Trump to review ‘options’ on oil prices: Latest developments in Middle East war

Here are the latest events in the Middle East war on Monday, March 9, 2026, as United States President Donald Trump announced his first press conference since launching strikes on Iran.

Trump news conference

United States President Donald Trump announced his first news conference since launching strikes on Iran, saying on his Truth Social network it would take place at about 5:30 p.m. (2130 GMT) on Monday in the ballroom of his Doral golf club near Miami, where he spent the weekend.

Ahead of the conference, the White House said Trump was reviewing “all credible options” on the politically sensitive issue of oil prices, which have surged because of the war.

Asylum for Iranian footballers

Trump said Australia had agreed to grant asylum to some of the Iranian women’s football team, who refused to sing their national anthem at an Asian Cup match last week in a show of defiance of the Islamic republic.

After earlier urging Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to grant the players asylum, Trump posted: “He’s on it! Five have already been taken care of.”

Trump added: “Some, however, feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don’t return.” There was no immediate comment from the Australian government.

Lebanon toll rises

The toll from Israeli strikes on Lebanon rose to 486 people killed and 1,313 wounded, the Lebanese health ministry said.

The ministry had previously reported a death toll of 394, according to AFP.

Key Hezbollah commander killed

Israel said its military had killed the head of Hezbollah’s Nasr unit, Abu Hussein Ragheb, operating in part of southern Lebanon during renewed fighting with the Iran-backed armed group.

Hezbollah hails new ayatollah

Hezbollah pledged “loyalty” and “allegiance” to Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, after he was named to succeed his late father, ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the opening day of US-Israeli attacks.

Trump ‘not happy’

Asked about his plans for the new supreme leader, Trump told the New York Post: “Not going to tell you. I’m not happy with him.”

Israel’s military has threatened to assassinate any successor to the late ayatollah.

Hezbollah wants Lebanon’s ‘collapse’: president

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accused Hezbollah of working towards the “collapse” of the state for the sake of Iranian interests, a week after it launched attacks on Israel in response to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

“Whoever launched those missiles wanted to bring about the collapse of the Lebanese state, plunging it into aggression and chaos… all for the sake of the Iranian regime’s calculations,” Aoun told European officials in an online meeting.

He called for “direct negotiations” with Israel to stop the war.

Israeli fire kills priest

A priest in the Christian town of Al-Qlayaa in southern Lebanon died after being wounded by Israeli tank fire, according to state media and a medical source.

Trump buys $1.1m Netflix bonds amid failed bid to acquire Warner Bros

Market woes

After rocketing above $100 a barrel for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, oil prices pared gains and slid back under the key threshold.

Asian stocks fell sharply. US and European markets initially followed, but cut their losses as oil prices eased slightly.

Iran warns strait unsafe

Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani said security in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key transport route for global oil and gas supplies, cannot be restored as long as the war continues.

“It is unlikely that any security can be achieved in the Strait of Hormuz amid the fires ignited by the United States and Israel in the region,” he said.

EU eyes Hormuz mission

EU chiefs said the bloc was ready to “enhance” its maritime operations in the Middle East to protect shipping routes after holding talks with regional leaders.

President Emmanuel Macron said France and its allies were working to put together a “purely defensive” mission to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for world fuel supplies.

He said the mission would be aimed at escorting vessels “after the end of the hottest phase of the conflict”.

UAE says targeting ‘unwarranted’

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) decried that it was being targeted “in a very unwarranted manner” in the war, stressing it would “not partake in any attacks against Iran”, which has lashed out at Gulf countries seen as US allies.

NATO blocks missile in Turkey

NATO confirmed it intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Iran in Turkish airspace, in the second such incident in five days.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Tehran against “provocative steps”.

The Star