At least three people were killed and five others wounded when rockets struck a house in the Khor Al-Zubair area near Basra, according to security and health officials.

Authorities said the death toll could rise as some victims remained trapped under rubble.Police said demonstrators gathered outside the Kuwaiti consulate before storming the premises, damaging property in response to the attack.

Kuwait condemned the incident, describing the storming and vandalism of its consulate as a serious breach of diplomatic norms. In a statement, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said Iraq bears responsibility for ensuring the protection of diplomatic missions on its territory.

The ministry also said Kuwait was not involved in any regional conflict and would not permit its territory to be used as a launch point for attacks against other countries.

The incident highlights heightened tensions in the region amid ongoing instability linked to broader Middle East conflicts.

A proposal brokered by Pakistan called for an immediate ceasefire and reopening of the strait, followed by negotiations on a broader settlement within weeks, according to a source familiar with the plan. Iran declined the offer, instead outlining conditions including sanctions relief, regional de-escalation, and reconstruction measures, state media reported.

Trump reiterated threats to target Iranian infrastructure if Tehran failed to meet his demands by the deadline, warning that bridges and power plants could be destroyed. He said the United States could “take out” the country if an agreement was not reached.Fighting continued across the region.

The Israeli military said it carried out airstrikes on Iranian government infrastructure in Tehran and other areas, while intercepting missiles launched from Iran. Saudi Arabia reported intercepting ballistic missiles over its eastern region, with debris falling near energy facilities, and issued public safety alerts alongside the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Iran’s envoy to the United Nations condemned the U.S. threats as a violation of international law, while senior Iranian officials dismissed Trump’s warnings. Authorities also called for civilian demonstrations to protect infrastructure sites.

A synagogue in central Tehran was damaged by a projectile, according to local media, as the conflict widened beyond military targets.Global oil markets remained under pressure, with prices hovering around $110 per barrel amid uncertainty over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply.

The continued disruption has raised concerns about inflation and energy security worldwide.The conflict, which began after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, has led to thousands of casualties across the region.

A U.S. fighter jet was also downed last week, underscoring the escalating risks for Washington as the crisis deepens.

The 47-year-old former member of the Australian Defence Force was detained at Sydney Airport and will face charges carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, according to the Australian Federal Police.

Police allege the victims were not participating in hostilities and were detained, unarmed, and under the control of Australian forces at the time of their deaths. Authorities further allege the killings were either carried out directly by Roberts-Smith or by subordinates acting under his orders.

Roberts-Smith, who received the Victoria Cross for his service, has previously denied wrongdoing. Allegations against him first emerged in 2018 through media investigations and later became the subject of a high-profile defamation case.

In 2023, a Federal Court judge ruled that reports by Nine Entertainment had substantially proven several accusations, including the unlawful killing of detainees. His final appeal was dismissed by the High Court in 2025.The charges follow a broader inquiry into alleged misconduct by elite Australian forces in Afghanistan.

A 2020 military report found credible evidence that members of the Special Air Service Regiment unlawfully killed dozens of prisoners and civilians.The investigation into Roberts-Smith was conducted jointly by the Australian Federal Police and the Office of the Special Investigator, led by Ross Barnett, who said the process was complicated by limited access to crime scenes in Afghanistan.

Authorities said 53 war crimes allegations have been examined, with several cases ongoing. Another former special forces soldier is scheduled to stand trial on similar charges next year.

Roberts-Smith is expected to appear before a court in New South Wales later on Tuesday.

The vote, initially expected on Saturday, will now take place sometime next week, according to two diplomats who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the private nature of council discussions.

Bahrain, which holds the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council this month, had significantly watered down the resolution in an effort to secure consensus among the council’s 15 members.

The revised draft authorizes defensive measures to ensure safe passage of commercial vessels through the strait, stopping short of the offensive military action initially backed by Gulf states and the United States.

The delay underscores continued divisions within the council, with Russia and China still unwilling to support the modified proposal, diplomats said.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil supply typically flows, has become a focal point of international concern amid escalating conflict in the region, raising fears over energy security and global trade disruptions.

Bahrain has been seeking unanimous backing for the resolution, but the postponement highlights the challenges of achieving agreement among major powers on how to respond to the the crisis.

“The U.S. military hasn’t even started destroying what’s left in Iran. Bridges next, then Electric Power Plants,” Trump wrote on social media, urging Iran’s leadership to act quickly in response to Washington’s demands.

In a televised address a day earlier, Trump said military operations could intensify over the coming weeks if Tehran did not comply, with possible strikes extending to energy and oil facilities. However, he did not provide a clear timeline for the end of the conflict.

The war, which began on February 28 with coordinated U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, has since expanded, with Tehran launching retaliatory strikes on Israel and Gulf states hosting U.S. military bases. The conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread displacement, while also driving up global oil prices and increasing volatility in financial markets.

Iranian media, including Fars News Agency, reported that regional infrastructure, including major bridges in neighboring countries, could also face risks following recent strikes.

The latest remarks have drawn scrutiny from legal experts. Dozens of international law specialists in the United States signed an open letter warning that attacks on infrastructure essential for civilian life could violate the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit targeting civilian objects and require distinction between military and non-military assets during armed conflict.

Trump’s statements add to uncertainty surrounding U.S. strategy in the conflict, with shifting objectives and timelines contributing to concerns among analysts about the scope and duration of military operations.

Checkpoints staffed by security personnel and volunteers have proliferated across the capital since the conflict began, initially marked by military vehicles and road barriers. While some visible fortifications have been scaled back following recent airstrikes, residents say patrols remain widespread, with teenagers now playing an increasingly prominent role.

Witness accounts describe adolescents aged 13 to 14 manning checkpoints, stopping vehicles and conducting searches. A 28-year-old resident told AFP that she was stopped at two checkpoints in northern Tehran, where teenage boys carrying weapons inspected her phone and personal belongings without consent, calling the encounter intrusive.

Another resident said that beyond formal military checkpoints, groups of youths in private vehicles were independently stopping cars, opening doors and checking dashboards and mobile devices.Authorities have acknowledged lowering the minimum age for Basij recruitment to 12, citing high levels of interest among younger volunteers.

Rahim Nadali, an official with the Revolutionary Guards in Tehran, said on state television that the decision reflected demand from children seeking to participate in defense efforts.The Basij, an auxiliary force under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has historically played a central role in internal security operations.

It was also reported to have been involved in suppressing anti-government protests in January, during which thousands were killed.The expanded use of minors has drawn concern from rights groups and analysts. Some observers interpret the move as an indication of manpower shortages, while others see it as a sign of a more hardline approach by authorities seeking to consolidate control amid external and internal pressures.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliamentary speaker, urged supporters to maintain a presence on the streets, framing domestic mobilization as part of a broader strategic effort alongside military and maritime pressures, including tensions around the Strait of Hormuz.

Analysts say the intensified street presence is aimed at deterring potential unrest, particularly after calls from U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu encouraging opposition activity at the outset of the war.

In addition to checkpoint duties, pro-government groups have organized nighttime patrols, using vehicles equipped with loudspeakers to broadcast slogans and display flags in residential areas.

Hamidreza Azizi, a visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said the government was increasingly reliant on a core base of ideologically committed supporters to maintain order. He noted that this strategy reflects deeper challenges to the state’s legitimacy but has proven effective in sustaining control during wartime conditions.

Human Rights Watch said the recruitment of children under 15 for military roles could constitute a war crime under international law and warned that their deployment exposes them to heightened risks, including potential targeting in military strikes.

Bill Van Esveld, the group’s associate director for children’s rights, said the policy suggested authorities were willing to endanger minors to bolster security capacity.

UNIFIL said the blast occurred on Sunday and that it had launched an investigation to determine the origin of the projectile. “We do not know the origin of the projectile,” the mission said, adding that emergency response teams were deployed.

Indonesia’s foreign ministry confirmed the fatality involved one of its nationals and said three other Indonesian peacekeepers were injured by indirect artillery fire near their position.

Jakarta condemned the incident, calling any harm to peacekeepers unacceptable, and reiterated its criticism of Israeli military actions in southern Lebanon.

Rising risks for UN forcesUNIFIL operates in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the demarcation line with Israel, where clashes between Israeli forces and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters have intensified in recent weeks.

The mission has increasingly been caught in crossfire. Earlier this month, Ghana said two of its peacekeepers were critically injured after a UN position was struck. Israel later acknowledged its tank fire had hit the site while responding to anti-tank missiles from Hezbollah.

The escalation follows Hezbollah rocket fire into Israel on March 2, which triggered a new Israeli offensive in southern Lebanon amid a wider regional conflict involving Iran.

UNIFIL urged all parties to adhere to international law and avoid actions that endanger UN personnel and facilities.

Aoun said in a statement that the attack constituted a “blatant crime” and breached international humanitarian law, emphasizing that journalists are civilians performing professional duties and are entitled to protection under the laws of war.

The statement was released by the Lebanese presidency shortly after reports of the strike emerged.A Lebanese military source told AFP that three journalists were killed when their vehicle was targeted in the Jezzine area of southern Lebanon.

The victims included a correspondent affiliated with Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television and another journalist from Al-Mayadeen, a broadcaster seen as close to the Iran-backed group.

Al-Manar confirmed the death of its correspondent, identified as Al Shouaib, while Al-Mayadeen said its journalist, Fatima Fatouni, and her brother, who was working as a cameraman, were also killed in the strike.

The incident adds to mounting concerns over the safety of media personnel operating in conflict zones, particularly in areas experiencing intensified cross-border exchanges between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters.

Aoun’s statement framed the strike as part of a pattern of violations, asserting that it undermines established international norms governing armed conflict. No immediate response from Israeli authorities was included in the available information.

The strike occurred amid heightened tensions in Lebanon’s south region as spillover from the broader Iran-linked confrontation continues to draw in multiple actors across the Middle East.

Warning leaflets reportedly dropped in parts of Beirut and ongoing strikes in southern areas reflect an expanding operational environment, raising the risk to both civilians and media workers covering developments on the ground.

In a statement, the ministry said the talks focused on what it described as a “military-political crisis” triggered by U.S.-Israeli actions against Iran, and included an exchange of views on shifting the conflict toward a political and diplomatic track grounded in international law.

The Russian side also briefed Iran on a recent shipment of humanitarian aid, according to the statement. Moscow and Tehran have previously signed a strategic partnership agreement spanning political, economic, military and energy cooperation, though it does not include a mutual defense clause.

At a Group of Seven meeting, European foreign ministers raised concerns with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Russia may be assisting Iran in targeting U.S. forces in the region.

Two Western security sources and a regional official close to Tehran told Reuters that Russia had provided satellite imagery and technical support to enhance Iranian drone capabilities, drawing on systems used by Moscow in its conflict in Ukraine.

Russia has deployed Iranian-designed drones in its war in Ukraine, underscoring growing defense cooperation between the two countries.

The latest diplomatic engagement comes amid intensifying hostilities across the Middle East and mounting international calls to contain the conflict through negotiations.

In a joint statement issued during a ministerial meeting hosted by France, the group said it had emphasized the need to minimize harm to civilian populations, regional partners and essential infrastructure amid intensifying hostilities.

The statement reflected mounting concern among major economies over the humanitarian and systemic risks posed by the conflict.

The ministers underscored that safeguarding non-combatants and public infrastructure remains a priority under international norms, as recent strikes have reportedly affected energy facilities and other civilian-linked assets in the region. They stressed coordination among allies and partners to contain spillover effects.

The G7 highlighted potential disruptions to global supply chains, including energy, fertilizer and broader commercial flows, noting that such shocks could have direct consequences for domestic economies and consumers.

The ministers said efforts were underway to mitigate these risks through coordinated policy responses and international norms.

The statement also reiterated the importance of restoring safe and toll-free maritime navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments.

Any prolonged disruption in the corridor could exacerbate volatility in energy markets and strain international trade routes.

The G7 comprises the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan, along with the European Union.