Overview:
On day 18 of the US‑Israel campaign, strikes continue across Iranian cities and the conflict has widened across the Gulf, Lebanon, Iraq and Israel, sending energy prices sharply higher and prompting regional air‑defence and displacement crises.
In Iran:
– Multiple large explosions struck northern Tehran near the Saadabad Palace complex, following earlier attacks on central Tehran, Karaj, Shahriar and Shiraz.
– A US‑Israeli strike on a home in Arak reportedly killed a three‑day‑old infant, a two‑year‑old girl and other family members, Iran’s IRGC said.
– President Masoud Pezeshkian defended Iran’s right to self‑defence, saying Iran did not start the war and will not surrender to “bullies”.
– An Amnesty International investigation concluded a US attack on a primary school in Minab killed at least 170 people, mostly schoolgirls.
– Iranian authorities say at least 1,444 people have been killed and 18,551 injured by US‑Israeli attacks since 28 February.
In the Gulf:
– The UAE’s Fujairah oil zone caught fire after a drone strike; debris from an intercepted missile killed one person in Abu Dhabi’s Bani Yas area and the UAE briefly closed airspace.
– Qatar reported intercepting a missile and handling a limited industrial fire caused by falling debris; its defence ministry said 13 of 14 ballistic missiles launched from Iran were destroyed.
– Kuwait shot down a drone and detained 14 Kuwaiti and two Lebanese nationals accused of plotting sabotage linked to Hezbollah.
– Bahrain reported neutralising 129 missiles and 221 drones since the conflict began; Saudi Arabia said it intercepted 12 drones in its Eastern region.
In Israel and the north:
– Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent Nowruz greetings to Iranians ahead of the Persian new year.
– Hezbollah said it attacked the northern Israeli city of Nahariya, wounding a man, and reported strikes on Israeli troops and vehicles in at least three Lebanese border towns.
– Israeli police found missile and interceptor fragments near holy sites in Jerusalem’s Old City, including around Al‑Aqsa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
– Defence Minister Israel Katz said displaced Lebanese would not be allowed to return until northern Israel is safe; the Israeli military announced “limited ground operations” in Lebanon as more than a million Lebanese have registered as displaced.
In the United States and diplomacy:
– President Donald Trump urged the UK and France to help secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has effectively closed, contributing to a sharp rise in oil prices.
– European leaders, including Germany and the EU foreign policy chief, rejected joining the US‑Israel campaign or sending troops.
– Mr Trump called Iran a “paper tiger” and said it had closed access to the strait “to our enemies.” Vice President J.D. Vance voiced support for Trump’s actions; Trump also sought to delay a planned trip to China to remain in the US during the crisis.
In Lebanon:
– Israeli limited ground operations prompted evacuation orders in some southern towns such as Arab al‑Jal; authorities report over one million people registered as displaced since Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah began.
– German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that a broader Israeli ground offensive in Lebanon would worsen the humanitarian crisis.
In Iraq:
– An air attack on a house in Baghdad’s Jadriya district killed four people and wounded others.
– A drone sparked a fire at a luxury hotel in the Green Zone shortly before air defences stopped a rocket attack on the US Embassy.
– Kataib Hezbollah said its senior security commander Abu Ali al‑Askari had been killed; the Iraqi government condemned the attacks on the US Embassy, the hotel and a southern oilfield as “terrorist attacks.”
Economic and global impact:
– Financial and energy markets have been severely disrupted. Crude oil prices have surged roughly 50% since the joint US‑Israel attacks began, with Brent trading around $106 per barrel.
– Japan began releasing strategic oil reserves after the International Energy Agency indicated reserve releases would start in Asia and Oceania to help stabilize supply.
Humanitarian note:
The unfolding campaign has produced heavy civilian casualties, widespread displacement and damage to critical infrastructure. Independent investigations and tallies continue as access and security conditions allow.