Headlines for March 2, 2026

In Israel, an Iranian ballistic missile struck a residential district of Beit Shemesh on Sunday, killing nine people and wounding 27 others. Another strike killed a woman in Tel Aviv. Other Iranian missiles were intercepted by Israeli air defenses, including one that crashed onto a street in Jerusalem, injuring several people. 

Iran also launched retaliatory strikes against all Gulf Arab nations that host U.S. military bases, with the exception of Oman. Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan and Saudi Arabia all were struck. One person was killed in Abu Dhabi. Another person was killed in Kuwait, where a Defense Ministry official reported three U.S. F-15 fighter jets were “mistakenly shot down” by Kuwaiti air defenses. 

In Saudi Arabia, an oil refinery caught fire after it was struck by debris from an Iranian missile, closing a facility that processes over half a million barrels of crude oil a day. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has effectively come to a halt due to the U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran. Oil prices have surged to a 52-week high, with many analysts predicting they could soon top $100 a barrel. Hundreds of thousands of travelers have been stranded as all flights through some of the world’s busiest international airports have been grounded. Stock markets across Asia opened sharply lower on fears the attack on Iran will slow the global economy.