Israel's military reported a first missile launch from Yemen since the Middle East war began on February 28, after Iran's Houthi allies threatened to join the fighting.

A military statement said Israeli forces had "identified the launch of a missile from Yemen toward Israeli territory, aerial defence systems are operating to intercept the threat".

It was the first such statement mentioning a launch from Yemen during the war with Iran, which has entered its second month.

There were no reports of any casualties or damage in Israel, and media reports suggested the missile may have been intercepted.

Yemen's Houthi movement warned on Friday it would join the war if US-Israeli attacks continue to hit its ally Iran or if more countries join the conflict.

The Houthi have in the past attacked shipping in the Red Sea in response to regional conflicts, but had so far not intervened in the latest war.

"We affirm that our fingers are on the trigger for direct military intervention," the group said in a statement, warning that it would act if other nations joined the US-Israeli fight or if the Red Sea was used for "hostile operations".

- AFP

Thailand has reached an agreement with Iran to allow Thai oil vessels safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the Southeast Asian nation's Prime Minister said on Saturday.

Iranian forces have effectively slowed shipping through the strait to a trickle during the Middle East war, which began late last month.

"An agreement has been reached to allow Thai oil tankers to transit safely through the Strait of Hormuz," Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said at a press conference, adding the development would alleviate concerns over fuel imports.

"With this agreement in place, there is greater confidence that disruptions like those seen in early March will not recur," he added.

More than 80% of the crude oil and liquified natural gas (LNG) that passes through the Strait of Hormuz heads to Asia, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Much of Southeast Asia is bearing the brunt of fuel supply difficulties and long lines at petrol stations in Thailand have become increasingly frequent."

"The government will continue to adapt to evolving situations and adjust measures to minimise the impact on the public," Anutin added.

Earlier this month, a Thai bulk carrier travelling in the waterway was attacked and three of its crew members were missing.

Commodities shipping through the Strait of Hormuz plunged 95 percent between March 1 and 26 following the start of the war, according to the maritime tracking platform Kpler.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Friday they had turned back three ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz, adding the route was closed to vessels travelling to and from ports linked to its "enemies".

Twenty-four commercial vessels, including 11 tankers, have been attacked or reported incidents in the Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz or the Gulf of Oman this month, according to the British naval maritime security agency UKMTO.

- AFP

An Iranian attack on a base in Saudi Arabia has wounded at least 12 American soldiers, two of them seriously, US media reported on Saturday.

Iran has kept up retaliatory attacks on Gulf nations it accuses of serving as a launchpad for US strikes on the country, which began in a joint operation with Israel on February 28.

The attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia included at least one missile and several drones, the New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported, citing unidentified officials.

The soldiers were inside a building at the base when it was struck, the Journal reported.

Several aerial refuelling planes also suffered damage in the attack, the reports said.

Saudi Arabia has previously intercepted several missiles fired near the base.

The Pentagon and US Central Command did not immediately respond to AFP requests for comment.

Thirteen US military service members have been killed since the conflict with Iran broke out, with seven killed in the Gulf and six in Iraq. More than 300 more have been wounded.

Iran's government has not released an updated casualty toll, but a US-based activist group said on March 23 that around 1167 Iranian troops had been killed and that the status of 658 troops was unknown.

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

- AFP

The United Arab Emirates said its air defences were responding to an incoming missile and drone attack from Iran on Saturday, as Tehran pressed strikes in the Gulf a month into the regional war.

A defence ministry statement said forces were "intercepting cruise missiles and UAVs [drones]" fired from Iran.
- AFP

Israel's military has said it launched strikes on Iranian "regime targets" early on Saturday (local time), as an AFP journalist in the capital Tehran reported hearing around 10 intense blasts and seeing a plume of black smoke.

A brief military statement said Israeli forces were "currently striking Iranian terror regime targets across Tehran", without elaborating.

- AFP

US President Donald Trump has reiterated his disappointment with Nato allies over their refusal to send military support to secure the Strait of Hormuz, saying Washington may not help them if asked to do so.

"They just weren't there," he said at an economic event in Miami. "We spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year on Nato, hundreds, protecting them, and we would have always been there for them, but now, based on their actions, I guess we don't have to be, do we?"

"Why would we be there for them if they're not there for us? They weren't there for us."

- AFP

Several US soldiers were wounded in an Iranian missile and drone attack on the Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The strike also damaged several US refuelling aircraft at the base, which hosts US military personnel and has been repeatedly targeted by Iran throughout the war.

A strike on March 1 killed one US soldier – Sergeant Benjamin N Pennington, 26, from Kentucky.

Saudi Arabia has threatened to hit back against Tehran in response to assaults on oil and gas infrastructure, with the country’s foreign minister warning last week that “we reserve the right to take military actions if deemed necessary”.

- The Telegraph

A series of explosions have shaken Tehran in the early hours of Saturday (local time), an AFP journalist said, reporting around 10 intense blasts in the Iranian capital.

A plume of black smoke could be seen rising over the city after the blasts, the journalist said, one month into the war triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

- AFP

Emergency responders say a man has been killed in Israel after the Israeli military reported missiles fired from Iran, as air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem and explosions were heard from Jericho.

A man, thought to be around 60, died in Tel Aviv following the latest attack, the Magen David Adom emergency service reported, adding that two people suffered mild injuries.

There was a heavy presence of emergency responders at the scene of a missile impact and a main road was partially cordoned off, images from Magen David Adom showed.

A witness shared video footage with AFP apparently showing an inbound missile barrage over Jerusalem as the Israeli military said it was scrambling search and rescue teams to impact sites in central Israel.

AFP correspondents heard the sound of explosions from Jericho in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and air raid sirens sounding in Jerusalem.

"A short while ago, the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the military said on its official Telegram channel.

"Search and rescue forces, both reserve and regular forces, are currently operating at the sites in central Israel where reports of impact have been received," it added in a subsequent post.

Earlier on Friday (local time), Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran would exact a "HEAVY price for Israeli crimes", after attacks on two of the country's largest steel factories and nuclear sites.

Ahead of the latest fatality, Israeli emergency services and authorities had said attacks killed 18 civilians on the Israeli side since the start of the war.

They said Iranian missile attacks had killed 13 Israelis, including four minors, as well as one Filipino caregiver and one Thai national.

- AFP

Oil prices rose and stocks fell as the United States and Israel struck Iranian nuclear sites, denting optimism over potential talks to end nearly a month of war in the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump has extended a deadline for Tehran to open the Strait of Hormuz or face the destruction of its energy grid, pushing it from Friday to April 6.

But with Iran maintaining a hold on the strait and intense hostilities continuing, Trump's announcement failed to lift the mood on markets.

Oil prices climbed, with the Brent international benchmark rising 4.2% to US$112.57 while the US benchmark contract, WTI, jumped 5.5% to US$99.64.

Wall Street stocks fell sharply across the board, with the the S&P 500 ending the week lower for the fifth straight week, its longest such run in four years.

European and Asian stock markets also ended the day mostly lower.

The market reaction on Friday (local time) contrasted sharply with the plunge in oil prices and gains for stocks at the beginning of the week after Trump first delayed his Hormuz deadline.

"Trump appears to be losing his grip on the markets," said Forex.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada.

"Investors no longer seem to take his statements at face value -- if anything, they're beginning to trade against them, waiting for tangible proof before reacting," he said.

Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB, said: "Investors are facing the facts: the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed and it does not appear that there is a real end in sight to the war."

Angelo Kourkafas, investment strategist at Edward Jones, said investors were concerned that sharply higher oil prices would have a significant impact on inflation and economic growth.

"There are concerns about the lingering uncertainty," Kourkafas said. "And as we have broken some technical levels, I would say that is triggering some more selling."

Trump has insisted that Iran wants to make a deal to end the war, despite Tehran denying his statements. US and Israeli strikes have continued, as has Iran's retaliation against across the Gulf.

"The simple fact is that sentiment is likely to stay negative for as long as the Strait of Hormuz remains unsafe for shipping and controlled by Iran," said David Morrison, an analyst at Trade Nation.

Adding to market woes, China on Friday opened an investigation into US trade practices in response to Washington's probes this month of Chinese exports.

Tokyo's stock market closed lower, while Hong Kong and Shanghai edged up.

Investor doubts about the chance of a peace deal came as governments around the world looked to shore up their economies against surging energy costs, which are adding to inflationary pressures.

Vietnam temporarily waived an environmental levy on fuel to cut petrol prices by more than a quarter, India said it had lowered fuel taxes, and Japan is looking to temporarily lift restrictions on coal-fired power plants in a bid to ease an energy crunch.

- AFP