Netherlands to move Iran embassy staff to Azerbaijan over safety concerns

A Saudi Arabian arms company has signed a deal to buy Ukrainian-made interceptor missiles and the two countries are discussing a larger arms agreement that could be finalized this week, the Kyiv Independent reported on Tuesday, citing sources in Ukraine's defense industry.

One source said Riyadh and Kyiv were negotiating a "huge deal" that could be completed as early as March 11, the report said.

Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf states are seeking systems to counter ballistic missiles and Iranian-made Shahed drones following recent attacks across the region, according to the report.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday that a dangerous escalation was underway in the Iran war, voicing concern over lack of a joint plan to bring it to a swift end.

"We are particularly concerned that there is clearly no joint plan for bringing this war to a swift and convincing end," Merz said at a press conference in Berlin. "We have no interest in a war without end. We have no interest in the dissolution of territorial integrity.”

He added that he shares US President Donald Trump’s hope that Iran war ends quickly, oil markets would normalize quickly and loosening sanctions on Russia are not considered.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine said on Tuesday the US military would review a range of options if it were tasked with escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

"If tasked to escort, we'll look at the range of options to set the military conditions to be able to do that," Caine told reporters.

He added that US Central Command was continuing to hunt and strike vessels laying naval mines as well as mine storage facilities.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that Iran had fired missiles from schools and hospitals, accusing Tehran of deliberately putting civilians at risk as its military weakens.

"They fire missiles from schools and hospitals deliberately, deliberately targeting innocents because they know their military is being systematically degraded and annihilated," Hegseth said during a Pentagon briefing alongside Dan Caine.

Hegseth said Iran was "desperate and scrambling" and added that Tehran was "badly losing on day 10 of Operation Epic Fury."

He also said US President Donald Trump would never allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.

US says Iran ‘badly losing’ on day 10 of operation

Hegseth said Iran was "desperate and scrambling" and that US forces were pressing their campaign.

"Iran stands alone, and they are badly losing on day 10 of Operation Epic Fury," he said.

"We're crushing the enemy in an overwhelming display of technical skill and military force, we will not relent until the enemy is totally and decisively defeated," he added.

Pentagon outlines objectives of Iran campaign

Hegseth said the operation had three main objectives: destroying Iran's missile stockpiles and launchers, destroying its navy and permanently preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

"One, destroy their missile stockpiles, their missile launchers and their defense industrial base," he said. "Two, destroy their navy, and three, permanently deny Iran nuclear weapons forever."

US expects most intense day of strikes

Hegseth said the United States planned its most intense day of strikes yet.

"For example, today will be yet again our most intense day of strikes inside Iran - the most fighters, the most bombers, the most strikes," he said.

He added that Iran had fired the lowest number of missiles in the past 24 hours since the start of the operation.

A fire broke out at Abu Dhabi’s Ruwais Industrial Complex after a drone attack on Tuesday, the UAE government media office said, adding that no injuries were reported at the site, which houses Abu Dhabi National Oil Company facilities.

The biggest oil refinery at Ruwais halted operations after the drone strike, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.