War

Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war on Friday, March 27, 2026:

Kuwait’s main port hit

Kuwait’s main commercial port was damaged in a drone attack at dawn.

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The Shuwaikh port was targeted “by enemy drones, preliminary reports revealed material damage but no human casualties”, the Kuwait port authority said in a statement on X.

Iran warning to US soldiers

Iran’s military has warned that hotels housing US soldiers across the region would be targets.

“When all the Americans (forces) go into a hotel, then from our perspective that hotel becomes American,” armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi told state television.

UN Security Council meeting

The UN Security Council will hold closed-door consultations on Friday to discuss strikes on Iran at Moscow’s request, Russian state media reported.

“The Russian Federation has requested closed-door consultations with the UN Security Council due to the ongoing strikes on civilian infrastructure in Iran, including educational and healthcare facilities,” said Evgeny Uspensky, spokesman for Russia’s envoy to the United Nations, according to state news agency TASS.

Japan to boost coal-fired power

Japan’s government plans to temporarily lift restrictions on coal-fired power plants as it seeks to ease an energy crunch caused by the Middle East war, officials said.

Power suppliers have previously been required to keep the operating rate of coal-fired thermal power stations that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide at or below 50 percent.

But the government now intends to allow the full operation of older, less efficient coal-fired plants, for a year from the new fiscal year starting April.

India slashes fuel taxes

India has reduced taxes on diesel and petrol by 10 rupees ($0.11) a litre.

The South Asian nation, one of the world’s largest crude oil importers, relies on foreign suppliers for more than 85 percent of its oil needs – with Russia being the biggest supplier.

Oil prices set for steepest weekly fall in 6 months

Israeli strikes on Beirut

Lebanese media reported an Israeli strike hit Beirut’s southern suburbs early Friday, as several explosions were heard from the Hezbollah stronghold that Israel has repeatedly struck since war erupted this month.

Israel has previously issued sweeping evacuation warnings for the area, but provided no specific warning in advance of the strike on Tahouitet al-Ghadir.

Saudi Arabia intercepts drones

The Saudi defence ministry said it had “intercepted and destroyed” four drones over the kingdom’s east.

Rubio to join G7 meeting

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio landed in France to join a meeting of G7 foreign ministers on Friday, AFP reported.

Rubio, who skipped the first day of the talks outside Paris, said before departing that it was in the “interest” of all G7 nations to push for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Guards claim missile, drone attacks

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said they had carried out missile and drone strikes on Thursday targeting sites in Israel and military facilities in the Gulf used by US forces.

A maintenance facility for US air defence system Patriot was targeted in Bahrain, the Guards said in a statement carried by Iranian news agencies.

Israel strike Tehran

Israel’s military said its forces carried out “a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran” early Friday.

Trump pushes back deadline

US President Donald Trump said he would not yet strike Iranian power plants as previously threatened after a request from Tehran, adding that talks with the Islamic republic were “going very well.”

Trump said on his Truth Social platform: “I am pausing the period of Energy Plant destruction by 10 Days to Monday, April 6, 2026, at 8 P.M., Eastern Time.

“Talks are ongoing and, despite erroneous statements to the contrary by the Fake News Media, and others, they are going very well.”

The Star

Segun Ojo
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