US President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to escalate the war with Iran if it blocked oil shipments from the Middle East, even as he predicted a quick end to the conflict.

Trump’s warning came at the end of a day that saw global financial markets seesawing on concerns that Iran’s security establishment was rallying behind new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and was not prepared to back down any time soon.

He warned that US attacks could rise sharply if Iran sought to block tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles one-fifth of the world’s oil supply. “We will hit them so hard that it will not be possible for them or anybody else helping them to ever recover that section of the world,” Trump said at a news conference.

In response, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said it would not allow “one liter of oil” to leave the region if attacks from the United States and Israel continue. “We are the ones who will determine the end of the war,” a spokesperson said, according to state media.

The conflicting signals sent markets on a rollercoaster, with oil prices surging and stock markets nosediving before swinging in the other direction after Trump’s prediction of a quick end to the war and reports of a possible ease in sanctions on Russian energy. — with Agencies

Iran says oil blockade will continue until attacks end, Trump threatens to hit harder

March 10, 2026 9:36 am

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday they would not allow “one litre of oil” to be shipped from the Middle East if US and Israeli attacks continue, prompting a warning from President Donald Trump that the US would hit Iran much harder if it blocked exports from the vital energy-producing region. Trump said the United States had inflicted serious damage on Iran’s military and predicted the conflict would end well before the initial four-week time frame he had laid out, though he has not defined what victory would look like. Israel says its war aim is to overthrow Iran’s system of clerical rule. US officials mainly say Washington’s aim is to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities and nuclear programme, but Trump has said the war can end only with a compliant Iranian government.

New footage raises likelihood US struck Iranian school where blast killed at least 165

March 10, 2026 8:59 am

New footage shows what an expert investigative group says is likely an American Tomahawk missile hitting a compound in southern Iran, metres from the school where a deadly unclaimed blast killed over 165 people at the start of the war raging in the Mideast. It comes as mounting evidence points to US culpability for the February 28 strike, which hit a school adjacent to a Revolutionary Guard base in Minab, Iran, in the country’s southern Hormozgan Province. Experts interviewed by the AP, citing satellite image analysis, say the school was probably struck amid a quick succession of bombs dropped on the compound. A US official familiar with internal deliberations on the matter has told the AP that the strike was likely American.

Five Iranian women’s soccer players granted humanitarian visas in Australia

March 10, 2026 8:52 am

Australia on Tuesday granted humanitarian visas to five Iranian women’s soccer team players after they sought asylum fearing persecution in their home nation. The announcement came after US President Donald Trump said he had spoken to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about the Iran women’s soccer team in Australia following reports that the players had requested asylum. The remaining players are in a hotel on the Gold Coast. Albanese said help is available to the other players but it was up to them to accept. “Australians have been moved by the plight of these brave women,” Albanese told a news conference in Canberra on Tuesday. “They’re safe here, and they should feel at home here.” The Iranian women’s soccer team are in Australia for the Asian Cup tournament.

Multiple strikes shake Tehran

March 10, 2026 8:49 am

Citizens in Iran’s capital heard more than 20 heavy explosions as many rushed to safer places. The strikes around midnight were the heaviest air raids on Tehran since beginning of the war. The sound of bombers and warplanes flying overhead was constant for about half an hour. Witnesses reported explosions in western areas of the city. Electricity was cut off in some neighbourhoods. Similar explosions in other Iranian cities were reported on social media. Iranian media did not report on damage and casualties from the strikes.

Trump and Putin discuss Iran war during phone call, Kremlin says

March 10, 2026 8:49 am

US President Donald Trump had a call on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the war in Iran and other issues, which according to the Kremlin was a “frank and businesslike” conversation that lasted about an hour.

Oil refinery hit

March 10, 2026 8:47 am

Tehran was choked in black smoke after an oil refinery was hit, an escalation in strikes on Iran’s domestic energy supplies. World Health Organization chief Tedros Ghebreyesus warned the fire risks contaminating food, water and air. Turkey said NATO air defences had shot down a ballistic missile that was fired from Iran and entered Turkish airspace, the second such incident of the war. Iran did not immediately comment on the report. Israel’s military said it had launched new attacks in central Iran and struck the Lebanese capital Beirut, where Israel has extended its campaign after the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah fired across the border.

Oil surges, then dips back

March 10, 2026 8:47 am

The war has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for global oil and liquefied natural gas transport, leaving tankers unable to sail for more than a week and forcing producers to halt pumping as storage fills. Brent crude futures jumped about 7% to settle at their highest price since 2022 after soaring by as much as 29% during the session, as Saudi Arabia and other OPEC members cut supplies. But prices fell in post-settlement trade. The price of gasoline has particular political resonance in the United States, where voters cite rising costs as a top concern ahead of the November midterm elections, when Trump’s Republicans will try to keep control of Congress.

‘We are the ones who will determine the end of the war’: Iran’s sharp response to Trump

March 10, 2026 8:44 am

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said it would not allow “one liter of oil” to leave the region if attacks from the United States and Israel continue. “We are the ones who will determine the end of the war,” a spokesperson said, according to state media. The conflicting signals sent markets on a rollercoaster, with oil prices surging and stock markets nosediving before swinging in the other direction after Trump’s prediction of a quick end to the war and reports of a possible ease in sanctions on Russian energy.

Extensive search operations underway to locate him

An Army soldier went missing during a river crossing exercise in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district on Monday, prompting the launch of a joint rescue operation to trace him, officials said.

They said the incident occurred in Manawar river in Khour area and a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) joined Army and police in the operation to trace him.

“During a river crossing training exercise conducted in general area of Sundarbani, Sepoy Akshit Sharma was reported missing at around 12 pm today (Monday). Extensive search operations are underway with all available resources of the Army and civil agencies being employed to locate the soldier,” Army’s White Knight Corps said in a post on X.

The officials said an Army unit was conducting a training drill in the water body as part of routine operational preparedness.

Divers and specialised rescue equipment have been deployed, and the search operation is ongoing, they said.

Accounted for 8.3% of global weapons sale in 2021-25

India has yet again emerged as the world’s second-largest importer of weapons, accounting for 8.3 per cent of global arms sales for a five-year block (2021-2025), according to the latest report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Ukraine, which is involved in a war with Russia, occupies the top spot and accounted for 9.7 per cent of global imports between 2021 and 2025.

The SIPRI report — “Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2025” — was released on Monday morning and had a positive note that India’s dependence on imported arms had reduced. The report compared a previous five-year block (2016-2020) with the latest assessment (2021-2025) and said: “Indian arms imports fell by 4 per cent between 2016-20 and 2021-25.”

The decrease could be partly attributed to India’s growing ability to design and produce its own weapons, although there were often substantial delays in domestic production, the report said. It also highlighted that India’s recent orders or planned orders, including up to 140 combat aircraft from France and six submarines from Germany, indicate its continued and probably increasing reliance on foreign suppliers.

India’s principal suppliers for the period 2021-2025 had been Russia, France and Israel, said the SIPRI report even as it cited how India had shifted its arms relations away from Russia towards Western suppliers, especially France, Israel and the US, over the past decade. “Russia’s share of Indian arms imports dropped from 70 per cent in 2011-15 to 51 per cent in 2016-20 and 40 per cent in 2021-25,” the SIPRI report said. During 2021-25, France and Israel supplied 29 per cent and 15 per cent of India’s imports.

The SIPRI report further argued that India’s imports were driven by its tensions with both China and Pakistan. Pakistan is the fifth largest importer of weapons, accounting for 4.2 per cent of all global imports. It was a 66 per cent hike from the previous five-year block of 2016-2020.

India must count on the Ghatak Combat UAV (initially designated as Indian Unmanned Strike Air Vehicle) stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) as a cornerstone of its air defence strategy against China, given the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s rapid deployment of over 300 J-20 fifth-generation stealth fighters and emerging sixth-generation platforms. However, details of the project are classified.

On July 1, 2022, DRDO carried out the maiden test flight of a new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), an autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator, from the Aeronautical Test Range, Chitradurga, in Karnataka, this vehicle is the predecessor to the GHATAK UCAV,

India defense updates

“Operating in a fully autonomous mode, the aircraft exhibited a perfect flight, including take-off, way point navigation and a smooth touchdown,” This flight marks a major milestone in terms of proving critical technologies towards the development of future unmanned aircraft and is significant step towards self-reliance in such strategic defence technologies.” DRDO said in a statement then.

The flight control system and data link packages of the UCAV will be developed inhouse by ADA and Defence Electronics Application Laboratory. The UCAV will have on-board mission computers, data links, fire control radars, identification of friend or foe, and collision avoidance systems, they will be highly intelligent drones. The Ghatak UCAV will be developed with public – private sector participation.

This indigenous unmanned combat aerial vehicle, developed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment, offers unmatched stealth and autonomy tailored to counter Beijing’s numerical superiority in contested airspace along the Line of Actual Control.

The Ghatak’s flying-wing design ensures a low radar cross-section, comparable to advanced stealth aircraft, allowing it to penetrate deep into enemy territory without detection by Chinese HQ-9 or S-400 systems.

With a maximum take-off weight of 13 tons—larger than the TEJAS fighter—it boasts superior combat radius exceeding 1,000 kilometres and a 1.5-ton internal weapons bay for precision-guided munitions.

Defence policy updates

This payload capacity outstrips many manned fighters, enabling sustained deep-strike missions, suppression of enemy air defences, and intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance roles without risking pilots. Integration with the indigenous Dry Kaveri engine further enhances endurance, positioning Ghatak as a force multiplier in high-threat environments dominated by China’s stealth edge.

Armed with Astra MK-3 beyond-visual-range missiles, boasting a 350-kilometre reach and active radar seeker, Ghatak can engage J-20s or GJ-11 “Sharp Sword” stealth drones at standoff distances. Its distributed aperture system, fusing electro-optical, infrared, and radar sensors, grants 360-degree situational awareness, permitting close-in intercepts even against low-observable targets.

In manned-unmanned teaming with platforms like TEJAS MK-2 or AMCA, Ghatak acts as a ‘loyal wingman’, scouting ahead, neutralising threats, and absorbing attrition to preserve manned assets. The Indian Air Force envisions 8-9 squadrons—potentially 150-160 units—offering scalable numbers at a fraction of fifth-generation fighter costs, sidestepping import dependencies and sanctions risks.

China’s sixth-generation prototypes, emphasising AI swarming and directed energy, demand attritable, autonomous counters; Ghatak’s AI-driven navigation, target identification, and swarm tactics provide this edge. Unlike costly foreign jets, its indigenous production aligns with Aatmanirbhar Bharat, enabling rapid replenishment amid prolonged conflicts.

Drone combat training

Recent boosts, including scaled-up development and 2026 rollout targets alongside TEJAS MK-2, underscore momentum despite sanction delays. Ghatak’s versatility in combat air patrol, SEAD, and strategic strikes renders it indispensable for air superiority over Ladakh or Arunachal, where pilot losses would cripple IAF morale and operations.

Procuring Ghatak over imported stealth fighters averts numerical disadvantages; 160 units could overwhelm J-20 packages through coordinated strikes with surface-to-air missiles. Its stealthy profile and long loiter time enable pre-emptive neutralisation of Chinese forward bases, reshaping escalation dynamics.

Advanced sensor fusion allows Ghatak to detect stealthy foes via multi-spectral cues, launching Astra MK-3 salvos before countermeasures activate. This closes the sensor-shooter gap, vital against China’s quantitative lead and maturing drone fleets.

Ultimately, Ghatak embodies strategic autonomy, cost-effectiveness, and technological sovereignty, making it the optimal choice for the IAF to deter and defeat Chinese airpower in the 2030s battlespace.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)

Dozens of people have been wounded in Bahrain following an Iranian drone attack on the island of Sitra, as the Gulf region grapples with a fresh wave of missile and drone assaults.

Bahrain’s health ministry confirmed that 32 Bahraini citizens suffered injuries overnight, with four cases described as serious, including children among the victims.

The ministry detailed particularly harrowing injuries, such as those sustained by a 17-year-old girl who endured severe head and eye trauma, and a two-month-old baby caught in the attack. This incident marks a grim escalation in Tehran’s retaliatory campaign, which has targeted multiple Gulf states since the US and Israeli air strikes against Iran on 28 February.

Explosions reverberated through Qatar’s capital, Doha, on Monday, as reported by AFP journalists on the ground. Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait all disclosed new attacks, underscoring the breadth of Iran’s response across the Arabian Peninsula.

Qatar’s defence ministry stated that its forces successfully intercepted a missile barrage aimed at the country. This follows repeated waves of Iranian drones and missiles since Tehran initiated its sprawling retaliation against Gulf neighbours, whom it accuses of facilitating strikes on its territory.

In Saudi Arabia, the defence ministry announced the interception and destruction of two separate drone waves targeting the vital Shaybah oil field in the kingdom’s southeast. The facility, a cornerstone of Saudi oil production, highlights the strategic nature of these assaults amid heightened regional tensions.

The United Arab Emirates’ National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority issued a statement on X, confirming that air defences had responded to an incoming missile threat. Such defences have been repeatedly tested as Iran’s strikes probe vulnerabilities across the Gulf.

Kuwait faced yet another assault on Monday, after authorities reported seven missiles and five drones striking the country on Sunday. The defence ministry affirmed that its air defences were actively working to neutralise the latest barrage, reflecting the relentless pace of the attacks.

The United States has taken precautionary measures amid the chaos, ordering non-emergency embassy staff and their families to depart Saudi Arabia on Sunday. A State Department travel advisory cited mounting safety risks, following drone strikes on the US embassy in Riyadh last week, as well as damage to American diplomatic facilities in Kuwait and the UAE.

Gulf nations have absorbed the brunt of Iran’s fury after the US-Israel air campaign battered Iranian targets earlier this month. Tehran views these states as complicit, with their airspace or bases allegedly used to launch attacks against the Islamic Republic.

Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued stark warnings, stating that Iran “will be forced to respond” if neighbouring territories continue to serve as platforms for aggression. This rhetoric signals potential for further intensification, as proxy militias and direct strikes blur the lines of conflict.

The ongoing exchanges risk disrupting global energy markets, with key oil infrastructure like Saudi Arabia’s Shaybah field now in the crosshairs. International observers fear a broader conflagration, drawing in more actors as diplomatic channels strain under the pressure.

Civilian casualties, particularly among children in Bahrain, have drawn condemnation from human rights groups, who urge de-escalation. Gulf leaders, meanwhile, coordinate with Western allies to bolster defences, while Tehran frames its actions as legitimate self-defence.

As the Iran-Israel war spills over into the Gulf, live updates track the volatile situation, with fears mounting over disruptions to shipping lanes and energy supplies.

The upper echelons of India’s military establishment stand on the cusp of significant upheaval. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, and Navy Chief Admiral DK Tripathi are all approaching the end of their tenures.

This triple transition will reshape the four-star leadership of the world’s fourth-largest military.

General Anil Chauhan, the pioneering Chief of Defence Staff, retires at the close of May. Appointed in 2022 after superannuation from active service, he has been instrumental in fostering tri-service integration. At 65 years of age—the designated retirement threshold for the CDS post—his departure prompts urgent deliberations on a successor.

Admiral DK Tripathi, the Navy Chief, likewise demits office at month’s end in May. His tenure has overseen naval modernisation amid rising maritime tensions in the Indian Ocean region. The Navy Chief’s superannuation age stands at 62, aligning with standard norms for service heads.

General Upendra Dwivedi, commanding the Indian Army, retires on 30 June. As the senior-most uniformed officer in the Army, his exit caps a period marked by border skirmishes and internal reforms. Like his Navy counterpart, he reaches the 62-year mark, necessitating a seamless handover.

These changes coincide with the government’s drive for enhanced jointness across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The CDS role, created post the 2019 Balakot strikes and the Galwan clash, underscores this imperative. Appointing a new triad of leaders will test the Defence Ministry’s commitment to theatre commands and integrated operations.

Recent Army reshuffles signal proactive planning for General Dwivedi’s successor. Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, Southern Army Commander from the Armoured Corps, assumes the Vice-Chief of Army Staff position on 1 April. As the senior-most officer post-Dwivedi, Seth emerges as a frontrunner for Army Chief.

Lieutenant General PP Singh, the outgoing Vice-Chief, shifts to helm the Western Command at Chandimandhar. This key formation guards India’s western frontier, with corps stationed at Ambala, Jalandhar, and Yol near Dharamsala. The move bolsters operational readiness along the Pakistan border.

Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain, previously Chief of Staff at Southern Command, ascends to Army Commander rank. He replaces Seth at Pune-headquartered Southern Command, which oversees corps at Jodhpur and Bhopal—vital for western theatre contingencies.

In the east, Lieutenant General VMB Krishnan secures promotion to Army Commander for the Eastern Command, effective 1 April. He succeeds Lieutenant General RC Tiwari, inheriting responsibility for the North-East, West Bengal, and Sikkim. This volatile zone demands vigilant leadership amid China tensions.

The CDS vacancy offers flexibility under extant rules. The government may elevate a serving service chief or recall a retired three-star officer (Lieutenant General or equivalent), provided they have crossed 62. General Chauhan himself exemplifies the latter, having been reinstated post-retirement.

Three-star officers typically retire at 60, creating a pool of eligible retired talent. Speculation swirls around figures with tri-service exposure, as the CDS must champion jointmanship. The Air Force Chief’s tenure, unaffected here, remains stable for now.

These transitions unfold against a backdrop of geopolitical flux. India’s military grapples with dual-front threats from China and Pakistan, while advancing ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ in defence manufacturing. Indigenous projects like Tejas fighters and Agni missiles hinge on stable top brass.

India defense updates

Procurement delays and budget constraints further amplify the stakes. The new leadership must navigate Quad partnerships, BrahMos exports, and hypersonic pursuits. Coordination via the CDS will prove pivotal in aligning these vectors.

Analysts anticipate announcements within weeks, likely post the Lok Sabha session. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, holds the reins. Political consensus could favour continuity or inject fresh perspectives.

For the Army Chief, Vice-Chief Seth’s elevation positions him advantageously under the seniority-cum-merit principle. Yet, surprises loom—past picks like General Dwivedi bypassed seniors. Naval and CDS slots may draw inter-service talent.

Ultimately, this churn reinforces the armed forces’ resilience. As India eyes great-power status, its military hierarchy must embody agility and unity. The coming months will reveal the faces steering this course.

Indonesia has reportedly sealed a deal with India to procure the advanced BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, marking a notable expansion of New Delhi’s defence exports in Southeast Asia.

The agreement follows months of negotiations and gains added momentum from the missile’s proven battlefield efficacy during India’s Operation Sindoor.

A senior Indonesian Defence Ministry official, Rico Ricardo Sirait, has confirmed the development, underscoring Jakarta’s commitment to bolstering its military arsenal with cutting-edge technology. 

BrahMos Aerospace, the Indo-Russian joint venture behind the missile, had previously indicated in 2023 that talks with Indonesia were progressing towards a contract valued between $200 million and $350 million.

Defence policy updates

This procurement aligns with Indonesia’s broader push to modernise its armed forces, particularly in missile capabilities amid regional tensions. The BrahMos system stands out for its supersonic speed—reaching Mach 3—and pinpoint precision, rendering it a formidable asset for coastal and land-attack roles in national defence strategies.

The timing of the deal coincides with the recent triumph of BrahMos in Operation Sindoor, where India unleashed the missile against terror infrastructure deep within Pakistan-held territory. Triggered by the Pahalgam terror attack, the operation showcased the weapon’s lethality when launched from modified Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters.

In those strikes, BrahMos dismantled key runways, command centres, and fortified positions with remarkable accuracy, crippling Pakistan’s retaliatory potential. This real-world demonstration highlighted the missile’s multi-platform versatility, low-altitude flight profile, and resistance to interception, affirming India’s growing prowess in precision strike warfare.

The operation not only validated BrahMos as a cornerstone of India’s self-reliant defence ecosystem but also elevated its appeal on the global market. For Indonesia, acquiring such a system enhances deterrence against maritime threats in the strategically vital Malacca Strait and beyond.

India’s export momentum with BrahMos builds on prior successes, including a $375 million pact with the Philippines signed amid escalating Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea. Last April, the Indian Air Force airlifted the first batch of missiles and launchers via C-17 Globemaster aircraft to equip Philippine marine units.

Vietnam, too, remains in advanced talks with India for BrahMos acquisitions, signalling a pattern of South and Southeast Asian nations turning to New Delhi for reliable, battle-tested weaponry. These deals reflect shifting geopolitical alignments, with countries seeking alternatives to traditional suppliers like Russia amid supply chain disruptions.

BrahMos’s technical edge—combining Russian engine technology with Indian seeker systems—ensures sea-skimming trajectories and stealthy terminal manoeuvres, making it ideal for archipelagic nations like Indonesia. The system’s integration into naval vessels, submarines, and aircraft further amplifies its strategic value.

As Indonesia integrates BrahMos, it joins a select group of operators, strengthening bilateral ties with India under frameworks like the ASEAN-India Defence Ministers’ Meeting. This move could reshape regional power dynamics, prompting neighbours to reassess their own procurement priorities.

Geopolitical analysis India

Arab ambassadors in Moscow sought Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s help in bringing peace in West Asia

KP Nayar

FOR the first time in their post-colonial history, Arab Gulf states are victims of war, not its victors. Quietly, money, including Indian money, is moving to destinations away from economies hit by the war in West Asia. The region’s big sporting event after cricket, the Formula One Grand Prix races in several countries, scheduled for next month are likely to be cancelled. Had Pakistan’s participation in the just-concluded T-20 cricket matches been in the United Arab Emirates as once planned, instead of Sri Lanka, they would perforce have been in jeopardy if Pakistan had advanced to semi-finals. The Gulf has been where the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia (MENASA) turned to for several past decades when their own regions faced turbulence.

Such disruptions to good life aside, geopolitics and geo-economics post the ongoing conflict — howsoever it ends — will be very different for the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Anger against the US, the protector of the Gulf since Saddam Hussein’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait, is not just simmering. It is boiling over at times. And the censorship-prone governments in the region are not trying to stem the overflow of such feelings.

Ahmed Al-Tuwaijri is a former Dean at King Saud University and a member of the Shura Council (nominated Consultative Assembly) of Saudi Arabia. He wrote recently in the kingdom’s Al Jazirah newspaper (not the Al Jazeera TV conglomerate) of Trojan horses within the Arab world. In an interview to Deutsche Welle television, Saudi writer and political researcher Munif Ammash Alharbi spoke of militias being propped up in Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen to undermine Arab nation-states.

Dubai billionaire Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor’s outburst against US President Donald Trump for dragging the Gulf states into war has been widely reported in the Indian mainstream media last weekend. “Who gave you the right to turn our region into a battlefield?” Al Habtoor asked Trump in an open letter. He is no stranger to Trump. The billionaire has met Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

These are not standalone free-thinkers in a region which has suppressed free thinking.

When the royalty in the region also speaks out against Trump, it is clear that the ruling elite has empathy for the Arab street on this issue. Influential Saudi Prince Turki Al Faisal told CNN on Wednesday: “This is Netanyahu’s war. He somehow convinced the (US) President to support his views.”

The grandson of Saudi Arabia’s founder, King Abdulaziz Al Saud, Prince Turki was the kingdom’s chief of intelligence and Ambassador to the United Kingdom and the US. Prince Turki has been consistently outspoken in his opposition to the Abraham Accords, which Saudi Arabia has not joined.

A major topic of conversation at iftar parties of elites in Gulf capitals last week was grievance among regional leaders, conveyed to the US in private, that the Pentagon’s forces had not adequately protected their expensive skylines against Iran’s relentless missile and drone onslaughts.

When US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed a press conference at the Pentagon to mark “the first 100 hours of Operation Epic Fury”, he was on the defensive against such complaints. “We cannot stop everything (that comes from Iran), but we ensured that the maximum possible defence and maximum possible force protection was set up before we went on offence.” He said the US had spared “no expense or capability” to enhance air defence systems to protect allies in the Gulf.

Frustrated Gulf military leaders have now been reduced to seeking help from Ukraine, which has experience in intercepting Iranian drones, which are used by Russia in the war between the two countries, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has acknowledged.

Another topic of conversation is the abrupt absence of US civilians at such iftars because they have left the Gulf. US Assistant Secretary of State Dylan Johnson said on March 7 that 28,000 American citizens have “safely returned” to the US from the war-affected countries. He said many others are in transit homewards. His figure did not include those who have relocated elsewhere in West Asia.

The Arab street is aghast that after plunging the region into a war, the US government is evacuating Americans at such speed although many US citizens may be doing work that is critical for Gulf countries gripped by crisis.

This is in contrast to Indian expatriates doing similar work who have refused the option to leave when the host countries need their services.

Blacked out by international news agencies and by virtually the entire Anglo-Saxon media on both sides of the Atlantic, on March 5, Arab ambassadors in Moscow, in one voice, sought Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s help in bringing peace in West Asia. Their dean, Bahrain’s Ambassador Ahmed Abdulrahman Al Saati, said at an Ambassadors’ Roundtable that “Russia has stronger positions on this issue (the West Asia conflict) and can help put an end to the aggression against our countries.”

Lavrov then did some reality check. He asked Al Saati: “Did you condemn what the US and Israel started doing? Did you condemn the death of 170 schoolgirls?” He went on: “We are against the suffering of the Gulf countries…But we also cannot accept (that) Iran’s actions are deemed unacceptable while everything the US and Israel are doing is beyond discussion. Do you see my point?”

One certainty after this war must be borne in mind. This is a turning point for the Gulf just as Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait changed history in that region. At the request of Arab ambassadors, Lavrov outlined Russia’s “Concept of Collective Security in the Gulf.” He said “the core idea is very simple… Come together and discuss existing problems. Each participating country would set out the threats or the risks to its security as it sees them. Then we could begin with an agreement on transparency in military activities; transparency and perhaps limitations on the number of exercises that each country along the Gulf coast conducts. That would include mutual visits by military personnel and joint economic and trade projects.”

Lavrov promised to send details to Gulf ambassadors. Of course, any such Collective Security process can only start after the end of the war and only if Iran survives as a sovereign state. But the proposal offers promise.

Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran’s slain supreme leader, has been named as the Islamic Republic’s next ruler, authorities announced on Monday, as Tehran widened its attacks across the Mideast to strike oil and water facilities crucial to its desert sheikdoms.

With Iran’s theocracy under assault by the US and Israel for more than a week, the country’s Assembly of Experts chose as the next supreme leader a secretive, 56-year-old cleric who maintains close ties to the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The Guard has been firing missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf Arab states since the younger Khamenei’s father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed on February 28 during the war’s opening salvo.

Bangladesh shuts universities early to save power amid energy crisis

March 9, 2026 10:18 am

Dhaka: Bangladesh will close all universities from Monday, bringing forward the Eid al-Fitr holidays as part of emergency measures to conserve electricity and fuel amid a worsening energy crisis linked to the conflict in the Middle East. Authorities said the decision applies to all public and private universities across the country, a move that officials said will not only reduce electricity consumption but also ease traffic congestion, which leads to fuel wastage. Officials said university campuses consume large amounts of electricity for residential halls, classrooms, laboratories and air conditioning, and the early closure would help ease pressure on the country’s strained power system. Reuters

Markets bleed as crude spikes; Nifty drops 582 points, Sensex falls 1,862 points

March 9, 2026 10:18 am

Mumbai: The share markets in the country opened with a bloodbath on Monday as both benchmark indices declined sharply in the opening session amid a huge surge in crude oil prices and heavy selling across global markets. The Nifty 50 index opened at 23,868.05 with a decline of -582.40 points or (-2.38 per cent), while the BSE Sensex opened at 77,056.75 with a decline of -1862.15 or -2.36 per cent, reflecting strong selling pressure across sectors. ANI

Rupee crashes 46 paise to 92.28 against US dollar in early trade, nears all-time low

March 9, 2026 10:12 am

Mumbai: The rupee plummeted 46 paise to near its all-time intra-day low of 92.28 against the US dollar in early trade on Monday as global crude oil prices shot up and the greenback strengthened amid the worsening situation in the Middle East. PTI

Oil soars 25 per cent, gold drops as Iran war jolts global commodity markets

March 9, 2026 10:11 am

Singapore: Oil prices surged around 25% on Monday to their highest since mid-2022, with Brent on track for a record one-day gain, while gold fell 2% as an escalating Iran war squeezed world energy supplies, boosted the dollar and dampened hopes of interest-rate cuts. Agriculture markets, led by edible oils, rose as they took their cue from oil prices due to the extensive use of vegetable oils in making biofuels. Aluminium firmed on supply worries even as other metals faced headwinds from a stronger dollar. Reuters

No Indian fatality in Saudi projectile incident: Embassy

March 9, 2026 8:44 am

Dubai: There was no Indian fatality in the projectile incident that struck a residential compound in Saudi Arabia, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said on Monday. It added that an Indian national injured in the incident on Sunday is undergoing treatment at a government hospital.

Airline shares battered as oil prices spike, Iran war intensifies

March 9, 2026 8:40 am

Hong Kong: Surging oil prices and the escalating U.S.-Israeli war with Iran hammered airline stocks in Asia on Monday, piling pressure on carriers already navigating tight airspace as travellers scramble to evade the Middle East conflict. Reuters

Crude oil prices surpass $100 a barrel as Iran war impedes production, shipping

March 9, 2026 8:13 am

Chicago: Oil prices eclipsed $114 per barrel for the first time since 2022 on Monday as the Iran war intensified, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East. The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, surged past $114 after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. That was up 23% from its Friday closing price of $92.69. West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, also was selling for about $114 a barrel. That’s 25% higher than its close Friday at $90.90. AP

Ex-Chief Patron Sanjha Morcha :Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM & Bar :Appointed as Governor of Bihar

Brig Prahlad Singh,Chaiman , All India United Front Shanjha Morcha: facilitated by Army Cdr Western Command during Investiture Ceremony

First Time Ever… A Command Investiture Ceremony in Full Combat Mode 🔥🔥🔥 Never Seen before experience !!!

First Time Ever… A Command Investiture Ceremony in Full Combat Mode 🔥🔥🔥 Never Seen before experience !!!

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Military expands definition of family for housing entitlement