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Explainer: After nine straight nights of strikes, where is the US-Iran conflict headed?

The US carried out a ninth consecutive night of military strikes against Iran early on Monday, targeting command centres, missile facilities, air defence systems, maritime assets and communications infrastructure. The latest developments indicate the conflict is expanding beyond direct military exchanges, with growing implications for regional security, global energy supplies and international shipping. Here is what to know. Why are the US strikes continuing? President Donald Trump said US forces had struck Iran “very hard,” describing the operations as retaliation for the deaths of US service members in the Middle East. The latest casualty on the US side came in northern Iraq, where a service member was killed during the controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance recovered from a downed Iranian drone. According to American media, at least 17 US soldiers have been killed since Feb 28, when the US and Israel attacked Iran. Strait of Hormuz at the heart of the co...

Ukraine signs deal with Saudi Arabia on defence cooperation, Zelenskiy says

Ukraine and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement on defence cooperation that lays the foundation for future contracts, technological cooperation and investments, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday. During an unannounced visit to the Gulf, Zelenskiy said he hopes to bolster support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, which is now in its fifth year, as the war with Iran raises uncertainty over whether Washington will restrict its military supplies. We have reached an important Arrangement between the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on defense cooperation. The document was signed ahead of our meeting with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.… pic.twitter.com/j3aXzLXSNr — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 27, 2026 Zelenskiy said the framework agreement was signed ahead of a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "We are ready to share our expertise and systems with Saudi Arabia and to work together to strengthen the protection of lives," Zelenskiy said on the Telegram app. "Saudi Arabia also has capabilities that are of interest to Ukraine, and this cooperation can be mutually beneficial." Read: US, Iran could meet for direct talks in Pakistan ‘very soon’: German FM Zelenskiy's trip comes after the Washington Post reported on Thursday that the United States was weighing redirecting the weapons supplies intended for Ukraine to the Middle East as the conflict with Iran strains existing American munitions stocks. Ukrainian experts in Middle East This month, Kyiv sent more than 220 Ukrainian experts to advise several Middle East countries on how to intercept drone attacks that have wreaked havoc on energy infrastructure across the region. Zelenskiy said Ukraine wanted money and technology in return for providing military assistance to countries in the region. The Ukrainian leader met a group of Ukrainian military experts in Saudi Arabia, according to the video shared by his office on Friday. In the video, a representative of the Ukrainian General Staff said that the Ukrainian group consisted of air defence experts and SBU security service officials. Read More: Ukraine braces for renewed offensive as peace talks stall The Ukrainian experts held a workshop for Saudi officials, reported to the Saudi General Staff, and were preparing to share practical air defence experience with them, he said. Drones have become the dominant weapon on the battlefield in the war with Russia. Kyiv has quickly innovated and increased its domestic production of various types of drones, helping to reduce the impact of Russia's considerable advantage in terms of manpower. Zelenskiy told Reuters in an interview this week that, provided enough financing, Ukraine was able to produce about 2,000 drone interceptors a day.

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