US Secretary of War Hegseth on the war with Iran: “The world, the Middle East, our ungrateful allies in Europe, even some of our own press, have only one thing to say to President Trump: ‘Thank you!'” Hegseth confirmed that the Pentagon is requesting approximately $200 billion for the war with Iran: “It takes a lot of money to kill bad guys.”
It should be remembered that the United States spent between $2 and $3 trillion during the 23-year war in Iraq and $2.3 trillion in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021. And in Iran, $200 billion in three weeks.
Following conflicting statements from various news outlets about Joe Kent, attributed to senior Trump administration officials, CBS News reports that the FBI is investigating Joe Kent, former director of the National Counterterrorism Center, for alleged classified leaks. The investigation was reportedly conducted before his resignation from the FBI’s Criminal Investigation Division.
US President Donald Trump said he warned Netanyahu of the inadmissibility of targeting oil and gas facilities in Iran and promised to halt such attacks. This news was confirmed at a press conference by Benjamin Netanyahu.
Among the actions under discussion to stem the oil crisis caused by the situation in Hormuz, the United States may lift sanctions on Iranian oil, US Treasury Secretary Bessent told Fox Business.
When asked, “Are you planning to send more troops to the region?” Trump replied, “No, I’m not sending troops anywhere. If I did, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.”
The war with Iran has led to the involuntary expulsion of American citizens from the region. The U.S. State Department announced that over 70,000 Americans have returned to the United States from Western Asia since the start of the war imposed on Iran during Ramadan.
The President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Tufan Erhurman, responded to criticism of Turkey’s actions regarding military tensions in the region: “They criticize the F-16s sent here by Turkey and feel entitled to even comment on the issue.” “According to the status of this country, the Republic of Turkey is the guarantor of the entire island. And what about France? And the Netherlands? What status do they have from the island’s point of view?”
France is preparing a UN-level mission to unblock the Strait of Hormuz. One possible option could be the adoption of a resolution supported by the Gulf countries and Europe. This would allow the formation of a broader international coalition to ensure the safety of navigation. The Iranian ambassador to France has declared that the country’s new Supreme Leader is alive and well. The diplomat also denied the existence of a bunker where Iranian politicians are reportedly hiding.
The French General Staff will take action after the coordinates of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier were leaked via a soldier’s smartwatch, AFP reported.
Israeli Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen: “The damage to the electricity grid in the north is localized and minor.” Electricity company teams are already on site and have restored power to most of the affected areas. Power will be restored shortly in the remaining areas. Furthermore, the bombings in the north have not caused significant damage to Israeli infrastructure. The CEO of the Haifa Oil Refinery Company echoed his words: “The fire that broke out this evening in the Haifa oil refineries caused damage worth NIS 6 million.”
The Israeli Ministry of State Security and police report that an Israeli reservist serving in the Iron Dome missile defense battalion has been arrested and charged with spying for Iran for money.
Benjamin Netanyahu: “You can’t make revolutions from the air… there must also be a ground component.” “There are many possibilities for the ground component, and I take the liberty of not sharing them all with you.” Netanyahu, in an interview with Israeli media, stated: “There are many signs that the Iranian regime is collapsing, and we are working to create the conditions for its collapse. Maybe it will survive, maybe not, but if it does, it will be at its weakest point.” Netanyahu also claimed that Israel acted alone in the attacks on an Iranian gas field and that Trump has asked him to refrain from further attacks. “I think the Americans will open the Strait of Hormuz and oil prices will collapse,” the Israeli prime minister stated.
The Lebanese Ministry of Health: 1,001 dead, 2,584 wounded since the beginning of the fighting. The clashes in southern Lebanon are continuing.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry: “The aggression in southern Syria on March 20 is taking place under fabricated pretexts as part of Israel’s policy of escalation.” This refers to Israel’s attack on Daraa in defense of the Druze.
QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi, in an interview with Reuters: “We may have to declare force majeure on LNG contracts for up to five years, which would have repercussions on Italy, Belgium, Korea, and China. I mean, these are long-term contracts for which we have to declare force majeure. We have already done so, but for a shorter period. Now it will be for any duration.” Last night’s Iranian attack destroyed 17% of Qatar’s natural gas export capacity, and repairs are expected to take three to five years. Based on pre-war market estimates, Iran managed to destroy approximately 3.5% of global LNG capacity with a single attack.
Qatar arrested two Al Jazeera analysts on charges of supporting Iran. Media sources say Qatari authorities have arrested Saeed Ziad and Fatima Al-Samadi, political analysts for the broadcaster and research center Al Jazeera, on charges of supporting Iran in the ongoing war.
The United Arab Emirates announced it had neutralized a terrorist network, controlled and funded by Hezbollah and Iran, involved in money laundering and terrorist financing. According to The National: “Abu Dhabi police arrested 109 people for sharing images of Iranian attacks.”
Ansar Allah spokesman in Yemen, Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, harshly responded to recent statements by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. “In the video, al-Bukhaiti sarcastically questions Saudi “Islamic ethics”: “The Saudi Foreign Minister says Iran must respect Islamic ethics. How incredible! Is it Islamic ethics to open its territory to America and the Zionist entity to attack Iran?” Bombing Yemen for 10 years, destroying funerals, weddings, hospitals, and mosques?
According to Israel Hayom, there are attempts to communicate with Iran to keep the energy sector and the Strait of Hormuz out of the war equation.
Internet access in Iran has been unavailable for 20 days, according to the international internet monitoring service NetBlocks.
Agence France Presse, citing Iranian Ambassador to Berlin Majid Neli, said that Iran has asked Germany to clarify the role of the US air base in Ramstein in the conflict. The Israel Defense Forces officially confirmed: “A nighttime airstrike killed Ali Mahmoud Naa’ini, spokesman and public relations officer of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
An official statement from Iran is awaited. Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps announced, following reports that the United States is accelerating the deployment of thousands of Marines and Sailors in West Asia: “We eagerly await the US Marines.” Iran has also drawn a red line for the United Kingdom, warning that opening its bases to US attacks will be considered direct involvement, increasing tensions in an already volatile situation.
Qalibaf to Muslims: “We should strive to establish a security system in the region based on brotherhood among us, not on trust in the enemies of Islam. Any disagreement among Muslims serves the grand conspiracy of our common enemies in this region. They promise support and security, but they are liars and bring only war, insecurity, and hostility. Any Muslim who trusts America, the main sponsor of the massacres in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran, will find no support or help for himself.” “You know that anyone America dresses in a robe is actually naked.”
Russian Foreign Ministry calls for thorough investigation into “targeted” missile attack on RT correspondents in Lebanon
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged the parties in the region to cease military operations as soon as possible. The statement emphasized the need to prevent further escalation of the conflict. According to Beijing, “the current tensions have a direct impact on the energy, finance, trade, and international transport sectors. It stated that this situation harms the common interests of all countries.” China condemned the killing of Iranian national security chief Ali Larijani by an Israeli airstrike on Thursday, calling it unacceptable.
And now, a look at the ongoing military scenarios in the Middle East and West Asia, updated at 3:00 PM on March 20. A US Air Force F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at a US Army base in the Middle East after being hit by anti-aircraft fire during a combat mission over Iran. A Central Command spokesperson said the plane landed safely and that the pilot is in stable condition. Iran claimed responsibility for the attack in a video, indicating the use of a surface-to-air missile.
Captain Tim Hawkins, a spokesperson for US Central Command, confirmed to CNN that the plane was “conducting a combat mission over Iran” when it was forced to make an emergency landing, and that “the incident is under investigation.”
At least 16 U.S. military aircraft were reportedly destroyed in the war with Iran, including approximately 10 Reaper drones.
The United States is “accelerating the deployment” of 2,500 Marines for Western Asia, including three amphibious assault ships. Source: Newsmax
Britain to install a £17.5 million satellite monitoring system in Akrotiri, Cyprus.
Beginning around 4:00 PM on March 19, six waves of attacks were launched from Iran against Israel. What they triggered: a fire at a Haifa oil refinery hit by a missile. Power outage in the Kiryat Ata area, in Haifa Bay, a petrochemical plant in Haifa was hit. A total of three sensitive sites in the Haifa region were reportedly hit by Iranian missiles. Warnings of hazardous material leaks in Haifa due to the attacks.
Another launch from Iran was recorded at 5:45 PM on March 19, hitting Haifa again with another power outage. At 11:00 PM, another launch from Iran toward Israel. By 11:30 PM, six launches were recorded. Israeli air defense systems were unable to intercept the Iranian missile. Impacts on Haifa’s Shemen Beaches. According to the IRGC, solid- and liquid-fueled missiles were used, including Qadr, Khorramshahr, Khaibar Shekan, Qiyam, and Zulfiqar, along with attack drones.
Around 2:00 AM, the seventh wave of attacks against Israel was launched. An Israeli Arrow-3 missile failed to intercept an Iranian missile. At 10:00 AM, Israeli sources reported damage to a building in Rehovot. At 12:30 PM, Iranian missiles again fired against targets in Rehovot, resulting in nine settler injuries of varying severity. At 1:00 PM, the eighth wave of Iranian attacks against Israel was launched from Iran. Israeli media reported: “An Iranian cluster missile fell in Modi’in and the Ginton area, near Ben Gurion Airport.”
Several attacks against Israel were carried out simultaneously with Hezbollah, which struck: Kiryat Shmona, with four injured, one in critical condition, due to the fall of a rocket launched by Hezbollah. A swarm of attack drones also attacked the Israeli base of Shamshon, west of the Sea of Galilee. Around 8:00 AM in Israel, one of the Iranian submunitions fell inside the Palmachim air base, on the Tel Aviv coast. On March 20, at 1:00 PM, Hezbollah again launched approximately 20 rockets toward the Galilee. On March 20, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for attacks against: the settlement of Shlomi with a missile attack and the settlement of Avivim with rockets.
On March 20, the IDF dispersed worshippers with tear gas near the Bab al-Sahra gate, coinciding with the closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Around 3:00 PM: Sirens went off in Nahariya and the surrounding area due to fears of infiltrating drones.
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a series of attacks against the IDF in Lebanon from March 13 to 20: in Khiam, rocket launchers were fired against a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the southern neighborhood of the city. A rocket attack was also launched against a gathering of Israeli soldiers at the new Tel al-Hamamis base, south of Khiam, also on March 13. And again, rockets were fired against a gathering of Israeli soldiers in Khalet Al-Assafir, south of the city of Khiam, and in Kfarjaladi. And in the second attack, rockets were fired. On March 20, Hezbollah attacked a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the Aytron Forest with a rocket barrage and then again, against a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the Al-Marj area, opposite the border town of Markaba, with a second rocket attack. A barracks in Kafra Jallad was also hit by a rocket barrack, Kfarjalad by a rocket attack, the settlement of Hanita by a rocket attack, and the barracks in Baranit (headquarters of the 91st Brigade) by a rocket attack.
In Syria, Israel attacked in the province of Daraa. An ammunition depot and a Syrian army headquarters were destroyed, while a 12th brigade and 89th regiment were hit in Izraa.
The Central Intelligence Agency/U.S. Army reconnaissance aircraft hangar in Erbil was damaged, and the residences of U.S. military officers were destroyed in attacks on March 19.
Three Kuwaiti Eurofighters were destroyed, while two Italian Eurofighters were damaged but repairable at the Kuwaiti base. On the night of March 19-20, explosions were heard at a U.S. military base in Kuwait following a combined missile and drone attack. The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation reported that the Mina Al Ahmadi refinery in the port was targeted by drone attacks, causing a fire and forcing the closure of a significant portion of the facility.
According to Greek news outlet Kathimerini, a Patriot PAC-2/3 air defense system deployed in Saudi Arabia shot down two incoming Iranian ballistic missiles. A few days ago, it was also reported that Greece had transferred 20% of its stockpile of PAC-2/3 surface-to-air missiles to the United Arab Emirates. On the 20th, at approximately 3:00 PM, explosions rocked Saudi Arabia.
Fuel tanks on a US military aircraft were destroyed in Bahrain, and an air defense equipment depot at the US Army’s Riffa base in Bahrain was destroyed.
A small team of anti-drone specialists, sent by Kiev to Doha a few days ago to assist Qatar in the fight against Iranian drones, is encountering obstacles in negotiations with the defense industry. In exchange for this assistance, Kiev is demanding that Doha hand over its fleet of 12 Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets. Doha is currently ignoring Kiev’s request. As a result, negotiations to strengthen Qatar’s anti-drone capabilities are stalled.
Fuel tanks on a US military aircraft were destroyed in Dubai.
The United States is considering a naval blockade or seizure of Iran’s Kharg Island, Axios reports, citing sources. According to the portal, this is Washington’s attempt to force Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz.
Satellite images show the destruction of a missile production facility in the Iranian city of Karji. During reconnaissance flights by U.S. drones on March 20, the Revolutionary Guards Navy destroyed an American drone.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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