Iran live updates: 7th killed service member is identified

Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, was killed in Saudi Arabia.

ByDavid Brennan, Jon Haworth, Kevin Shalvey, Leah Sarnoff, Meredith Deliso, Nadine El-Bawab, and Bill Hutchinson ABCNews logo
Last updated: Monday, March 9, 2026 3:00PM GMT
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President Donald Trump announced "major combat operations" against Iran on Feb. 28, with massive joint U.S.-Israel strikes attack targeting military and government sites, officials said.

Iranian state television confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed in Tehran on the first day of strikes. His son Mojtaba Khamenei was chosen on Sunday to succeed him.

Iran is responding to the operation with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel, regional U.S. bases and multiple Gulf nations. Israel is also intensifying its long-running strike campaign against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in Lebanon.

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Mar 08, 2026, 7:52 PM GMT

Pope Leo warns the conflict in Iran is fueling fear and hatred

In his Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square on Sunday, Pope Leo warned that the conflict in Iran was fueling fear and hatred and raised concerns that it could spread further as fighting escalates.

"We raise our humble prayer to the Lord that the clamor of bombs may cease, that weapons may fall silent, and that a space for dialogue may open up in which the voice of the peoples can be heard," Leo said.

-ABC News' Joe Simonetti

Mar 08, 2026, 7:51 PM GMT

Injuries reported in central Israel from 'projectile fragments'

Israeli police said on Sunday that they are responding to "several impact sites involving projectile fragments" within the Central and Tel Aviv districts.

Israeli emergency services said they were transferring at least six injured people to a hospital, including one man in serious condition.

Property damage has also been reported, according to the police.

"A short time ago, the Israel Police received reports regarding the fall of projectile fragments. Police officers and police bomb disposal units are currently operating at the scenes to isolate and secure the impact sites," the police said in a statement.

-ABC News Jordana Miller

Mar 08, 2026, 11:07 AM GMT

22 killed in Lebanon on Sunday, including 3 killed in Beirut hotel strike, media and ministry say

Israeli strikes continued to hit Lebanon overnight and into Sunday morning.

Overnight, three people were killed and nine others were wounded, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health, in what appeared to be a targeted strike on an upscale hotel in Beirut, outside the evacuation order area.

Since midnight, 22 people have been killed, most of them in southern Lebanon, according to Lebanon's official National News Agency.

-ABC News' Ghazi Balkiz and Victoria Beaule

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Mar 08, 2026, 11:14 AM GMT

Acid rain warning issued in Tehran after oil depot fire

Fires caused by Israeli strikes on oil reservoirs in Tehran on Saturday were still burning on Sunday, Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency reported Sunday.

Due to the high volume of flammable materials, it was not possible to completely extinguish the fire at the moment, and the existing fuel must be allowed to burn gradually while conditions are managed, Fars said, quoting experts.

Tehran residents were warned to protect themselves against acid and toxic rain following the massive fire.

Iran's Environmental Protection Agency issued a statement saying that the entry of a significant amount of pollutants into Tehran's air following recent U.S. and Israeli attacks on fuel depots has put citizens' respiratory health at risk, state media reported Sunday. The organization urged citizens to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities and stay indoors as much as possible.

Iran's Red Crescent Society also warned that explosions at the tanks have released toxic compounds, including hydrocarbons and sulfur and nitrogen oxides, into the atmosphere, which could become highly dangerous and acidic if it rains, state media reported Sunday.

The Red Crescent added that such rainfall could cause chemical burns to the skin and serious damage to the lungs.

-ABC News' Somayeh Malekian