The Middle East edged closer to a wider regional war as Israel expanded airstrikes into Lebanon and Iran launched fresh missile attacks on US bases and Gulf targets. The warning followed a fresh wave of Israeli attacks on Iran, which again lashed out at Gulf nations Qatar and Bahrain as the Middle East war reverberated throughout the region and far beyond. The war has also dragged in NATO member Turkey after alliance air defences destroyed a missile launched from Iran heading towards Turkish airspace. AFP reporters in Jerusalem heard explosions following warnings of incoming Iranian missile fire. ‘Catastrophic’The war could usher in a “prolonged period of flux” for the global economy, warned International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva.

Source: Dhaka Tribune March 05, 2026 17:19 UTC