World Echo

Iran said it was ready to take the Middle East war "as far as necessary" as it launched strikes across the region on Monday, while United States President Donald Trump piled pressure on world powers to help reopen a shipping lane choked off by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Global oil prices have surged by 40%-50% as Iran has attacked shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and launched waves of strikes in the Gulf, in retaliation for the war launched against it by the US and Israel. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Monday they had targeted Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, as well as military bases used by US forces in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. "By now they have learned a good lesson and understood what kind of nation they are dealing with, one that does not hesitate to defend itself and is ready to continue the war wherever it may lead, and take it as far as necessary," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters in Tehran. Read: How many co...

Five countries have so far rejected, resisted or declined to commit to US President Donald Trump’s demand that allies send ships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting growing international caution over a proposed naval effort in one of the world’s most sensitive oil corridors. Al Jazeera reported a muted global response to Washington’s appeal, while Reuters said allies had reacted cautiously rather than rallying behind the plan. “I’m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. Trump said his administration had contacted seven countries but did not identify them. In a weekend social media post, he said he hoped China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others would participate. The clearest pushback came from Japan and Australia. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Tokyo had no current plans to dispatch naval escort missions, stressing legal and constitutional l...

Senior Iranian politician Ali Larijani has alleged that members of an Epstein-linked network are planning a 9/11-style conspiracy and would seek to blame Iran for any resulting attack. Larijani framed the allegation as part of broader criticism of US leadership, contrasting Iran’s political system with that of the United States and suggesting that hostile narratives could be used to justify action against Iran. In a post on X, Larijani claimed that certain figures associated with the network of late financier Jeffrey Epstein could be preparing a plot intended to frame Tehran, describing it as a scenario similar to the September 11 attacks. I’ve heard that the remaining members of Epstein’s network have devised a conspiracy to create an incident similar to 9/11 and blame Iran for it. Iran fundamentally opposes such terrorist schemes and has no war with the American people. — Ali Larijani | علی لاریجانی (@alilarijani_ir) March 15, 2026 Larijani wrote that Iran’s leaders “have been, and s...

Iran launched at least three successive waves of missile attacks on Israel on Sunday, striking areas in central parts of the country and triggering air raid sirens across several regions, according to reports circulating on social media and statements cited by Drop Site News. The reported barrage targeted multiple locations, with missiles impacting sites in central Israel, while another wave was directed toward the southern part of the country. Initial accounts indicated that the strikes caused damage in some areas, though the full extent of casualties or destruction was not immediately clear. Videos and eyewitness reports shared online showed explosions and interception attempts as Israeli air defence systems responded to the incoming projectiles. More here: https://t.co/MW7gl5FXIr — Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) March 15, 2026 Authorities issued alerts urging residents in affected regions to seek shelter while emergency services assessed potential impact sites. The attacks come amid esca...

Ukraine wants money and technology ‌in return for helping Middle Eastern nations defend against Iranian kamikaze drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, after Kyiv sent specialists to four countries in the region. Zelenskiy told reporters ​in comments cleared for release on Sunday that each of ​the three teams sent to the Middle East consisted of ⁠dozens of people, who will conduct expert assessments and demonstrate how drone ​defences should operate. Gulf states have expended large quantities of air-defence missiles to ​counter Iran’s attack drones and have sought Ukraine's expertise in downing them. Kyiv downs Russian drones every night using an array of weaponry including cheaper, smaller drones or ​jamming equipment. Zelenskiy has said that almost a dozen countries across the world ​have sought help from Ukraine on how to counter these attacks. Read: Russia is supplying Iran with Shahed drones, Zelenskiy says He said earlier this ‌week ⁠that teams had been sent to Qatar, th...

Explosions rocked cities across the Middle East on Saturday as the United States embassy in Baghdad was hit by a drone strike and Tehran warned Emiratis to stay away from ports as it targets the world's energy supply lines. Washington's embassy in Iraq was hit for the second time since February 28, when the US and Israel attacked Iran and plunged the Gulf into a conflict that has sent shockwaves through the global economy. Waves of drone, missile and aerial bombing have displaced millions in the region and reportedly killed more than 1,200 people in Iran. Clouds of dark black smoke were seen rising from Fujairah, home to a major Emirati port and home to oil storage and export terminal. Shortly beforehand, the Iranian military had issued a warning for Emirati civilians to avoid port areas exposed to drone and missile strikes. Despite facing superior US and Israeli firepower, Iran appears determined to fight on, launching missile and drone attacks against at least 10 of its neigh...