LIVE UPDATES: Conflict in the Middle East (March 11, 2026)

As virtually no tourists are coming to Dubai, first to feel the effects of the war are those in the travel sector.

Malou Prado, owner of MPQ Travel and Tourism, said the tensions cause “flight disruptions, cancellations, reduced tourism demand, financial losses, and operational stress for travel agencies.”

“Ramdam na ramdam namin ang epekto ng tension sa Middle East. Bilang travel business owner, talagang malaking hamon siya dahil sunod-sunod ang rebooking, refund requests, at pagbabago ng travel plans ng mga kliyente. Marami ring natatakot bumiyahe kaya bumababa ang bagong bookings,” Prado told GMA News Online.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the country’s largest business organization, is backing the government’s move to adopt a four-day workweek scheme to conserve energy amid rising petroleum prices due to the Middle East conflict.

However, the PCCI said that “such an arrangement is only feasible for certain industry sectors.”

“For manufacturing and other industries with continuous and specific operational requirements, this setup may not be practical,” the group said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Senate Committee on Ways and Means on Wednesday approved “in principle” the proposals allowing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to suspend or reduce excise tax on fuel amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Senator Pia Cayetano, chairperson of the committee, said she will wait for the House of Representatives to pass their own version of the bill on third reading and transmit it to the Senate before sponsoring it on the plenary floor, hopefully by Monday next week. 

The Department of Agriculture (DA) is looking into tapping the Office of the President’s P10-billion fund for the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fisherfolk (PAFF) Program to expand and extend the fuel subsidy assistance for farmers and fishermen if the impact of the Middle East conflict is prolonged.

“We are inquiring about the Presidential Assistance to Farmers and Fishers… That’s about P10 billion for calamity purposes scheduled for release in second or third quarter of this year but since this can be considered as [a calamity]. We are already coordinating with the operations group on how this can be tapped if the problem in the Middle East would be prolonged,” DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said.

DOHA, Qatar - Several blasts rang out across the Qatari capital Doha on Wednesday, AFP correspondents said, as Iran's retaliatory strikes on the Gulf entered a twelfth day.

"The security threat level is high," the interior ministry posted on X, urging "everyone to adhere to staying at home, not going out, and staying away from windows and open areas to preserve public safety".

Singapore is offering to fly home Filipinos and other Southeast Asian nationals as it deploys military aircraft to repatriate Singaporeans who want to leave the Middle East due to the raging war in the region, its top envoy to Manila said Wednesday.

Ambassador Constance See told GMA News Online that she already conveyed to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila the Singaporean government’s offer to help repatriate Filipinos aboard Singaporean aircraft that are being dispatched to the troubled region.

Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei is "safe and sound" despite reports of an injury during the war with Israel and the United States, said the son of the Iranian president on Wednesday.

"I heard news that Mr. Mojtaba Khamenei had been injured. I have asked some friends who had connections. They told me that, thank God, he is safe and sound," said Yousef Pezeshkian, who is also a government adviser, in a post on his Telegram channel. 

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday expressed support for allowing some Senate employees to work from home as part of efforts to conserve energy amid tensions in the Middle East.

Sotto said the proposal could help reduce electricity and fuel consumption.

Some truckers have begun limiting their trips as soaring diesel prices make it harder to sustain operations, prompting a transport group to seek a 30% increase in trucking rates.

Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations director Connie Tinio said many truck operators are opting not to travel because the high cost of fuel requires larger capital to complete a single trip.

DUBAI/TEL AVIV/WASHINGTON — The US and Israel traded air strikes with Iran's military across the Middle East as the besieged Tehran government warned its state security forces were ready with "fingers on the trigger" to confront any revival of anti-government protests.

Following an exchange of some of the heaviest bombardments in the region yet on Tuesday, the combatants renewed their attacks on opposing targets in Israel, Lebanon and the Gulf early on Wednesday as the war stretched into its 12th day.