War in the Middle East: latest developments

The latest developments in the Middle East war:

- 'Whole civilization will die' -

President Donald Trump warned "a whole civilization will die" if Iran does not heed his ultimatum to accept US war demands by 0000 GMT Wednesday or see its infrastructure destroyed.

"I don't want that to happen, but it probably will," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

- Kharg island strikes -

US-Israeli strikes hit Kharg island, where Iran's main oil export terminal is located, Iranian media reported.

US media reported that military sites on the strategic island were hit, not oil facilities.

- Oil jumps -

The main US oil contract, West Texas Intermediate, jumped more than two percent, to $114.71 per barrel, after reports of the Kharg island strikes.

- US 'tools' -

US Vice President JD Vance warned America has "tools in our toolkit that we so far haven't decided to use" against Iran but expressed optimism that negotiations before Trump's deadline would avoid them having to be deployed.

He also said the strikes on Kharg island ahead of the deadline do not represent any change in US strategy.

- Bridges, highway hit -

US-Israeli strikes hit at least two bridges and a highway in Iran, local officials said, hours ahead of Trump's deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Two people were killed in a US-Israeli attack on a rail bridge in the central city of Kashan, a regional official told state media. A bridge near the city of Qom, south of Tehran, was also struck, the deputy governor of the province said, according to state TV.

A key highway in northern Iran was closed after another attack, the regional governorate said. The Mizan news agency additionally reported a strike on railway tracks in Karaj, outside Tehran.

- Israeli wave of strikes -

The Israeli military said it had completed a broad wave of strikes targeting "infrastructure sites" across Iran, without providing details of what the sites were.

- Guards' threat -

Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatened to deprive the United States and its allies of oil and gas if Washington crossed Tehran's "red lines", a statement carried on state television said.

"Our response will go beyond the region," it said.

- Qatar warning -

Qatar warned the war was close to a threshold where it cannot be controlled, with a foreign ministry spokesman saying "this is why we have been urging all parties to find a resolution to find a way of ending this war before it's too late".

- Trains cancelled -

Train travel to and from Iran's second city of Mashhad was cancelled until further notice after Israel warned Iranians not to use railways until 1730 GMT, local media reported, citing the governor.

- Istanbul shootout -

One gunman was killed and two others were wounded in a shootout with police outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul, officials said, without drawing an immediate link to the war in the Middle East.

Turkey's interior minister said the assailants were affiliated with "an organisation that exploits the region", without being specific. Turkish media said it could be a reference to the Islamic State group.

- Avert 'tragedy', Iran urges -

Iran's ambassador to Kuwait urged Gulf states to find a way to avert a "tragedy", as the clock ticked down on Trump's deadline.

Iran has vowed to retaliate with strikes against infrastructure across the region if its own is destroyed.

Meanwhile, Iran's ambassador to Pakistan said efforts to end the war were approaching a "critical" stage.

- Blasts in Tehran -

An AFP journalist in Tehran heard a series of blasts coming from the north of the city, without being able to determine what was hit.

Local Iranian media reported that explosions rocked the capital and that 18 people, including two children, were killed in strikes in the Alborz province neighbouring Tehran.

Due to reporting restrictions, AFP is not able to independently verify tolls in Iran.

- Iran synagogue destroyed -

US-Israeli strikes "completely destroyed" the Rafi-Nia synagogue in Tehran, local media reported.

Iran has a small Jewish community, with the majority having fled in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic revolution.

- Hormuz vote at UN -

The UN Security Council is to vote Tuesday for a resolution addressing Iran's threats to the Strait of Hormuz, diplomatic sources told AFP.

The latest draft, seen by AFP, demands Iran end attacks on commercial vessels and halt "any attempt to impede transit passage or freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz".

Iran has virtually closed the key waterway since US-Israeli strikes began on February 28, sending global oil and gas prices soaring.

burs/rmb/jhb