Daily Peace and Crisis Report

Compiled March 08, 2026, 08:02 AEDT

Middle East: US-Israel War on Iran Enters Second Week

The US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, launched on 28 February 2026 under the name "Operation Epic Fury," has entered its second week with no sign of abatement. At least 1,332 civilians have been killed in Iran and thousands more wounded as the US military's Central Command reports striking more than 3,000 targets, including the destruction of 43 Iranian warships (Al Jazeera). The killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the opening strikes on 28 February has thrown Iran's political leadership into turmoil (Brookings Institution).

US President Donald Trump has demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender," warning that areas of the country not yet targeted face "complete destruction." The first 100 hours of the operation are estimated to have cost $3.7 billion — approximately $891 million per day — with most expenditure unbudgeted, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (Al Jazeera). The US Senate and House of Representatives both voted to reject bipartisan war powers resolutions that sought to halt the conflict.

Iran has responded with sustained waves of missiles and drones targeting Israel, Gulf states hosting US military bases — including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — and a US air-combat centre in Abu Dhabi. Qatar's air defences intercepted nine of ten Iranian drones on Friday. Iran's deputy foreign minister has warned that European nations providing military support will become "legitimate targets." Russia's President Vladimir Putin has offered condolences to Iran and, according to US officials, is providing intelligence on US military positions to Tehran (Al Jazeera).

The war has triggered a significant energy shock, with oil prices surging amid disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint carrying approximately 20 percent of the world's oil supply. Russia has reported a "significant increase in demand" for its energy products as a result (Al Jazeera).

Lebanon: Death Toll Rises to 294 as Strikes Intensify

Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed at least 294 people and wounded 1,023 since Monday 2 March 2026, according to Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health (WAFA). Hezbollah entered the conflict on 2 March, firing rockets at multiple locations in northern Israel and prompting Israel to expand its strikes into Lebanon's south and east, including Beirut's southern suburb of Dahiyeh (Al Jazeera).

Approximately 100,000 people have been displaced and are seeking refuge in hundreds of shelters, with schools in Beirut now serving as emergency accommodation (OCHA). Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun has called on allies to help stop the attacks. France's President Emmanuel Macron has expressed support and stated that "Middle East peace can only be achieved through diplomatic talks." The UK has pledged military support — including fighter jets, helicopters, and a destroyer — to defend Saudi Arabia if necessary (Al Jazeera).

The UN Relief Chief has warned of a "moment of grave peril," noting that UNICEF reports over 190 children have been killed since the escalation began — more than 180 in Iran, seven in Lebanon, three in Israel, and one in Kuwait. The UN refugee agency UNHCR has declared the escalating crisis a major humanitarian emergency requiring an immediate regional response (OCHA).

Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory

The humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated sharply following Israel's closure of all border crossings on 28 February 2026. Aid stocks could not be replenished at the necessary rate, prices of essential goods surged, and medical evacuations were suspended. While the Kerem Shalom crossing reopened on 3 March for the "gradual entry of humanitarian aid," the Rafah crossing remains closed (OCHA).

According to the latest UNRWA Situation Report #211 (covering 25 February – 3 March 2026), between 7 October 2023 and 16 February 2026, 72,063 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip and another 171,726 injured, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health as reported by OCHA. Since the ceasefire in October 2025, an additional 618 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks. An estimated 73,000 displaced people are living in UNRWA collective emergency shelters. Since the ceasefire, 853 people have acquired war-induced disabilities, including 496 amputations and 186 spinal cord injuries.

UN experts have warned against the irreversible "de-Palestinisation" of Jerusalem, stating that "genocide continues in Gaza and spills into the West Bank" (OHCHR). In the West Bank, between 7 October 2023 and 28 February 2026, 1,058 Palestinians — including at least 231 children — were killed, according to OCHA data. Settler violence has intensified significantly: on 3 March, two Palestinians were shot and killed by Israeli settlers in Qaryut, Nablus governorate. An Israeli settler also fatally shot a Palestinian man in Masafer Yatta on 7 March (Reuters). The New York Times reports that Israeli extremists appear to have escalated their campaign to take over more of the West Bank (New York Times).

Ukraine-Russia War: Peace Talks Stalled, Slow Russian Advances

Negotiations aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine war remain ongoing but have produced no breakthrough. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff has confirmed that an agreed prisoner exchange is in progress, but a broader ceasefire agreement remains elusive. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has offered counter-Shahed drone technology as part of negotiations (Russia Matters).

On the battlefield, Russian forces gained 46 square miles of Ukrainian territory in the four-week period from 3 February to 3 March 2026 — roughly two Manhattan Islands — a significant slowdown from the 123 square miles gained in the preceding four-week period, according to analysis by Russia Matters using Institute for the Study of War (ISW) data. Russia now controls approximately 20 percent of Ukraine's territory, including Crimea and parts of Donbas seized prior to the full-scale invasion (Russia Matters).

Russian Perspective: Russia continues to offer only "boilerplate condemnations" of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, according to ISW analysis, while simultaneously providing intelligence to Tehran. The Kremlin has reported economic benefit from the Middle East conflict, citing increased demand for Russian energy exports (ISW).

Cumulative military casualties since 24 February 2022 are estimated at approximately 1,000,000 Russian military personnel killed and wounded, and 250,000–300,000 Ukrainian military casualties, according to a late February 2026 estimate from a highly-informed former senior Western official shared with Russia Matters. UN data records 15,954 Ukrainian civilians killed as of December 2025. Ukraine has 10,600,000 displaced persons — 24 percent of its pre-invasion population — including 6,900,000 internally displaced and 3,700,000 international refugees (Russia Matters).

Sudan: Conflict Intensifies in Kordofan

The civil war in Sudan has escalated sharply in the Kordofan region, where fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia and the Sudanese Armed Forces has killed and injured civilians and destroyed critical infrastructure. A drone strike struck the Dilling General Hospital this week, killing at least four patients. The city of El Obeid in North Kordofan has faced continuous drone attacks over five consecutive days. At least 51 people were killed across South Kordofan between Wednesday and Thursday alone (UN News).

Sudan remains the country with the most people in need globally: 33.7 million people — 60 percent of them children — require humanitarian assistance in 2026, according to the UN's Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan released on 26 February (ReliefWeb/OCHA). Humanitarian access is increasingly constrained, with growing threats to supply routes including the critical road between Kosti and El Obeid. The World Food Programme warns that as Sudan nears three years of war, hunger is mounting and women are paying the highest price (WFP).

South Sudan: 178 Killed in Ruweng Massacre

A deadly pre-dawn attack on 1 March 2026 in Abiemnom County, Ruweng Administrative Area, has killed at least 178 people, including 90 children, women and elderly civilians, as well as 79 members of regional security forces. Dozens of armed youth attacked multiple villages before dawn, setting fire to homes and markets during fighting that lasted three to four hours. The county commissioner and executive director were among those killed (BBC).

Ruweng authorities allege the attackers came from neighbouring Unity state and were linked to the Sudan People's Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO), which has denied involvement. The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) reports approximately 1,000 civilians sought protection near its base in the affected area. MSF described the mass casualty situation as "extremely challenging," with its facility in Abyei overwhelmed by patients. Separately, MSF has reported 26 of its staff missing following violence in Jonglei state, and has suspended medical services in Lankien and Pieri (BBC). The UN has repeatedly warned that South Sudan risks sliding back into full-scale civil war as the 2018 peace deal unravels.

Afghanistan-Pakistan: Border Conflict Escalates

Fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan has intensified significantly along the 2,600-kilometre border. Pakistan has launched devastating airstrikes on Afghanistan, including strikes on the symbolic Bagram Air Base, in what Islamabad has described as an "open war" against the Taliban. The Taliban has retaliated with drone strikes on Pakistani military installations, including Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi. Over 115,000 people have been displaced by the border conflict, adding to the millions already displaced across Afghanistan (OCHA). The UN Relief Chief reports that fighting near the Pakistan border has killed dozens of civilians, including women and children, and damaged a hospital at the IOM transit centre and facilities at the Torkham returnee reception centre. More than 16,000 families have fled their homes in recent days, and border closures have left more than 168 aid containers stranded.

Myanmar: Junta Prepares Sham Parliament as Conflict Continues

Five years after the military coup of February 2021, Myanmar's conflict shows no sign of ending, according to the UN Human Rights Assistant Secretary-General. The military junta is finalising preparations for a military-dominated parliament expected to convene later in March, which critics and international observers have described as a sham transition designed to legitimise junta rule. Resistance forces continue to contest territory across multiple states, with the Arakan Army engaged in fierce fighting around Sittwe. Junta drone strikes are rising across the country, while the junta has launched forced conscription of youth to replenish battlefield losses (ACLED). Burma Campaign UK has called on the UK government to adopt a new approach to the crisis at the UN Security Council.

Haiti: 1.4 Million Displaced as Gang Violence Reaches Record Levels

More than 1.4 million people have been displaced by gang violence and instability in Haiti, according to the latest data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) released on 6 March 2026 — the highest level ever recorded (IOM). Over half of the displaced are children. Armed gangs control much of Haiti, including the vast majority of Port-au-Prince. A US appeals court ruled on 7 March that the Trump administration cannot end Temporary Protected Status for approximately 350,000 Haitians, finding that those returned would be "vulnerable to violence amid a collapsing rule of law" (Reuters). Haiti is attempting to hold its first general election in a decade, but conditions remain deeply insecure.

International Response and Diplomacy

The UN Security Council has been convened in emergency session multiple times this week in response to the Middle East conflict. Russia and China have called for an immediate ceasefire, while the US — holding the Security Council presidency in March — has blocked binding resolutions. The UN Relief Chief has characterised the current situation as a "moment of grave peril," with humanitarian crises escalating simultaneously across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (OCHA).

Pope Leo XIV has called for disarmament and peace for March 2026, urging nations to pursue "dialogue, diplomacy, and the reduction of nuclear weapons." France's President Macron has stated that "Middle East peace can only be achieved through diplomatic talks." Catholic and Christian leaders from around the globe have expressed dismay at the US-Israel campaign against Iran. The UN Special Rapporteur on housing has warned that "domicide" — the mass destruction of homes — is increasing globally, with AI being used to accelerate targeting in conflict zones (UN News).

The UN rights chief Volker Türk has also warned that global inequality is deepening, with the richest one percent capturing 41 percent of all new wealth over the past two decades while the poorest half of humanity received just one percent — conditions that he linked directly to exploitation, human trafficking, and vulnerability to conflict.

Key Statistics

This report is compiled from publicly available primary sources including UN agencies (OCHA, UNRWA, UNICEF, WFP, IOM), Al Jazeera, BBC, Reuters, Russia Matters, Brookings Institution, WAFA, OHCHR, and ReliefWeb. All figures are as reported at time of compilation and may be subject to revision. The report does not represent the views of any government or organisation.