Iran defiant as Tehran is struck, drones fired at Israel from Yemen

IN BRIEF

• Iran fired multiple waves of missiles at Israel on Monday and vowed to "punish the aggressor." READ MORE BELOW

• Kuwait said it had intercepted five drones, while Iraq's defense ministry said an air base was hit by rockets.

• Israel's military said two drones from Yemen had been intercepted, and that Hezbollah had also fired rockets at Israel from Lebanon. READ MORE BELOW

• Israel said it was targeting "military infrastructure" in Tehran and infrastructure in the Lebanese capital Beirut used by Hezbollah. 

• US President Donald Trump said on Sunday the United States and Iran had been meeting "directly and indirectly." READ MORE BELOW

• The Iranian foreign ministry called US negotiation proposals "unrealistic, illogical and excessive." 

• Trump also told the Financial Times he was considering a ground attack on Kharg Island, Iran's oil exporting center. READ MORE BELOW

• A United Nations peacekeeper was killed in southern Lebanon overnight, prompting global condemnation. READ MORE BELOW

• Spain has closed its airspace to US planes involved in attacks on Iran, said Spanish newspaper El Pais. READ MORE BELOW

• South Korea is considering extending driving curbs to the general public if global oil prices climb further.

IN DETAIL 

Rockets fired at Israel from Iran and Yemen

Iran fired multiple waves of missiles at Israel on Monday and vowed to "punish the aggressor" as Israeli forces pounded Tehran and oil prices rose after Yemen's Houthis entered the war in the Middle East.

Iran's acting defense minister, Majid Ebn-e Reza told his Turkish counterpart that Tehran would continue to "punish aggressors, create deterrence and ensure war won't repeat itself".

Kuwait said on Monday it had intercepted five drones in areas under its protection. Iraq's defense ministry said the Mohamad Alaa air base, beside Baghdad International Airport, was hit by rockets early on Monday, destroying an aircraft but causing no casualties.

Israel's military said two drones from Yemen had been intercepted on Monday, two days after the Iran-aligned Houthis fired missiles at Israel for the first time since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran that has spread across the region.

The Israeli military said its forces were targeting what it described as military infrastructure in Tehran and had launched an attack on infrastructure in the Lebanese capital Beirut used by Hezbollah. The Iran-backed Lebanese group also fired more rockets at Israel on Monday, Israeli authorities said.

With Iran effectively controlling the Strait of Hormuz, the Houthi attacks on Israel raise the prospect that they could target and block a second important shipping route, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Trump talks about talks – and a ground invasion 

President Donald Trump said on Sunday the United States and Iran had been meeting "directly and indirectly" and that Iran's new leaders – following the killing of Iran's supreme leader on February 28 – have been "very reasonable".

But he has also been sending more US troops to the region, leading to Iran's parliament speaker accusing Washington of sending messages about possible negotiations while planning a ground invasion and prompting more defiance from Tehran.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei called US negotiation proposals "unrealistic, illogical and excessive," insisting "We are under military aggression. Therefore, all our efforts and strength are focused on defending ourselves."

Pakistan, which is acting as an intermediary between Tehran and Washington, said it was preparing to host "meaningful talks" in the coming days aimed at ending the war. It was not clear whether the US and Iran had agreed to attend.

"I think we'll make a deal with them, I'm pretty sure, but it's possible we won't," Trump told reporters on Sunday evening as he traveled aboard Air Force One to Washington.

Trump also has the option of launching a ground offensive, with the US Department of Defense dispatching thousands of troops to the Middle East, but he has not approved any of those plans, according to multiple news outlets.

The Financial Times quoted Trump on Sunday as saying the US could seize Kharg Island, from where Iran exports much of its oil, which would require ground troops.

"Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don't. We have a lot of options," Trump told the FT. "I don't think they have any defense – we could take it very easily," he continued, while admitting "It would also mean we had to be there for a while."

UN peacekeeper killed in Lebanon as Israeli strikes pummel south 

A United Nations peacekeeper was killed in southern Lebanon overnight, prompting condemnations after a bloody weekend in which Lebanese journalists and medics were killed in Israeli strikes.

The peacekeeper from Indonesia was the first from the UN's peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, to be killed in the new war between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah which erupted on March 2.

UNIFIL said the peacekeeper was killed when a projectile exploded at one of its positions near the southern Lebanese village of Adchit al-Qusayr on Sunday. Another peacekeeper was critically injured.

"We do not know the origin of the projectile. We have launched an investigation to determine all of the circumstances," UNIFIL said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said attacks on peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes. He called for accountability and urged all parties to ensure the safety of UN personnel.

The killing was also condemned by Beijing. "China strongly condemns the attack on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, mourns for the victims and extends sympathies to the injured," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning. 

"Any deliberate attack on UN peacekeepers seriously violates international humanitarian law and the UN Security Council Resolution 1701, is absolutely unacceptable and must stop immediately," Mao continued.

"China urges the parties concerned to de-escalate the situation and take concrete measures to guarantee the safety of UN peacekeepers."

Spain 'closes airspace' to US warplanes

Spain has closed its airspace to US planes involved in attacks on Iran, a step beyond its previous denial of use of jointly-operated military bases, Spanish newspaper El Pais reported on Monday, citing military sources.

The closure of its airspace, which forces military planes to bypass NATO member Spain en route to their targets in the Middle East, does not include emergency situations, El Pais added.

"This decision is part of the decision already made by the Spanish government not to participate in or contribute to a war which was initiated unilaterally and against international law," Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said during an interview with radio Cadena Ser when asked if the decision to close Spain's airspace could worsen relations with the United States.