headlines on Iran war should say
Friday 13 March 2026 20:55 , Alex CroftUN appealed for $300m to provide humanitarian aid to Lebanon
Friday 13 March 2026 20:49 , Rebecca WhittakerThe United Nations has appealed for more than $300m to provide humanitarian aid to Lebanon due to ongoing Israeli strikes.
"Solidarity in words must be matched by solidarity in action," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said as he announced the campaign from Beirut.
Aid organisations say funding constraints have already forced them to ration supplies and that substantial new contributions are essential.
"We're only targeting those who are really on the verge of starvation or in starvation," said Carl Skau, the World Food Programme's deputy executive director.
"There isn't any more margin, so with needs going up, resources will have to come up - and they can certainly not drop," Skau told Reuters.
US offers $10m reward for information about supreme leader
Friday 13 March 2026 20:33 , Alex CroftThe US is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information about senior Iranian military and intelligence officials, including its new Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei.
The reward targets 10 officials associated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to the State Department website.
Mojtaba Khamenei recently succeeded his father, Ali Khamenei, as Iran's supreme leader after the elder Khamenei was killed along with several other top Iranian officials in the joint US and Israeli strikes that began on February 28.
The younger Khamenei, believed to have been injured in the strikes, hasn't been seen publicly since, although he released his first statement on Thursday.
In addition to the supreme leader, the US is seeking information about Iran's security chief Ali Larijani, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni and two officials in Khamenei's office.
Girl among six killed in Israeli attack on southern Lebanon
Friday 13 March 2026 20:11 , Alex CroftAn Israeli attack on southern Lebanon has killed six people, including a girl, Lebanon’s National News Agency is reporting according to Al Jazeera.
The news agency said the incident was a “massacre”.
Israel threatens Gaza-scale destruction in Lebanon as it scales up attacks
Friday 13 March 2026 19:49 , Alex CroftIsrael destroyed a bridge in southern Lebanon on Friday and dropped leaflets in Beirut threatening Gaza-scale devastation, as it deployed more troops to fight Iran-backed Hezbollah.
As Israeli warplanes pounded Beirut's suburbs with air strikes, Lebanon's interior minister said authorities were unable to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of people who have sought refuge in the capital.
Israeli strikes have killed 773 people in Lebanon since March 2, Lebanon's state news agency said on Friday, citing the health ministry.
Israel launched its offensive against Hezbollah after it opened fire on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader at the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Making a visit to Lebanon on Friday, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres said he was seeking $308 million in emergency funding to help authorities grapple with the humanitarian fallout. At least 800,000 people have been uprooted in Lebanon.
"Solidarity in words must be matched by solidarity in action," Guterres said.
Hezbollah leader says assassination threats are 'worthless'
Friday 13 March 2026 19:33 , Alex CroftHezbollah leader Naim Qassem said in a speech on Friday that the Israeli threats to assassinate him were “worthless”.
"We have prepared ourselves for a long confrontation and they will be surprised in the field", he added.
Israel launched an offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah after it opened fire on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader at the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Watch: Trump admits that Putin could be helping Iran despite what his envoy claimed
Friday 13 March 2026 19:09 , Alex CroftTrump admits that Putin could be helping Iran despite what his envoy claimed
Friday 13 March 2026 18:47 , Alex CroftDonald Trump has admitted that Russian president Vladimir Putin could be helping Iran in its military efforts agains the U.S., contrary to claims made previously by his envoy to the Middle East.
“I think he might be helping them a little bit, yeah, I guess, and he probably thinks we’re helping Ukraine, right?” Trump said, speaking to Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade Friday interview. “Yeah, we’re helping them also.”
The two nations have been at war since Russian invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
“So he [Putin] says that, and China would say the same thing, you know,” Trump said. “It’s like, hey, they do it and we do it, in all fairness. They do it and we do it.”
The president’s comments come after U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, who said Trump had spoken to Putin and other Russian leaders Monday, and they had denied sharing intelligence with Iran.
Turkey will not get dragged into Middle East war, Erdogan says
Friday 13 March 2026 18:31 , Alex CroftTurkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that Turkey would not get dragged into the war between Iran, Israel and the US.
But he added that it was prepared for all threats after a third Iranian ballistic missile fired towards Turkey was intercepted.
"During this process, we are engaging in all preventative actions against any threats towards our air space, just as we did last night," Mr Erdogan told a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner.
"Our main priority is to keep our country away from this pit of fire," he added.
Bahrain and Saudi F1 races to be cancelled
Friday 13 March 2026 18:18 , Alex CroftNext month's Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Formula One Grands Prix are set to be cancelled over the weekend due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Reuters news agency cites sources saying an announcement is expected by Monday at the latest with a March 20 deadline looming for freight that has to be transported to Bahrain for logistical reasons.
Sky Sports television, which has the broadcasting rights in Britain where most of the 11 teams are based, said it understood the races would be called off by Sunday night.
US and Israeli attacks on Iran are continuing while Iranian drones and missiles have hit some Middle Eastern capitals including Bahrain's Manama, where most team personnel would be staying in hotels.
Formula One is racing in China this weekend for the second round of the season after the opener in Australia last weekend.
Pete Hegseth’s years-long hatred of Iran revealed
Friday 13 March 2026 18:00 , Bryony Gooch
Hegseth’s years-long hatred of Iran resurfaces in book quotes and videos
US moves more warships to the Middle East
Friday 13 March 2026 17:36 , Alex CroftThe US military is moving more warships to the Middle East as Iran steps up its attacks on the Strait of Hormuz, wreaking chaos in the global economy, according to a report.
Along with the warships, the Pentagon is moving a Marine expeditionary unit, three US officials told the Wall Street Journal.
The request from Centcom was approved directly by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the outlet reported.
French soldier killed and six injured in ‘unacceptable’ Iraq drone attack, Macron says
Friday 13 March 2026 17:16 , Bryony GoochFrance’s president Emmanuel Macron has condemned a drone attack in northern Iraq after a French soldier was killed and six others were injured.
Chief warrant officer Arnaud Frion died in the attack on Thursday, in what is thought to be the first European death since the US-Israeli war with Iran began two weeks ago.
“This attack against our forces engaged in the fight against Daesh (ISIS) since 2015 is unacceptable,” Macron said in a post on X, confirming the officer’s death.
“Their presence in Iraq is part of the strict framework of the fight against terrorism. The war in Iran cannot justify such attacks.”
Shaheena Uddin reports:
French soldier killed and six injured in ‘unacceptable’ Iraq drone attack Macron says
Zelensky says increased focus on Middle East 'not good for Ukraine'
Friday 13 March 2026 16:59 , Alex CroftUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said the increased focus on the Middle East is “not good for Ukraine”.
But Mr Zelensky said the shift in attention is “understandable”.
"There is nothing good for Ukraine in the war in the Middle East,” Mr Zelensky told students in Paris during a speech at the Sciences Po university.
“It's understandable that the attention of the world moving to Middle East. It's not good for us," he added.
Iran allows two Indian-flag tankers to sail through Strait of Hormuz - report
Friday 13 March 2026 16:42 , Alex CroftWe’re hearing reports from Reuters that Iran has allowed two Indian-flagged liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers to sail through the Strait of Hormuz.
It is a move that could help ease some of the cooking gas crisis in the country, which has seen kitchens across India ditch hot food as restaurants warn they could be forced to close.
Separately, a crude tanker is expected to arrive in India on Saturday carrying Saudi Arabian oil after sailing through the Strait around March 1, according to two of the sources and data from Lloyd's List Intelligence.
In picture: Fireball erupts from the site of an Israeli airstrike on a building on Abbasiyyeh, Lebanon
Friday 13 March 2026 16:24 , Bryony Gooch
How latest rise in oil prices will affect cost of petrol and inflation
Friday 13 March 2026 16:00 , Bryony Gooch
How latest rise in oil prices will affect cost of petrol and inflation
F1 Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix cancelled - report
Friday 13 March 2026 15:51 , Bryony GoochFormula 1 have cancelled the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix as conflict continues across the Middle East, according to Sky News.
The Bahrain Grand Prix was due to take place on 12 April, while the Saudi Arabia one was due to take place on 19 April.
Italy denies negotiations with Iran for safe passage through the Hormuz Strait
Friday 13 March 2026 15:45 , Bryony GoochNo negotiations are underway with Iran to guarantee safe passage through the Hormuz Strait for Italian ships or oil tankers, an Italian foreign ministry source said on Friday, denying a report in the Financial Times.
"In their diplomatic contacts, Italian leaders want to favour the conditions for a general military de-escalation, but there is no under-the-table negotiation aimed at preserving only some merchant ships at the expense of others," the source said.
IDF reports more than 7,600 strikes across Iran and over 1,100 strikes across Lebanon
Friday 13 March 2026 15:36 , Bryony GoochThe Israeli Defence Force has carried out carried out approximately 7,600 strikes across Iran, including more than 2,000 strikes against headquarters and assets of the Iranian terror regime, and roughly 4,700 strikes against the Iranian missile program.
The force has also carried out more than 1,100 strikes in the area, including approximately 190 Radwan Force targets, over 200 missile and launcher targets, around 35 command-and-control sites, and roughly 80 multi-story buildings used by the organisation for terror purposes.
It said they had killed more than 380 Hezbollah figures.
Watch: Hegseth says ‘no need to worry’ about attacks in Strait of Hormuz
Friday 13 March 2026 15:30 , Bryony GoochTrump: US will hit Iran 'very hard over next week'
Friday 13 March 2026 15:23 , Bryony GoochPresident Donald Trump said the US was going to be hitting Iran "very hard over the next week", shortly after issuing a partial 30-day waiver for purchases of sanctioned Russian oil, hoping to ease prices fuelled by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Prices have been whipsawing on Trump's changing comments on the likely duration of the war, which has prompted Iran to attack vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for a fifth of the world's oil.
Trump has previously said the war is "complete", and also promised to guarantee the safety of vessels in the Strait. In a Fox News interview aired on Friday, Trump said the US would escort shipping there "if we needed to".
Benchmark Brent crude eased about 0.6 per cent to around $99.80, still up almost 40 per cent since the start of the conflict.
