CAIRO, March 26 (Xinhua) -- The 27th day of the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict saw heavy fighting and no breakthrough on a ceasefire.
After issuing more warnings to Iran, U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday extended his deadline for strikes on Iranian energy facilities by 10 days. Israel said it was intensifying attacks after Iran's morning missile salvo injured nine people.
Market hopes for a quick end to the war have faded, dragging down stocks and pushing up oil prices. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said in its latest Economic Outlook that global growth is expected to slow to 2.9 percent in 2026, down from 3.3 percent last year, citing the Middle East conflict as a key factor.
The following is an overview of the latest developments in the escalating crisis affecting much of the region and beyond.
The United States
-- Trump said Thursday he would pause planned strikes on Iranian energy facilities for 10 days, extending the deadline to April 6, saying talks are "going very well."
-- Earlier, Trump warned Iran to "get serious soon, before it is too late," claiming Tehran was seeking a deal. He later told a Cabinet meeting he was uncertain whether he wanted to reach an agreement at all, and expressed frustration with NATO for declining to join operations against Iran.
Israel
-- Iran launched seven waves of missile strikes against Israel in the span of a few hours Thursday, wounding nine people in Israel and the West Bank and causing widespread damage as cluster warheads scattered submunitions across broad areas.
-- The Israeli military killed the commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, Alireza Tangsiri, in an overnight airstrike, Defense Minister Israel Katz said, calling it a show of support for U.S. efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has yet to comment on Israel's claim.
-- One Israeli soldier was killed and four others wounded when a Hezbollah anti-tank missile struck a tank in southern Lebanon. Israel said its forces killed several militants and were continuing operations in the area.
-- Israel said it was expanding its ground offensive in Lebanon, deploying an additional division as it pushes toward the Litani River.
-- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is "continuing to strike with force" Iranian government targets.
-- Hezbollah fired dozens of rockets and drones at northern Israel, the Magen David Adom ambulance service said. At least one direct hit was reported, with fragments reaching Tel Aviv, wounding at least eight people and damaging buildings.
-- Israel said it has struck more than 1,000 Iranian weapons production sites as part of intensified attacks on Tehran's military industries.
Iran
-- Iran sent its formal response to a 15-point U.S. ceasefire proposal through intermediaries and is awaiting a reply, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.
-- Iran launched multiple missile attacks toward Israel hours after Israeli forces completed a "wide-scale wave of strikes" in central Iran's Isfahan province and elsewhere, triggering air raid sirens across Israel.
-- President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran seeks a "complete" end to the war and wants to ensure security and peace across the region.
-- More than 350 vessels are awaiting Iran's permission to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, 27 days into the conflict, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
-- Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also warned hotels in Gulf Arab states against accommodating U.S. military personnel, accusing American soldiers of abandoning their bases and sheltering in civilian locations.
China
-- Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian urged all parties to work toward conditions for "truly meaningful and sincere peace talks."
Iraq
-- Iraq reaffirmed its "firm rejection" of any attacks on Gulf Arab states and Jordan, saying Arab security is inseparable from its own.
Kuwait
-- Kuwait's Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted and monitored several hostile threats in its airspace over the past 24 hours, state news agency KUNA reported.
Bahrain
-- Bahrain's Defense Force said its air defenses have intercepted and destroyed 154 missiles and 350 drones targeting the kingdom since the conflict began.
United Arab Emirates
-- Falling debris from an intercepted ballistic missile killed two people and wounded three others in Abu Dhabi, authorities said. Several cars were also damaged.
-- The UAE Defense Ministry said its forces have intercepted a total of 372 ballistic missiles and 1,826 drones since the conflict began.
Qatar
-- Qatar Airways released an updated flight schedule through April 15 showing gradual increases in service to more than 90 destinations.
Saudi Arabia
-- Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan warned the conflict could have significant global economic consequences, saying markets have yet to fully price in the risks. He noted that refined products, including fertilizers, steel, and aluminum, have been more directly affected than oil.
-- Public Investment Fund Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan said the kingdom's finances remain strong and stable.
Lebanon
-- At least 13 people were killed and 28 wounded in Israeli airstrikes on towns and villages in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Center.
-- Hezbollah said it struck Israeli military positions, settlements and tanks along the border and hit the Kirya defense complex in Tel Aviv as well as a military intelligence facility north of the city. The group denied Kuwaiti allegations linking it to a plot against senior Gulf officials.
-- Lebanese Shia ministers boycotted a cabinet session to protest a government decision expelling the Iranian ambassador for interference in internal affairs.
-- Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Lebanon would file an immediate complaint with the UN Security Council over Israeli actions south of the Litani River, warning they pose a serious threat to Lebanese sovereignty.
Yemen
-- Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi said Thursday his group is prepared to take military action if the conflict warrants it, reaffirming close ties with Iran. A Houthi official separately told media the group stands ready to resume Red Sea strikes in solidarity with Tehran.
Türkiye
-- After a Turkish-operated crude oil tanker was attacked in the Black Sea off Istanbul, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the strike violated international law and posed serious risks to navigation and the environment in Turkey's exclusive economic zone.
Egypt
-- President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi warned of the conflict's economic fallout on the region and beyond, particularly its effects on energy prices and supply chains. He condemned attacks on Arab states and called for de-escalation.
-- Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Beirut, reaffirmed Egypt's support for Lebanese state authority and condemned Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty.
Pakistan
-- Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar said U.S.-Iran indirect talks are being conducted through messages relayed by Pakistan. ■
