US and Israel continue to bombard Iran as drone strikes return in waves

Mar 03 • 02:01pm

US adds Kuwait and Qatar to evacuation list

The US State Department added Kuwait and Qatar to the evacuation list from its Mideast diplomatic outposts.

- AP

Mar 03 • 01:51pm

US shutting down embassy in Kuwait

The US Embassy in Kuwait is shutting down as the Middle East is grabbed in a widening war.

The embassy said in a social media post Tuesday (local time) that it is closing “until further notice” due to the war.

- AP

Mar 03 • 01:51pm

Iran holds mass funeral for people killed in reported school attack

Iran on Tuesday (local time) held a mass funeral ceremony for 165 people killed in what it described as an attack on a girls’ school in the southern city of Minab.

Iranian state television showed thousands of people filling a public square. Men waved the Islamic Republic flag while largely standing apart from women draped in black chadors.

From the stage, a women who said she was the mother of “Atena” held up a printed image of portraits that she called “a document of American crimes.” She added, “They died in the way of God”.

The crowd erupted into chants of “Death to America,” “Death to Israel” and “No surrender”.

US Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said he was aware of reports that a girls’ school was struck and officials were looking into them.

An Israeli military spokesperson said Sunday (local time) he was not aware of any Israeli or US strikes in the area.

- AP

Mar 03 • 01:46pm

Trump says US munitions stockpiles have 'never been higher or better'

In a post to his Truth Social website, US President Donald Trump said US munitions stockpiles have "at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better".

"As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons."

He said: "Wars can be fought 'forever', and very successfully, using these supplies."

Trump also added "much additional high grade weaponry is stored for us in outlying countries".

The Associated Press reported Trump's post came after analysts began raising concerns over the amount of munitions the US had, including air defence missiles, as the campaign continued.

Mar 03 • 01:21pm

Drone strikes hit Amazon data centres

Amazon said Monday (local time) that two of its data centres in United Arab Emirates were hit by drones, while a drone strike near one of its facilities in Bahrain “caused physical impacts to our infrastructure”.

The tech giant said on its website that the strikes have caused structural damage and gotten in the way of power getting to infrastructure. The company did not say who was responsible for the strikes.

“We are working to restore full service availability as quickly as possible, though we expect recovery to be prolonged given the nature of the physical damage involved,” Amazon said.

- AP

Mar 03 • 01:09pm

Iran threatens shipping in Strait of Hormuz

Iran is continuing to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Perisan Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes.

Brig. Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, issued the threat on Iranian state television on Monday (local time).

“The Strait of Hormuz is closed. Anyone who wants to pass, our devotee heroes in the IRGC navy and the army will set those ships on fire,” he said. “Don’t come to this region.”

- AP