![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1773874090_761_image-1-1-1727085849.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nPublished On 18 Mar 202618 Mar 2026<\/p>\n
|<\/p>\n
Updated: 4 hours agoUpdated: 4 hours ago<\/p>\n
Iran has pledged \u201crevenge\u201d after Israeli strikes killed security chief Ali Larijani<\/a> and commander of Basij paramilitary forces Gholamreza Soleimani, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying Tehran\u2019s political system remains strong as the war entered its 19th day<\/a>.<\/p>\n Iran launched more attacks on Israel, causing extensive property damage, after an earlier strike killed two people in Ramat Gan.<\/p>\n Recommended Stories list of 2 itemsend of list<\/p>\n The conflict is increasingly spilling across the region as Iran and allied groups have launched missiles and drones targeting Gulf countries, with attacks reported in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan.<\/p>\n Political tensions are also rising in the United States, as senior counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigned<\/a>, saying, \u201cWe started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby\u201d.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, President Donald Trump criticised NATO allies and partners for failing to provide stronger military support in efforts to end Iran\u2019s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Here is what we know:<\/p>\n In Iran \u00a0<\/p>\n In the Gulf In the US International reaction and oil markets<\/p>\n Russia condemns Larijani killing: \u201cWe firmly condemn actions aimed at harming the health and, even more, the killing of the leadership of sovereign and independent Iran,\u201d Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
\nHigh-profile killings: Tehran is mourning the loss of two important figures: security chief Ali Larijani<\/a> and Basij force commander Gholamreza Soleimani<\/a>, both killed in Israeli strikes. Their deaths mark a severe blow to the Iranian establishment.
\nPolitical fallout: Larijani was widely regarded as a pragmatic, seasoned politician who had the capacity to open windows for negotiation. He led the nuclear talks before the war started. Analysts say Israel\u2019s move to kill him may be aimed at closing the diplomatic avenues to end the war.
\nIranian retaliation: In response to the strikes, Iran launched attacks on central Israel.
\nRising tensions: Iran\u2019s Foreign Minister Araghchi told Al Jazeera that the US is responsible for the war engulfing the region. He denied targeting civilians, warning that the US military presence across the Gulf makes escalation unavoidable.
\nSwede executed for spying: Iran executed a Swedish citizen, Sweden\u2019s foreign minister said, after Iranian authorities announced they had carried out capital punishment for an alleged Israeli spy.
\nIran confirms intelligence minister\u2019s death: Iran\u2019s president confirmed what he called the \u201ccowardly assassination\u201d of the country\u2019s top intelligence official, Esmail Khatib.
\nNuclear plant hit: The UN nuclear watchdog said Iran reported a strike on the country\u2019s only operational nuclear power plant, but that it caused no damage.
\nRising death toll: At least 1,444 people<\/a> have been killed and 18,551 injured in US-Israeli attacks on Iran since February 28, according to Iran\u2019s Ministry of Health.<\/p>\n
\nWidespread attacks in the region: Iran has been firing missiles and drones at various Gulf countries in retaliation for the US-Israel strikes. Furthermore, an Iraqi armed group claimed responsibility for 28 drone strikes across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan over the past 15 days.
\nSaudi Arabia: The kingdom is hosting an emergency meeting of foreign ministers from Arab and Muslim countries in Riyadh to discuss the attacks.
\nUAE and Australia: An Iranian projectile struck near Australia\u2019s military headquarters for the Middle East in the United Arab Emirates, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
\nBahrain: Warning sirens sounded across Bahrain, prompting the Ministry of Interior to urge residents to head to the nearest safe place.
\nQatar flight suspensions: Due to the continuing uncertainty and instability of the airspace in the Middle East, British Airways has extended its suspension of flights to Doha until April 30.
\nQatar intercepts missiles: Qatar\u2019s Ministry of Defence said missiles were intercepted on Wednesday as blasts were heard in Doha and other parts.
\nUkrainian anti-drone experts: More than 200 Ukrainian anti-drone military experts are in several Middle East countries to help defend against Iranian-designed drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.<\/p>\n![\"INTERACTIVE](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/INTERACTIVE-DEATH-TOLL-tracker-war-US-Israel-and-Iran-attacks-March-18-2026-1773837356.png\"){kind=tracking}
<\/p>\n
\nResignation of US official: Top US counterterror official Joe Kent<\/a> resigned from his position, saying Iran is \u201cnot a threat\u201d.
\n Tensions with NATO allies: President Trump has lashed out at NATO allies, as well as Japan, Australia and South Korea, over their reluctance to offer military support in the conflict.
\nHeightened security at embassies: The Department of State has ordered all US embassies and consulates to immediately evaluate their security postures by convening emergency action committees.
\nIn Israel
\n\u00a0Israel strikes Basij: The Israeli military said it was striking positions of Iran\u2019s Basij force around Tehran, after announcing it had killed the volunteer top commander.
\nThe Israeli army claimed to have struck Iranian command centres, missile sites and other infrastructure in Tehran on Tuesday.
\nDirect attacks and casualties: In response to these escalations, Israel is facing retaliatory bombardments. Two people were killed by severe shrapnel injuries in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, following a rocket attack that heavily damaged an apartment building.
\nIn Lebanon
\nMass evacuation orders: The Israeli military issued its widest forced evacuation order in southern Lebanon since the 2006 war. Earlier, the military told residents of the city of Tyre, including three Palestinian refugee camps, to evacuate their homes.
\nDeadly air raids in Bekaa Valley: At least four people have been killed in an Israeli attack that targeted four houses in the town of Sahmar in Lebanon\u2019s Bekaa Valley.
\nHezbollah denial: The group denied it had any members in Kuwait after the Gulf country announced the arrest of 14 Kuwaitis and two Lebanese nationals allegedly affiliated with the group over a \u201csabotage plot\u201d.
\nIn Iraq
\nUS embassy struck: An Iraqi security source told Al Jazeera that air defences intercepted a drone in the vicinity of the logistics support centre near Baghdad airport. Explosions rocked Baghdad as there were more attacks on the US embassy. There was also an attack on an armed group\u2019s base in the northeastern city of Kirkuk.
\n Saraya Awliya al-Dam: Iraqi armed group Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed responsibility for a multifront wave of attacks against US targets.
\n\u00a0\u2018Limited\u2019 Iraq oil exports: Iraq announced it had resumed limited oil exports of 250,000 barrels per day through the Turkish port of Ceyhan, bypassing the Gulf after the country\u2019s output plunged due to disruptions in the crucial Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively shut.<\/p>\n
\nGermany \u2018would have advised against\u2019 war: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Berlin \u201cwould have advised against\u201d starting a war with Iran, had it been consulted by the US or Israel. While Tehran \u201cbears responsibility\u201d for the current crisis in the region, Merz said, Berlin had \u201cmade it clear that we still have many questions regarding this war,\u201d and Israel and the US had shown \u201cno convincing plan as to how this operation could succeed\u201d.
\nOil jumps: Oil prices surged after the Israeli strike on Iran\u2019s <\/a>South Pars gasfield. Brent North Sea crude jumped more than 5 percent to $108.60 per barrel, while the main US oil contract West Texas Intermediate climbed 1.9 percent to $98.01.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"EXPLAINER Iran vows revenge after Israeli strikes kill security chief Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani. Published…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6861,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1029,8,246,9,279,7,13,2209],"class_list":{"0":"post-6860","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-stories","8":"tag-explainer","9":"tag-headlines","10":"tag-middle-east","11":"tag-news","12":"tag-qatar","13":"tag-top-stories","14":"tag-united-states","15":"tag-us-israel-war-on-iran"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@news\/116252619779575664","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6860"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6860\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}