Britain Says Cyprus Base Not Included In Deal With US Forces
Britain said its Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus would not be involved in its new agreement with the United States to use UK bases.
The announcement came on March 21 after a phone call between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.
A day earlier, London gave authorization for US forces to use RAF Fairford in England and Diego Garcia, a joint US-UK base in the Indian Ocean, to carry out defensive strikes on Iranian missile sites attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran on March 21 fired two ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia, although neither reached the site some 4,000 kilometers from Iranian territory.
On March 2, an Iranian-type Shahed drone caused slight damage at the Akrotiri base, while two others were intercepted. No further incidents related to the war have been reported on the island.
Britain retained sovereignty over two bases when it granted Cyprus, its former colony, independence in 1960.
"RAF Akrotiri would not be involved in the UK's continuation of its agreement with the US to use UK bases in collective self-defense of the region," a spokesperson for Starmer's office said in a British readout of the call with Christodoulides.
With reporting by Reuters
Saudi Arabia Orders Iran's Military Attache, Others To Leave Country
Saudi Arabia has told Iran's military attache and four others of the embassy staff in Riyadh they must leave the kingdom within 24 hours after being declared persona non grata, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said on March 21.
The ministry cited "repeated Iranian attacks" on Saudi territory as the reason for the move.
Saudi Arabia has come under attack by hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran on February 28. Most have been intercepted, although falling debris has caused damage and some injuries.
The ministry said that further attacks by Tehran would have "significant consequences" for current and future relations.
Shi’ite-led Iran and Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia have long been rivals in the region competing for influence among neighboring countries. Saudi Arabia is also closely aligned with the United States.
The two countries reestablished diplomatic relations in 2023 as part of an effort to calm tensions following years of friction.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Dozens Injured In Iranian Missile Strike On Israel's Dimona, Emergency Service Says
An Iranian ballistic missile hit a building in the southern Israeli city of Dimona, home to the country's nuclear program, as local emergency service said it was treating dozens of people injured in the attack.
According to the emergency response service Magen David Adom, a 10-year-old boy was among the injured, suffering moderate injuries from shrapnel. In its latest report, the service said the number of injured had risen to over 40 people.
Iranian state broadcaster IRIB claimed the attack on Dimona targeted nuclear facilities located in the city. It also described the attack as a response to Israel's earlier attack on Natanz, the site of an Iranian nuclear facility.
It was at least the second time the Natanz facility has been targeted during the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran that began on February 28. Following the attack, IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi called for "military restraint to prevent a nuclear accident."
Read more here.
8,000 Iranian Targets Struck By US Forces, Military Says
The United States has struck more than 8,000 targets in Iran since the beginning of the joint US-Israeli military campaign three weeks ago, US Central Command (CENTCOM) says.
Targets hit by US forces included 130 Iranian vessels, CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper said in a video released on March 21 on X. He described the result as "the largest elimination of a navy over a three-week period since World War II."
Cooper added that the military also remained focused on "dismantling Iran's decades-old threat to the free flow of commerce ithroughout the Strait of Hormuz," adding that the US military has dropped multimple bombs on an underground facility off the coast of Iran earlier this week.
According to Cooper, Tehran's forces used the site "to discreetly store anti-ship cruise missiles, mobile missile launchers, and other equipment that presented a dangerous risk to international shipping."
Iranian Missile With Cluster Warhead Hits Central Israel
The mayor of the city of Rishon LeZion, located in central Israel, announced on March 21 that an Iranian missile with a cluster warhead hit the city and destroyed several places, including a kindergarten.
The mayor said that if the attack had occurred on a school day, it could have had more severe consequences.
According to Reuters, among the missiles that Iran has fired at Israel, some have cluster warheads, which are more difficult for Israeli missile defense shields to intercept and destroy.
More Than 20 Countries Condemn Iran Over Strait Of Hormuz Tensions
More than 20 countries announced that they are prepared to support efforts to ensure safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, amid rising tensions in the region.
"We declare our readiness to participate in appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait. We welcome the commitment of countries that are making preliminary plans," the joint statement said.
The countries also condemned recent actions affecting maritime security and regional stability.
"We strongly condemn recent attacks on civilian commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf, as well as attacks on civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities."
The statement was supported by a group of countries including United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, Japan, and Australia, as well as Gulf states such as Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, along with several other European partners.
It was not immediately clear what "appropriate measures" the group referred to. Many of those countries have rejected demands by US President Donald Trump to send their navies for escort missions in the strait.
While some European countries said they were discussing ways to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, several rejected President Trump’s calls to send warships.
It comes amid ongoing regional tensions involving Iran and concerns over the security of key global shipping routes.
Iran's Missile Cap Died With Khamenei, Putting Europe Within Reach
Iran for years maintained that it had capped its ballistic missile range at 2,000 kilometers.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's then-supreme leader, said in 2021 that he had imposed the limit despite protests from military figures, framing it as a deliberate choice.
That choice, according to Iranian military officials, was a signal to Europe that it was not in Iran's crosshairs.
On March 21, within weeks of Khamenei's assassination in the US-Israeli war with Iran, Tehran fired two ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia, a joint US-British base in the Indian Ocean some 4,000 kilometers from Iranian territory.
The cap, it appears, is gone.
To read the full analysis by RFE/RL's Kian Sharifi, click here.
Iraq Power Grid Stabilizes After Iranian Gas Supplies Resume Following South Pars Strike
Iraq's electricity grid has stabilized following the resumption of Iranian gas supplies disrupted by an Israeli strike on the South Pars gas field, the country's Electricity Ministry said on March 21, according to Iraq's state news agency.
Ministry spokesman Ahmed Moussa said Iranian gas was flowing again at 5 million cubic meters, with national grid output stabilizing at 14,000 megawatts. He said the ministry had managed the interruption by rerouting domestic gas supplies and coordinating diesel fuel deliveries to affected stations.
South Pars provides around 80 percent of Iran's domestic gas needs and is the primary source of Iranian gas exports to Iraq. Iran supplies roughly one-third of Iraq's gas and power needs.
Iran retaliated for the South Pars strike by hitting Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, causing extensive damage, and also struck two refineries in Riyadh.
Katz Says Attacks On Iran Will Intensify In Coming Days
Israel Katz, Israel's defense minister, said military operations against Iran are expected to increase in intensity in the coming days.
"The intensity of the attacks that will be carried out by the Israeli and US military against the Iranian regime and its supporting infrastructure will increase significantly," Katz said in a statement released by Israel’s Defense Ministry on March 21.
His remarks come amid ongoing joint military operations by Israel and the United States targeting Iranian military and strategic infrastructure.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump indicated that he could consider a reduction in hostilities, saying he may support a "winding down" of military actions under certain conditions.
The remark comes as a growing number of media outlets report -- citing unnamed US officials -- that thousands of additional US ground troops are on their way to the region, a move seen as giving the United States additional options in the war with Iran.
The conflict between Israel, the United States, and Iran has escalated in recent weeks, with both sides exchanging attacks. Iran has launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and US positions in the region, while also contributing to regional tensions affecting key shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz.
The escalation has raised concerns globally, particularly over energy markets and economic stability, as disruptions in the region have contributed to increased oil prices and market volatility.
IAEA Urges 'Restraint' After Attack On Natanz Facility
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced on March 21 that Iran had notified the organization of the attack on the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility.
The agency wrote in a post on X-Net that no increase in radiation levels had been reported outside the facility, adding that it was investigating the report.
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi, it added, has reiterated his call for "military restraint to prevent a nuclear accident."
Earlier, Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said that the uranium enrichment facility in Natanz, known as the Martyr Ahmadi-Roshan Enrichment Complex, had been attacked by the United States and Israel.