Real-time News

Kuwait News Agency: Fire officials said the fire that broke out in the oil tank area of Kuwait Airport following the drone attack has been extinguished.

On March 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that although US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied claims that the US was pressuring Ukraine to hand over the Donbas region in exchange for security guarantees, all the signals he received during negotiations indicated that Ukraine would only receive US security guarantees after withdrawing its troops from the Donbas region. Previously, Zelenskyy had revealed in an interview that the US was pressuring Ukraine to hand over the Donbas region in exchange for security guarantees. Secretary Rubio refuted Zelenskyy's remarks, calling them a "lie."

March 28 – According to the Wall Street Journal, Israel has begun limiting the use of its most advanced missile interceptors due to depleted stockpiles caused by ongoing Iranian attacks, forcing the IDF to increasingly rely on upgraded but less capable interceptor systems. Recently, two Iranian missiles struck the southern cities of Dimona and Arad after a failed interception attempt using a modified, lower-level system. Israel's air defense system has long been considered one of the most advanced in the world, but has so far relied heavily on the Arrow system to counter long-range ballistic missile threats. However, officials are now limiting the use of these high-end interceptors, turning instead to upgraded versions of the David's Sling (Israel's medium- and long-range air defense system) and even the Iron Dome system, which were not originally designed to deal with such threats.

On March 28, Iraqi Electricity Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abadi stated that Iran had halted natural gas supplies to southern Iraq since the evening of March 27, after a previous daily supply of 10 million cubic meters. Abadi added that Iran is also currently limiting its natural gas supplies to central Iraq to 10 million cubic meters per day. He noted that the ongoing instability in the region is impacting oil extraction, production, and exports within Iraq. The Iraqi Electricity Ministry is closely monitoring the situation to ensure that Iran's restrictions do not affect the fuel supply needed by power plants in Iraq.

On March 28, the Yemeni government issued a statement condemning Iran for dragging Yemen into the regional conflict through its supported armed forces. The statement pointed out that Iran, with the help of the Houthi rebels and other forces, is interfering in regional affairs, undermining national sovereignty, and threatening regional security. The Yemeni government believes that the Houthi actions serve Iran's regional strategy. The statement warned that such actions will exacerbate Yemen's humanitarian crisis and impact food and energy supplies. The government emphasized that the right to decide on war and peace belongs to the state, and any illegal military action must bear the consequences. The Yemeni government called on the people to refuse mobilization for war and urged the international community to increase pressure on the Houthi rebels and support the restoration of national power, stability, and development. Iran has not yet responded to this statement.

On March 28, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement saying that, as part of Operation Honest Commitment 4, the IRGC Navy and Space Force conducted strikes against multiple heavy industrial targets in the United States and Israel using missiles and drones in the 85th wave of attacks. The statement indicated that this operation was in retaliation for previous attacks by US and Israeli forces against Iranian civilian industrial facilities. During the operation, Iranian armed forces launched saturation attacks on heavy industrial centers in Israel and other regions, destroying some targets. The IRGC emphasized that if the US and Israel continue to attack Iranian industrial systems, the scale of Iran's subsequent retaliation will "exceed their expectations." In addition, during the interception and counterattack operations, Iranian air defense systems shot down a US-made MQ-9 drone over Shiraz. A US F-16 fighter jet was hit in southern Fars province and subsequently crashed while en route to an emergency landing at a base in Saudi Arabia.

March 28 (Wall Street Journal) – Energy analysts warn that the oil market could face even greater turmoil if the Houthi rebels in Yemen resume attacks on Red Sea shipping. A renewed attack could cut significant amounts of oil from global supply and drive up prices. Saudi Arabia has been diverting as much crude oil as possible from the Persian Gulf to its Red Sea port of Yanbu, from where cargoes are primarily destined for Asia. While this hasn't fully offset the amount of oil unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, it has helped limit the rise in global oil prices. Analysts say that if Houthi attacks make it too dangerous for tankers to approach Yanbu, millions of barrels of crude oil could be stranded daily in the Middle East. In that case, Saudi Arabia might be forced to cut production along with Kuwait and Iraq.

On March 28, the Fajar Military District of Fars Province, part of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, issued a statement saying that Iranian security forces discovered and destroyed 122 cluster bombs dropped by US and Israeli warplanes in the suburbs and surrounding areas of Shiraz, the provincial capital. The statement indicated that these cluster bombs were dropped several days earlier in areas including the village of Kafri in Shiraz, causing civilian casualties. The munitions were identified as BLU-108 submunitions carried by US-made CBU-105 cluster bombs. The statement concluded that the US and Israeli forces' use of such weapons against civilian areas is further irrefutable evidence of their war crimes.

Sources say Saudi Arabia's crude oil exports have reached approximately 5 million barrels per day, and its petroleum product exports have reached 700,000 to 900,000 barrels per day. The Saudi East-West oil pipeline has a transport capacity of 7 million barrels per day.

The head of Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation (regarding the renewed attack near Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant) stated that the situation on the ground continues to deteriorate, and the attack poses a direct threat to nuclear security.

Qatar's Ministry of Defense: The defense agreement signed between Ukraine and Qatar includes the exchange of experience in dealing with missile and drone systems.

Qatari Ministry of Defense: Ukraine and Qatar have signed a defense cooperation agreement.

On March 28, the Israel Defense Forces detected a new round of missile launches from Iran towards Israel. Air raid sirens sounded in several parts of central and southern Israel. Furthermore, Israeli forces were seen intercepting the missiles over Jerusalem.

March 28th - According to three sources who attended the G7 foreign ministers' meeting on March 27th, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Maria Callas clashed fiercely over the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The sources claim this exchange reflects the current mutual distrust between the US and many of its European allies stemming from the conflict.

According to the Syrian state news agency, Syria has thwarted a drone attack launched from Iraq targeting the strategic Tanf airbase.

Ukrainian President Zelensky: I have arrived in Qatar.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry denied Iran's claims that it destroyed a Ukrainian air defense weapons depot in Dubai.

The China Earthquake Networks Center officially reported that a magnitude 3.3 earthquake occurred at 18:50 on March 28 in Yecheng County, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang (36.03 degrees north latitude, 77.71 degrees east longitude), with a focal depth of 57 kilometers.

March 28th - According to the website of the China Maritime Safety Administration, the Dalian Maritime Safety Administration issued a navigation warning stating that from 16:00 on March 29th to 16:00 on April 5th, military operations will be conducted in the Bohai Strait and the northern Yellow Sea, and entry is prohibited.

Israel Defense Forces: The Israel Defense Forces have just completed another round of strikes against Iranian terrorist regime infrastructure in Tehran. More details will be released later.