Middle East War live: Oil and gas prices soar as Iran intensifies strikes on Gulf energy plants

19/03/2026 02:33 France 24

Oil and gas prices surged on Thursday after Iran intensified its attacks on the energy infrastructure of its Gulf Arab neighbours, raising further concerns over supply. Both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait reported drone strikes on oil refineries as Qatar said firefighters had put out a blaze at a major gas plant following Iranian missile attacks. Follow our live blog for the latest developments.

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Millions of children out of school: Yemen's education system on its knees

Since 2015 and the outbreak of war between the Houthis, who control the north of Yemen, and the internationally recognised government in the south, the country's education system has been steadily collapsing. According to UNICEF, nearly 4 million Yemeni children are currently out of school, amounti...

19/03/2026 13:10 France 24

Iran: Saudi Arabia warns of 'military action' over repeated attacks

Saudi Arabia warned that it had 'reserved the right to take 'military actions' over #Iran's repeated attacks on the kingdom, as fresh trikes hit Riyadh during a summit of regional foreign ministers. The comment marks a turn in the #Gulf's reaction to Iran's strikes on its neighbours since the start...

19/03/2026 11:18 France 24

Iran women's football team return after asylum tussle

The Iranian women's football team, whose plight has become embroiled in the Middle East war, returned back to Iran on Wednesday where they were promised a welcome ceremony in Tehran. Seven members of the delegation had sought asylum in Australia last week after their decision not to sing the nation...

19/03/2026 11:01 France 24

Central banks confront spectre of inflation as Iran war escalates

Strikes on the natural gas production facilities of Iran and Qatar have sent energy prices soaring, with central bankers around the world struggling to set monetary policy amid a highly uncertain inflationary outlook. We take a closer look. Also in this edition: the French shipbuilding industry wel...

19/03/2026 10:45 France 24

EU leaders pile pressure on Hungary's Orban to lift block on Ukraine loan

European Union leaders piled pressure on Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Thursday to lift his blockade on a vital 90-billion-euro ($103 billion) EU loan to Ukraine to keep ‌up its fight against Russia's invasion. EU leaders agreed to the loan in December but Orban, who has ⁠cordial...

19/03/2026 10:35 France 24

Iraq caught in crossfire of Middle East war

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19/03/2026 10:32 France 24

Dozens arrested in Dubai for allegedly filming the war

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19/03/2026 10:31 France 24

French top diplomat to visit Beirut: Paris vows solidarity with Lebanon

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19/03/2026 10:29 France 24

EU summit to focus on wars in the Middle East and Ukraine

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19/03/2026 10:28 France 24

War in Ukraine: Kharkiv opera defies Russian bombardment

Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, is just 30 kilometres from Russia and suffers almost daily bombardment from across the border. But as the years of war have gone by, the city’s cultural institutions have adapted in order to keep working despite the dangers. The huge national opera and ba...

19/03/2026 10:27 France 24

Iran causes 'extensive' damage to Qatar gas hub, sparks Trump warning

Qatar reported "extensive" damage on Thursday to the site of the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility following Iranian strikes, sparking fears for global energy supplies and fresh threats from Donald Trump against Iran. Tehran carried out attacks on Qatar's huge Ras Laffan LNG faci...

19/03/2026 10:26 France 24

Will the Jalisco cartel's new US-born leader complicate Trump's war on drugs?

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19/03/2026 09:51 France 24

Greek animal airlift evacuates pets and owners from Middle East war

A flight carrying dozens of cats, dogs and their owners landed in Athens on Wednesday as part of a successful government effort to evacuate pets from the war in the Middle East. Greece's interior and foreign ministry worked together for days to coordinate the operation to repatriate Greek nationals...

19/03/2026 09:32 France 24

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19/03/2026 07:04 France 24

France's FM to visit Lebanon in show of 'support and solidarity' amid Middle East war

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19/03/2026 06:23 France 24

EU leaders seek breakthrough on €90 billion Ukraine loan blocked by Hungary's Orban

Leaders from the European Union will gather in Brussels on Thursday aiming to unlock a €90 billion loan for Ukraine, with the funding stalled by a dispute between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over damage to a key Russian oil pipeline....

19/03/2026 04:09 France 24

Are US soldiers really 'refusing orders' to fight in Iran war?

More than two weeks after the US and Israel launched military strikes on Iran, a rumour has sprung up that American soldiers are refusing, en masse, to fight. There is no evidence for this. However, the number of conscientious objectors in the US military is on the rise, according to the NGO Cente...

18/03/2026 21:56 France 24

Why Hungary's Viktor Orban is vilifying Ukraine before crucial elections

Weeks before crucial parliamentary elections, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s campaign has characterised his main rival as a stooge of Kyiv and Brussels. With his party trailing in the polls, the nationalist leader has sought to escalate tensions between Hungary and Ukraine, alleging that...

18/03/2026 21:37 France 24

US seeks to curb soaring petrol prices

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18/03/2026 20:57 France 24

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18/03/2026 20:47 France 24

Iran did not try to rebuild enrichment after June 2025 attack, US intel chief says

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18/03/2026 20:45 France 24

Kharkiv's opera and ballet theatre performances continue despite war

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18/03/2026 19:41 France 24

Both sides in Iran war ratchet up attacks on energy facilities, as oil prices surge

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18/03/2026 19:31 France 24

Trump's dire strait: No strategy, no endgame, no allied support?

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18/03/2026 19:12 France 24

Next French aircraft carrier will be called "Free France"

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18/03/2026 16:52 France 24

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As Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with European leaders, including Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Eve Irvine is pleased to welcome Eduard Soler i Lecha, Associate Professor of International Relations at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Senior Research Associate at IBE...

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Tyre emptied as Israel orders evacuation across southern Lebanon

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18/03/2026 16:12 France 24

South Lebanon residents flee death and destruction

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18/03/2026 15:45 France 24

Trump pressures media on Iran war with claims of 'treason'

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18/03/2026 15:42 France 24

Tens of millions more in acute hunger if Mideast war drags on, UN warns

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18/03/2026 15:41 France 24

BREAKING NEWS

19/03 13:13 - Middle East crisis live: Hegseth claims Trump ‘knew nothing’ about gasfield attack, declines to say when war will end 19/03 13:10 - Millions of children out of school: Yemen's education system on its knees 19/03 13:09 - Bank of England expected to raise UK interest rates twice this year to fight inflation shock from Middle East crisis – business live 19/03 13:06 - A Crucial Loan for Ukraine Becomes Election Leverage for Orban 19/03 13:04 - Hungary’s Orbán says he won’t back down and allow EU’s €90bn loan to Ukraine – Europe live 19/03 13:04 - Europe’s biggest airlines say fuel price spike caused by Iran war will drive up fares 19/03 12:56 - BoE delivers message Britons don’t want to hear as inflation – and rates – look set to rise 19/03 12:38 - The US–Israel war with Iran will not end with a clear victor 19/03 12:38 - The US–Israel war with Iran will not end with a clear victor 19/03 12:34 - Iran’s dilemma in war and peace 19/03 12:34 - Iran’s dilemma in war and peace 19/03 12:27 - Bank of England holds interest rates at 3.75% and signals rise is possible within months 19/03 12:27 - Democrats move to impeach Pam Bondi after ‘fake’ Jeffrey Epstein briefing – US politics live 19/03 12:13 - How Ukraine became an enemy of Iran 19/03 12:05 - Former counter-terrorism head investigated by FBI over alleged leaks 19/03 12:04 - PwC partners who fail to embrace AI have no future at firm, US CEO warns 19/03 11:50 - Could Iran war trigger the next global food shock? 19/03 11:50 - Could Iran war trigger the next global food shock? 19/03 11:44 - Conflict shifts to ‘energy war’ as Iran targets Gulf oil and gas 19/03 11:44 - Conflict shifts to ‘energy war’ as Iran targets Gulf oil and gas 19/03 11:23 - First Thing: Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ all of Iran’s South Pars gasfield if Tehran strikes Qatar 19/03 11:19 - Pentagon wants $200 billion Iran war chest – WaPo 19/03 11:18 - Iran: Saudi Arabia warns of 'military action' over repeated attacks 19/03 11:01 - Iran women's football team return after asylum tussle 19/03 11:00 - Analysis from West Point warns that strait of Hormuz blockade will strangle US defense industry 19/03 10:58 - EU leaders slam Hungary’s Orban for blocking Ukraine aid package 19/03 10:58 - EU leaders slam Hungary’s Orban for blocking Ukraine aid package 19/03 10:45 - Central banks confront spectre of inflation as Iran war escalates 19/03 10:40 - Tropical Cyclone Narelle to make landfall in far north Qld on Friday as category 5 storm, bringing 315km/h wind gusts 19/03 10:35 - EU leaders pile pressure on Hungary's Orban to lift block on Ukraine loan 19/03 10:32 - Iraq caught in crossfire of Middle East war 19/03 10:31 - Dozens arrested in Dubai for allegedly filming the war 19/03 10:29 - French top diplomat to visit Beirut: Paris vows solidarity with Lebanon 19/03 10:28 - EU summit to focus on wars in the Middle East and Ukraine 19/03 10:27 - War in Ukraine: Kharkiv opera defies Russian bombardment 19/03 10:26 - Iran causes 'extensive' damage to Qatar gas hub, sparks Trump warning 19/03 10:12 - Interest rates expected to be held due to Iran war 19/03 10:00 - Gas spirals after Israeli strikes trigger retaliation, Moscow warns of ‘tipping point’ (PHOTOS, VIDEOS) 19/03 10:00 - Efforts to shut down pro-Palestinian speech face series of setbacks in court 19/03 10:00 - The war on Iran cost the US $12.7bn by day six. Here’s how it’s been spent – in charts 19/03 09:51 - Will the Jalisco cartel's new US-born leader complicate Trump's war on drugs? 19/03 09:33 - Strikes kill two PMF fighters in northern Iraq amid wider war, group says 19/03 09:33 - Strikes kill two PMF fighters in northern Iraq amid wider war, group says 19/03 09:32 - Greek animal airlift evacuates pets and owners from Middle East war 19/03 09:29 - How the war may affect money and bills 19/03 09:23 - Oil and gas prices jump after Iran and Israel attack gasfields 19/03 09:22 - The Soldier Who Came Back From the Dead 19/03 09:09 - Economic fallout from U.S.-led war is hitting the rest of the world harder 19/03 08:39 - Trump denies knowledge of Israeli gas field attack 19/03 08:39 - Trump denies knowledge of Israeli gas field attack 19/03 08:24 - Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ world’s largest gas field 19/03 08:19 - Iran war: What’s the Jones Act, and why has Trump suspended it for 60 days? 19/03 08:19 - Iran war: What’s the Jones Act, and why has Trump suspended it for 60 days? 19/03 08:09 - US weighs sending thousands of troops to region as Iran war rages: Report 19/03 08:09 - US weighs sending thousands of troops to region as Iran war rages: Report 19/03 07:59 - News24 | ‘Not our war’: European leaders reject Trump pressure to join Iran fight 19/03 07:57 - War enters new phase as Israel attack on Iran gasfield sparks Gulf response 19/03 07:57 - War enters new phase as Israel attack on Iran gasfield sparks Gulf response 19/03 07:04 - Ayman Mhanna: 'Lebanon has become the theatre for a war between Israel and Iran' 19/03 07:00 - UK to cut climate aid to developing countries by 14% to £2bn a year in ‘refocus’ 19/03 07:00 - Leo Varadkar: LGBTQ+ rights in Europe face ‘chill wind’ from east and west 19/03 06:48 - Iran war: What is happening on day 20 of US-Israel attacks? 19/03 06:48 - Iran war: What is happening on day 20 of US-Israel attacks? 19/03 06:44 - Thursday briefing: The largest cluster of cases in a generation – what’s behind the meningitis B outbreak? 19/03 06:33 - Warm settled weather set to continue into the weekend 19/03 06:29 - Visa changes will keep workers away and cause harm to sheep, shearers warn 19/03 06:25 - Australia news live: Tropical Cyclone Narelle forecast to hit far north Queensland three hours earlier than expected; ASX plunges amid Iran war 19/03 06:23 - France's FM to visit Lebanon in show of 'support and solidarity' amid Middle East war 19/03 06:06 - The Iran War’s Economic Threat to Europe and Asia 19/03 06:01 - News24 | Trump administration mulls large troop deployment to Middle East in new phase of Iran war 19/03 06:00 - Stopping gas dictating UK energy price could cut bills by £200, thinktank says 19/03 05:59 - How the Iran war has left Europe facing yet another energy crisis 19/03 05:53 - Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ all of Iran’s South Pars gasfield if Tehran strikes Qatar 19/03 05:00 - Hungary’s Orbán to face pressure over Ukraine loan veto at EU summit 19/03 04:17 - All doctors in England warned to watch for meningitis symptoms after Kent outbreak 19/03 04:09 - EU leaders seek breakthrough on €90 billion Ukraine loan blocked by Hungary's Orban 19/03 03:45 - FBI probing US counter-terrorism chief who resigned over Iran war, reports say 19/03 03:43 - Cathay Pacific suspends flights to and from Dubai until end of April – as it happened 19/03 03:32 - News24 | US intelligence contradicts Trump’s Iran war justification, finds no nuclear rebuilding 19/03 02:57 - ‘Does America have a plan? Israel has a plan. Does America know?’ 19/03 02:57 - ‘Does America have a plan? Israel has a plan. Does America know?’ 19/03 02:43 - EU state’s leader urges return to ‘harmony’ in ties with Russia 19/03 02:33 - Middle East War live: Oil and gas prices soar as Iran intensifies strikes on Gulf energy plants 19/03 02:19 - Three women killed in occupied West Bank missile attack 19/03 02:19 - Three women killed in occupied West Bank missile attack 19/03 02:11 - Saudi FM warns Iran that patience in Gulf not ‘unlimited’ amid attacks 19/03 02:11 - Saudi FM warns Iran that patience in Gulf not ‘unlimited’ amid attacks 19/03 02:11 - Reader callout: are you feeling the petrol pinch in Australia, and how is it affecting you? 19/03 02:09 - Senate Republicans vote down Democrats’ war powers resolution to check Trump on Iran – as it happened 19/03 01:54 - U.S. Intelligence Saw No Change in Iran’s Missile Capabilities Before War 19/03 01:53 - 'Designer' dog owners report more problem behaviours, vets warn 19/03 01:35 - Oil crosses $110 a barrel after gas field strike 19/03 00:49 - Australia’s major fuel suppliers being investigated over alleged price-gouging amid Iran war 19/03 00:44 - US aircraft carrier to sail to Crete for repairs after fire on board 19/03 00:37 - Senate votes down measure aiming to limit Trump’s war powers by 53-47 vote 19/03 00:30 - Iran war live: Gulf energy sites targeted after Israeli attack on gasfield 19/03 00:30 - Iran war live: Gulf energy sites targeted after Israeli attack on gasfield 19/03 00:01 - UK to double steel tariffs to 50% to save plants from collapse 19/03 00:01 - Ban corporate donations to UK political parties to protect elections, says thinktank 18/03 23:59 - Seoul raises terror alert as it prepares to host BTS comeback concert