US-Iran War News Highlights: Iran Struck Israel's Bazan's Haifa Oil Refinery; US May Ease Iranian Oil Sanctions

Iranian missiles have hit the Bazan oil refineries in Israel. 

The US-Israel war on Iran poses a dire threat to global food security, the World Trade Organization chief warns, appealing for international supply chains to remain open.

The Middle East conflict “threatens global food security since shipping disruptions and higher energy costs reduce the supply and raise the cost of fertiliser”, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told reporters in Geneva.

About one-third of the world’s supply of nitrogen fertilizer passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

“A prolonged interruption in supply could ripple through food systems, prompting farmers to reduce their use of fertilisers and plant less input-intensive crops,” she said.

Okonjo-Iweala insisted it’s “essential to keep global food trade channels open and predictable allowing food supplies to flow to where they are most needed”.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani spoke at a press conference alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan where he said the following: 

• The current war must stop “immediately”.
• Iran must stop its attacks and not expand the conflict to the region; any expansion of the war will never enable stability.
• Iran’s claims that it is targeting US bases in neighbouring nations is “unacceptable and unjustified”.
• Yesterday’s attack on the Ras Laffan gas plant shows Tehran is targeting energy infrastructure that is vital for Qatar and the entire world. The attack will affect millions of people around the world.

(Source: Al Jazeera)

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday warned that Iran will face the 'largest strike package' today as they continue hunting and striking death and destruction from above, adding, the US military now controls the fate of Tehran.

Hegseth made the comment while addressing the media about development related to Iran War

"We're winning decisively, and on our terms. Iran has funneled decades of state resources not to their people, but into missiles, drones, proxies, and buried facilities. But we are hunting them down—methodically, ruthlessly, and overwhelmingly—like no other military in the world can," said Hegseth.

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United Kingdom and other European countries have been mounting pressure on Iran to cease its threats immediately. A while ago French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the on-going war. 

Conveyed advance Eid wishes to my brother, His Majesty King Abdullah II, the King of Jordan, over phone.

We expressed concern at the evolving situation in West Asia and highlighted the need for dialogue and diplomacy for the early restoration of peace, security and stability in…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 19, 2026

Iran attack damage wiped out 17% of Qatar’s LNG capacity for three to five years, QatarEnergy CEO told news agency Reuters.

Dozens, if not hundreds, of vessels are anchored in the Gulf of Oman “waiting for some form of greenlight to pass through” the Strait of Hormuz, reported news agency Al Jazeera, from outside the waterway.

A spokesperson for the IRGC’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters says Iran’s response to attacks on its energy infrastructure was “not yet finished”.

In a statement carried by the ISNA news agency, the spokesperson said that if attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure were repeated, the response would be “far more severe”.

“We warn the enemy that you made a major mistake by attacking the energy infrastructure of … Iran,” he said. “If it is repeated again, the next attacks on your energy infrastructure and that of your allies will not stop until their complete destruction.”

Two people have been killed and eight others wounded in Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon’s Tyre district, the National News Agency reported on Thursday.

The United States may ease restrictions on Iranian oil already at sea, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Fox Business, as Washington looks to stabilise global supply.

He added that the US could also carry out a unilateral release of oil reserves.

Bessent said earlier this week that Iranian oil tankers have already been leaving the Strait of Hormuz with US awareness, helping supply global markets.

United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed that Washington has curbed Iranian Ballistic Missile attacks by 90%. He went on to call the middle east an "ungrateful" ally of Europe. 

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry has urged residents to head to the closest safe location as sirens have been activated in the country.

(Source: Al Jazeera)

Two people have been killed in an Israeli air strike on a house on the outskirts of Adloun, about 17 km( 11 miles) south of the southern Lebanese city of Sidon, the National News Agency reported.

(Source: Al Jazeera)

PM Modi said in a post on X, "had a productive conversation with my brother Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and conveyed advance Eid greetings to the people of Oman. We agreed on the need to prioritize dialogue and diplomacy for de-escalation and subsequent restoration of peace and stability."

Had a productive conversation with my brother Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and conveyed advance Eid greetings to the people of Oman.

We agreed on the need to prioritize dialogue and diplomacy for de-escalation and subsequent restoration of peace and stability.

Reiterated India’s…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 19, 2026

"Spoke with my dear friend, President Emmanuel Macron, on the situation in West Asia and the urgent need for de-escalation, as well as a return to dialogue and diplomacy. We look forward to continuing our close coordination to advance peace and stability in the region and beyond," Modi said in  a post on X.

Spoke with my dear friend, President Emmanuel Macron, on the situation in West Asia and the urgent need for de-escalation, as well as a return to dialogue and diplomacy.

We look forward to continuing our close coordination to advance peace and stability in the region and…

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 19, 2026

Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), said that India's energy supplies continue to be significantly affected by developments in the Middle East, which is why the government is conducting price calculations (PC) on a daily basis. She noted that the impact of the ongoing war is being closely felt across supply chains.

On India's dependence on the region, Sharma said that nearly 90% of LPG is imported from the Middle East, while 47% of LNG imports come from Qatar. As a result, any disruption in the Middle East has a direct bearing on India’s energy security.

To mitigate risks, India is actively working on picking up cargoes from alternative sources. She pointed out that around 70% of crude oil is now sourced from non-Hormuz routes, reflecting efforts to diversify supply. LPG procurement is also being diversified, with imports being sourced from the United States as well.
 

A ship was set ablaze off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and another was damaged off Qatar, underscoring the ever-present danger also facing vessels due to Iran's stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world's oil is transported.

Saudi Arabia had begun pumping large volumes of oil west to avoid the strait and ship it from the Red Sea, but the security of that route was called into question after Iran's drone hit the country's SAMREF refinery in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.

(Source: AP)

Donald Trump has temporarily suspended a century-old shipping law aimed to ease the cost of transporting oil, gas, and other commodities in the US.

The strike on Iran's South Pars gas field further escalated the war, which is the biggest source of its domestic energy supply. Previously, Iran suffered power shortages due to disruptions to gas supplies, hence the recent attack is expected to have a significant impact.

Iran announced the execution of three men detained in January's nationwide protests, the first such sentences known to have been carried out, the judiciary's Mizan news agency reported.

The men were accused of stabbing two police officers to death in Qom, some 130 kilometres south of the capital, Tehran, during the protests.

Iran put down the demonstrations with intense violence that killed thousands of people and saw tens of thousands others detained, and activists have warned that authorities might carry out mass executions of those detained.

Iran long has been accused by rights campaigners of extracting coerced confessions from detainees and not allowing them to fully defend themselves in court.

(Source: AP)

The UK has sent military officers to the US to help develop plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The UK's move comes after US President Donald Trump called for an international naval coalition to force the strait open, but this has received little support so far.

The UK's military experts are working with US Central Command to develop options for enabling shipping to transit through the strait, which is feared to contain mines. The UK has also positioned a Type-45 air defence destroyer in the region and is considering using autonomous mine-hunting drones to clear the strait.

For the Bank of England, it's likely to mean that inflation will not fall to its target rate of 2% as soon as expected and will lead to a higher price profile for the rest of the year — hardly the backdrop for further interest rate reductions anytime soon.

“The bank would be wise to wait and see whether a rise in energy prices triggers a re-acceleration of underlying price pressures before acting,” said Andrew Wishart, UK economist at Berenberg Bank.

Wishart said the bank's nine-member Monetary Policy Committee could cut its main interest rates from the current 3.75% as soon as June — provided the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is short-lived.

“If energy prices stay high for six months, the bank would probably delay the reduction until 2027,” he added.

(Source: AP)

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.