US Iran war LIVE: Trump declares ‘no deal except unconditional surrender’, says US allies to work to boost economy

Chiefs of Defence of the 32 NATO countries convened in a virtual meeting on Friday to be briefed on the evolving situation in the Middle East, NATO’s military committee chair Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said in a post on X.

“There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER! After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before. IRAN WILL HAVE A GREAT FUTURE. “MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN (MIGA!).” Thank you for your attention to this matter!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which entered its seventh day on Friday, Trump took to Truth Social to declare that there would be “no deal” with the Islamic Republic except for “unconditional surrender”

More than 140 international flights were cancelled at Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata airports on Friday as the Middle East crisis continued to impact flight operations.

Airlines have partially started operations, and some of them are operating limited services to and from some destinations in the Middle East.

Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRG) said on Friday their forces had targeted radar systems in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, and Qatar.

“US THAAD radars deployed in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, as well as the US FPS-132 over-the-horizon radar (‘Desert Eye’) stationed in Qatar, have been destroyed by the missile and drone units of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC),” said the Guards on their website Sepah News.

The United Nations refugee agency on Friday declared the crisis in the Middle East a major humanitarian emergency, and insisted all fleeing civilians should be granted safe passage.

UNHCR said the Middle East crisis — which began on February 28 when Israel and the United States launched strikes on Iran and has spread since — had already caused large numbers of people to flee their homes.

A Lufthansa flight to Riyadh was diverted to Cairo for safety reasons, the airline’s CEO Carsten Spohr said on Friday.

Israeli airstrikes pounded the southern suburbs of Beirut overnight and on Friday with a bombardment that smashed up city streets in an escalating conflict with Iran-backed Hezbollah that has sent tens of thousands of Lebanese from their homes.

Israel ordered residents of the densely-populated suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, to leave before the airstrikes that lit up the night sky, after earlier saying civilians should quit swathes of southern and eastern Lebanon.

Critical relief corridors via air, ocean, and ground are tightening due to interference from Middle Eastern hostilities, stalling urgent cargo deliveries to several of the planet’s most severe emergencies, reported Reuters.

Support for Gaza and Sudan is reaching a standstill while expenses are climbing for assistance to the countless millions facing starvation disasters across the globe.

“People in dire need of assistance will have to wait longer for food,” said Jean-Martin Bauer, Director of Food Security at the World Food Programme.

Deutsche Lufthansa AG is contemplating increasing flight capacity across Asian and African corridors following surging long-distance travel interest, demonstrating how Iranian regional instability has redirected traveler habits that were formerly captured by Gulf-based airlines.

The leading European aviation conglomerate is evaluating heightened service levels for hubs such as Singapore, India, China, and South Africa, according to an official statement issued on Friday.

Residents in Dubai received alerts on their mobile phones warning of potential missile threats, according to Reuters witnesses.

“Israel took the decision to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in November and was planning to carry out the operation around six months later,” Defense ‌Minister Israel Katz told Reuters.

New initiatives and weapons by the Islamic Republic are “on the way” and have not yet been deployed on a large scale, IRGC spokesperson Ali-Mohammad Naini said Friday, as per Iran international.

Qatar Airways said, “Qatar Airways scheduled flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace. Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace by the relevant authorities. A further update will be provided on 7 March by 09:00 Doha time (06:00 UTC:).”

The Iranian Embassy in Delhi has lowered its flag to half-mast following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was killed in Israeli and US strikes.

Leaders are arriving at the Iranian Embassy to attend the condolence meeting for Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

IndiGo travel advisory: “As the situation in Middle East remains volatile, IndiGo extends free waivers on cancellations up till the 31st of March 2026.

👉 Waivers – Full waiver on cancellations are being extended for travel to and from the Middle East, and Istanbul, until 31 March 2026

👉 Flight Status – If you are scheduled to travel, please stay updated on your flight status here http://bit.ly/31paVKQ

👉 Communication – If you require additional support or clarification, please contact our Customer Contact Centre at +91 124 6173838

Please be assured that our teams remain actively engaged, working with care and diligence to support your travel plans while maintaining an unwavering commitment to the safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew.”

Etihad to resume limited flight schedule from 6 March, the airlines said on Friday.

Etihad will resume a limited commercial flight schedule from 6 March 2026, operating between Abu Dhabi and a number of key destinations.

Guests with previous bookings will be accommodated on these flights as soon as possible. Tickets are also available for sale on http://etihad.com.

Guests and members of the public should not travel to the airport unless they have been contacted directly by Etihad or hold a confirmed booking on one of these new flights.

The decision has been taken in coordination with relevant authorities following extensive safety and security assessments. Etihad continues to monitor the situation closely and will only operate flights once all safety criteria are met, the airlines said.

The most up-to-date information is available at http://etihad.com.

All other scheduled commercial services to and from Abu Dhabi remain suspended. Additional destinations will be added and communicated as conditions permit.

Affected guests will receive direct communication from Etihad confirming the status of their flight and outlining available options. Guests are encouraged to ensure their contact details are up to date and monitor their email for further updates.

Guests are advised to:

•⁠ Check their flight status at http://etihad.com before travelling to the airport Ensure their contact details are up to date in their booking.

•⁠ Guests holding Etihad tickets issued on or before 28 February 2026, with original travel dates up to 21 March 2026, may rebook free of charge onto Etihad-operated flights up to 15 May 2026.

•⁠ Guests on all Etihad flights until 21 March may request a refund at http://etihad.com/en/help/refund-form or through their travel agent.

•⁠ Guests who booked through a travel agent should contact their agent directly.

We are currently experiencing a high volume of calls and appreciate your patience as it may take longer than usual for calls to be answered. Guests seeking a refund are encouraged to use the above linked refund request form.

Safety remains our absolute priority, and services will operate only once all safety criteria are met.

“21st phase of Operation True Promise-4: Iran’s Kheibar missiles headed for Tel Aviv,” IRNA reported.

Qatar Airways scheduled flight operations remain temporarily suspended due to the closure of Qatari airspace.

The airlines said Qatar Airways will resume operations once the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the safe reopening of Qatari airspace by the relevant authorities.

A further update will be provided on 7 March by 09:00 Doha time (06:00 UTC).

The airline said, “We are working around the clock to organise additional relief flights where operationally possible and will share further updates as soon as they are confirmed.”

“Affected passengers will be contacted directly by Qatar Airways with their flight details, arrangements and next steps,” it added.

“Passengers are kindly requested not to proceed to the airport unless they have received an official notification from Qatar Airways confirming their flight.

For Qatar Airways passengers currently in Doha, airline representatives are available in designated hotels to assist with questions regarding relief flights and travel arrangements.

Please ensure your contact details are up to date so we can reach you with important information. Details can be updated via the Qatar Airways website or via the Qatar Airways mobile app.

The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority. We sincerely apologise for the disruption caused by circumstances beyond our control and thank you for your patience and understanding,” it said.

For the latest updates, please visit our official updates page: http://qatarairways.com/travelalerts

Explosions were heard early Friday in the cities of Salmas, Maku and Saqqez in western Iran, the Iran International reported.

President Trump says he wants Iran’s leadership structure “cleaned out” and has names in mind for a “good leader.”

“We don’t want someone who would rebuild over a 10-year period,” he told NBC. “We have some people who I think would do a good job.”

Ministry of Defense in the Kingdom of Saudi Arab posted on X, “Interception and destruction of 3 drones east of the Riyadh region.”

AFP Infographic with a Sentinel-2 satellite image (January 11, 2026) of Tehran in Iran, with close-ups of several strategic sites bombed between February 28 and March 3, using Vantor satellite images

Amid the flight disruptions in the wake of the US-Israel vs Iran conflict from the past few days, the flight from Fujairah to Delhi has landed at the IGI Airport.

A passenger says, “… We came from Dubai. We faced a lot of problems… We got information that our flight for 1st March has been cancelled… We did not get any help…”

Israel has launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iran, which has stepped up its attacks on Gulf nations Qatar and Bahrain, as the Middle East war spreads throughout the region and beyond

‘We’re destroying more of Iran’s missiles and drone capability every single hour, knocking them out like nobody thought was possible,’ President Trump said, asserting that Iran is reaching out to the US about making a deal, but ‘a little bit late’

According to Iran International, moderates in Tehran called for selecting a leader who could help calm tensions. In a statement Friday, Iran’s Reform Front reportedly said naming a new supreme leader could blunt negative narratives about the Islamic Republic and send a message of peace and friendship to the world.

“Hezbollah claims responsibility for strikes on Israeli army. Lebanese state media says Israel launched air strikes on southern Lebanon. Iran Guards launch missiles at Israel’s Tel Aviv,” Iran state media reported.

Iran-based IRNA media shared a purported video showing “missile strike near air defense in Qatar.”

Witness reports from Iran suggesting loud explosions in central and eastern Tehran on Friday morning local time.

‘Iran has not closed Strait of Hormuz,’ a military commander was quoted by IRNA media as saying.

Axios reports citing senior Israeli officers that dozens of Revolutionary Guards members have fled Beirut, fearing they could be targeted.

The Israel Defence Forces said (IDF) it “has now begun a broad wave of strikes on infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in Tehran.”

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday he wants to finish the war in Iran first, but then it “will be just a question of time before you and a lot of unbelievable people are going to be going back to Cuba.”

Trump, speaking at an event with the Inter Miami soccer team at the White House, said Cuba wants “to make a deal so badly.”

“We want to finish this one first,” he said, referring to the conflict in Iran.

Qatar has reportedly said it intercepted drone attack targeting US military base Iran state TV reported explosions in Tehran

After Donald Trump’s criticism of the UK over its initial refusal to permit the use of British bases in the Middle East, the US’ Pete Hegseth said it was “unfortunate” access wasn’t granted “from day one”.

“The amount of firepower over Iran and over Tehran is about to surge dramatically,” he said.

Hegseth and Cooper also said the US and Israel were targeting those who were targeting protesters in Iran.

“The more you do that, and you erode their will and capabilities, the more you create an opportunity for people to boldly stand up,” Hegseth said.

“The alarm siren has been activated. Citizens and residents are requested to remain calm, head to the nearest safe location, and follow updates through official channels,” Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior posted.

“Air India and Air India Express resume scheduled flights to/from Jeddah and Muscat as airspaces over Saudi Arabia and Oman assessed as safe for operations,” Air India Newsroom posted on X.

“Additional special ad-hoc flights to Dubai, Muscat and Ras Al-Khaimah are operating tomorrow, 6 March, to fly stranded guests back home to India. Europe & North America services operating normally via safe alternative routings,” it added.

The US Central Command posted on X, “US forces aren’t holding back on the mission to sink the entire Iranian Navy. Today, an Iranian drone carrier, roughly the size of a WWII aircraft carrier, was struck and is now on fire.”

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior says one hotel and two residential buildings were hit by Iranian missiles early Friday local time. No casualties reported.

The United Arab Emirates is exploring freezing Iranian assets to punish Tehran for attacks, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Iran’s attacks will become more intense in the coming days, a Revolutionary Guards spokesman was quoted by Iran International as saying.

Iran continues to strike targets across the region as Israeli-US attacks keep pounding sites inside Iran. Follow our liveblog for rolling updates, videos and verified details.

The US ordered evacuation of its embassy in Kuwait City overnight, CBS News reports, with staff told to destroy sensitive materials after multiple reported attacks.

The IRGC urged Iran’s neighbors not to shelter Americans, warning it will identify and target them, news agency IRNA reported.

“It’s the Islamic duty of the region’s countries to accurately report the hiding place of American terrorists,” the IRGC’s intelligence unit said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump encouraged Iranian Kurdish forces to go on the offensive. “I think it’s wonderful that they want to do that, I’d be all for it,” the president said.

His statement came six days after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Saturday.