Live: Israel says it will control bridges and area south of Lebanon’s Litani River

Brent crude rose back above $100 a barrel as uncertainty persisted over President Donald Trump’s claims of talks with Iran, which officials in Tehran denied.

Brent climbed 2.9 percent to $102.84, while U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate rose 3.5 percent to $91.20.

The rebound followed a sharp drop a day earlier after Trump said he had delayed strikes on Iran’s power plants following “very good” talks.

Iranian officials accused him of attempting to manipulate oil and financial markets with the comments.

The US Embassy in Mauritania warned of an elevated risk of attacks following a recent threat against its facility in the capital, Nouakchott.

The notice said potential targets include the embassy and locations frequented by American citizens.

The State Department has maintained a Level 3 travel advisory for Mauritania, urging Americans to reconsider travel.

It also advises against visiting areas near the Mali and Algerian borders and zones restricted by the Mauritanian military.

The United States plans to continue strikes on Iran, with any pause limited to specific targets, according to a report by US news website Semafor.

The report, which cited a US official, said military operations are expected to proceed alongside diplomatic efforts.

“The stop on attacks for five days is only on their energy sites. It is not on the military sites and the navy, and the ballistic missiles, and the defence industrial base. The initial initiatives of [Operation] Epic Fury will continue,” the official was quoted as saying.

South Korea’s Prime Minister Kim Min-seok has cancelled a planned trip to China to address mounting economic concerns at home linked to the fallout from the Iran war, local media reported.

The move comes as rising energy costs and supply disruptions weigh heavily on the country’s economy.

President Lee Jae Myung said public institutions will reduce car use as part of an energy-saving campaign and urged lawmakers to pass a supplementary budget.

South Korea, which imports more than 70 percent of its oil from the Middle East, has also introduced fuel price caps to stabilise markets.

The Chinese Embassy in Israel on Tuesday asked its citizens living in Israel to stop risking their safety and either evacuate or return to China “as soon as possible”.

The Chinese government is organising an evacuation mission for its citizens through the Taba border crossing with Egypt, state media reported. 

“The scope, frequency, and intensity of missile and drone attacks on Israel have further increased, leading to rising casualties and property losses, as well as repeated incidents of people being harmed because they failed to reach bomb shelters in time,” China’s Xinhua state news agency quoted the embassy as saying.

The embassy also reminded its citizens still living in Israel “to stay away from airports, ports, power plants, refineries, and other key infrastructure facilities and sensitive military sites”.

Iran’s deputy parliamentary speaker, Ali Nikzad, called for a “firm” stance against the United States and rejected the idea of negotiations with President Donald Trump.

He described Trump as a “liar and without honour,” according to remarks reported by Fars news agency.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran… stands firmly on its military capabilities,” Nikzad said, adding, “His threats are a big lie.” He also said previous rounds of talks had ended with US attacks despite progress toward an agreement. 

Nikzad said that Iran will not "return the Strait of Hormuz to its previous state".

نایب رئیس مجلس: ما نه تنگۀ هرمز را به حالت قبل برمی‌گردانیم و نه با کسی که دروغگوست و هیچ نشانی از شرف، انسانیت و وجدان ندارد، مذاکره خواهیم کرد. او پیشتر نیز این را در ۲ مورد از مذاکرات ثابت کرده است.

— خبرگزاری فارس (@FarsNews_Agency) March 24, 2026

Asian stocks rebounded after President Donald Trump said the United States was in talks with Iran, raising hopes of easing tensions in the Middle East.

Markets opened higher across the region following sharp losses in the previous session.

South Korea’s KOSPI jumped more than 3.6 percent in early trading, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 1.69 percent.

The gains followed steep declines a day earlier, when concerns over oil supply disruptions linked to the conflict had rattled investors.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard said it launched a new wave of strikes targeting Israel and US positions, including sites in Dimona, Tel Aviv and Eilat, according to a statement reported by Press TV.  

“We negotiate with enemies with impact-driven strikes,” the IRGC said, describing the latest phase as having “set a distinct record in the timeline of the war.”

It said missiles and drones were used in the attacks, including Emad and Qadr systems.

An Iranian academic and two of his children were killed in a strike on their home in northern Tehran, according to reports by Press TV.

The report said Dr. Saeed Shamghadri, an associate professor at Iran University of Science and Technology, died along with his son and daughter in the attack.

The university said in a statement that the killing was a “profound tragedy” that has left the academic community in grief.

“Ultimately… he attained the great blessing of martyrdom,” the statement said. 

A senior military adviser to Iran’s leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said the war will continue until Tehran receives full compensation and sanctions are lifted.

Mohsen Rezaei said Iran would keep fighting until “all economic sanctions are lifted, and legally binding international guarantees are obtained” to prevent future US interference.

“We see that our armed forces are carrying out operations and activities with strength,” Rezaei said, adding that leadership remained firmly in control.

He also claimed the United States had been ready to pursue a ceasefire earlier, but that Israel pushed for the war to continue.

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blamed President Donald Trump for a sharp rise in gasoline prices, saying costs have jumped nearly 75 percent in less than a month.

“One man is to blame: Donald Trump,” Schumer said in a post on X, adding that prices rose from $2.93 to $3.94 per gallon.

Schumer, a Democrat, has opposed Trump’s decision to launch attacks on Iran and called for an end to the war.

In a separate post, he said tens of billions of dollars “are being wasted” on the conflict. 

Kuwait reported power outages after "falling debris" damaged overhead transmission lines, according to the Ministry of Electricity.

Spokesperson Fatima Hayat said several lines were taken out of service, leading to disruptions in multiple areas.

The damage caused partial disconnections across parts of the country, KUNA news agency reported.

Authorities said repair work was already underway to restore electricity.

An explosion followed by a fire at a Valero refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, prompted authorities to urge some residents to shelter in place, local media reported. 

Police said people on the west side of the city should remain indoors as emergency crews responded to the incident. 

Videos showed a large fire and thick smoke rising from the facility, with one recording capturing a loud explosion that shook nearby homes.

The site has served as the main refinery of Venezuelan oil since Maduro's capture.

JUST IN: Explosion reported at Valero refinery in Port Arthur, Texas. Nearby residents told to shelter in place pic.twitter.com/wjYPyx98PW

— BNO News (@BNONews) March 24, 2026

Energy-related facilities in Iran’s Isfahan province and the southwestern city of Khorramshahr were struck by US-Israeli strikes, causing damage, according to reports by Fars news agency.

A gas administration building and a gas reduction structure in Isfahan were hit, with nearby homes also being affected.

In Khorramshahr, a projectile struck outside a gas pipeline linked to a power plant, the report said.  

The impact of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran could surpass the effects of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the top executive of Austrian energy firm OMV said.

Alfred Stern told Reuters the current crisis is removing energy supplies from global markets rather than simply redirecting them.

“The Middle East crisis now is really a physical disruption of the supply chain,” Stern said.

“This is more significant, but of course, the key variable… is how long will it take?” He added that the economic effects are already being felt in lower-income countries.