Fifth day of war in the Gulf, following the US and Israeli attack against Iran, with the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei and the leaders of the Tehran regime.

And the conflict continues to dangerously graze Europe: an Iranian missile launched towards Cyprus ended up in the airspace of Turkey, a NATO ally, and was intercepted by the Atlantic Alliance's defense systems.

Yesterday, Iran's Assembly of Experts elected Ali Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, as the new Supreme Leader, on the recommendation of the Revolutionary Guards . Meanwhile, the conflict continued overnight, spreading like wildfire, with Israel also continuing its attack on Lebanon, launched after Hezbollah fired missiles toward Tel Aviv territory following its first offensive. Close-range clashes erupted today between the IDF and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, while a total blackout hit Iraq following Iranian bombings, and Iraqi Kurds reported they were ready for a ground offensive in Iran, with the help of the United States.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared that it maintains "total control" of the Strait of Hormuz, a key chokepoint for global oil trade at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Airstrikes continue in Iran, which was again hit today by a hail of Israeli and US missiles and drones. Israel is also under crossfire from Tehran and Hezbollah, although it has announced that starting tomorrow, restrictions on the population will be slightly eased, at least during the day.

According to US Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth , "in just four historic days, American forces have begun to 'hunt down, dismantle, demoralize, destroy, and defeat the capabilities of the regime' in Tehran." The regime is now nearing its end, Hegseth said, with "no leaders, no planes, no ships." And Donald Trump reiterated that evening: "Iran was out of control; it would have attacked us if we hadn't."

***

Real-time updates

9:50 PM – IDF: Restrictions on the population will be eased starting tomorrow at 12 PM.

The Israeli military announced that, based on the Home Front Command's assessment of the situation, it has been decided that starting Thursday, March 5, at noon, the guidelines for the public will be updated and relaxed. "As part of the changes, all areas of the country will move from an essential activity level to a limited activity level." Schools remain closed. Gatherings of up to 50 people are permitted, and as with workplaces, they will be permitted provided a standard protected space can be reached. The update remains in effect until Saturday at 8:00 PM.

9:30 PM – Trump: "On a scale of one to 10, Iran is doing 15."

"On a scale of one to 10, we're making a 15 with the Iran war," Donald Trump said at a White House roundtable on energy prices. "We have the strongest military in the world," he added. "Iran," Trump added, "was a nation out of control and would have attacked us if I hadn't done it first."

9:20 PM – Kurdish dissidents: Ready to join the fight against Iran

Iranian Kurdish dissident groups based in northern Iraq are preparing for a potential military operation in Iran, and the United States has asked Iraqi Kurds to support them, Kurdish officials told the Associated Press. However, Iraqi Kurdish leaders fear retaliation from Iran.

9:05 PM – IDF launches new wave of attacks on military targets in Tehran

The IDF announces that it has begun a new wave of attacks against regime military targets in Tehran.

8:45 PM – Hezbollah leader: "We will continue to fight Israel."

Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem reiterated that the Lebanese Shiite movement will continue to fight Israel as long as the "occupation" exists, stating that armed resistance remains "a legitimate right." His remarks come amid ongoing clashes along the Lebanese-Israeli border and growing fears in Beirut of a possible expansion of the Israeli offensive in the south of the country.

"As long as the occupation exists, resistance and its armament are a legitimate human and international right," Qassem declared in a speech broadcast on al-Manar television, the channel of the Party of God. According to the leader of the Shiite movement, this right is also grounded in the Lebanese political architecture established after the civil war. "It is also consistent with the Taif Agreement," he said, referring to the 1989 agreement that ended the civil conflict in Lebanon (1975-90).

The Hezbollah leader then reiterated the movement's determination to continue the military conflict with Israel. "Our choice is to confront them to the point of sacrificing our lives... we will never surrender," he declared, speaking of the "existential right to self-defense."

8:00 PM – Trump "does not rule out" sending ground troops to Iran

Ground troops are "not part of the plan" for Iran, but Donald Trump "is not ruling out the option," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt reiterated.

7:36 PM – White House: "Iran's capabilities have been destroyed."

Iran's capabilities have been "completely destroyed," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in her first press briefing since the war began. "Killing terrorists in Iran makes the world a better place," Leavitt added, emphasizing that Iran was targeted because it "was determined to have nuclear weapons" and chose the "path of violence and destruction" while continuing to threaten the United States.

7:30 PM – First price increases for diesel and petrol

The effects of the war in Iran and the Middle East are immediately felt at the pump. Self-service gasoline rises to €1.693 per liter, diesel to €1.753. But on the highways, Codacons reports, diesel is hitting €2.50. Assotir reports diesel price increases "ranging from 10 cents in Lombardy to 24 in Sicily" and "fuel supply problems in Campania and Lombardy." Diesel is also at nearly €2 per liter in Sardinia .

6:50 PM – IDF warns residents of southern Lebanon: "Move north."

The Israeli army has issued a warning to residents of southern Lebanon south of the Litani River, urging them to move north of the waterway. Regional and Lebanese media reported this. The Litani flows approximately 20-30 kilometers from the demarcation line between Israel and Lebanon and represents one of the main geographical references under UN Security Council Resolution 1701. The area between the Litani River and the demarcation line corresponds to the area of responsibility of the UN mission (UNIFIL), where approximately a thousand Italian soldiers are deployed.

6:40 PM – Hezbollah-IDF clashes in Lebanon

Hezbollah announced it detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) against an advancing Israeli force near the town of Khiam. Hezbollah fighters are currently engaged in a close-range firefight with IDF soldiers, with several Israeli casualties confirmed, according to the Party of God.

6.25pm – Total blackout in Iraq

Iraq has been hit by a total blackout, according to the country's authorities. Meanwhile, according to journalists on the scene, new explosions have been heard in Erbil.

6:00 PM – Tajani: "Our goal is 10,000 repatriations by tomorrow."

"I hope that by tomorrow we can surpass the 10,000 people who have left their names at risk. We have increased the number of flights, we have organized charter flights with various airlines, we have organized charter flights with the Ministry of Defense, we have also organized a rescue unit for Sri Lanka, so we are trying to overcome some of the problems—there are many people with health problems—to get them back to Italy." This was stated by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani at a press briefing at the Farnesina.

5:40 PM – Farnesina: "New flights for Italians from the Gulf"

Today, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani chaired a new meeting of the Gulf Task Force with Italian embassies in the region at the Farnesina to review operations assisting Italian nationals in the areas affected by the crisis. Following the update provided by diplomatic and consular offices on needs in the region, it was decided to further strengthen the Farnesina's personnel in Oman and the United Arab Emirates. These new units will be added to those already deployed in Oman at Muscat airport and at the border with the UAE.

A total of 1,250 United Arab Emirates nationals are expected to return home today. Specifically, an Emirates flight departed overnight for Milan; a FlyDubai flight departed this morning for Bergamo; an Etihad flight departed this afternoon for Milan; two flights to Rome this evening; and another FlyDubai charter departed late this morning. Qatar facilitated the first land transfer of 114 people from Doha to Riyadh. Further transfers are being organized in the coming days.

4:50 PM – Iran to the US: "Khamenei's assassination will cost you dearly."
"The martyrdom of Imam (Ali) Khamenei will cost you dearly," said Ali Larijani, head of the Iranian Security Council and one of the Islamic Republic's most prominent political figures. US President Donald Trump "has dragged the American people into an unjust war with Iran because of (Benjamin) Netanyahu's cowardly impulses and his clownish actions. Let him face it today: after the death of more than 500 American soldiers in the last few days, is the slogan still 'America First' or has it become 'Israel First'?" Larijani wrote in a message on X.

4:42 PM – Ankara summons Iranian ambassador over intercepted missile

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has summoned Iranian Ambassador to Turkey, Mohammad Hassan Habibollahzadeh, to protest and express concern after an Iranian-launched ballistic missile headed toward Turkish airspace was intercepted by NATO air defense systems in the eastern Mediterranean and debris from the interceptor fell in the Dortyol district of Hatay province, southeastern Turkey. Daily Sabah reports.

4:13 PM – Sri Lanka: "Bodies of 87 Iranian sailors recovered"

"We have recovered 87 bodies and the search for the remaining missing is ongoing," a Sri Lankan Navy official told AFP on condition of anonymity. An estimated 180 sailors were aboard the Iranian naval vessel that sank in the Indian Ocean. The Sri Lankan Navy says it has recovered 32 injured sailors from the water.

3.40pm – Chinese special envoy to the Middle East to mediate between countries
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China will send its special envoy on Middle East issues to the region to conduct mediation efforts, according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua.

3:25 PM – US: "Missile launches from Iran have decreased dramatically."

Iran's missile launches have decreased "drastically" since the start of US-Israeli attacks on the country. "Iranian ballistic missile launches have decreased by 86% since the first day of fighting," General Dan Caine, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a press conference. There has been "a 23% drop in the last 24 hours alone, and unidirectional attack drone launches have decreased by 73%," he added.

3:11 PM – New sirens sound in Israel and Bahrain

A new warning of missile launches from Iran was sent to cell phones in Tel Aviv and central Israel, following further waves of bombs just over an hour ago.   Sirens are still sounding in Bahrain, the Gulf country's Interior Ministry wrote on X. "The sirens have sounded. Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest shelter," the ministry's post reads.

2:30 PM – US: "Iran's missile toward Turkey does not trigger NATO Article 5."

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that "there is no reason" why NATO's destruction of a ballistic missile launched by Iran into Turkish airspace would trigger the collective defense clause in NATO's Article 5.

2:20 PM – Hegseth: "Iran no longer has leaders, planes, or ships."

"The top military generals can no longer communicate or coordinate their offensive, and that's obviously not good for them. The Iranian Air Force is no more; it was built in 1996 and destroyed in 2026. The Iranian Navy is practically sunk in the Persian Gulf; we've decimated their fleet," US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a press conference in Washington. "The campaign has been seven times more intense than any other operation in Iran. Seven times more intense. And as President Trump said, even bigger waves are coming. This is just the beginning. We're accelerating, not decelerating," Hegseth added, assuring that: "Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, it will never succeed." "We're only four days into the operation, and the results have been incredible, historic, we should say. Only the United States could lead an operation like this, only us." But when you add the Israeli Defense Forces and their devastating force, the combination is lethal for the Iranian, Islamist adversaries,” concluded the Pentagon chief.

2:00 PM – Iran missile was not headed for Türkiye, but for Cyprus

Turkey was "not the target" of a missile launched by Iran, which headed towards Turkish airspace and was destroyed by NATO air defense systems, a Turkish official told AFP on Wednesday.

“We believe it was targeting a base in Greek Cyprus but deviated from its intended route,” said the official, who preferred to remain anonymous.

1:37 PM – US: "We have control of Iranian skies."

The United States has assumed "full control of Iranian skies" and will target Iranian ballistic missiles and bunkers in the coming days, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC.

1:25 PM – Iranian ship sinks in Sri Lanka, leaving 100 missing.

101 people are missing and 78 injured after a U.S. submarine attacked an Iranian vessel off the coast of Sri Lanka, according to Sri Lankan Navy and Defense Ministry sources. Reuters reports online.

1:15 PM – Turkey: "If attacked, we will respond."

"Our determination and ability to protect our country's security are at the highest levels. All necessary measures will be taken without hesitation to defend our territory and airspace." This was stated by Burhanettin Duran, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's communications director, after NATO air defense systems intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles headed toward Turkish airspace and debris from the interceptor fell in the Dortyol district of Hatay, southeastern Turkey.

1:00 PM – New summit on the Middle East crisis at Palazzo Chigi

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is chairing a summit on the Middle East crisis at Palazzo Chigi. According to sources at Palazzo Chigi, the meeting is attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini (connected remotely), Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, Minister of Economy and Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti, Undersecretaries to the Prime Minister's Office Alfredo Mantovano and Giovanbattista Fazzolari, and intelligence officials.

12:50 PM – Ankara: "Iran fired munitions at Türkiye, neutralized by NATO defenses."

Ballistic munitions fired by Iran at Turkey were neutralized by NATO air and missile defense units in the eastern Mediterranean, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said, as reported by Anadolu.

12:15 PM – Iranian vessel attacked by submarine off Sri Lanka, dozens missing

At least 101 people are missing and 78 injured after a submarine attack on an Iranian vessel off the coast of Sri Lanka, according to Sri Lankan Navy and Defense Ministry sources. Reuters reports online.

11:50 a.m. – Madrid: "Surprised by Berlin's lack of solidarity."

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares expressed his "surprise" to Germany at Chancellor Friedrich Merz's lack of solidarity during Tuesday's White House press conference, where US President Donald Trump harshly criticized Spain over the Iran dossier and its military bases. "I conveyed to him our surprise at those words," Albares said, referring to Merz's statement that Spain is "the only country" among NATO allies that refuses to raise military spending to 5% of GDP.

11:30 a.m. – 12:07 p.m.: "The risk of terrorism is growing with the escalation in Iran."

The situation in Iran is fueling international tensions and raising "fears of an escalation that could also impact the terrorist threat," according to the annual intelligence report presented today. "Furthermore," the report highlights, "the risks deriving from Hamas's activities on European soil have increased, especially due to its involvement in arms trafficking and potential hostile plans against Israeli and Jewish targets." In Italy, as in other European countries, several counterterrorism operations have been conducted against individuals with various ties to the Middle Eastern conflict.

11:10 a.m. – Mantovano: "Crosetto? Intelligence doesn't monitor ministers."

"Minister Crosetto said two days ago in a chamber of Parliament that he needed a few days off with his family. For this reason, he took a commercial flight to Dubai." This was stated by Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano, the Italian Republic's Security Authority, at the presentation of the annual intelligence report on Crosetto's presence in Dubai, where he was stranded due to the US and Israeli attack on Iran, which was not previously communicated to his allies.

10:40 a.m. – Sardinian tourists in Dubai: "A night of missiles and explosions."

10:17 AM – Massive attack on Kuwait

The Kuwaiti military announced on X that it is dealing with a "wave of missiles and drones" detected in the country's airspace and that it is working to intercept them.

9:42 a.m. – "Trump has betrayed his voters."

US President Donald Trump "has betrayed diplomacy and the Americans who elected him," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, referring to the ongoing nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran shortly before the US and Israeli attacks on Iran. "When complex nuclear negotiations are treated like a real estate transaction, and when big lies obscure reality, unrealistic expectations can never be met. The result? Bombing the negotiating table out of spite," Tehran's foreign minister stated on X.

9.30 am – Bombing of Tehran

American and Israeli air strikes have hit some areas in western and northeastern Tehran, with the sky over the capital obscured by thick columns of smoke.

8.20 am – The IDF: extensive Hezbollah infrastructure

The Israel Defense Forces said they have begun targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. The Israeli military issued an evacuation warning for 16 villages and towns in Lebanon overnight, and smoke was observed billowing from the southern Beirut neighborhood of Dahiyeh this morning.

8:00 AM – Oil flies

Brent crude oil price continues to rise, rising 3.03% to $83.87/barrel.

7:56 a.m. – Child killed by shrapnel in Kuwait

An 11-year-old girl, injured by fragments of an Iranian missile, was killed in Kuwait, the Ministry of Health announced in a post on X.

7:26 a.m. – Pasdaran: American ship hit

The IRGC claims to have launched a missile attack against a strategic U.S. asset in the Indian Ocean, targeting an American destroyer. The vessel, which was refueling from a U.S. tanker in the Indian Ocean, about 650 kilometers off Iran's southern coast, "was hit by Qadr-360 and Talaeiyeh missiles." According to the Tasnim news agency, a large fire broke out on the decks of both ships, with plumes of smoke billowing into the sky.

(Unioneonline)

© Riproduzione riservata