Middle East Crisis Update — 12:31 CET, March 2, 2026

18+ sources consulted | Day 3 — afternoon

Key Developments

✈️🔥 Kuwait MISTAKENLY shoots down 3 US F-16 fighters — friendly fire: Kuwaiti air defenses downed three US jets. “Fog of war” in the Gulf causes first major allied-on-allied incident. 🔗 Guardian Live | MEE
🇺🇸 US: “Iran’s resistance is crumbling” — official US statement per Guardian live. 🔗 Guardian
⛽ Oil tankers and refineries under attack — AP: war extends to oil infrastructure. Tankers hit in Strait of Hormuz, refineries in Gulf. 🔗 AP News
💀 Iran toll: 555 dead — Al Jazeera updates as US-Israel strikes escalate. 🔗 Al Jazeera
🇱🇧 Lebanese PM to ban Hezbollah — political shift after the group entered the war. 🔗 Haaretz
🇮🇱 Iran missiles continue: sirens across Israel — Hezbollah and Iran keep firing. 🔗 Haaretz
🌍 Gulf Arab states + US condemn Iran’s “reckless” attacks — united front against Tehran. 🔗 Asharq Al-Awsat