Read for 4 minutes Updated: March 7, 2026, 07:28 PM IST
What are cluster bombs?: Israel has accused Iran of using cluster munitions during the ongoing conflict with Israel, raising concerns about the dangers of such weapons for civilians.
The Israeli military said the weapons had been launched several times since the war began and described their use against populated areas as a potential violation of international humanitarian law. Military spokesman Nadav Shoshani said the army was monitoring the situation closely.
“They have used it several times, it is a war crime when directed at civilians and we are monitoring that situation,” Shoshani was quoted in media reports as saying.
Could you please explain what cluster bombs are?
Cluster bombs are weapons designed to release multiple small explosives, known as submunitions or bomblets, over a wide area rather than producing a single explosion.
The cluster munition warhead deploys in mid-air and scatters dozens of small explosive devices, the Associated Press reports. These bombs then fall over a wide radius and explode on impact.
Military experts say such weapons are intended to cover a larger area and increase the probability of hitting targets, such as vehicles, equipment, or military units spread across the battlefield.
However, a major concern is that some bombs fail to detonate immediately. These unexploded devices can remain on the ground for long periods of time and pose a risk to civilians who might accidentally trigger them.
how the weapon works
Israeli officials said one of the missiles launched by Iran had a cluster warhead instead of a conventional explosive payload.
According to the Israel Defence Forces, the missile exploded high in the air and scattered small submunitions over a wide area.
The weapon detonated about seven kilometres above the ground, releasing about 20 small bombs over an area of eight kilometres.
A submarine reportedly struck a house in the city of Azor in central Israel, causing damage but no immediate casualties.
Israel’s Home Front Command has warned residents not to go near unidentified objects that may remain on the ground after such attacks.
Israel says Iran used them
Israeli officials claim that Iran used these weapons during recent missile attacks on Israeli territory.
Footage from the night of March 5 shows multiple flaming projectiles falling from the sky over central Israel, which analysts say is consistent with the deployment of cluster munitions.
Why are cluster bombs controversial?
Cluster munitions are widely criticised because of the risks they pose to civilians during and after conflicts, including the potential for unexploded ordnance to remain a danger long after hostilities have ceased.
More than 100 countries have joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions, an international agreement from 2008 that bans the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of such weapons.
Human rights groups have repeatedly warned that unexploded bombs from cluster munitions can remain dangerous long after a conflict ends, sometimes causing injuries years later.
Both Israel and Iran have faced allegations in the past about the use of cluster munitions in regional conflicts, according to international rights organisations and previous investigations.
Mashkoora Khan is a reporter and sub-editor on the Global Desk at The Indian Express. She actively covers Canadian visa and immigration policy, as well as global affairs and international development issues.
As a trained multimedia journalist, she focuses on producing clear, accurate, and reader-focused explainers on policy-driven topics that directly impact cross-border mobility and global audiences.
Anubhav Mashkoora has worked across digital newsrooms and independent media platforms with bylines for national and international publications, including Al Jazeera, Down to Earth, The Wire, and Maktoob. His professional experience spans breaking news, policy interpretations, live coverage, and multimedia reporting. At The Indian Express,
She is part of the global desk, where she contributes to daily international coverage and plays a role in editing and producing stories on foreign policy, the immigration system, and regulatory changes—particularly those related to Canada’s study, work, and permanent residence pathways.
His main areas of reporting expertise include: • Canada Visas and Immigration: coverage of policy updates, eligibility changes, application processes and government announcements, with an emphasis on factual explanations and verified information. • Global Affairs:
He specialises in reporting on international politics, diplomacy, and geopolitical developments. • Migration and Human Impact: Stories that examine how policy decisions affect individuals, families and migrant communities.
His work prioritises accuracy, sourcing, and context, helping readers navigate complex systems without speculation or exaggeration. Authoritativeness and credibility:
Mashkoora’s reporting is based on official data, government releases, and on-record sources in line with the editorial standards of the Indian Express.
His articles aim to clearly differentiate between verified information and developing updates, making his coverage a reliable reference point for readers seeking clarity on international and immigration
When the United States-Israeli attack on Iran began last weekend, an unexpected peace broker stepped forward in the form of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, leader of the world’s largest Muslim country.
The Indonesian Foreign Ministry announced on social media, “Indonesia calls on all parties to exercise restraint and prioritise dialogue and diplomacy.
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“If both sides agree, the Indonesian President is ready to travel to Tehran to mediate,” it said.
But President Prabowo’s offer to help mediate between the two sides has sparked debate across Indonesia, coming at a time of growing criticism of his approach to foreign policy and cordial relations with the Trump administration.
Dino Patti Jalal, Indonesia’s former deputy foreign minister and former ambassador to the United States, said in a statement on Instagram, “I am shocked as to why this idea was not investigated before making it public.”
“This is extremely unrealistic,” Jalal said.
Others agreed, saying the proposal could further alienate Indonesians already alarmed by the president’s reportedly cordial relationship with US President Donald Trump.
“It’s clear that any negotiations between Iran and the US are completely dead, so it is not appropriate to make such a proposal,” Ian Wilson, a lecturer in political and security studies at Murdoch University in Perth, Australia, told Al Jazeera.
“Domestically, people are likely to interpret this as another coalition with Trump and therefore with Netanyahu,” Wilson said.
In recent months, Prabowo has faced domestic scrutiny after volunteering to deploy 8,000 Indonesian troops to Gaza as part of an international stabilisation force under the umbrella of Trump’s Board of Peace (BOP)—a so-called “international peacekeeping” organization of which Israel is also a member.
Indonesia has no formal diplomatic relations with Israel and has long supported an independent Palestine.
Trump’s coming on board and offering to participate in the US president’s plan for Gaza has not gone over well domestically.
“Indonesia is being used to legitimise the BOP’s dystopian plan to divide Gaza into four parts and sideline the UN,” Wilson said.
“Indonesia’s involvement fundamentally betrays its long-standing tradition of being a principled voice for the Global South and its approach to foreign policy, which has historically been deeply respected,” he said.
‘Bebas-Aktif’ – ‘Independent and active’
Indonesia was one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement during the Cold War, which saw the country for decades follow a “bebas-aktif” or “independent and active” approach to foreign policy, avoiding major power blocs while actively working for peace and national interest.
Over the past few years, this has included Indonesia’s efforts to maintain peace in several global conflicts, including the Russia–Ukraine war.
But experts said Indonesia’s membership on Trump’s peace board, amid Israel’s massacre in Gaza and now the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran, could present an unprecedented test for Prabowo’s approach to foreign policy.
“The Foreign Ministry’s statement on the attack was regrettably naive,” said Sarbini Abdul Murad, director of humanitarian group Indonesia for Peace and Humanity.
While the president had offered mediation, little was said about the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,” Sarbini said, adding that Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of neighbouring Malaysia had condemned Khamenei’s killing by US and Israeli forces.
“There is no answer to Ali Khamenei’s death,” he said.
“Indonesia is at a crossroads in its foreign policy,” Sarbini said.
Indonesia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Sugiono—who, like many Indonesians, uses a single name—said in a post on social media on Wednesday that Prabowo had expressed his deepest condolences to Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian over Khamenei’s “passing.”
‘Many Indonesians sympathize with Iran.’
While Indonesia has deeply supported Palestine, relations with Iran are more complex.
About 87 per cent of the country’s 270 million people practise Islam, and most of Indonesia’s Muslims are Sunni.
Iran has the world’s largest Shia population, which adheres to a distinct branch of Islamic theology with differing views on aspects of Islamic political theory and history.
“In the past, there was anti-Shia sentiment among Sunnis in Indonesia,” said Med Supriyatama, visiting fellow in the Indonesia Studies Program at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.
Supriyatma said, “However, many Indonesians are sympathetic to Iran. This is not always out of solidarity with fellow Muslims, but because of anti-Israel and anti-American sentiment, which has been at a high level for a long time.”
Although many Indonesians support Iran, it is not on the same scale as Palestine, when thousands of people participated in demonstrations across Indonesia at the beginning of the genocidal war on Gaza. Protests against the current war on Iran are mostly limited to “conversations on social media”, Supriyatma said, indicating that there is a lack of large-scale public demonstrations similar to those seen in support of Palestine.
Yohannes Suleiman, a lecturer in politics, security and foreign policy at Indonesia’s Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, said many Indonesians have expressed sympathy for Iran and anger towards the US for what they see as an unprovoked attack on Iran.
A mourner stands near a portrait of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in US-Israeli attacks, during a signing of a petition committing to international justice values at the residence of the Iranian Ambassador in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 5, 2026. [Bay Ismoyo/AFP]
But many people are probably unaware of what’s happening inside Iran, Suleiman said, including the recent “anti-regime protests” that have rocked the country.
Indonesian housewife Arisha Ishana said she had not actually heard about any demonstrations in Iran. Despite this, Ishana told Al Jazeera that she supported Iran in the conflict “because they are fellow Muslims”.
Ramdhan, a barista, said he supports Iran’s right to defend itself.
“This conflict was not started by Iran, but by the US and Israel,” he told Al Jazeera. He said that as a Muslim his feelings were not guided by his faith.
“For me it’s not about religion but about humanity,” he said.
He said he was particularly troubled by Saturday’s bombing of a girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran, which killed 165 students and staff.
Prabowo to ‘evaluate’ Indonesian role in Gaza plan
Neither US nor Iranian officials have commented publicly on Prabowo’s mediation offer, although the Iranian ambassador to Indonesia expressed diplomatic appreciation.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Ambassador Mohammed Boroujerdi welcomed the offer of mediation but pointed out that “no steps” have been taken to make it a reality and lamented that talks would likely be futile.
“We believe that at present, any negotiations and discussions with the US government will not be useful, as they are not bound and do not adhere to any consequences,” Boroujerdi said.
With growing resentment toward the US among Indonesians in general and Trump’s peace board, and Prabowo’s role in it in particular, researcher Supriyatama said it appears the president is trying to garner support from members of Indonesia’s political elite.
Prabowo called a meeting on Tuesday attended by former presidents, vice presidents and political leaders, reportedly to assess the geopolitical and economic impact of the Iranian conflict.
According to official reports, after the meeting that lasted more than three hours, former Indonesian Foreign Minister Hasan Wirajuda told local media that Prabowo was willing to “evaluate” Indonesia’s role in Trump’s peace board, following the latest developments in Iran.
Supriyatma said that the president seems to be surrounded by his own foreign policy decisions.
Supriyatma said, “He cannot explain why Indonesia needs to join the BOP and, in my view, he has no clear stance on Indonesia’s position on the United States and Israel.”
“His pro-American position and tolerant approach toward Israel are not really popular in Indonesia,” he said.
He said, “But how long will this last? That is the question.”
“Can Prabowo maintain his current stance when footage of children dying from Israeli and American bombs is being widely circulated?”
Ukrainian officials say at least seven people and 10 others, including three children, have been killed in a Russian missile strike on a five-story residential building in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
Kyiv, Ukraine — At least seven people were killed and 10 others, including three children, were injured when a Russian missile struck a five-storey residential building in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, on Saturday, officials said.
Russia attacked Ukraine with 29 missiles.
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack and called for an international response. He said Russia attacked Ukraine with 29 missiles and 480 drones overnight, hitting energy facilities in Kiev and other central areas and reporting damage in at least seven other locations across the country.
According to preliminary data, air defence systems shot down 19 missiles and 453 drones, with 9 missiles and 26 strike drone attacks recorded at 22 locations.
In Kharkiv, in Ukraine’s northeast, emergency workers were combing through debris looking for survivors.
Debris damage was reported in three districts in the Kyiv region, according to local officials. In the southern Odessa region, 80 firefighters were called to help deal with a massive fire that broke out at infrastructure after being attacked by multiple drones. Ukraine’s state rail operator, Ukrzlizhnytsia, said damage to rail infrastructure had forced the diversion of several routes in the center-west of the country.
“There must be a response from partners to these brutal attacks against life,” Zelensky said in a post on Twitter.
Since then, Russia has fired thousands of Iranian-designed Shaheed drones on Ukraine. attacked your neighbour for just over four years. It has launched large-scale domestic production of them and bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones in a single night – more than were used for a few entire months in 2024.
Iran has responded to joint US-Israeli attacks by launching similar types of drones at countries in the Middle East.
Zelensky said he had received a US request for support to defend against Iranian drones in the Middle East and had ordered Ukrainian experts to provide the equipment.
The war in the Middle East has diverted international attention from Europe’s largest conflict since World War II and forced the postponement of a new round of conflict. US-mediated talks: A clash between Russia and Ukraine is planned for this week.
For years, geopolitical analysts had warned us that the most dire of all scenarios for the world economy was the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Well, now, in practice, that is exactly what has happened. Shipping through this narrow channel, the gateway to the Persian Gulf, has declined to near zero. This situation has become a reality.
And yet the funny thing is that in some respects the world looks no different than it did before. There was hardly any change in the US benchmark stock index S&P 500. The FTSE 100 is down slightly but still somewhat higher than a month ago. All the turmoil raises the question: wouldn’t it be as bad as everyone was fearing?
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz affected the world economy.
However, talk to people who understand energy markets and the economic geography of the Gulf and its customers, and a very different story emerges. True, the effects of the shutdown may take some time to be felt, but it could be completely destabilising for both the Gulf countries and the wider world, potentially leading to economic instability, increased energy prices, and geopolitical tensions.
Harbinger of high inflation
Starting with the wider world, the sharp rise in gas prices is a harbinger of higher inflation in the coming months. For a long time, countries like the UK had assumed that Qatar would be the most reliable of all suppliers of natural gas. Now, LNG tankers that once carried Qatari gas around the world cannot access the Gulf, and Qatari gas fields are no longer operational.
For many Asian countries, from India and Pakistan to South Korea and Taiwan, such an outcome is a devastating prospect. Most of them have very low gas reserves, so in the coming months they will struggle to secure enough methane, which is a type of natural gas, to keep their power stations and heating systems running. That, in turn, would push up prices around the world, including in Europe, which is also reliant on LNG (liquefied natural gas) to fill some of the gap left by Russian gas after some of its pipeline supplies were shut off following the invasion of Ukraine. The longer the Strait remains closed and Qatar does not pump gas, the deeper the crisis will get.
Everyday goods depend on Gulf production
And it’s not just gas. Qatar is also responsible for one-third of the world’s helium. Without helium, MRI scanners cannot function and some quantum computers cannot function, because they rely on the gas to cool their magnets and circuits. The Gulf provides about half the world’s sulphuric acid, without which you can’t make explosives or refine copper. In short, you can expect the disruption in the Gulf to spread to the wider world with each passing day.
image: An aerial view shows the Iranian coasts and Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz in 2023. File photo: Reuters
But the consequences for people trapped inside the bay are even more serious. In an ideal world, they would have enough pipelines to get their oil out of the Gulf, but in practice, there is nowhere near enough pipeline capacity. The result is that without tankers to ship the oil, the crude coming from beneath the earth in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq and Abu Dhabi will have nowhere to go.
Ed Conway explains what happens when oil runs out of the Strait of Hormuz.
Big questions for people and environment
These countries have a limited amount of storage for that oil, which raises the question: What will happen when that storage runs out in a few days? The short answer is that they either have to shut down their oil fields—something that could permanently damage them—or they burn or spill the oil as soon as it comes out.
Then there are deeper questions about what such an event means for a region dependent on immigrants. What if and when those immigrants, most of whom never imagined living under the threat of aerial bombardment, leave the country? What impact does such an event have on the Gulf model?
The answers to the above questions are all unappealing. Neither is particularly encouraging for the global economy. They’re all, to put it mildly, pretty scary. This is why we should all hope that the Strait of Hormuz does not remain closed for long. The longer it remains closed, the more likely it is to become a nightmare.
Mistakes both on and off the field marred Australia’s tour.
England were accused of lacking adequate preparation, having played only one practice match against the England Lions at a club ground in Perth before the first Test.
Despite the Brook incident, which occurred on the eve of the third One Day International against New Zealand in Wellington before the Ashes series, England’s alcohol consumption came under scrutiny in Australia. During the mid-series holiday in Noosa, a member of the public captured opening batsman Ben Duckett on video, seemingly intoxicated.
Dropped catches severely hampered England’s efforts in the Test series in the absence of a specialist fielding coach.
Since the Australia tour, England have appointed fielding coach Carl Hopkinson for the World Cup and their white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. He has also imposed a midnight curfew on players and staff.
Luke Wright has left his post as national selector of the men’s teams, although his departure was a personal decision rather than linked to the Ashes.
Talks between the ECB and Cricket Australia are likely to result in both boards agreeing on better arrangements to prepare for future Ashes series in both countries.
And the ECB is planning to make a new non-executive appointment to its board to boost cricket expertise.
Ben Stokes, the Test captain in Australia, expressed his support for McCullum, extending his contract until autumn 2027.
Brooks reiterated this support on Thursday, stating that McCullum should continue to lead at a rate of “125%”.
“I’ve said many times that he’s the best coach I’ve ever had,” Brooks said. “Our partnership has been successful throughout the competition and since I took over. Long may it continue.”
The US authorities have announced a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture of Rene Arzate-Garcia, a Sinaloa Cartel member who has a daughter with one of El Chapo’s former girlfriends.
Valeria Ruby Queiroz, ‘La Gringuita’, is the ex-girlfriend of Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman
US authorities have announced a $5 million reward for the search for the top boss of the Sinaloa Cartel.
René Arzate-Garcia, also known as “La Rana,” is charged with narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and money-laundering crimes linked to the notorious Mexican cartel.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced the unsealing of the indictment against Arzate-Garcia last Thursday, while the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in cooperation with the Justice and State departments, offered a reward of up to $5 million to anyone with information leading to the arrest or conviction of ‘La Rana’ and his brother Alfonso ‘Aquiles’ Arzate-Garcia.
Arzate-Garcia, who was born in 1983, is believed to have begun his criminal career as a teenager in Tijuana, in the northwestern Mexican state of Baja California, after which he became the Plaza boss of the Sinaloa Cartel in the state.
Rene Arzate-Garcia is shown in a wanted poster (Image: US Department of Justice)
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Arzate-Garcia has a daughter with Valeria Ruby Quiroz, also known as ‘La Gringuita’, who previously had a relationship with Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Speaking about her “momentary but significant” relationship with Arzate-Garcia on the Gusgri podcast in March 2024, Queiroz said the pair met in Culiacán, Sinaloa, when she was 18 – following her relationship with ‘El Chapo’.
She said, “René was my prince, my true love. He always tried to pamper me.” She revealed that her daughter’s name is Mia Ener because “Ener is René spelt backwards.” “My daughter looks just like her,” he said.
The relationship ended after a magazine falsely linked her to boxer Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, Infobae reports. Queiroz said that the media scandal damaged his relationship with Arzate-Garcia and they eventually separated.
“I never had any relationship with him [Canelo]. “He knows nothing ever happened between us,” she said. “I understand why René got frustrated. He always knew the truth, but it was too much. It was a very difficult time for both of us.”
Quiroz said she lost contact with Arzate-Garcia shortly afterward but still hopes her daughter will meet her one day. The Arzate-Garcia brothers were first convicted in 2014 in the Southern District of California. Officials say his whereabouts are unknown.
The latest indictment marks another step in the Trump administration’s crackdown on Mexican drug cartels.
According to the DEA, the Sinaloa Cartel is one of the most powerful criminal organisations in the world, and it plays a significant role in the global distribution of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin.
Last year, the Trump administration designated the cartel as both a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) and a specialised global terrorist (SDGT).
It comes after the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes—known as “El Mencho”—was murdered last month on the outskirts of Tapalpa, about 100 miles south of Guadalajara in Mexico’s western state of Jalisco.
Authorities tracked down a romantic partner of Cervantes to a drug lord’s hideout in Tapalpa, where he and two of his bodyguards were seriously injured in a shootout. Defence Secretary Ricardo Trevilla said the three were taken into custody and died while being transported to Mexico City.
Average diesel prices in Britain have hit a 16-month high, less than a week after the Middle East was hit by war and oil prices soared.
Global energy prices have been the main financial market focus ever since Tehran launched attacks against the Gulf states in response to US-Israeli attacks on their countries, disrupting both the production and distribution of oil and natural gas.
Iran and the United Arab Emirates, situated between the narrow Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, are accustomed to more than 80 tankers passing through each day.
Money Latest: Energy giant imposes exit fee due to ‘super volatile market’
image: strait of hormuz
But with shipping greatly reduced amid Iranian attacks and threats, all disruptions to normal trade flows are being reflected sharply in petrol and diesel prices through higher wholesale prices in Europe and the US.
Sky News was told on Tuesday how diesel prices in Britain rose by 7p a litre and petrol prices rose by 2p a litre in the wake of a big rise in oil prices on Monday, as financial markets gave their first reaction to the US-led military strikes.
The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) believed at the time that higher wholesale costs would reach the pumps during the next few weeks but warned that some forecourts would have to pass them on more quickly due to the nature of their fuel-purchase contracts.
RAC policy chief Simon Williams said of British fuel price averages on Thursday evening: “Petrol is now up 3p since Saturday at 136p a litre, while diesel is up 5p to a 16-month high of 147p.
“Although wholesale costs will have increased for any retailers buying in new stock, it typically takes two weeks for changes in prices to reach the forecourt,” he said.
Oil price ‘could exceed $100 per barrel’ if Strait of Hormuz remains closed for longer period
The PRA told Sky News in response that drivers should shop around to find the lowest prices in their areas using the Fuel Finder app and website. It denied any suggestion that its members were profiteering.
The body stressed that it is not in the interest of fuel operators to force customers to go elsewhere.
People have long accused the industry of raising prices too quickly and passing on the cost burden too slowly.
It has also faced scrutiny from the regulator since the end of the Covid pandemic, particularly regarding its pricing strategies and the perceived lack of transparency in how costs are communicated to consumers.
image: File photo: AP
The latest fuel market update from the Competition and Markets Authority late last year concluded that motorists were increasingly receiving unfair prices, with retailers’ margins remaining “persistently high.”
It is clear that the average fuel price will rise further for at least the coming week, as hostilities in the Middle East continue apace.
Brent crude hit an all-time high on Thursday evening as the war hit global oil prices.
The international benchmark was up more than 5% during the day at $85.50. Oil prices rose after Iran launched a new wave of attacks against Israel, US targets and Middle East countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
The threat had an impact on financial markets as a whole, sending stocks falling on investor fears that extended increases in energy costs would drive inflation, causing the central bank to raise interest rates in the process.
In London, the FTSE 100 ended the day down about 1.5%, while its counterparts in France and Germany saw similar declines.
Read more: Insurers not impressed by Trump’s solutions Britain’s bills cannot escape the forces of Iran war
AJ Bell’s head of financial analysis, Danny Hewson, said the decline in London was widespread, with some sectors worse off than others, such as housebuilders.
“Admittedly, high mortgage rates have discouraged many potential buyers over the past few years, but 2026 promised a lot.
