EconoTicker

The Israeli military said it killed Wasim Atallah Ali, a Hamas commander it described as responsible for training and exercises in the group’s military wing in Lebanon, in a strike in northern Lebanon. Israeli and regional reports said the operation targeted the Tripoli/Beddawi area.

Lebanese state media, cited by regional coverage, reported that Ali and his wife were killed in a predawn strike on their home. As of the latest reports, Hamas had not publicly responded to the Israeli claim.

Source: Times of Israel; L’Orient-Le Jour; Al Jazeera.

EU and Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers, meeting in an extraordinary videoconference on 5 March 2026, called on Iran to immediately stop what they described as unjustifiable and indiscriminate attacks on GCC states, warning that the strikes threaten regional and global security. They said the recent attacks hit civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities, service sites, and residential areas, and stressed the need to protect key maritime routes and freedom of navigation, including the Strait of Hormuz. The joint statement also reaffirmed EU solidarity with the Gulf states and emphasized diplomacy as the path to restoring stability.

Source: Council of the EU; Emirates News Agency.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he had expressed full solidarity—together with EU counterparts—in a videoconference with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states.

He stressed that Iran should immediately stop what he described as unjustified military attacks against Gulf states, Jordan, and Israel, and reopen the Strait of Hormuz without delay.

Wadephul also thanked German colleagues in the UAE and Oman for enabling the first repatriation flights for German citizens, and praised regional border authorities for facilitating safe transit and returns.

He added that security and stability in the Gulf are of high importance for Germany, and said he hoped Iran would end what he called provocative actions so vital global energy and trade routes are not put at risk.

In the broader backdrop, the EU and GCC have issued a joint statement condemning Iranian attacks and emphasizing protection of maritime routes and freedom of navigation, including in the Strait of Hormuz.

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM); Reuters.

Iran has indefinitely postponed the planned three-day farewell ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and no new funeral date has been announced, throwing the mourning schedule into uncertainty. Reuters also reported that Mojtaba Khamenei was not in Tehran when his father was killed, reinforcing his position as a leading figure in the succession race.

Iran says the Assembly of Experts will announce a new supreme leader soon, in what would be only the second such selection since 1979. Assembly member Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami said the candidates have already been identified, while Hassan Khomeini is also cited as a possible contender. Israel has said it would target whoever is chosen, underscoring how tightly the succession process is now tied to the widening war.

Source: Reuters.

The U.S. Senate voted 53–47 not to advance a war-powers resolution that would have moved to limit President Donald Trump’s authority in the Iran campaign. The vote broke largely along party lines, with all but one Republican opposing the procedural motion and all but one Democrat supporting it.

At the same time, the war expanded on several fronts. Reuters reported that a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka on Wednesday, killing at least 80 people, while NATO air defences destroyed an Iranian ballistic missile fired toward Turkey. Reuters also said Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran’s slain supreme leader, has emerged as a leading contender to succeed him, signaling Tehran is not showing signs of backing down.

The missile incident marked the first time Turkey has been directly drawn into the conflict. Even so, Reuters reported that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said there was no indication the episode would trigger NATO’s collective-defence clause.

Source: Reuters.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration has launched Operation “Epic Fury,” describing it as a large-scale campaign aimed at dismantling Iran’s ballistic-missile threat, naval capability, and nuclear pathway.

Leavitt claimed U.S. forces have now struck more than 2,000 targets inside Iran and destroyed hundreds of missiles, launchers, and drones—figures presented as operational results but not independently verifiable in real time.

On the maritime front, U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper said the campaign has destroyed 17 Iranian naval vessels, including what he described as Iran’s most operational submarine, and claimed no Iranian naval ships are currently underway in the Arabian/Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, or Gulf of Oman.

Leavitt also said Washington’s intelligence community is monitoring reports about possible succession dynamics—including discussion of the supreme leader’s son—while stressing it remains unclear who is in control in Tehran.

Source: The White House; U.S. Central Command; The Washington Post; Associated Press; The Jerusalem Post.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt rejected reports that President Donald Trump has agreed to arm any groups—including Kurdish groups—against Iran’s government, calling such claims “completely false.” She confirmed Trump has spoken with Kurdish leaders about a U.S. base in northern Iraq, but said those talks did not include approving weapons support for any faction.

Leavitt also said U.S. troops entering Iranian territory are not currently part of the operational plan, while adding she would not “take military options off the table” for the commander-in-chief.

Source: White House press briefing (Karoline Leavitt); Reuters; CNN

Recent reporting does not support the claim that NATO is preparing to invoke its collective-defence clause against Iran “according to Secretary General Mark Rutte.” In a Reuters-reported interview, Rutte said NATO as an alliance is not involved in the Iran conflict (while stressing NATO would defend allied territory).

After Turkey said NATO air defences intercepted an Iranian missile approaching/entering Turkish airspace, Reuters reported Ankara had not moved to trigger NATO’s Article 4 consultations, and U.S. officials said there was no indication Article 5 would be invoked.

The U.S. Senate voted 52–47 to block advancing a War Powers resolution that would have required any U.S. hostilities against Iran to be explicitly authorized by Congress, effectively rejecting the first major congressional attempt to curb President Donald Trump’s military authority in the Iran operation.

Democrats argued the administration’s strikes carry high escalation risk and sidestep Congress’ constitutional role in war-making, pressing the White House to clearly justify the operation’s objectives, scope, and oversight to both Congress and the public.

A similar measure is expected to come up in the House next.

Source: Reuters; CBS News; Associated Press

Israel’s military says its ground operation in southern Lebanon is aimed at establishing a new defensive/security zone and taking additional strategic positions as part of a “forward defense” posture along the border.

At the same time, Israel reported additional projectiles fired from Lebanese territory, with most intercepted, while regional reporting also described renewed launches linked to Iran amid the widening conflict.

Source: Reuters; Israeli military statements (via Anadolu / Times of Israel); Al Jazeera

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure should be condemned, and announced Beijing will dispatch its Special Envoy for Middle East Affairs to the region for mediation efforts.

In separate calls with Gulf counterparts, Wang also underscored that non-military targets (including energy facilities) should not be attacked and stressed the need to protect shipping routes, while urging a return to dialogue and negotiations.

Source: Reuters; CGTN

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report of an “incident” 20 nautical miles west of Dubai, after a vessel reported a splash from an unidentified projectile in close proximity. No damage or injuries were reported, and authorities are investigating.

Separately, Oman’s Royal Navy rescued the 24-member crew of a Malta-flagged cargo ship after it was struck by two missiles near the Strait of Hormuz, with Omani state media saying all crew were evacuated and are in good health.

The reports come amid a broader run of Gulf shipping alerts: Reuters separately reported a Malta-flagged container ship (Safeen Prestige) was hit by an unknown projectile near the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the crew to abandon ship.

Source: UKMTO; Oman News Agency (via WAM); Reuters