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US President Donald Trump late on March 18 warned Tehran with dire consequences if it again retaliated for an Israeli attack on Iran's massive South Pars gas field. Iran hit Qatar's Ras Laffan gas hub twice, causing "extensive damage." (See post below)
US President Donald Trump late on March 18 warned Tehran with dire consequences if it again retaliated for an Israeli attack on Iran's massive South Pars gas field. Iran hit Qatar's Ras Laffan gas hub twice, causing "extensive damage." (See post below)

live Trump Warns Of Dire Consequences As Iran Hits Qatari Gas Hub Again

As the US-Israeli war with Iran continues to impact and shape the region, journalists from RFE/RL deliver ongoing updates and analysis.

Key Takeaways:

  • US President Donald Trump has warned Tehran of dire consequences if it again retaliated for an Israeli attack on Iran's massive South Pars gas field, an important part of the country's Gulf energy infrastructure.
  • Oil prices surged and global stocks fell sharply on March 19 as escalating attacks on Persian Gulf energy infrastructure heightened fears of supply disruptions.
  • Following an attack on the South Pars gas field on March 18, subsequent incidents have disrupted energy infrastructure across the Middle East.
  • Iranian President Masud Pezeshkian has confirmed the death of the country's intelligence minister Esmail Khatib, whom Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said had been killed in an overnight strike on March 18.
  • Saudi Arabia's foreign minister says the kingdom "reserves the right" to act militarily against Iran after Riyadh was targeted by Iranian ballistic missiles.
  • Iran's only atomic-energy plant was hit by an unidentified projectile, the Russian plant operator said, causing no injuries or release of radiation. It is the first time that the Bushehr nuclear power plant has been hit since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran.
  • Israeli media are reporting that the country's air force has targeted Iranian naval vessels in the Caspian Sea for the first time.
13:58 18.3.2026

Iran's Key South Pars Gas Field Hit by Air Strikes

The South Pars gas field in Assaluyeh, Iran -- the world's largest known source of natural gas -- was targeted by air strikes and caught fire, Iranian television reported on March 18.

The Iranian Broadcasting Corporation (IRCC) quoted the deputy governor of Bushehr Province as saying parts of the gas facilities located in the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone, a massive industrial hub, in Assaluyeh were targeted by projectiles fired by the United States and Israel.

The governor of Assaluyeh also told Iranian media that "several phases in South Pars" were targeted and "have been taken out of service to control and prevent the spread of the fire."

The Fars News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, also reported that tanks and facilities in "various phases of the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth refineries" had been targeted.

The South Pars gas fields (file photo)
The South Pars gas fields (file photo)

The South Pars gas field is jointly operated by Iran and Qatar. The refineries located in Assaluyeh are responsible for processing gas extracted from the field.

The complex includes 13 refineries that inject an average of more than 600 million cubic meters of gas into Iran's national grid daily, providing about 70 percent of the country's consumption. South Pars plays a pivotal role in providing domestic energy and feedstock for Iran's petrochemical industries.

13:20 18.3.2026

UAE Air Defense Intercepts 13 Iranian Missiles And 27 Drones

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced that the country's air defense systems intercepted 13 ballistic missiles and 27 drones launched by Iran on March 18.

According to the UAE's Defense Ministry, the country has intercepted 327 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,669 drones since the start of the war with the United States and Israel on February 28.

During this period, two Emirati soldiers, as well as six civilians of Pakistani, Nepalese, Bangladeshi, and Palestinian nationalities, have been killed.

The ministry said that since the beginning of Iran's attacks on the UAE, 158 other people have been wounded, with injuries ranging from mild to moderate and severe.

The UAE announced that among the injured were nationals of Iran, the UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Turkey, Iraq, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia, Sweden, and Tunisia.

The UAE has also called the Islamic republic's numerous attacks on the country "blatant aggression."

The Defense Ministry wrote on X that it remains "fully prepared and ready to confront any threat" and "will deal decisively with any attempt to undermine the country's security."


12:12 18.3.2026

Iran's Top Intelligence Official 'Eliminated,' Says Israel

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the country's military killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in an overnight strike on March 18.

While there ‌has been no confirmation from Iran regarding Khatib's death, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said he was "eliminated" in a targeted strike in Tehran.

Esmail Khatib
Esmail Khatib

"Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, both with regards to the arrest and killing of protestors," IDF statement published on Telegram.

Katz added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Defense Ministry had previously authorized the Israeli military to target any senior Iranian official without requiring additional approval.

If confirmed, Khatib's death would be one of dozens of Iranian senior officials killed in joint US-Israeli military efforts against Iran.

09:20 18.3.2026

Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Plant Hit By 'Projectile'

Iran's only atomic-energy plant was hit by an unidentified projectile, the Russian plant operator said, causing no injuries or release of radiation. It is the first time that the Bushehr nuclear power plant has been hit since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

State-owned Rosatom said on a post on Telegram the strike occurred "on March 17, at 6:11 p.m. Moscow time."

"An attack was made on the territory adjacent to the building of the metrological service, located on the industrial site of NPP Bushehr in the immediate vicinity of the operating power unit," it said.

"The radiation situation on the platform is normal," Rosatom said, adding that there were no casualties among its employees.

In response, The International Atomic Energy Agency called for "maximum restraint."

"IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi reiterates call for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of a nuclear accident," the nuclear watchdog said in a post on X.

Bushehr is Iran's sole nuclear power plant. Located on the coast of the northern reaches of the Persian Gulf, it is fueled by uranium produced in Russia, not Iran, and is monitored by the IAEA.

The Bushehr nuclear plant (file photo)
The Bushehr nuclear plant (file photo)
08:38 18.3.2026

Explosions Heard In Dubai As UAE Considers Joining US Naval Coalition

Several loud explosions were heard in Dubai early on March 18 as Emirati officials announced that air defense systems were countering the threat of missiles and drones fired by Iran.

According to Emirati officials, more 2,000 drones and missiles have been fired at the country by Iran since the start of the war.

Meanwhile, a senior Emirati official said the country is considering joining a US-led initiative to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, a passage that sources say Iran has effectively closed to ships.

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said negotiations are continuing in this regard, but a final decision has not yet been made, and emphasized that ensuring trade and energy security is the shared responsibility of major countries.

08:35 18.3.2026

US Attacks Iranian Missile Sites Near Strait Of Hormuz With Bunker-Busting Bombs

The US military announced that it had attacked Iranian missile positions near the strategic Strait of Hormuz using so-called bunker-busting bombs.

US Central Command said in a statement on the social media platform X on Tuesday that US forces had successfully deployed "multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrating bombs" against fortified Iranian missile sites on the coast near the Strait of Hormuz.

The message added that "the anti-ship cruise missiles deployed at these sites posed a threat to international shipping in this strategic passageway."

08:24 18.3.2026

Iranian Attacks On Israel Reportedly Leave 2 Dead

Local Israeli media reported on March 18 that at least two people were killed in an Iranian missile attack on the country.

According to the Haaretz and Times of Israel newspapers, citing aid organizations, the victims were seriously injured in an attack on the city of Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, and later died from their injuries.

The reports said that two others were also wounded in the cities of Bnei Brak and Petah Tikva, east of Tel Aviv.

Emergency crews works at the site of a missile strike in Ramat Gan, on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, early on March 18.
Emergency crews works at the site of a missile strike in Ramat Gan, on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, early on March 18.

The Israeli Army announced that strikes were reported in several locations in the central part of the country and urged people to avoid the affected areas.

Following the killing of Ali Larijani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, the Islamic republic announced it had targeted Tel Aviv with missiles equipped with cluster warheads in retaliation, Iranian state television reported on March 18.

The nighttime attack on a neighborhood near densely populated areas of Tel Aviv, which also houses important military installations, brought the death toll in the war in Israel to at least 14.

A statement read by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps on state television said that the attacks used Khoramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles, both of which carry multiple warheads.

Israel has accused Iran of repeatedly using cluster munitions, which split into several smaller bombs midflight and spread over a wide area, making them difficult to intercept.

Meanwhile, several explosions were heard in Jerusalem on March 18, following the Israeli military's announcement that it had detected a new wave of missiles fired from Iran.

AFP said that its reporters saw bright lights in the sky and hearing several explosions. The Israeli Army announced that air defense systems were operating to counter the threat.

As sirens sounded in various parts of the city, the Home Front Command called on residents to go to shelters.

Israeli police also announced on March 17 that fragments of missiles and interceptor systems had been found in holy sites in the Old City of Jerusalem, including around Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

00:21 18.3.2026

We are now closing the live blog for the day. We'll be back tomorrow at 7:30 a.m. Central European time to cover the latest events across the Middle East.

00:08 18.3.2026

Trump: We Are Ahead Of Schedule In Iran

In a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin at the White House, US President Donald Trump spoke of his administration's military operation against Iran and reiterated it is not going to take much longer. "We had to do a short mission to deal with nuclear weapons that were in the hands of a few crazy people; but other than that, it will be over in a week or two and it won't take long," Trump said on March 17. He stopped short of providing a more specific timeframe, adding that “everything is moving very quickly” and that “we are well ahead of schedule.” March 17 marked day 18 of the US and Israeli military operations against Iran, which the Pentagon calls Operation Epic Fury and Israel calls Operation Roaring Lion.

23:10 17.3.2026

Wall Street Journal: Russia Expands Support For Iran In Targeting US Forces

Russia is “providing satellite imagery and improved drone technology” to help Iran target US forces in the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal reported on March 17, citing people it did not name but said were familiar with the matter.

The technology Russia is providing includes components that are intended improve communication, navigation, and targeting of modified Shahed drones, the newspaper reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told British lawmakers on March 17 that Kyiv has “clear evidence that Iranian Shaheds used in the Middle East contain Russian components.”

The Wall Street Journal also said that based on its experience deploying drones in its war against Ukraine, Russia has been offering tactical guidance on how many drones should be used in operations and what altitudes they should strike from.

Additionally, it said Russia has recently provided satellite imagery directly to Iran.

The reported cooperation goes beyond the support first described by The Washington Post, which said Moscow passed along the locations of US military assets in the Middle East and Persian Gulf region.

The Wall Street Journal reported that its sources, who included a senior European intelligence officer and a Middle Eastern diplomat, said the Russian support is believed to have helped Iran carry out recent strikes on US radar systems in the Middle East.

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