This live blog follows updates for Day 16 of the US-Israel war on Iran. For a recap of Day 15, go here.

• Smoke seen rising from direction of UAE energy facility: AFP journalist
• Iran urges UAE residents to stay away from ports
• Macron thanks Iraqi PM for 'measures' to safeguard French forces
• Iran says museums and historic sites damaged in war
• Pentagon moving additional marines, warships to Middle East: Wall Street Journal

Israel launches fresh strike on south Beirut

Published March 15, 2026 | 22:47 GMT

Israel launched a fresh strike on Beirut's southern suburbs late Sunday as Israel's military said it was striking Hezbollah infrastructure in the city following earlier raids mainly in the country's south.

The midnight strike, heard by AFP correspondents in the capital, came after a morning Israel army evacuation warning for Beirut's southern suburbs, which Israel has repeatedly struck in the past fortnight.

Shortly after the raid, the Israeli military said on social media that it was "currently striking Hezbollah terror infrastructure in Beirut".

Iran announces 60% minimum wage hike: local media

Published March 15, 2026 | 22:18 GMT

Iran's labour minister has announced a more than 60% hike in the minimum wage, local media reported Sunday, months after anti-government protests that began as an expression of discontent over dire economic conditions.

The country adjusts its minimum wage yearly to account for inflation, which had skyrocketed under international sanctions in the months leading up to the ongoing war between Iran, Israel and the United States.

A report from the Tasnim news agency citing the minister of labour said that "with the government's approval", the monthly minimum wage would increase from 103 million rials to 166 million in the coming year of the Persian calendar, which will begin in a few days.

It also announced a similar hike in child support benefits.

The Iranian currency trades at about 1.47 million rial to the dollar, according to the monitoring website Bonbast.

Drone and missile attack on Baghdad airport: security sources

Published March 15, 2026 | 16:44 GMT

A rocket attack on Baghdad International Airport, which houses a US diplomatic facility, wounded five people on Sunday, Iraqi authorities said.

The Iraqi government's security media cell said "five rockets targeted Baghdad International Airport and its surrounding area, injuring four airport employees and security personnel, and an engineer".

It added that rockets struck the airport and a water desalination plant, while others crashed near a prison where Islamic State group (IS) suspects are detained and an Iraqi airbase next to the US diplomatic facility.

Security forces seized the launchpad used for the attack in the al-Radwaniya area southwest of Baghdad, the authorities added.

Iran FM sees no reason for talks after Trump says it wants deal

Published March 15, 2026 | 15:34 GMT

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran was not interested in talks with the United States, pushing back on President Donald Trump's stance that Tehran wants a deal to end the war.

"We are stable and strong enough. We are only defending our people," Araghchi told CBS's "Face The Nation," in an interview aired Sunday.

"We don't see any reason why we should talk with Americans, because we were talking with them when they decided to attack us

"There is no good experience talking with Americans."

Trump on Saturday said Iran wanted a deal, but that he was not prepared to make one on current terms, without giving further details.

"We never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiation," Araghchi said.

Iranian missiles injure at least 8 people in Israel

Published March 15, 2026 | 14:54 GMT

At least eight people were injured in Israel Sunday following repeated missile launches from Iran, at least two of which contained cluster munitions according to Israeli authorities.

Israeli police released footage from a CCTV camera in the Tel Aviv area showing an impact on a road, saying that it was from "cluster munitions" that caused "damage at several locations".

Bomblets and shrapnel from the missile wounded four people in various parts of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, according to the Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue service.

Iran army says targeted police unit in Israel with drone attack

Published March 15, 2026 | 11:00 GMT

Iran's army said on Sunday it had targeted a police unit and a satellite communications centre in Israel with drone strikes.

In a statement, carried by the official IRNA news agency, the army said "it has targeted the security centres and police headquarters of the Zionist terrorist regime, including the regime's special police unit called 'Lahav 433' and the 'Gilat Defence' satellite communications centre with powerful drone attacks".

Israel approves emergency military funding as Iran war rages

Published March 15, 2026 | 10:24 GMT

Israel has approved an $827-million emergency budget allocation for military purchases, Israeli media reported Sunday, as the war with Iran entered its third week.

The 2.6-billion-shekel package was approved over the weekend by cabinet ministers during a telephone meeting, the daily Haaretz reported.

It will be used for "security purchases" and to address "urgent needs", it said, without providing further details.

The funds will be drawn from the state budget, totalling $222 billion and approved by the government on March 12, and expected to be adopted by the Knesset by March 31, according to the reports.

The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet officially commented on the measure or specified what purchases the funds will cover.

Iran urges countries to avoid action that could widen war

Published March 15, 2026 | 10:00 GMT

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi urged other countries on Sunday to refrain from any action that could widen the scope of the war with Israel and the United States.

In a phone call with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Araghchi called on other countries to "refrain from any action that could lead to escalation and expansion of the conflict", according to an Iranian foreign ministry statement.

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump called for other nations' warships to help protect world oil supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been virtually blocked by the threat of Iranian attacks. 

IRGC denies recent drone attack on Saudi Arabia

Published March 15, 2026 | 09:55 GMT

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) stated that Tehran had nothing to do with recent drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh and Eastern Province, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported. 

The IRGC made it clear that the alleged attack has no connection to the Islamic Republic of Iran, urging the Saudi government to seek the origin of the strikes.

Iran launches fresh attacks on UAE, Israel

Published March 15, 2026 | 09:00 GMT

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) launched the 53rd wave of attacks targeting regional command and control centers of the Zionist regime, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.

“The operation involved a combined strike utilizing 10 hypersonic Fattah and Qadr missiles, as well as destructive drones aimed at US terrorist forces stationed at the Al-Dhafra base, which has provided intelligence and support during aggressive attacks against Iran,” the semi-official agency stated.

South Korea 'closely monitoring' Trump call to send warships to Hormuz

Published March 15, 2026 | 08:45 GMT

South Korea said on Sunday it was paying close attention to US President Donald Trump's call for Seoul and other countries to send warships to help protect oil supplies passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

"We are closely monitoring President Trump's remarks on social media and will carefully consider the matter in close consultation with the United States," a presidential official told AFP.

Israel army says begun 'wide-scale' wave of strikes on western Iran

Published March 15, 2026 | 08:10 GMT

Israel's military said it began a broad wave of strikes on western Iran on Sunday, more than two weeks into the US-Israeli war against the Islamic republic.

"A short while ago, the IDF began a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in western Iran," the army said in a statement.

Iraq warns of strikes near prison housing IS detainees

Published March 15, 2026 | 07:55 GMT

Iraq warned on Sunday that drone attacks near Baghdad airport threatened the security of the nearby prison housing Islamic State group suspects recently brought from Syria.

In February, the United States completed the transfer of 5,700 IS detainees from Syria to Iraq.

They have been held since in Baghdad's al-Karkh prison, once a US Army detention centre known as Camp Cropper, which is part of Baghdad airport's complex.

Iran arrests 20 over suspected links to Israel: media

Published March 15, 2026 | 07:55 GMT

Iranian authorities have arrested at least 20 people in the country's northwest on suspicion of cooperating with Israel, local media reported on Sunday, more than two weeks into the Middle East war.

The arrests took place during raids on networks linked to Israel in the West Azerbaijan province, the Fars news agency said, quoting provincial prosecutor Hossein Majidi.

Iran Guards vow to 'pursue and kill' Israeli premier Netanyahu

Published March 15, 2026 | 05:20 GMT

Iran's Revolutionary Guards vowed on Sunday to target Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the war with Israel and the United States continues.

"If this child-killing criminal is alive, we will continue to pursue and kill him with full force," said the Guards on their website Sepah News.

US military identifies 6 soldiers killed in Iraq plane crash

Published March 15, 2026 | 03:05 GMT

The Pentagon released the identities of six US crew members killed during the crash of a refueling aircraft in western Iraq earlier this week, which authorities said was not caused by "hostile fire."

The KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday, bringing the number of US troops killed in operations against Iran to at least 13. A second aircraft involved in the operation landed safely.

The Pentagon said the six members killed in the crash were: John Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama; Ariana Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky; Seth Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana; Curtis Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tyler Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio.

The crash remains under investigation, Pentagon officials said, but US Central Command previously stated that "the loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire."

France denies reports its warships heading to Middle East

Published: March 15, 2026 | 01:00 GMT 

The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied reports that the French Navy is preparing to deploy 10 warships to the Middle East.

In a post on X, the ministry said: “No. The aircraft carrier strike group remains in the Eastern Mediterranean. France’s posture is unchanged: Defensive, Protective.”

The report came after Trump urged the US’s allies to help keep the Strait of Hormuz open.

This live blog is closed now. Follow our daily updates on the US-Israel war on Iran here