Iran war: US fighter jets downed by friendly fire in Kuwait

DW News · Mar 2, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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Skip next section Iran says missiles targeted Israeli leadership sitesMarch 2, 2026Iran says missiles targeted Israeli leadership sitesIran's Revolutionary Guard say their missile strikes have targeted the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the headquarters of Israel's air force commander. In a statement carried by the Fars news agency, the Guard said "the office of the criminal prime minister of the Zionist regime and the headquarters of the regime's air force commander were targeted." The statement added that Kheibar missiles were used in the attack. https://p.dw.com/p/59eeWSkip next section Iran envoy says Natanz hit as IAEA disputes claimMarch 2, 2026Iran envoy says Natanz hit as IAEA disputes claimNatanz lies some 320 kilometers (about 200 miles) south of TehranImage: Getty ImagesIran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has accused the United States and Israel of striking the country's Natanz nuclear enrichment site, contradicting the UN watchdog's assessment that no nuclear facilities have been hit. Speaking Monday at IAEA headquarters in Vienna, ambassador Reza Najafi said recent airstrikes targeted what he called Iran’s "peaceful safeguarded nuclear facilities," rejecting claims Tehran is pursuing nuclear weapons as "simply a big lie." Asked which site he meant, Najafi replied: "Natanz." The sprawling Natanz complex, about 220 kilometers (136 miles) south of Tehran, hosts both underground and above-ground facilities responsible for most of Iran’s uranium enrichment. Before the conflict, the IAEA said advanced centrifuges there enriched uranium to 60%, close to weapons-grade levels. Najafi sharply criticized US President Donald Trump, accusing Washington of using "deception and disinformation" and calling the strikes "unlawful, criminal and brutal." He urged members of the 35-nation IAEA board to formally condemn the attacks IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi previously told a special Board of Governors session that the agency has, "up to now," no indication that nuclear installations in Iran — including Bushehr nuclear power plant or the Tehran Research Reactor — have been damaged. Grossi said the agency has been unable to reach Iranian nuclear regulators through its emergency channels amid communication disruptions caused by the conflict. The IAEA added that no radiation levels above normal background readings have been detected in neighboring countries. https://p.dw.com/p/59eXiSkip next section US jets downed by friendly fire, crew are safe, says militaryMarch 2, 2026US jets downed by friendly fire, crew are safe, says militaryThe US military has clarified that an earlier incident in which three US fighter jets were shot down was a "friendly fire" accident. US Central Command said in a statement that the F-15 planes were "mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses" who mistook them for a threat. The six personnel aboard the jets were able to eject safely, and are in a stable condition, the statement added. https://p.dw.com/p/59eY7Skip next section IDF announces fresh 'broad strike' on TehranMarch 2, 2026IDF announces fresh 'broad strike' on TehranThe Israeli military has announced fresh strikes on Iranian capital Tehran. "The Israeli Air Force, guided by Military Intelligence, has now launched a broad wave of strikes targeting assets of the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran," the military said in a statement. Journalists with French news agency AFP reported hearing explosions in the central and eastern parts of the city and that some apartment buildings could be seen shaking. At the same time, Israel also confirmed that it was simultaneously attacking the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah, long allied with the Iranian regime. A claim that the military had killed a "senior Hezbollah terrorist" could not be independently verified. Despite this, Israel said it was not launching a ground invasion in Lebanon. https://p.dw.com/p/59eXlSkip next section EU chief: We must stop conflict from spreadingMarch 2, 2026EU chief: We must stop conflict from spreading"We must work hard to de-escalate and stop the conflict spreading," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels, adding that "the stability of the region is of the utmost importance." At the same time, she criticized the "reckless and indiscriminate attacks by Iran and its proxies against sovereign territories across the region," referring to a drone attack on a British airbase in Cyprus and a Saudi oil facility. Over the weekend, von der Leyen was the target of lighthearted mockery online for saying she would convene an emergency security meeting on Monday — prompting jokes that European style work-life balance was more important than addressing an emerging war. https://p.dw.com/p/59eTsSkip next section European stocks fall, oil prices riseMarch 2, 2026European stocks fall, oil prices riseEuropean stock markets have opened sharply lower after US and Israeli attacks on Iran heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. At the start of trading Monday, Germany's DAX fell 2.29%, while markets in Paris dropped 2.36%. London's FTSE index declined more moderately, down 0.93% in early trading. Asian markets had earlier opened mostly lower, with airline stocks hit particularly hard as carriers suspended flights to parts of the region, affecting major aviation hubs including Dubai. Energy shares moved higher as oil prices rose sharply following the escalation in the Middle East. Oil supplies could be affected by the conflict, with Iran reportedly warning tankers on the Strait of Hormuz that no ships would be allowed to pass through. The straight is used by tankers carrying around one fifth of the world's oil and seaborne gas supplies. https://p.dw.com/p/59eHRSkip next section Top diplomat denies reports Germany will join Iran warMarch 2, 2026Top diplomat denies reports Germany will join Iran warGerman Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has refuted Israeli media reports that Berlin would join the Iran war directly. The German government "has no intention of participating," Wadephul told public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk. "We also do not have the necessary military resources," he added, with the caveat that Bundeswehr soldiers in Jordan and Iraq "would defend themselves if they were attacked." The Times of Israel had reported that "German political and military sources" told Israel's Army Radio that Berlin was "seriously considering joining the US-Israel war with Iran," if Tehran did not stop attacks on neighboring countries. https://p.dw.com/p/59eFFSkip next section Saudi refinery targeted as drones interceptedMarch 2, 2026Saudi refinery targeted as drones interceptedAn oil refinery on Saudi Arabia's Gulf coast has been targeted in an attack as Iran launched a new wave of strikes across the region. A fire broke out at the Ras Tanura refinery, but the blaze was quickly brought under control and extinguished. The Saudi Defense Ministry said two drones had targeted the facility but had been intercepted, acording to a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency on X. Saudi state television said authorities had temporarily shut down the refinery near Dammam.Possible US strikes on Iran — Balancing act in the Gulf To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video https://p.dw.com/p/59e9LSkip next section China urges ceasefire after widening Iran conflictMarch 2, 2026China urges ceasefire after widening Iran conflictChina has called for an immediate ceasefire and renewed diplomatic talks on the latest day of escalating US-Israeli and Iranian military attacks. "The most urgent task is an immediate cessation of military operations and preventing a spread and spillover of conflict," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters, urging a solution through dialogue and negotiations. Mao said a Chinese citizen was killed in Tehran during the conflict and that China's embassy in Iran has been instructed to assist the victim's family. No further details were provided about the circumstances of the death. Beijing had warned its citizens last week against travel to Iran due to the security situation, and more than 3,000 Chinese nationals have since left the country.How independent Chinese oil refiners defy US Iran sanctionsTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video https://p.dw.com/p/59e5NSkip next section US-Israeli attacks have killed 555 people in Iran — Red CrescentMarch 2, 2026US-Israeli attacks have killed 555 people in Iran — Red CrescentAt least 555 people have been killed across Iran amid US and Israeli strikes that began on Saturday, the Iranian Red Crescent has said. "Following the Zionist-American terrorist attacks carried out in various regions of our country, 131 cities have been affected to date and, regrettably, 555 of our compatriots have been killed," the humanitarian group said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. https://p.dw.com/p/59e1kSkip next section Dozens killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, says health ministryMarch 2, 2026Dozens killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, says health ministryLebanese authorities say dozens of people have been killed in Israeli airstrikes in the country. The Lebanese Health Ministry said: At least 31 people have died, with another 149 injured Attacks were on the southern regions of the country and the southern suburbs of the capital, Beirut The death toll might rise amid rescue operations by search teams and as hospitals complete assessments of those injured. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has condemned the Israeli strikes and denounced the continued use of his country as a platform for "proxy wars." He said responsibility for the escalation lies with those who have ignored repeated calls to preserve security and stability.Israel said the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group had 'joined th