Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday offered condolences to the family of a fallen IDF soldier after the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed the death of Sergeant Moshe Yitzhak HaCohen Katz during fighting in Lebanon. In a post X, Netanyahu said, "My wife and I offer our deepest condolences to the family of the late Sergeant Moshe Yitzhak HaCohen Katz, of blessed memory, who fell in battle in Lebanon." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:“My wife and I offer our deepest condolences to the family of the late Sergeant Moshe Yitzhak HaCohen Katz, of blessed memory, who fell in battle in Lebanon. — Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) March 29, 2026 He added that Katz had immigrated to Israel from the United States, enlisted in the Paratroopers Brigade and "fought bravely in defence of the homeland." He said, " Moshe, of blessed memory, immigrated to Israel from the US, enlisted in the Paratroopers Brigade, and fought bravely in defence of the homeland." "On behalf of all citizens of Israel, we embrace Moshe's family in their difficult hour and wish a swift and full recovery to our fighters who were wounded in the same incident," Netanyahu said while offering condolences to the family of the fallen soldier and wishing a full recovery to the other three wounded soldiers. The IDF, in its announcement on Sunday, said Katz (22), who was born in New Haven, Connecticut, US, was killed during an attack in Lebanon in which three other soldiers were moderately wounded. The injured soldiers were evacuated for medical treatment, and their families were notified. According to the Jerusalem Post, five IDF soldiers have been killed in Lebanon since the start of Operation Roaring Lion on February 28. Meanwhile, the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on Sunday morning targeting Israeli military positions near the northern city of Safed, according to Al Jazeera. In a statement, as reported by Al Jazeera, Hezbollah said it carried out a missile strike on Israel's Mahava Alon base and launched drones at the Berea base, both located in the vicinity of Safed, on Sunday morning. The group also claimed it fired three salvoes of rockets at Israeli troops and vehicles positioned at the Al-Malikiyah site in northern Israel. Additionally, Hezbollah said its fighters targeted an Israeli armoured force in Deir Siryan, indicating cross-border hostilities extending into southern Lebanon. Earlier on Saturday, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) uncovered significant Hezbollah military infrastructure and weapons hidden in civilian areas of southern Lebanon, highlighting the ongoing risks posed by the militant group to both local populations and international peace efforts. According to the IDF, troops discovered a stash of Hezbollah weaponry inside a school located in Al-Khiyam, a town near the Israeli-Lebanese border. Among the items found were anti-tank rockets, mortar shells, grenades, launchers, light firearms, and explosives. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
29 March,2026 08:46 PM IST | Tel Aviv | ANIA day after arresting former Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli, the police on Sunday arrested Nepali Congress leader Deepak Khadka. Khadka has been arrested in a money laundering case, a senior police officer said. Congress leader Deepak Khadka was a former minister for energy, water resources, and irrigation in the Nepalese government. Earlier, former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak was also arrested in homicide-related cases linked to the suppression of the Gen Z movement in September last year. Khadka is the third person from the Oli-led government’s cabinet to be arrested. Khadka was arrested from his apartment in Kathmandu Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shiva Kumar Shrestha, spokesperson for the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police, while speaking to the media on Sunday, said that Khadka was arrested early Sunday morning from his apartment in the Maharajgunj area of Kathmandu. SSP Shreshta added, “He was taken into custody for investigation after a large amount of cash was discovered when his house was set on fire during the Gen Z movement in September last year,” as per IANS. Bundles of cash thrown into the air As per the reports, protesters were seen throwing bundles of cash into the air in widely circulated videos and images of the uprising. Images and videos had also surfaced showing burnt fragments of banknotes at the residences of former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. Images and videos seen in the residences of both politicians were later confirmed true through forensic laboratory tests amid questions about whether they were generated through artificial intelligence, as reported by IANS. The Department of Money Laundering Investigation had earlier sent a letter to police headquarters requesting an inquiry into Khadka, reported IANS. Khadka, who is engaged in multiple businesses, including hydropower projects and hotels, had invited controversy during his tenure as energy minister as he openly clashed with former managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority Kul Man Ghising, which eventually led to Ghising’s removal from the post. Khadka accused of receiving financial benefits Khadka was also embroiled in controversy regarding the issuance of licenses and awarding of contracts for hydropower projects. He was accused of receiving financial benefits in exchange for facilitating licenses and contracts, with alleged dealings taking place within the minister’s quarters and ministry premises. He also faced allegations of misappropriating land belonging to Nepal Scouts in Kathmandu. (With inputs from IANS)
29 March,2026 05:22 PM IST | Kathmandu | mid-day online correspondentAn earthquake of magnitude 4.3 struck Tibet on Sunday, a statement by the National Center for Seismology (NCS) said. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 145km. In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 4.3, On: 29/03/2026 10:54:27 IST, Lat: 30.187 N, Long: 84.280 E, Depth: 145 Km, Location: Tibet." EQ of M: 4.3, On: 29/03/2026 10:54:27 IST, Lat: 30.187 N, Long: 84.280 E, Depth: 145 Km, Location: Tibet. For more information Download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/5gCOtjdtw0 @DrJitendraSingh @OfficeOfDrJS @Ravi_MoES @GSuresh_NCS @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/jg9DIksoPs — National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) March 29, 2026 Earlier on March 27, another earthquake of magnitude 3.2 occurred in the region at a depth of 40km. In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 3.2, On: 27/03/2026 04:18:47 IST, Lat: 28.842 N, Long: 89.290 E, Depth: 40 Km, Location: Tibet." The Tibetan Plateau is characterised by seismic activity due to tectonic plate collisions. Tibet and Nepal lie along a major geological fault line where the Indian tectonic plate converges with the Eurasian plate, resulting in frequent earthquakes. The region is seismically active due to tectonic uplift that can become sufficiently strong to alter the elevations of the Himalayan peaks. The Tibetan Plateau attains its high elevation due to crustal thickening caused by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, which created the Himalayas. Faulting within the plateau is associated with strike-slip and normal mechanisms. The plateau extends east-west, as evidenced by north-south-striking grabens, strike-slip faulting, and GPS data. In the northern region, strike-slip faulting is the dominant tectonic style, while in the south, the dominant tectonic domain is east-west extension on north-south-trending normal faults. Seven north-south-trending rifts and normal faults were first identified in southern Tibet in the late 1970s and early 1980s using satellite imagery. They began formation when extension occurred some 4 to 8 million years ago. The largest earthquakes in Tibet, with magnitudes of 8.0 or similar, occur along strike-slip faults. Normal-faulting earthquakes are smaller in magnitude; in 2008, five normal-faulting earthquakes with magnitudes of 5.9 to 7.1 occurred across the plateau. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
29 March,2026 02:18 PM IST | Tibet | PTIPakistan is set to host a quadrilateral summit of foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye on Sunday, to discuss the ongoing conflict in West Asia and efforts to negotiate peace, the Foreign Office said. According to the Foreign Office (FO), the foreign ministers of Egypt and Turkiye have already reached Islamabad while their Saudi Arabian counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud was scheduled to arrive on Sunday. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrived in Islamabad on Saturday at the invitation of Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the FO said. During the visit, the leaders will hold consultations on regional developments and also call on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the FO added.In a press statement on Saturday, the FO said the visiting foreign ministers will hold "in-depth discussions on a range of issues, including efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region". Separately, the FO in a midnight post on X said that Dar held a telephonic conversation with Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and "discussed the evolving regional situation and ongoing developments". Dar said that he emphasised the need for de-escalation, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path for lasting peace. In a related development, Dar announced Iran agreed to allow 20 more ships under the Pakistani flag to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which the world's 20 per cent of energy is transported. Since the conflict, very few ships are allowed by Iran to cross it. "I am pleased to share a great news that the Government of Iran has agreed to allow 20 more ships under the Pakistani flag to pass through the Strait of Hormuz; two ships will cross the Strait daily," he said. "This is a welcome and constructive gesture by Iran and deserves appreciation. It is a harbinger of peace and will help usher stability in the region," he added. In the post, the Pakistan foreign minister tagged US Vice President J D Vance, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and Araghchi and concluded it by saying that "dialogue, diplomacy, and such confidence-building measures are the only way forward". Pakistan on Thursday said that it was "actively and constructively engaged" with all stakeholders in the region and beyond to peacefully end the Iran war. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
29 March,2026 01:10 PM IST | Islamabad | PTIMass protests erupted across the United States on Saturday, March 28, 2026 as hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to voice opposition to President Donald Trump’s immigration and foreign policies. Organisers said the demonstrations were part of a coordinated national effort, with more than 3,300 events held across all 50 states. According to organizsrs, around eight million people participated in the protests, making it one of the largest coordinated demonstrations in recent years. Major cities including New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, and Houston saw thousands of participants gathering in public spaces, marching through downtown streets, and staging rallies outside government buildings as per AFP reports. In Los Angeles, hundreds of protesters marched after assembling outside City Hall. In Houston, demonstrators carried a giant replica of the US Constitution, highlighting the movement’s focus on democratic values. Flagship rally in Minnesota The central event took place at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, where an estimated 200,000 people attended. Political leaders and cultural figures addressed the crowd, merging activism with artistic expression. Governor Tim Walz spoke to the crowd and introduced musician Bruce Springsteen, who performed “Streets of Minneapolis.” Other prominent figures, including Senator Bernie Sanders, Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, and Jane Fonda, also participated, emphasizing the cultural and political weight of the protests. Voices from the Protest Protesters expressed concerns over immigration enforcement, economic inequality, and what they described as misuse of presidential power. Representative John Larson said, “Today, we are here to say THERE ARE NO KINGS IN AMERICA… If we the people remain united and continue to speak up, we will not be defeated,” as reported by IANS. Senator Kristin Gillibrand added, “In America, we do not bow to kings. Our president should be focused on bringing down grocery prices, making health care affordable, and ensuring every family can get ahead, not using their position to boost their own personal brand.” Senator Bernie Sanders said, “This is about a handful of the wealthiest people on Earth, who, in their insatiable greed, have taken over our economy, political system, and media to enrich themselves at the expense of working families… Today, our message is… No more kings. We will not allow this country to descend into authoritarianism or oligarchy,” as per IANS. Historical, cultural and political significance Organisers noted that the number of participants and events surpassed previous No Kings demonstrations held in October, with roughly one million more participants and 600 additional events nationwide. While official figures from US authorities are not available, the movement’s scale underscores the widespread public frustration with the current administration. The protests blended political activism with cultural performances, rallies, and symbolic acts, reinforcing the importance of citizen engagement and the defense of democratic principles. Organisers emphasised that the movement is about more than one individual, it is a stand against concentration of power and a call for government accountability. (With IANS and AFP inputs)
29 March,2026 12:12 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIran has accused the United States and Israel of deliberately attacking its academic institutions, claiming that strikes on universities such as Isfahan University of Technology and Tehran University of Science and Technology are part of a larger effort to weaken the country’s scientific and cultural foundations. Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, said the attacks were not connected to nuclear concerns but were instead aimed at undermining Iran’s intellectual and cultural strength. In a post on X, Baqaei stated, “Isfahan University of Technology and the University of Science and Technology in Tehran are just two among many universities and research centres deliberately attacked by the aggressors during the past 30 days of their illegal war on the Iranian nation.” Isfahan University of Technology and the University of Science and Technology in Tehran are just two among many universities and research centers deliberately attacked by the aggressors during the past 30 days of their illegal war on the Iranian nation.In fact, the… — Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) March 28, 2026 He further claimed that the United States and Israel were attempting to damage Iran’s scientific and cultural infrastructure, targeting universities, research centres, historical monuments, and prominent scientists. He added, “Countering Iran's ‘nuclear program’ and ‘imminent threat’ were nothing but vicious pretexts — mere fabrications designed to conceal their real intention.” IRGC issues strong warning Following these accusations, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a stern warning to institutions linked to the US and Israel in the West Asian region. According to a statement broadcast on Telegram by the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the IRGC described universities affiliated with the United States and Israel as “legitimate targets” if retaliation becomes necessary. The statement read, “The American-Zionist aggressor forces have targeted Iranian universities for the umpteenth time by bombing the Tehran University of Science and Technology,” as reported by IANS. It warned that attacks on Iranian universities could be met with similar strikes on Western-linked institutions in the region. The IRGC also cautioned individuals near such campuses to stay at least one kilometre away to protect their safety. The statement said, “The reckless rulers of the White House should know that all the universities of the occupying regime and American universities in the West Asian region are our legitimate targets, so the destruction of two universities in retaliation for the destroyed Iranian universities. We advise all staff, faculty, and students of American universities in the region and residents of their surrounding areas to stay within a one-kilometre radius of the aforementioned universities to protect their lives,” as per IANS. Rising tensions over academic targets This latest development comes amid a backdrop of heightened tensions between Iran and Western nations, with universities and research centres increasingly cited as strategic targets. Tehran views these attacks as a deliberate attempt to harm its intellectual capital, while the IRGC’s warnings indicate the possibility of retaliatory measures that could escalate regional instability. Analysts note that targeting educational and research institutions is unusual in conventional conflicts and signals a shift toward more symbolic and psychological warfare. As of now, both the United States and Israel have not publicly responded to Iran’s allegations. The coming days are likely to see close monitoring of developments in West Asia, especially near American and Israeli-linked institutions. (With IANS Inputs)
29 March,2026 10:33 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Israel, their first since the war in West Asia started. Brig Gen Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the Houthis, issued the claim in a statement aired Saturday morning by the rebels Al-Masirah satellite television. The Israeli military said it intercepted the missile. The attack came hours after Saree signalled in a vague statement Friday that the rebels would join the war that shocked the region and rattled the global economy. Saree said they fired a barrage of ballistic missiles targeting what he described as “sensitive Israeli military sites” in southern Israel. The entrance of the Houthis into the war also called into question whether the rebels will again target commercial shipping traveling through the Red Sea corridor, further disrupting global shipping. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
29 March,2026 09:06 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesThe US army has fired over 850 Tomahawk missiles on Iran during the four weeks since the US-Israel attacks began on the West Asian country. This has led to the US running low on one of the most important weapons in its stockpile. US has claimed the missile capable of striking targets over 1,600 km (nearly 1,000 miles) away at subsonic speeds of roughly 880 km/h (570 mph). It flies at low altitudes (30–90 metres) to evade radar, carrying a ~1,000-pound conventional warhead or submunitions, making it a key, lethal first-strike The US fires a Tomahawk land attack missile in support of Operation Epic Fury, on March 1, 2026, at sea. File pic/Getty Images Only a few hundred Tomahawk missiles are manufactured every year, and the rate of firing has alarmed some Pentagon officials who are in talks about how to make more of the missiles available, The Washington Post reported. It can take up to 2 years to build a Tomahawk, costing $3.6 million (Rs 34,15,11,120) a piece, according to the report. Moreover, last year’s budget had included only 57 of them. Sean Parnell, Pentagon An official said that the number of Tomahawk missiles in the Middle East is “alarmingly low”, another said that if there is no intervention, the country could run out of the missiles in the region soon. US officials told a media outlet that discussions are taking place about whether to bring the missiles from other parts of the world or to build more. US counters claims Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesman, said that the US military “has everything it needs to execute any mission at the time and place of the President’s choosing and on any timeline.” 850No. of Tomahawk missiles used by the US in the conflict in West Asia Kash Patel hacked FBI head Kash Patel. Pic/IMDB FBI chief Kash Patel’s emails, photos have been hacked by an Iran-linked group. The group said that they successfully gained access to the personal emails of Kash Patel, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), sharing photographs and documents from the United States official online. The Handala Hack Team said on Friday that Patel would “will now find his name among the list of successfully hacked victims”. The news outlets confirmed the breach, citing unnamed security officials and people familiar with the matter. The FBI and Department of Justice have yet to comment on the incident. The hacking appears to have released some documents more than a decade old. Some of the emails show Patel’s travel and business correspondence. Others include photos of Patel beside an antique sports convertible, posing with a cigar in his mouth and standing in front of a mirror with a bottle of rum. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
29 March,2026 08:56 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesIn a now viral video, a squirrel can be seen with the automated smoking device in its paws while perched on a fence in Brixton, South London. The animal seems to be clutching the device between its paws and chewing on it. Similarly, another TikTok user posted a video of a squirrel in Philadelphia gnawing on what looks like an Elfbar. These squirrels were probably not attracted to the nicotine, but instead, the fruity smells that they could be mistaking for food. “In the old days, you’d see lots of discarded cigarette butts, but I don’t remember squirrels running around with them,” said Craig Shuttleworth, a red squirrel expert from Bangor University in Wales. “It would be reasonable to assume that a vape would be more attractive than a normal tobacco product that’s not fruity.” However, the effects could be the same. The expert said that the critters could not just be consuming the microplastics when they gnaw on the devices, but could also be ingesting the nicotine. This just serves as a reminder to make sure that we responsibly dispose of our litter. 10No. of cigarette packs that hold the same nicotine as a single vape World’s breast at pulling A circus performer pulls a 990 kg carriage with his nipples, setting a world record The Baron in action! PIC/GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS Did you know that there was a world record for the heaviest weight lifted by nipples? Neither did we. A Finnish professional circus performer, known as The Baron, broke the Guinness World Record for the heaviest vehicle pulled by the nipples, hauling around 2,184 pounds (approximately 990 kg). He used the piercings on what he describes as “the world’s strongest nipples” to pull a carriage which had his partner sitting in it to bring it up to weight. Record breaking is no new feat for the Baron though, for in 2013 he set the same record when he lifted 71.87 pounds of weight and held it for over eight seconds. Looks like someone’s been training hard. High steaks! PIC/ODDITY CENTRAL Participants celebrate setting a new Guinness World Record for the longest line of cheesesteak sandwiches – 1291 sandwiches – inside a departure hall at Philadelphia Airport on National Cheesesteak Day. The previous benchmark was 500 sandwiches. Driven and how! PIC/ODDITY CENTRAL A resident of Tarnów, Poland took 139 tries to pass the theoretical driving test. He took a whopping €1800 (R1.95 lakh) and 139 attempts to pass this theoretical test. “It shows that the driving licence is very important for him,” said the director of testing centre. Those of you who still haven’t got your driver’s licences — you have no excuse now! Keeping up appearances PIC/ISTOCK In China, some foreigners are hired just for being white. Locals say this marketing tactic involves foreign nationals getting paid to pose as executives or attend events, just to make the business look more global and prestigious. Music that haunts you PIC/SPOTIFY NEWSROOM A major music streaming service has launched an urn that plays your favourite songs after you’ve died. For the price of $495, you can now take your favourite tunes with you to the afterlife. This is the world’s first-ever music streaming urn, with a Bluetooth speaker for a lid. It’s all about sex ap-peel PIC/KNOW YOUR MEME AI fruits now have a Love island series called “Fruit Love Island”. A TikTok account that posts the romance arcs between fruity contestants of this made-up reality show has reached three million followers in just nine days. Grandpa’s got game! Who says video games have any age limit? Ninety-one-year-old gamer Yang Binglin went viral for completing Resident Evil Requiem, a popular survival game. And he did this without using any guides, but by carefully mapping out puzzles and locations by hand in a notebook while he played.
29 March,2026 08:52 AM IST | Los Angeles | AgenciesThe US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that around 3,500 US marines and sailors have arrived in the Middle East as part of a growing military presence amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. The personnel are stationed aboard the USS Tripoli, which reached the region on March 27. The USS Tripoli serves as the flagship of an amphibious ready group, carrying marines, aircraft, and tactical assets. These forces are capable of conducting sea-based strikes, ground operations, evacuations, and rapid deployments, reported the IANS. According to the news agency, the officials said that such units are typically used to secure strategic locations or respond quickly to emerging threats. Part of wider military build-up The deployment is part of a broader US military build-up in response to rising tensions with Iran. Reports suggest the Pentagon is considering sending up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the region, as per the IANS. The potential deployment may include infantry units and armoured vehicles, adding to the roughly 5,000 marines and thousands of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division already ordered to the Middle East. Strategic focus on key locations While exact deployment locations remain unclear, the forces are expected to be positioned within operational range of key Iranian sites, including Kharg Island, a crucial centre for the country’s oil export, according to the IANS. Pentagon prepares for ground operations in Iran Meanwhile, the Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran, as thousands of US soldiers and Marines arrive in the Middle East for what could become a dangerous new phase of the war should US President Donald Trump choose to escalate, The Washington Post reported, according to the IANS. Any potential ground operation would fall short of a full-scale invasion and could instead involve raids by a mixture of Special Operations forces and conventional infantry troops, the newspaper quoted officials as saying on the condition of anonymity, as per the IANS. Such a mission could expose US personnel to an array of threats, including Iranian drones and missiles, ground fire and improvised explosives, the report noted, adding the Trump administration in recent days has vacillated between declaring that the war is winding down and threatening to amplify it. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted on Friday the United States "can achieve all of our objectives without ground troops," but the Post said planning is advanced, with one official saying: "This is not last-minute planning," the news agency reported. (with IANS inputs)
29 March,2026 08:48 AM IST | Washington | mid-day online correspondentYemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Saturday claimed their first attack on Israel since the outbreak of the current West Asia conflict a month ago, marking their entry into the widening conflict between Iran, the United States (US), and Israel. In a statement posted on X, the group — which controls most of northern Yemen and had targeted Israel with drones and missiles during much of the previous Gaza war — said it had launched ballistic missiles at Israeli military sites. A Houthi Spokesman issued a video statement declaring that the group had fired the missiles towards Israeli bases, describing it as the “first military operation” in support of Iran. A few hours earlier, the Israeli military said it had identified the launch of a missile from Yemen toward Israeli territory, with aerial defence systems operating to intercept the threat, news agency AFP reported. There were no reports of casualties or damage in Israel, and the missile was reportedly intercepted. The development comes as the war, now entering its second month, continues to disrupt global shipping and energy supplies, with Iran claiming to have closed the Strait of Hormuz to vessels from hostile powers. Houthi intervention raises fear over Red Sea and Hormuz shipping During Israel's recent war on Gaza, the Houthis — claiming solidarity with the Palestinians — had attacked shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, but had largely sat out the latest escalation until Saturday. The Red Sea route has gained even greater importance in the current war. Saudi Arabia has diverted a large proportion of its oil exports to the Red Sea port of Yanbu to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran says it has closed to shipping from hostile powers, driving up energy prices worldwide. With the Hormuz Strait effectively choked off, many shipments now pass through the Omani port of Salalah on the Arabian Sea. However, Danish shipping giant Maersk said operations there had been temporarily suspended after a drone attack injured one worker and damaged a crane. Iran's military claimed it had targeted a US logistics vessel near Salalah, while Oman reported that a drone attack on the port wounded a foreign worker. Air travel has also faced major disruptions. Authorities in Kuwait and Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan reported damage to airport facilities in strikes. In the United Arab Emirates, Iranian missiles and drones hit an industrial zone, sparking a fire and injuring five people. West Asia conflict: Ongoing strikes and economic damage across the region The war erupted when the US and Israel launched a wave of airstrikes across Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggering retaliatory Iranian missile and drone attacks. US President Donald Trump has expressed optimism that American forces have significantly degraded Iran's military capabilities, but no end to the fighting is in sight. In Iran, production was shut down at a major steel plant in the southwest after US-Israeli strikes, according to the Khuzestan Steel Company as cited by the Shargh newspaper. Israel announced fresh strikes on Tehran, with an AFP journalist in the city reporting around 10 intense blasts and a plume of black smoke overnight. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sent a message to other countries in the region: "If you want development and security, don't let our enemies run the war from your lands." In Jerusalem, AFP journalists reported two blasts after the military detected incoming missiles from Iran. On Friday, an Iranian missile and drone attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia wounded at least 12 American soldiers, two of them seriously, according to reports in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal citing unidentified officials. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned they will retaliate for any economic damage by striking industrial sites across the region, having earlier issued similar threats against US military bases and hotels hosting American troops. Diplomatic efforts amid escalation Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Friday he believed Iran would hold talks with Washington "this week, we're certainly hopeful for it". Washington expected Tehran to respond to a 15-point US peace plan, he told a business forum in Miami. "It could solve it all," he said. Pakistan, acting as a go-between for US and Iranian officials, is set to host foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt in Islamabad on Monday to discuss the crisis. Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul had earlier indicated expectations of a direct US-Iran meeting in Pakistan "very soon". Meanwhile, Thailand has joined a small group of nations that secured safe passage for their oil tankers through the Hormuz Strait with Iranian approval. Indonesia said it was in "positive talks" to obtain a similar exemption. The Houthi move has heightened concerns of a broader regional confrontation, with potential renewed threats to Red Sea shipping and further volatility in global oil and gas markets. As the conflict intensifies, both military actions and fragile diplomatic channels continue in parallel across the Middle East. (With AFP inputs)
28 March,2026 08:10 PM IST | Sanaa | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1774782317627_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu. File Pic")
-1774774084206_d.png "Tibet experiences back-to-back earthquakes within days. Representational Pic")
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-1774764682672_d.png "People hold signs followed by a 20-foot-tall helium-filled balloon of Trump wearing a diaper in front of City Hall in California. PIC/AFP")
-1774758167446_d.png "IRGC warns Western-linked institutions after alleged strikes on Iranian universities. Representational Image/ File")
