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On the billionaires list, Trump anticipates a significant rise in wealth.

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On the billionaires list, Trump anticipates a significant rise in wealth.

According to Forbes, the number of billionaires has reached a record-breaking 3,428, with Elon Musk retaining the title of the world’s richest person.

of the magazine’s latest ranking The boss of Tesla and SpaceX, who dominates the tech sector, came out on top with a net worth of $839bn (£623bn), followed in second place. Google co-founders Larry Page with $257 billion and Sergey Brin with $237 billion.

Donald Trump’s wealth increased by 27% to $6.5 billion due to crypto transactions, and after the fraud fine was dropped in New York, the US President became the 645th richest person in the world.

Donald Trump is now estimated to be the 645th richest billionaire in the world. Photo: AP
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Donald Trump is now estimated to be the 645th richest billionaire in the world. Photo: AP

Money Blog: How to grow your retirement pot

Forbes’ 40th annual World Billionaires list also saw some notable debuts, including rapper Dr. Dre ($1 billion), singer Beyoncé Knowles-Carter ($1 billion) and tennis star Roger Federer ($1.1 billion).

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is among the newcomers to the annual list. Photo: Reuters
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Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is among the newcomers to the annual list. Photo: Reuters

The 390 newcomers also include Greg Abel, Warren Buffett’s successor as chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway ($1 billion); Mr Musk’s brother, Kimbal Musk ($1.4 billion); and former vice-presidential candidate and Mr Brin’s ex-wife, Nicole Shanahan ($1.4 billion).

Overall, those on the list are worth a record $20.1 trillion, an increase of $4 trillion from last year. As the wealth of the world’s richest people is increasing.

Investor Warren Buffett is ranked 9th in the list. File photo: Reuters
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Investor Warren Buffett is ranked 9th in the list. File photo: Reuters

Last year’s list included 3,028 billionaires.

The number of people with a net worth of more than $100 billion rose to 20, from 15 a year ago.

Forbes also estimates that crypto baron Changpeng Zhao, better known as CZ, is now richer than Microsoft founder Bill Gates with a net worth of $110 billion.

The six richest people on the billionaires list are all Americans, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ($224 billion), chief executive of Meta Mark Zuckerberg ($222 billion) and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison ($190 billion), who also ranked high.

Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg's wealth is estimated at $222 billion. Photo: AP
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Mark Zuckerberg, the Chief Executive of Meta, has an estimated wealth of $222 billion. Photo: AP

French luxury goods titan Bernard Arnault and his family are in seventh place with an estimated net worth of $171 billion.

The top ten richest billionaires also include Nvidia founder Jensen Huang ($154 billion), investor Warren Buffett ($149 billion) and Spanish fashion mogul Amancio Ortega ($148 billion).

Only a handful of Britons placed lower in the rankings, including hedge fund manager Michael Platt. With an estimated net worth of $20 billion, he is ranked 120th in the list.

From November: How Elon Musk could spend $1 trillion

mr musk The dollar also saw its biggest gain, adding $497 billion to its wealth.

Meanwhile, Chinese electronics company Xiaomi founder Lei Jun suffered the biggest loss, with his wealth falling by $15.6 billion.

Read more from Sky News:
Iran War: Outlook for Your Finances
Energy prices fall amid peace hopes

The average net worth of the world’s richest billionaires also increased to an average of $5.8 billion from $5.3 billion last year.

The list also excluded 89 individuals this year, including real estate developer Charles Cohen and entrepreneur and NASA chief Jared Isaacman.

While the list has traditionally been dominated by men, this year 122 self-made women were included, with a net worth of $462 billion.

The world’s youngest billionaire is 20-year-old heiress Emily Voigt Trejes, a Brazilian whose grandfather founded industrial machinery firm WEG, who has an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion.

Surya Midha, co-founder of AI hiring start-up Mercor, is the youngest self-made billionaire at the age of 22.

The American is one of 12 self-made billionaires under the age of 30 on the list.

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What’s Crossing the “Closed” Strait of Hormuz: Dark Ships and Shadow Fleets?

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What’s Crossing the “Closed” Strait of Hormuz: Dark Ships and Shadow Fleets?

Iran’s move to close the Strait of Hormuz has brought navigation in the 24-mile stretch of water to a near halt.

Only a few ships have transited in recent days, many of them having turned off their tracking systems or joined “shadow fleets.”

“They can’t physically close a waterway of that size, but the threat exists,” said Richard Meade, editor-in-chief of maritime risk company Lloyd’s List Intelligence.

Mr Meade said Iran has a proven history of using everything from ballistic missiles, which are weapons that deliver explosive payloads over long distances, to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and maritime drones, which are aircraft and watercraft that operate without a human pilot on board.

Through what medium is it being made?

Sky News’ data and forensics team focused on 13 ships that transited the Strait of Hormuz between March 2 and 9.

We know the actual number of crossings is much higher, as some ships turn off their tracking systems, known as going “dark”.

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Tracking data shows that the bulk carrier disappears from tracking daily and reappears after transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Missing data is indicated by the dashed line. Source - Maritime Traffic
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Tracking data shows that the bulk carrier disappears from tracking daily and reappears after transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The dashed line indicates the missing data. Source – Maritime Traffic

Data from maritime analysis firm IMF Portwatch shows that in normal times, about 30,000 ships transit the strait per year, or 82 per day.

The animation below shows how shipping traffic changed dramatically.

Visualization

We have identified many ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz that are associated with Iran.

China, or Russia. Ships from Greece, India, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore also arrive here.

According to Kepler’s maritime tracking data, five ships managed by Greek firm Dynacom have transited the strait since the war began.

US President Donald Trump has been urging shipowners to “show some courage” and keep sailing.

The ‘Fleet of Shadow’ has passed the most

According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, shadow fleet tankers dominate the current crossing of the Strait of Hormuz.

They found that eight of the 13 large oil and gas carriers that transited between March 2 and 9 were classified as part of the so-called shadow fleet.

A tanker is classified as a shadow fleet if it carries sanctioned oil cargo from Iran, Russia or Venezuela.

Visualization

Has there been an attack?

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) reports that since Iran blocked the waterway, ten ships have faced attacks in or around the Strait of Hormuz.

Four ships were attacked on 1 March, killing three and injuring several more that day. Attacks on two ships occurred on 3 March, with at least one attack occurring every day until 7 March.

According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a total of 14 incidents from February 28 to March 10 have affected vessels operating in and around the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.

The interactive map below displays suspicious activity, attacks, and advisories.

Visualization

These ships fly the flags of many different countries, including the United States, the Marshall Islands, Gibraltar, the United Arab Emirates, the Bahamas, Panama and India.

On 4 March, a Malta-flagged container ship attempted to transit the strait and was hit by a projectile as it approached the midpoint.

Source- Maritime Transport
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Source- Maritime Transport

Tracking shows that Safin Prestige has been stopped. The attack resulted in a fire in the engine room, forcing the crew to abandon the ship.

Sky News has confirmed CCTV video of another attack on the same day. An unmanned drone boat attacked the American-managed ship, the Sonangol Namibe.

Visualization

The ship was 30 nautical miles southeast of the Kuwait coast. UKMTO reported oil spillage as the cause of the incident.

The IRGC warned that any American, Israeli or European ship found in the strait “will certainly be attacked.”.

US-registered tanker in Gulf damaged by Iranian maritime drone
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US-registered tanker in Gulf damaged by Iranian maritime drone

Increase in GPS Jamming

There has been a huge increase in GPS jamming in this area. Hundreds of ships hop around the map and then cluster into tiny areas.

Disrupted signals lead to GPS ship jamming, where ships transmit incorrect locations.

There is traffic jam at these ship locations. Ship tracking data shows them all almost on top of each other. Source - Maritime Traffic
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There is a traffic jam at these ship locations. Ship tracking data shows them all almost on top of each other. Source – Maritime Traffic

It is impossible to know who is behind the jamming, but analysts say it is likely both Iran and others.

While Iran is widely suspected of trying to disrupt shipping in the region, analysts say the increase in GPS jamming could also be linked to others, including ships trying to hide their activities or responding defensively to threats, making it difficult to attribute the interference to any one source.

How has cargo shipping changed?

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz also has global implications for commercial shipping routes. The two largest companies, Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), account for about 30% of the global containerised shipping capacity in the world.

Both of these companies have suspended shipping to the Middle East.

Maersk said, “This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of our personnel and ships.”

Tracking data from MarineTraffic shows the container ship ‘Maersk Cincinnati’ is changing course away from the strait.

Visualization

On March 2, data showed the ship made a U-turn at approximately 2 a.m. UTC. It continued to retreat from the area until 4 March, eventually returning to the port of Salalah in Oman and heading for the Gulf of Kutch on 10 March, where it appeared “laden,” heavily loaded with ammunition.

Mr Meade said, “We are seeing a number of ships doing U-turns. They are probably getting orders to go and conduct alternative operations. While it may be acceptable for ships entering the Gulf, those already in the region find themselves essentially stranded.

Additional reporting by data journalist Jolie Santa-Cruz

The Data X Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We collect, analyse, and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open-source information. Through multimedia storytelling, our goal is to better understand the world while also showing how our journalism is done.



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US sources say Iran has indicated it may deploy mines to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz

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US sources say Iran has indicated it may deploy mines to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz

Washington – Iran may be preparing to deploy naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, US officials told CBS News, in an effort to further disrupt key shipping lanes.

US officials said Iran was using small vessels

that can carry two to three mines each to lay in the strait. Although Iran’s mine stock is not publicly known, it has been estimated over the years to be about 2,000 to 6,000 naval mines, largely produced by Iran, China, or Russia. The officials spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly to the press.

President Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday afternoon, “If Iran has placed any mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed immediately!”

He also threatened, “If for any reason the mines were placed, and they are not immediately removed, the military consequences for Iran would be at a level never seen before,” adding, “If, on the other hand, they remove whatever was planted, that would be a huge step in the right direction!”

On Monday, Mr Trump did warn Iran regarding the consequences of stopping the flow of commercial ship traffic in the Strait. Truth posted on Social, “If Iran does anything that stops the flow of oil within the Strait of Hormuz, the United States will hit them twenty times more heavily than they have already.”

At a press conference at the Pentagon on Tuesday morning, Gen. Dan Kaine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said US Central Command, which oversees military operations against Iran, continues to hunt and attack “mine-laying vessels” and “mine storage facilities”.

At the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. Oil tankers carrying crude from countries including Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates must pass through the narrow waterway to reach global markets, making the strait essential for a steady flow of energy. 20% of the global oil supply passes through the strait.

Even small disruptions in the strait can have a profound impact on oil prices and the global economy, as evidenced by historical events where conflicts in the region led to significant fluctuations in oil prices and economic instability worldwide.

During the “Tanker War”, which was part of the larger Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s, Iran regularly placed naval mines on major shipping routes used by oil tankers. Last year, Reuters reported that Iranian forces loaded naval mines on ships in the Persian Gulf, increasing tensions between Washington and Tehran following Israel’s air campaign against Iran during the 12-day war.

As the war continues, major marine insurers have pulled back. According to CBS News, NorthStandard, the London P&I Club and the American Club have warned that they will suspend coverage for ships operating in Iranian waters and parts of the Gulf, citing the increased risk of ships getting caught in the conflict. reporting last week.

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A 75-year-old death row prisoner was saved just two days before his execution. UK | news

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A 75-year-old death row prisoner was saved just two days before his execution. UK | news

Alabama’s governor made a last-minute decision to save a 75-year-old death row inmate from execution.

Charles ‘Sonny’ Burton was scheduled to be executed with nitrogen gas on Thursday, but Kay Ivey ruled two days earlier that, because he had not pulled the trigger in a murder case more than three decades earlier, he could not in “good conscience” be given the death penalty.

Burton has served 33 years on death row for the murder of Doug Battle, whose father was shot and killed in a 1991 robbery at an AutoZone store in Talladega. Burton did not pull the trigger, and five other suspects were involved, but anyone who takes part in a robbery that ends in death can still be convicted of murder in the state of Alabama.

The man who pulled the trigger, Derrick DeBruce, was convicted of murder, but in 2014 his death sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole. He died in 2020.

Kay Ivey said, “I cannot in good conscience proceed with Mr Burton’s execution under such extreme circumstances. I believe it would be unjust to execute any participant in this crime while the actual shooter remains unexecuted.

Recently, campaigners have rallied outside Burton’s mansion to have him removed from death row. His victim’s daughter, Tori Battle, also opposed the execution. He wrote a letter to Montgomery Consultants explaining why it should not proceed.

It states: “Like any child who suffered sudden, senseless violence, I asked a question to which there was no answer: Why did you have to kill him? More than three decades later, I’m asking that question again. This time, the question is directed towards the state of Alabama.

She further said, “I am a family member of a victim. My voice should matter. My love for my father does not require another death, especially one that defies logic.”

Priscilla Townsend, who served on the jury during Burton’s conviction, also questioned his execution.

He said, “Mr Burton was not inside the AutoZone at the time of the murder. He was not the shooter, and yet the state sought and secured the death penalty against him. ” Death Penalty Information Center.

After it was confirmed that Burton had been saved from execution, an Instagram account dedicated to commuting his sentence thanked the governor.

“This decision ensures that final and irreversible punishment will not be carried out… Today is a reminder that mercy is an essential part of justice,” the ‘life4sonnyb’ page said.

Burton previously wrote a letter to the Battle family apologising. He also claimed that he never thought the robbery would end in murder and that he was “terrified” when he learned that it did.

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Reindeer racing thrills spectators in Finland’s cold north near the Russian border

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Reindeer racing thrills spectators in Finland’s cold north near the Russian border

Salla, Finland — Traditional reindeer racing that has been delighting spectators in Finland for decades brought hundreds of fans to the Salla Reindeer Cup in the cold town of Salla last weekend.

Despite extremely cold temperatures and a remote++

The competition attracted about 1,000 people to a location near the Russian border, approximately 264 kilometres (164 mi) northeast of the city of Oulu.

They watched and rejoiced as deer galloped down snow-covered tracks, dragging their handlers behind them on skis. Whoever is fastest will win the race.

The spectators came not only from Finland but also from other countries, including Italy, Norway, Germany, and France.

Reindeer herding has been an important part of Scandinavian culture for many decades, especially for the Sami indigenous people in the far north of the country. 3……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

“Salla has a long history in reindeer racing – it has been running here since the 1950s,” said Lasse Atsinki, head of the Salla Reindeer Cup. “At that time, people spent the winter in the forest; there were no snowmobiles. At the end of winter, the reindeer were in excellent shape, so they started racing them.”

These days, reindeer racing is an organised, regulated competition with trained male reindeer.

The premiere event was the so-called Hot Series, in which reindeer qualified if they raced around a kilometre-long (just over half a mile) track in 1 minute, 19 seconds or less. Only the fastest reindeer get a chance to participate in this race.

“It’s a science. A lot depends on the reindeer’s character – he has to endure a lot: spectators, other reindeer, noise, and movement,” Atsinki said. “Everyone has his own tricks – and they’re usually kept under a fur hat. Every boss has his own way.”

During the race, the crowd encouraged their favourites by chanting “Hyiva, hyiva” and “Mene, “mene”—which are Finnish for “good, good” and “go, “go”—as the reindeer ran down the final stretch.

In between races, people kept themselves warm with reindeer soup and kampanisu, Salla’s traditional local pastry speciality.

The competition concluded with a final round on Sunday and a reindeer named Pompom won the final race.

Hannu Kruppula, owner of the winning animal, said, “Pompom is exceptionally fast and smart, and you rarely find one like that.”

He added, “If there’s a weakness, it’s that it’s not very good-looking – which can be misleading.”

“When you look at that deer, you might immediately think it’s poorly fed or something. But it eats well. That’s a rare one.”

And so after the race, Pompom and all the other reindeer got their reward – lichen, their favourite treat.

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Oil crosses $100 per barrel; stocks fall due to the US-Israel war over Iran. oil and gas

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Oil crosses 0 per barrel; stocks fall due to the US-Israel war over Iran. oil and gas

Oil prices have risen above $100 per barrel amid the consequences of the war between the United States and Israel over Iran.

International benchmark Brent crude rose more than 20 per cent on Sunday, reaching $114 a barrel at one point, as fears grew of prolonged disruption to global energy supplies, particularly due to potential sanctions and military actions affecting oil exports from the region.

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After falling slightly lower, the benchmark was hovering around $107.50 as of 02:30 GMT on Monday.

Oil prices rose above $100 a barrel for the first time since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump, who campaigned heavily on cost-of-living concerns in his 2024 election, ignored the price hike.

“Short-term oil prices, which will fall sharply if Iran’s nuclear threat is annihilated, are a very small price to pay for the security and peace of the United States and the world,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

“Only a fool would think differently!”

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright also played down the possibility of energy price increases on CBS News’ Face the Nation program on Sunday, saying any increase in prices at the gasoline pump would be “temporary.”

Crude oil prices have increased by nearly 50 per cent since the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran on February 28.

Iran has responded by effectively blocking shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, putting about a fifth of the global oil supply at risk.

Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)’s three biggest producers, have cut output as a backlog of barrels accumulates due to the waterway effectively being closed.

Attacks on energy production facilities in the region have further endangered supplies.

Iran has been blamed for several attacks on energy facilities across the Gulf, including in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

On Saturday, Israel carried out airstrikes targeting Iran’s oil infrastructure for the first time since the war began.

According to Iranian state media, the attacks hit four oil storage facilities and an oil production transfer center in Tehran and Alborz provinces.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threatened to target energy facilities across the region in retaliation on Sunday, warning that oil prices could rise to $200 a barrel if the US and Israel “continue this game.”

Kospi
A TV cameraman films a screen showing the KOSPI and foreign exchange rates between the US dollar and the South Korean won at Hana Bank in Seoul, South Korea, on March 9, 2026. [Lee Jin-man/AP]

Shares in Asia fell sharply on Monday morning as investors braced for the impact of rising energy prices.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell more than 7 per cent in early trading, while South Korea’s KOSPI fell more than 8 per cent.

The Hang Seng index in Hong Kong fell nearly 3 percent.

Significant losses also occurred in US stock futures, which trade outside regular market hours.

Futures tied to Wall Street’s benchmark S&P 500 fell 1.7 per cent, while futures on the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.90 per cent.

While Trump administration officials have insisted the war will be over in a matter of weeks, the prospect of prolonged disruptions to global energy supplies has sparked fears of higher inflation and slower economic growth.

The International Monetary Fund has estimated that a sustained 10 per cent increase in oil prices leads to a 0.4 per cent increase in inflation and a 0.15 per cent reduction in global economic growth.

“If the shock proves short-lived, the global economy could recover quickly,” Mike O’Rourke, chief market strategist at JonesTrading, told Al Jazeera.

“If oil remains at these levels for several weeks, it would be a major global headwind. So far, markets have underestimated the risks related to the conflict in Iran.”

In an interview published by The Financial Times on Friday, Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi warned that all producers in the region could soon be forced to halt production and prices could reach $150 a barrel.

“Whoever did not invoke force majeure, we expect to do so in the next few days so that this can continue,” al-Kaabi told the newspaper.

“All Gulf region exporters will have to take a force majeure call.”

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Formula 1: Max Verstappen to compete in the Nürburgring 24 Hours race

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Formula 1: Max Verstappen to compete in the Nürburgring 24 Hours race

Max Verstappen, a four-time Formula 1 world champion, will fulfil a long-held ambition by participating in the Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race.

The 28-year-old Red Bull F1 driver will drive a Mercedes-AMG GT car in the event in May, in which showroom-style cars race on the famous 15.8-mile circuit in Germany’s Eifel mountains.

The Dutchman, who finished sixth in Sunday’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix, said, “The Nürburgring Nordschleife is a special place. There’s no other track like it. The Nürburgring 24 Hours is a race that’s been on my bucket list for a long time, so I’m really thrilled that we can do it now.”

It is very rare for an F1 driver to compete in a lower-level motorsport event, especially one of Verstappen’s level, but he has long enjoyed driving on motorsport simulator games and has a particular fascination with sportscar racing.

It is widely believed that Verstappen can do it. The Le Mans 24 Hours, an external phenomenon that has exploded in popularity in recent years due to the introduction of new ‘hypercar’ regulations, has seen sports cars from the likes of Ferrari, Peugeot, Aston Martin, and Ford return to the top tier.

The revered 24 Hours of Nürburgring is one level below races like Le Mans.

which is part of the World Endurance Championship. The World Endurance Championship announced last week that it would postpone the season-opening 1812 km race in Qatar due to the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran.

Verstappen is contracted with Red Bull until 2028 but was previously linked to the Mercedes F1 program.

The Nurburgring 24 Hours of Miami and the Canadian Grand Prix will take place on May 16-17.



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Rodri: Man City defender fined £80,000 for referee comments

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Rodri: Man City defender fined £80,000 for referee comments

Rodri said after the game, “I know we won a lot and people don’t want us to win, but the referee has to remain neutral.”

“It’s not fair because we work so hard. When it all comes to an end, you get disappointed.”

The FA’s Regulatory Commission said Rodri sent two letters as part of his evidence.

In the first letter, he said his words were “misunderstood and misinterpreted by some media organisations,” but in the second, he admitted they were “inappropriate” and below the expected standard.

“I want to clarify that it was not my intention to show bias or to question the integrity of the match officials,” Rodri wrote in a second letter.

“I have and will always have immense respect for referees and the difficult job they do in a fast-paced and high-pressure environment.

“My comments were made in a moment of frustration after a disappointing result.

“Upon reflection, I realise that the words I used were poorly chosen and capable of being interpreted in a way that I did not intend.”

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War in Iran intensifies – British holiday hotspot now in the line of fire

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War in Iran intensifies – British holiday hotspot now in the line of fire

The bloody Middle East war is spreading across a wider region toward Europe as Iran begins ballistic bombings of Turkey and the death toll rises, with nearly 10,000 injured.

Smoke is seen rising after US-Israeli attacks on Tehran oil depot

Multiple targets have been hit – including an attack on a Tehran oil depot (Image: AP)

Middle East warThe death toll has risen as it spread towards Europe, while Tehran has named Motzaba Khamenei, the son of the slain ayatollah, as its new leader.

NATO security forces were forced for the second time to intercept an Iranian ballistic missile heading towards Turkey – a popular holiday destination for Britons.

This comes as 1,255 are reported dead in Iran, at least 13 in Israel, eight US soldiers lost their lives in Iranian attacks and now 14 more have been killed in the Gulf states.

Nearly 500 people have been killed in Lebanon and more than 10,000 injured across the war-torn region – as a NATO country also comes under fire.

Iranian attacks on Israel have injured 1,929 people since last week, including 157 in the last 24 hours. At the same time, Iranian missiles have several times targeted the headquarters of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet in the Jafair area of ​​Bahrain.

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read more: : Foreign Office issues major update on flights for Britons stranded in the Middle East. Read more: Petrol prices rise in UK amid Iran war, fears of fuel hike – find the cheapest near you

Smoke rising from Israeli air strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut

The Iran war has spread throughout the Middle East region – and Beirut has been attacked by Israel (Image: AP)

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ruled out a US strike on the ground in Iran as the joint mission with Israel against Iran enters its second week.

On CBS News, Hegseth confirmed that US troops were not on the ground in Iran and added, “But we reserve the right. We would be completely remiss if we did not reserve the right to take a particular option, whether it involves boots on the ground or without boots on the ground.

Motzaba, a 56-year-old middle-ranking cleric, is an insider close to Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and his appointment has dashed hopes for a quick end to the war.

He is believed to be even more radical than his father; he lost his wife, a son, and both parents in the war that began on February 28.

USS Abraham Lincoln

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is part of the US armada (Image: AP)

As the war entered its tenth day, the US-Israeli strike hit 140 Tehran regime targets with nearly 900 missiles, and the war shows no signs of slowing down.

Three more US Air Force B-52 bombers have landed at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, joining a huge fleet of US warplanes preparing to attack Iran.

These included three American B-1 stealth bombers, which arrived after Britain allowed the US to use British bases at Fairford and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

Israeli forces on Sunday killed the late Ayatollah’s emergency command chief, Abu al-Qassim Babaian, in Tehran, who had been in the post for only two years.

Israel also targeted Iranian fuel storage facilities in Tehran over the weekend – the first known attack on Iran’s oil infrastructure since the beginning of the war.

Tehran's oil facilities affected by US-Israel attack

US-Israeli strikes hit multiple targets – including this oil depot in Tehran (Image: Sobhan Farajvan/Pacific Press/Shutterstock)

The Israeli Defence Forces stated that the fuel was used to support their missile programme and their military and was therefore a legitimate target.

Iran continued to bomb Israel, and throughout the night, air raid sirens sounded in the centre, south, and coastal regions of the country.

Some weapons were intercepted and the rest fell in deserted areas. Israeli bombs rained down on the Iranian city of Isfahan, targeting the command centres of the Revolutionary Guard and its Basij security forces.

They also attacked a facility for producing rocket engines and missile launch sites. Intelligence analysis confirms fears that Iran would provoke conflict by decentralising the IRGC, along with its 250,000 radicals and Tehran’s half-million security police, the Basij.

American bomber at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire

US Air Force B-52s have landed at RAF Fairford, Britain (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

European warships have massed around Cyprus to stop Iran’s war from spreading and to protect the island, including Greece, France, Italy, Spain and Germany – but there are still no UK ships in the area.

The Type 45 frigate HMS Dragon is expected to leave this week to reach Cyprus or the eastern Mediterranean as soon as next week.

But Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has launched attacks on at least 27 targets in the Middle East where US troops are stationed, as well as Israeli military facilities in Tel Aviv and other parts of Israel.

So far, Iran has launched attacks in ten countries in the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

An Iranian drone also struck the runway of a British military base in Cyprus. Top clerics of Iran’s Assembly of Experts reportedly finalised their decision on Sunday – eight days after Ali Khamenei, who ruled for 37 years, was killed in an Israeli strike on Tehran. State media shared a statement from the assembly confirming Mojtaba Khamenei’s election through a “decisive vote”.

The clerical body urged citizens across the country—”especially the elite and intellectuals in seminaries and universities”—to pledge allegiance to the new leadership.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) welcomed Khamenei’s appointment in a statement carried by state media. It claimed the Iran–Iraq War veteran was a “distinguished jurist, a young thinker and one of the most knowledgeable on political and social issues.”

Smoke rising from the ground after Israeli attack on Hezbollah in southern Lebanon

Smoke seen rising in southern Lebanon after airstrike (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

The IRGC also declared its “respect, devotion and obedience” to Khamenei and said that its members are “ready for complete obedience and self-sacrifice in carrying out the divine orders of the Guardian Jurist”.

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Iran’s next supreme leader was “not going to last long” if Tehran did not first seek his approval. The Israeli military said in a post in Farsi on Twitter that it would continue to pursue every successor to Ali Khamenei and target anyone involved in his appointment.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that no foreign actors would have a role in the selection of the new supreme leader. Speaking to NBC News on Sunday, Araghchi said Iran “allows[s] no one to interfere in our domestic affairs.”

He further said, “It is up to the Iranian people to choose their new leader. They have already elected the Assembly of Experts and the Assembly will do its job. This is the job of the Iranian people only and no one else.”

American bombers at Ramstein base in Germany

An American B-1B bomber is seen at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. (Image: AP)

Mojtaba Khamenei has maintained a low profile, never holding elected office or formally holding a senior position within the government of Iran.

He has never given a public speech and few of his photographs are available online. But the billionaire property tycoon has strong ties to the IRGC and was sanctioned by the US in 2019 for working “closely” with the IRGC’s Quds Force and the commander of the Basij Resistance Force.

Ali Khamenei and his predecessor Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic, were both critical of hereditary succession, particularly in the context of the Pahlavi monarchy, which was overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

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As US-Israel war with Iran intensifies, Trump says it is “far ahead of schedule”

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As US-Israel war with Iran intensifies, Trump says it is “far ahead of schedule”

President Trump on Monday reflected on the plight of the Iran women’s national soccer team, who were caught up in the geopolitical effects of the US-Israeli war on their home country while participating in the Women’s Asian Cup in Australia and were offered asylum in the US.

There were calls for Australia to grant asylum to the women after Iranian television branded them “traitors” over the weekend, following Australia’s decision not to sing or salute during the Iranian national anthem before their first match at the tournament. Before subsequent games he sang and saluted, leading to speculation that his team leaders were coercing him.

President Trump said in a statement, “Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iranian national women’s soccer team to be forcibly deported back to Iran, where they will very likely die. Don’t do it, Mr. Prime Minister; grant asylum. A social media post adds, “America will take them if you don’t.”

He posted his message as a prominent Iranian opposition figure in exile and stated in an Australian newspaper that five of the team’s players had escaped from their hotel on the Gold Coast, were being assisted by Australian police, and were expected to apply for asylum.

“Most of them have families at home, some of them have children at home, and even if they are given the right to live in Australia, if they feel unsafe, many of them may not take up that opportunity,” Craig Foster, former Australian men’s soccer team captain and human rights lawyer, told CBS News partner network. BBC News First. “The most important thing is that that offer has been made.”

Australia’s government did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for confirmation that either woman had applied for asylum.

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