A satellite image taken on March 2, 2026 shows smoke billowing from a vessel following an explosion from the port of Bandar Abbas along the strait of Hormuz. (Photo by 2026 Planet Labs PBC via AFP)TEHRAN - Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday they had total control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global energy transit, as Israel launched a new wave of strikes on the Iranian capital. In Lebanon, which Hezbollah dragged into the war, Israel expanded its air strikes, targeting the area around the presidential palace and the militant group’s south Beirut bastion, killing 11 people according to Lebanese authorities. According to the Iranian Red Crescent, the US and Israeli attacks have killed 787 people in Iran, a toll that could not be independently confirmed by AFP. On Wednesday, the European Commission said it was “ready” to defend EU interests after President Donald Trump threatened to sever trade with Spain for refusing to allow the US use of its bases to attack Iran.

Source: Bangkok Post March 04, 2026 15:19 UTC