Israel and the US launched what they called a “preemptive strike” against Iran Saturday morning, plunging the region into chaos as Tehran launched counter strikes that also targeted American military bases across the Gulf. Tensions persist as the string of strikes and counter-strikes continues.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the attack, Iran had confirmed Sunday, after which Alireza Arafi was picked as the interim successor. Arafi has been appointed the jurist member of the temporary leadership council to fulfill the Supreme Leader’s role.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had first announced the strike Saturday that many believed was a long time in making, with the White House stepping up pressure on Tehran over its nuclear programme.
US President Donald Trump described the military action as “massive and ongoing”, and plainly called for a regime change. He urged Iranians to “take over your government” and accused Tehran of working to rebuild its nuclear programme. Tehran has long maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only. Iran’s state media said the country was preparing for “a crushing response”.
Stay tuned to ThePrint for the latest developments.
US, Israel strike Iran | LIVE UPDATES
5.30 pm: Over 8,000 displaced in Qatar
Qatar was not notified by Iran of incoming missile attacks, a foreign ministry spokesperson has said, Reuters reported.
Iran’s targets within Qatar were not just military, the ministry has added. More than 8,000 people have been displaced.
5.00 pm: MEA reiterates ‘call for dialogue & diplomacy’
India has strongly reiterated “its call for dialogue and diplomacy” amid the conflict. In a statement, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs says, “We raise our voice clearly in favour of an early end to the conflict. Already, many lives have been regrettably lost and we express our grief in that regard.”
“There are almost one crore Indian citizens who live and work in the Gulf region. Their safety and well-being is of utmost priority. We cannot be impervious to any development that negatively affects them. Our trade and energy supply chains also traverse this geography. Any major disruption has serious consequences for the Indian economy. As a country whose nationals are prominent in the global workforce, India is also firmly opposed to attacks on merchant shipping. Already, some Indian nationals have lost their lives or are missing as a result of such attacks in the last few days,” the statement reads.
The spokesperson adds that Indian Embassies and Consulates in the affected countries remain in close touch with Indian nationals and community organisations, issuing regular advisories as appropriate. “They have also extended all possible help to those stranded by the conflict. The Embassies and Consulates will continue to be proactive in addressing various consular aspects of this conflict.”
India is in touch with the Governments of this region as well as other key partners. Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister have held discussions with their counterparts, MEA says.
Statement by the Official Spokesperson on the ongoing conflict in the West Asia region ⬇️https://t.co/s1Qm6xIqbS
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) March 3, 2026
4.20 pm: 30,000 displaced in Lebanon, says UNHCR
At least 30,000 displaced people have sought protection in shelters in Lebanon since hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah began on Monday, the United Nations refugee agency has said, Reuters reported.
“Conservative estimates suggest that nearly 30,000 people were hosted and registered at collective shelters,” said UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch. “Many more slept in their cars on the side of roads or were still stuck in traffic jams on the roads.”
Families are fleeing their homes across parts of southern Lebanon after increased Israeli airstrikes.
Many have left only with that they could carry.
Civilians must be protected at all times. pic.twitter.com/MJ8nuCk4I7
— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) March 3, 2026
4.15 pm: Israel military order evacuation of towns in southern Lebanon
Israeli military has issued evacuation orders for residents of more than two dozen towns in southern Lebanon.
3.30 pm: IAEA confirms ‘some damage’ to nuclear Fuel Enrichment Plant in Natanz
UN nuclear watchdog confirms “some recent damage” to entrance buildings of Iran’s underground Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP), “based on the latest available satellite imagery”.
“No radiological consequence expected and no additional impact detected at FEP itself, which was severely damaged in the June conflict,” a statement on X read.
3.10 pm: At least 787 killed in Iran so far, says Iranian Red Crescent
The Iranian Red Crescent Society has updated the recorded death toll in the country to 787.
“Following the recent attacks, so far 153 counties across the country have been affected by incidents, and a total of 504 locations have been struck. The number of recorded attacks has reached 1039 incidents as of this moment,” it said in a statement.
2.40 pm: Embassy moves Indian students to safer locations outside Tehran
The Indian embassy in Iran has said that it has relocated most Indian students who were in Tehran to safer location outside the capital, making arrangements for their accommodation, transport and food. Only a small number who refused the embassy’s offer remain in Tehran, it said in a statement.
— India in Iran (@India_in_Iran) March 3, 2026
2.30 pm: ‘Hezbollah will pay a heavy price for the firing toward Israel’
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz says in a statement on X: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have approved for the IDF to advance and seize additional controlling areas in Lebanon to prevent firing on Israeli border settlements. The IDF continues to operate with force against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The terrorist organisation is paying and will pay a heavy price for the firing toward Israel.”
2.00 pm: CBSE exams in Kuwait postponed
The Indian embassy in Kuwait has said that CBSE has decided to postpone the class X and XII exams to be held in Kuwait on 5 and 6 March “due to the ongoing regional situation in the Gulf region”. Fresh dates will be announced later.
Due to the ongoing regional situation in the Gulf region, CBSE has decided to postpone the class X and XII exams to be held in Kuwait on 05.03.2026 and 06.03.2026. The fresh date for the same will be announced later: Embassy of India in Kuwait pic.twitter.com/FI6A6JdCnG
— ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2026
1.40 pm: Earthquake in Iran
Iran struck by earthquake of 4.3 magnitude, with epicentre in Gerash city.
1.30 pm: Funeral procession in Iran’s Minab for those killed in school attack
Iranian state media posts a video clip of thousands of people on the streets of Minab bidding farewell to the elementary school girls and teachers who were killed in a strike by US-Israel.
Aerial footage of the emotional funeral procession in Minab for the elementary school girls and teachers who were martyred on the direct orders of the US regime. pic.twitter.com/ZOAX9p4my6
— IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) March 3, 2026
1.20 pm: Israel’s ‘forward defence posture’ on Lebanon border
Israeli military says IDF soldiers are “operating in southern Lebanon and are positioned at several points near the border area as part of an enhanced forward defense posture”.
It says in a statement that targeted strikes are being conducted against Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure. “Hezbollah chose to attack Israel on behalf of the Iranian regime, and it will bear the consequences of its actions,” it adds.
12.40 pm: US embassy in Kuwait closed indefinitely
The US embassy in Kuwait has been closed until further notice amid the ongoing tensions in the region. “We have canceled all regular and emergency consular appointments. We will communicate when the embassy returns to normal operations,” a statement read.
The State Department has also updated the travel advisory for Kuwait, ordering the departure of non-emergency US government personnel and family members of government personnel.
12.20 pm: US embassy in Iraq orders govt employees to leave country
The embassy in Iraq has updated its travel advisory, ordering non-emergency US government employees to leave “due to security reasons”. It added the government personnel in Baghdad were prohibited from using the city’s international airport.
12.00 pm: India making arrangements to evacuate stranded passengers
The Ministry of Civil Aviation is making arrangements to facilitate the movement of stranded passengers across the Gulf, it said in a statement. “Airlines are deploying additional capacity” where and when required, it added.
According to estimates, there are 9 million Indians living in the Gulf. Of these, 10,000 are in Iran.
11.45 am: US orders ‘non-emergency’ staff to leave Bahrain, Jordan
The US State Department Tuesday ordered non-emergency personnel and their families to leave Bahrain and Jordan. Similar instructions were given to its staff in Iraq a day earlier.
The advisory comes at a time when US envoy to Israel Mike Huckabee said on X that Americans in Israel have “very limited options” to leave the country.
The US embassy was “not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel”, he said.
For American who are currently in Israel I want to share this thorough (but long) update on options for departing. There are VERY LIMITED options.
As of now, the best is utilizing Israel's Ministry of Tourism shuttle bus to Taba, Egypt and getting flights from there or going…
— Ambassador Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) March 3, 2026
Separately, the US Embassy in Kuwait was closing until further notice “due to ongoing regional tensions”, it said on X.
11.40 am: US has enough weapons for ‘forever’ war, Trump claims
In a post on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump claims there are “abundant” stocks of ammunition with the US, and these supplies can be used to fight a “forever” war too.
“We have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons. The United States is stocked, and ready to WIN, BIG!!!” Trump wrote, shortly before midnight in Washington DC.
But, he added: “At the highest end, we have a good supply, but are not where we want to be. Much additional high grade weaponry is stored for us in outlying countries.”
Trump’s remarks come at a time US media have reported that senior Pentagon officials had warned the President about American weapon stockpiles coming under pressure if the military operation in Iran gets stretched out.
Despite losing senior commanders and its Supreme Leader Khamenei, Iran has kept up its campaign of retaliation. Reports say Tehran’s response and ability to carry this into the fourth day of the war surprised both American and Israeli sides.
11.30 am: UAE, Qatar deny report on depleting air defences
As Iran continues to deploy cheap ‘Shahed’ drones, the UAE and Qatar said in statements that a Bloomberg report on their depleting air defence capacities was incorrect. The countries insist that they are well-stocked.
Statement by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Response to Inaccurate Reporting by Bloomberghttps://t.co/5bUvMxKnDU pic.twitter.com/3hlJu9Mmdw
— MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) March 3, 2026
11.15 am: Strikes hit near Iran’s old Parliament building, says report
Local media reported that air strikes had targeted an area near the old Parliament building in Tehran. The area is home to several museums.
The report comes as Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said it launched strikes on Tehran, and Lebanese capital Beirut. “The IDF is currently conducting simultaneous targeted strikes against military targets in Tehran and Beirut,” it said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, IDF issued an “urgent warning”, asking people in Beirut to evacuate. It said it was targeting facilities linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah.
11.00 am: US military says IRGC command & control facilities, Iranian air defence capabilities ‘destroyed’
US military has claimed its forces have “destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields during sustained operations”.
In a post on X, US Central Command (CENTCOM) wrote, “We will continue to take decisive action against imminent threats posed by the Iranian regime.”
U.S. forces have destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and military airfields during sustained operations. We will continue to take decisive action against imminent threats… pic.twitter.com/0aHEyVHf5e
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 3, 2026
10.40 am: US launched strikes ‘on behalf of Israel’: Araghchi
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi posted on X: “Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: US has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian ‘threat’.”
He added, “Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters. American people deserve better and should take back their country.”
Mr. Rubio admitted what we all knew: U.S. has entered a war of choice on behalf of Israel. There was never any so-called Iranian "threat".
Shedding of both American and Iranian blood is thus on Israel Firsters.
American people deserve better and should take back their country.
— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 3, 2026
09.55 am: ‘US will mitigate oil price spike’: Rubio
The US will take action to mitigate rising energy prices due to a spike in the price of oil caused by the Iran conflict, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said.
“Starting tomorrow, you will see us rolling out those phases to try to mitigate against that… We anticipated this could be an issue,” Rubio told reporters Monday. He added that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Energy Secretary Chris Wright would announce the plans Tuesday.
09.40 am: ‘Will attack any ship trying to cross Strait of Hormuz’
A commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said that the Strait of Hormuz is “closed”, warning that any vessel attempting to pass through will be attacked, Iranian state media reported.
“The strait is closed. If anyone tries to pass, the heroes of the Revolutionary Guard and the regular navy will set those ships ablaze,” Ebrahim Jabari, senior adviser to IRGC’s commander-in-chief, said.
09.00 am: ‘Won’t be an endless war, but could take time’: Netanyahu
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel and the US had to take action because Iran had been building new nuclear weapon sites that would have been impossible to attack within months. Speaking to Fox News, he said the conflict caused by the strikes on Iran won’t be “endless”.
“You’re not going to have an endless war,” he said. “This is going to be a quick and decisive action.” However, he said, it “may take some time, but it’s not going to take years.”
08.45 am: US embassy in Riyadh attacked
The US embassy in Riyadh was hit by two drones Monday morning, resulting in a limited fire and some material damage, the Saudi defence ministry said in a post on X.
المتحدث الرسمي لوزارة الدفاع: تعرّضت السفارة الأمريكية في الرياض لهجوم بمسيّرتين بحسب التقديرات الأولية، ونتج عن ذلك حريق محدود وأضرار مادية بسيطة في المبنى. pic.twitter.com/YuCukrePkH
— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) March 3, 2026
Speaking to NewsNation, President Donald Trump has said that US will retaliate to the attack on the embassy and over the deaths of US military personnel amid the Iran conflict, a reporter at the media outlet posted on X, citing an interview with him.