Middle East conflict

Middle East conflict halts one of world’s largest aluminum smelters

Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), which operates one of the world’s largest aluminum smelters, declared force majeure and warned customers of shipment delays due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, Reuters reported on March 4.

5 March, 01:04 PM

IMF chief predicts widespread economic fallout amid Iranian conflict

The war in the Middle East will become a test of endurance for the global economy, while shocks will continue to arise, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva said, Interfax-Ukraine reported on March 4.

5 March, 12:53 PM

Israeli F-35 downs Iranian Yak-130 in first combat kill

An Israeli Air Force F-35I Adir fighter shot down an Iranian Yak-130 jet in combat, marking the first time an F-35 has destroyed a manned aircraft in battle, the Israel Defense Forces reported on March 4.

4 March, 06:57 PM

Ukraine gas prices jump 20% amid Middle East conflict

Natural gas prices on Ukraine’s domestic market rose 20% in recent days to 27,800 hryvnias ($637) per 1,000 cubic meters (with VAT) on March 3, amid global LNG supply disruptions caused by the U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran, energy news outlet ExPro reported.

4 March, 01:15 PM

Russia can’t cash in on rising oil

Russia was unable to capitalize on this week’s surge in global oil prices amid the Middle East crisis, as Ukrainian drone attacks and severe winter weather sharply constrained its export capacity, Reuters reported on March 3.

4 March, 12:37 PM

Surging global oil prices still fail to rescue Russia's breaking federal budget

Global oil prices rose following the conflict in Iran to their highest level since July 2024, however, this is still insufficient to balance the Russian budget, Reuters wrote on March 3.

4 March, 10:10 AM

Trump slams UK’s Starmer for refusing to join U.S. strikes on Iran

President Donald Trump criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for refusing to support U.S. strikes on Iran, saying the decision was a surprise and that U.S.-UK relationship “is obviously not what it was,” The Guardian reported on March 3.

3 March, 05:17 PM

Kremlin sees no clarity on next Ukraine peace talks

There is no clarity yet on the timing or location of the next round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States and Russia on ending the war, the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian media, including the Interfax agency on March 3.

3 March, 04:13 PM

Trump’s Iran war hands Putin a strategic edge as Ukraine loses ground

Russia is already reaping strategic gains from President Donald Trump’s decision to launch a war against Iran, and those gains will deepen the longer the conflict drags on, Bloomberg columnist Marc Champion wrote on March 3, arguing that Vladimir Putin has become the “undisputed winner” of the unfolding Middle East crisis.

3 March, 03:25 PM

China demands immediate reopening of Hormuz Strait as 50% of its oil import faces collapse

China has issued an "urgent and immediate" demand for all parties in the Iranian conflict to restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz as tanker traffic grinds to a halt, Bloomberg reported on March 3.

3 March, 02:14 PM

Iran war drains U.S. missiles, putting Ukraine’s air shield at risk

A widening U.S. war with Iran could sideline efforts to pressure Vladimir Putin and drain critical missile stockpiles needed by Ukraine, Politico reported, citing mounting concern among European officials about the impact on American military aid.

3 March, 01:28 PM

Pentagon fears Iran war could spiral after 4 U.S. troops killed

Concern is growing inside the Pentagon and among some officials in President Donald Trump’s administration that the military conflict with Iran could spiral out of control, The Washington Post reported on March 1, citing informed sources.

3 March, 11:07 AM

Global oil surge threatens to reverse year of declining Russian energy revenues - ISW

Threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz are driving a sharp spike in crude oil prices, a trend that could provide the Kremlin with the funds to stabilize its economy and sustain the war, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote on March 2.

3 March, 10:53 AM

Six U.S. soldiers killed as offensive against Tehran intensifies

The death toll for U.S. service members participating in operations against Iran has risen to six, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) wrote on X on March 2.

3 March, 10:08 AM

150 tankers halt in Persian Gulf as Iran strikes rattle global oil, LNG flows

At least 150 tankers — including vessels carrying oil and liquefied natural gas, or LNG — dropped anchor in open waters of the Persian Gulf past the Strait of Hormuz after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, Reuters reported on March 1.

2 March, 02:52 PM

From Kyiv to Dubai: Iran mirrors Russia’s drone war tactics

Iran has launched hundreds of Shahed drones at Arab countries in the Persian Gulf over the past two days, damaging U.S. bases and critical infrastructure and posing what The Wall Street Journal described as a “serious threat” to the Middle East’s air defense systems.

2 March, 02:13 PM

U.S. and Israel target Iran’s leadership, security forces in bid to topple regime — ISW

The first days of the U.S.-Israel operation against Iran have centered on a campaign to “decapitate” the regime and strike its internal security apparatus — actions that could weaken Tehran’s ability to suppress unrest and govern effectively, the Institute for the Study of War said in a report covering the first two days of the campaign on Feb. 28 — March 1.

2 March, 12:30 PM

Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon follow Hezbollah rocket attack

Israeli forces struck Hezbollah targets across Lebanon on March 2, killing at least 31 people and wounding 149 others, The Associated Press reported, citing Lebanon’s Health Ministry.

2 March, 11:10 AM

Trump advisers push Israel to strike Iran first to build case for U.S. action

Senior advisers to U.S. President Donald Trump believe it would be politically advantageous for Israel to strike Iran first, Politico reported on Feb. 25, citing sources familiar with internal discussions.

26 February, 01:35 PM

Zelenskyy, Stubb say Middle East peace must fuel effort to stop war in Europe

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a phone call with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, during which the two leaders aligned their positions on developments in the Middle East and Europe, Zelenskyy announced on Oct. 14.

14 October 2025, 01:52 PM

Middle East conflict

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