Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday accused the United States of launching attacks on two Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and warned that Tehran will respond, according to Iranian state media Press TV. Araghchi said the attacks targeted Kharg Island, which hosts Iran's major oil export terminals, and Abu Musa, a strategic island near the entrance of the Strat of Hormuz. "Last night they attacked Kharg Island and Abu Musa Island with the artillery-rocket system HIMARS, which is a short-range rocket system," he said. He claimed the rockets were launched from locations in the UAE, including Ras Al Khaimah and an area close to Dubai. "They launched these rockets from the soil of our neighbours. It is crystal clear they are using our neighbours' territory to attack us, and this is absolutely unacceptable," he said. Press TV reported Araghchi as saying that Iranian forces tracked the attacks and warned that launching weapons from densely populated areas was extremely dangerous. He added that Iran would respond, but would exercise caution to avoid hitting residential areas. "What we are doing within the framework of legitimate defence is targeting American bases, facilities, assets and interests, which unfortunately are located in the territories of our neighbours," he said. According to Press TV, the strikes did not hit Iranian energy infrastructure but caused damage to military sites on the two islands. Earlier, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters Ebrahim Zolfaghari warned that Iran considers it a legitimate right to target the locations from which US missiles were launched. He said the US military had been launching missiles from ports, docks and hideouts within cities in the UAE against Abu Musa Island and parts of Kharg Island. "We warn the UAE leadership that the Islamic Republic of Iran views it as its legitimate right to strike the origins of American missile launches," Zolfaghari said, according to Press TV. He also urged residents in the UAE to stay away from areas near ports, docks and locations used by US forces to avoid harm during potential Iranian retaliatory strikes. Meanwhile, a key oil hub in the UAE was disrupted, and the US Embassy in Iraq was struck by drones on Saturday (local time) amid escalating West Asia conflict, according to CNN. A fire broke out at the Fujairah Port earlier after debris from an intercepted drone fell on the facility, the Fujairah Media Office said, as reported by CNN. The incident came after Iran's military warned it could target ports and docks in the UAE in retaliation for a US strike on the critical Iranian oil export hub of Kharg Island. 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
15 March,2026 10:26 AM IST | Tehran | ANIThe United Arab Emirates' air defence systems intercepted nine ballistic missiles and 33 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) launched from Iran on Saturday, the UAE Ministry of Defence said. In a post on X, the ministry said the interceptions were carried out as part of ongoing defensive operations amid the escalating regional conflict. "UAE air defence systems on 14th March engaged 9 ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran," the ministry stated. It added that since the onset of what it described as Iranian aggression, the country's air defence systems have intercepted a total of 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran. According to the ministry, the attacks have resulted in six fatalities involving nationals from the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh so far. The ministry also said that 141 people have sustained minor to moderate injuries. "These attacks have resulted in 6 fatalities of Emirati, Pakistani, Nepali and Bangladeshi nationals and 141 minor to moderate injuries among nationals of the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Turkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia and Sweden," the statement read. The UAE Ministry of Defence affirmed that the country remains fully prepared to address any threats and will firmly confront attempts to undermine national security. It added that the UAE is committed to protecting its sovereignty, security and stability while safeguarding its national interests and capabilities. Meanwhile, CNN reported, citing a security official, that two drones struck the US Embassy in Baghdad, though the extent of the damage and possible injuries remains unclear. According to CNN, the drones hit the US diplomatic compound in the Iraqi capital, prompting concerns over the security situation in the area. Video footage geolocated by CNN showed smoke and small flames rising from a building in the vicinity of the embassy compound following the incident. Authorities have not yet confirmed the extent of the damage or whether there were any casualties. 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
15 March,2026 10:14 AM IST | Abu Dhabi | ANIChinese traditional medicines have been using cow gallstones for thousands of years to treat all sorts of serious illnesses, including hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Now that China has a rate of strokes three times higher than that of the United States of America, the demand for gallstones is higher than ever, increasing their prices. The price of cow gallstones went up to $5800 per ounce in 2025, making it twice as expensive as gold. But if you think the issue lies in the cost of some not-so-cute infinity stones, hold your thought. The problem was always with their scarcity. Cow gallstone smuggling and robberies has increased in different part of the world including in the rural town of Bahetus, Brazil. PIC/ODDITY CENTRAL The chances of gallstone formation in cows increases with age, but slaughterhouses around the world chose to slaughter cattle at younger ages for efficient agriculture. Doesn’t feel so efficient anymore, does it? The price of the stones depends on their size so larger the stones, the higher their price. Gallstone smuggling and robberies have also increased in the rural town of Bahetus, Brazil (nowhere near China by the way). Armed criminals attack cattle farms to steal all the gallstones they could find. Slaughterhouse employees have also started smuggling gallstones, aiding the black market for the same. $5800Price per ounce of cow gallstones, making it twice as costly as gold Etsy goes to Salem-town The marketplace bans witches from the platform, who now feel persecuted It had been a haven for witches to sell their services for years. PIC/ISTOCK The witches might curse Etsy next.The online marketplace has reportedly begun removing sellers offering spellcasting services after banning supernatural services. For years, the platform had become a haven where online witches could sell everything from soulmate drawings to good-weather spells for weddings to curses on ex-lovers. Now, some sellers claim they’ve been abruptly banned with little warning. “It feels like persecution,” said one seller, comparing the crackdown to a modern witch hunt. Real life Toy Story! PIC/INSTAGRAM @NIKOLAITEDESCHI Nikolai Tedeschi, an Arizona-based collector, has built one of the largest Toy Story collections. He now holds the massive collection in a specially designed room styled to look like Andy’s bedroom from the films. Doppelgänger Date PIC/NORWALK HOUR American actress Amanda Peet says that her husband dated her celeb doppelgänger, Lake Bell, when they were on a nine-month hiatus. The two women have been mistaken so frequently that it inspired a scene in her new movie Fantasy Life. Baby Driver PIC/ODDITY CENTRAL China’s youngest professional racecar driver, Shao Ziyan, got his licence when he was only five years old. He was introduced to racing simulators by the age of one, and started driving race karts before he was three. However, Shao Ziyan does not drive on public roads. For obvious reasons. Killer bird PIC/ISTOCK The cassowary, a six-foot-tall, flightless bird, has been on Earth for over 60 million years. It has officially been declared as the most dangerous bird on the planet, with its five inch claws. In 2019, the bird killed a man in Florida with a single kick that severed his artery. Ouch. Australia was smart to declare war on the emus! Pizza Pie Primo PIC/SIXTHMAN Italian semi-pro wrestler Luigi Primo has gone viral for his genius wrestling move, where he knocks his opponents out by throwing a pizza at them. He stays true to his character, dressing like a pizza chef and mixing wrestling with his antics. He has single-handedly made matches into much more entertaining spectacles, and has garnered over millions of views online. He first appeared at a backyard wrestling show in Texas. Paul for president PIC/YOUTUBE @ASSOCIATED PRESS US President Donald Trump has proudly promised to endorse Jake Paul if he ever chooses to run for office. During a speechin Kentucky, Trump declared this support, which was followed by a brief speech from the controversial YouTuber-turned-boxer. Later that evening, Paul uploaded a video of the two of them pumping their fists to the viral hit YMCA. 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
15 March,2026 09:52 AM IST | Los Angeles | AgenciesThe Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said that two senior Iranian intelligence officials were killed in a targeted airstrike carried out by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) in Tehran. In a post on X, the IDF said, "ELIMINATED: Abdollah Jalali-Nasab & Amir Shariat, senior intelligence officials of the "Khatam al-Anbiya" Emergency Command. The two senior commanders were key figures in the Iranian intelligence community and close to the leadership of the Iranian terrorist regime." 🔴ELIMINATED: Abdollah Jalali-Nasab & Amir Shariat, senior intelligence officials of the “Khatam al-Anbiya” Emergency CommandThe two senior commanders were key figures in the Iranian intelligence community and close to the leadership of the Iranian terrorist regime. pic.twitter.com/fhdVnMPfsj — Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 14, 2026 The IDF identified the officials as Abdollah Jalali-Nasab and Amir Shariat, describing them as senior intelligence figures in Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya emergency command. According to the Jerusalem Post, the IDF said the strike was conducted with precise guidance from Israeli Military Intelligence. According to the IDF, the two men had recently been appointed as acting replacements in the intelligence division after their predecessor, Saleh Asadi, was killed during the early phase of what Israel calls Operation Roaring Lion. The Khatam al-Anbiya emergency command is responsible for gathering and analysing intelligence for senior officials in Iran's security establishment, assessments that help shape the country's military decision-making against Israel, according to a news report by The Jerusalem Post. Israeli military spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin said the operation was part of a broader campaign targeting Iranian military infrastructure. According to The Jerusalem Post, since the start of the campaign, hundreds of Israeli Air Force aircraft have struck hundreds of targets linked to the Iranian government across Iran, Defrin said. He added that the operation began with a surprise attack after Israeli military intelligence identified two gathering points in Tehran where senior Iranian security leaders had assembled. The reported strike comes a day after the Israeli military said it had completed 20 waves of attacks against more than 150 Iranian government targets, in what appears to be an escalating effort to disrupt Iran's command and intelligence networks, according to The Jerusalem Post. Earlier, the IDF said its joint military operations with the US against Iran in the Middle East will continue until an "existential threat" to Israel is eliminated. Speaking in an interview with ANI, IDF spokesperson Lt Ben Cohen said Israel is prepared for a prolonged operation if required, stressing that the objective is to neutralise Iran's military capabilities that threaten Israel and the wider region. "I'm not going to give any specific timeframe, but I'll tell you that we're going to keep going until we know that we've taken away that existential threat," Cohen said. Cohen noted that while Israel generally seeks to avoid prolonged conflicts, operations against Iran's military infrastructure could take time due to the scale of the threat. 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
15 March,2026 09:38 AM IST | Tel Aviv | ANIPresident Donald Trump said Friday that the United States had heavily bombed military targets on Iran's oil hub Kharg Island and the US Navy would soon begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. Several top Iranian officials joined a defiant pro-government rally in Tehran, meanwhile, marching alongside demonstrators waving banners reading "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." As the United States intensified its bombing of Iran, Tehran launched a new wave of drone and missile attacks on Israel and its Gulf neighbours. The war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon continued to rage and the Lebanese health ministry said an Israeli strike on a primary healthcare center in southern Lebanon had killed at least 12 medical personnel on Friday. According to the Lebanese authorities, at least 773 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Lebanon aimed at wiping out Iranian ally Hezbollah. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said military targets on Kharg Island, which handles almost all of Iran's crude exports, had been "totally obliterated" in "one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East." He said he had chosen not to target oil infrastructure on the island for now. "However, should Iran, or anyone else, do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision," the US president said. With oil prices spiking, Trump was asked when the US Navy would begin escorting tankers through the Gulf's critical Strait of Hormuz. "It'll happen soon, very soon," he said. Iranian strikes have all but halted maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas normally pass. US Marines dispatched The United States and Israel have treaded carefully around Kharg Island until now, but US officials have been reported as saying that capturing the island was potentially on the table. The Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported on Friday that the Pentagon had dispatched the Japan-based amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli to the region along with its complement of some 2,500 Marines. Heavy blasts shook Tehran late Friday after the United States vowed to step up air strikes and Iranian state media said a fresh round of missiles had been launched towards Israel. Israeli rescue workers said no casualties were reported. Blasts were heard in Doha early Saturday and Qatar's defense ministry said its military had intercepted missiles targeting the Gulf state. Saudi Arabia's defense ministry said its forces had intercepted dozens of drones on Friday and Turkey said NATO forces shot down a ballistic missile launched from Iran -- the third such interception in the war. The Islamic republic is intent on showing it will come through the war intact and in control, despite its supreme leader Ali Khamenei being killed at the start of the US-Israeli campaign on February 28. Khamenei's son Mojtaba Khamenei was named the new supreme leader, but has been absent from public view and said to be wounded. The US government unveiled a USD 10-million reward for information about Mojtaba Khamenei's whereabouts. USD 100 a barrel US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a news conference the US military would bombard Iran more heavily on Friday than any other day so far in the war. According to the Pentagon, the US and Israel have struck more than 15,000 targets in Iran over the past two weeks. Israel's military said it conducted 7,600 strikes on the country, most of them against its missile program. The conflict has sparked chaos in global markets and sent oil prices soaring. Brent contracts for a barrel of crude have soared more than 42 percent, leaving markets and governments everywhere skittish about energy supply and higher inflation. On Friday, oil stayed above USD 100 a barrel. Within Iran, the Revolutionary Guards have warned of an even stronger response to any anti-government protests, after ones in January in which several thousand people were killed. Iranian authorities have maintained an internet blackout since the war started. Iranians speaking to AFP under cover of anonymity have described a grim picture of cities in ruins and cash running short. A woman in Kermanshah, western Iran, told AFP that "countless" people from Tehran had come to seek refuge from the air strikes, adding to demand for food and scarce medicine, with prices "nearly doubling." The UN refugee agency has estimated that up to 3.2 million people have been displaced inside Iran since the war started. Iran's health ministry said on March 8 that more than 1,200 people have been killed, a figure AFP has not been able to verify independently. The US military has lost 13 personnel since the war started -- including six members of a refuelling aircraft that crashed in Iraq after an incident officials said was not caused by hostile fire. 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
15 March,2026 09:20 AM IST | Tehran, Iran | AFPNorth Korea on Saturday fired about 10 ballistic missiles toward the eastern sea, South Korea’s military said, staging its own show of force as the rival South conducts a joint military exercise with the United States. Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the weapons landed outside the country’s exclusive economic zone and that there were no reports of damage to planes or ships. The South’s Joint Chiefs said the military has stepped up surveillance and is maintaining readiness against possible additional launches while closely sharing information with the US and Japan. The launches came as the US and South Korean militaries conduct their annual springtime exercises involving thousands of troops while the Trump administration also wages an escalating war in West Asia. 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
15 March,2026 08:15 AM IST | Seoul | AgenciesMath nerds and dessert enthusiasts unite to celebrate Pi Day every March 14. Since the American way of writing the date is 3/14, it represents the first three digits of the mathematical constant pi. Representing the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, pi is approximately equal to 3.14159 — but its digits go on forever. The holiday was created in 1988 by Larry Shaw, a physicist at the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco. “He had a very open and expansive view of the world and saw an opportunity with this number, mathematical concept, to invite people into the joy of mathematical learning,” said Sam Sharkland, program director of public programs at the museum, who worked with Shaw before he died in 2017. While it began as a small staff celebration featuring pie, it soon turned into a grand procession where hundreds of visitors marched around the pi shrine, each carrying a digit. Attendees often show up early to claim their favourite digit for the parade. 1988Was the year when Larry Shaw, a physicist, created the pi 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
15 March,2026 08:11 AM IST | Los Angeles | AgenciesPresident Donald Trump said US forces on Friday “obliterated” targets on Iran’s Kharg Island, which is home to the primary terminal that handles the country’s oil exports. The speaker of the Iranian parliament had warned that such strikes would provoke a new level of retaliation as the US-Israel war with Iran enters the third week. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said the US, despite “bullying India” to end Russian oil imports, is now begging them to buy crude from Moscow, two weeks after its war with Iran. Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. File pic “The US spent months bullying India into ending oil imports from Russia,” said Araghchi on Friday in a post on X. “After two weeks of war with Iran, White House is now begging the world, including India, to buy Russian crude,” he added. This comes after, on March 5, the US issued a 30-day waiver allowing India to buy Russian oil, having previously imposed heavy sanctions related to the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, an American official said 2,500 more Marines and an amphibious assault ship are being sent to West Asia. Crisis in Lebanon deepens further Beirut, Lebanon. Pic/PTI The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon worsened with nearly 826 people killed and 850,000 displaced as Israel launched waves of strikes against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants and warned there would be no let up. The Israeli strikes began after Hezbollah launched strikes on Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei on March 2. 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
15 March,2026 07:58 AM IST | Dubai | AgenciesAn overnight blast against an exterior wall of a Jewish school in Amsterdam caused no injuries, Mayor Femke Halsema said on Saturday, denouncing it as "a cowardly act of aggression". An investigation has been opened into the incident, which follows nighttime attacks this week in front of synagogues in the Belgian city of Liege and the Dutch port city of Rotterdam, news agency AFP reported. Halsema condemned the attack in a statement, noting that Amsterdam's Jewish community has been "increasingly often confronted with antisemitism and this is unacceptable". "A school must be a place where children can attend classes in complete safety. Amsterdam must be a place where Jews can live in safety," she said. Police and fire departments quickly arrived at the scene of the blast in the Buitenveldert district in the south of Amsterdam, the statement said. "The material damage is limited," the mayor stated. The police have CCTV footage of a person placing the explosive device, Halsema said. Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten called the incident "terrible" on X and said "Antisemitism has no place in the Netherlands." "I understand the anger and fear this provokes, and I will quickly meet with the Jewish community. It must always feel safe in our country," he added. Wave of synagogue attacks continues Following a similar attack on Friday on a synagogue in Rotterdam, Jetten had condemned any act of violence or intimidation against the Jewish community or any other religious minority. Four men suspected of being involved in the Rotterdam attack have been arrested, Dutch authorities announced on Friday. The series of attacks on synagogues comes after the launch of the US-Israeli War on Iran, a conflict that has since broadened across the Middle East. On Monday, an explosion shook a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liege before dawn, causing some damage but no injuries. It was strongly condemned by Belgian politicians and European Union officials. On Thursday, a man rammed his car into a synagogue on the outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, sparking a blaze. The suspect, identified as 41-year-old Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, died on Friday from a "self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head," an FBI official told reporters. Media reports have indicated his relatives were killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon in recent days. Amid increasing violence and threats against the Jewish community in the United States, there has been a boost in demand for security services specifically protecting Jews, with officers stationed at schools, campuses and other buildings. (With AFP inputs)
14 March,2026 04:23 PM IST | Amsterdam | mid-day online correspondentIranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has asserted that the Islamic Republic now views the United States and the Israeli regime as indistinguishable regarding the severity of their actions against the Iranian people. In a statement shared on X, Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf remarked,"Trump was duped by [Israeli prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu into starting the war and is now acting under his control." The Speaker further clarified Tehran's current diplomatic and military stance, noting that, in light of the "major crime they have committed, Iran no longer makes 'any distinction' between the United States and the Zionist regime." Qalibaf's comments come at a time of intensifying regional conflict, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) continuing its series of "successful and decisive waves of unrelenting retaliatory strikes" against what it describes as hostile American and Israeli installations. Regarding the future of the military engagement, the Speaker maintained a firm position, declaring that "the war will continue until the enemy's calculus is altered and they are driven to regret." Mirroring this defiant political stance, the IRGC has confirmed the launch of the 48th phase of its retaliatory campaign, targeting various Israeli and American installations, according to reports by state broadcaster Press TV. In a statement released on Saturday, the IRGC announced the "successful execution of the 48th wave of its ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4 against Zionist and American targets." This latest offensive was reportedly carried out in coordination with the Lebanese resistance group, Hezbollah. Military officials identified the primary targets within the occupied territories as being situated in the northern sector, specifically focusing on "Galilee, Golan, and the occupied city of Haifa." Beyond these areas, several "American bases throughout the region" were also struck during this stage of the conflict. According to Press TV, the 48th wave utilised a sophisticated mix of weaponry, including "solid-fuel Kheibar Shekan missiles, liquid-fuel Qadr missiles, and attack drones." This follows the earlier completion of the 47th wave, which took place on Friday and targeted strategic locations such as the "Negev Desert, including Nevatim," which is home to one of the largest airbases in the region. Other strikes during that phase were directed at "Be'er Sheva," described as a technological hub, and the city of "Lod." Notably, the IRGC also reported hitting "al-Udaid," identified as the "United States' most important airbase in the West Asia region," located in Qatar. The operation further extended to the "hiding places of the anti-Iran Komala terrorist group," employing both "solid-fuel Kheibar Shekan missiles and liquid-fuel Qadr missiles." Press TV further reported that during the 46th wave, which also occurred on Friday, the IRGC utilised "Khorramshahr, Kheibar Shekan, Emad, and Qadr missiles." Highlighting the impact on the ground, the Corps noted the psychological toll of the strikes, stating, "Siren to siren and a scramble to enter shelters, this is the current state of the Zionists at this moment." Since the onset of hostilities late last month, the IRGC has reportedly deployed "hundreds of ballistic and hypersonic missiles as well as attack drones." On the defensive front, the Corps claimed to have downed five invading aircraft on Friday, including "Orbiter 4, Hermes, and MQ-9 Reaper drones." Military records cited by the state broadcaster indicate that a total of "114 reconnaissance and combat drones" have been neutralised by Iran's "advanced air defense systems" since the start of the aggression. In a final escalation of the psychological campaign, the IRGC has reportedly begun sending Hebrew text messages to residents within the occupied territories. The warning message stated, "By the permission of God, we will bring upon you days of darkness in which you will wish for death, but you will not find it." 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
14 March,2026 01:28 PM IST | Tehran | ANIAll six crew members of a KC-135 refuelling aircraft that crashed while supporting operations against Iran are dead, the US military said Friday. US Central Command, which oversees the Middle East, said the crash in western Iraq on Thursday followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft in "friendly airspace" and that the other plane landed safely. The crash brings the US death toll in Operation Epic Fury to at least 13 service members, with the seven others killed in combat. About 140 US service members have been injured, including eight severely, the Pentagon said earlier this week. The KC-135 has been in service for more than 60 years and has been involved in several fatal accidents, most recently in 2013. Here's what is known so far about the tanker, which is the fourth US military aircraft publicly acknowledged to have crashed since the war against Iran began on February 28: Cause of crash not immediately known US Central Command said the circumstances of the crash are under investigation but that the loss of the aircraft was "not due to hostile or friendly fire." A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the developing situation, said the other plane involved was also a KC-135. Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the US, wrote on X that the other plane landed safely in Israel. Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the Pentagon on Friday morning that the crash occurred "over friendly territory in western Iraq, while the crew was on a combat mission" and reiterated that hostile or friendly fire was not the cause. Speaking at the same news conference, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the crew heroes. "War is hell. War is chaos," Hegseth said. "And as we saw yesterday with the tragic crash of our KC-135 tanker, bad things can happen. American heroes, all of them." Hegseth and Caine spoke to reporters before the deaths of the six crew member had been made public. Yang Uk, a security expert at South Korea's Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said it would be rare for a refuelling tanker to be downed by enemy fire because such operations are usually conducted in the rear of combat zones. Last week, three US F-15E fighter jets were mistakenly downed by friendly Kuwaiti fire. All six crew members ejected safely. The KC-135 is a long-serving tanker plane The KC-135 Stratotanker is a US Air Force aircraft used to refuel other planes in midair, allowing them to travel longer distances and maintain operations longer without landing. The plane is also used to transport wounded personnel during medical evacuations or conduct surveillance missions, according to military experts. Based on the same design as the Boeing 707 passenger plane, the tanker has been in service for more than 60 years, supporting the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps as well as allied aircraft, according to an Air Force description. The aging plane is set to be gradually phased out as more of the next-generation KC-46A Pegasus tankers enter service. Despite upgrades over the years, the age of the KC-135s has raised concerns about their reliability and durability. "The last of these planes were produced in the 1960s," Yang said. He added that the transition to the KC-46A has progressed more slowly than expected. According to the Congressional Research Service, the Air Force last year had 376 KC-135s, including 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard and 62 in the Air Force Reserve. A basic KC-135 crew consists of three people: a pilot, co-pilot and boom operator. Nurses and medical technicians are added in aeromedical evacuation missions. Refuelling typically happens at the back of the plane, where the boom operator is located. A fuel boom is lowered to connect with fighters, bombers or other aircraft. On many of the planes, the boom operator works lying face down while looking out of a window on the underside of the plane. Some KC-135s can also refuel planes from pods on their wings. The tankers have room to carry cargo or passengers if needed. Refuelling tankers could play an increasingly important role if the Iran war drags on, as US aircraft may need to fly longer missions to pursue Iranian forces retreating deeper into the country, said Yang. Past accidents KC-135s have previously been involved in several fatal accidents. The most recent occurred on May 3, 2013, when a KC-135R crashed after takeoff south of Chaldovar, Kyrgyzstan, while supporting the war in Afghanistan. In that crash, the crew experienced problems with the plane's rudder, according to a US Air Force investigation. While the crew struggled to stabilise the plane, the tail section broke away and the plane exploded midair, killing all three onboard. The most serious mid-air collision involving the plane happened in 1966, when a B-52 bomber carrying nuclear bombs struck a tanker near Palomares, Spain. The accident caused the tanker to crash, killing four onboard. The disaster led to an extensive decontamination effort to clean up nuclear material dispersed when conventional explosives in the hydrogen bombs detonated after hitting the ground. 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
14 March,2026 01:19 PM IST | Washington | APADVERTISEMENT
-1773547811362_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Smoke and flames rise from an energy installation in the Gulf emirate of Fujairah. PIC/AFP")
