Bad news for the United States: Donald Trump claims that most NATO “allies” have told the United States they do not want to participate in a military operation against Iran. The president, piqued, declared: “The United States no longer needs the help of NATO countries, Japan, Australia, and South Korea due to their refusal to unblock the Strait of Hormuz.” Finland joins the long list of NATO countries that have rejected the United States’ request to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz. Emmanuel Macron: “France will never take part in operations to open or clear the Strait of Hormuz under the current circumstances.” “France did not choose this war. We are not taking part in it; our position is purely defensive.”
Furthermore, after a fire in the laundry room aboard the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) last week, which spread to several compartments, the U.S. Navy was forced to remove 1,000 mattresses from the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), under construction in Norfolk, over the weekend and ship them to Ford, according to USNI News. Additionally, the Navy collected nearly 2,000 overalls and other clothing items to distribute to the crew, as many sailors are unable to wash their own clothes due to the lack of laundries while the ship is en route to Souda Naval Base on the island of Crete, where it will likely undergo emergency repairs.
Trump, however, said: “Things are going pretty well with the Iranians. They can’t have nuclear weapons, and they’re starting to realize that.” According to US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, on X: “After a careful review of all information available to him, President Trump has concluded that the Islamist terrorist regime in Iran poses an ‘imminent threat’ and has acted on that conclusion.”
Meanwhile, costs are rising: US spending on the war with Iran could exceed a trillion dollars, The Intercept reports, citing expert estimates and data on military spending dynamics. The publication explains that this figure would occur if the operation entered a prolonged phase, requiring not only missile strikes but also ground interventions and the subsequent stabilization of the region.
According to the Israeli Ministry of Health: “192 people have been injured in the last 24 hours and 3,727 since the start of the war, of whom 74 are currently being treated.” The Israeli Ministry of Transportation is assessing the airspace situation over Israel to determine whether it should be closed or modified for several hours due to the possibility of large-scale Hezbollah missile attacks against northern and central Israel, Chennel 12 reports.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu once again called on the Iranian people to rise up against the government after claiming responsibility for the deaths of Iran’s Security Advisor and Intelligence Minister. “So celebrate and have a happy Nowruz. We are watching over you from above.” Israeli Defense Minister Katz: “Significant surprises are expected on all fronts, which will take the war to a new level.” Minutes after the announcement, it was learned that refineries in southern Iran had been bombed.
A message from Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, to the Muslim nation of Jordan: “The Muslim nation of Jordan should demand that its government not allow criminal America and the usurping and false Zionist regime to use Jordanian land.” as a basis for aggression against Islamic Iran and the Muslim people of Iran.”
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani: “In connection with the exceptional circumstances, we have decided to allow oil exports through the region’s pipeline as soon as possible to overcome the current crisis.”
Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company, Saudi Aramco, resumed operations at its Ras Tanura refinery on the Persian Gulf coast on March 13, following the March 2 drone attack. Reuters reported, citing data from industry monitoring firm IIR. The Ras Tanura refinery, with a refining capacity of 550,000 barrels per day, is the largest in the kingdom.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry: “Attacking energy infrastructure is a threat to global energy security, the people of the region, and the environment.” Oil prices in Kuwait are $143, and in Oman they are $173. dollars.
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor and spokesman to Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nayan, ruler of the United Arab Emirates, shamelessly called Iran’s targeted responses a grave mistake, arguing that they are twisting against them, pushing Arab states closer to Israel and the United States. He even went so far as to suggest the United Arab Emirates participate in US-led patrols in the Strait of Hormuz.
Rumors are circulating that Iran is threatening to cut the undersea cables carrying internet to Persian Gulf countries if they continue to host American forces. The cables crossing the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea carry approximately 17% of global internet traffic. If damaged, severe internet disruptions, potentially lasting months, could occur.
Iran has been earning approximately $140 million a day from the Strait of Hormuz during the war. Since the start of the conflict, despite the Strait of Hormuz being closed to ships connected to the United States and Israel, approximately 24 million barrels of Iranian oil have passed through it. This has generated approximately $140 million in daily oil revenue for Iran.
The effects of the Strait of Hormuz crisis have affected Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). Swedish newspaper Dagens Industri reports that SAS will cancel 1,000 flights in April due to the surge in oil and jet fuel prices, triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran and the closure of the Strait of Messina. Jet fuel prices have doubled in 10 days. Oil prices surged on March 18 due to the bombing of Iranian refineries.
Eight pharmaceutical plants were damaged in Iran during the Ramadan War. Regarding the Iranian uprisings, senior Israeli officials told American diplomats that Iranian protesters will be “destroyed” if they take to the streets against their government, even though Israel has publicly called for a popular uprising in the country. Israel’s recent assessment is that the Iranian government “is not giving up” and is ready to “fight to the end,” despite an ongoing large-scale bombing campaign and the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to a State Department cable reviewed by the Washington Post.
Iran announced that Ali Larijani was killed along with his son, his deputy, and a group of bodyguards while at his daughter’s home. Intelligence Minister Seyed Ismail Khatib was also killed in a second attack.
According to the Fars news agency, Iran has appointed three to seven deputies for each military position to ensure continuity of leadership and operations in the event of commanders’ deaths. Iranian officials also claim: “The Strait of Hormuz will open only after a ceasefire and the fulfillment of Tehran’s conditions.” This statement was reinforced by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf: “The situation in the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its pre-war state.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview: “The Iranian political system is stable and does not depend on individuals.” “I don’t understand why the Americans and Israelis haven’t yet understood this: the Islamic Republic of Iran has a solid political structure with consolidated political, economic, and social institutions,” he told Al Jazeera, commenting on the assassination of Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
Araghchi also stated: “We don’t believe in a ceasefire. We believe in the end of the war; the end of the war precisely means the end of the war on all fronts,” stressing that an end to the war across the region—Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, and other regional countries—would lead to a lasting resolution of conflicts throughout the region. “I believe that peace in the region must be inclusive, truthful, and involve all countries,” he reiterated.
Regarding the possible extension of the war to other countries in the region, he said: “When the United States attacks us, our missiles and drones cannot reach American soil, and we are therefore forced to respond by targeting US military bases and infrastructure in the region, which unfortunately are located throughout the territory of our friendly countries.”
He reiterated that Iran did not strike civilian targets in neighboring countries, while acknowledging that in some cases unintended damage may have occurred, but stressed that Iran had no such intention.
Araghchi also referred to a message from President Masoud Pezeshkian, in which he apologized to the countries of the region for the damage caused, stating that the apology is a sign of strength and honor in Iran and that the President’s message was delivered out of respect for the difficulties faced by the countries of the region.
He then added that the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei, is in excellent health.
The minister concluded by stating that this was a war fought by the United States and that, ultimately, the United States must answer for it before its own people, the Iranian nation, the peoples of the region, and even future generations.
Army Commander-in-Chief General Hatami: “Iran’s response to the assassination of the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council will be decisive and regrettable.”
Nuclear tensions: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has informed us that a projectile hit the Bushehr nuclear power plant site on Tuesday evening, but did not cause any damage to the facility or injure any personnel.
A death sentence has been carried out in Iran. The death sentence was carried out against Kourosh Keyvani, “a spy for the Israeli regime who provided Mossad officers with images and information on sensitive locations in the country.” The sentence was carried out after legal proceedings and confirmation by the Supreme Court.
Russia categorically condemns the attack on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, announced Rosatom CEO Alexey Likhachev. He clarified that approximately 480 Russian employees are still employed at the nuclear plant.
And now, a look at the military scenarios in the Middle East and West Asia, updated at 3:00 PM on March 18. On the night of March 17, from 8:00 PM to midnight, Iranian missiles were reportedly launched against Israel, including cluster missiles and decoys. The Negev, Mervyn, and Beit Shemesh were targeted. Tel Aviv suffered several casualties, at least two deaths, and many buildings in the city center were hit. Severe damage occurred throughout the region. The missiles’ cluster bombs can disperse within an 8 km radius. Power outages were reported in some areas; impacts also occurred in Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, and Petah Tikva. According to Israeli media, a single missile carried a fragmented warhead containing approximately 60 bombs, distributed across 20 locations.
Hezbollah launched missiles against Israel: heavy rocket bombardment to the north.
Around 10:30 PM on March 17, Fars News reported that “an Iranian special forces operation deep in the Israeli-Palestinian border targeted a high-ranking member of the regime’s security cabinet.” No further information was available on what happened.
Starting at 2:30 a.m. on March 18, sirens are again in action in: Dimona, Tel Aviv, an attack near Ben Gurion Airport. Three private planes were damaged. Israeli Civil Defense: “Our teams are handling reports of nuclear warhead explosions in central Israel.” Sirens are still in action at 7:00 a.m. on March 18. Explosions in the Gaza area. At 10:00 a.m., a new air raid warning is issued: Explosions in Haifa and Tel Aviv. Israeli injuries are reported. The Iranian army is targeting the Zionist strategic supply base. Sirens are still in action at 12:30 p.m. Italian time in Misgav Am, Galilee. The Pasdaran warns the Haifa refineries to evacuate. At 2:30 p.m., a new launch from Iran: Explosions rock West Bank cities. The sound of six powerful explosions was heard in Tel Aviv. Magen David Adom: “We have received reports of Iranian rocket fragments falling in several areas of the greater Tel Aviv area”; rocket shrapnel fell in the Bat Yam area. Cluster munitions were reported. Residents of the Central region reported hearing explosions hitting Ramat Gan; north of Tel Aviv, Beit Haikfa: “Israeli medical evacuation: We have received several reports of targets hit in various areas of Tel Aviv by Iranian missiles.”
Israeli attacks continue in Lebanon: a residential building in the Bashour neighborhood of Beirut was bombed. Hezbollah is responding: an Israeli military helicopter carrying wounded soldiers made an emergency landing at Rambam Hospital after arriving from the north. The incident followed clashes with Hezbollah fighters in refugee camps; there are also reports of Israeli military casualties.
The Hebrew-language website Hadashot Habeizk: A Shin Bet spokesperson: “In a joint operation between the Shin Bet and the Israeli military, Wasim Mustafa Hussein Taha, a senior official in the Hamas financial unit, was killed earlier this week (Sunday) in Sidon, Lebanon. Head of the Hamas financial unit.” Israeli warplanes flew very low over Sidon and the coast. On March 18, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a March 13 operation against the IDF near the new Tel al-Hamamis base, south of Khiam, with a missile strike. The Islamic Resistance claims to have blocked an attempt by Israeli soldiers to advance near Khiam prison with firefights.
Israeli raid targets the town of Toul, near Sheikh Ragheb Harb hospital in southern Lebanon.
Iraq remains targeted by pro-Iranian militias from Iran and the United States/Israel. Four strong explosions were heard in Erbil, near the US Consulate General and the Free Zone. Numerous large-scale explosions were reported inside the Iranian-Kurdish terrorist opposition headquarters in Erbil, northern Iraq, presumably struck by an Iranian drone. At 1:30 a.m. on March 18, explosions rocked a US base in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan.
Militia groups also struck the US Embassy in Baghdad twice on the night of March 17. A third attack occurred in the first half hour of March 18. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq released footage on Tuesday (March 17, 2026) showing a swarm of drones targeting US occupation forces (Victoria). An Iraqi security source told Al Jazeera: “A logistics support base near Baghdad airport was targeted by a drone attack.”
Israeli-American attack on a Popular Mobilization Forces headquarters in Al-Qaim
On the night of March 17-18, explosions were reported following a kamikaze drone and ballistic missile attack against American targets in Kuwait.
Launches toward Saudi Arabia hit a US military base in Sultan. New satellite images show multiple strikes within the section of the Prince Sultan airbase used by the United States in Saudi Arabia, with at least three confirmed impact sites, including inside a US compound. The strikes targeted aircraft hangars, warehouses/shelters, and a gymnasium, and struck operational areas including service and maintenance areas.
Alerts were issued in Bahrain on the night of March 17 and the morning of March 18.
New satellite images confirm the destruction of Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates following Iranian attacks. The strikes hit barracks/residential buildings and nearby buildings. Craters are visible, and roofs have collapsed. Explosions were reported in Dubai overnight.
Following the elimination of the Basij commander: In the last few hours, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have attacked Basij militia positions scattered in Tehran. An attack has been reported on the Bushehr nuclear power plant. According to a statement from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, 230 people (dead and wounded) were hit by their missiles in Israel during the night between March 17 and 18. Israel has not confirmed the news.
A US/Israeli attack on a Red Crescent ambulance in Lar County, Iran, targeted Red Crescent rescuers while they were carrying out a humanitarian mission. Around 12:30 on March 18, a new attack against Iran was launched, hitting the Iranian oil facilities of South Pars and Asaluyeh. An enemy missile attack on the Asaluyeh refinery. These attacks hit various phases of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth refineries. Currently, employees have been evacuated to safety, and rescue teams and firefighters are attempting to extinguish the fire. Governor of Asaluyeh: “These operations have been suspended to control and prevent the fire from spreading. The situation is under control, and firefighting teams from South Pars and the Pars Special Economic Zone are working to extinguish the fire. A crisis management center has been established, and necessary measures to provide assistance are underway. No casualties have been reported so far.” Israeli media: “The attack on the South Pars gas facilities by the Israeli Air Force was carried out in coordination with American authorities.” In Iran, the Ministry of Oil: “Some facilities in the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone (Asaluyeh) were attacked by the American-Israeli enemy.”
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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