Iran tells UN: 'non-hostile' ships can transit Strait of Hormuz
Iran has told the United Nations Security Council and the International Maritime Organization that "non-hostile vessels" may transit the Strait of Hormuz if ‌they coordinate with Iranian authorities, according to a note seen by Reuters on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has all but halted shipments of about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas through the strait, causing oil supply disruption.
The note from Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs was sent to the 15-member Security Council and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday. It was then circulated on Tuesday among the 176 members of the London-based U.N. shipping agency responsible for regulating the safety and security of international shipping and preventing pollution, according to Reuters.
US expected to send thousands more soldiers to Middle East, sources say
The Pentagon is expected to send thousands of soldiers from the U.S. Army's elite 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday, adding to a massive U.S. military buildup even as President Donald Trump talks about a possible deal with Tehran to end the war, Reuters reported.
Reuters first reported on March 18 that Trump's administration was considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. troops, a move that would expand options to include deployment of forces inside Iranian territory. Such an escalation could dramatically raise the stakes in the conflict, which is already in its fourth week and has roiled global markets.
The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not specify where in the Middle East the troops would go or when they would arrive in the region. The soldiers are stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, according to Reuters.
Russia launches 948 drones at Ukraine in largest attack over 24-hour period
Russia has launched the largest aerial attack on Ukraine over a 24-hour period since the war began, hitting cities across the country with 948 drones, BBC reported.
Ukraine's Air Force said 556 drones had been fired since 09:00 local time (07:00 GMT) on Tuesday, in an unusual daytime attack which killed at least three people and injured dozens.
In the western city of Lviv, the 16th century Bernardine monastery - part of a Unesco World Heritage site in the city centre - was damaged, local officials said, according to BBC.
Philippines declares energy emergency over Iran conflict
The Philippines has become the world's first country to declare a state of national energy emergency in response to the conflict in the Middle East, BBC reported.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he had signed an executive order to safeguard energy security, citing the "imminent danger posed upon the availability and stability" of the country's energy supply.
The US-Israel war with Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz - a key shipping route - have sent shock waves through global energy markets, causing shortages and price rises, according to BBC.



