Iran Conflict Triggers Attacks on Commercial Ships and Dubai Airport

In a recent appearance on Fox & Friends, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum expressed that U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf have never appreciated the American military presence in their countries more than they do now. He emphasized the evolving dynamics of regional relationships, stating,

“Well, I think our Gulf state allies have never been happier than they have now to have U.S. military presence in their country and to have a strong relationship, both economically and in terms of energy industry, with the United States,” he noted. “They understand who supports them and who supports their growth and prosperity, and they’re starting to realize that the terror regime of Iran has to end.”

Burgum characterized the U.S.-Israeli operation in Iran as a “short-term interruption traded for long-term transformation of peace and prosperity,” asserting that such developments would ultimately lead to a decline in global energy prices.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran claimed responsibility for an attack on the Thailand-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree near Oman. They stated that the vessel ignored warnings and attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the ship was struck by a projectile approximately 10 nautical miles off the Omani coast in the strait.

In a subsequent update, UKMTO reported that the fire on the vessel was extinguished, there was no environmental impact, and a skeleton crew remained on board.

The IRGC’s announcement, disseminated by Tasnim news agency, also mentioned that a container ship named the Express Rome, registered under Liberia, was struck as well. This ship was reportedly anchored off the coast of the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, though further reports of an attack were not confirmed.

The Spanish government has decided to withdraw its Ambassador from Israel, a move confirmed by its official news portal on Tuesday, although further explanations were not provided.

“At the proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, and after deliberation by the Council of Ministers at its meeting of March 10, 2026, I hereby order the dismissal of Ms. Ana María Sálomon Pérez as Ambassador of Spain to the State of Israel, thanking her for the services rendered,” stated the bulletin.

According to Reuters, the ambassador will not be replaced, and Spain will be represented in Israel by a lower-ranking chargé d’affaires.

Spain has been a vocal critic within Europe regarding the U.S.-Israeli efforts against Iran, which began on February 28. The government denied the use of its southern bases by U.S. military for operations against Iran. Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares emphasized that Europe must “defend the international order, because the alternative to the international order is chaos, no order.”

President Trump informed FIFA representatives that Iran is welcome to participate in the World Cup tournament hosted by the United States, according to officials speaking with CBS News.

The ongoing war, now in its 12th day, was raised during discussions with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and White House FIFA task force executive director Andrew Giuliani in the Oval Office on Tuesday evening.

Infantino later shared on social media: “We all need an event like the FIFA World Cup to bring people together now more than ever.”

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London’s Metropolitan Police announced the prohibition of an upcoming pro-Palestine protest, describing it as “uniquely contentious” due to its origins in Iran and its organization by the Islamic Human Rights Commission, a group supportive of the Iranian regime.

This marks the first use of police powers to ban protests since 2012.

“The Met has safely policed hundreds of protests across the political spectrum, including 32 major pro-Palestinian demonstrations. While most protests have presented manageable risks, this specific march raises significant concerns,” indicated the Metropolitan Police in a statement. They cited heightened tensions and potential confrontations between various factions as a primary concern.

The Met also expressed consideration of threats from the Iranian regime within the U.K.

They continued, “Previous Al Quds marches have led to arrests for supporting terrorist organizations and antisemitic hate crimes. However, this year’s decision to ban the protest is rooted solely in risk assessment, not in the policing of political views or societal norms.”

Iran’s state-run media reported a significant funeral taking place in central Tehran for military commanders and civilians who lost their lives in the war with the U.S. and Israel.

“The procession started at Enghelab Square, with a massive turnout of Tehran residents paying tribute to the fallen heroes,” the state TV reported.

This marked the second funeral for multiple individuals, including senior military officers, within two days.

A CBS News producer in Tehran was invited to a burial ceremony held just south of the capital on Tuesday.

The Iranian government continues to restrict media representation of anti-regime sentiments, and individuals opposing the war did not speak on camera due to fears of repercussions, even with the guarantee of anonymity during the burial ceremony.

A Sri Lankan court has given an order to return the bodies of 84 Iranian soldiers, who were killed in a U.S. submarine attack off the southern coast, to Iran, according to reports from AP and Reuters on Wednesday.

The Iranian warship IRIS Dena had been returning from a naval exercise organized by India when it was struck by a torpedo fired by a U.S. submarine.

The bodies were being held in the morgue of the Galle National Hospital.

Sri Lanka has issued visas to 208 crew members of a second Iranian vessel that encountered engine troubles in the same vicinity as the IRIS Dena, as reported by Reuters.

Thirty-two individuals survived the attack on the IRIS Dena, according to the news agency.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni indicated that the actions of the U.S. and Israel in the ongoing conflict against Iran may have violated international law, according to Italy’s national news agency ANSA.

“In this crisis of the international system where threats are escalating, and unilateral interventions occurring beyond the bounds of international law are increasing, we must also view the American and Israeli actions against the Iranian regime in this context,” Meloni stated in Italy’s Senate on Wednesday, as reported by ANSA.

Meloni criticized her own government for lacking a voice in European discussions and being unaccountable for the economic ramifications of the ongoing crisis.

She expressed “firm condemnation of the massacre of girls in the school at Minab, southern Iran,” in reference to a strike on the first day of war that Iran attributes to the U.S. or Israel, claiming it resulted in the deaths of at least 168 children.

Meloni called for rapid accountability for this tragedy. Israel has denied involvement in the school strike, while President Trump has held Tehran responsible, although he noted that the situation is under investigation. Initial assessments from the U.S. suggest that a U.S. operation likely resulted in the strike but did not intentionally target the school, possibly due to outdated intelligence.

The Israeli military has issued new evacuation orders for residents in six regions of southern Lebanon. They claimed that ongoing operations by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah were compelling the Israeli army to take action.

Residents are instructed to relocate to areas north of the Litani River.

“Anyone near Hezbollah elements, their facilities, or combat resources is risking their life,” stated an IDF spokesperson. “Any residence used by Hezbollah for military purposes will be targeted.”

In response to rising concerns over price surges due to the Middle East war, Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that the government will impose caps on profit margins for gasoline and various food items for three months.

During a meeting with the president of Greece, Mitsotakis affirmed that the government is “vigilant” regarding the conflict’s potential economic impact and cautioned retailers against “profiteering.”

The state-imposed caps will restrict the profit margins that sectors such as gas stations and supermarkets may earn on consumer sales, aiming to prevent unjustified increases in prices correlating with international price surges.

Reza Pahlavi, an exiled Iranian opposition figure and son of the former Shah, issued a message on Tuesday, noting that Iran is currently “in a very sensitive stage of our final struggle,” as shared on social media.

Pahlavi urged the Iranian populace to prepare essential supplies promptly and advised them to remain indoors for their safety. He encouraged continued strikes and emphasized the importance of maintaining nighttime chants as a show of unity.

Pahlavi cautioned Iranian military and security forces that this represents their “last opportunity to dissociate from oppressive forces and join the public.”

He urged Iranians to “await my final call” without providing further information about anticipated actions in the immediate future.

The United Arab Emirates has reported intercepting a fresh wave of missiles and drones launched by Iran on Wednesday morning.

The Ministry of Defense of the UAE stated: “The UAE’s air defenses are currently engaged with missile and drone threats originating from Iran,” clarifying that the sounds heard throughout the country were caused by defense systems intercepting these aerial threats.

Since the onset of the war on February 28, the UAE has faced relentless drone and missile strikes from Iran, and multiple sources have informed CBS News that the White House is aware of the missile interceptor shortages faced by America’s Gulf allies, leading to a difficult decision on which threats to neutralize.

Discussions have occurred at the White House regarding this supply issue.

CBS News’ Margaret Brennan reported on March 5 that Gulf nations are struggling with a critical deficiency in missile interceptors and have reached out to the U.S. for expedited supplies.

A spokesperson for the Iranian military announced on Wednesday that the nation plans to target banks affiliated with the U.S. and Israel throughout the Middle East, following an alleged attack on one of Iran’s banks.

“In response to their failed campaign, the terrorist U.S. army and the cruel Zionist regime (Israel) have targeted a bank in our country,” Iranian state media quoted Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for the Islamic Republic’s central military command, as stating.

“With this unjustifiable and unusual action, the enemy compels us to target economic centers and banks linked to their regime in the region,” he added.

He warned the public to avoid banks in the area, advising them to maintain a distance of at least one kilometer (around half a mile).

Dubai’s government reported on Wednesday that four individuals sustained minor to moderate injuries from drone incidents occurring near the major Dubai International Airport.

Authorities indicated that two drones collided in or around the international airport area, injuring two Ghanaian nationals and one Bangladeshi national, as well as one Indian national who suffered moderate injuries. Air traffic during this time was operating normally, according to Dubai officials.

Dubai has repeatedly experienced missile and drone strikes from Iran since the outbreak of the war, leading to at least six fatalities and over 100 injuries across the UAE.

A projectile struck a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz early Wednesday morning, resulting in damage and a fire on board, following President Trump’s caution to Iran to cease disrupting shipping traffic in this crucial waterway.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, overseen by the British military, identified the vessel, confirmed as the Thai-flagged bulk carrier Mayuree Naree, which was hit north of Oman in the strait.

In a subsequent update, UKMTO noted that the fire was successfully extinguished, there was no environmental impact, and a skeletal crew remained on the ship.

British authorities reported that a container ship was struck off the coast of the United Arab Emirates early Wednesday morning, about 25 nautical miles northwest of the port of Ra’s al Khaymah.

“The Master of a container vessel has reported that the vessel has sustained damage from a suspected but unknown projectile. The extent of the damage is currently under investigation by the crew. The Master additionally reports that all crew members are safe and accounted for,” stated UKMTO.

CBS News has confirmed that the vessel was the Japanese-flagged container ship ONE Majesty.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center reported receipt of a report from a cargo ship approximately 50 nautical miles northwest of Dubai, west of the Strait of Hormuz, indicating it had been struck by an unidentified projectile.

While there are no reported environmental impacts, the crew is said to be safe and unharmed. Authorities are currently investigating this incident, and the UKMTO has yet to disclose the name of the vessel, though CBS News has confirmed it as the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier Star Gwyneth.

Two additional members of the Iranian national women’s soccer team were granted asylum in Australia prior to their teammates’ departure, although one later opted to return to Iran, announced Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Wednesday.

These two players were reunited with five teammates who received humanitarian visas a day earlier.

Burke clarified that one player reverted to her decision and would return to Iran. The remaining team members departed Sydney en route back to Iran late on Tuesday.

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CBS/AP

Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is reportedly “safe and sound,” despite claims that he sustained injuries during the conflict with Israel and the United States, as stated by the Iranian president’s son on Wednesday.

“I heard news that Mr. Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. I made inquiries through acquaintances, who assured me he is safe and sound,” said Yousef Pezeshkian, who also serves as a government advisor, in a Telegram post.

State media described Khamenei as a “wounded veteran of the Ramadan war,” although specific details about his injuries remain unclear.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is the son of the former long-time ruler Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, setting off the ongoing conflict in the region. The new leader has maintained a low profile, seldom appearing in public or speaking at official events, and has not yet addressed the nation since his elevation to supreme leader.

Wednesday’s report from The New York Times cited three unnamed Iranian officials stating that Khamenei had likely suffered injuries, particularly to his legs, but remains aware and secure within a highly secure location, with limited means of communication.