US prepares ground intervention in Iran, CBS says – Iran launched ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia base(Update)

US prepares crushed involution successful Iran, CBS says – Iran launched ballistic missiles astatine Diego Garcia base

As the warfare enters its 4th week, the Trump medication proceeded with a impermanent easing of sanctions, allowing Iran to merchandise important quantities of oil, successful an effort to stabilize planetary markets.

At the aforesaid time, subject movements proceed connected aggregate fronts, with attacks, interceptions and warnings escalating tensions crossed the wider region.

Key points:

Temporary sanctions relief: The US authorities granted Iran support to merchantability astir 140 cardinal barrels of lipid already stored successful tankers — an magnitude equivalent to astir 1.5 days of planetary demand.

Military movements:
Donald Trump stated that a “gradual reduction” of subject operations successful the Middle East is being considered; however, an Iranian root claims determination is nary de-escalation. At the aforesaid time, US forces are being reinforced with further marines and naval personnel.

According to the American web CBS, astir 2,500 marines, on with the amphibious vessel Boxer and accompanying warships, volition beryllium deployed to the region, portion a White House spokesperson stressed that the ngo volition instrumentality 4 to six weeks to complete.

Strait of Hormuz: Bahrain appears consenting to lend to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, aligning with EU countries, Japan and Canada.

Developments connected the ground:

Indian Ocean: Iran launched medium-range ballistic missiles astatine the Diego Garcia basal (a associated US–UK base), without hitting the target.

Gulf: Tehran warned the UAE it would onslaught the larboard of Ras al-Khaimah if attacks connected Iranian islands continue. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia intercepted missiles and drones overnight.

Israel – Lebanon: Israel announced caller rocket launches from Iran toward its territory and carried retired strikes against Hezbollah targets successful Beirut.

21/03/2026 08:12

China and Iran: The biggest customer

China, the world’s largest lipid importer, is present facing accrued contention pursuing the US’s impermanent 30-day sanctions alleviation connected Iranian oil, putting its presumption arsenic the main purchaser of Iranian crude to the test.

According to a Reuters investigation utilizing Kpler data:

• China buys much than 80% of Iran’s exported oil.
• Last year, China imported an mean of 1.38 cardinal barrels per day, astir 13.4% of the full 10.27 cardinal barrels/day it imported by sea.
• This gives Chinese refineries a important economical advantage.

Iranian airy crude trades astatine $8–10 per tube beneath Brent erstwhile delivered to China, redeeming Chinese buyers important amounts. In February, the discount exceeded $10 per barrel. After the archetypal US-Israeli strikes connected Iran connected February 28, Iranian lipid flows dropped significantly, with constricted deals astatine astir a $9 discount per barrel.

Iranian lipid imported by China is often recorded arsenic originating from different countries, specified arsenic Malaysia and Indonesia, which enactment arsenic transshipment hubs. Chinese customs information has not shown shipments from Iran since July 2022, according to Reuters.

21/03/2026 09:16
Strait of Hormuz: Not conscionable oil, it “feeds” 100 cardinal people

Oil and liquefied earthy state tankers passing done the Strait of Hormuz transport astir 20% of the world’s vigor supply. For Gulf countries, however, this transition is not conscionable an vigor route: it is simply a captious lifeline for much than 100 cardinal people.

Now, the warfare betwixt the US and Israel with Iran has choked this captious corridor, severely impacting nutrient proviso successful the region.

21/03/2026 09:11
Israel strikes Hezbollah targets successful Beirut

The Israeli subject announced it struck Hezbollah targets successful Beirut. According to Lebanese media, Israeli warplanes carried retired 2 aerial raids, with nary reports of casualties truthful far.

The strikes followed evacuation orders issued by the Israeli service for 7 neighborhoods successful Beirut’s confederate suburbs, known arsenic Dahieh, wherever Hezbollah is based. Additional Israeli strikes were besides reported successful the southbound of the country.

Reports bespeak that a location successful the municipality of Ghandouriyeh was deed and astatine slightest 1 idiosyncratic was killed. Since the commencement of the conflict, much than a 1000 radical person died successful Lebanon and implicit 1 cardinal person been displaced.

At the aforesaid time, Hezbollah announced it launched rockets astatine Israel’s Filon base, adjacent the bluish metropolis of Rosh Pina.

21/03/2026 09:05
Hundreds of thousands stitchery successful Karbala to pray

Tens of thousands of Shiite Muslims gathered successful the Iraqi metropolis of Karbala to pray, marking the extremity of Ramadan.

Sheikh Ahmad al-Safi, who led the prayers successful Karbala, according to Iraqi and Iranian media, condemned US and Israeli attacks connected Iran and Lebanon and called for planetary enactment for those affected by deadly airstrikes.

Photos published by Iran’s Mehr bureau amusement thousands of worshippers praying successful the cardinal Bayn al-Haramayn square, located betwixt the beatified shrines of Imam Hossein and Abu Fadhl al-Abbas.

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Only a Handful of Ships Now Pass Through Hormuz, Says Iranian MP

Ship postulation done the Strait of Hormuz has dropped to highly debased levels, according to statements by an Iranian parliamentarian, who claims that the captious waterway is nether Tehran’s afloat control.

Ismail Hosseini, a subordinate of the Energy Committee of the Iranian Parliament, told the Russian quality bureau RIA Novosti that navigation done the Strait of Hormuz has decreased drastically, reaching levels that, arsenic helium specifically said, “can beryllium counted connected the fingers of 1 hand.”

“The Strait of Hormuz is nether afloat power of Iran. At this moment, the fig of ships passing done tin beryllium counted connected the fingers of 1 hand, whereas antecedently 130 to 140 ships passed daily,” the root added.

This connection reflects a important alteration successful postulation done 1 of the world’s astir strategical maritime passages, done which a ample information of planetary vigor flows passes.

Referring to negotiations with different countries regarding vessel transition done the Strait, the Iranian authoritative noted that, if talks are conducted, they interest idiosyncratic cases—one oregon 2 ships astatine a time—taking into relationship the prevailing conditions. He added that the full process is carried retired successful coordination with Iran, implying an accrued grade of Tehran’s power implicit the transition of planetary shipping.

WSJ: U.S. warplanes statesman the conflict to escaped the Strait of Hormuz

A study by the Wall Street Journal states that this effort “is gaining caller urgency arsenic lipid prices skyrocket.”

Fire astatine a Kuwaiti refinery owed to a drone raid

A occurrence broke retired astatine a refinery belonging to Kuwait’s authorities lipid institution pursuing a drone attack, the authoritative Kuwaiti quality bureau KUNA reported.

“The Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery, owned by the Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), was targeted aboriginal this greeting by hostile drone attacks, which caused fires successful immoderate of its units,” according to the agency, pursuing a erstwhile onslaught connected the aforesaid installation that had besides caused a fire.

Today’s onslaught connected the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery caused nary casualties but led to the shutdown of immoderate units astatine the facility, portion firefighters are moving to incorporate the blaze, according to the authoritative Kuwaiti quality agency.

Wall Street Journal: U.S. approves $7 cardinal arms and ammunition merchantability to the UAE

The Trump medication approved the merchantability of further weapons and ammunition worthy $7 cardinal to the United Arab Emirates without requiring the State Department to publically denote it oregon notify Congress, arsenic usually required by U.S. instrumentality for specified transactions, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

These purchases were added to $16.5 cardinal successful income announced earlier the aforesaid day, according to the newspaper.

The merchantability includes PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems worthy astir $5.6 cardinal and CH-47 Chinook helicopters worthy $1.32 billion, according to the report, which explains that the income were not publically announced due to the fact that they are extensions of already approved agreements.

EU leaders telephone for de-escalation, moratorium connected attacks successful the Middle East, and enactment for Cyprus

Leaders of the 27 EU subordinate states expressed beardown interest astir developments successful the Middle East and enactment for Cyprus, calling for de-escalation of unit and extortion of captious infrastructure amid escalating tensions and humanitarian crises.

Oil declines aft Netanyahu’s statements, daze forecasts of $180 if situation continues beyond April

The terms of Brent crude fell by 2.55% to $105.88 per barrel, aft nearing $120 connected Thursday.

Israeli subject announces caller question of airstrikes connected authorities infrastructure successful Tehran

Following the caller motorboat of ballistic missiles from Iran toward bluish Israel, the Israel Defense Forces announced a caller question of airstrikes connected the Iranian capital.

It said the attacks people “infrastructure of the Iranian violent authorities passim Tehran.”

Three barrages of missiles toward Jerusalem

Explosions were heard successful the skies implicit Jerusalem from Thursday nighttime into Friday aft the Israeli service announced caller rocket barrages launched from Iran and the activation of aerial raid sirens successful the city, AFP correspondents reported.

The Israeli subject said determination were 3 barrages of missiles successful caller hours, the latest conscionable earlier midnight (local clip and Greece time), and different astir 10 minutes earlier 03:00.

According to Israeli media, debris fell successful the metropolis of Haifa and astatine an acquisition instauration successful 1 of its suburbs. No casualties were reported.

New rocket attacks connected Gulf countries

The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait announced successful the aboriginal hours that their aerial defence systems were activated to respond to rocket attacks.

Elsewhere successful the Gulf, Bahrain’s Interior Ministry reported that aerial defence sirens were activated, portion Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said it intercepted a drone successful the eastbound portion of the country.

Iran struck a refinery successful Kuwait again

According to Kuwaiti authorities media, the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery was attacked by Iranian drones.

As a result, fires broke retired successful respective units of the refinery, with nary reports truthful acold of injuries oregon casualties.