Hezbollah Hits New Record of 94 Operations Against Israeli Occupation

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Islamic Resistance in Lebanon Military Media

Hezbollah continues to defend southern Lebanon, destroying multiple Israeli Merkava tanks and striking key military sites in Tel Aviv

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah continues to ambush Israeli military armored platoons across multiple sectors in southern Lebanon, announcing that its fighters hit dozens of tanks on Thursday.

With a new record number of military operations, the Resistance continues to defend Lebanon and its people under Operation Devoured Straw, in response to the Israeli aggression targeting dozens of villages, homes, and cities, particularly in South Lebanon, the Bekaa, and Beirut's Southern Suburb. 

On Wednesday, the Israeli occupation intensified its attempted land invasion of southern Lebanon, attempting to advance through the sectors of al-Qawzah and al-Qantara. Israeli occupation forces were ambushed by the Resistance across all fronts, as Hezbollah announced yesterday a record number of operations, 87. 

The Resistance's efforts to repel Israeli aggression continued through Thursday, when anti-armor units targeted Israeli Merkava tanks in Deir Seryan, al-Qantara, Debl, and al-Taybeh. 

Tactical ballistic missiles were also fired at multiple Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv, including the Security Ministry's headquarters, HaKirya.

Following is the list of operations carried out on Thursday, March 26, 2026:

Merkava hits, gatherings struck, direct confrontations

At 1:30 am, Hezbollah's fighters engaged an Israeli force in close-quarters combat, near Deir Seryan's school and hospital.

At 1:50 am, the Resistance hit an Israeli Merkava tank, positioned near Deir Seryan's farm pond, using a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG).

At 2:20 am, Hezbollah fighters ambushed an advancing Israeli force near the same pond, engaging the force in close-quarter combat and targeting another Merkava tank with an RPG.

At 2:30 am, on the road linking al-Taybeh to al-Qantara, a Merkava tank was hit by an ATGM.

At 3:00 am, Hezbollah fighters ambushed an advancing Israeli force near al-Qantara's Mosque.

At 3:00 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli military vehicles and soldiers near the municipality of the border town of al-Khiam.

At 3:15 am, another Merkava tank was hit in al-Qantara via an ATGM.

At 3:40 am, the Resistance hit another Merkava tank near the technical school in the same town. A military helicopter attempted to evacuate casualties from the town; however, Hezbollah fighters fired a Man-Portable Air-Defense System (MANPAD) at it, forcing it to retreat.

At 4:35 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli military vehicles and soldiers near the reservoir in the town of al-Qantara.

At 5:00 am, a Merkava tank was hit in the town of Debl by an ATGM.

At 5:00 am, Hezbollah’s fighters engaged an Israeli force in close-quarters combat with light and medium weapons at point-blank range in the city of al-Khiam, achieving confirmed hits.

At 5:06 am, the Resistance hit a Merkava tank in al-Qantara with an ATGM, this time positioned near the town's technical school.

At 5:15 am, a Merkava tank was near the technical school, raising the total number of tanks hit in al-Qantara to five.

Concurrently, three Merkava tanks were hit in the town of Deir Seryan with ATGMs. At the time of the statement's release, Hezbollah said that five tanks were hit in total in Deir Seryan alone.

At 5:30 am, a Merkava tank was hit in Dibl with an ATGM.

At 6:00 am, three Merkava tanks were hit on the al-Muhaysbat hilltop in al-Taybeh, via ATGMs.

At 6:30 am, a Merkava tank was hit near the technical school in al-Qantara, raising the number of confirmed hits to six.

At 6:40 am, Hezbollah fighters hit the seventh Merkava tank with an ATGM in al-Qantara, this time positioned near the town's water tower.

At the same time, the Resistance targeted an assembly point of Israeli troops and armored vehicles in al-Qawzah with a salvo of rockets.

At 7:00 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched artillery shells at a gathering of Israeli soldiers on the Jnejl height in the town of al-Qantara.

At 7:05 am, the Resistance hit the eighth Merkava tank in al-Qantara, near the water tower, with an ATGM.

At 10:50 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on an Israeli army gathering at the Ras al-Naqoura site.

At 11:40 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli soldiers near the reservoir in the town of al-Qantara for the second time.

At 11:50 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli soldiers on the Jnejl height in the town of al-Qantara for the second time.

At 11:55 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli soldiers on the Jnejl height in the town of al-Qantara for the third time.

At 12:30 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a Merkava tank in the town of al-Qantara with an attack drone, achieving a confirmed hit.

At 1:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a hostile helicopter over Kfarkila with a surface-to-air missile, forcing it to retreat.

At 1:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a Merkava tank in the town of al-Qantara with an attack drone, achieving a confirmed hit.

At 2:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a Merkava tank in the town of al-Qantara with an attack drone, achieving a confirmed hit.

At 2:10 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched artillery shells at a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles in the border town of Marun al-Ras.

At 2:30 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a Merkava tank in the town of al-Qantara with an attack drone, achieving a confirmed hit.

At 2:50 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters struck two Merkava tanks in the town of Deir Seryan with guided missiles, achieving confirmed hits.

At 3:15 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli military vehicles and soldiers near the pond of the town of Debl, at the entrance to Wadi al-Oyoun.

At 3:45 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles at the Jal al-Deir site, opposite the border town of Aytaroun.

At 4:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles near the settlement of al-Malkiyya.

At 4:20 pm, Hezbollah targeted gatherings of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the square of the town of al-Qantara and its surroundings with successive rocket barrages and artillery shells.

At 4:30 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted three Merkava tanks and a D9 bulldozer in the town of al-Qantara with guided missiles, achieving confirmed hits.

At 4:40 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli military vehicles and soldiers in the Al-Jami’ neighborhood of the border town of al-Naqoura.

At 6:00 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the settlement of Shomera with a rocket barrage.

At the same time, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the settlement of Shtula with a swarm of drones.

Also at 6:00 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the town of Qantara with a rocket barrage.

At 6:15 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the border town of Al-Qawzah with a rocket barrage and artillery shells.

At 6:25 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the town of Debl with a swarm of attack drones.

At 7:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a Merkava tank between the al-Muhaysabat height and al-Qantara with a direct-fire missile, achieving a confirmed hit.

At 7:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched artillery shells at a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles near the settlement of al-Malkiyya for the second time.

At 8:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters engaged an Israeli force in close-quarters combat with light and medium weapons and rocket-propelled grenades in the town of al-Naqoura, achieving confirmed hits, with clashes ongoing.

At 8:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a swarm of attack drones on a gathering of Israeli military vehicles in the border town of al-Naqoura.

At 8:50 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched artillery shells at a newly established helicopter landing site in Beidar al-Fuq’ani in the town of al-Taybeh.

At 9:15 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on a gathering of Israeli soldiers and vehicles in the border town of al-Naqoura for the second time.

At 9:45 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters targeted a Merkava tank on the Shummar height in the border town of al-Naqoura with an attack drone, achieving a confirmed hit.

At 9:50 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles at the Al-Malkiya site with a rocket barrage.

At 10:50 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the city of Al-Khiam with artillery shells.

At 11:20 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles at the Metula site with a rocket barrage.

Concurrently, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the vicinity of Al-Khiam detention center with a rocket barrage.

Again at 11:20 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the vicinity of the town of Al-Qawzah with a guided missile, achieving a direct hit.

At 11:40 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles at the Misgav Am site with a rocket barrage.

Rocket attack, drone strikes

Hezbollah also responded to Israeli bombing of residential areas and civilian infrastructure in Lebanon by firing several tactical ballistic missiles at Israeli Security Ministry headquarters and a site affiliated with the Military Intelligence Directorate in Tel Aviv. Drones and rocket-artillery were also launched at targets in northern occupied Palestine.

At 1:10 am, Hezbollah fired tactical ballistic missiles at the HaKirya, which houses the Israeli War Ministry, and the Dolphin Base, which hosts the Military Intelligence Directorate.

At 3:10 am, a salvo of rockets was fired at the settlement of Misgav Am near the border. 

At 5:20 am, a salvo of rockets was fired at the al-Aabbad military site, opposite the border town of Houla. 

At 6:00 am, the Resistance fired a salvo of rockets at the Dado Base, hosting the headquarters of the Northern Command, north of the occupied city of Safad.

At 6:15 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of al-Manara.

At 7:30 am, a swarm of one-way attack drones was launched toward the settlement of Metulla on the border.

At 9:00 am, a swarm of drones was launched at the Poria Base, west of Tabarayya Lake, targeting Iron Dome launchers and installations.

At 9:15 am, the Resistance fired a salvo of rockets at the city settlement of Kiryat Shmona.

At the same time, a salvo of rockets was fired at the settlement of Manara, near the border.

At 10:20 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a swarm of attack drones targeting the Tifon base, east of the occupied city of Akka.

At 10:20 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket barrage targeting the settlement of Nahariya.

At 10:50 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a swarm of attack drones targeting the Lehman barracks north of the settlement of Nahariya.

At 10:50 am, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a swarm of attack drones on an Israeli army gathering at the newly established Nimr al-Jamal site, opposite the border town of Alma al-Shaab.

At 12:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a precision rocket strike on the Krayot area, north of the occupied city of Haifa.

At 12:15 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the Adather (Jabal Adir) site.

At 1:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a swarm of attack drones targeting an Israeli army logistics base in the settlement of Karm Ben Zimra in Upper Galilee.

At 1:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a swarm of attack drones targeting the Lehman barracks north of the settlement of Nahariya for the second time.

At 1:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Avivim.

At 1:25 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Shtula.

At 1:40 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of al-Malkiyya.

At 2:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Netu'a.

At 2:15 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of al-Malkiyya for the second time.

At 2:25 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of al-Malkiyya for the third time.

At 2:30 pm, the Resistance targeted the industrial zone in the settlement of Rosh Pina with a rocket barrage.

At 3:10 pm, Resistance fighters targeted Israeli military infrastructure in the occupied city of Safad with a rocket barrage.

At 3:40 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of al-Malkiyya for the fourth time.

At 4:05 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Nahariya for the second time.

At 4:25 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Nahariya for the third time.

At 5:00 pm, Hezbollah targeted Israeli enemy artillery positions in Odem in the occupied Syrian Golan with a swarm of attack drones.

At 5:20 pm, Hezbollah targeted Israeli enemy artillery positions in Mi’ilya, west of the settlement of Ma’alot-Tarshiha, with a swarm of attack drones.

At 5:30 pm, Hezbollah targeted infrastructure belonging to the Israeli enemy army in the settlement of Katzrin in the occupied Syrian Golan with a rocket barrage.

At 7:10 pm, Hezbollah targeted Israeli enemy artillery positions in the settlement of Elon with a swarm of attack drones.

At 8:15 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Kiryat Shmona for the second time.

At 9:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a precision rocket strike on the Haifa naval base and the Ze’ev air defense base in the occupied city of Haifa.

At 9:00 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a precision rocket strike on the Eliakim base, which houses training camps of the Israeli army’s Northern Command, and on the Tivon base east of the occupied city of Akka.

At 9:10 pm, Hezbollah’s fighters launched a rocket strike on the settlement of Nahariya for the fourth time.

At 10:35 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted Israeli enemy artillery positions in the settlement of Kabri with a swarm of attack drones.

Hezbollah releases footage

Meanwhile, Hezbollah released footage of an earlier operation in which fighters targeted the Tivon base in Haifa with a squadron of one-way drones.

Iran Slams West’s ‘Whitewashing’ of Israeli Aggression in Lebanon

Thursday, 26 March 2026 8:15 PM

Hezbollah has announced the destruction of 13 Israeli Merkava tanks during clashes in southern Lebanon.

Tehran slams Western media outlets for whitewashing violations of international law in their coverage of Israel’s military atrocities in Lebanon.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has slammed Western media outlets for whitewashing violations of international law through their coverage of Israel’s military aggressions in Lebanon.

In a post on his X account on Thursday, Baghaei reacted to a report by The New York Times which indicated that Israel planned to expand its occupation of Lebanese territories.

On Tuesday, The New York Times reported that “Israel planned to expand the territory it controls in Lebanon, suggesting it might remain there beyond the fighting.”

Baghaei responded by saying, “Planning to expand the territory it controls is a euphemism for military aggression and illegal occupation in Lebanon.”

“This is how sanitized, politically correct journalism whitewashes violations of international law and conceals the brutal reality of atrocity, death and destruction on the ground,” he wrote.

Hezbollah on Thursday announced the destruction of 13 Israeli Merkava tanks during clashes in southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese resistance group reported that several Israeli military targets were hit in the ongoing fighting across various fronts in southern Lebanon.

According to a statement from Hezbollah, the attacks took place on Thursday, targeting Israeli armored vehicles.

The group specifically highlighted the destruction of 9 Merkava tanks, including three in the western al-Taybeh area. Additionally, a military D9 bulldozer was also destroyed.

Hezbollah further detailed a series of attacks in which a total of 4 additional Merkava tanks and one D9 bulldozer were targeted and destroyed in the region of al-Taybeh. The statement indicated that these targets were struck by precision-guided missiles.

In a separate report, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for another missile strike in which an Israeli armored unit, advancing towards the village of al-Muhaysibat, was targeted. Four more Merkava tanks and another D9 bulldozer were destroyed in the attack.

The resistance group added that a series of missile strikes were also launched towards northern Israel, with approximately 10 rockets being fired from Lebanon. The missile barrage was reported by Yedioth Ahronoth, a major Israeli daily.

Qalibaf Rejects Trump’s Ultimatum, Says Iran Set for ‘Historic Victory’

Thursday, 26 March 2026 8:54 PM

Tehran residents rally in support of the armed forces and protest against the US-Israeli terrorist war on Iran in Revolution Square, braving heavy rain.

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has responded firmly to US President Donald Trump's recent threats, asserting that “no one can issue ultimatums to Iran and Iranians.”

Qalibaf's statement in a tweet on Thursday came after Trump backtracked on a threat to “annihilate” Iranian power plants, reaffirming Iran’s resolve to protect its sovereignty and achieve a historic victory.

"The heroic people of Iran! Your 25 nights of presence in the streets and the sacrifices made by our armed forces have created the conditions for a historic victory for our dear Iran,” Qalibaf wrote.

“No one can issue ultimatums to Iran and Iranians. Your children will not let go of this opportunity until the complete victory is achieved and the vicious cycle of 'war–ceasefire–war' is broken."

Qalibaf’s remarks came following President Trump's latest threat of military action. The US leader had warned that Iranian power plants would be destroyed unless Tehran lifted its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil chokepoint, by a set deadline.

This ultimatum was initially issued on Monday, March 23, with a deadline for action that was later pushed back to March 27.

Over the last 25 nights, millions of Iranians have rallied in the streets of the country in support of the Islamic Republic and in condemnation of the US-Israeli war of terrorism.

The mass demonstrations, marking a decades-long movement against foreign interference and imperialism, have become a symbol of Iran’s steadfast commitment to its sovereignty and the resistance against external pressures.

These public gatherings have bolstered national unity, reinforcing the message that the Iranian people will not tolerate foreign ultimatums or military threats.

Amid Trump's ultimatum, reports in Western media are speculating that American airborne forces could launch a ground invasion of Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf.

A military source, cited by Tasnim news agency on Thursday, said that over one million Iranian troops are being organized for potential ground combat.

The source also revealed a surge of volunteers from young Iranians eager to participate in the defense of their country, particularly against any US ground invasion.

"Along with the organization of over one million ground troops, an overwhelming number of requests from Iranian youth are pouring into Basij, IRGC, and army recruitment centers to participate in this battle," the official was quoted as saying.

The source also addressed US tactics, saying, "The United States wants to open the Strait of Hormuz through suicide tactics and self-destruction; that's fine, we are ready for both—they can carry out their suicidal strategy, and the Strait will remain closed."

'Merkava Massacre': Hezbollah Destroys Nearly 100 Israeli Tanks—$6mn Each—in Weeks

Thursday, 26 March 2026 10:23 PM

Hezbollah fighters have in the past few weeks destroyed Merkava tanks on a daily basis.

Hezbollah resistance fighters destroyed at least 21 Israeli military Merkava tanks across southern Lebanon and northern occupied Palestine over 24 hours on Wednesday, in what is being described as a new "Merkava massacre."

By Thursday morning, the group reported achieving direct hits on at least 20 more Merkava tanks, bringing the total number of Merkava tanks taken out since March 2 to at least 73.

On Thursday, dozens more Merkava tanks were successfully targeted and destroyed by Hezbollah fighters, taking the total number close to 100, as per informed sources.

As per details released by the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, the latest round of strikes on Thursday targeted Merkava tanks across multiple locations.

In Debel, three tanks were struck with guided missiles. In Al-Qantara, strikes hit Merkava tanks near the technical school, the vocational school, the reservoir, and the water tank, while three more were struck using attack drones.

In Taybeh, nearly a dozen Merkava tanks were hit with guided missiles. In Deir Siryan, four tanks were struck near the pond, and another was hit on the Taybeh-Al-Qantara road.

At the time of filing this report, the attacks were underway at multiple locations.

Many military pundits have described it as "Merkava massacre," a term that traces back to a similar operation during the 2006 war, when a small squad of Hezbollah fighters, reportedly just three men, destroyed at least 25 Merkava tanks and killed 34 Israeli occupation soldiers before they were forced to retreat from the area.

Military analysts also point to the stark economic disparity between the two sides' arsenals.

The guided missiles Hezbollah deployed to target these tanks cost a few thousand dollars each, a mere fraction of the cost of the Merkava tanks. Each Merkava takes up to two years to produce and carries a price tag of approximately $6 million, according to reports.

The Lebanese resistance group's latest operation, which started earlier this month, came after more than a year of strategic patience during which the Israeli occupation continues to attack villages and towns in southern Lebanon in blatant breach of the ceasefire.

On Wednesday, the Lebanese movement carried out a record 87 operations against the Israeli military sites in the occupied territories, using both missiles and drones.

Iran and the US Harden Their Positions Over Talks to End the Nearly Month-old War

By JON GAMBRELL and DAVID RISING

8:40 PM EDT, March 26, 2026

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran and the United States appeared at an impasse Thursday, hardening their positions over ceasefire talks and setting the stage for more potential escalation in the Middle East war as thousands more U.S. troops neared the region.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump extended his deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz to April 6, and Tehran tightened its grip on the crucial strait while Israel poured more troops into southern Lebanon to fight the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Sirens over Israel warned of barrages of incoming Iranian missiles, and Gulf nations worked to intercept fire. Heavy strikes were reported in Iran’s capital and other cities.

In a war that appears defined by who can take the most pain, the U.S. has offered shifting objectives, including ensuring Iran’s missile and nuclear programs are no longer a threat and ending Tehran’s support for armed groups in the region. Washington at one point also pushed for the overthrow of Iran’s theocracy.

While the U.S.-Israeli campaign has hit Iran’s military and government hard, killing top leaders and striking scores of targets, Iran continues to fire missiles, and there is no sign of an uprising against the government.

Surviving could be seen as victory for Iran

For Iran’s leadership, by contrast, merely outlasting the onslaught could be seen as victory. It may be hoping to get the U.S. to back down by roiling the world economy with its stranglehold on the the strait, which has disrupted oil and natural gas shipments and raised prices worldwide for energy and other goods.

Short of a negotiated solution, the U.S. would need a dramatic escalation to end Iran’s attacks and restore the free flow of goods through the strait, where 20% of all traded oil and natural gas is transported in peacetime. Iran rejected a ceasefire proposal put forth by the U.S., while putting forth its own demands.

Trump has vowed to strike Iran’s power plants if it does not fully reopen the strait. His new deadline pulls back on an earlier threat to bomb Iran’s energy plants if Tehran did not open the waterway.

Iran had threatened to retaliate against the region’s vital infrastructure, like desalination facilities, if Trump followed through. Trump said he was holding off on carrying out his threat because talks aimed at ending the conflict are going “very well.”

A Gulf Arab bloc said Thursday that Iran is now exacting tolls from ships to ensure their safe passage through the waterway.

Iran is operating Strait of Hormuz as ‘de facto toll booth’

Iran has been blocking ships from the strait that it perceives as linked to the U.S. and Israeli war effort, while letting through a trickle of others. Trump said during a Cabinet meeting Thursday that Iran is allowing some oil tankers through as a sign of good faith for talks.

Jasem Mohamed al-Budaiwi, secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a bloc of six Gulf Arab nations, said Iran was charging for safe passage.

Lloyd’s List Intelligence called it a “de facto ‘toll booth’ regime,” saying that at least two vessels have paid in yuan, China’s currency.

Iran’s grip on the strait and relentless attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure have sent Brent crude, the international standard, up more than 40% since the war started.

Israel said it killed the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s navy, Commodore Alireza Tangsiri, and the country’s naval intelligence chief, Behnam Rezaei. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tangsiri was responsible for bombing operations that have blocked ships from crossing the Strait of Hormuz. Iran did not immediately acknowledge the killings.

Trump says Iran needs to ‘get serious’ about negotiations

Using Pakistan as an intermediary, Washington has delivered to Iran a 15-point “action list,” Trump envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed Thursday, calling it a framework for a possible peace deal. Witkoff said there were “strong signs” the U.S. could “convince Iran that this is the inflection point, with no good alternatives for them other than more death and destruction.”

A day after saying Iran wants to cut a deal, Trump posted on social media Thursday that Tehran needs to “get serious soon” on negotiating an end to the war “before it is too late.”

Press TV, the English-language broadcaster on Iranian state television, said Iran has its own five-point proposal, which includes reparations and recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.

But Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview on state TV that his government has not engaged in talks to end the war and does not plan to. He said the U.S. had tried to send messages to Iran through other nations, “but that is not a conversation nor a negotiation.”

Egypt is also acting as a go-between, according to Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, who said Thursday that his country sees a desire from both sides “for calm, for the exploration of negotiations.”

As the diplomatic efforts went on, a group of ships, including the USS Tripoli, drew closer to the Mideast with some 2,500 Marines. Also, at least 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne — trained to land in hostile territory to secure key territory and airfields — have been ordered to the region.

A wave of Israeli airstrikes hits as Iran fires on Israel and Gulf neighbors

The Israeli army said Thursday it had deployed the 162nd Division into southern Lebanon, joining thousands of troops that already have moved there since the war erupted. Israel says the open-ended invasion is aimed at protecting its northern border towns from Hezbollah attacks and uprooting the militant group from the area.

Israel also said it carried out a wave of attacks targeting Iranian infrastructure early Thursday. Heavy strikes were also reported around Isfahan, home to a major Iranian air base and other military sites, as well as one of Iran’s nuclear sites.

Witnesses told The Associated Press that power was out in some areas of Iran’s capital Tehran. Witnesses had earlier reported the sounds of heavy strikes and fighter jets overhead.

Loud booms could be heard across Israel as it was repeatedly targeted by barrages from Iran. Israel’s emergency service said a man in his 30s was killed near the northern coastal city of Nahariya after a wave of strikes that came from Lebanon. In the United Arab Emirates, two people were reported killed by shrapnel from a missile interception over Abu Dhabi.

Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Thursday that the army needs another 15,000 soldiers, roughly half of them combat troops, to be at full strength for its multiple missions. Israel can call up tens of thousands of reservists, but repeated deployments have drawn pushback, with many citing exhaustion and financial strain.

Since the war began, more than 1,900 people have been killed in Iran, Deputy Health Minister Ali Jafarian told Al Jazeera.

Eighteen people have died in Israel, while three Israeli soldiers have also been killed in Lebanon. At least 13 American troops have been killed. More than a dozen civilians in the occupied West Bank and Gulf Arab states have also died.

Authorities said more than 1,100 people have died in Lebanon. In Iraq, where Iranian-supported militant groups have entered the conflict, 80 members of the security forces have been killed.

___

Rising reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Julia Frankel, Koral Saeed and Sam Metz in Jerusalem, Rod McGuirk in Melbourne, Australia, Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Giovanna Dell’Orto in Miami contributed to this report.

UN Calls for Reparations to Remedy the ‘Historical Wrongs’ of Trafficking Enslaved Africans

By EDITH M. LEDERER

3:38 PM EDT, March 25, 2026

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans “the gravest crime against humanity” and calling for reparations as “a concrete step towards remedying historical wrongs.”

The resolution also urges “the prompt and unhindered restitution” of cultural items — including artworks, monuments, museum pieces, documents and national archives — to their countries of origin without charge.

The vote in the 193-member world body was 123-3, with 52 abstentions. Argentina, Israel and the United States were the three members voting against the resolution. The United Kingdom and all 27 members of the European Union were among those that abstained.

While the United States opposes the past wrongdoing of the transatlantic slave trade and all other forms of slavery, it “does not recognize a legal right to reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred,” deputy U.S. ambassador Dan Negrea said before the vote.

“The United States also strongly objects to the resolution’s attempt to rank crimes against humanity in any type of hierarchy,” he said. “The assertion that some crimes against humanity are less severe than others objectively diminishes the suffering of countless victims and survivors of other atrocities throughout history.”

In the United States, support for reparations gained momentum in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. However, the issue has been a difficult one and has been caught up in a broader conservative backlash over how race, history and inequality are handled in public institutions.

Unlike U.N. Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but are an important reflection of world opinion.

“Today, we come together in solemn solidarity to affirm truth and pursue a route to healing and reparative justice,” Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, a key architect of the resolution, said before the vote.

“The adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against forgetting,” he said. “Let it be recorded that when history beckoned, we did what was right for the memory of the millions who suffered the indignity of slavery.”

Mahama noted that the vote was taking place on the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, honoring the memory of about 13 million African men, women and children enslaved over several centuries.

Diplomats applauded and some cheered the adoption of the resolution.

The history of slavery and “its devastating consequences and long-lasting impacts” must never be forgotten, said British acting U.N. Ambassador James Kariuki, speaking on behalf of mainly Western nations, including some that enslaved Africans.

Western nations are committed to tackling the root causes that persist today, he said, pointing to racial discrimination, racism, xenophobia and intolerance. He said “the scourge of modern slavery” also must be addressed — trafficking, forced labor, sexual exploitation and forced criminality.

Cyprus’ deputy U.N. ambassador, Gabriella Michaelidou, speaking on behalf of the EU, echoed the U.S. and U.K. on concerns about “the use of superlatives” that imply “a hierarchy among atrocity crimes.”

Michaelidou also cited the EU’s concern about the resolution’s “unbalanced interpretation of historical events” and legal references that are inaccurate or inconsistent with international law, including “suggestions of a retroactive application of international rules which was non-existent at the time and claims for reparations.”

The resolution “unequivocally condemns the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized chattel enslavement of Africans, slavery and the transatlantic slave trade as the most inhumane and enduring injustice against humanity.”

In approving the resolution, the General Assembly affirms the importance of addressing the historical wrongs of slavery that promotes “justice, human rights, dignity and healing.”

The resolution calls on U.N. member nations to engage in talks “on reparatory justice, including a full and formal apology, measures of restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction, guarantees of non-repetition and changes to laws, programs and services to address racism and systemic discrimination.”

It encourages voluntary contributions to promote education on the transatlantic slave trade and asks the African Union, the Caribbean Community and the Organization of American States to collaborate with U.N. bodies and other nations “on reparatory justice and reconciliation.”

What to Know as Africans Welcome UN Vote on Slavery Reparations

By CHINEDU ASADU

4:18 PM EDT, March 26, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly’s resolution on Wednesday declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans “the gravest crime against humanity” and calling for reparations is being welcomed across Africa and among slave descendants and advocates of restorative justice.

At the same time, questions swirl over what the resolution means and what reparations could look like.

About 12 million Africans were forcefully taken by European nations from the 16th to the 19th century and enslaved on plantations that built wealth at the price of misery.

Here’s what to know about the U.N. resolution:

Ghana pushed for the resolution for ‘moral awareness’

Ghana sought the resolution that also urged “the prompt and unhindered restitution” of cultural items — including artwork, monuments, museum pieces, documents and national archives — to their countries of origin without charge.

Ghana foreign affairs minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the resolution “recognizes that even within (its) complexity, there are moments in history that stand apart ... To acknowledge this is not to diminish any other history; it is to deepen our collective moral awareness.”

Although General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, they are an important reflection of world opinion and are often referenced as the legal framework for causes.

In this case, the decision “marks an important step toward truth, justice and healing,” the African Union said in a statement.

A total of 123 member states voted in favor of the resolution, with three votes against it from Argentina, Israel and the United States. The United Kingdom and all 27 members of the European Union were among the 52 abstentions.

Speaking before the vote, deputy U.S. ambassador Dan Negrea said while the U.S. opposes the past wrongdoing of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and all other forms of slavery, it “does not recognize a legal right to reparations for historical wrongs that were not illegal under international law at the time they occurred.”

France through Sylvain Fournel, legal adviser for its U.N. mission, argued that the resolution “seems to establish a hierarchy among crimes against humanity,” an outcome that gives rise to “serious legal difficulties and runs the risk of creating a competition against historic tragedies.”

Africans and slave descendants have praised the resolution

The U.N. resolution is “an answer to the prayers of our kidnapped, oppressed and murdered ancestors,” said Erieka Bennett, founder of the Diaspora African Forum, a Ghana-based organization that connects people of African descent with their roots.

“This vote will energize our collective resolve to continue the fight for the dignity of African people and the liberation of our Motherland from the stranglehold of Western domination,” she added.

Nadege Anelka, a travel agent from the French overseas territory of Martinique in the Caribbean, moved to Benin and became a citizen under a 2024 law granting citizenship to those who can trace their lineage to the slave trade.

She described Wednesday’s resolution as “fantastic news” even if it does not mean much for her at this stage. “Having returned to Benin, I already feel like I have undergone my ‘journey of reparations’,” said Anelka, 58.

Gilles Olakounle Yabi, founder of WATHI, the West Africa Citizen Think Tank, said the resolution is “symbolic,” coming at a time when not many are eager to acknowledge the cost of slavery.

Yabi said the votes against the resolution and abstentions indicate that “it’s still not so clear that people recognize the immensity of the crimes that were committed.”

How should reparations be paid?

At a reparations summit in Ghana in 2023, participants from across the world tried to answer that by establishing a Global Reparation Fund to push for financial compensation as reparations.

However, as recently as a few years ago, Americans viewed the prospect of reparations mostly negatively. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2021 found that only about three in 10 U.S. adults said descendants of people enslaved in the U.S. should be repaid in some way, such as being given land or money.

Some activists have said reparations should go beyond direct financial payments to also include developmental aid for countries, the return of colonized resources and the systemic correction of oppressive policies and laws.

Efforts made in the form of reparations must address “justice for those communities who have suffered from this abject, inhuman and serious practice,” said Elkory Sneiba with SOS Esclaves, an anti-slavery group in Mauritania.

Beverly Ochieng, a Senegal-based analyst at Control Risks Group, said it’s unlikely Western governments will set aside funds to pay for slavery.

“Some will argue that they have tried to develop former colonies and countries they exploited,” Ochieng said.

Olivette Otele, distinguished research professor of the Legacies and Memory of Slavery at SOAS, University of London, once wrote that advocates for reparations “hardly ever” seek only money. According to her, “their work is grounded in an understanding that the social, the political and the economic are bound together and must be addressed together, creating the possibility of a better world.”

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Associated Press writers Mark Banchereau and Monika Pronczuk in Dakar, Senegal contributed to this report.

Police in Kenya Exhume at Least 33 Bodies from a Mass Grave

By NICHOLAS KOMU and ANDREW KASUKU

11:32 AM EDT, March 26, 2026

KERICHO, Kenya (AP) — Authorities in western Kenya said Thursday they have exhumed at least 33 bodies from a mass grave, and the remains were believed to have been transferred there from a hospital morgue.

Homicide detectives exhumed the remains of eight adults and 25 children as well as dismembered body parts packed in gunny sacks from a mass grave at a church-owned cemetery in the town of Kericho, according to authorities.

“We were able to establish that these were bodies transferred from Nyamira District Hospital to a private cemetery in Kericho,” Mohamed Amin, the head of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, told reporters.

Amin said detectives want to find out whether the bodies were disposed legally after being removed from a morgue.

Under Kenyan law, hospitals and morgues are required to dispose bodies that are unclaimed for more than 14 days. The process requires authorization by court order.

Government pathologists conducted autopsies on Thursday to determine the cause of death. The bodies’ identities have not been revealed.

At least two people have been arrested.

Local media reported that unidentified people brought the bodies from elsewhere in a vehicle belonging to the government and hurriedly buried them. Some of the gravediggers are said to have alerted the police.

“We need authorities to conduct a thorough investigation,” said resident Brian Kibunja.

Another local, Samuel Moso, said authorities should “reveal if the government was involved or if a different group of people was behind the mass burial.”

This is the third major mass-grave incident in Kenya over the last three years.

In 2023 police uncovered hundreds of bodies buried in a forest in the Kenyan coastal region of Kilifi. The bodies were exhumed from mass graves linked to a religious leader who starved his followers to death.

In 2024, authorities recovered 9 bodies from a dumpsite in Nairobi, the capital.

The latest discovery coincides with growing concern among some Kenyans over rights abuses allegedly perpetrated by the police.

Missing Voices, a human rights group, has documented 125 extrajudicial killings and 6 enforced disappearances over the last year in Kenya. The number of reported extrajudicial killings was 104 the previous year.

Conflict in Eastern DR Congo is Escalating with Use of Heavy Weapons and Drones, UN Warns

U.N peacekeepers guard a house hit by a drone strike in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa)

By EDITH M. LEDERER

6:46 PM EDT, March 26, 2026

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations’ acting top envoy for Congo warned the U.N. Security Council on Thursday that the conflict in mineral-rich eastern Congo is escalating and expanding, with increasing use of heavy weapons and offensive drones posing serious risks to civilians.

Vivian van de Perre said that despite the withdrawal of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and their allies from the town of Uvira under international pressure in January, clashes are escalating in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu between the M23 and Congolese army forces and their supporters.

“The situation in South Kivu remains tense and the renewed hostilities have expanded and shifted the front lines, including toward Burundi’s border, increasing the risk of a regional conflagration,” she warned.

Eastern Congo has been battered by decades of unrest as government forces fight more than 100 armed groups, the most potent being M23, often over access to its mineral riches. M23 fighters made a major advance into the region early last year, seizing Goma and other key cities as they quickly expanded their presence.

Van de Perre, who heads the nearly 9,000-member U.N. peacekeeping force in Congo known as MONUSCO, said the situation in Ituri province also “remains alarming,” with numerous casualties from violence linked to one rebel group while another group has been attacking mining sites.

Van de Perre cited two “concerning” emerging elements: the conflict is expanding from North and South Kivu into Tshopo province, and the use of heavy weapons and drones in urban areas poses risks to civilians and civilian infrastructure, which she said includes “recent incidents affecting sites such as Bangoka Airport in Kisangani and in Goma town.”

At the same time, she said, M23 is consolidating parallel administrative structures in areas under its control, which include Goma, “further undermining state authority and complicating the delivery of humanitarian assistance.”

Officials from Congo, Rwanda and the United States met in Washington last week and agreed on coordinated steps to de-escalate tensions in eastern Congo.

After briefing the Security Council, van de Perre told reporters that the “extremely volatile” situation in the east is why all agreements signed by the parties must be implemented. The first step should be a ceasefire, followed by the reopening of airports and the restoration of freedom of movement for peacekeepers, she said.

Massad Boulos, who chaired the council meeting and is a senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump on African and Arab affairs, said “MONUSCO remains indispensable to the success of the peace process.”

He said resolving the conflict in eastern Congo is “a matter of highest priority” for Trump. He echoed van de Perre’s call for the parties to stick to their obligations and commitments, including respecting a ceasefire.

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This story has been corrected to show that the U.N. envoy for Congo says one rebel group has been linked to violence that has caused casualties in Ituri province and another rebel group has been attacking mining sites there.

'Most Extensive': IRGC Launches 82nd Wave of Missile, Drone Strikes Against US-Israeli Assets

Thursday, 26 March 2026 11:37 AM

Screengrab from footage released by IRGC shows the moment of launch of suicide drones against US-Israeli assets in the 82nd wave of Operation True Promise 4, on March 26, 2026.

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has announced the launch of the 82nd wave of retaliatory operations against the invading US-Israeli coalition, using different types of missiles and drones. 

In a Thursday statement, the IRGC said that this wave came in retaliation for earlier airstrikes against critical infrastructure and civilian facilities throughout Iran.

It noted that the wave began early on Thursday and would continue throughout the day. 

According to the statement, designated US interests in Arifjan and al-Kharj districts of Saudi Arabia, the US Defense Logistics Site (kGL), the Patriot radar systems in Bahrain's Sheikh Isa region, support fuel depots of the US military, a hangar for P8 surveillance aircraft, a hangar for MQ-9 Reaper combat drones, and a satellite communications dish for drones deployed at Ali al-Salem airbase were devastated with a large swarm of kamikaze drones.

The retaliatory strikes were dedicated to honorable and heroic Iranians in the northern provinces of East Azarbaijan, Ardabil, Gilan, Mazandaran and Golestan. 

It also noted that a military command center in the occupied territories, as well as industries related to the Israeli regime's nuclear program near the Dead Sea, were also hit in an "impact-driven" strike. 

Meanwhile, footage coming from the occupied territories show the impact of Iranian missiles. 

The IRGC said fighters from the Axis of Resistance successfully conducted 230 operations in the past 24 hours, registering the "most extensive" in terms of scale against US interests and Israeli positions.

It noted that fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement launched 87 operations, members of the Iraqi Islamic Resistance group conducted 23 offensives, and Iranian Armed Forces carried out 110 retaliatory missile and drone strikes.

The IRGC statement described the ongoing conflict in West Asia as a war of choice by the United States, the Israeli regime and their regional allies, stressing that the response against the large-scale aggression will continue until "the hands of aggressors and tyrants are cut off from the region," and genuine peace and stability are restored.

The United States and Israel launched an extensive and unprovoked military campaign against Iran in the wake of the assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, along with several high-ranking military commanders and civilians on February 28.

The aggression has comprised a series of intensive strikes on both military installations and civilian facilities throughout the country, leading to considerable loss of life and widespread damage to infrastructure.

In response, the Iranian Armed Forces launched retaliatory missile and drone operations against American bases across West Asia and Israeli positions in the occupied territories.

Iraq’s Economy Teeters as Oil Sales Collapse

Crude exports have fallen by more than 70% because of hte war in Iran, leading to major shortfall in the state budget

Raya Jalabi in Beirut

Iraq is facing an economic crisis following the collapse of its oil sector due to the Iran war, compounding the pressures on a weak caretaker government struggling to contain the fallout of a spiralling conflict.

The country’s oil exports have fallen from 3.4mn barrels per day to around 250,000 since the war started, with storage tanks at near-critical levels, as Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz shut off its main shipping route. Production has been slashed by nearly three quarters.

Tasked with tackling the crisis is a caretaker government with limited powers, still in place five months after the last general election.

The administration has also been grappling with more than three weeks of US strikes on Tehran-backed Shia militias inside Iraq, as Washington fights a shadow front of the Iran war on Iraqi soil. This week, seven Iraqi soldiers were killed in an apparent US strike on a military base.

“Iraq is much more vulnerable than the Gulf states right now,” said Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at the Chatham House think-tank. “In normal times, a fragmented state can muddle through. But at moments of massive conflict, it’s much more susceptible to shock.”

Iraq’s failure to modernise and diversify its economy over the past two decades has left it uniquely exposed to this disruption, economists say.

One of the world’s most oil-dependent nations, Iraq’s crude sales make up around 90 per cent of the state budget. It also relies on imports for 90 per cent of consumer goods, food and medicine — many via Hormuz. And its grid depends heavily on Iranian gas imports, which have plunged due to Israeli attacks on Tehran’s largest gasfield.

The country, OPEC’s second-largest producer, has already lost about $5.4bn — almost 2 per cent of its 2024 GDP — in oil sales from the Strait’s closure, estimated Justin Alexander, director of Khalij Economics.

The budget is under severe strain, with enough money to pay public sector salaries for the next month or two, but problems look set to arise in May, said Abdul Rahman al-Mashhadani, an Iraqi economist.

The government’s challenge has been complicated by rogue Iran-backed Shia militia groups that have attacked a range of US targets, including its embassy in Baghdad and military base in Erbil, as well as hotels and oil and gas installations.

Apparent US retaliations have hit locations across the country, including a strike on a residential area in central Baghdad last week.

“For the past few years, the government took advantage of relative stability to build bridges and roads instead of also diversifying its economy and creating a coherent security sector that could have put an end to these attacks,” said Mansour.

Baghdad is urgently trying to find alternative ways to ship its oil to global markets, including by repairing the pipeline currently in use and another damaged pipeline in the north. Last week, Baghdad declared force majeure on all oilfields developed by foreign oil companies.

It hopes to increase current exports to 500,000 b/d but even that “will not be enough, not even to cover basic obligations such as social welfare payments, let alone salaries”, he said.

It is only able to export the current quarter of a million b/d via a pipeline that runs from the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region to Turkey’s Ceyhan port. The arrangement is tenuous, owing to a longstanding dispute between the Kurdish authorities and Baghdad, and only came about due to pressure from Washington, Iraqi officials told the FT.

In January, the country’s foreign minister who also chairs the economic committee, said the country was running a monthly deficit to fund the bloated public sector payroll — a key source of patronage for political parties, which accounts for around 40 per cent of Iraq’s workforce.

“The government has no real options except to borrow directly from the central bank and also from the IMF,” Mashhadani said, noting that the central bank has stepped in during previous crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

The CBI claims to have 12 months of import cover, but much of its liquidity sits in accounts controlled by the US Federal Reserve. Before the war, Washington threatened Iraq with a dollar crunch if it failed to rein in the militias. There are fears it will renew those threats, Iraqi officials said.

Additional reporting by Anas al-Gburi in Baghdad and Verity Ratcliffe in London

Russia Sending Drones to Iran, Western Intelligence Says

Moscow close to completing phased deliveries of lethal weapons, food and medicine to Tehran

Jacob Judah in London, Henry Foy in Brussels, Max Seddon in Berlin and Neri Zilber in Tel Aviv

Russia is close to completing a phased shipment of drones, medicine and food to Iran, according to western intelligence reports that detail Moscow’s efforts to keep its embattled partner fighting.

Senior Iranian and Russian officials began secretly discussing delivering drones days after Israel and the US attacked Tehran, two officials briefed on the intelligence said. The processing of deliveries began in early March and was expected to be completed by the end of the month.

Moscow has close ties with Tehran and has provided its ally with crucial support including satellite imagery, targeting data and intelligence support, people familiar with the matter said.

The shipments of weaponry such as drones would be the first evidence Moscow has been willing to provide lethal support to Iran since the start of the war.

Asked about Moscow sending drones to Iran, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “There are a lot of fakes going around right now. One thing is true — we are continuing our dialogue with the Iranian leadership.”

A senior western official said Moscow was stepping in to shore up not only the Iranians’ fighting capabilities but also to underwrite the broader political stability of Tehran’s regime.

In public Moscow has highlighted provision of humanitarian aid since the conflict began, saying last week that it has sent more than 13 tonnes of medicine to Iran through Azerbaijan and is planning to continue the shipments.

Iran has made firing one-way attack drones across the Middle East a core element of its military strategy. It has fired more than 3,000 such drones, which it is able to produce cheaply, since the outbreak of fighting.

Russia has been producing one-way attack drones based on Iranian designs for use in Ukraine since 2023. They have been modified to enable them to evade air defences and carry heavier payloads.

Antonio Giustozzi, senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, said of the Iranians: “They don’t need more drones. They need better drones. They are after the more advanced capabilities.”

Giustozzi said he had heard independently from sources within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that discussions on drone deliveries had been opened with Russia in the immediate aftermath of the US and Israeli strikes on Iran.

One of the western security officials said they had not established the precise class of drones Russia agreed to send to Iran this month. They added Moscow would only be in a position to deliver models such as the Geran-2, which are based on the Iranian Shahed-136.

Israel last week targeted a key military transfer route between Russia and Iran on the Caspian Sea with strikes, people familiar with the matter said.

Nicole Grajewski, a professor at Sciences Po university in Paris who studies the Russia-Iran relationship, said Tehran could want to reverse engineer the drones to help improve its indigenous systems.

The advanced Russian weaponry could also improve the effectiveness of Iranian drone strikes, especially if Tehran did not have the time to integrate that technology into its domestic systems, she added.

Grajewski said: “The Russians dramatically improved the Shaheds, including modifications to the engines, navigation and anti-jamming capabilities. So these systems are already more advanced than the ones Iran was producing domestically.”

Tehran has also asked Russia for more advanced air defence capabilities and agreed a deal last December to deliver 500 man-portable Verba launch units and 2,500 9M336 missiles over three years.

Russia has declined, however, Iranian requests for the S-400, one of Moscow’s most advanced air defence systems, current and former western officials said.

The Kremlin likely views such a step as risking an escalation of tensions with the US. Iran’s military would require extensive training and instruction to use the complex S-400, meaning Russian crews would in effect be targeting US jets under combat conditions, they added.

Russia and Iran signed a strategic partnership agreement last year that fell notably short of committing the sides to the other’s mutual defence.

Hezbollah Sets Unparalleled Record: 87 Operations Strike 'Israel'

By Al Mayadeen English

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, Hezbollah, sets a record number of 87 operations against the Israeli enemy, destroying 10 Merkavas and pounding military assets across the occupied north.

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah conducted a series of operations targeting Israeli occupation forces and positions on Wednesday. The Resistance is also confronting invading Israeli occupation forces near the border, scoring successive hits on their armored forces.

Importantly, the Resistance pummeled the positions of Israeli occupation forces in the southern border town of al-Qawzah. These efforts come as part of the Resistance's defense against a multi-pronged Israeli advance, aimed at occupying additional territory in southern Lebanon and pushing confrontations away from northern settlements. 

On Wednesday, the Resistance announced that it had also conducted two operations a day earlier. The first was a surface-to-air missile (SAM) ambush that targeted an Israeli fighter jet. Hezbollah's Air Defense Force fired multiple SAMs at the fighter jet, forcing its retreat at 5:30 pm.

The second was a rocket attack on a staging post for Israeli occupation forces and armored vehicles in al-Qawzah, which occurred at 11:20 pm. 

The following are the operations carried out on Wednesday, March 25, 2026:

Frontline defense

At 12:30 am, in continuation of its defense of southern Lebanon, the Resistance fired another salvo of rockets at Israeli occupation forces and armored vehicles in al-Qawzah.

At 4:45 am, Hezbollah fighters hit an Israeli Merkava tank in the same town via an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM).

At 5:30 am, Hezbollah's Unmanned Air Force launched a swarm of one-way attack drones, targeting the positions of Israeli troops in al-Qawzah.

At 5:45, the Resistance launched barrages of rocket-artillery and artillery rounds at the positions of Israeli occupation troops in al-Qawzah.

At 6:00 am, the Resistance hit a second Merkava tank in al-Qawzah, using an ATGM. An Israeli military helicopter attempted to land and evacuate injured troops in the area of the attack; however, it was forced to retreat after a Hezbollah fighter fired a Man-Portable Air-Defense System (MANPAD) missile at it. 

Simultaneously, a salvo of rockets was fired at a grouping of Israeli troops positioned between the towns of al-Qawzah and Beit Lif.

At 7:00 am, Hezbollah fired barrages of rockets at Israeli occupation assembly points in the coastal border town of al-Naqoura.

At 7:40 am, the Resistance fired three separate salvos of rockets at Israeli occupation forces in al-Qawzah.

At 8:30 am, rocket-artillery projectiles were fired at a grouping of Israeli troops in the town of Debl.

At the same time, the Resistance's artillery units targeted Israeli troops positioned between the towns of al-Qawzah and Beit Lif.

At 8:40 am, Hezbollah fighters hit a grouping of Israeli troops at al-Qawzah with an explosive-laden FPV drone, killing and injuring several.

At 9:00 am, the Resistance hit a grouping of Israeli occupation troops, for the 7th time since confrontations resumed on March 2 in al-Qawzah, with an explosive-launched FPV drone.

At 9:05 am, the Resistance fired a salvo of rockets at Israeli occupation forces positioned in the vicinity of the al-Khiam prison. 

At 9:15 am, another FPV drone targeted Israeli troops in the vicinity of the al-Khiam detention center.

Concurrently, Hezbollah hit an Israeli Humvee vehicle with an ATGM in the border town of Mays al-Jabal, near the town's hospital.

At 9:30 am, the Resistance launched a one-way attack drone at a grouping of Israeli troops, positioned in the border village of Alma al-Shaab.

At 10:15 am, Hezbollah fighters hit a third Merkava tank, this time near the al-Taybeh project, using an explosive-laden FPV drone.

At 10:40 am, Resistance fighters targeted a grouping of Israeli troops in the al-Hamames site, south of al-Khiam, with a swarm of one-way attack drones. The site is one of several set up within Lebanese territory, following the ceasefire of November 2024.

At 10:45 am, after Hezbollah fighters had discovered an Israeli attempt to tow one of the Merkava tanks that the Resistance had damaged, near the al-Taybeh project, Resistance fighters fired a salvo of rockets at the advancing force.

At 11:00 am, an FPV drone struck an Israeli Humvee in the border town of Maroun al-Ras.

At 12:00 pm, the Resistance fired a second salvo of rockets and artillery rounds at Israeli occupation troops in Debl.

Simultaneously, Resistance fighters targeted two Merkava tanks near the pond in the Debl with guided missiles and achieved direct hits.

At 12:30 pm, Hezbollah fighters located an Israeli force in the town of al-Taybeh and launched a one-way drone attack at the force. The drone scored a direct hit, as Israeli military helicopters were called in to evacuate casualties.

At 12:45 pm, a third salvo of rockets was fired at Israeli troops positioned in the town of Debl.

At 1:15 pm, artillery units targeted a grouping of Israeli troops in the town of al-Khiam.

At 1:30 pm, Resistance fighters targeted a Merkava tank at the newly established Israeli enemy position in the border town of Markaba with an attack drone.

At 2:00 pm, the Resistance fired the fourth salvo of rockets at Israeli troops in the town of Debl.

At 2:00 pm, Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the settlement of Kiryat Shmona with a swarm of attack drones.

At 2:30 pm, another one-way attack drone targeted Israeli troops in al-Taybeh.

At 3:30 pm, after monitoring an Israeli enemy force in al-Taybeh, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted it for the third time with an attack drone and achieved direct hits. 

At the same time, Hezbollah fighters targeted an Israeli troop concentration and military vehicles near the pond in Debl with a swarm of attack drones, achieving direct hits. 

At 3:35 pm, Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the town of al-Taybeh for the fourth time with artillery shells.

At 4:10 pm, Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles around Khiam detention center for the third time with artillery shells.

At 4:20 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the Taybeh project for the second time with an attack drone.

At 4:30 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in Margaliot for the second time with an attack drone.

At 5:00 pm, and in a single operation, Resistance fighters targeted 3 Merkava tanks and a D9 bulldozer west of the al-Taybeh project with guided missiles.

In a concurrent operation, Resistance fighters targeted a Merkava tank near the pond in Debl with a guided missile and achieved a direct hit.

At 5:10 pm, after monitoring a force of Israeli enemy soldiers attempting to withdraw destroyed vehicles west of al-Taybeh project, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted them with a rocket barrage.

At the same time, in Khiam, Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles around Khiam detention center for the fourth time with a rocket barrage.

At 6:00 pm, Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in Tal Abu Madi in the border town of Dhaira with a rocket barrage.

At 6:00 pm, Hezbollah targeted a Merkava tank in Debl with a guided missile and achieved a direct hit.

At 6:10 pm, a third attack drone targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the al-Taybeh project.

At 6:50 pm, after monitoring an Israeli armored force advancing in al-Taybeh toward the Al-Muhaysinat area, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted it with guided missiles, destroying 4 Merkava tanks and a D9 bulldozer. Clashes were still ongoing when the statement was released. 

At 7:55 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in rural Alma al-Shaab with a rocket barrage.

At 8:00 pm, as confrontations continued in al-Taybeh, Resistance fighters targeted two Merkava tanks with guided missiles, destroying them, bringing the total destroyed tanks to six. Clashes were still ongoing when the statement was released. 

15 minutes later, Hezbollah issued a follow-up statement on the confrontations in al-Taybeh. By 8:15 pm, Islamic Resistance fighters had targeted two Merkava tanks with guided missiles, destroying them, bringing the total destroyed tanks to eight. Clashes were still ongoing when the statement was released. 

At 8:50 pm, after an Israeli armored force advanced from al-Taybeh toward the entrance of al-Qantara, Islamic Resistance fighters engaged them at close range, targeting a D9 bulldozer with direct missiles and achieving a confirmed hit. Clashes were still ongoing when the statement was released. 

At 9:00 pm, Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers at the al-Bagdadi site opposite Mays al-Jabal with a rocket barrage.

At 9:15 pm, Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in rural Marwahin with a rocket barrage.

At the same time, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in the Shlomi settlement with a swarm of attack drones.

For the fifth time, at 9:30 pm, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles around Khiam detention center with a swarm of attack drones.

For the sixth time, at 9:30 pm, fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the city square of Khiam with a swarm of attack drones.

At 10:00 pm, Islamic Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in al-Qawzah for the eighth time with artillery shells.

At 10:00 pm, Hezbollah targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in al-Taybeh, Tal al-Muhaysinat, with a rocket barrage.

At the same time, on the al-Qantara axis, confrontations continued, with Hezbollah targeting a Merkava tank and achieving a confirmed hit. Clashes were still ongoing when the statement was released. 

At 10:00 pm, Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in al-Taybeh at Tal al-Muhaysinat with a rocket barrage.

At 10:05 pm, Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers in Margaliot for the third time with a rocket barrage.

Continuing the confrontations in Taybeh, Al-Muhaysinat, and at the entrance of al-Qantara, Islamic Resistance fighters, at 10:10 pm, Hezbollah targeted the forces attempting to withdraw destroyed vehicles and evacuate casualties with rockets and artillery shells.

At 11:45 pm, Resistance fighters targeted a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers and vehicles in the border town of Maroun al-Ras with a rocket barrage.

In line with these defensive operations, Hezbollah's artillery forces launched a coordinated attack composed of over 100 rocket-artillery projectiles at Israeli occupation military assembly points in the towns of al-Qawzah and al-Naqoura, as well as in northern settlements. The Resistance said that the attacks were launched at 7:30 am and achieved direct hits.

Wednesday’s operations marked a significant rise in the use of FPV drones, which have emerged as a highly effective tool in modern warfare, enabling precise and deadly strikes against military personnel and armored vehicles.

Rocket salvos, drone strikes

The Resistance also fired rockets and launched one-way attack drones at Israeli targets in the occupied territories and targeted the city settlement of Kiryat Shmona, which it had previously warned its settlers to evacuate.

Hezbollah emphasized that the settlement and other northern settlements have been militarized by Israeli occupation forces and are thus legitimate targets of its attacks.

At 1:30 am, the Resistance fired a salvo of rockets at the settlement of Kiryat Shmona.

At 5:35 am, Hezbollah launched a swarm of one-way attack drones at the Shomera Barracks, targeting a grouping of Israeli troops.

At 5:50 am, the Resistance rocket force targeted an Israeli military command headquarters near the Yiftah Barracks.

At 6:03 am, Hezbollah fired a salvo of rockets at the Dado Base, housing the headquarters of the Israeli military Northern Command, north of the occupied city of Safad.

At 6:20 am, a salvo of rockets targeted Israeli artillery positions in the settlement of Dishon.

At 6:30 am, the Birya Barracks came under a rocket attack, launched by the Resistance.

At 7:00 am, the Resistance fired a salvo of rockets at Israeli military infrastructure in the occupied city of Safad.

At 8:30 am, an explosive-laden FPV drone targeted the Meron Air Operations and Control Base, in a relatively long-range strike, as Meron is located more than 10 km south of the border.

At 12:00 pm, the Resistance fired a salvo of rockets at the settlement of Qatsrin in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

At 1:20 pm, Hezbollah fighters fired a salvo of rockets at the Beit Hillel Barracks.

Concurrently, the Resistance fired tactical missiles at the Krayot, a cluster of four city settlements north of Haifa, in response to the ongoing Israeli bombing of civilian infrastructure and residential buildings.

At 2:00 pm, the Resistance fired a salvo of rockets targeting Israeli military infrastructure in the city settlement of Karmiel.

At 2:10 pm, a salvo of rockets targeted a logistics support base in the settlement of Kerem Ben Zimra.

At the same time, Resistance fighters targeted Israeli military infrastructure in Ma’alot-Tarshiha with a rocket barrage.

At 2:30 pm, within the framework of the warning issued by the Islamic Resistance to a number of settlements in northern occupied Palestine, fighters targeted the settlements of Misgav Am, Metula, Kiryat Shmona, and Dafna with rocket barrages.

At 2:30 pm, Israeli army positions were targeted with a barrage of rockets across Metula, Misgav Am, and Margaliot. 

At 2:45 pm, Hezbollah fighters targeted the Keila barracks in the occupied Syrian Golan with a rocket barrage.

At 3:00 pm, within the framework of the warning issued by the Islamic Resistance to a number of settlements in northern occupied Palestine, Nahariya was targeted with a rocket barrage.

At 4:50 pm, Resistance fighters targeted the Krayot area north of occupied Haifa with a precision rocket strike.

At 7:00 pm, Resistance fighters targeted Israeli army positions in Dhaira, Hendeb Yaron, and the newly established Blat position with rocket barrages.

At 8:10, Resistance fighters targeted the settlement of Nahariya with a rocket barrage.

At 8:20 pm, Resistance fighters targeted the settlement of Beit Hillel with a rocket barrage.

At 9:30 pm, Kiryat Shmona was targeted for the second time with a rocket barrage.

At the same time, Resistance fighters targeted Metula for the second time with a rocket barrage.

At 10:40 pm, Hezbollah targeted an Israeli logistical base in Karm Ben Zimra in Upper Galilee for the second time with a rocket barrage.

Hezbollah Destroys 10 Merkava Tanks in Taybeh-Qantara Battle

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Islamic Resistance in Lebanon Military Media

Hezbollah says it destroyed 10 Merkava tanks and two D9 bulldozers in a Taybeh-Qantara ambush targeting Israeli forces in south Lebanon clashes.

A statement issued by Hezbollah’s operations room detailed a large-scale confrontation in the Taybeh-Qantara axis, where resistance fighters carried out a coordinated ambush against advancing Israeli forces in south Lebanon.

According to the statement, forces from the Israeli occupation forces' 36th division, specifically the 7th brigade, deployed a remote-controlled bulldozer on Tuesday, March 26, to probe Hezbollah defensive positions between the Moheisbat area in Taybeh and the town of Qantara. Resistance fighters monitored the movement and deliberately delayed engagement to lure the force into a prepared ambush.

At 18:50 on Wednesday, an armored unit advanced in a column formation from Moheisbat toward Qantara in an attempt to seize the town. Hezbollah fighters waited until all vehicles entered a predesignated kill zone before launching guided missiles at the central formation, which consisted of four Merkava tanks and a D9 bulldozer, destroying them entirely.

Merkava tanks, bulldozers destroyed

As a rear unit of four Merkava tanks attempted to conceal its position using heavy smoke cover, Hezbollah fighters launched a second wave of guided missile strikes, destroying the entire unit as the tanks were seen burning.

Simultaneously, Hezbollah artillery support units targeted Israeli command centers positioned in the Taybeh, Rab Thalathin, and al-Ouwayda area, as well as reinforcements dispatched to evacuate casualties.

A forward unit attempted to continue advancing toward the entrance of Qantara but was met with direct missile fire, resulting in the destruction of a D9 bulldozer and a Merkava tank, followed by another tank.

Israeli soldiers were forced to abandon remaining vehicles and retreat on foot toward the Moheisbat area while attempting to evacuate the wounded.

Hezbollah stated that the operation resulted in the destruction of 10 Merkava tanks and two D9 bulldozers, adding that a similar attempt two days earlier from Taybeh toward Deir Siryan had also been thwarted, with eight Merkava tanks destroyed.

Defense of Lebanon ongoing as Hezbollah confronts IOF 

This comes as Hezbollah continues to valiantly defend Lebanon in the face of "Israel" under Operation Devoured Straw.

The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon – Hezbollah conducted a series of operations targeting Israeli occupation forces and positions on March 25, while continuing to confront advancing troops near the southern border and inflicting successive strikes on armored units.

The fighting was particularly intense in the southern border town of al-Qawzah, where positions held by Israeli forces came under sustained fire. The operations formed part of a broader effort to counter a multi-pronged Israeli advance aimed at seizing additional territory in southern Lebanon and shifting the front line away from northern settlements.

The Resistance also revealed details of two operations carried out the previous day. In the first, its Air Defense Force launched multiple surface-to-air missiles at an Israeli fighter jet at 17:30, forcing it to retreat from Lebanese airspace.

After War on Iran, is US Protection Still Worth the Cost for the Gulf?

By Al Mayadeen English

Gulf states question the US security umbrella as the Iran war exposes risks to energy infrastructure, accelerating shifts in the petrodollar system.

Gulf states are increasingly confronting a fundamental question as the war on Iran rages on: Is reliance on the US security umbrella still worthwhile?

Since US and Israeli attacks on February 28, US military bases and assets across the Gulf have been targeted in retaliatory operations using missiles and drones, damaging energy infrastructure, disrupting economies, and exposing the limits of Washington's so-called protection. 

The petrodollar bargain

For decades, the Gulf-US relationship rested on an implicit bargain: US protection in exchange for Gulf energy, oil priced in dollars, and the recycling of hundreds of billions of dollars from petrodollars back into US arms, technology, and financial markets. This framework, established in the 1970s, has been central to US-Saudi relations and underpins the dollar’s role as the global reserve currency.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain, peg their currencies to the dollar, supported by reserves estimated at around $800 billion. Sovereign wealth funds in the region manage more than $6 trillion, largely invested in US-heavy assets such as stocks, bonds, and private equity. Saudi and UAE funds alone hold nearly $250 billion in US Treasury securities, with additional billions in global dollar deposits.

Three strains on the petrodollar system

The petrodollar relies on three pillars: Washington’s dependence on West Asian oil, pricing of oil in dollars, and Gulf confidence in US security. All three are under pressure:

Reduced US dependence on Gulf oil as America becomes a net energy exporter.

Erosion of dollar-denominated oil trade, with China, Russia, and Iran pursuing alternative currencies.

Questioned US security guarantees, highlighted by the Iran war and attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure.

Gulf states look east

Economists suggest the war could accelerate a shift toward Asian partners. Former Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill argued that Gulf nations may increasingly turn to China, India, and other major oil consumers, as “aligning with the US no longer guarantees security.”

Saudi Arabia now sells four times as much oil to China as it does to the US, according to Deutsche Bank.

Moreover, Deutsche strategists note the petrodollar regime was already under strain: most West Asian oil flows to Asia, sanctioned Russian and Iranian oil trades in non-dollar currencies, and Saudi Arabia has been localizing defense industries and experimenting with non-dollar oil payments. The war may intensify these trends, potentially forcing Gulf states to liquidate dollar assets to cover economic damage.

Recently, a senior Iranian official said Iran is considering allowing a limited number of Strait of Hormuz oil tankers to pass through the strategic waterway, provided that the oil cargo is traded in Chinese yuan.

Long-term implications

The offensive could accelerate a transition from a petrodollar-dominated system toward a mix of petroyuan, petrorupee, or petroeuro reserves. A global shift away from fossil fuels would further challenge petrodollar dominance.

Deutsche Bank warns that West Asia’s strategic importance to the dollar’s reserve status remains significant, and the war could test the foundations of the system. Reports of oil shipments possibly using the yuan through the Strait of Hormuz underscore the long-term economic ramifications of the war.

Gulf investors and policymakers are now closely watching the war’s trajectory, knowing that its outcome may reshape financial, trade, and military alignments for decades.

EXCLUSIVE: Ugandan Opposition Leader Bobi Wine Speaks to M&G from Exile in the US, Calls for Sanctions against Museveni

By Lenin Ndebele

Bobi Wine Robert Kyagulanyi 1

Robert Kyagulanyi, aka 'Bobi Wine', leader of the National Unity Platform.

Ugandan opposition leader Kyagulanyi Ssentamu said he fled to the United States to save his life but eventually he would return home to face President Yoweri Museveni’s government.

Speaking to the Mail & Guardian from Washington DC, Ssentamu, also known by his stage name Bobi Wine, said: “I had to save my life to be able to speak to the world and later, I will return to my country for the regime to do whatever they want to me in the full glare of the world. My fight is in Uganda.” 

Bobi Wine, under the National Unity Platform, was one of seven opposition candidates that challenged Museveni for the presidency on 15 January. Museveni won a seventh term with 71.65% of the vote, while Bobi Wine came second with 24.72% in a disputed election.

Bobi Wine said it was not an election but “a military operation” that resulted in his house arrest, while his wife and family members were tortured.

Major general Muhoozi Kainerugaba – Uganda’s military commander and son of the president – has used social media to issue direct, inflammatory threats against Bobi Wine, including threats to “behead” him or “castrate” his associates.

About his escape, he said he was assisted by some in the military and police who also felt oppressed under the Museveni establishment.

“There are many oppressed men and women in uniform and these are the people who helped me to escape,” he said. “That’s why, to me, the issue is about the Ugandan people versus their oppressor.”

Now in the US, Bobi Wine is calling on international pressure for sanctions against the Ugandan strongman.

The US has since criticised the Ugandan general elections as a “hollow exercise” marred by violence, intimidation and irregularities, failing to meet democratic standards.

US officials have condemned the suppression of opposition and called for accountability in the wake of President Museveni’s disputed seventh term, with some lawmakers calling for a review of security aid.

On why he decided to go to the US, instead of a country in Africa for safety, he said solidarity in the region had been wavering.

“Even those in solidarity with us have found safety in silence and complacency. It’s only the likes of former Botswana president Ian Khama who speak openly about what’s happening in Uganda. Otherwise, many African leaders prefer diplomacy to democracy,” he added.

In January, Khama said Museveni’s victory “followed a typical authoritarian playbook”.

While the late 1970s dictator Idi Amin is arguably the most eccentric to come out of Uganda, Wine said, compared to Museveni, he was not as bad.

“Museveni is 10 times worse than Amin!” he said.

Museveni has won disputed elections since 1996, when he first ran for president after ruling unelected for 10 years.