Canada’s military in talks to defend Gulf states, Israel launches new strikes into Lebanon

As Iran continued to exchange airstrikes with Israel and U.S. bases on Thursday, Canada’s top military commander said its Armed Forces are in talks to possibly help defend Persian Gulf states against bombing from Iran.

At a glance:

• Israel strikes Lebanese capital of Beirut
• Trump claims Iran wants to make a deal
• U.S. House rejects war powers resolution

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Thursday that Iran reached out to make a deal, then told Reuters he would have a role in choosing the country’s next leader. Also, the U.S. House rejected a resolution to limit Trump’s war powers, with House Speaker Mike Johnson saying the U.S. is “not at war.”

Meanwhile, Israel continued its attacks in Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, launching heavy strikes in southern Beirut.

The regional conflict has destabilized much of the Middle East and shaken global financial markets, markedly the price of oil, which continued to rise Thursday. Trump shrugged off the spike in prices, saying “if they rise, they rise.”

Read more:

• Canada’s military may help defend Gulf states in Iran conflict, defence chief says
• Iran launches new attacks
• U.S. House narrowly rejects Iran war powers resolution in early test of Trump’s strategy
• Trump says he wants to be involved in picking Iran’s next leader
• Israel strikes Beirut’s southern suburbs 
• World shares mixed as oil prices climb higher
• Here’s everything that happened on March 4, 2026

Here’s everything that happened on March 5, 2026:

Canada, allies may help Gulf states bombed by Iran: defence chief

Canada’s defence chief Gen. Jennie Carignan says allies are in talks about possibly helping Persian Gulf states defend themselves against bombing from Iran.

Carignan says a meeting is set for Friday to discuss such a proposal among allied militaries and the Canadian Armed Forces would present a recommendation to the government.

She did not specify what type of support this might involve but said Canada is not taking part in the U.S. bombing of Iran and confirmed the discussions are not about participating in Operation Epic Fury.

Her comments come as the Conservatives call for a parliamentary debate before any sort of Canadian military deployment in the ongoing war.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Thursday that Canada can’t “categorically” rule out military participation in the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

He added that Canada’s potential future involvement is a “fundamental hypothetical” and that Ottawa will stand by its allies.

The Canadian Press

Read the full story here

Israel strikes Lebanese capital of Beirut

Israel launched a series of strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut Thursday after ordering all residents of the densely populated area to evacuate.

Traffic was gridlocked in Lebanon‘s capital on Thursday as panicked residents tried to flee after Israel’s military issued an evacuation notice telling residents to “save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately,” and specified which routes they should take to escape.

Hours later, strikes began to hit the Beirut suburbs.

Since the resurgence of hostilities between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group, Israel has struck sites in Beirut’s suburbs and issued a blanket warning for residents south of the Litani River — an area in southern Lebanon stretching to the border with Israel — to evacuate their homes, but had not previously issued a blanket evacuation order for Beirut’s southern suburbs.

The Associated Press

Read the full story

U.S. Speaker Johnson says ‘we are not at war’

Republican Rep. Mike Johnson spoke briefly after the House joined the Senate in rejecting a war powers resolution to halt Trump’s attacks on Iran.

Johnson said the U.S. is conducting a “limited operation” over Iran, that’s “limited in scope and duration.”

“We are not at war. We have no intention of being at war,” said the House speaker, a close ally of Trump. “That mission is nearly accomplished.”

The speaker contradicted the president’s own portrayal of the joint U.S.-Israel air bombing campaign as a war.

The Associated Press

Iranian strikes hit Bahrain

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said on Friday that Iranian attacks targeted two hotels and a residential building in Manama, causing material damage but no casualties.

The Associated Press

3 Australians aboard U.S. submarine that sank Iran warship

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says three Australian personnel were aboard a U.S. submarine that sank an Iranian warship.

Albanese commented on Friday after newspapers reported on Thursday that two Australians were aboard the submarine as part of the trilateral U.S., Australian and British AUKUS training program.

The sub torpedoed the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, killing at least 87 people.

“I can confirm that there were three Australian persons on board that vessel. I can confirm also, though, that no Australian personnel have participated in any offensive action against Iran,” Albanese told Sky News television.

The Australian government maintained it was not warned that the United States and Israel planned to attack Iran last weekend.

The Associated Press

U.S. temporarily allows Russia to sell oil to India: report

The U.S. government has issued a 30-day waiver to allow for the sale of Russian oil currently stranded at sea to continue to India, two senior U.S. officials told Reuters on Thursday.

Reuters

Analyst warns Canada could face pressure to support allies

A Middle East political analyst says Canada could face growing pressure to support its allies – and potentially deploy troops – as the war evolves in the region.

“The United States really isn’t prepared yet for this war, so they’re starting to turn to their allies to seek support,” Jeremy Wildeman told CTV’s News Channel Thursday.

“So there is a chance that Canadian forces could be sent to the region,” he added.Wildeman said Canada could also face logistical challenges if the conflict drags on, particularly when it comes to helping citizens with ties to Iran.

“There are hundreds of thousands of Canadians of Iranian heritage,” he said. “How many are in Iran that need to be evacuated back to Canada?... Canada has no diplomatic relations with Iran, so there’s a lot of thinking that needs to be carried out.”

Dorcas Marfo, CTVNews.ca journalist

Trump claims Iran calling U.S. about a deal

U.S. President Donald Trump claimed Tehran had reached out about making a deal amid U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, adding that further action to reduce pressure on oil was imminent.

“They’re calling, they’re saying ‘how do we make a deal?’ I said you’re being a little bit late,” said Trump, speaking at an event Thursday at the White House.

Trump touted the U.S. military actions in Iran, saying they were destroying Tehran’s missile and drone capability and that “their navy is gone – 24 ships in three days,” as he called on Iranian diplomats to request asylum and help shape a better country.

“We also urge Iranian diplomats around the world to request asylum and to help us shape a new and better Iran,” he said.

Iran’s mission to the UN in New York declined to comment.

Reuters

U.S. not expanding military objectives: Hegseth

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday that the United States was not expanding its military objectives in Iran, after Trump told Reuters that the United States must be involved in choosing the next leader of Iran.

“There’s no expansion in our objectives. We know exactly what we’re trying to achieve,” Hegseth said.

Reuters

U.S. has just begun fight in Iran: Hegseth

Hegseth said Iran was making a mistake if it believed that the United States could not sustain the ongoing war, adding that Washington had just begun to fight.

“Iran is hoping that we cannot sustain this, which is a really bad miscalculation,” Hegseth told reporters during a visit to the headquarters of U.S. Central Command.

Reuters

Iran targets Tel Aviv in new wave of attacks

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it is launching a new wave in Operation “True Promise 4,” which will involve missile and drone attacks that target central Tel Aviv, according to Iranian state media.

Reuters

Canada, U.S. stock markets sink

Canadian and U.S. stock markets dropped Thursday, after seeing some relief a day earlier, as the price of oil rose above US$80 per barrel.

The S&P/TSX composite index was down 332.89 points at 33,609.97.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 784.67 points at 47,954.74. The S&P 500 index was down 38.79 points at 6,830.71, while the Nasdaq composite was down 58.50 points at 22,748.99.

The losses came as financial markets around the world kept following the cue of oil prices. Sharp increases there are raising worries that a long-term surge could grind down the global economy, exhaust households’ ability to spend and push interest rates higher.

The Canadian Press

U.S. House rejects Iran war powers resolution

The U.S. House narrowly rejected a war powers resolution Thursday to halt U.S. President Donald Trump’s attacks on Iran, an early sign of unease in Congress over the rapidly widening conflict that is reordering U.S. priorities at home and abroad.

It’s the second vote in as many days, after the Senate defeated a similar measure along party lines. Lawmakers are confronting the sudden reality of representing wary Americans in wartime and all that entails — with lives lost, dollars spent and alliances tested by a president’s unilateral decision to go to war with Iran.

While the tally in the House, 212-219, was expected to be tight, the outcome provided a clarifying snapshot of political support for, and opposition to, the U.S.-Israel military operation and Trump’s rationale for bypassing Congress, which alone has the power to declare war. At the Capitol, the conflict has quickly carried echoes of the long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and many Sept. 11-era veterans now serve in Congress.

“Donald Trump is not a king, and if he believes the war with Iran is in our national interest, then he must come to Congress and make the case,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The Associated Press

Read the full story

Impact of Strait of Hormuz disruption

A Canadian supply chain expert says the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz means disruptions there could have major consequences for global energy and food supply.

“(About) 20 per cent oil demand, about 15 per cent of liquid natural gas that are going there, mostly from the Persian Gulf countries to Asian countries, India, China, Japan and Korea,” Opher Baron, a professor of operations management at the Rotman School of Management, told CTV News Channel Thursday.

Baron said recent reports suggest commercial traffic through the key waterway has stalled.

“There’s over 100 ships are stuck in the area currently, so moving them one, one by one is not a very productive way to go forward,” he said.

Alternative trade routes like Turkiye exist, Baron said, but they are far more expensive.

“The reason why we use mostly shipping overseas for large quantities of food, for example, is because it’s significantly cheaper and more effective,” he added.

Dorcas Marfo, CTVNews.ca journalist

U.S. closes its embassy in Kuwait

It’s the second diplomatic mission to fully suspend operations since start Iran war.

“While there have been no reported injuries to U.S. personnel, the safety of Americans abroad remains the highest priority of the U.S. Department of State,” it said in a statement about the status of the embassy in Kuwait City.

Shortly before the announcement, the department said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had called the Kuwaiti foreign minister to express condolences for the deaths of at least two Kuwaiti troops in Iranian retaliatory strikes.

Although numerous U.S. embassies and consulates in the Middle East have closed to the public since the war began, only the consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, had suspended operations.

The Associated Press

Evacuation warning for 3 villages in east Lebanon

The Israeli military on Thursday warned residents of three villages in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa region to evacuate immediately.

“Urgent warning to the residents of the Beqaa region, specifically the residents of the villages and towns of Douris, Brital, and Majdaloun: Hezbollah’s activities in the area are forcing the IDF (Israeli military) to operate forcefully against it in order to target its military infrastructure,” the military’s Arabic-language spokesman Colonel Avichay Adraee said on X.

“To ensure your safety, we urge you to evacuate the area immediately and head west.”

AFP

Beirut suburbs ‘will look like Khan Younis’

Israel’s far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich warned Thursday that the southern suburbs of Beirut where Hezbollah has a strong presence will look like Khan Younis, a city in Gaza that Israel has decimated during the two-year war in Gaza.

The Israeli military issued an evacuation notice Thursday calling for all residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs to “save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately,” apparently signalling plans for heavy bombardment of the area.

“You wanted to bring hell on us, we are bringing hell on you,” Smotrich, a hawkish conservative force in Netanyahu’s government who had opposed several ceasefires in Gaza, said as he toured towns on Israel’s border with Lebanon. “Dahiyeh will look like Khan Younis, and our citizens of the north will live in peace and quiet.”

At least 102 people in Lebanon have been killed since the onset of the latest conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group, Lebanon’s health ministry said in a statement.

At least 638 others were wounded, the ministry said Thursday.

The Associated Press

Expert warns Iran conflict to escalate

A Middle East Institute expert says the risk of escalation remains high. Alan Eyre said the current trajectory of the war was largely predicable once hostilities began.

“It was predictable, but it’s still unfortunate,” Eyre told CTV’s News Channel Thursday, noting that conflicts of this scale often expand rather than de-escalate in their early stages.

“From a purely military point of view, the U.S. and Israel have total military superiority. They can so whatever they want, so no other militaries are really needed,” he said, adding that outside forces could potentially help escort ships through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

As for how long the war could last, Eyre said both sides appear to be signalling they are prepared for a drawn-out confrontation.

Dorcas Marfo, CTVNews.ca journalist

Canada moving military members to safety

Since the U.S. unleashed its campaign against Iran, Canada has been strategically moving its troops in the region to safety, Lieutenant-General Steve Boivin said today.

Canada was not involved in the planning nor execution of the United States’ so-called “Project Epic Fury” against Iran. Some Canadian personnel have been moved elsewhere in the region, and about twenty have been brought home.

There are just over 200 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members on deployment in the Mideast within six ongoing operations. Boivin highlighted Operation Amarna, where CAF members are tasked with what it calls “capacity building” in Lebanon and Jordan, among other jobs.

He also mentioned Operation Prodius, for which the CAF support the development of the Palestinian Authority.

Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca journalist

‘If they rise, they rise’: Trump on gas prices

Trump said on Thursday he was not concerned about rising U.S. gas prices driven by the widening Iran conflict, telling Reuters in an exclusive interview that the U.S. military operation was his priority.

“I don’t have any concern about it,” he said, when asked about the higher prices at the pump. “They’ll drop very rapidly when this is over, and if they rise, they rise, but this is far more important than having gasoline price go up a little bit.”

Global oil prices have jumped 16 per cent since the war started on Saturday, as the spreading conflict disrupted Middle East supplies.

The national average cost of gas has risen 27 cents since last week to US$3.25 per gallon, according to AAA, a U.S. travel organization that tracks fuel prices. The current national average is 15 cents higher than a year ago.

Trump said the costs “haven’t risen very much.”

Reuters

Read the full story

U.S. House to hold war powers vote

The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote Thursday on a war powers resolution that would override U.S. President Donald Trump’s authority to continue attacks against Iran without congressional approval, as the conflict continues to rage across the Middle East.

A similar resolution was voted down by the Senate on Wednesday, with votes falling mostly along party lines, as Republicans backed Trump’s war effort and Democrats were critical of his unilateral decision to attack Iran.

The tally is expected to be close, The Associated Press reported on Thursday, and it will provide a better understanding of how politically popular the war is, especially amongst Trump’s “America First” base, many of whom have advocated for less military involvement overseas.

Still, the resolution is expected to fail, as Republicans control the House, and even if it were to pass both chambers of Congress, Trump would have the power to veto it unless it received two-thirds support in both the House and Senate.

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

Read the full story

A warning to travellers in Cyprus

Canada has upgraded its travel advisory for Cyprus, warning people to “exercise a high degree of caution” due to the risk of falling military debris and the possibility of air traffic disruptions.

The advisory says missiles, drones and other projectiles may strike targets in the region.

It also warned travellers to avoid military installations, follow local authorities’ instructions – including when ordered to shelter in place – and to ensure travel documents are up to date.

Canadians abroad are asked to register with its emergency notification service, though the system is undergoing technical difficulties.

“Due to an extremely high volume of registrations, the system is slow, experiencing intermittent interruptions, and may not provide a confirmation email,” reads a notice on the registration website.

Canadians in need of emergency consular assistance can contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca journalist

Trump tells Reuters U.S. will have role in choosing next leader

U.S. President Donald Trump ‌told Reuters in a telephone interview on Thursday that the United States will have a role ​in choosing ​Iran’s ‌next leader.

Trump said ⁠it was very early in the process of picking a new leader but that ⁠Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s son Mojtaba was an unlikely choice.

“We want to ⁠be involved in the process of choosing the person who is going ​to lead Iran ‌into the future," ⁠Trump ⁠said.

“We don’t have to go back every ⁠five years and do this again and again ... ‌Somebody that’s going to be ⁠great for ‌the people, great for the country.

Reuters

Canadian stuck in Dubai

A Canadian who travelled to Dubai with his family for a work trip says days of flight cancellations have left them stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

“We tried to leave by different ways. Of course, we wanted to leave by flight, but it was not possible as there were not enough flights and many were cancelled,” Simon Marcotte told CTV News Channel Thursday.

Marcotte said he and his family considered heading south to Oman by land and attempting to book a flight home from there. However, it was “impossible” given the current conditions, he said.

Iran continues to launch retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, including into the UAE, where the U.S. military has a significant presence. Marcotte is one of thousands of Canadians currently in the UAE, according to government data.

Marcotte said he and his family are booked on a flight out of Dubai scheduled for next Friday. “Hopefully it will not be cancelled, so we will know very soon, I guess in one week, if we can leave for Canada or not,” he said.

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

Iran announces new wave of missiles

Iranian state television announced in a broadcast Thursday night that the salvo of missiles had been launched.

The Associated Press

Iran hits oil refinery: Bahrain

Bahrain says an Iranian missile hit a state-run oil refinery.

The Associated Press

S&P/TSX composite down

Canada’s main stock index was down more than 400 points in late-morning trading as the price of oil rose to near US$80 a barrel after Iran launched fresh attacks on Israel, U.S. bases and countries around the Middle East.

The S&P/TSX composite index was down 463.86 points at 33,479.00.

The Canadian Press

U.S. didn’t prepare public for war: Bolton

The objectives of the U.S. in its war against Iran are “completely justifiable,” however the Trump administration made a mistake not preparing the American public for what could be a prolonged conflict in the Middle East, says a former senior U.S. advisor.

“I think it requires months of explanation to justify this kind of activity,” John Bolton, national security advisor for U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term in office, told CTV News Channel on Thursday.

“And it’s time well spent, because I think the American people would respond to the laying out of the case why regime change (in Iran) is important, but the administration hasn’t done that.”

Bolton also said the administration’s lack of consultation with Congress and many traditional U.S. allies prior to the strikes was “an unforced error.”

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

What would Canadian involvement look like?

Following comments from Prime Minister Mark Carney that he would not rule out Canada’s participation in the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, a military analyst said any direct Canadian involvement would likely come in the aftermath of the conflict.

“Canada has always been there, for conflicts and wars, afterwards,” retired Canadian major-general David Fraser told CTV Your Morning on Thursday.

Fraser said that historically, the Canadian military has provided its coalition partners and allies with security and reconstruction support, noting that there’s not much Canada can offer the U.S. or Israel militarily right now as the war is still in the early stages.

“So, I think our prime minister is just making sure that (he) reassures the United States that we’re there to support them, but we’re not going to be jumping in just right away,” he said.

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

Death toll increases, officials say

The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, according to the latest update from Iranian officials.

More than 100 people have been killed in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, officials in those countries say. Six U.S. troops have been killed.

The Associated Press

Anand in contact with NATO partners

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says she is in “close contact” with Canada’s international partners to help get Canadians who are stuck in the areas under attack out of harms way.

“In the last 24 hours, I spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, as well as my counterparts from Australia, the U.K., France, the UAE, Türkiye, and Pakistan, to identify areas for coordination and to emphasize the importance of protecting civilians,” Anand said in a post on X, Thursday.

Anand also reassured Canadians in the Middle East and Gulf States that the Canadian government is “with” them and is working round the clock to ensure their safety.

Anand’s comments come after more than 2,000 Canadians requested assistance to leave the Middle East as of Wednesday.

Aarjavee Raaj, CTVNews.ca journalist

Bolton says regime change is needed

A former national security advisor under U.S. President Donald Trump says the U.S. should be consulting with opposition leaders in Iran to facilitate regime change, which he argues has been needed for decades.

“(The Trump administration) hasn’t apparently consulted adequately with the Iranian opposition, which has to take a major role here inside the country in terms of regime change,” John Bolton told CTV News Channel on Thursday.

Bolton, who is known to advocate for aggressive U.S. foreign policy, added that if regime change were to occur in Iran, it would likely be “tumultuous and bloody.”

But he argued that toppling Iran’s current regime is necessary, even if there’s not a concrete plan for what would happen next.

“When America’s founding fathers declared independence from Great Britain, they didn’t have a day after plan,” said Bolton. “They wanted to be independent, and they figured out what they would do later, so if it worked for us, I don’t see why it can’t work for the Iranians.”

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

U.K. sends 4 more jets to Qatar

Britain is sending four more Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar to help defend against Iranian missiles and drones.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain is “responding to requests” from Middle Eastern allies for additional protection.

Critics say Britain was caught unprepared to defend allies in the region and the island of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean after a drone struck the U.K. base there over the weekend.

Starmer said Britain had already sent additional fighter jets and ground-based air defences in January and February as the United States amassed forces in the region. He added that British planes have been flying since Saturday to intercept Iranian drones and missiles.

The Associated Press

Carney’s attitude ‘very clear’: Bob Rae

Prime Minister Mark Carney was “very clear” in his press conference from Sydney, Australia, when he said Canada is not participating in the United States’ and Israel’s attack on Iran, Bob Rae says.

“Unlike some other countries we (Canada) were not advised in any way, shape or form about what the Americans and the Israelis were planning to do with respect to Iran other than public statements,” Rae, former Canadian ambassador to the United Nations, told CTV News Channel on Thursday.

Rae said he didn’t see any “change of heart” in Carney’s attitude and speech towards the conflict in the Middle East.

“The prime minister has been clear as the situation has evolved that the way the war is being conducted is not consistent with international law,” he said.

Aarjavee Raaj, CTVNews.ca journalist

Canadian gas prices rose again today

GasBuddy, which tracks prices across the country, said at around 9:30 a.m. ET a litre of gas would cost Canadians $1.44 on average.

That’s nearly two cents higher than yesterday’s average of 142.3 cents, but down from last year’s average of 151.4 cents.

Luca Caruso-Moro, CTVNews.ca journalist

Iranian state TV airs ayatollah’s call for the ‘shedding’ of blood from Israelis and Trump

Iranian state television aired a message Thursday from an ayatollah in Iran calling for the “shedding” of blood from Israelis and U.S. President Donald Trump.

The message came from Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi Amoli and represented one of the few clerical statements coming from Iran as it faces a combined airstrike campaign from Israel and the United States.

“We are now on the verge of a great test and we must be careful to fully preserve this unity, to fully preserve this alliance,” he said in the statement.

He called for “the shedding of Zionist blood, the shedding of Trump’s blood.”

“The Imam of the time says, ‘Fight the oppressive America, his blood is on my shoulders,’” the ayatollah added.

An ayatollah is one of the highest ranks within the clergy of Shiite Islam. There are dozens in Iran.

The statement Thursday represented a rare call for violence by an ayatollah.

The Associated Press

Mojtaba Khamenei emerges as potential successor

Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is believed to have effectively run his father’s office for several years, one expert says.

Known as the “Rasputin behind the throne,” Mojtaba is “someone who knows how the system runs,” Nader Hashemi, an associate professor at Georgetown University, told CTV Your Morning on Thursday.

“In many ways, he’s the best person given his positionality to all the major echelons of power,” Hashemi said.

However, Mojtaba is “deeply despised” by the people of Iran because he’s the son of the former leader, Hashemi said.

“Iran has always claimed from the beginning of its revolution that it was unlike the other dictatorships in the Middle East, where one (person) would die and they would appoint the other that they had some sort of popular base,” Hashemi said.

Aarjavee Raaj, CTVNews.ca journalist

Azerbaijan vows retaliation

Azerbaijan vowed to retaliate after accusing Iran of a drone attack that injured four civilians.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Iranian drones attacked its exclave of Nakhchivan and damaged an airport building.

President Ilham Aliyev accused Iran of carrying out “a groundless act of terror and aggression,” and said his military has been told to prepare and implement retaliatory measures.

Iran’s general staff of the armed forces denied it had launched a drone toward Azerbaijan’s territory. Iran has repeatedly denied targeting oil infrastructure and other civilian targets in the war, despite its drone and missile fire hitting those sites.

The incident highlighted Azerbaijan’s complicated relationship with neighboring Iran, at a time when Baku also has developed military and economic ties with Israel.

The Associated Press. Read the full story here.

Combat in southern Lebanon: UN

UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon say they have seen and heard clashes, including ground combat, in southern Lebanon as more Israeli forces have moved across the border.

“Ground combat was observed west of Kfar Kila,” a village near the border with Israel, overnight, which included “firing of shots,” said Tilak Pokharel, spokesperson for the mission known as UNIFIL.

In the town of Khiyam, about five kilometres from the Israeli border, he said, peacekeepers saw “air attacks and flares and heard explosions.”

Earlier, the Israeli military issued a notice calling for all residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs to “save your lives and evacuate your homes immediately,” apparently signalling plans for heavy bombardment of the area.

The Associated Press

‘No one wants to fight for Israel!’

A protester who shouted: “No one wants to fight for Israel” during a U.S. Senate Armed Services hearing in Washington on Wednesday was escorted out of the room by Capitol Police officers and a Republican senator.

The protestor, identified as Brian C. McGinnis of North Carolina, was treated for injuries following the incident, as were three of the officers who removed him from the room. The removing officers were helped by Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy, a member of the armed services panel and former Navy SEAL.

“This afternoon, an unruly man who started to illegally protest during a hearing put everyone in a dangerous position by violently resisting and fighting our officer’s attempts to remove him from the room,” Capitol Police said in a statement, according to The Associated Press.

McGinnis, who was dressed in U.S. military attire, reportedly describes himself as a Green Party Senate candidate and former Marine, Newsweek reported. He’s been charged with three counts of assaulting a police officer and three counts of resisting arrest and unlawful demonstration.

Jordan Fleguel, CTVNews.ca journalist

Carney speaks to king of Jordan

Prime Minister Mark Carney and King Abdullah II both condemned “the Iranian regime’s missile and drone attacks on civilians” in the Middle East, a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said.

“The Prime Minister conveyed his gratitude to His Majesty for his protection of the thousands of Canadians who live in Jordan and discussed ongoing efforts to assist Canadians to leave the region.

They discussed opportunities for de-escalation and how to halt the expansion of the conflict,” the statement read.

“The leaders agreed that diplomatic engagement is essential to avoid a wider and deeper conflict. Innocent civilians must be protected, and all parties must commit to finding enduring agreements to end both nuclear proliferation and terrorist extremism.”

Michael Lee, CTVNews.ca journalist

Not clear whether regime change in Iran is the true objective: expert

It is “not clear” whether regime change is the true objective behind the United States’ strikes on Iran, an expert says.

“There will be no effort by the U.S. to foster state building or democracy building in Iran, to the extent that one can discern any kind of a strategic objective in bombing Iran,” Akaash Maharaj, a senior fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto told CTV Your Morning on Thursday.

Iran seems to be “running out of munitions,” after their stock of missiles has dwindled following the barrage of counterattacks launched against Israel and U.S. bases, he said.

“Iran cannot defeat the U.S., but it can potentially wear down its political will,” Maharaj said.

Despite the U.S. having an “infinite” capacity to manufacture and deploy arms, Iran can make this “painful” for the U.S. and its allies, he added.

“It can’t take away the American ability to wage war against them, but they can diminish American willingness to carry on with war in the weeks and months ahead,” Maharaj said.

Yesterday, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the U.S. wants to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal, navy, regional capacity to “destabilize” and to guarantee the country cannot obtain a nuclear weapon.

Aarjavee Raaj, CTVNews.ca journalist

Gulf food supply impacted

The war in the Middle East has blocked access to major ports in the Gulf region, impacting the supply of food to more than 50 million people in a region highly dependent on agricultural imports, a ship-spotting platform said Thursday.

MarineTraffic.com said that container vessels heading to ports in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait are now stranded.

The region imports more than 90 per cent of its food, it said.

The Associated Press

Sri Lanka says another Iranian vessel is in its waters

A Sri Lankan minister said Thursday that another Iranian ship has arrived in its waters, a day after a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship off the country’s coast, killing at least 87 people and wounding 32 others.

Government spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa confirmed the presence of the second Iranian ship in response to a question in parliament. But he did not provide further details about the ship or the number of people on board.

He said the government was making an “intervention to minimize loss of lives and to safeguard the regional peace.”

The Associated Press

At least 38,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into Syria, UN refugee agency says

The UN refugee agency, citing Syrian authorities, told The Associated Press that at least 38,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into Syria -- mostly Syrians -- in the wake of new fighting between Hezbollah and Israel.

On Wednesday, UNHCR and Lebanese officials said 84,000 people have been internally displaced within Lebanon.

“Across the Middle East and beyond, a troubling displacement picture is emerging in the aftermath of the ongoing conflicts in the region,” UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch said Thursday.

UNHCR said Wednesday that 100,000 people were displaced within Iran in the first two days after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, but there are no immediate signs of large numbers of people trying to leave the country.

The Associated Press

Oil tanker struck in Iraq

A security official with Iraq’s navy said an oil tanker flying the Bahamas flag was hit by an explosion Thursday while docked near Khor al-Zubair port in southern Iraq. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly.

The official said a small, unidentified boat approached the tanker at 01:20 a.m. local time, shortly before an explosion was heard near the vessel’s left side. The cause of the explosion and the extent of the damage were not immediately clear.

Also Thursday, Iraq’s state-run Iraqi News Agency reported that an attempt to launch missiles from an area in Basra province in southern Iraq “intended to target a neighboring country,” was thwarted and that security forces seized a mobile launch platform carrying two missiles that were ready to be fired.

The Associated Press

UAE hit by missile and drones

The United Arab Emirates’ Defense Ministry said Thursday that one ballistic missile and six drones hit the country’s territory, as the war widens in the Middle East.

The ministry added in a statement that it repelled six missiles and 131 drones Thursday, and hundreds since the start of the war.

Earlier this week, shrapnel from the interception of cruise missiles killed three residents, and falling shrapnel in past days has wounded 94, it said.

The Associated Press

Rising death toll in Iran

The death toll in Iran from the ongoing war with the United States and Israel has reached at least 1,230 people, an Iranian government agency said Thursday.

The Iran’s Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs offered the toll.

The Associated Press

Iran denies launching drone toward Azerbaijan

Iran’s general staff of the armed forces denied Thursday that it had launched a drone toward Azerbaijan.

The denial comes, however, as Iran has repeatedly denied targeting oil infrastructure and other civilian targets during the war, despite its drone and missile fire hitting those sites.

The Associated Press

Iran targets Israel with large missiles, Revolutionary Guard says

Iran launched its large Khorramshahr-4 missiles in an attack Thursday targeting Israel, the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said.

The Guard said the missiles had a 1-ton warhead. The missiles also can be multiple warhead. Israel has said Iran used cluster munitions in attacks.

The Guard claimed attacks in Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates as well.

The Associated Press

Iranian warship sunk by U.S. had participated in India-hosted naval exercises

Indian authorities say that an Iranian warship that was sunk by a U.S. submarine near Sri Lanka had participated in naval exercises hosted by India before heading out into international waters in the Indian Ocean on its way home.

The sinking on Wednesday underscored the spread of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran. It also ignited a debate in India about maritime security in the Indian Ocean -- a region where New Delhi maintains a significant naval presence.

The Indian government has not yet publicly commented on the incident but opposition leaders questioned its lack of response.

The Associated Press

Death toll in Lebanon rises to 77

The number of people killed in Lebanon since a resurgence in hostilities between Israel and the Hezbollah militant group Monday has risen to 77, with 527 people wounded, the Lebanese health ministry said Thursday.

It was not clear how many of the casualties were civilians. The health ministry had earlier said that seven children were killed.

After the attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iran triggered a new war in the Middle East, Hezbollah launched missiles and drones into Israel Monday for the first time in over a year, and Israel has retaliated with bombardment of southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs.

More than 83,000 people have been displaced in Lebanon by the renewed conflict.

The Associated Press

Pakistan evacuates its nationals

Pakistan has evacuated nearly 2,000 of its nationals, including about three dozen diplomats, from Iran through the southwestern Taftan border following U.S. and Israeli attacks inside the country, officials said.

Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said in a statement that the evacuees returned through the main land route between the two countries.

He said in recent days, a total of 1,979 people have returned home through the Taftan border, including 37 diplomats.

About 3,500 Pakistani pilgrims, students, and businesspeople were in Iran when the attacks began.

Some Pakistanis have also been evacuated through Azerbaijan, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Taftan border crossing in southwestern Balochistan is commonly used by traders, pilgrims, and travellers between the two countries.

The Associated Press

Powerful Emirati businessman criticizes Trump for war

One of the most powerful businessmen in the Middle East has lashed out at U.S. President Donald Trump and questioned his rationale for triggering the war in the Middle East.

Emirati tycoon Khalaf Al Habtoor said in a social media post Thursday that Trump’s decision has put the Gulf and other Arab countries “at the heart of a danger they did not choose.”

He also said the result is “sacrificing American lives in a war that is not theirs to fight.”

The Associated Press

Falling shrapnel from drone interception wounds 6 in Abu Dhabi

A drone interception in the capital of the United Arab Emirates saw shrapnel fall to the ground that wounded six people, authorities said.

The Abu Dhabi Media Office announced the injuries Thursday, saying they happened in the capital’s ICAD II industrial area. That’s near Al Dhafra Air Base, which hosts American forces.

It identified those hurt as being from Nepal and Pakistan.

The Associated Press

Italy sending naval support to Cyprus and defense systems to the Gulf countries

Italy heightened its national air-defense systems Thursday and said it will send naval support to Cyprus and anti-missile and anti-drone defense systems to Gulf countries that have come under retaliatory strikes from Iran.

The United States hasn’t yet asked to use any of the U.S. bases in Italy for logistical or other operations in its war against Tehran. But if it does, the government will inform Parliament, Premier Giorgia Meloni said Thursday.

The United States has more than 12,000 military personnel on bases across Italy, including army bases in Vicenza and Livorno, the air force bases at Aviano, home to the 31st Fighter Wing, the naval air station at Sigonella in Sicily, and ports at Gaeta and Naples, home to the U.S. Sixth Fleet.

The Associated Press

Israel hits sports halls in Tehran

Israeli airstrikes on Thursday hit two indoor sports halls in Iran’s capital, Tehran.

There was no immediate explanation for the targeting choice.

However, Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its all-volunteer Basij use such facilities as rallying points after earlier airstrikes took out their other bases.

The Associated Press

Kremlin says Iran hasn’t asked Russia for military assistance

The Kremlin said Thursday that Iran hasn’t asked Russia for military assistance as it faces the U.S. and Israeli attacks.

Asked whether Russia could go beyond rhetoric and offer military assistance to its ally, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded that “there have been no requests from the Iranian side.”

He added that “our consistent position is well known, and there have been no changes to it.”

Russian officials have said that a “strategic partnership” treaty Moscow signed with Tehran in January 2025 doesn’t envisage military assistance.

The Associated Press

U.S. and Arab allies seek Ukrainian drone expertise, Zelenskyy says

The United States and its Mideast allies have approached Ukraine for help in defending against Iranian Shahed drones, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

He said he has spoken in recent days with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait about possible cooperation.

Ukrainian assistance, he said, will be provided only if it does not weaken Ukraine’s own defenses and if it adds leverage to Kyiv’s diplomatic efforts to stop the Russian invasion.

“We help to defend from war those who help us, Ukraine, bring a just end to the war” with Russia, Zelenskyy said.

The Associated Press

Qatar condemns Iranian missile attacks targeting Turkiye and Azerbaijan

Qatar has condemned the attempted Iranian missile attack against Turkiye and the drone attack on an airport in Azerbaijan.

The Foreign Ministry said in a statement Thursday that Iran’s attempts to widen the conflict are dangerous, and that the attacks against Turkiye and Azerbaijan are a “dangerous, aggressive escalation and a blatant violation to the nations’ sovereignty.”

The Associated Press

Turkiye says border with Iran remains calm

Turkiye’s joint border with Iran remains calm and there is no extraordinary movement or mass build-up of migrants despite the ongoing conflict, Turkiye’s defense ministry said.

It added that “intensive security measures” were being implemented at the frontier.

The ministry on Thursday renewed a call for all parties to end the fighting and to engage in negotiations.

On Wednesday, NATO defenses intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Iran that was heading toward Turkiye’s airspace.

The Associated Press

South Korea tells its citizens to leave Iran as it issues a travel ban

Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said the ban, which took effect at 6 p.m. Thursday, prohibits South Koreans from visiting or remaining anywhere in Iran without special permission.

South Korean officials have so far evacuated 24 citizens from Iran to Turkmenistan and 62 from Israel to Egypt by bus. Before the evacuations, officials said about 60 South Koreans were in Iran and about 600 in Israel.

The Associated Press

Azerbaijan accuses Iran of drone attack

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday accused Iran of carrying out a drone attack on its exclave of Nakhchivan.

The ministry said in a statement that one drone crashed near the airport in Nakhchivan, and another one near a school, and that two civilians were injured.

Azerbaijan “strongly condemns this incident,” the Foreign Ministry said in the statement, adding it “reserves the right to take necessary retaliatory measures.”

The ministry said it summoned the Iranian ambassador to lodge a protest.

“Such actions contradict the norms and principles of international law and contribute to increased tension in the region,” it said.

Iran has not acknowledged targeting Azerbaijan, but its attacks have spread erratically as the war has gone on involving regional countries and beyond.

Nakhchivan is territorially separated from the rest of Azerbaijan.

It accounts for about 6% of Azerbaijan’s territory, with a swath of Armenia about 40 kilometres (25 miles) wide between the exclave and Azerbaijan.

It also borders Azerbaijan’s close ally Turkiye, and Iran.

The Associated Press

France’s top diplomat speaks with Iranian counterpart

France’s foreign affairs minister has spoken with his Iranian counterpart and condemned Iran’s strikes on its neighbors after it retaliated to US-Israeli attacks.

Jean-Noel Barrot recalled “France’s commitment to stability in the Middle East, to de-escalation, and to the resumption of a demanding diplomatic dialogue, in compliance with international law, within which the use of force must be framed,” France’s foreign affairs ministry said Thursday.

Barrot also expressed “France’s ongoing concern” about the situation of its nationals detained in Iran during Wednesday’s call.

After more than three years in detention on spying charges, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris were released from an Iranian prison in November and transferred to the French Residence in Tehran.

Barrot “called for their immediate and unconditional release and reaffirmed the full and complete mobilization of the French authorities to that end.”

The families of Kohler and Paris said earlier this week that they are “very worried” about them, citing bombings which occurred not far from the French Embassy.

The Associated Press

China to send envoy to Mideast to help de-escalate tensions

China will send its special envoy on Middle Eastern issues to the region to help de-escalate tensions, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Thursday.

Zhai Jun will travel to the Middle East “in the near future and make active efforts to help de-escalate tensions,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a regular briefing in Beijing.

Since the start of the Iran war, China has conducted “intensive mediation efforts,” Mao said.

Among other things, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held phone conversations with his counterparts from Russia, Iran, Oman, France, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, she said.

In his talks, Wang “pointed out that military operations must cease immediately and that all parties should return to dialogue and negotiation as soon as possible so as to prevent further escalation of tensions and the spillover of conflict,” Mao said.

The Associated Press

Alerts sound in Jerusalem

Israel’s military said Thursday morning it detected missile launches from Iran.

Alerts telling residents they’d soon be asked to enter bunkers sounded on phones in Jerusalem.

Israel’s rescue services said it did not have any immediate reports of casualties from the latest missile barrage fired by Iran Thursday morning.

The barrage also set off sirens in central Israel and parts of the north.

The Associated Press

Spain repatriates more than 170 nationals

A Spanish military plane has successfully evacuated 171 Spanish citizens who were residing in the Middle East and wanted to escape the violence unleashed in the region after the American and Israeli attack on Iran.

The plane arrived at an air base near Madrid on Thursday morning after an overnight flight from Oman.

Spanish authorities are also evacuating citizens on commercial flights.

Spain’s government has refused to allow American military forces the use of two military bases for its operations against Iran.

The Associated Press

Bahrain cracks down on filming related to its military

As Bahrain comes under intense attack from Iran, the island kingdom is cracking down on anyone filming anything related to its military.

The state-run Bahrain News Agency published a statement early Thursday for the country’s military, saying that there was a prohibition on “the photography, publication, or redistribution of any images, video footage, recordings, or information relating to its military installations, military operations, or defensive measures.”

It also included what the military described as the “unverified information ... pertaining to events, attacks and acts of aggression targeting the kingdom.”

That likely will further restrict reporting in Bahrain, which sits in the Persian Gulf off Saudi Arabia and is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.

Independent news gathering there has grown incredibly difficult there since its 2011 Arab Spring, with journalists having their accreditations or visas revoked.

The Associated Press

Australia deploys ‘crisis response teams’ to help stranded citizens

Australia is deploying six crisis response teams and has already sent unspecified military assets near conflict areas in the Middle East in order to help bring stranded Australians home, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Thursday.

Officials from the foreign affairs and trade department are “working around the clock” to handle surging consular requests, Albanese told Parliament.

“The government is deploying six crisis response teams to the region, and we’ve already deployed military assets as part of our contingency planning earlier this week,” Albanese said.

He did not specify what kind of military assets had been deployed.

The Associated Press

Stranded South Koreans return home from Dubai

Dozens of South Korean travellers stranded in Dubai due to flight disruptions returned home on a flight routed through Taiwan.

Another group is expected to arrive later Thursday, but hundreds more are believed to remain in Dubai, as the war continued to squeeze regional air traffic.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said there are about 2,000 Korean short-term visitors in the United Arab Emirates.

The Associated Press

Explosions reported in Doha

Al Jazeera reported several explosions heard late Thursday morning in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

Cyprus says drone that hit a British air base took off from Lebanese capital

Cyprus says the Shahed drone that struck a British air base on the island nation’s southern coastline was launched from Beirut.

A Cypriot official confirmed Thursday the drone that damaged a hangar at RAF Akrotiri just after midnight Monday had taken off from the Lebanese capital.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he isn’t permitted to speak publicly about the attack.

Two more drones detected midday Monday were intercepted by British warplanes that took off from RAF Akrotiri.

There have been several false alarms regarding drone sightings since those initial strikes.

The Associated Press

Israel’s military said it struck Hezbollah command centres in Beirut

Israel’s military said Thursday it struck additional command centres of the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

“A short while ago, the Israeli Air Force completed a wave of intelligence-based strikes in Beirut against several command centres belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization,” read a statement by the military.

It added that among the targets was a command centre used by Hezbollah’s aerial unit. The command centres were intended to be used by Hezbollah to attack Israeli military personnel and civilians, the military said.

Airstrikes were heard throughout Beirut on Thursday, though it wasn’t clear immediately what was hit.

The Associated Press

Iran claims attack on U.S. tanker in Persian Gulf

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard claimed an attack Thursday on an American oil tanker in the northern reaches of the Persian Gulf.

The statement read on Iranian state television did not elaborate, but may be linked to an attack off the coast of Kuwait earlier in the day in which a tanker was targeted, according to a report from the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre.

The Associated Press

First two flights bringing back Israelis land in Tel Aviv

Israel’s airspace reopened for limited incoming flights Thursday after being closed since the joint U.S.-Israeli war on Iran began.

Under the phased plan, one passenger flight per hour will be allowed in the first 24 hours, totaling about 5,000 people, with more later depending on security.

Outgoing commercial flights are still prohibited.

The Associated Press

Red Crescent Society of Iran says strikes hit more than 170 cities

The Red Crescent Society of Iran said the U.S.-Israeli airstrike campaign targeting Iran has struck 174 cities in the country.

In a statement Thursday, the Red Crescent said it had recorded at least 1,332 attack so far in 636 locations.

It said residential areas had been hit in a number of cities.

It added seven Red Crescent bases and branches had been damaged, as well as three of its rescue vehicles and 14 medical and pharmaceutical centres.

The Associated Press

Explosions also heard in eastern Tehran

Residents also heard explosions in the eastern reaches of Tehran.

The Associated Press

Explosions heard in Tehran’s west

Witnesses in Tehran heard explosions in the city’s west and in the direction of Karaj.

Iran’s foreign minister says US will ‘bitterly regret’ sinking of Iranian frigate

Iran’s foreign minister said Thursday that America “will come to bitterly regret (the) precedent it has set” after a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian frigate off the coast of Sri Lanka.

The comment by Abbas Araghchi represents the first time the Iranian government acknowledged the sinking of the IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean.

Araghchi made the comment on X, saying “the U.S. has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores.”

“Frigate Dena, a guest of India’s Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning,” he wrote. “Mark my words: The U.S. will come to bitterly regret (the) precedent it has set.”

The Associated Press

Israel launches ‘large-scale wave of strikes against infrastructure’ in Tehran, military says

Israel’s military said Thursday morning it had begun a “large-scale wave of strikes against infrastructure” in Iran’s capital, Tehran.

The Associated Press

Oman helps organize flights for stranded foreigners

Oman’s top diplomat said Thursday that the sultanate was working with countries around the world to organize flights home for stranded foreigners.

Badr al-Busaidi wrote the message on X, just after Qatar Airways said it would start flights from Oman’s capital, Muscat.

“For everyone hoping to fly home from the Gulf, the Omani government is working with your governments and international airlines to organize flights to get you home,” he wrote. “We mean everyone, whatever passport you hold. The citizens of all countries have the human right to safety and security. People matter. Let’s stop the war now.”

Oman, on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, has come under attack off its coast and at its seaports, but has not seen a strike on Muscat International Airport in the war.

The Associated Press

Qatar Airways to operate limited ‘relief flights’

Qatar Airways said Thursday it will start operating a limited number of “relief flights” as the war in the Middle East goes on.

The airline said on X that the flights will include departures from Muscat, the Omani capital, to Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, London, Madrid and Rome. Another route will be from Riyadh to Frankfurt, Germany.

The flights will “support passengers who are stranded due to the current situation across the region.”

Airspace in Qatar remains closed over Iranian fire into the region.

Qatar Airways is a key East-West carrier.

The Associated Press