West Asia War Escalates: US Launches Heavy Strikes on Iran, Oil Prices Surge

West Asia War Escalates: US Launches Heavy Strikes on Iran, Oil Prices Surge

Dubai : As American and Israeli strikes pound the Islamic Republic and Iran attacks Persian Gulf shipping and energy infrastructure with no sign of an end to the war, oil prices have soared back above $100 a barrel.

Intense strikes hit Tehran and areas surrounding Iran's capital, as Iran continued striking at neighboring Arab Gulf States.

US President Donald Trump promised to “finish the job”, even as Iran is “virtually destroyed”.

The first week of the war cost the United States $11.3 billion, according to the Pentagon.

The UN refugee agency says up to 3.2 million people in Iran have been displaced, and authorities in Lebanon say 800,000 have been forced from their homes as Israel's military destroys buildings linked to Iran-backed Hezbollah militants.

Trump issues new threat to Iran online

March 13, 2026 10:47 am

Dubai: US President Donald Trump issued a new threat online to Iran, writing: "Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today." Trump made the post on Friday on his Truth Social website, saying, "Iran's Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated, and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth." "They've been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them," Trump wrote. "What a great honour it is to do so!" AP

French president says a French soldier has been killed in attack in Iraq

March 13, 2026 10:20 am

Dubai: The attack targeted Irbil in Iraq’s northern Kurdish region, President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday on X. Macron identified the soldier as Chief Warrant Officer Arnaud Frion of the 7th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins from Varces. AP

Missile attack on Israel injures 58

March 13, 2026 10:20 am

Dubai: Israel's Magen David Adom ambulance service said 58 people were hurt in a missile attack on Zarzir, a city around 100 kilometres north of Jerusalem near the border with Lebanon. The service said one person was in moderate condition and 57 sustained very minor injuries from glass shards. Footage shared by the ambulance service from the impact site showed damaged cars and scattered debris. AP

Israeli strikes hit new areas in Beirut, killing one

March 13, 2026 10:20 am

Dubai: An Israeli strike early on Friday hit a car in Jnah, a coastal neighborhood in southwestern Beirut, and killed one person, the Lebanese health ministry said. Separately, an Israeli strike hit an apartment in the Nabaa neighborhood, leaving it engulfed in flames, local media reported. Nabaa, on Beirut's northern outskirts within the densely populated Burj Hammoud district, is home to a sizable Armenian community. No casualties were immediately reported. AP

Debris from interception causes fire in Dubai

March 13, 2026 10:20 am

Dubai: Thick black smoke rose over Dubai's skyline early on Friday after what authorities described as a fire in an industrial area of the city-state. An Associated Press journalist saw the fire in Dubai's Al Quoz neighborhood. Bystanders gathered to watch the smoke from the blaze. Police stopped an AP journalist from going closer to the site of the blaze, which was in a cul de sac. The Dubai Media Office, which issues statements for its government, said "debris from a successful interception caused a minor incident on the facade of a building in central Dubai". It said there had been no injuries, though the black smoke curled over the skyline as far as the sail-shaped Burj al-Arab luxury hotel. AP

Saudi Arabia says its air defences downed 50 drones in hours

March 13, 2026 10:17 am

Dubai: Saudi Arabia's Defence Ministry said early on Friday that its air defences downed 10 more drones headed towards the kingdom's Eastern and Central Provinces, bringing the total to nearly 50 drones entering Saudi airspace over a span of a few hours. The barrage represents a higher-than-usual number of aerial threats for the kingdom, which has seen sites including the US Embassy in Riyadh, oil infrastructure, and a military base hosting US troops targeted as the war involving Iran has intensified. AP

No life insurance for Mojtaba Khamenei, says Netanyahu

March 13, 2026 8:55 am

Jerusalem: Asserting that the joint US-Israel campaign against Iran is "going better than expected" and Israel is "stronger than ever", Israeli Prime Jerusalem: Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said there was "no life insurance" for Iran's newly chosen Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. Responding to a question about whether Israel would target Khamenei and Hezbollah leader Naem Qassem, Netanyahu said, "I wouldn't take out a life insurance policy on any of the leaders of the terror organisations." PTI

Asia shares mostly lower and oil hovers around $100 a barrel over Iran war worries

March 13, 2026 8:47 am

Hong Kong: Asia shares were mostly lower on Friday, tracking Wall Street losses, while oil prices hovered around $100 per barrel as anxiety remained over the Iran war and its impact on supplies of crude oil and gas. AP

Iran war and rising fuel costs could boost Panama Canal traffic, administrator says

March 13, 2026 8:43 am

Panama City: Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez said Thursday that the conflict in the Middle East and rising fuel costs could ultimately benefit the interoceanic waterway as global shippers adjust routes. In an interview with The Associated Press, Vasquez said that higher energy, fuel and navigation costs could make the Panama Canal a more attractive option for commercial traffic. "When costs increase, in general when the price of marine fuel rises, the Panama Canal becomes a more attractive route," Vasquez said. AP

Trump administration denounces CNN for airing messages from Iranian leaders

March 13, 2026 8:08 am

Washington: The Trump administration denounced CNN on Thursday for airing a portion of the new Iranian supreme leader’s public statement, the second time in three days that he’s targeted the network for reporting on how the regime is responding to the American attacks. The attack illustrated the care news outlets must take in reporting during wartime, and the responsibilities of American journalists to report the perspective of countries its government views as enemies. It also exposed inconsistencies. AP