Catch up: Strikes, deaths and rising tensions in the Gulf war while you were away

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - A laser and light show lights up the sky to on Eid Al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, along the Corniche in Abu Dhabi on March 20, 2026 even as US, Israel and Iran continue exchanging airstrikes in a war that stretches across several Gulf states. — AFP pic

PARIS, March 22 — Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war:

• 92 per cent of Iran missiles intercepted: Israel 

Israel’s military said that Iran had fired more than 400 ballistic missiles at Israel since the start of the Middle East war, with around 92  per cent of them intercepted.

• Qatar chopper crash kills 6 

Three Turkish nationals including a serviceman were killed after a helicopter crashed in Qatar’s territorial waters, alongside three Qatari servicemen, the Gulf country’s defence ministry said.

While Qatar has been targeted by several strikes since the start of the Middle East war, no connection has been made between this chopper and the conflict triggered by US-Israeli attacks on Iran.

• Iran attack on UK base ‘fell short’ 

UK minister Steve Reed said one missile launched by Iran targeting a joint UK-US military base in the Indian Ocean “fell short” while another missile was “intercepted”.

Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos Islands, is one of two bases which the UK has allowed the United States to use for what the British government insists are “defensive operations” in its war against Iran.

• ‘Heavy’ damage to Iran water, energy 

Iran’s critical water and energy infrastructure have suffered extensive damage due to US and Israeli strikes, the country’s energy minister Abbas Aliabadi said.

“The attacks targeted dozens of water transmission and treatment facilities and destroyed parts of critical water supply networks,” he noted, adding that efforts were underway to repair the 

damage.

• US Baghdad centre attacked 

At least six overnight attacks targeted a US diplomatic and logistics centre at Baghdad’s International Airport, two Iraqi security officials told AFP.

“Eight separate attacks, carried out until dawn with rockets and drones targeted the US centre,” a senior security official told AFP, while a second security official said there had been six strikes.

• One killed in north Israel 

Israel said rocket fire from Lebanon killed one person on Sunday as Hezbollah said it attacked soldiers in northern Israel, the first fatality there in fire from Lebanon since the latest war erupted.

Local firefighters said flames had engulfed two vehicles after a “direct hit” in the northern Israeli kibbutz community of Misgav Am.

• Fresh blasts in Jerusalem 

Blasts were heard and air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem early Sunday, AFP journalists said, after the Israeli military warned of incoming missile fire from Iran.

Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency medical service said after the first warning that there were no immediate reports of casualties.

• Iran targets Baghdad base 

Iran’s official IRNA news agency said that a drone attack targeted a military base near the Baghdad International Airport.

The “military base, located near Baghdad International Airport, has again been the target of drone strikes,” the IRNA wrote, referring to a compound that was used in the past by the US military.

• Missiles target Saudi, UAE 

Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry said three ballistic missiles were detected around the capital Riyadh, while its UAE counterpart said it was responding to Iranian missile and drone attacks.

• Israel strikes Tehran 

The Israeli military said its forces launched a wave of strikes on Tehran, hours after Iranian missile fire hit two cities in southern Israel.

Israeli forces were “currently conducting strikes on Iranian terror regime targets in the heart of Tehran”, a statement said.

• 48-hour Hormuz deadline 

“If Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS from this exact point in time, the United States of America will hit and obliterate their various POWER PLANTS, STARTING WITH THE BIGGEST ONE FIRST!” US President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

• Iran vows retaliation 

After Trump’s ultimatum, Iran’s military said it would retaliate by targeting “all energy, information technology and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US and the regime in the region”. — AFP