The conflict between the US, Israel and Iran has paralysed the Middle East with war spilling over to multiple countries in the region.
Retaliatory strikes have seen several nations, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, Oman, and Iraq hit following the attacks, as Iran has threatened its “most intense offensive operation” against US bases.
Civilian targets in the Gulf, including hotels and airports, have also been struck, with no sign of an end to the war in sight.
On Tuesday US secretary of defense Pete Hegseth promised the heaviest day of bombardment yet as the Iranian establishment remains defiant that it will not give in.
A number of countries outside of the Middle East have also been impacted, with drones entering their airspace or engagements at sea.
Which countries have been targeted?
US-Israeli attacks on Iran
War broke out on Saturday February 28, with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei among the early casualties. The large-scale military attack by the US and Israel aimed at bringing down Iran’s nuclear programme and removing the country’s leadership.
Since then, strikes on Iran have continued to target several key military sites and government buildings across the country.
At least 175 people, mostly children, were killed in an attack on a girls’ primary school in Minab, Iranian authorities said. This prompted outrage from rights groups and the UN, which called for an investigation into the “horrific” incident.
The school was adjacent to Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps buildings, which were also flattened in the onslaught.
The US says it is investigating the attack as the United Nations expressed serious concern about the reports.
Fighting broke new ground on Sunday, as Israel attacked Iran’s energy infrastructure, hitting a major fuel depot.
Apocalyptic images emerging from the scene showed the devastating after-effects of the blast including plumes of black smoke, acid rain, and toxic fumes across Tehran.
Outside of the Middle East, a US submarine torpedoed an Iranian warship in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday 4 March, killing at least 87 Iranian soldiers.
Iranian attacks on Israel
The Iranian military has continued to launch missiles and drones at Israel, which have struck civilian targets, according to Israeli authorities.
Nine people were killed in Beit Shemesh on Sunday 1 March after a missile evaded Israeli air defences, the local ambulance service said. Eleven people have been killed in Israel so far, according to the country’s authorities.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said that avenging the US-Israeli attacks was its “legitimate right and duty”.
Iran’s army said on Tuesday 10 March that it had targeted oil refineries and fuel storage in Haifa with drones in retaliation to “attacks on oil depots in Iran”, according to the Tasnim news agency.
The US military has said that Iranian attacks have dropped significantly over recent days.
Israeli attacks on Lebanon
Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified along the border of Lebanon in spite of a fragile Qatar-mediated ceasefire negotiated in November 2024.
The militant group sought to avenge the death of Ayatollah Khamenei and launched an attack on Israel after the initial US-Israeli strikes.
It said it fired rockets and drones "in retaliation for the pure blood of... Ayatollah Imam Sayyid Ali al-Husseini Khamenei... and in defence of Lebanon and its people, and in response to the repeated Israeli attacks" in a statement released on Monday 2 March.
Israel pounded southern Lebanon and the country’s capital Beirut in return. It said on Monday 2 March that strikes on Beirut had killed Hussein Makled, whom it called “the head of Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters.”
Human Rights Watch reported that Israel had used white phosphorous, an incendiary weapon, over civilian homes in Lebanon in a report released on Monday 9 March.
The chemical substance can burn skin down to the bone and set buildings on fire.
As of Monday, at least 400 people have been killed and over 1,000 injured, according to the country’s health ministry. The UN’s refugee agency declared a major humanitarian crisis after over 500,000 were reported displaced.
Iranian attacks on Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman
Iran has attacked several US military bases across the Gulf in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes, causing mayhem across the region.
The countries have been forced to deploy their armed forces in order to intercept aircraft headed into their airspace. Airlines and global travel have been disrupted.
On Saturday 28 February, Iran launched a missile attack on the US Navy’s 5th Fleet service centre in Bahrain – several residential buildings in Manama were also struck in the attacks.
The IRGC said it targeted four US bases including Al Udeid air base in Qatar, Ali Al Salem in Kuwait, Al Dhafra in the UAE as well as the 5th Fleet service centre. Several American warplanes were also struck down in Kuwait, which were later confirmed to be a result of “friendly fire”.
The Palm Hotel in Dubai was also hit and a fire broke out after debris reportedly fell from the sky during an Iranian missile attack on the same day. One person died and seven were injured at Dubai International Airport after an “incident”.
In Oman, a country that had been at the centre of meditation talks, the Duqm commercial port was struck in a drone attack on Sunday 1 March. An oil tanker off the coast of Oman was also hit, with four people injured and 20 forced to be evacuated.
The UAE, which also houses US military bases, has reported several strikes, with one person dead and several injured after an attack on Zayed International Airport on 1 March.
On Tuesday 3 March, the US embassy in Saudi Arabia’s capital of Riyadh was hit by two drones causing a “limited fire”. A day later on Wednesday 4 March, the Aramco oil refinery in Ras Tanura was hit by an Iranian strike.
Despite President Pezeshkian issuing an apology to surrounding countries impacted by the fighting on Saturday, sparking backlash from other Iranian leaders. However, fighting has continued despite the statement.
Two people were killed in Saudi Arabia after a “projectile” fell on a residential building on Sunday. On Monday 9 March, Qatar said it had intercepted at least 17 ballistic missiles headed to the country.
A Pakistani taxi driver who was still working amid the bombing in Dubai was killed after his car was crushed by a piece of falling debris on Sunday 8 March.
Attacks have also been reported in Iraq, Syria and Jordan.
Azerbaijan and Turkey
The conflict has been creeping closer to Europe with Azerbaijan and Turkey impacted by drones over the last week.
On Thursday 5 March, Azerbaijan accused Iran of carrying out a drone strike on its territory.
President Ilham Aliyev blamed the country for carrying out “a groundless act of terror and aggression,” and said his military has been told to prepare and implement retaliatory measures.
Iran’s general staff of the armed forces denied it had launched a drone toward Azerbaijan's territory on Monday.
Reports also suggested that missiles had been launched by Iran towards Turkey on Wednesday 4 March, claims the Islamic Republic has denied.
A second ballistic missile was shot down by Nato air defences in Turkish airspace on Monday 9 March with no casualties reported.
Strait of Hormuz
At least ten vessels have been attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping route that has been largely closed due to the ongoing fighting.
Hundreds of ships are reported to have been anchored around the region in an effort to avoid being hit. Hundreds of barrels of oil are reportedly being held up with oil prices surging to over $100 a barrel.
Cyprus
The UK confirmed that strikes hit the RAF Akrotiri air base, targeting its runway, on Sunday 1 March.
On Monday 2 March, it was confirmed that a further two drones had been intercepted.
The UK has sent a warship and helicopters with counter-drone technology to defend the base.
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