United News of Bangladesh

Human Rights Watch reported Monday that the Israeli military “unlawfully” targeted a village in southern Lebanon with white phosphorus shells, a controversial incendiary weapon. By geolocating and verifying seven images, the group said Israel fired white phosphorus artillery at residential areas in the village of Yohmor. The strikes occurred hours after the Israeli military warned residents of Yohmor and dozens of other southern Lebanese villages to evacuate. Human Rights Watch could not independently confirm whether anyone remained in the area or if civilians were harmed. Israeli helicopters conduct overnight raid deep in Lebanon The Israeli military did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In previous statements, it has said white phosphorus is used as a smoke screen and not to target civilians. Human rights experts say using white phosphorus in populated areas violates international law. The chemical can ignite buildings and burn human flesh down to the bone, leaving survivors at risk of infection or organ and respiratory failure, even from minor burns. Ramzi Kaiss, a Lebanon researcher at Human Rights Watch, said, “The Israeli military’s unlawful use of white phosphorus over residential areas is extremely alarming and will have dire consequences for civilians.” Groups including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International noted that Israel also used white phosphorus repeatedly during its last war with Hezbollah over a year ago in southern Lebanon while civilians were still present.

Lebanon experienced a tense night as reports emerged just before midnight of Israeli helicopters flying along the Lebanese-Syrian border, apparently attempting to land infantry forces. Hezbollah said it engaged the helicopters and ground troops using what it called “appropriate weapons.” The incident follows a similar Israeli helicopter operation two days ago near Nabi Chit in the Bekaa Valley, about 70 km from the Israeli border. Unlike routine incursions into southern Lebanon, this was a deep air operation. The Israeli military said the mission aimed to recover the remains of an airman missing in the area for more than 40 years. When troops landed, they came under fire from Hezbollah, prompting the Israeli air force to carry out dozens of strikes within minutes, killing 41 people and wounding more than 40 others. Iran war expands into civilian infrastructure with Bahrain water plant strike The purpose of Monday night’s attempted infiltration remains unclear. Meanwhile, military operations across Lebanon continue, with southern regions enduring multiple air strikes over the past 24 hours. Among them, a strike on a residential building caused multiple casualties, adding to the rising toll from the ongoing conflict.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of Iran’s late leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been chosen as the new supreme leader of Iran amid the ongoing war involving the United States and Israel, according to state media reports. Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the war when attacks targeted his compound in Tehran. The strike also killed Mojtaba’s mother, wife and one of his sisters. The 56-year-old cleric was reportedly not present at the time and survived the bombing. Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the 88-member clerical body responsible for selecting the country’s supreme leader, confirmed his appointment and called for national unity. In a statement carried by state media on Sunday, the assembly said Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen through a “decisive vote”. The body urged Iranians, “especially the elites and intellectuals of the seminaries and universities”, to “pledge allegiance to the leadership and maintain unity”. Although he has never run for public office or faced a nationwide vote, Mojtaba Khamenei has long been considered an influential figure within the inner circle of Iran’s leadership. Over the years he developed strong connections with the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its affiliated paramilitary forces. His rise to the top position suggests that hardline factions within Iran’s political establishment continue to hold significant influence, potentially signalling limited willingness by Tehran to enter negotiations in the near future. For years Mojtaba Khamenei had been mentioned as a likely successor to his father, who served nearly eight years as president and then ruled as supreme leader for more than three decades before his death. However, the new leader has largely kept a low public profile. He rarely gives speeches or public lectures, and many Iranians have never heard his voice despite his long-standing influence within the ruling establishment. His possible succession had long been considered sensitive because it could resemble a hereditary transfer of power similar to the monarchy that ruled Iran before the Iranian Revolution. Allegations over protest crackdowns For nearly two decades, critics inside and outside Iran have linked Mojtaba Khamenei to the suppression of anti-government protests. Reformist figures first accused him of influencing the disputed 2009 presidential election that returned Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power. The election triggered mass demonstrations known as the Green Movement. Opposition groups claimed that the paramilitary Basij force, which operates under the Revolutionary Guard, was used to crack down on protesters. The Basij has since played a central role in suppressing several waves of nationwide demonstrations, including recent protests in which international organisations and the United Nations said thousands of people were killed during security operations earlier this year. Iranian authorities have repeatedly blamed the unrest on “terrorists” and “rioters” allegedly supported by the United States and Israel. Military ties and economic influence Mojtaba Khamenei built close links with the Revolutionary Guard during the 1980s when he served in its Habib Battalion during the Iran–Iraq War. Many of his former comrades later secured influential positions in Iran’s security and intelligence institutions. Western governments have imposed sanctions on him, and media reports have alleged that he controls a large financial network spanning several countries. According to reports cited by Bloomberg, he has been linked to Iranian businessman Ali Ansari, whose Bank Ayandeh collapsed last year after heavy debts and controversial loans to insiders. The bank’s dissolution reportedly worsened Iran’s inflation as some losses were covered using public funds. Neither Khamenei nor Ansari has publicly responded to the allegations. Questions over religious credentials Another issue surrounding Mojtaba Khamenei’s leadership is his clerical rank. He holds the title of hojatoleslam, a mid-ranking position within the Shiite clerical hierarchy, rather than the higher title of ayatollah traditionally associated with the supreme leadership. However, his father was also not an ayatollah when he assumed the role in 1989, and Iran’s laws were later adjusted to accommodate his leadership. A similar arrangement could again be made if needed. With heavy bombing continuing across Iran and authorities imposing widespread internet restrictions, it remains unclear when the government will formally announce the next steps in its leadership transition. With inputs from Al Jazeera

Iranian state television early Monday announced that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the country’s late supreme leader, has been appointed as his successor. Mojtaba had long been viewed as a potential candidate for the position, even before his father was killed in an Israeli strike at the outset of the ongoing war. Despite his influence, he has never held an elected office or been formally appointed to a government post. As supreme leader, he will oversee key national decisions, including military strategy, with Iran’s powerful paramilitary Revolutionary Guard directly answering to him. Trump threatens ‘very hard’ strikes; Iran rejects surrender demand Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump told ABC News on Sunday that he wants a role in determining who ultimately leads Iran after the war, warning that any new leader “is not going to last long” without his approval. Separately, the U.S. military said a seventh American service member has died from injuries sustained during an Iranian attack while stationed in Saudi Arabia. The previous six casualties were Army reservists killed in a March 1 strike on a port in Kuwait. U.S. intelligence officials also believe Russia has shared information with Iran to help target American troops and assets in the Middle East. In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview on Sunday that military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow “is not something new.” At the same time, growing evidence indicates that a deadly explosion at an Iranian elementary school on February 28 was likely caused by a U.S. airstrike. The incident resulted in the highest reported civilian death toll since the war began, drawing strong criticism from the United Nations and human rights organisations. The United States has not accepted responsibility but said it is looking into the allegations. The conflict has continued to take a heavy toll, with at least 1,230 people reported killed in Iran, more than 300 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel, according to officials in those countries.

Oil prices jumped above $114 per barrel on Monday for the first time since 2022 as the escalating Iran war threatened energy production and shipping routes in the Middle East. Brent crude, the international benchmark, rose past $114 after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, marking a 23% increase from Friday’s closing price of $92.69. U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was also trading near $114 per barrel, about 25% higher than its Friday close of $90.90. The surge came as the conflict’s impact widened. Bahrain accused Iran of striking a desalination plant vital to drinking water supplies, while Israeli overnight strikes set oil depots in Tehran on fire. Last week alone, U.S. crude prices rose 36% and Brent crude climbed 28% as the war, now in its second week, spread to areas critical for global oil and gas production and transport. About 15 million barrels of crude — roughly 20% of the world’s supply — typically pass daily through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Rystad Energy. However, threats of Iranian missile and drone attacks have largely halted tanker traffic through the strategic route. Major producers such as Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE have cut output as export disruptions filled storage tanks. Meanwhile, Iran, Israel and the United States have targeted energy facilities since the war began, raising fears of supply shortages. The price spike has unsettled financial markets, with Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 plunging more than 7% early Monday. In the United States, gasoline rose to $3.45 per gallon Sunday, about 47 cents higher than a week earlier, according to AAA. Analysts warn sustained prices above $100 per barrel could strain the global economy.

At least 104 Iranian personnel were killed and 32 wounded in a U.S. attack on an Iranian warship last week, Iran’s army said, according to Fars news agency. The warship, IRIS Dena, was torpedoed and sunk by a U.S. submarine in the Indian Ocean during the ongoing conflict, reports Al Jazeera. The United States is reportedly pressing Sri Lanka diplomatically over the handover of Iranian sailors who were rescued following the attack.  

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said Iran’s next supreme leader “is not going to last long” unless Tehran obtains Washington’s approval to replace the slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Speaking to ABC News, Trump said, “He’s going to have to get approval from us. If he doesn’t get approval from us he’s not going to last long.” The remarks come as Iran’s clerical body responsible for selecting Khamenei’s successor reportedly completed voting and is expected to announce a name soon, reports Al Jazeera.  

Mike Waltz, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said the U.S.-led war on Iran is intended to eliminate a threat Tehran has posed to the Middle East for decades. Speaking on NBC’s Meet the Press, Waltz described the military progress over the past week as “truly extraordinary,” claiming Iran’s air force and air defenses have been largely destroyed and more than 40 Iranian navy ships have been sunk, reports Al Jazeera. He added that President Joe Biden and other U.S. officials are outlining the campaign as a measure to “protect the American people and eliminate this threat once and for all.”

Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi on Sunday criticized recent military actions by the United States, Israel, and Iran, calling for restraint and a return to diplomacy. In a post on X, Albusaidi said he was “pleased” to participate in a virtual meeting with his Arab League counterparts, reports Al Jazeera. “The action taken by Israel and the US against Iran is both immoral and illegal,” he wrote. “But the retaliation by Iran against its neighbours is also deeply regrettable and unacceptable. I call for restraint on all sides, a ceasefire, and an urgent return to diplomacy.”

As missiles and drones disrupt energy production in the Persian Gulf, analysts warn that water, not oil, may be the region’s most vulnerable resource. On Sunday, Bahrain accused Iran of damaging a desalination plant, while Tehran said a U.S. airstrike hit one of its facilities. Hundreds of desalination plants line the Gulf coast, supplying millions in cities across Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia—where up to 90% of drinking water comes from these systems. Without them, urban populations could not be sustained. Desalination plants, often paired with power stations, are vulnerable to attacks on energy infrastructure. Experts say any disruption—whether from missiles, drones, or cyberattacks—can cascade across interconnected systems. “Each of these critical plants is extremely vulnerable to sabotage or military action,” noted David Michel of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The war, which began Feb. 28 with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, has already brought conflict near key facilities. Iranian strikes hit Dubai’s Jebel Ali port near one of the city’s largest plants, while damage was reported at Kuwait’s Doha West facility and the UAE’s Fujairah F1 complex. The threat echoes past conflicts. During Iraq’s 1990-91 invasion of Kuwait, retreating forces sabotaged desalination and power plants, leaving the country largely without freshwater. Smaller Gulf states like Bahrain and Qatar have fewer backup supplies, heightening the risk of national crises. Climate change adds another layer of vulnerability. Rising temperatures, cyclones, and rising seas can overwhelm coastal plants, while desalination itself produces high carbon emissions and environmental byproducts. Iran, facing extreme drought, also struggles with water scarcity. Tehran’s reservoirs dropped to 10% capacity, prompting evacuation warnings, though most of Iran’s water comes from rivers and underground aquifers rather than desalination. Experts warn that ongoing war, combined with existing water shortages and fragile infrastructure, could trigger severe humanitarian crises across the Gulf.