Eleventh day of war in Iran. Following Donald Trump's statements yesterday that the war is "almost over," oil prices have dropped. If Iran "stopped the flow of oil in the Strait of Hormuz," the US would hit Iran "twenty times harder" than it has done so far, Trump wrote in Truth, adding that "it is a US gift to China and all the nations that heavily exploit the Strait of Hormuz." Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi stated that the country will continue missile attacks as long as necessary and that talks with the US are no longer on the agenda . The Pasdaran announced that they will decide when the war ends . Raids on the United Arab Emirates continue. Air defenses have been activated against Iranian missile and drone threats. Australia will deploy a surveillance plane, air-to-air missiles, and support personnel to the Middle East .

Meanwhile, oil continues to slow in US after-hours trading, hovering below the $90 mark . Asian stock markets, from Tokyo to Shanghai and Hong Kong, appear to be recovering slightly at the opening following Trump's announcements about the end of the war. The US president announced his consideration of easing sanctions on Russian crude oil after a phone call with President Vladimir Putin . Among the options being considered is the release of emergency crude oil reserves, part of a package of options to mitigate the price surge fueled by the war against Iran. The White House fears repercussions for US businesses and consumers ahead of the midterm elections.

NEWS LIVE FROM MARCH 10:

10:05 AM – Gulf countries reduce daily oil production

Middle Eastern countries are reducing their daily oil production, Bloomberg reports. Saudi Arabia has reduced its oil output by between 2 and 2.5 million barrels per day, while the United Arab Emirates has cut its output by 500,000 to 800,000 barrels per day. Kuwait has also reduced production by half a million barrels per day, and Iraq by about 2.9 million, the report adds, citing people familiar with the matter.

10:00 AM – UNIFIL soldiers escort fleeing Christians in southern Lebanon

Residents of a predominantly Christian Lebanese town in southern Lebanon are leaving their homes, escorted by Italian soldiers from the United Nations mission (UNIFIL), following repeated threats of displacement throughout the area from Israel, which yesterday killed the Catholic parish priest of a nearby town in the south. This was reported by the Lebanese news agency NNA, and confirmed by the UNIFIL press office to ANSA. Dignitaries from the town of Alma Shaab, in the Tyre district, have decided to leave their homes following yet another forced evacuation order (an "evacuation notice") and following Israel's killing yesterday of parish priest Pierre Rai from the nearby town of Qlaiaa. Residents of Rmeish, another Christian town along the demarcation line with Israel, have instead decided to remain in their town for now, as they did previously during the long conflict of 2023-24.

9:30 a.m. - Netanyahu: "We're breaking Iran's bones, but we're not done yet."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel has been "breaking the bones" of Iranian power since the start of its joint US-led offensive on February 28, but that it is "not finished yet." "We aspire to lead the Iranian people to break the yoke of tyranny, but ultimately it is up to them," Netanyahu said during a visit to an Israeli Health Ministry emergency center late yesterday evening. "There is no doubt that with the actions taken so far, we are breaking their bones—and we are not finished yet," he added.

9:15 a.m. – Turkey deploys Patriot missiles in consultation with NATO

Turkey announced that a Patriot air defense system is being prepared for deployment in the eastern part of the country, as part of coordinated efforts with NATO to help protect its airspace amid regional tensions. Anadolu reported. In a statement, the Ministry of National Defense said, "In light of recent developments in our region, necessary measures have been taken to ensure the security of our borders and airspace, and we are in consultation with NATO and our allies."

8:42 AM – IDF announces imminent raids on Tyre and Sidon in Lebanon.

The IDF has issued an evacuation order for some buildings in the Lebanese coastal cities of Tyre and Sidon, ahead of airstrikes against Hezbollah infrastructure. "The IDF will target military infrastructure belonging to the terrorist organization Hezbollah," said spokesman Colonel Avichay Adraee. Civilians in the area have been instructed to stay at least 300 meters away from the buildings.

8:25 AM – The US Embassy in Beirut urges its citizens to leave Lebanon.

The US Embassy in Beirut is urging its citizens to seek "safe haven" if they do not intend to leave Lebanon, the BBC reports. In a security advisory issued this morning, the embassy states that US citizens "should seriously consider" leaving the country on Middle East Airlines flights departing from Beirut's Rafic Hariri Airport if they believe it is safe to do so.

8:13 AM – Iran: We will not allow oil exports while there is war.

"Iran will not allow the export of even a single liter of oil from the region until further notice to the hostile enemy and its partners, as long as the US and Israeli aggression against Iran and its civilian infrastructure continues," said Revolutionary Guards spokesman Mohammad Ali Naeini. Referring to President Donald Trump's remarks that Iran's military power has diminished, Naeini argued that it is US forces that are weakening. "Now, the Americans are seeking an honorable end to the war, as all their military infrastructure has been destroyed in the Persian Gulf region," he added, quoted by Tasnim.

7:53 AM – New wave of Iranian attacks in the Gulf, US-based missiles in Iraq

Iran has launched new attacks against Gulf countries: missile sirens sounded in the early hours of the morning in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain. Riyadh destroyed two drones in its oil-rich eastern region. Kuwait, meanwhile, shot down six drones. The IRGC then announced it had "hit" the US air base at Al-Harir, in Iraqi Kurdistan, targeting it with "five missiles."

6:26 a.m. – Araghchi: "Continue the attacks as long as necessary."

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the country will continue missile strikes as long as necessary, according to AFP. Araghchi ruled out talks after US President Donald Trump declared that the war with Iran would end "very soon." The minister told US broadcaster PBS News that his country is ready to continue missile strikes and that negotiations with the United States are no longer on the agenda.

6:17 a.m. – Australia to send aircraft and air-to-air missiles to the Gulf

Australia will deploy a surveillance aircraft, air-to-air missiles, and Australian Defence Force support personnel to the Middle East, responding to a request from United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed. Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it "an effort to help protect Australians in the region under threat of attack from Iran." He reiterated that Australia will not take offensive action against Iran and will not deploy troops on the ground in any offensives led by the United States and Israel.

6:13 AM – New attack from Iran against the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates faced a new attack by Iranian drones and missiles on the eleventh day of the Middle East conflict, the Ministry of Defense said, according to AFP. "The UAE's air defenses are currently responding to missile and drone threats from Iran," the ministry wrote on X.

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