Iran War — Day 12: “Most Intense Strikes” Unleashed

Day 12 of the US-Israel war on Iran arrived with a blunt promise from the Pentagon. “Today will be, yet again, our most intense day of strikes inside Iran,” Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared — the most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes since the war began on February 28.

Iran’s missile and drone launches have significantly declined — Iran’s ballistic missile launch rate has fallen roughly 90% from day one, and drone launches dropped about 80%, according to US military figures. However, Hegseth cautioned that while the volume has dropped, the missiles Iran is now firing are larger and more destructive.

Iran struck back hard on the diplomatic front. Tehran warned it would block “one liter of oil” from leaving the Middle East until all US and Israeli attacks cease. Trump responded with threats of “death, fire and fury” over any Hormuz blockade — while later telling House Republicans that “we haven’t won enough,” contradicting his earlier statements that the war was nearly over.

Gulf Airspace Chaos — Flights Grounded Across the Region

The skies above the Persian Gulf have become a war zone. Qatar Airways, one of the world’s busiest long-haul carriers, has resumed just 29 limited flights from Doha under special military permission — with full regular services suspended indefinitely due to ongoing airspace restrictions.

Kuwait’s National Guard shot down six Iranian drones on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry confirmed intercepting and destroying two drones over its oil-rich eastern region. The UAE condemned an Iranian drone attack targeting its consulate general in Iraq’s Kurdistan region. Bahrain reported a residential building struck in capital Manama, killing one woman and injuring eight.

Turkey deployed a Patriot air defence system to protect a NATO radar station in the country’s east after two Iranian missiles were intercepted in or near Turkish airspace since the war began. France said it is preparing a naval mission to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil normally flows. Shipping through the strait dropped 95% in the first week of March alone.

Nepal’s New PM: From Rap Lyrics to Head of State

In one of the most remarkable political stories of 2026, 35-year-old former rapper Balendra Shah — known simply as “Balen” — is set to become Nepal’s youngest-ever Prime Minister, after his party scored the largest electoral majority in the country’s modern history.

Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) won at least 117 of 165 directly elected parliamentary seats in the country’s first general election since Gen Z-led protests toppled the old government last September. He personally defeated four-time Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli — 74 years old — in Oli’s own constituency, receiving nearly four times as many votes. It was the highest vote total ever recorded in Nepal’s parliamentary history.

The vote was a political earthquake. Nepal’s two long-dominant parties — the Nepali Congress and the Communist CPN-UML — were decimated. Since 1990, Nepal has cycled through 27 prime ministers averaging barely one year in office. Shah now enters with a true parliamentary majority — something most analysts thought impossible under the current electoral system.

India’s PM Narendra Modi called the election “a proud moment in Nepal’s democratic journey.” Analysts warn that governing will be far harder than winning — the bureaucracy remains unchanged, and Nepal faces youth migration, economic pressure, and the delicate task of managing ties with both India and China.

World News Digest — March 11, 2026

Australia Deploys Military Aircraft to Middle East

Australia has announced it will deploy a military surveillance aircraft to the Middle East and send missiles to the UAE, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Tuesday — while stressing that Australia would not deploy ground troops.

The move signals a widening of the war’s international footprint, as Western allies grapple with the regional fallout. Albanese described the deployment as a surveillance and support role in line with Australia’s longstanding security partnerships in the Indo-Pacific and Gulf regions. The decision comes amid growing concern among Western governments that the conflict is spiralling beyond its original parameters.

US ICE Custody Deaths: 23 People Dead Since October

Twenty-three people have died in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody since October 2025, with advocacy groups sounding urgent alarms about overcrowding and the severe lack of healthcare access across detention facilities.

The deaths have drawn fresh scrutiny to the rapid expansion of the US detention system under the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement agenda. Advocates say detainees are being held in facilities far beyond capacity, without adequate medical staff or access to basic care. Congressional Democrats have called for independent inspections, but the administration has resisted oversight measures.

Lebanon Crisis: France Calls Emergency UN Security Council Meeting

The humanitarian situation in Lebanon has reached a breaking point. France called an emergency session of the UN Security Council to address the spiralling crisis, as Israeli operations in southern Lebanon have killed 570 people and displaced nearly 700,000.

France condemned Hezbollah for joining the war against Israel, while simultaneously calling on Israel to refrain from any land-based or long-term military operations in Lebanon. The Israeli military issued fresh evacuation orders to residents south of the Litani River, warning that “air strikes are ongoing.” A Lebanese Maronite Catholic priest, Pierre al-Rahi, was killed by Israeli tank fire in the Christian village of Qlayaa after reportedly refusing Israeli orders to evacuate.

China, Russia, and France have all reportedly contacted Iran regarding ceasefire possibilities, per Iranian state TV. Meanwhile, the US official stance is that Israel sees “positive signs” from the Lebanese government on Hezbollah disarmament — but the war continues.