Iran-Israel Conflict: Live Updates – March 16, 2026

Iran has warned it is prepared to continue fighting and will pursue military action “as far as necessary.” The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran claims to have attacked Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, as well as military bases used by U.S. Forces in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

“I think at this point they have learned a good lesson and understood what kind of nation they are facing, one that does not hesitate to defend itself and is ready to continue the war wherever it leads, and to take it as far as necessary,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told reporters in Tehran. (afp/efe)

A German government spokesperson has responded to calls from former President Trump to involve NATO in securing the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil supplies.

“NATO is an alliance for the defense of the territory of its members and, in the current situation, there is no mandate to deploy NATO,” government spokesperson Stefan Kornelius said at a press conference. “This war has nothing to do with NATO. It is not NATO’s war,” added the spokesperson for Chancellor Friedrich Merz. (dpa/efe)

An incident involving a drone caused a fire at a fuel depot near Dubai Airport, disrupting air traffic.

Dubai Airports reports that flights are gradually resuming. Prior to the conflict, Dubai was the world’s busiest international air travel hub. (dpa/efe)

Israel announced Monday that its fighter jets have begun a new wave of “large-scale” attacks on the Iranian cities of Tehran, Shiraz, and Tabriz.

“The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have just launched a wave of large-scale attacks against the infrastructure of the terrorist regime of Iran in Tehran, Shiraz and Tabriz,” the Israeli military said in a statement. (dpa/efe)

EU member states are discussing what can be done from the European side to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Monday, March 16.

“It is in our interest to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and that is why we are also discussing what People can do about it from the European side,” Kallas told reporters before a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. (dpa/reuters)

The Israeli military announced Monday, March 16, that it has begun “limited ground operations” against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

“In recent days, soldiers from the 91st Division of the IDF have begun limited and targeted ground operations against key Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

“This activity is part of a larger defensive effort to establish and strengthen an advanced defensive position, including the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and the elimination of terrorists operating in the area,” the statement continued. “Prior to the soldiers’ entry into the area, the IDF carried out attacks using artillery and the Israeli Air Force against numerous terrorist targets to mitigate threats in the operating environment.” (afp/efe)