The United States and Iran have signaled no quick end to their war, with US President Donald Trump saying it was necessary to finish the job and Iran warning that the world should be ready for oil at US$200 a barrel after striking tankers in Iraqi waters and other ships near the vital Strait of Hormuz.

Days after the first bombs launched by the United States and Israel on Iranian cities, explosions were heard across Tehran and other locations, including near the Indonesian embassy complex where evacuees were spending some time before leaving the country.

The oil-rich Gulf has borne the brunt of Iran's attacks in response to US-Israeli strikes that sparked the Middle East war, with Tehran targeting US assets but also civilian infrastructure.

South Korea's transport ministry cut construction costs and approved improper airport safety structures for more than two decades, the state auditor said in a report on aviation safety management after a Jeju Air crash that killed 179 people.

Thailand and Vietnam have encouraged public employees to work from home and take up other energy-saving measures as the Middle East war disrupted oil supplies and sent fuel prices swinging.

Australian police helped two more members of the Iranian women's soccer delegation slip their minders to claim asylum, but one has changed her mind and decided to go back to Iran, the country's interior minister said on Wednesday.

The conflict has engulfed the Middle East and roiled energy markets since the February 28 US-Israeli strikes that killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and triggered the war, with Tehran on Tuesday vowing no crude exports would leave the Gulf if the bombardment continued.

French President Emmanuel Macron will convene a call with leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) on Wednesday to discuss the Iran crisis and rising energy prices, the French president's office said.

The United States said Tuesday it was striking Iranian ships capable of mining the crucial Strait of Hormuz and threatened escalation if Tehran presses ahead, as the Middle East war wreaks havoc on global oil markets.

The World Health Organization backs Iran's advice urging people to stay indoors due to toxic air from strikes on oil facilities.

President Prabowo Subianto has claimed that Indonesia maintains its long-standing “free and active” foreign policy, underscoring that Jakarta will continue to avoid aligning with any country or bloc despite rising geopolitical tensions, in his first public statement since the US-Israel war on Iran began on Feb. 28.

Even as governments move to limit the impact on fuel prices, lines have formed at petrol stations in countries including Vietnam, Pakistan and the Philippines, although the situation remains stable elsewhere.

Here are the death tolls from the war as reported by countries as of March 9, more than a week after it began. Reuters has not independently verified these deaths.   

"Our aspiration is to bring the Iranian people to cast off the yoke of tyranny; ultimately, it depends on them. But there is no doubt that with the actions taken so far, we are breaking their bones -- and we are not done yet," Netanyahu said during a visit to the National Health Command Centre on Monday night, according to a statement published Tuesday.

The US and Israeli attack on Iran triggered the biggest spike in oil prices since the turmoil following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, as Gulf producers reduce output after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The remarks from one of Iran's top leaders, who also ruled out negotiations with Washington, came as Tehran launched a new wave of attacks on US-allied Gulf nations hours after Trump's assurances of a swift end to the rapidly widening conflict.

Five players, including captain Zahra Ghanbari, slipped away from the team hotel under the cover of darkness to claim sanctuary from Australian officials.

Von der Leyen stressed that "there should be no tears shed for the Iranian regime".

China's foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters on Monday that Iran's decision to appoint the younger Khamenei was "based on its constitution".

Indonesia has called on authorities in the United Arab Emirates and Oman to fully investigate last week’s explosion of the Mussafah 2 tugboat in the Strait of Hormuz involving five Indonesian nationals, as tensions escalate and attacks persist in the vital shipping lane. 

As Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed Iran's new leader, the benchmark price for a barrel of crude soared beyond $100 for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine four years ago, prompting swift reactions across the world. 

Authorities said the decision applies to all public and private universities across the country, a move that officials said will not only reduce electricity consumption but also ease traffic congestion, which leads to fuel wastage.

China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring the island under its control.

The country also joined Britain, France and dozens of US states requiring websites which disseminate pornography to verify users are over 18. App stores must also run age checks before allowing downloads of software labelled 18+.

There have been numerous attacks on ships navigating the strait since the US-Israeli war on Iran started on February 28.

In a lengthy statement, the assembly said that "after careful and extensive studies... in today's extraordinary session, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei (may Allah protect him) is appointed and introduced as the third leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran, based on the decisive vote of the respected representatives of the Assembly of Experts."

On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV prayed "that the roar of the bombs may cease, the weapons may fall silent, and a space for dialogue may open".