The 12,000-seat Azadi Indoor Stadium is seen damaged during an ongoing US-Israeli military strike in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, March 5, 2026.
Wahid Salemi/AP
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Wahid Salemi/AP
Israel’s military said it had launched a “broad wave” in Tehran targeting regime infrastructure, with additional strikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Iran responded with retaliatory strikes on Israel early Friday.
More than 1,300 people have been killed there since the US and Israel attacked Iran, according to the Iranian Red Crescent, a humanitarian organization, including more than 160 people in a strike on Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a girls’ school.
In retaliation, Iran has attacked Israel and launched missiles and drones at countries with US military bases, including Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
Here are more important updates NPR is reporting.
To go to specific areas of coverage, use the links below:
Iran and Lebanon | Trump on Iran | Iran’s response India Russian Oil | Trapped Americans
Iran has retaliated after Israel launched new attacks
Israel’s military said on Friday that it had detected missiles fired from Iran towards Israel and that its air defense systems were working to intercept them.
The launches came after Israel said it had launched a new “large-scale wave” targeting regime infrastructure in Tehran.
US Central Command said overnight that the US had hit what it described as an Iranian “drone carrier” at sea and that the ship was on fire.
Israel launched heavy strikes overnight on Beirut’s southern suburbs known as Dahiya, a stronghold of the militant group Hezbollah.
Israel issued evacuation orders ahead of the strike, warning residents to “save your lives and get out.” Roads from Dahiya were gridlocked on Thursday as families fled in cars and on foot carrying children and whatever belongings they could manage. Lebanese officials say more than 95,000 people have been displaced by Israeli attacks since the Iran war began.
Lebanon’s health ministry said 123 people had been killed in Israeli strikes and more than 600 wounded since the war began.
The Israeli military said the Beirut attacks targeted Hezbollah infrastructure, after the group fired rockets into northern Israel earlier this week. The Air Force described it as a headquarters used by the group’s leadership and a warehouse for drones used in attacks on Israel.
The Israeli military said it had killed Hezbollah commander Zeid Ali Juma in Beirut, describing him as a senior figure in Hezbollah’s rocket and drone operations. Israel’s navy killed a Hamas commander responsible for a training operation in Lebanon in a strike near Tripoli – the first reported in the region since the outbreak of war.
The Lebanese army says it has withdrawn from some border positions as Israeli operations expand into southern Lebanon.
-Hadeel Al-Shalchi and Rebecca Roseman
Trump Says Iran’s Loss and Offers ‘End’ to Surrender
President Trump said Thursday that Iran’s military had suffered significant losses, telling reporters that much of Iran’s navy, air defense and missile-launching capabilities had been destroyed.
He urged Iranian leaders to surrender, saying they could “accept resistance”.
Major League Soccer 2025 Champions Major League Soccer 2025 Champions Speaking before a White House event honoring Inter Miami CF, Trump said: “We’re going to give you immunity and we’re going to give you really the right side of history, because it’s here.”
Trump has said he wants to be involved in choosing Iran’s next leader.
“We’ve got to pick that guy with Iran. We’ve got to pick that guy,” Trump told Reuters on Thursday.
Trump said he saw the effort in Iran as similar to the U.S. role in replacing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January.
One potential successor to former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli attack, is his son Mojtaba Khamenei. But Trump is adamantly opposed to that option, telling Axios, “They’re wasting their time. Khamenei’s son is a lightweight. I should be involved in recruiting, like Delsey in Venezuela.” Delsey Rodríguez served as vice president under Maduro and is now the country’s acting president.
“We want to be involved in the process of choosing someone who will lead Iran in the future, so we don’t have to go back every five years and do this over and over again. We want someone who is great for the people, great for the country,” Trump told Reuters.
Iran’s foreign minister says Iran is ready for an invasion of US soil
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi struck a defiant tone in an interview with NBC News. On Thursday, Iran said it was prepared for the possibility of a US ground attack.
Asked if he feared US ground forces, Araghchi said: “No, we are waiting for them,” adding that such a move would be a “big disaster” for the United States.
Araghi rejected the idea of a ceasefire or new talks with the Trump administration, saying Iran was not asking for a ceasefire. He denied any behind-the-scenes contact with US officials to end the war.
Treasury allows India to buy Russian crude oil
The US Treasury Department is offering a 30-day waiver that will allow Indian refiners to buy some Russian oil previously under US sanctions. India is a major buyer of crude oil from the Persian Gulf. Those supplies are currently cut off with the US- and Israeli-led war against Iran.
The move comes months after the Trump administration leaned on Indian President Narendra Modi to stop receiving Russian crude oil.
In a statement on social media, Treasury Secretary Scott Besant wrote, “This purposefully short-term measure does not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government because it only authorizes transactions involving oil already stranded at sea.”
Oil prices in the global market have risen by about 20% in the past week to reach around $80 on Thursday.
“The administration is obviously scared of higher oil prices,” says Farid Mohamedi, managing director of oil and gas consultancy SIA-Energy International. “Most administrations are quick to ease restrictions on supply because of fears of domestic popular backlash to higher gasoline prices.”
“An energy crisis is looming. Higher prices are expected in the US and around the world,” says Antoine Half, chief analyst at Kayrros, a climate and environmental analysis firm.
India is particularly vulnerable to the current shortage of oil and oil products from the Persian Gulf. About 40% of India’s crude imports come through the Strait of Hormuz.
China is less vulnerable than India to oil losses from the Persian Gulf because it stores more oil.
– Julia Simon
Frustration continues to build among Americans trapped in the Middle East
Shirley Bejarano was on vacation in Bali to attend her grandfather’s funeral in Colombia. Shortly after her connecting flight took off from Qatar on Saturday, it was forced to turn back and she was waiting in Doha for the US government to help her get out.
“I’m very upset with the lack of support for what we’re trying to evacuate,” he said in an interview Thursday from his hotel. He said it was particularly infuriating to see other foreign nationals leaving on buses provided by their governments.
Bejarano, 40, In New York, he heard Secretary of State Marco Rubio say on Tuesday that the US military was arranging charter flights and that he hoped things would change. But they say they have been calling the official government helpline every day and the message is the same.
“It’s just regular updates (saying) ‘shelter in place’,” he said. “They say they’re going to help, and that’s fine, then, give me something! Help isn’t coming.”
In the government’s most recent email, Bejarano mentioned the opening of the Saudi border, but did not elaborate. She said that only added to her frustration.
“Is the government forcing me to go there?” I thought that. I want answers. What should I do next?” she said. “I expect more from the US.”
In the meantime, she fears for her safety.
“I’m hearing booming sounds and seeing explosions intercepting missiles and drones,” he said. “My heart starts racing. It’s scary.”
Bejarano said her parents have been protesting at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla., with signs reading “Bring our daughter home.” Bejarano feels terrible for his mother. After her grandfather died, she wanted to support her mother. Instead, her plight — being trapped in a war zone — only added to her mother’s.
– Tovia Smith
