Middle East Conflict: Iran-Israel Tensions & Kuwait Drone Strike – March 15, 2026

A drone strike on Sunday, March 15, 2026, targeted the Ali Al Salem base in Kuwait, which hosts both Italian and U.S. Forces, destroying an Italian military drone. No injuries were reported. The incident highlights escalating tensions in the region as conflicts continue to unfold across the Middle East.

According to Italy’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Luciano Portolano, the drone impacted a shelter housing a remotely piloted aircraft belonging to the Italian Air Task Force. “The aircraft hit was an indispensable asset for the development of operational activities and had remained deployed at the base to ensure the continuity of operations,” Portolano stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He added that Italian personnel had been transferred to protective bunkers during the attack and remain safe.

Portolano also noted that the Italian military contingent in Kuwait had been reduced in recent days due to “the evolution of the security situation in the area,” with remaining personnel focused on “essential mission activities.”

Israeli attacks have killed 850 people in Lebanon since March 2, 2026, including 107 children, Lebanon’s Health Ministry announced on Sunday. Among the casualties in the conflict, which began with a Hezbollah attack against Israel, are 66 women and 32 healthcare workers. Another 2,105 people have been injured.

Israel stated on Sunday that direct negotiations with Lebanon to end the war, triggered by a Hezbollah attack on Israeli territory following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, are not anticipated.

“The answer is no,” Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters when asked about potential dialogue between Israel and Lebanon. A Lebanese source had stated on Saturday that negotiations were “on the agenda” and preparations for forming a delegation were “underway,” but added that an Israeli commitment to a truce or ceasefire was needed. (afp/reuters)

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi called on other countries to “refrain from any action that could lead to escalation and an extension of the conflict” with Israel and the United States, during a phone conversation with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot, according to a statement.

This came after U.S. President Donald Trump called for sending naval forces to secure the global oil supply transiting the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has blocked. (afp/reuters)

South Korea stated on Sunday that it is reviewing a request from U.S. President Donald Trump, who asked several countries to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the security of the vital Persian Gulf oil route.

“We will closely communicate with the United States on this matter and develop a decision after careful review,” the South Korean presidential office said in a statement. (afp/reuters)

“Recently, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) initiated a wave of large-scale attacks against the infrastructure of the Iranian terrorist regime in western Iran,” a statement released on Sunday, March 15, 2026, indicated.

Israel has carried out more than 400 waves of airstrikes against Iran since the start of its military operation with the United States on February 28. On Saturday alone, Israeli fighter jets attacked more than 200 targets belonging to the Persian regime, including dozens of ballistic missile launchers, air defense systems, and weapons depots, according to the military. (efe/afp)

A senior Japanese official urged “caution” on Sunday before sending military ships to safeguard the Strait of Hormuz, a very significant oil transit route in the Middle East, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump called on other countries to do so to keep it “open and secure.”

“In legal terms, we do not rule out the possibility, but given the current situation with the progress of this conflict, I believe it is something that must be considered with great caution,” said Takayuki Kobayashi, a political advisor to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. (afp/reuters

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard promised on Sunday to “pursue and kill” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the 16th day of the war between the United States and Israel against the Islamic Republic.

“If this criminal and child-killer remains alive, we will pursue and kill him with all our strength,” Sepah News stated on its website. (afp/ap)