Live! Iran threatens Israeli, US varsities; its Speaker warns US against ground invasion

North Korea conducts engine test for missile capable of targeting US mainland

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed a test of a high-thrust, solid-fuel engine test and hailed it as a development to boost the country's strategic military capability, state media reported Sunday.

The test likely indicates Kim is intent on enlarging and modernising an arsenal of missiles capable of reaching the United States mainland.

The report on Sunday from Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) came days after Kim delivered a speech at North Korea's Parliament pledging to irreversibly cement his country's status as a nuclear power and accusing the US of global “state terrorism and aggression,” in an apparent reference to the war in the Middle East.

Kim watched the ground jet test of the newly upgraded engine using a composite carbon fibre material, according to the KCNA, which reported the engine's maximum trust is 2,500 kilotons, up from about 1,971 kilotons reported in a similar solid fuel engine test in September.

A push to increase the engine power is likely associated with efforts to place multiple warheads on a single missile to increase chances of defeating US defences, observers say.

The KCNA did not report exactly when or where the test occurred. The test was conducted as part of the country's five-year military escalation program. The plan's objectives include upgrading “strategic strike means,” the KCNA reported.

Qatar appreciates Pakistan's efforts to promote peace in West Asia

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday spoke with Prime Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and both the leaders discussed prevailing regional developments and emphasised the importance of urgent de-escalation.

Prime Minister of Qatar appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace in West Asia. He said this during a telephonic conversation with Dar, according to a statement by Foreign Office.

“The Qatari side appreciated Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to promote peace and stability through dialogue and diplomacy,” it said. It also said that the two leaders discussed prevailing regional and international developments and emphasised the importance of urgent de-escalation.

They reaffirmed the deep-rooted Pakistan-Qatar brotherly ties and agreed to remain in close contact on evolving developments.

Separately, Dar held a telephone conversation on Saturday with the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, Sugiono and the two discussed regional and international developments, as well as bilateral matters of mutual interest.

"Reaffirming strong fraternal ties between Pakistan and Indonesia, they agreed to remain in close contact," according to a statement.

The contacts were made ahead of a key meeting of foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt and Pakistan on Sunday in Islamabad where they would exchange views on the West Asia conflict. 

Explosions rock Irbil as attacks target US sites

 Interceptions and drone activity were heard for hours overnight Saturday across Irbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, including drones shot down while attempting to target the US consulate and nearby bases.

AP journalists in the area reported non-stop loud explosions and saw at least one drone headed toward American facilities, in one of the most intense days of attacks since the war began.

Iran-aligned militias in Iraq have stepped up repeated drone and missile attacks on US bases, including in Irbil.

In a statement on Saturday, the US condemned what it called “despicable terrorist attacks” by Iran's militant groups, saying the strikes on Kurdish regional President Nechirvan Barzani's residence in Irbil earlier that day were “a direct assault on Iraq's sovereignty, stability and unity.” The attack caused material damage but no casualties, and the residence was empty at the time.

Iran-backed Houthis enter month-old war, could further threaten global shipping

Iranian-backed Houthi rebels entered the month-old war in the Middle East on Saturday, claiming two missile launches at Israel.

The Houthis' entry could further hurt global shipping if they again target vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait off the Red Sea, through which about 12 per cent of the world's trade typically passes. 

Houthi Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said on the rebels' Al-Masirah satellite television station that they launched missiles toward “sensitive Israeli military sites” in the south.

If the Houthis increase attacks on commercial shipping, as they have in the past, it would further push up oil prices and destabilize “all of maritime security,” said Ahmed Nagi, a senior Yemen analyst at the International Crisis Group. “The impact would not be limited to the energy market.” The Bab el-Mandeb, at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is crucial for vessels heading to the Suez Canal through the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia has been sending millions of barrels of crude oil a day through it because the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed.

Houthi rebels attacked more than 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones, sinking two vessels, between November 2023 and January 2025, saying that it was acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war.

The Houthis' latest involvement would complicate the deployment of the USS Gerald R Ford, the aircraft carrier that arrived in Croatia on Saturday for maintenance. Sending it to the Red Sea could draw attacks similar to those on the USS Dwight D Eisenhower in 2024 and the USS Harry S Truman in 2025.

The Houthis have held Yemen's capital, Sanaa, since 2014. Saudi Arabia launched a war against the Houthis on behalf of Yemen's exiled government in 2015, and they now have an uneasy ceasefire.

US ramps up military presence in Middle East with 3,500 Marines on USS Tripoli

In a significant military buildup in the Middle East after a month of conflict with Iran, the US Central Command announced that 3,500 Marines and sailors aboard the USS Tripoli arrived in the region on Saturday. This marks the largest US deployment in the Middle East in two decades.

“U.S. sailors and Marines aboard USS Tripoli (LHA 7) arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility on March 27,” CENTCOM stated on X.

Photos shared by CENTCOM show troops in combat gear, wearing helmets and goggles. These Marines supplement the 50,000 US personnel already stationed in the Middle East. The assault ship also carries transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and tactical equipment alongside the Marines.

The USS Tripoli and elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard are based in Japan. They were conducting exercises near Taiwan when they were redirected to the Middle East nearly two weeks ago.

In addition to the Tripoli, the USS Boxer and two other vessels, along with another Marine Expeditionary Unit, have been ordered to the Middle East from San Diego.

The deployment has sparked speculation that Washington may be preparing for a potential ground operation inside Iran. If executed, it would significantly expand America’s military presence in the region, despite US President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions that Tehran is engaged in peace talks with Washington to resolve the conflict.