Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos on Tuesday declared a state of national energy emergency amid the Middle East conflict.

JERUSALEM, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Tuesday that it has struck more than 3,000 targets in Iran since its military operation began on Feb. 28.In a statement, the IDF said the strikes are part of ongoing efforts to further degrade Iran's core systems and capabilities.On Monday, dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets conducted a large-scale wave of airstrikes targeting infrastructure sites in central Tehran based on real-time intelligence, the statement said.The targets included several command centers, among them two belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Intelligence Organization and one affiliated with Iran's Intelligence Ministry, it said, adding that weapons storage facilities and air defense systems were also struck.The Israeli-U.S. strikes against Iran have entered their third week, and the conflict has spread across the Middle East as Iran and its regional allies responded with missiles and drone strikes targeting Israeli and U.S. bases and assets in the region.Early on Tuesday, Iran launched a new wave of missiles towards Israel, state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting reported, saying that the missiles passed through several Israeli missile defenses.

BEIRUT, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon on Tuesday requested the departure of Iran's appointed ambassador after declaring him persona non grata, the Foreign Ministry said.The ministry said it had summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Lebanon, Toufic Samadi Khoshkhoo, and informed him of the decision, requesting that appointed ambassador Mohammad Reza Sheibani leave Lebanese territory by Sunday.Meanwhile, Lebanon recalled its ambassador to Iran, Ahmad Sweidan, for consultations over what it described as Tehran's violation of diplomatic norms and the principles governing relations between the two countries.The move came amid rising tensions between Lebanon and Iran in recent months, including disputes over the accreditation of the new Iranian ambassador and Lebanese objections to statements by Iranian officials that were seen as interference in Lebanon's internal affairs.Lebanese authorities have also recently taken measures to regulate the presence and activities of Iranian nationals in the country, further escalating diplomatic strains between the two sides.

TEHRAN, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran will continue its war with the United States until its demands are met, including full reparations, economic sanctions relief and guarantees of non-interference in its internal affairs, said an Iranian official on Monday.Former Chief Commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Mohsen Rezaei made the remarks in an interview with state-run IRIB TV, saying that this is the decision of Iran's people, Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and the armed forces.His remarks came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew his threat of attacking Iran's power plants within 48 hours, and he said that the United States and Iran have held very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East.Rezaei, also a member of Iran's Expediency Discernment Council, warned that if aggressors target Iran's infrastructure, Tehran's response would go beyond an eye for an eye to a head for an eye.You will be paralyzed and drowned in the Persian Gulf, he said.Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities on Feb. 28, with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, senior military commanders and civilians killed in the strikes.Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israeli and U.S. bases and assets across the Middle East.

TEHRAN, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty held a phone call on Tuesday to discuss the aftermath of recent U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.The two sides exchanged views on the regional and international consequences of the unlawful aggression by the United States and Israel, emphasizing Iran's right to legitimate self-defense, according to a statement released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.Araghchi elaborated on Iran's positions regarding the attacks and described the Iranian armed forces' response as decisive and lawful. Abdelatty briefed Iran on Egypt's consultations with regional and international players aimed at de-escalating tensions in West Asia.The developments came amid heightened regional tensions following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran starting on Feb. 28, to which Iran and its regional allies responded with attacks on Israeli and U.S. interests across the Middle East.

Myanmar marked the 66th anniversary of World Meteorological Day in Nay Pyi Taw on Monday, the state-owned daily Global New Light of Myanmar reported on Tuesday.

Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and his Iranian counterpart, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, on Monday stressed security in the Caspian region.