Fighting in the Middle East continues, escalating regional tensions and raising international concerns. The military strikes and subsequent retaliatory actions are affecting not only the countries involved but also the global economic situation.

NEWS.am provides an overview of the key developments that took place overnight into Friday.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced a series of strikes on central Tehran. “A short while ago, the IDF completed a large-scale series of strikes targeting infrastructure sites of the Iranian terrorist regime in central Tehran,” the military said on its Telegram channel.

The Pentagon is considering deploying up to 10,000 U.S. troops to the Middle East in preparation for a potential expansion of the conflict with Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing Defense Department officials familiar with the plans.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he decided to postpone attacks on Iranian energy facilities for another 10 days to allow for negotiations with Tehran. According to him, the decision was made “at the request” of the Iranian government — a claim Tehran denies.

The Strait of Hormuz “could be reopened as soon as tomorrow,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on March 26. “It can be opened tomorrow if Iran stops threatening global shipping,” he told reporters.

Meanwhile, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, warned on March 26 that there is a risk of a major nuclear accident following attacks on the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.