US-Iran War News Live Updates: Israel's Strategy To Kill Iran's Top Leaders Could Backfire, Warn Experts

Joint Statement Issued by the Consultative Ministerial Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of a Group of Arab and Islamic Countries Regarding the Iranian Attacks

The foreign ministers of several Arab and Islamic countries met in Riyadh to review recent Iranian military actions in the region. During the meeting, they strongly criticised Iran's missile and drone strikes against GCC states, Jordan, Azerbaijan, and Turkey, stressing that the attacks deliberately hit civilian neighborhoods, essential infrastructure, energy facilities, airports, and diplomatic sites. They emphasized that these actions are unacceptable and cannot be defended on any grounds.

The ministers reaffirmed that countries have the legitimate right to self‑defense under the UN Charter. They called on Iran to immediately stop all hostile actions, respect international and humanitarian law, and adhere to the principles of good neighborly relations. They stressed that reducing tensions and ensuring regional stability require diplomacy rather than military escalation.
 

Joint Statement Issued by the Consultative Ministerial Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of a Group of Arab and Islamic Countries Regarding the Iranian Attacks

Riyadh | 19 March 2026

Their Highnesses and Excellencies the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, The… pic.twitter.com/Eik3eqtdlA

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) March 19, 2026

A US-Israeli attack hit a residential area in western Iran's Dorud county, killing at least 12 people and injuring 116, local security officials told Tasnim news agency.
 

Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Iran's Foreign Minister, criticised French President Emmanuel Macron for not condemning the Israel-US war on Iran. 

In a post on X, Araghchi wrote, "Macron has not uttered one word of condemnation of the Israel-US war on Iran. He did not condemn Israel when it blew up fuel storage in Tehran, exposing millions to toxins. His current "concern" didn't follow Israel's attack on our gas facilities. It follows our retaliation. Sad!"
 

Macron has not uttered one word of condemnation of the Israel-US war on Iran. He did not condemn Israel when it blew up fuel storage in Tehran, exposing millions to toxins. His current "concern" didn't follow Israel's attack on our gas facilities. It follows our retaliation. Sad! https://t.co/lyfGbRm9NB

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 19, 2026

Israel has killed one senior Iranian leader after another in airstrikes as it seeks to topple the Islamic Republic. But its past experience of targeting senior militants shows the strategy has limits and can sometimes backfire. 

A senior Israeli intelligence official told The Associated Press that Israel's decapitation strikes in Iran had degraded political leaders' ability to issue orders to the military, form policy and make decisions. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss classified assessments. But killing leaders can also backfire, radicalising followers, elevating more extreme successors or turning slain leaders into martyrs with enduring influence.

European Union leaders are holding a summit in Brussels today for talks on the Iran war, energy prices, migration and an enormous loan for war-ravaged Ukraine being held up by Hungary. Many of those leaders have deflected entreaties by US President Donald Trump to send military assets to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for the global flow of oil, gas and fertiliser.

Rising energy prices because of the war and fears in Europe of a new refugee crisis have pushed leaders to make the Middle East one of the top priorities at the summit.

The European Commission, the EU's executive branch, has floated the idea of a 'toolbox' of measures to lower energy prices for leaders to discuss because no single policy will work across the myriad markets in the 27-nation bloc to blunt economic shocks from the war, according to a senior European diplomat who wasn't authorised to be publicly named so spoke on condition of anonymity.

(Source: AP)

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held separate phone calls with his counterparts in Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan, Iran's Foreign Ministry said. During the conversations, Araghchi discussed what he described as US and Israeli "military aggression against Iran and its regional and global repercussions," as well as the "need for vigilance and coordination among regional countries in the face of these threats," according to a ministry statement.

In a separate statement, the ministry said Araghchi also spoke with Sweden’s Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard, who on Wednesday expressed “dismay” over Iran’s execution of a Swedish citizen accused of spying for Israel. Araghchi, describing the call, said Stenergard’s support for the individual was "regrettable."

Kuwait strongly condemns Iranian attacks on Habshan gas facility and the Bab field in Abu Dhabi. Those attacks represent flagrant violation of International Law, UNSCR 2817, and principles of neighbourliness, the Foreign Ministry said.

#Kuwait strongly condemned Iranian attacks on Habshan gas facility and the Bab field in Abu Dhabi, #UAE.
Those attacks represent flagrant violation of International Law, #UNSCR 2817, and principles of neighborliness, the Foreign Ministry saidhttps://t.co/rP0xblXMcM#Kuna pic.twitter.com/ZjfoI1zysy

— Kuwait News Agency - English Feed (@kuna_en) March 19, 2026

Qatar has declared the military and security attaches at the Iranian Embassy, along with their staff, "persona non grata" and has requested that they leave the country within 24 hours, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs delivered an official note to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the State, stating that Qatar considers both the military attache and the security attache at the embassy, in addition to the staff of the two attache offices "persona non grata", and requests that they leave the country within a maximum period of (24) hours," an official statement from MFA Qatar read.

The ministry explained that the decision was made "in response to repeated Iranian targeting and the blatant aggression against the State of Qatar, which violated its sovereignty and security, in a flagrant breach of the principles of international law, United Nations Security Council Resolution No. 2817, and the principles of good neighbourliness."

(Source: ANI)

A video of Dubai International Airport (DXB) with a long queue of passengers waiting for immigration verification has gone viral on social media. This comes despite the city facing intense strikes amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Dubai has been under attack by Iran for the last three weeks for allegedly providing a military base to the United States. The airport faced a temporary closure due to debris falling owing to the strikes.

Dubai Airport today (18 March)... this is the arrivals immigration line, not exit. Plenty of passengers queuing, luggage everywhere, people from all over still pouring in.
Compared to the insane crowds of 2024/early 2025, it’s calmer, but calling it a “ghost town” is way off...… pic.twitter.com/kcABWjCe21

— Fahad Naim (@Fahadnaimb) March 18, 2026

The Israeli military has identified more incoming Iranian missiles, triggering sirens in northern Israel. This is the third attack in the area overnight, but there were no hits or injuries reported, according to the ambulance service, Al Jazeera reported.

Ministry of Interior - Qatar said the situation at Ras Laffan Industrial Area in Qatar is under control, with the Civil Defense containing two out of three fires caused by an Iranian missile attack. No injuries have been reported, and cooling and securing operations are ongoing. The Explosives Group of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) is handling any hazardous elements.

The Civil Defense has fully contained two out of three fires in the Ras Laffan Industrial Area with no injuries reported. Cooling and securing operations at the sites are ongoing, while the Explosives Group of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) is carrying out its tasks in…

— Ministry of Interior - Qatar (@MOI_QatarEn) March 19, 2026

The national debt surpassed a record USD 39 trillion on Wednesday, a milestone that comes just weeks into the US-Israeli war in Iran. The unprecedented figure highlights competing administration priorities, from passing a massive tax law and boosting defense spending and immigration enforcement to chipping away at the debt itself — the latter of which Donald Trump promised to do as both a candidate and as president.

The Government Accountability Office outlines some of the impact of rising government debt on Americans — including higher borrowing costs for things like mortgages and cars, lower wages from businesses having less money available to invest, and more expensive goods and services. Advocates for a balanced budget also warn that the long-term trend of borrowing more and paying more in interest will force Americans to face tougher fiscal tradeoffs ahead.

(Source: AP)
 

Iran uses a lot of natural gas, and 80% comes from South Pars.

Iran relies heavily on gas to produce electricity and heat homes. It is the fourth-largest consumer of natural gas in the world, behind the US, China and Russia, according to the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, even though its economy is much smaller. In contrast to other Middle East countries, it uses gas for heating due to its cold climate and much of that use is subsidised, which discourages efficient use. South Pars is the main source.

French President Emmanuel Macron called for an immediate halt to strikes on civilian infrastructure, particularly energy and water supply facilities, following attacks on gas production facilities in Iran and Qatar. 

Macron wrote, "I have just spoken with the Emir of Qatar and President Trump following the strikes that hit gas production facilities in Iran and Qatar today. It is in our common interest to implement, without delay, a moratorium on strikes targeting civilian infrastructure, particularly energy and water supply facilities. Civilian populations and their essential needs, as well as the security of energy supplies, must be protected from military escalation."

I have just spoken with the Emir of Qatar and President Trump following the strikes that hit gas production facilities in Iran and Qatar today.

It is in our common interest to implement, without delay, a moratorium on strikes targeting civilian infrastructure,…

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 18, 2026

US President Donald Trump said that Israel attacked Iran's South Pars Gas Field without US involvement. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "Israel, out of anger for what has taken place in the Middle East, has violently lashed out at a major facility known as South Pars Gas Field in Iran. A relatively small section of the whole has been hit. The United States knew nothing about this particular attack, and the country of Qatar was in no way, shape, or form, involved with it, nor did it have any idea that it was going to happen."

"Unfortunately, Iran did not know this, or any of the pertinent facts pertaining to the South Pars attack, and unjustifiably and unfairly attacked a portion of Qatar’s LNG Gas 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. I do not want to authorize this level of violence and destruction because of the long term implications that it will have on the future of Iran, but if Qatar’s LNG is again attacked, I will not hesitate to do so. Thank you for your attention to this matter," he added.

Joe Kent, the former counterterrorism director who resigned this week over concerns about the Iran war, said Wednesday that he and other senior officials with doubts about the airstrikes “were not allowed” to share them with President Donald Trump.

Speaking on Tucker Carlson's show, Kent said the president relied on a small circle of advisers in making his decision to strike Iran. Kent claimed Israel forced Trump's hand despite what he said was no evidence that Iran posed an imminent threat to the U.S.

“A good deal of key decision makers were not allowed to come and express their opinion to the president,” Kent told the prominent conservative commentator. "There wasn't a robust debate.”

Qatar Energy Statement on Missile Attacks on its LNG Facilities

In addition to the previous attack on Ras Laffan Industrial City on Wednesday March 18, 2026 that resulted in extensive damage to the Pearl GTL (Gas-to-Liquids) facility, QatarEnergy confirms that in the early hours of Thursday March 19, 2026, several of its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities were the subject of missile attacks, causing sizeable fires and extensive further damage.

Emergency response teams were deployed immediately to contain the resulting damage with no reported casualties. QatarEnergy will continue to communicate the latest available information.
 

Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, the complex that houses the world’s largest liquefied natural gas export plant, suffered “extensive damage” after an Iranian attack, state-owned QatarEnergy said. One missile struck after four were intercepted late Wednesday, and another attack early Thursday sparked a fire.

The Qatar Foreign Ministry called the assault “a dangerous escalation, a flagrant violation of state sovereignty.”

Brigadier General Effie Defrin, Israeli military spokesman: "We have air defence systems, and I can already say they are among the best in the world; this is proven. Unfortunately, the defence is not airtight. We use our systems to intercept these missiles. These cluster missiles are a war crime if this terrorist regime targets them at population centres. There is no difference from a regular missile except for its dispersion . I will say once again that adhering to the Home Front Command's instructions and the public's resilience is the best solution to this issue.
 

Keeping up pressure on Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, Israeli strikes hit multiple apartment buildings in Beirut, killing at least a dozen people.

Israel flattened an apartment building in central Beirut about an hour after issuing an evacuation notice — the fourth time the building was targeted. Israel's military claimed it was being used by Hezbollah to store 'millions of dollars intended to finance its activities,' without providing evidence.

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard says, "The intelligence community assesses that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems with nuclear and conventional payloads that put our homeland within range. The IC assesses that threats to the homeland will expand collectively to more than 16,000 missiles by 2035 from the current assessed figure of more than 3,000 missiles..."  

She also says, "Pakistan's long-range ballistic missile development potentially could include ICBMs with a range capable of striking the homeland. The IC assesses that Iran has previously demonstrated space launch and other technology it could use to begin to develop a militarily viable ICBM before 2035 should Tehran attempt to pursue that capability..."

Prince Faisal Bin Farhan, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia: "This conflict will end at some point. But I have to tell you, what little trust there was before has completely been shattered. Has been shattered on multiple levels. First because Iran knows that most of the countries in the room today worked very hard to support diplomatic outcomes. Also because we were quite clear with Iran that we would not be combatants in any confrontation that came. Not only that , that we would not allow our facilities to be used to target Iran, that would be restricted to self defence."

Statement from IRGC
🔺 The IRGC's naval forces successfully targeted significant locations at the "Minhad" and "Al-Dhafra"(UAE) bases, the "Al-Adairi"(KUWAIT) helicopter base used by American forces, and the "Mina Salman" base, which is the headquarters for the US Fifth Fleet.

🔺 This operation involved a combination of missile and drone strikes, effectively hitting command centers, fuel storage tanks, and equipment hangars at the "Minhad" base.

🔺 Additionally, early warning radars and the central ramp of the "Al-Adairi" base were struck by ballistic missiles.

🔺 The operation also targeted fuel tanks and early warning radars at the "Al-Dhafra" air base and the "Mina Salman" headquarters, utilizing drones and both cruise and ballistic missiles for heavy strikes.

QatarEnergy said on X that a missile hit its massive Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility, sparking a fire that caused "extensive" damage before it was extinguished. The company had already halted production there because of Iranian attacks.

Since the war started, a small number of ships from Iran, Turkey, India and elsewhere have gotten through the Strait of Hormuz, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Iran insists the waterway is open, just not to the U.S. or its allies.
 

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz promised 'significant surprises' to come after Iran's intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, was killed in an overnight strike. 

Iran retaliated by unleashing missile strikes against Israel. Israel said an Iranian missile hit the occupied West Bank, marking the territory's first fatalities during the Iran war, though missile debris has damaged homes and businesses.

Iran also attacked Saudi Arabia's vast Eastern Province, home to many of its oil fields, as well as Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
 

Iran hit a major natural gas facility in Qatar, keeping up attacks on its Persian Gulf neighbors' energy facilities as it continued to squeeze the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel — through which one-fifth of the world's oil travels.

The United Arab Emirates early on Thursday denounced Iran's attacks targeting its Habshan gas facility and Bab field as a 'dangerous escalation' as Israel and the United States escalate their war on the Islamic Republic.

Authorities in Abu Dhabi say the gas operations had been shut down after interceptions over the sites. Iran also had attacked gas facilities in Qatar after Israel launched an attack against Iran's South Pars offshore natural gas field in the Persian Gulf that it shares with Doha.