US & ‘Israel’ at war with Iran | Day 20 coverage

Sirens activated in Jordan amid danger

Alert period ends in Jordan.

Sirens blare in Jordan amid ongoing regional tensions.

Iranian media reported a loud explosion in the southern part of the capital, Tehran.

Russia on Thursday accused the ‘Israeli’ military of deliberately targeting a television crew from state-run RT while they were reporting from southern Lebanon, leaving a reporter and a cameraman wounded.

“The crew’s clothing clearly read ‘press’ and they were carrying only cameras and microphones. All these circumstances indicate that the attack on the journalists was deliberate and targeted,” said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova in a statement.

The ‘Israeli’ military responded by saying the TV crew had been operating in an area from which a warning to evacuate had been issued. It added that it “has never and will never deliberately target journalists.”

Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani condemns Iran's attacks on the state's main gas hub after Tehran sent waves of attacks against Gulf energy infrastructure a day earlier, saying it has "significant repercussions for global energy supplies."

The immediate aftermath of a direct strike on the Bazan Group oil refinery in Haifa. The video captures thick smoke rising from the industrial zone and the sound of secondary explosions as emergency sirens wail across the city. The attack follows a massive wave of missile and drone launches from various fronts earlier today. The Bazan refinery, one of the largest energy hubs in the Mediterranean, has reportedly sustained significant damage to its storage tanks and cooling towers.

'Israeli' Channel 14 reports that two people were injured in Kiryat Shmona in northern 'Israel' following a rocket strike from Lebanon.

The 'Israeli' news site Walla reports that Iran’s recent strike caused damage to oil refineries in Haifa.

CNN reports that a US F-35 fighter jet made an emergency landing at a US base in the Middle East following an attack believed to be carried out by Iran.

Air raid sirens were activated in the southern ‘Israeli’ city of Ashkelon, followed by alerts in Ashdod and its port, local Hebrew media reported, after attacks launched from Iran.

Authorities confirmed that Iran fired a cluster missile toward northern Tel Aviv, triggering widespread alarms and prompting residents to seek shelter. Emergency services remain on high alert as the situation develops, with defensive measures deployed across multiple regions.

Haifa is facing a widespread power outage following a recent Iranian attack, local authorities report. The strike has disrupted electricity supply across several parts of the city.

Jordanian authorities sound the alarm to alert citizens that the warning period has ended.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has arrested 178 spies working for the United States and ‘Israel’ since the start of the war on Iran, Mehr News Agency reports.

The IRGC stated that those detained were sending images and coordinates of Iranian Red Crescent Society centers and military checkpoints to foreign intelligence agencies for targeting.

A new salvo of rockets fired from Lebanon set off air raid sirens in the ‘Israeli’ town of Avivim, local authorities reported, urging residents to seek shelter immediately.

Shortly after, multiple explosions were heard across central and southern ‘Israel’ following the arrival of Iranian missiles.

Air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv, nearby settlements, and wide areas across the region, prompting emergency services to advise people to stay in safe locations as the situation develops.

In another escalation, the ‘Israeli’ army targeted journalists from Russia Today (RT) during a live broadcast in southern Lebanon.

This is not the first time 'Israel' has targeted journalists.

In Gaza alone, by early 2026, around 250 journalists and media workers were reported to have been killed since October 7, 2023, marking one of the deadliest periods for the press in recent decades.

Sirens sound in Jordan.

The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council said Iran’s targeting of the Samref refinery, Yanbu port, and a refinery south of Riyadh constitutes a “terrorist act,” condemning the strikes amid escalating regional tensions.

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry announced that sirens have been activated, calling on residents to immediately head to the nearest safe location as a precaution amid rising regional tensions.

The ‘Israeli’ Home Front Command said air raid sirens were activated in the town of Sasa in the Upper Galilee, northern ‘Israel’, warning of potential incoming threats.

The UAE Ministry of Defense said its air defenses are currently responding to missile and drone attacks launched from Iran, as tensions continue to escalate across the region.

‘Israel’ says its strike on Iran’s South Pars natural gas field was carried out in coordination with the United States, according to Reuters.

The report, citing three ‘Israeli’ officials, noted that the attack was jointly aligned with Washington but may not be repeated. There has been no immediate confirmation from US officials.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that Washington might "unsanction" Iranian oil that is already being shipped, as energy prices surge due to the war in the Middle East.

Speaking to Fox Business, Bessent added that the US government could also release more oil from its strategic reserves.

Recently, the United States also temporarily allowed the sale of sanctioned Russian oil that is at sea as US-‘Israeli’ strikes on Iran envelop the Middle East in war.

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) released footage on Thursday of what it says are US forces destroying Iranian navy targets that “threaten international shipping in and near the Strait of Hormuz.”

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday there is no "time frame" for ending the US-‘Israeli’ war against Iran, which was launched three weeks ago.

"We wouldn't want to set a definitive time frame," Hegseth told reporters, adding that "we're very much on track" and that President Donald Trump will be the one to decide when to stop.

"It will be at the president's choosing, ultimately, where we say, 'Hey, we've achieved what we need to.'"

An explosion was heard on Thursday afternoon near the international airport of Erbil city in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region, AFP journalists reported, saying they saw smoke rise just outside the surrounding fence.

A witness said two similar explosions were heard in the morning. Erbil is home to a major US consulate complex, while its airport houses US-led coalition troops.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it carried out the 64th wave of its “True Promise 4” operation, targeting sites in central and northern ‘Israel’.

In a separate statement, the Iranian army said drones targeted ‘Israel’s’ Ministry of National Security in occupied Jerusalem and Hebrew Channel 13 in Tel Aviv.

The IRGC added that targets in the latest wave included Ben Gurion Airport, oil refineries in Haifa, and sites in Rishon LeZion.

Iranian forces said they used Qadr, Emad, Kheibar Shekan, and Khorramshahr missiles equipped with multiple warheads.

The IRGC also said it targeted the United States Navy’s United States Fifth Fleet using medium-range missiles.

Iran's military renewed threats on Thursday to destroy the region's energy infrastructure were its facilities to be attacked again during the US-‘Israel’ war with the Islamic republic.

"We warn the enemy that you made a major mistake in attacking the energy infrastructure of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the response is underway and not yet finished," the military's operational command Khatam Al-Anbiya said in a statement carried by Fars news agency.

"If it is repeated, subsequent attacks against your energy infrastructure and that of your allies will not stop until their complete destruction, and our response will be far more severe than" last night's attacks.

The bodies of three Palestinian women killed after a missile attack are taken out of the morgue of the Dura hospital in the West Bank to be brought away for burial. 

Falling shrapnel struck a hair salon in the town of Beit Awa near Hebron overnight, killing the three women, according to the Palestine Red Crescent Society, marking the first Palestinian deaths in the ongoing Middle East war.

The aftermath of ‘Israeli’ airstrikes on a neighborhood in Tyre (Sour), Lebanon, as ‘Israel’ ramps up its strikes across the country claiming to have the end goal of neutralizing Hezbollah.

French President Emmanuel Macron warned Thursday of a "reckless escalation" as Iran struck a
series of Gulf energy sites after an ‘Israeli’ attack on its South Pars gas field.

Speaking on arrival at EU talks in Brussels, Macron warned that if Middle Eastern energy "production capacities themselves are destroyed, this war will have a much more lasting impact," calling for "direct talks between the Americans and Iranians on this matter."

Iranian lawmakers have proposed a plan to impose tolls and taxes on ships passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, local media reported on Thursday.

"We in parliament are pursuing a plan under which countries will pay tolls and taxes to the Islamic republic if the Strait of Hormuz is used as a secure route for transit, energy and food security," Tehran lawmaker Somayeh Rafiei was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency.

Oil prices extended gains on Thursday after strikes against energy infrastructure in the Middle East raised further concerns over supply.

Brent North Sea crude jumped more than 10 percent to $119.13 a barrel, while the main US oil contract West Texas Intermediate rose 2.6 percent to $98.81 a barrel.

Iranian missiles have struck the world's largest liquefied natural gas hub in Qatar, while drones hit oil refineries in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Jordan’s all-clear sirens ring out to signal end of danger

Warning sirens sound across Jordan

Three blasts were heard over the Tel Aviv area on Thursday, after the ‘Israeli’ military announced it had detected missiles fired from Iran.

"A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel. Defensive systems are operating to intercept the threat," the military said.

All-clear sirens sound across Jordan

Sirens activated in Jordan amid danger

A drone crashed into the Saudi oil refinery Samref in the industrial zone of the Red Sea port of Yanbu, the defence ministry said, adding that a damage assessment was underway.

Earlier Thursday, the ministry said on X that it had intercepted a ballistic missile targeting the port.

The Samref refinery is owned by the Saudi state energy giant Aramco and the Mobil Yanbu Refining Company, a subsidiary of US company ExxonMobil.

Saudi says intercepted missile targeting Red Sea port of Yanbu

Footage published by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) showing fighter jets taking off from an aircraft carrier and heading to carry strikes against Iran in the ongoing war. 

A fire erupted at a second refinery owned by Kuwait's national oil company after a drone attack, the information ministry said.

"One of the operational units of the Mina Abdullah refinery, belonging to the Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) was targeted by a drone attack, triggering a fire at the site," the ministry said on X.

The company's other oil refinery, Mina Al-Ahmadi, was also struck by a drone on Thursday, sparking a small blaze.

The Government of Dubai Media Office and the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism rejected circulating rumors alleging that the country has imposed strict capital controls, including freezing foreign investors’ bank accounts and restricting money transfers and capital repatriation.

The Dubai Media Office labeled the claims as “RUMOUR” and contrasted them with the “FACT: The UAE’s economy is strong, and Dubai will continue to remain a global economic hub” on their X account.

The rumors gained traction earlier this month amid heightened regional geopolitical tensions. Following Iranian missile and drone strikes on Gulf targets, UAE regulators temporarily suspended trading on the Dubai Financial Market, Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, and Nasdaq Dubai for two days on March 2–3, alongside temporary price limits to manage volatility.

The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) also issued warnings about fake news spreading during the period of uncertainty.

Denying false reports

Fake News
The UAE introduces strict laws to prevent foreign investors from withdrawing their capital and leaving Dubai.

These measures reportedly include freezing bank accounts and imposing restrictions on money transfers and capital movement.

Fact:
The… pic.twitter.com/clk2wg126u

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) March 18, 2026

Images show a residential building damaged in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, shortly after loud explosions were heard in the area as the ‘Israeli’ military said it had detected missiles fired from Iran.

The US armed forces "still do have tricks up their sleeve," says White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, commenting on the war in the Middle East.

"Rest assured, there is a plan, they're working on it," she also tells reporters at the White House, as oil prices rocket following US-‘Israeli’ strikes on Iran on February 28.

Strikes killed two fighters from the former paramilitary coalition Hashed al-Shaabi in northern Iraq early Thursday, according to two statements from the group.

The two attacks targeted their positions in the Nineveh region, where Mosul city is located, and a military airport in Salah al-Din province, according to the statements from the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), now part of Iraq's regular armed forces.

The group blamed the attack on ‘Israel’ and the United States.

China condemned on Thursday the killing of Iranian national security chief Ali Larijani by an ‘Israeli’ air strike, calling it "unacceptable".

"We have always opposed the use of force in international relations. The acts of killing Iranian state leaders and attacking civilian targets are even more unacceptable," China's foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a press conference, when asked about Larijani's death.

European gas prices soared as much as 35 percent on Thursday as fresh strikes hit energy infrastructure in the Middle East, including Qatar's main gas facility.

The Dutch TTF natural gas contract, considered the European benchmark, jumped to 74 euros, before paring gains slightly.

Two waves of Iranian strikes caused "extensive damage" at Ras Laffan in Qatar, the world's largest liquefied natural gas hub, raising fresh concerns over energy supplies.

A drone attack on a refinery owned by Kuwait's national oil company on Thursday sparked a fire at one of the units, state-media said.

"Kuwait Petroleum Corporation announced that one of the operational units of the Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery... was the target of a drone attack, triggering a limited fire," the Kuwait News Agency said, adding that no one was injured.

Kuwait’s air defenses are actively responding to incoming missiles and hostile drones, the military reports.

Air raid sirens sound across Tel Aviv following the detection of missiles fired from Iran.

Sirens sound to announce end of alert period

Air raid sirens blare across Jordan

Iran executed three people on Thursday convicted of killing police officers and carrying out operations in favour of the United States and 'Israel' during unrest earlier this year, the judiciary said.

"Three individuals convicted in the Dey (January) unrest, on charges of murder and operational actions in favor of the Zionist regime and the United States, were hanged this morning," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said.

It added that those executed were involved in the killing of two law enforcement personnel.

Defense forces successfully intercepted an Iranian missile fired toward northern 'Israel', targeting the Galilee and Golan regions.

Civil Defense successfully extinguishes all fires in Ras Laffan Industrial Area with no reported injuries.

U.S. military and diplomatic installations have increased security measures as concerns grow that Iranian retaliation could extend to officials and bases on American soil, The Washington Post reports.

Reportedlly there was a series of unidentified drones that were detected over Washington’s Fort McNair, the base that houses senior military leaders and where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reside, though officials have not yet determined their origin.

The sightings, which occurred over a single night in the past 10 days, have prompted closer threat monitoring and a White House meeting on how to respond.

The heightened alert coincides with a global security warning issued for U.S. diplomatic posts and lockdowns at several domestic bases, including Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, where force protection levels were elevated to Charlie, indicating a possible threat. At MacDill, the FBI is investigating a suspicious package, and a separate security incident triggered a shelter-in-place order, according to base statements.

Officials have considered relocating Rubio and Hegseth in response to the Fort McNair drone activity, but the senior administration official said neither has been moved. The Pentagon declined to comment on the drones or on officials’ movements, calling specific reporting on such matters “grossly irresponsible.”

The State Department also ordered all U.S. diplomatic missions worldwide to conduct immediate security evaluations, citing “the ongoing and developing situation in the Middle East and the potential for spillover effects,” per a reviewed cable.

Unidentified drone threats have been a recurring concern in recent years. U.S. officials have reported similar incidents around then-President Donald Trump and other top figures following the U.S. strike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in 2020.

During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump’s security detail encountered drones at multiple events, and officials reportedly warned him that Iran had contemplated assassination attempts, though no direct links were confirmed. Iranian threats have also targeted former officials such as Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, leading to extended security protection under the Biden administration.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to destroy Iran's key South Pars gas field if there were further attacks against Qatar's main gas plant.

Trump confirmed on his Truth Social platform that Israel had struck the South Pars field but said the United States "knew nothing" of the attack, which spurred Iran to launch an attack on Qatar's Ras Laffan facility.

"NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL pertaining to this extremely important and valuable South Pars Field unless Iran unwisely decides to attack a very innocent, in this case, Qatar - In which instance the United States of America, with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before," the US president wrote.

Iranian state television said Thursday that a missile struck Qatar's main gas facility again, hours after it was hit in a destructive strike that Doha said caused extensive damage.

"Qatar's Ras Laffan refinery Hit by Missile Again, burning," the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting posted on Telegram.

Blasts in Tel Aviv following a fresh wave of Iranian missile strikes, with Iranian state media confirming the latest attacks on the occupied territories.

An Iranian missile attack caused damage at Qatar's main gas facility on its north coast, the defence ministry said on Thursday.

The "State of Qatar was attacked (by) ballistic missiles, from Iran, which targeted Ras Laffan Industrial City and caused damages", the Qatari defence ministry posted on X.

Qatar had said overnight that attacks on the gas facility were a "direct threat" to its national security.

A projectile has hit a vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates near the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire, a British naval maritime security agency said Thursday.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it had received a report at 2300 GMT on Wednesday "that a vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile which has resulted in a fire on board" off the UAE port of Khor Fakkan in the Gulf of Oman.

The Pentagon has asked the White House to approve a more than $200 billion request to the US Congress to fund the war in Iran, the Washington Post reports, citing a senior administration official.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said on Thursday that Iran continues to escalate its attacks on neighboring countries and is seeking solidarity despite its aggressive actions.

Speaking at a press conference following a ministerial consultative meeting held in Riyadh with participation from Arab and Islamic nations, he condemned Iran’s “heinous aggressions” and emphasized rejection of any actions threatening regional security and stability.

“The insistence of Iran on violating the principles of good neighborliness has eroded regional trust,” he said, adding that such policies only heighten tensions in the region.

He warned, “If Iran thinks Gulf countries are incapable of responding, its calculations are wrong,” stressing that “Iran continues its aggression against its neighbors while demanding solidarity.”

The minister added that available information indicates Iran planned these attacks in advance, reflecting an escalatory approach that threatens regional security.

He also noted that Iran’s assaults on neighboring countries will have consequences, pointing out that Iranian attacks targeted civilian sites in the Gulf at the onset of the conflict.

Faisal bin Farhan further cautioned that any disruption to freedom of navigation poses a direct threat to international security and peace, underlining the need to protect maritime routes and ensure stable global trade.

He concluded by warning that these aggressive actions are likely to deepen Iran’s isolation on the international stage.

Multiple strikes reportedly target the US Victoria base close to Baghdad airport.

Four Palestinian women were killed after shrapnel from an Iranian missile fell in the occupied West Bank, according to the Red Crescent.

An Iranian rocket salvo strikes northern Tel Aviv, causing at least one fatality, according to 'Israeli' media.

Sirens sound to announce end of alert period

Blasts hit Tel Aviv following an Iranian strike

Sirens blare in Jordan amid regional tensions.