Israel vows to kill Iran’s next supreme leader as Tehran strikes back

Israel bombards Iran and Lebanon, and the US struggles to evacuate citizens from the Middle East

Updated 8:37 AM EST, Wed, March 4, 2026

Here’s the latest

• Pentagon briefing: Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned Americans that it’s “very early” in military operations against Iran. “Four days in, we have only just begun to fight,” he said.
• On the ground: A mourning ceremony for Iran’s slain supreme leader has been postponed as clerics meet virtually to choose a successor. Israel said it has begun a 10th wave of strikes on Tehran while also bombarding Lebanon. Meanwhile, NATO air defence systems shot down an Iranian missile that was travelling toward Turkey’s airspace.
• Death toll rises: More than 1,000 people have been killed in Iran since the war began, according tothe US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.
• Scramble to evacuate: The US has closed embassies in three countries, reduced its regional diplomatic staffing and warned Americans to leave. The United Arab Emirates said it opened safe air corridors with its neighbours as countries rush to evacuate stranded nationals.
• Global market reaction: Asian stocks fell sharply today, with a record selloff in Seoul, as investors fretted about rising oil prices in a region heavily exposed to Middle East imports.