Iran-Israel War March 08 -2026 LIVE Updates:

Iran-Israel War March 08 -2026 LIVE Updates: Israel Launches New Strikes on Iran as Gulf Air Defences Intercept Missiles

 

Fresh Israeli strikes hit targets across Iran early Sunday as the conflict in the Middle East continued to widen, with Gulf states activating air defences and regional tensions mounting.

 

The Israeli military said it had begun another wave of attacks aimed at Iranian government infrastructure. Details of the targets were not immediately released, but earlier strikes had already hit oil storage depots and refining facilities in the capital, Tehran, triggering large fires in parts of the city.

 

The escalation comes as Donald Trump repeated his demand that Iran accept what he called an “unconditional surrender”. The U.S. president said the war would end only when Iran’s leaders “cry uncle” or when their military capabilities are no longer functional.

 

UAE intercepts incoming threats

 

Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence said its air defence systems were responding to incoming missiles and drones believed to have been launched from Iran.

 

Authorities said loud explosions heard across parts of the country were the result of defensive interceptions. No immediate damage or casualties were reported.

 

The incident highlights growing concerns that the conflict could spill further across the Gulf region.

 

Strike in Beirut raises fears of sectarian tensions

 

In Beirut, an Israeli strike in the coastal district of Raouche has heightened fears that the conflict could deepen Lebanon’s already fragile sectarian divisions.

 

Reporting from the city, journalist Heidi Pett said the location of the attack was particularly sensitive. While Israel says it targets fighters from Hezbollah within their strongholds, the Raouche neighbourhood has traditionally been a Sunni area.

 

Recent strikes have also hit Christian and Druze-majority districts, fuelling anxiety among residents.

 

The widening pattern of attacks has created growing suspicion among communities already struggling with a surge of displaced people fleeing bombardments elsewhere in the country.

 

“There’s a feeling now that nowhere in Lebanon is safe,” Pett observed. “People also fear that taking in displaced families could draw further air strikes to their neighbourhoods.”

 

Regional incidents reported

 

Elsewhere in the region, several security incidents were reported overnight.

 

Officials in Kuwait said two border security personnel were killed while on duty. Separate attacks targeting Kuwait International Airport and the country’s social security office sparked fires, authorities said.

 

In Saudi Arabia, security forces said they had foiled an attack on Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter and intercepted several drones in the kingdom’s airspace.

 

Israel also carried out an air strike on the Ramada Hotel Beirut in central Beirut. Officials said the attack, which appeared to be a targeted assassination, killed at least four people and wounded 10 others.

 

Calls for investigation

 

Human rights groups have raised concerns about civilian casualties as the war intensifies.

 

Human Rights Watch said an earlier attack on a girls’ school in the Iranian city of Minab on February 28 should be investigated as a possible war crime.

 

As the fighting continues to spread across several fronts, analysts warn the conflict risks drawing in more regional actors, increasing the chances of a broader Middle East war.