Lebanon Iran war continues to spread - new attacks
A ballistic missile flies towards Nato country Turkey, Israel continues to attack Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, there are drone attacks on civilian targets in the Gulf states, the USA sinks a warship off Sri Lanka and hardly any oil and gas is coming through the Strait of Hormuz: the Iran war, which is less than a week old, continues to spread.
05.03.2026, 05:58
SDA
On Thursday night, the USA and Israel continued to launch attacks in Iran, Tehran once again attacked Kurdish groups in neighboring Iraq and the Israeli military continued to bomb targets in Lebanon. Fears also grew that Israel could launch another ground offensive in its northern neighbor.
Expert: Tehran wants to increase the cost of war for Washington
"Iran is trying to regionalize the conflict," says Ali Vaez, head of the Iran programme at the International Crisis Group. "The attacks on the Gulf states and US bases show that Tehran believes that the best option is to increase the costs for Washington and its allies as quickly as possible."
The firing of a ballistic missile at Turkey on Wednesday represented a new level of escalation. The Iranian missile was intended to hit the important NATO airbase at Incirlik, the New York Times reported, citing US military circles. The missile was intercepted by a NATO defense system.
IOM chief warns of migration crisis due to Iran war
Meanwhile, the head of the UN Organization for Migration (IOM) warned Europe of a migration crisis that could develop within days. "Look at the example of Ukraine, where millions of people have crossed the border within a few days," said IOM head Amy Pope in an interview with the German Press Agency in Brussels.
In conflicts not far from Europe, it is crucial to closely monitor the migration movements of people. "We see people who are displaced within the country. We are watching to see if and when this displacement will spread to other countries," said the US-American. "What we have seen in the past with attacks in Iran is that they leave the big cities first and go to family members." The decisive factor is whether the conflict continues, expands and civilian infrastructure is also hit. This could then lead to more people fleeing, she said.
Iran's military attacks Kurdish groups in Iraq
The Iranian armed forces said they had again attacked Kurdish groups in neighboring Iraq. Three missiles were fired at the headquarters of opposition units, the state news agency Irna reported, citing the military leadership in Tehran.
The pro-government broadcaster Press TV published videos showing missiles hitting the positions of "anti-Iranian separatists". US media recently reported that President Donald Trump was considering arming Kurdish groups for an uprising against Iran's government. The White House rejected this claim.
Macron warns Netanyahu against ground offensive in Lebanon
French President Emmanuel Macron called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to refrain from a ground offensive in neighboring Lebanon. It is important that the territorial integrity of Lebanon is preserved and that the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia ceases its attacks on Israel, Macron said after talks with Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Platform X. The parties should return to the ceasefire agreement.
Meanwhile, Israel's army praised its actions against Iran's ballistic missile positions as successful. "We believe that our operations against these missile launchers and against the missile stockpiles have made a significant contribution to reducing the number of missiles fired daily," said military spokesman Nadav Shoshani. Nevertheless, at least three rocket alarms were again triggered in Israel on Thursday night.
Explosion reported on tanker in the Persian Gulf
An explosion occurred on a tanker off the coast of Kuwait in the Persian Gulf. The captain of the ship, which was anchored around 55 kilometers southeast of Mubarak al-Kabir, noticed a large explosion on the port side before a small boat sailed away, reported the UK Merchant Shipping Safety Office (UKMTO). Oil from the cargo tank leaked into the sea. A fire was not initially reported and the crew were fine.
Ships have recently been repeatedly hit by projectiles in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. As a result of the escalation, hardly any oil tankers and ships carrying liquefied natural gas are currently sailing through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, which is why world market prices have already risen.
Neighborhood of the US embassy in Qatar evacuated
The area surrounding the US embassy in Qatar has been evacuated. The residents of the surrounding buildings have been temporarily taken to safety as a precautionary measure, according to the Gulf state's Ministry of Interior. They have been provided with alternative accommodation.
Since the start of the Iran war on Saturday, the Iranian armed forces have repeatedly fired missiles and drones at Qatar.
