🇸🇦 — Saudi Arabia downed 26 drones over its eastern regions since early morning (Saudi Defense Ministry)

🇦🇱🇮🇷 — Albania’s parliament adopted a resolution declaring Iran a “state sponsor of terrorism” (Balkan Insight)

🇮🇷🇺🇸 — The US denies needing help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz against Iran (US President)

🇺🇸 — For the first time in 20 years, the largest share of arms exports by the US went to Europe in 2021–25 (SIPRI)

🇫🇷 — In 2021–25 France’s arms exports rose by 21% compared with 2016–20 (SIPRI)

🇺🇦 — Ukraine has sent 201 drone experts to the Middle East (Ukrainian President via AFP)

🇨🇳 — China’s arms imports more than halved (-72%) between 2016–20 and 2021–25 (SIPRI)

🇨🇴🇪🇨 — Bombings on the border between Ecuador and Colombia have left 27 ”charred bodies” (Colombian President)

🇸🇴 — Somalia’s South West State is severing all relations with the country’s federal government (South West officials)

🇮🇷🇮🇱 — Israeli airstrikes killed the commander of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force (IRCG via Fars New Agency)

🇦🇿 — Azerbaijan will keep its borders closed until the summer of 2026 to “prevent the spread of COVID-19” (AZERTAC)

🇱🇧🇸🇾🇺🇸 — The US denies seeking to draw Syria into hostilities against Hezbollah in Lebanon (US Special Envoy for Syria)

🇮🇳 — India was the second-largest recipient of major arms in 2021–25, behind Ukraine (SIPRI)

🇮🇷 — Iran confirms the death of Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani (Fars News Agency)

🇳🇬 — Multiple suicide bombings killed at least 23 people in Maiduguri, Nigeria (Nigerian police)

🇭🇺🇸🇰 — Hungary and Slovakia have agreed to build a new oil pipeline linking the two countries (Slovak Energy Ministry)

🇹🇲 — Turkmenistan’s armed forces are experiencing mass resignations and desertions (The Times of Central Asia)

🇮🇷🇦🇪 — The UAE intercepted over 2,000 projectiles launched by Iran since the start of the war (UAE Defense Ministry)

🇱🇧🇸🇾 — Lebanon has transferred 132 Syrian detainees to their home country (Syrian Embassy in Lebanon via SANA)

🇨🇳🇯🇵 — The number of Chinese visitors to Japan plummeted by 45.2% year-over-year in February (JNTO)

🇮🇷🇮🇱 — Israel has authorized its military to kill any Iranian official identified by intelligence (Israeli Defense Minister)