Name: Bangladesh: Unrest At Indian Visa Centre in Dhaka As Large Crowd Demand Visa
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Joseph Kent, director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, resigned in protest of the US-Israeli war against Iran, calling it unjustified and influenced by external pressures.

Middle East war: US counterterrorism official resigns, says 'war started under Israel's pressure'

Joseph Kent, director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, resigned in protest of the US-Israeli war against Iran, calling it unjustified and influenced by external pressures.

A senior US counter-terrorism official resigned on Tuesday to protest the US-Israeli war against Iran and said the Islamic Republic posed no imminent threat to the United States.
"I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran," Joseph Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said in his resignation letter to President Donald Trump.
Kent -- a former member of the Green Beret special forces who served multiple combat tours -- said "Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby."
Kent is the first senior US official to resign from the Trump administration to protest the war against Iran.
"Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation," Kent said in his letter to Trump.
"Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran," he said.
"This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory," he said.
"This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women," Kent said.
"I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives," he added.

Israel says it has killed Iran’s senior leader Ali Larijani in a major escalation of the ongoing Middle East conflict, as strikes intensify, oil routes face disruption, and global tensions rise.

Israel claims killing of Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani amid escalating Middle East war

Israel says it has killed Iran&rsquo;s senior leader Ali Larijani in a major escalation of the ongoing Middle East conflict, as strikes intensify, oil routes face disruption, and global tensions rise.

Israel said Tuesday it had killed Iran's powerful national security chief, Ali Larijani, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling him the leader of "the gang of gangsters" that runs the Islamic republic.
If confirmed, Larijani's death would be a huge blow to Iran's ruling system more than two weeks into the war engulfing the Middle East, which has upended global markets and had consequences far beyond the region's confines.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Larijani was "eliminated last night", although this has not been confirmed by Iran.
"This morning we eliminated Ali Larijani, the boss of the Revolutionary Guards, which is the gang of gangsters that actually runs Iran," Netanyahu said in a televised statement.
He said the overthrow of Iran's authorities by the people "will not happen all at once, it will not happen easily. But if we persist in this -- we will give them a chance to take their fate into their own hands."
It comes less than three weeks after US-Israeli strikes on February 28 killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader since 1989, triggering a regional war with global repercussions.
It also comes weeks after a massive popular movement against the Islamic republic was crushed by authorities, with rights groups reporting thousands killed in the crackdown.
Larijani, 68, has been described as a key pillar in the ruling system, close to the late ayatollah and central to the government's nuclear policy and strategic diplomacy over decades.
After the war broke out, he became even more powerful. While the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has not been seen in public since he was appointed to replace his slain father, Larijani walked with crowds at a pro-government rally last week in Tehran.
The reported assassination comes as strikes shook countries across the Middle East on Tuesday, from Gulf nations to Iraq, Lebanon and Iran.
An AFP reporter had earlier Tuesday reported blasts in Tehran, after a night of heavy bombardment mixed with thunder and rain.
 - Targeting leaders -
Shortly after Israel said it had killed him, Larijani's official social media profiles posted a handwritten note by him paying tribute to Iranian sailors killed when a US submarine sunk an Iranian frigate this month.
The note was not dated, nor did the post address the claim of his death.
Israel also said Tuesday it had killed Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, in a strike in Tehran.
And it said it had targeted Akram al-Ajouri, head of the military wing of the group Palestinian Islamic Jihad, in a strike in Iran, though he was not confirmed dead.
Israel has since the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas pursued what analysts have described as a policy of decapitation, targeting the leaders of its enemies, including Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon, as well as top leaders in Gaza.
The whereabouts of Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is the subject of much speculation. US President Donald Trump said Monday that "we don't know... if he's dead or not".
 - Trump appeals -
Across the region, hundreds of people have been killed and millions more displaced in the war.
In retaliation for the US-Israel attacks, Iran has targeted US interests, energy facilities and civilian infrastructure of its energy-rich neighbours, sending oil prices soaring.
Its threats and attacks on tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of global crude oil passes, have also all but closed the key waterway.
Oil prices surged around three percent Tuesday after several countries pushed back on Trump's demand they help secure the strait by sending warships to escort tankers.
The US president has warned that it would be "very bad" for the future of the NATO military alliance if the allies refused to help.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said London was working with allies to craft a "viable" plan to reopen the strait, but ruled out a NATO mission.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday the war was "not a matter for NATO", while EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels indicated no appetite to join the conflict.
Trump has also appealed to nations including China, Japan and South Korea to help on the Strait of Hormuz.
Some countries have negotiated safe passage for some of their ships, including India, while Iraq said it was in contact with Iran over the issue.
 - Asking for shelter -
The war has also drawn in Lebanon, after Tehran-backed Hezbollah militants struck Israel over Khamenei's killing.
Israel has stepped up strikes and deployed ground troops to its northern neighbour, including targeting Beirut's southern suburbs on Tuesday, and later, conducting an air strike near the city's airport.
The Lebanese military said on Tuesday that an Israeli strike on a car and a motorcycle in southern Lebanon killed one of its soldiers and wounded four others.
More than a million people have been displaced across Lebanon, while Israeli strikes have killed 886 people since March 2, Lebanon's health ministry says.
In the southern city of Sidon, far from the border, displaced people were sleeping in their cars parked along the seafront corniche, according to an AFP team on the ground.
"Lots of people are coming every day to ask for shelter but we don't have space anymore, we can't accept them," said Jihan Kaisi, the director of an NGO that runs a school-turned-shelter, where more than 1,100 people are crammed together.

Iran’s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei ordered the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the escalating Middle East conflict.

New Iranian supreme leader calls for defiance, keeps key waterway shut

Iran&rsquo;s new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei ordered the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the escalating Middle East conflict.

Iran's new supreme leader ordered the vital Strait of Hormuz oil shipping lane to remain closed on Thursday, while US President Donald Trump said stopping the Islamic republic's "evil empire" was more important than crude prices.
Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who was reportedly injured in an air strike, has yet to appear publicly since his nomination last Sunday as supreme leader, and his defiant message was read by a newscaster on state television.
Khamenei, whose father Ali Khamenei was killed in the first wave of US-Israeli attacks at the start of the Middle East war, called for the Strait of Hormuz to remain blocked and for Gulf countries to close their US military bases.
"The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must definitely be used," Khamenei said of the waterway through which a quarter of world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) usually transit.
He added that "a limited amount of" Iran's revenge for US and Israeli strikes had "taken concrete form, but until it is fully achieved, this case will remain among our priorities."
Iran launched a new wave of attacks against Gulf energy targets on Thursday that sent prices oil spiking briefly above $100 a barrel and led to a warning that the crisis could lead to "the largest supply disruption" in history.
But Trump dismissed growing concerns, writing on social media that "of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is stoping an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World."
 - Vessels attacked -
Images from Bahrain on Thursday showed thick smoke rising after a strike on fuel tanks in Muharraq, with residents told to stay inside and close their windows.
Drones caused damage again at Kuwait's international airport and in downtown Dubai, while Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted drones headed towards its Shaybah oil field and its embassy district.
Shipping in and around the crucial Strait of Hormuz remains at a near-standstill, with another three vessels attacked in the Gulf off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and Iraq.
The Paris-based International Energy Authority, a world authority on energy markets, warned Thursday the 13-day conflict "is creating the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market", which would surpass those of the 1970s.
With Gulf states slashing production and oil tankers stuck in the Gulf, benchmark oil prices have risen 40-50 percent since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, threatening to crimp growth and stoke inflation.
 - 'Mistake' -
A top Iranian military figure warned on Wednesday that the country could wage a prolonged war that would "destroy" the world economy.
Trump, who is under mounting domestic pressure, ruled out the air campaign ending "immediately" while indicating that US forces were running out of targets to hit.
"If the White House imagines the conflict will stop when Donald Trump decides it... they're making a mistake and ignoring the lessons of history," Pierre Razoux, director of studies at the Mediterranean Foundation for Strategic Studies, told AFP.
"The Iranian regime, which no longer has anything to lose, will wage a war of attrition against the United States and Israel to punish them for their aggression."
One Tehran resident hoping for the fall of the Islamic republic told AFP she was worried about the US and Israel calling off their air campaign despite her fears about the daily bombardment.
"I don't know what will happen to us mentally and emotionally if it doesn't work out this time," she told AFP on condition of anonymity.
 - 'End of the line' -
The conflict has spread across the region, with hundreds killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon, including at least eight more who died on Beirut's blood-stained seafront where displaced families were camping in tents.
After the Iran-backed Hezbollah group announced a new operation against Israel on Wednesday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said he was ordering troops to "prepare for expanding" attacks on Lebanon.
The violence has killed more than 687 people in Lebanon, according to authorities, while more than 800,000 people have registered as displaced.
In Iran, over three million people have been displaced by the war, according to new figures issued Thursday by the UN's refugee agency.
Israel's military said it had began a new "wide-scale" wave of strikes in Iran on Thursday, including one southeast of Tehran that it said had targeted a site used for developing nuclear weapons.
Satellite imagery from Wednesday shows what appeared to be three strikes from bunker-busting munitions at the Parchin military facility.
US forces said they had struck 28 Iranian mine-laying vessels amid fears that Tehran could render the Strait of Hormuz unnavigable.
The Strait, through which a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) passes, lies off Iran and is just 54 kilometres (34 miles) wide at its narrowest point.
Tehran has vowed that not one litre of oil will be exported from the Gulf while US-Israeli attacks continue, although industry figures suggest its own sanction-hit exports are continuing to get through.
 - Oil prices spike again -
Oil prices have soared past $100 a barrel despite an announcement that leading consumer countries would authorise a record release of their strategic crude reserves in action coordinated by the IEA.
The move was not enough to allay fears of a global crisis.
"In trading desk language, the IEA release is the equivalent of pointing a garden hose at a refinery blaze," commented Stephen Innes at SPI Asset Management.
Iran's health ministry said on March 8 that more than 1,200 people have been killed in the war, a figure AFP has not been able to independently verify.
In Israel, authorities said 14 people have been killed, while attacks in the Gulf have killed 24 people, including 11 civilians and seven US military personnel, according to local authorities and the US Central Command.
The war has cost the United States more than $11.3 billion, lawmakers were told in a Pentagon briefing, according to the New York Times.

A van crashed through a security barricade near the White House early Wednesday, prompting a temporary shutdown of nearby streets in Washington. Authorities detained the driver and said no injuries were reported.

White House area shut down after van breaches security barricade

A van crashed through a security barricade near the White House early Wednesday, prompting a temporary shutdown of nearby streets in Washington. Authorities detained the driver and said no injuries were reported.

A van smashed through a security barricade near the White House early Wednesday, authorities said, forcing a temporary shutdown of the area in downtown Washington during morning rush hour.
The driver was taken into custody and there were no reported injuries following the pre-dawn incident at Lafayette Square, just north of the White House.
A police bomb squad cleared the vehicle and declared the scene safe, said a spokesperson for the US Secret Service, which handles presidential security.
"The individual is currently being interviewed by the Secret Service and criminal charges are pending," the spokesperson said in a statement.
Washington has been under heightened security amid the US-Israel war on Iran.
Dozens of emergency vehicles with lights flashing descended on the scene, as police closed several major streets around the White House.
Traffic congestion snarled the area as office workers and tourists were blocked from passing through.

Israel has authorised its military to take additional strategic positions in Lebanon after Hezbollah attacked Israeli bases in support of Iran. The escalation follows fresh airstrikes in Beirut and redeployment of Lebanese troops along the border.

Israel orders troops to seize new positions in Lebanon

Israel has authorised its military to take additional strategic positions in Lebanon after Hezbollah attacked Israeli bases in support of Iran. The escalation follows fresh airstrikes in Beirut and redeployment of Lebanese troops along the border.

Israel on Tuesday ordered the military to take control of more positions in Lebanon, where the army pulled back some of its forces after Hezbollah attacked Israeli bases in support of its backer, Iran.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and I have authorised the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to advance and take control of additional strategic positions in Lebanon in order to prevent attacks on Israeli border communities," Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.
In response, the Lebanese army has redeployed soldiers from several recently established border positions on Tuesday following the Israeli army's "escalation", a Lebanese military source told AFP.
The troops "numbering in total eight to nine soldiers at each point, were redeployed to their bases because of the danger to their safety", the Lebanese military said.
Lebanon was drawn into the regional war on Monday after an initial rocket attack on Israel by Hezbollah, which said it wanted to "avenge" the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the US-Israeli strikes.
Israel promptly responded with large-scale strikes on Lebanon, where the government on Monday declared an immediate ban on Hezbollah's military activities.
The Israeli military said on Monday it had killed the head of Hezbollah's intelligence services, Hussein Moukalled, in a strike in Beirut.
On Tuesday, it announced the killing of another senior militant it named as Reza Khazai in a strike in Beirut, saying he was responsible for overseeing Hezbollah's weapons build-up on behalf of Iran's elite Quds Force.
The military did not identify his nationality.
 - 'All options' -
Hezbollah said it targeted on Tuesday three Israeli military bases in response to the Israeli strikes on the group's strongholds.
Although Israel has maintained that it is not planning a full-scale ground invasion of Lebanon, the military has stated that "all options are on the table" to halt incoming rocket fire from Hezbollah.
On Tuesday, Katz declared that troops had been ordered to seize additional locations inside Lebanon, though the military described these steps as "tactical measures" rather than a ground invasion.
Israeli forces had previously entered Lebanon in September 2024 after nearly a year of cross-border exchanges initiated by Hezbollah in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas following the outbreak of the war in Gaza.
Tens of thousands of residents on both sides of the border had been evacuated as fighting between the two intensified.
The Israeli military has since said it did not plan to evacuate northern communities again, noting that it has reinforced troop deployments along the Lebanese border and strengthened air defences in the area.
Under a November 2024 truce, only UN peacekeepers and the Lebanese army may bear arms south of the Litani river, which runs around 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the Israeli border.
Israel was supposed to withdraw all of its forces from Lebanon under a ceasefire agreed in November 2024 but has kept troops in five border areas it deems strategic, citing Hezbollah's refusal to surrender its own arms.
Despite the ceasefire, Israel has conducted regular air strikes on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon.

Iran struck the US Embassy in Riyadh with drones as American and Israeli airstrikes intensified across Iran and Lebanon, raising fears of a prolonged regional war with mounting casualties and threats to global energy routes.

US Embassy in Saudi Arabia hit by Iranian drones as Israeli military ramps up operations in Lebanon

Iran struck the US Embassy in Riyadh with drones as American and Israeli airstrikes intensified across Iran and Lebanon, raising fears of a prolonged regional war with mounting casualties and threats to global energy routes.

Iran struck the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia's capital with a drone early Tuesday as it kept hitting targets around the region, while the United States and Israel pounded Iran with airstrikes in what US President Donald Trump suggested was just the start of a relentless campaign that could last more than a month.
The attack from two drones on the US Embassy in Riyadh caused a &ldquo;limited fire&rdquo; and minor damage, according to Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound. It followed an attack on the US Embassy in Kuwait, which announced Tuesday it had been closed until further notice.
The US State Department also ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, as well as Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates as a precaution.
Across Iran's capital, explosions rang out throughout the night into the early morning, with witnesses describing hearing aircraft overhead. It was not immediately clear what had been hit.
And in Lebanon, Israel launched more strikes on Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia group. Explosions could be heard and smoke seen in a southern suburb of Beirut. Israel also said its soldiers are &ldquo;operating in southern Lebanon.&rdquo; Lebanon's state-run National News Agency said the Lebanese army was evacuating some of its positions along the border.
The conflict could have far-reaching consequences
The expansion of Iranian retaliation across the Gulf and the intensity of the Israeli and American attacks, the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the lack of any apparent exit plan portend a possibly prolonged conflict with far-reaching consequences.
Iran has hit many countries deemed safe havens in the Mideast in retaliation for the US and Israeli strikes. Recent targets include two Amazon data centers in the UAE and a drone impact near another in Bahrain that caused damage, the company said Tuesday.
Iran has also hit energy facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and attacked several ships Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes, sending global oil and natural gas prices soaring.
&ldquo;The Strait of Hormuz is closed," declared Iranian Brig. Gen. Ebrahim Jabbari, an adviser to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, threatening to set fire to any ships attempting to transit. &ldquo;Don't come to this region.&rdquo;
US citizens urged to leave
The US State Department urged US citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries due to safety risks, as have many other countries, though with much of the airspace closed many remain stranded.
Trump said operations are likely to last four to five weeks but that he was prepared &ldquo;to go far longer than that.&rdquo; He later added that the US had a &ldquo;virtually unlimited supply&rdquo; of munitions and pre-positioned &ldquo;high grade weaponry.&rdquo; &ldquo;Wars can be fought forever,' and very successfully, using just these supplies,&rdquo; he wrote on social media.
Hundreds dead in Iran and dozens in Lebanon along with 11 in Israel
The Iranian Red Crescent Society said the US-Israeli operation has killed at least 787 people.
In Israel, where several locations were hit by Iranian missiles, 11 people were killed.
The semiofficial Tasnim news agency reported airstrikes killed 13 Iranian troops in Kerman, 800 kilometers (500 miles) southeast of Iran's capital, Tehran.
Israel's retaliatory strikes against Hezbollah killed 52 people in Lebanon.
&ldquo;Military escalation would force more families from their homes and hit civilians hard,&rdquo; said Amy Pope, director general of the International Organization on Migration, calling for the international community to press for de-escalation. &ldquo;Millions are already displaced in the region.&rdquo;
The US military has confirmed six deaths of American service members. All six were Army soldiers in a logistics unit in Kuwait, according to a US official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Three people were killed in the United Arab Emirates, and one each in Kuwait and Bahrain.
The chaos of the conflict became apparent when the US military said Kuwait had &ldquo;mistakenly shot down&rdquo; three American fighter jets while Iran was attacking it with aircraft, ballistic missiles and drones. US Central Command said all six pilots ejected safely.
Israel and US target nuclear facilities and missile infrastructure
Iranian state TV said strikes caused two explosions early Tuesday at a broadcasting facility in Tehran, but said no one was injured.
Reza Najafi, Iran's ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, told reporters that airstrikes targeted the Natanz nuclear enrichment site on Sunday.
&ldquo;Their justification that Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons is simply a big lie,&rdquo; he said.
Israel and the US have not acknowledged strikes at the site, which the US bombed in the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
Israel has said it is targeting the &ldquo;leadership and nuclear infrastructure.&rdquo;
Trump said the military campaign's objectives are to destroy Iran's missile capabilities, wipe out its navy, prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and ensure that it cannot continue to support allied groups like Lebanon's Hezbollah, which fired missiles at Israel on Monday.
Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, though it has maintained its right to do so and says its nuclear program is peaceful.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu maintained, however, that Iran was rebuilding &ldquo;new sites, new places&rdquo; underground for making atomic bombs. He offered no evidence to support his claim.
&ldquo;We had to take the action now and we did,&rdquo; Netanyahu told Fox News Channel's Hannity.
Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press showed limited activity at two nuclear sites in Iran before the war. Analysts said Tehran was likely assessing damage from the 2025 US strikes and possibly salvaging what remained.
Attacks on Iran have drawn in proxy forces from around region
The conflict has also spread to Lebanon, where the Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel on Monday, prompting Israel to retaliate.
At least 52 people have been killed and 154 wounded, Lebanese authorities said.
Israel hit Beirut with more airstrikes early Tuesday, saying it was targeting &ldquo;Hezbollah command centers and weapons storage facilities.&rdquo;
Hezbollah also said it launched drones targeting an Israeli air base. The Israeli military said it downed two drones.
An Iranian-linked militant in Iraq has also claimed strikes on US military facilities there.
The Israeli military said its troops operating in southern Lebanon were positioned at several points near the border in what it described as a &ldquo;forward defense posture.&rdquo; It said the deployment is part of a broader effort to increase security for residents in northern Israel near the border with Lebanon. It has also beefed up troops and air defenses in the area.
The army said there are no plans to evacuate Israeli residents of border areas.

Pakistan launched air strikes on major Afghan cities including Kabul, escalating border tensions as defence officials described the situation as “open war” following months of clashes.

Pakistan Declares Open War with Afghanistan Following Cross-Border Attack

Pakistan launched air strikes on major Afghan cities including Kabul, escalating border tensions as defence officials described the situation as &ldquo;open war&rdquo; following months of clashes.

Pakistan bombed major cities in Afghanistan including the capital Kabul on Friday, with Islamabad's defence minister declaring the neighbours at "open war" following months of tit-for-tat clashes.
AFP journalists in Kabul and Kandahar heard blasts and jets overhead until dawn, as Pakistan launched air strikes on the Afghan capital and the southern power base of the Taliban authorities.
Pakistan's latest operation came after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani border troops on Thursday night over earlier air strikes by Islamabad.
Relations between the neighbours have plunged in recent months, with land border crossings largely shut since deadly fighting in October that killed more than 70 people on both sides.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of failing to act against militant groups that carry out attacks in Pakistan, which the Taliban government denies.
Most of the attacks have been claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group that has stepped up assaults in Pakistan since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.
"Afghan Taliban defence targets were targeted in Kabul, Paktia (province) and Kandahar," Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar posted on X, while defence minister Khawaja Asif declared an "all-out confrontation" with the Taliban government.
"Our patience has reached its limit. Now it is open war between us and you," he posted on the social media platform.
 - Delicate ceasefire broken -
The overnight strikes mark a "significant and dangerous escalation from earlier clashes", South Asia expert Michael Kugelman said on X.
"Pakistan appears to have expanded its targeting beyond TTP to the Taliban regime itself," he said.
Several rounds of negotiations between Islamabad and Kabul followed an initial ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey, but the efforts have failed to produce a lasting agreement.
After repeated breaches of the initial truce, Saudi Arabia intervened this month, mediating the release of three Pakistani soldiers captured by Afghanistan in October.
Saudi's Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, spoke on Friday with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar, according to a statement published by Riyadh.
And Iran, which shares an eastern border with Afghanistan and Pakistan, on Friday offered to help "facilitate dialogue" to resolve the conflict.
Both Afghan and Pakistani militaries said they killed dozens of soldiers in the latest round of border violence, which followed multiple strikes by Islamabad on Afghanistan and clashes along the frontier in recent months.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country's armed forces can "have the full capability to crush any aggressive ambitions".
 - Jets overhead -
In the Afghan capital AFP journalists heard jets and multiple loud blasts, followed by gunfire, over a period of several hours.
An AFP reporter in Afghanistan's southern city of Kandahar, where Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada is based, said he heard jets overhead.
Streets in Kabul were quiet after daybreak, in keeping with a Friday during Ramadan in the Muslim-majority nation.
The Taliban authorities had not notably increased the presence of security forces nor checkpoints, AFP journalists across the city said.
The Taliban government confirmed the Pakistani air strikes, with spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid saying there were no casualties.
Hours earlier, Mujahid announced "large-scale offensive operations" at the border "in response to repeated violations by the Pakistani military".
The Afghan defence ministry reported eight of its soldiers had been killed in the land offensive.
An Afghan official reported multiple civilians wounded near the Torkham border crossing, at a camp for people returning from Pakistan.
"A mortar shell has hit the camp and unfortunately seven of our refugees have been wounded, and the condition of one woman is serious," said Qureshi Badlun, the information chief in Nangarhar province.
While the border has largely been closed since October, Afghan returnees have been allowed to cross.
 - Months of border violence -
Mujahid, the Taliban government spokesman, told AFP that several Pakistani soldiers had been "caught alive", a claim denied by the prime minister's office in Islamabad.
The military operation follows Pakistani strikes on Nangarhar and Paktika provinces overnight into Sunday, which the UN mission in Afghanistan said killed at least 13 civilians.
Both sides also reported cross-border fire on Tuesday, but without casualties.
Besides military operations, there has been a series of deadly suicide blasts in Pakistan and Afghanistan in recent months.
They included an attack on a Shiite mosque in Islamabad that killed at least 40 people and was claimed by the Islamic State group.
The militant group's regional chapter, Islamic State-Khorasan, also claimed a deadly suicide bombing at a restaurant in Kabul last month.

India and Israel upgraded their ties to a special strategic partnership after talks between PM Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu, signing multiple agreements in trade, defence and technology.

India & Israel elevate ties, vow to soon conclude free trade deal; UPI rollout agreed

India and Israel upgraded their ties to a special strategic partnership after talks between PM Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu, signing multiple agreements in trade, defence and technology.

India and Israel on Thursday elevated their "time-tested" relationship to a special strategic partnership and agreed to fast-track a long-awaited free trade deal even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi backed the Gaza peace initiative, asserting that humanity must never become a victim of conflict.
In his media statement after holding wide-ranging talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Modi said India's security interests are directly linked to peace and stability in the Middle East and that New Delhi has been pitching for a peaceful solution to the conflict in Gaza.
Following the meeting between the two prime ministers, India and Israel inked a total of 17 agreements and documents that will provide for deeper cooperation in artificial intelligence, trade, investment, education, manufacturing, culture, maritime heritage, agriculture and a plethora of other areas.
The two sides also vowed to expand their already close defence partnership by working towards joint development and joint production of military hardware under the framework of the transfer of technologies.
The US-Iran standoff and other issues in the region figured in the talks and PM Modi mentioned India's firm belief in the value of dialogue and reiterated New Delhi's readiness to offer support, if required, toward achieving a peaceful solution, according to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
In his media statement, PM Modi elaborated on the upward trajectory of India-Israel ties and said the relationship is built on a strong foundation of deep trust, shared democratic values, and human compassion.
"Our relationship has stood the test of time. Today, we took the historic decision to elevate our time-tested partnership to 'Special Strategic Partnership. This decision reflects the aspirations of the people of both countries," he said.
The relationship was upgraded to a strategic partnership in 2017.
"Our economic cooperation remains an engine of growth, innovation, and shared prosperity. Last year, we signed a bilateral investment agreement to promote mutual investment. We will also soon finalise a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement (FTA)," Modi said.
The prime minister also talked about the joint resolve of India and Israel in combating terrorism.
"India and Israel are absolutely clear that terrorism has no place in the world. Terrorism, in any form, in any manifestation, cannot be tolerated," Modi, who landed in Israel on Wednesday on a two-day visit, said.
"We have stood shoulder to shoulder against terrorism and its supporters, and will continue to do so."
The prime minister noted that India's security interests are directly linked to peace and stability in West Asia.
"Therefore, we have supported dialogue and a peaceful solution from the very beginning. This is the call of the Global South and all humanity," he said.
"India's thinking is clear: humanity must never become a victim of conflict. The Gaza Peace Plan has opened a path to peace. India has fully supported these efforts. We will continue dialogue and cooperation with all countries in the future," he said.
The prime minister also made a mention of the resolve by the two sides to forge a partnership in the area of critical and emerging technologies.
"Technology is central to our future partnership. Today, we decided to establish a critical and emerging technologies partnership. This will give new impetus to cooperation in areas such as AI, quantum, and critical minerals," he said.
"I am pleased that an agreement has been reached for the use of UPI (Unified Payment Interface) in Israel. We are also committed to improving people's lives by sharing our experiences in the field of digital health," he said.
Modi also touched upon the defence ties between the two sides.
"We have decades-old and trusted cooperation in the defence sector. The MoU signed last year will add new dimensions to this. Together, we will move forward towards joint development, joint production, and transfer of technology," he said.
The prime minister said both sides will also advance cooperation in areas of civil nuclear energy and space.
Modi, referring to robust engagement between the two countries in the agriculture sector, said it has been decided to give this cooperation a futuristic direction.
"The Centres of Excellence established in India with Israeli cooperation are excellent examples of our friendship. Given their success, we have set a goal of increasing their number to 100," he said.
The existing Centres of Excellence offer new technology for agricultural production.
"Taking a step further in this direction, we are working on creating Villages of Excellence. This will bring Israeli technology to every village in India, significantly increasing the income and productivity of millions of farmers," Modi said.
At a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Misri, responding to a question on New Delhi's position on the Palestine issue, said India backs the US-endorsed Gaza Peace Initiative and referred to PM Modi's remarks on it in his address to Israel's Knesset on Wednesday.
"We firmly believe that it (the Gaza Peace Initiative) holds the promise of a just, durable and lasting peace for all the people of the region, including by addressing the Palestinian question," the foreign secretary said.
"This is something that was made amply clear by the prime minister in his address to the Knesset yesterday where he framed this issue very comprehensively," he said.
Misri, referring to Modi's remarks, said this is not the time to lose hope, and it is the time sustain the hope.
In the meeting, India and Israel also discussed the implementation of the India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and cooperation under the framework of I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-USA).
"We had a comprehensive discussion on regional and global issues. While promoting regional connectivity, we will move forward with renewed momentum on the India-Middle-East-Europe-Economic-Corridor and the India-Israel-UAE-the US (I2U2) framework," Modi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the cast and creators of Israeli series Fauda in Jerusalem during his visit and shared a selfie with the team on X.

PM Modi meets 'Fauda' team in Israel

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the cast and creators of Israeli series Fauda in Jerusalem during his visit and shared a selfie with the team on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met the cast and crew of hit Israeli espionage show "Fauda" in Jerusalem and shared a selfie on social media.
Modi, who arrived in Israel on Wednesday on a two-day visit to the country, shared the photo with the "Fauda" team on X.&nbsp;
"Thankfully, this interaction required only a selfie, no undercover work! #Fauda" the prime minister wrote.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Thankfully, this interaction required only a selfie, no undercover work! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Fauda?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Fauda</a> <a href="https://t.co/u1tqG3RztB">pic.twitter.com/u1tqG3RztB</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/2027002038044017057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The photo featured PM Modi along with "Fauda" creators Lior Raz, Avi Issacharoff, actors Laetitia Eido, Doron Ben-David and others.
"Fauda" is an action thriller series and follows Doron Kavillio, played by Raz, an undercover Israeli operative who pursues high-value targets in the West Bank and Gaza. The show started in 2015, debuting on Israeli network Yes Oh and became a global phenomenon after it began streaming on Netflix.
It is PM Modi's second visit to Israel in nine years. The India-Israel relationship was elevated to the level of strategic partnership during his first visit to that country in July 2017.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Yad Vashem memorial in Jerusalem with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and paid tribute to Holocaust victims during his Israel visit.

PM Modi pays tributes to victims of Holocaust at Yad Vashem memorial

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Yad Vashem memorial in Jerusalem with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and paid tribute to Holocaust victims during his Israel visit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday visited Yad Vashem memorial in Jerusalem and paid tributes to the victims of the Holocaust.
He was accompanied by his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.
At the start of the visit, the two leaders toured the Hall of Names, during which Netanyahu showed Modi the names of his wife Sara's relatives who perished in the Holocaust.
Following the tour, a memorial ceremony was held, in which Prime Minister Modi laid a wreath and placed a stone to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust.
"Laid a wreath at Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. Grateful to PM Netanyahu for accompanying me during this visit," Modi said in a post on 'X'.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Laid a wreath at Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. Grateful to PM Netanyahu for accompanying me during this visit. Also visited the Hall of Names, a solemn space that preserves the memory of those who suffered and perished during the Holocaust. The Holocaust&hellip; <a href="https://t.co/fU8PrM9ZJu">pic.twitter.com/fU8PrM9ZJu</a>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/2026964732943671421?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Modi said he also visited the Hall of Names, a solemn space that preserves the memory of those who suffered and perished during the Holocaust.
"The Holocaust stands as one of humanity&rsquo;s darkest chapters. It is an eternal reminder of the need to uphold humanity, dignity and peace," Modi said.
This was the second visit of Prime Minister Modi to Yad Vashem.
Established in 1953 by an act of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), Yad Vashem is entrusted with Holocaust commemoration, documentation, research and education.
"Honouring the memory of victims of the Holocaust and renewing our shared commitment to uphold peace and human dignity. PM @narendramodi visited Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.
"The memorial stands as a solemn reminder of the brutality of the past and our collective resolve to stand against injustice and create a better world," Jaiswal said.
Modi arrived in Israel on Wednesday on a two-day visit to the country. It is his second visit to Israel in nine years. The India-Israel relationship was elevated to the level of strategic partnership during his first visit to that country in July 2017.

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In Bangladesh, large crowd gathered outside Indian Visa Center in Dhaka. The crowd was seen protesting against India over not granting visas. I

Bangladesh: Unrest At Indian Visa Centre in Dhaka As Large Crowd Demand Visa 

In Bangladesh, large crowd gathered outside Indian Visa Center in Dhaka. The crowd was seen protesting against India over not granting visas. I

In Bangladesh, large crowd gathered outside Indian Visa Center in Dhaka. The crowd was seen protesting against India over not granting visas. Indian Visa Centre in Dhaka began limited operations after August 13. Currently, around 19,000 Indian are stuck in Bangladesh.&nbsp;

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran’s missile attacks on Diego Garcia and Jerusalem demonstrate capability to target Europe, calling for global action alongside the US to counter threats.

Netanyahu visits site of Iranian missile attack, claims US-Israel fighting for entire world

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says Iran&rsquo;s missile attacks on Diego Garcia and Jerusalem demonstrate capability to target Europe, calling for global action alongside the US to counter threats.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said the recent missile attacks on Diego Garcia shows that Iran has the capacity to reach deep into Europe and poses danger to the entire world.
Netanyahu was visiting the southern Israeli city of Arad which faced Iranian missile strikes on Saturday evening when he also said his country and the US are fighting together on behalf of everyone.
&ldquo;If you want proof that Iran endangers the entire world, the last 48 hours have given it. In the last 48 hours, Iran targeted a civilian area. They're using that as a mass murder weapon. Luckily, no one was killed, but that's due to luck, not their intention. Their intention is to murder civilians,&rdquo; Netanyahu said.
Pointing out that Iran fired an intercontinental ballistic missile on Diego Garcia, Netanyahu said, &ldquo;That's 4,000 kilometres. I've been warning all the time. They now have the capacity to reach deep into Europe. They already have fired on European countries -- Cyprus. They are putting everyone in their sights.&rdquo;
For the past two decades, Israel has been referring to the Iranian ballistic missile programme, arguing that such weapons with nuclear capabilities would pose a grave threat not only to itself but also to Europe.
Iran fired missiles at the UK-US air base on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean on Saturday.
The Israeli prime minister also drew attention to Iran's attack on Jerusalem right next to the holy sites of the three monotheistic faiths, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Al Aqsa Mosque and said, &ldquo;By dint of a miracle, again, no one was hurt. The three sites were nevertheless the targets,&rdquo; he said.
A fragment from a ballistic missile fired by Iran fell quite close to the Al Aqsa mosque and the Western Wall on Friday. It was a second such attack during the recent escalation when the old city of Jerusalem, home to the three holy sites of the three faiths, was impacted.
In an earlier attack, debris from the intercepted missile fell quite close to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, leaving marks of destruction on some nearby buildings.
Netanyahu also said Iran is stopping the maritime international route, energy route and &ldquo;trying to blackmail the entire world.&rdquo;
&ldquo;What more proof do you need that this regime that threatens the entire world has to be stopped? Israel and the United States are working together for the entire world,&rdquo; he claimed.
Calling upon the international community to come together in the fight against Iran, the Israeli leader said he is happy to see some of them beginning to move in that direction, but claimed that more is needed.
&ldquo;(US) President Trump's call to have the international community confront this terrorist, fanatic regime of zealots, that is a call not only for the security of America and the security of Israel, it's for the security of the entire world. And it's time for them to act,&rdquo; he asserted.
Responding to questions from reporters, Netanyahu said that Israel is responding to these attacks &ldquo;with great force&rdquo; but not targeting Iranian civilians.
&ldquo;We've defined two clear goals. One is to completely break their nuclear programme, their missile programme and their capacity to produce the components for both of these programmes. We're well on our way in achieving it,&rdquo; the Israeli premier claimed.
&ldquo;We've also set a goal of creating conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow this tyranny that has tormented them and made life miserable, and is making life miserable for the entire world. And I hope we achieve that too,&rdquo; he reiterated.
The missile strike in Arad Saturday evening left 115 people injured with nine of them in serious condition, rescue services said.

Israel carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon, destroying key bridges and targeting militants after rocket attacks into Israel, escalating the Middle East conflict.

Israel launches wave of strikes on south Lebanon, hits bridge

Israel carried out airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon, destroying key bridges and targeting militants after rocket attacks into Israel, escalating the Middle East conflict.

Israel said it struck Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon on Sunday shortly after the military was ordered to destroy bridges used by the Iran-backed militant group across the Litani River.
Lebanese official media reported Israeli raids in several areas of the south, while an AFP correspondent saw smoke billowing from a key bridge that was hit outside the city of Tyre, in an escalation in violence in Lebanon after two days of relative reprieve.
Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Israeli-US attacks.
Israel has sent troops into Lebanon and carried out extensive airstrikes in the country, while Hezbollah has kept up rocket barrages.
Israel's military said it began "a wide wave of strikes" against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
Earlier Sunday, Israel said rocket fire from Lebanon killed one person, the first fatality there due to Hezbollah fire since the latest war erupted three weeks ago.
Two Israeli soldiers had previously been killed in southern Lebanon, according to the military.
Lebanon's health ministry said four people were killed on Sunday in two strikes in the south, while authorities have reported 1,029 dead in three weeks of conflict and more than one million displaced.
 - Bridges -
Israel's ZAKA 360 emergency response unit said a person was pronounced dead after a strike on their vehicle "carried out by a rocket fired from Lebanon".
Local firefighters said flames had engulfed two vehicles after a "direct hit" in the northern Israeli kibbutz community of Misgav Am.
Hezbollah said in a statement that its fighters targeted "a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers" in Misgav Am "with a rocket barrage".
It was among a series of attacks the group claimed on Sunday, mainly against Israeli troops in northern Israel and in southern Lebanon, where Israeli soldiers have been carrying out ground incursions.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military "to immediately destroy all the bridges over the Litani River that are used for terrorist activity, in order to prevent Hezbollah terrorists and weapons from moving south".
The Litani River runs around 30 kilometres (20 miles) north of the Israeli border.
The Israeli army later bombed the key Qasmiyeh bridge, located on a main highway outside the city of Tyre, with the AFP correspondent reporting the bridge was partly destroyed.
Earlier this week, Israel attacked two bridges spanning the Litani, also alleging they were being used by Hezbollah.
&nbsp;
- 'Commander' killed -
Katz said the military was also instructed to "accelerate the demolition of Lebanese houses in the contact villages in order to thwart threats to Israeli communities".
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency also reported at least one strike on the Bekaa Valley in the country's east.
Hezbollah said its fighters repeatedly targeted Israeli soldiers and vehicles in or near the border town of Taybeh, as well as in or near the strategic town of Khiam, where the group has repeatedly said it has targeted Israeli forces in recent days.
On Saturday, Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli forces in Khiam and in the coastal town of Naqura.
The group also claimed attacks on northern Israel on Saturday, including targeting an air defence system in Maalot-Tarshiha, where Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 reported three people were lightly wounded.
The Israeli military said it killed a fighter on Saturday who was the "commander of the special forces in Hezbollah's Radwan Force", referring to the group's elite unit.
Israel has warned residents of swathes of south Lebanon to evacuate and has said it wants to create a buffer zone in Lebanon to protect residents of northern Israel.

Iran’s military warns of completely shutting the strategic Strait of Hormuz if US targets its power plants, affecting global crude oil and LNG shipments.

Iran military says to completely close Strait of Hormuz if US targets power plants

Iran&rsquo;s military warns of completely shutting the strategic Strait of Hormuz if US targets its power plants, affecting global crude oil and LNG shipments.

Iran's military threatened on Sunday to completely shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz if US President Donald Trump acts on threats to target the country's power plants.
Trump has given Iran 48 hours to reopen the strait which has been effectively closed since the start of the war sparked on February 28 by US-Israeli bombardment of Iran.
The war has since spread across the Middle East, with Iran responding with drone and missile attacks on Israel and US interests in the region.
"If the United States' threats regarding Iran's power plants are carried out... the Strait of Hormuz will be completely closed, and it will not be reopened until our destroyed power plants are rebuilt," the military's operational command Khatam Al-Anbiya said in a statement carried by state TV.
The military said it would also strike Israel's "power plants, energy, and information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure", along with power plants in regional countries hosting US bases and companies with US shareholders.
It added that the measures will be taken "to defend our country and the interests of our nation".
Traffic through the vital strait -- through which 20 percent of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes -- has been brought to a near-standstill since the start of the war.
A relatively small number of vessels have been able to transit it -- around five percent of its pre-war volume, according to analytics firm Kpler.
Iranian forces have attacked multiple vessels, saying they failed to heed "warnings" against transiting the waterway.
In recent days, Iran has allowed some vessels from countries it considers friendly to pass, while warning it would block ships from countries it says have joined the "aggression" against it.
Iran's parliament is mulling imposing tolls on shipping through the strait with Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf saying maritime traffic would "not return to its pre-war status".

US President Donald Trump criticised NATO allies for not assisting in securing the Strait of Hormuz, blaming them for high oil prices amid the US-Israel military actions against Iran.

Trump labels NATO allies 'cowards' over lack of military support against Iran

US President Donald Trump criticised NATO allies for not assisting in securing the Strait of Hormuz, blaming them for high oil prices amid the US-Israel military actions against Iran.

US President Donald Trump on Friday branded NATO allies "cowards" for not heeding his demand for military assistance against Iran to control the Strait of Hormuz shipping route.
Trump has recently veered between saying that Washington needs no help to secure the vital waterway for oil tankers, and then lashing out at other countries for failing to help.
"Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!" Trump posted on his Truth Social network.
"They didn't want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don't want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices.
"So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!"
The 79-year-old Republican, a long-term skeptic of the Western military alliance, has launched a series of diatribes against NATO in recent days.
On Thursday, six major international powers, including Britain, France, Germany and Japan said they were ready to "contribute to appropriate efforts" to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
But they have not formally committed to any mission to work in the crucial waterway -- while other allies such as Germany and Italy have ruled out doing anything before a truce in the Middle East war.
None of the countries Trump has called on to help was consulted before the US-Israeli mission started.
An effective Iranian blockade has paralyzed commercial shipping through the crucial maritime chokepoint, which in peacetime sees a fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas pass through it.
Global oil prices have spiked as a result of the war, which erupted on February 28 when the United States and Israel began bombing Iran, leading Tehran to retaliate with strikes across the Gulf region.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Sri Lanka denied a US request to station missile-armed aircraft at Mattala airport, reaffirming its neutral stance amid tensions involving Iran and the United States.

Sri Lanka rejects US request to station warplanes, asserts neutrality

Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Sri Lanka denied a US request to station missile-armed aircraft at Mattala airport, reaffirming its neutral stance amid tensions involving Iran and the United States.

Sri Lanka refused permission to the United States to station two of its warplanes at a civilian airport in the island's south in early March, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said on Friday.
Washington wanted to relocate two of its missile-armed aircraft from a base in Djibouti to Sri Lanka's civilian Mattala International Airport, Dissanayake told parliament.
The request, made on February 26, was turned down to maintain Colombo's neutrality and ensure its territory was not used for any military purpose that could help or hinder either side, he said.
The Indian Ocean nation was drawn into the consequences of the war when a US submarine torpedoed an Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, just off its coast in March.
"They wanted to bring two warplanes armed with eight anti-ship missiles to Mattala International Airport from March 4 to 8, and we said 'no'," Dissanayake said.
He did not say whether the US request was to use Sri Lanka as a base for the aircraft to carry out any offensive action against Iran.
Sri Lankan military sources told AFP that Sri Lanka would not have allowed its airspace to be used to launch aggression against any other nation, in line with the island's foreign policy.
Dissanayake said Iran too had made a request for a port call by three of its warships, returning from India after a naval exercise, on the same day the US requested permission to station their two aircraft.
"We were still considering the Iranian request to bring the three ships to Colombo from March 9 to 13. Had we said 'yes' to Iran, we would have had to say 'yes' to the US too," he said.
"But we didn't. We are steadfastly maintaining our position of neutrality," he added, drawing applause from the 225-member legislature. "We will not succumb to pressure from anyone."
The US attack on IRIS Dena on March 4 killed at least 84 sailors whose remains have since been repatriated to Iran.
 -Saving lives- Dissanayake said Sri Lanka's navy and the airforce swung into action to rescue 32 sailors from the sunken frigate and recovered the remains of 84.
A second Iranian ship, IRIS Bushehr, was allowed to enter Sri Lankan waters the following day amid fears for the safety of its 219 crew, who have since taken shelter in Colombo.
"It was a humanitarian gesture to shelter the sailors," Dissanayake said. "We were saving lives."
The third vessel, IRIS Lavan, made it to the south Indian port of Kochi and some of its sailors have returned home, according to Indian officials.
Dissanayake said his government had also demonstrated its neutrality by abstaining on a UN Security Council resolution last week condemning Iran's attacks.
"We did not support that resolution because it was a half-truth. It did not reflect the full story," Dissanayake said. "We stand for justice and fairness."
Sri Lanka maintains close ties with both the United States, the island's main export market, and Iran, the main buyer of Sri Lankan tea.

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