G'day, Middle East correspondent Matthew Doran in Beirut here. Here's today's daily update, to get you up to speed with the latest happenings in the region.
The guessing game about new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamanei's condition continues, with the US president not exactly helping with any clarity there — not that you'd necessarily expect Donald Trump to provide that.
During remarks in Washington, he's cited the varying reports about the new supreme leader's wellbeing — ranging from suggestions Khamanei is injured, perhaps seriously, through to that he is dead.
One report on Sunday suggested he may have been taken to Russia for medical treatment.
Ultimately, there is a feeling that while the supreme leader is an important part of the Iranian machine, it is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps calling the shots and coordinating the retaliatory attacks against Israel and the United States.
Part of that response is choking the Strait of Hormuz, and blocking shipping through the area. The Reuters news agency has crunched the numbers, and said oil exports from the Middle East have dropped by 60 per cent as a result of the action.
That's why you're hearing a lot from people like Donald Trump, and French President Emmanuel Macron, about the potential for military missions to reopen the strait and effectively escort ships through.
The US president said some countries weren't that enthusiastic about helping — before launching another less-than-flattering character assessment of British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. Overnight, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said his country wouldn't be joining the war.
Iran's foreign minister said countries, particularly the Gulf states, needed to clarify their stance on whether they're supporting ongoing military action by the US and Israel on Iran.
Abbas Araghchi posted on X that some neighbouring countries were "actively encouraging this slaughter", as he said hundreds of civilians had been killed in Iran — including more than 200 children.
That's a reminder that Iranian strikes on the gulf will continue — one shut down Dubai International Airport again on Monday morning. Missile barrages on Israel also continue, with a number of people rushed to hospital after some impacts across the country, and occupied East Jerusalem.
The death toll in Israel is 12, while 259 have been injured.
To the north, however, the result of Israel's intense bombardment of Lebanon is getting worse. Lebanon's health ministry said 886 people had been killed in the last fortnight, 111 of them children.
Israel's ground invasion of Lebanon has begun — even though the IDF is labelling it "targeted and limited" operations against claimed Hezbollah targets, after the Iranian-backed group fired upon Israel in solidarity with Iran.
In conjunction with air strikes across the south, and in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, the Lebanese Red Cross said more than 900,000 people had been displaced.
Thanks for joining me. You can keep track of the latest updates from Iran and around the world throughout the day via our live blog.
