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Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, has become a hub for diplomatic activity as key regional powers converge to address the escalating conflict between the US and Iran. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud have arrived for talks with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. The meetings aim to bring an end to the US-Israeli war on Iran, which has entered its 30th day and caused a global energy crisis. The conflict has led to a significant increase in tensions in the Middle East, with 20 percent of the world's oil and gas supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been choked by Iran. Pakistan is walking a diplomatic tightrope, with close defense ties to Saudi Arabia and cultural ties to Iran. The country is also home to the second-largest Shia population in the world after Iran. Analysts describe Pakistan's role as a 'very delicate balancing act' as it tries to bring the Americans and Iranians back to the negotiating table. The diplomatic push is driven by severe economic fears, with millions of Pakistani citizens potentially losing their jobs in the Gulf region if the conflict spreads. The stakes are existential for Islamabad, which risks a major crisis if energy supplies decline. Experts point out that the enormous economic costs borne by the Gulf countries have dropped drastically due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian drone and missile attacks have targeted energy and industrial facilities, forcing petroleum companies to declare force majeure on supply contracts. The Islamabad gathering serves as a foundational step for an 'Islamic alliance' designed to counter the Israeli project in the region, address geopolitical vacuums, and mitigate uncertainties surrounding future US involvement.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for conducting missile and drone attacks on aluminium facilities in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to a statement carried by Iran's state broadcaster IRIB, the IRGC targeted sites on Saturday that were allegedly linked to US military bases in the Gulf states.The attacks resulted in injuries to two employees at Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) and significant damage to one of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) sites in Abu Dhabi, with six people injured. The IRGC stated that the strikes were in retaliation for a US-Israeli attack on Iranian industrial infrastructure launched from military bases hosting US forces in the Gulf states.The attacks have raised concerns about the global aluminium supply, with estimates suggesting that between 4 to 9 percent of the global supply comes from this region. The escalation of attacks in the Middle East has led to increased tensions, with Saudi Arabia intercepting and destroying 10 drones and the Kuwaiti National Guard shooting down four drones.Analysts warn that if Iran continues to match attack for attack, the situation could become very concerning, potentially leading to further escalation in the Gulf Cooperation Council. The attacks have also prompted Oman's Foreign Ministry to condemn the attacks on its territory, with authorities investigating the sources and motives behind the assaults.

Recent air strikes on Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) have resulted in the deaths of three PMF fighters and two Iraqi police officers. The attacks, which occurred near northern Iraq's Kirkuk Airport, also left two fighters wounded and six Iraqi soldiers injured.An Iraqi security source revealed that the double-bombing was part of the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, which has been spilling over into Iraq's eastern border. The PMF, a coalition now integrated into the regular Iraqi army, accused the US and Israel of a 'treacherous Zionist-American' attack.In a separate incident, Reuters reported that two members of the Iraqi police were killed in an air strike targeting the PMF in Mosul, approximately 105 miles northwest of Kirkuk. This development has contributed to the escalating tensions in the region.Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haque reported from Baghdad that Iraq is becoming an 'expanding battleground' in the crisis. The conflict began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes on Iran and now threatens to engulf the region in a protracted conflict.The PMF, formed in 2014 to fight ISIL (ISIS), has been targeted by pro-Iran armed groups within the coalition. These groups have claimed responsibility for attacks on US interests in Iraq and beyond.Haque noted that the PMF takes its orders from Baghdad, but some factions are loyal to Tehran. This complex dynamic makes it challenging for Baghdad to manage the different factions effectively.Iraq finds itself 'on a tightrope' between the US and Iran, said Haque, due to its economic and security ties with both countries. The government must balance its relationships with its biggest neighbor, Iran, and the United States.In related incidents, two drones targeted an airbase serving as a hub for US and coalition forces near Erbil airport in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The US C-RAM air defence system successfully intercepted the drones.French President Emmanuel Macron described the increased attacks in Iraq as a 'worrying development' after speaking to Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdish region.

The conflict in the Middle East has taken a dramatic turn as Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis launched a second wave of attacks on Israel since joining the conflict on Saturday. The Houthis have vowed to continue their military operations in the coming days until Israel "ceases its attacks and aggression".In a significant escalation, two powerful explosions shook northern Tehran early on Sunday, with air defenses operating in the Iranian capital. The blasts occurred around 7:20 am, but it was not immediately clear what was targeted.Meanwhile, the US is reportedly preparing plans for ground operations in Iran, with the Trump administration having already deployed US Marines to the Middle East. The Pentagon is considering weeks of ground operations in Iran, potentially including raids on Kharg Island and coastal sites near the Strait of Hormuz.The entry of the Houthis into the conflict poses a direct threat to the Bab al-Mandab strait at the southern end of the Red Sea, a critical choke point in the supply chain of energy supplies and other trade in and out of the Middle East. A shutdown of the Bab al-Mandab, located between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, would amplify the already grave impact of the war on the global economy and could also reignite a Saudi-Yemen conflict.Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi has told one of the US's biggest annual gatherings of conservatives that he is ready to lead a new Iranian government and would call on the country's citizens to rise up when the "right moment arrives".Iran's Revolutionary Guard has threatened to target US universities in the Middle East after saying US-Israeli strikes had deliberately targeted two Iranian universities.

Iran launched a significant attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on Friday, wounding at least 15 American soldiers, with five in serious condition. The assault involved at least six ballistic missiles and 29 drones.The base, located about 96km from the Saudi capital Riyadh, is operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force but also serves as a critical location for American forces. The injured US troops were inside a building at the base during the strike.According to reports, the Iranian attack resulted in the destruction of one refuelling aircraft and damaged three others, putting them out of service. Satellite images published by Iran's Press TV showed significant damage to several aircraft at the airbase.This incident marks a continuation of the escalating conflict in the region, which began with a joint assault by Israel and the United States on February 28. Iran has been conducting retaliatory attacks on Gulf nations it accuses of serving as a launchpad for US strikes.The conflict has seen significant casualties on both sides. At least 13 US military service members have been killed since the war on Iran started, with over 300 American troops wounded. Iran's government has not released an updated casualty toll, but the US-based activist group HRANA reported 1,167 Iranian soldiers killed and 658 troops with unknown status as of March 23.The attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base is part of a broader pattern of Iranian retaliation. The base has been consistently targeted since the war began, highlighting the strategic importance of the location and the ongoing tensions in the region.

The US-Israeli war against Iran shows no signs of abatement as it enters its second month, with regional tensions escalating through multiple fronts. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels have confirmed their first attack on Israel since the conflict began, launching a ballistic missile that was intercepted by Israeli defense systems. The targeted strike aimed at Israeli military sites located in the south of the occupied West Bank, marking a significant expansion of the conflict beyond direct US-Israeli operations against Iran.In a separate development, Israel killed three journalists in a targeted strike on their vehicle in southern Lebanon. The incident highlights the growing dangers facing media personnel in the increasingly volatile region as the conflict continues to spread across multiple borders and involve various non-state actors.These developments underscore the complex and widening nature of the conflict, which has evolved beyond direct military confrontation between the United States, Israel, and Iran to include regional proxies and civilian targets.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a stern warning to neighboring countries, urging them not to allow the US and Israel to use their territory to launch attacks against Iran. In a post on X, Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran does not initiate preemptive attacks but will strongly retaliate if its infrastructure or economic centers are targeted. “To the countries of the region: If you want development and security, don’t let our enemies run the war from your lands,” Pezeshkian stated. This message is part of a broader effort by Iran to prevent the escalation of the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel. The conflict began on February 28, when the US and Israel launched air strikes across Iran, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, the situation has shown no signs of de-escalation, with Israel announcing daily strikes on Iran and Tehran continuing to target its arch-rival and countries hosting US military assets. In recent developments, several Gulf states have been targeted in attacks. In Kuwait, multiple drone attacks damaged the international airport's radar system, while in Abu Dhabi, strikes caused debris to fall near the Khalifa Economic Zone, injuring six people. Iran's military claimed to have struck a Ukrainian anti-drone system depot in Dubai, which it alleged supported US forces. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi also urged regional countries to distance themselves from the US, reiterating Iran's stance that it will not tolerate the use of neighboring territories for hostile actions. The conflict has resulted in significant disruptions across the region, with at least 15 American soldiers wounded in an Iranian attack on a Saudi airbase on Friday. The situation remains volatile, with alarm sirens activated in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia's defense ministry reporting ballistic missile and drone attacks, all of which were allegedly shot down.

Iranian politicians are pushing for the country to exit the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as the conflict with the US and Israel escalates. The country's national security commission spokesman, Ebrahim Rezaei, stated that remaining a signatory to the treaty has been 'meaningless' and provided no benefits to Iran.Malek Shariati, a representative from Tehran, has introduced legislation to withdraw Iran from the NPT, revoke a law linked to the 2015 nuclear deal, and support a new international treaty with aligned countries to develop peaceful nuclear technologies. The proposed law must be approved by the parliament and the Guardian Council before implementation.The move comes as the US and Israel have ramped up their attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, steel factories, and a university. Recent air strikes have targeted key infrastructure, including a yellowcake facility in Yazd and the Khondab Heavy Water Complex near Arak. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has warned about the potential for a major radiological incident.Iranian authorities have accused the IAEA of taking a politicized stance and being complicit in attacks against Iranian nuclear sites. IAEA Director Rafael Grossi has been criticized by Iranian officials, with one adviser to the Supreme Leader labeling him a 'partner in crime.'The conflict has also had significant economic impacts, with thousands of jobs at risk due to damage to Iran's steel giants. The country's economy is struggling with an energy crisis and inflation rates of about 70 percent. The internet has been blocked for a month, limiting the flow of information to state-run outlets.

Yemen's Houthi rebels have launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel, marking their first such attack since the US-Israel war on Iran began. The assault was announced by Brigadier-General Yahya Saree, a military spokesman for the Houthis, on their Al-Masirah satellite television. The attack targeted what Saree described as 'sensitive Israeli military sites' in southern Israel. The Israeli military reported intercepting one of the missiles. This development comes as Iran and Hezbollah continue to fire on Israel, with sirens sounding around Beer Sheba and near Israel's main nuclear research centre. Saree stated that the strikes 'will continue until the declared objectives are achieved, as stated in the previous statement by the armed forces, and until the aggression against all fronts of the resistance ceases'. This escalation follows a vague statement by Saree on Friday signaling the rebels' intention to join the conflict. The Houthis, who have controlled Yemen's capital, Sanaa, since 2014, had previously stayed out of the US-Israel war. However, they have been involved in attacks on shipping vessels during the Israel-Hamas war, disrupting commercial transit in the Red Sea. Over 100 merchant vessels were attacked with missiles and drones, resulting in two ships sinking and four sailors killed between November 2023 and January 2025. Experts consider the Houthis' entry into the US-Israeli war on Iran as 'very significant'. Mohamad Elmasry, a professor of Media Studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, noted that if the Houthis were to shut down the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the Red Sea, and the Suez Canal, it would impact two major international shipping waterways, alongside the Strait of Hormuz. Al Jazeera's Nida Ibrahim reported from Ramallah that the opening of a new front in the war is likely to raise questions in Israel about 'the viability of the operations and the way the government is conducting its war'. She expects Israel to retaliate to this attack, as seen in previous instances when Yemen joined the battle.