The elimination of the head of Iran's National Security Council, Ali Larijani, one of the most moderate Iranian officials, may represent another tactical success for US President Donald Trump and his Israeli allies, yet it highlights the deadlock of US strategy. This is because Larijani, beyond being a moderate politician with great prestige inside Iran, was also considered one of the most serious interlocutors the West could have for the post-war era. It is obvious that his assassination strengthens the most extreme voices in Iran, who promise sweeping revenge for his death. Already, the Iranians have launched a particularly fierce missile attack on Tel Aviv – Israelis report 2 dead – and on Israeli energy systems, as well as on American targets in the wider Gulf region, warning that subsequent attacks will be even harsher. At the same time, reports highlight the risk of the war extending for months if the US decides to attack the Strait of Hormuz, while information indicates that the USS Tripoli is approaching the area, carrying over 2,200 Marines. For its part, Israel continues to strike both Tehran and Beirut with great intensity, continuing its ground invasion of most of southern Lebanon to prevent further attacks on Israeli territory by Hezbollah.
Missile storm… revenge for Larijani
The assassination of Ali Larijani has caused outrage in Tehran, with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian promising revenge. Already, the Revolutionary Guard announced that as part of the 61st wave of operation "True Promise 4," they struck Tel Aviv with great intensity using Khorramshahr-4 missiles with multiple warheads, Qadr with multiple warheads, Emad, and Kheibar-shekan.
As reported, the Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles in this fast and intense operation — according to the same source — successfully hit more than 100 military and security targets in the center of the occupied territories, exploiting the "collapse" of Israel's multi-layered and advanced air defense system. Based on field information after this surprise attack by the Revolutionary Guard aerospace forces, power in parts of Tel Aviv was cut off, and control of the situation, as well as aid operations by internal forces, became more difficult. Initial losses for the Israeli regime from the attack are estimated at over 230 dead and wounded. "We are the ones who take revenge."
American bases targeted
A spokesperson for the Iranian Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters stated that a new stage of powerful and effective strikes has begun across the region against the American-Zionist enemy, and that the targets of drone attacks were the technological-cyberwarfare centers and Rafael weapon manufacturing complexes of the Israeli regime. The attacks targeted areas in northern and central Israel, including Nahariya, Beit Shemesh, Tel Aviv, and West Jerusalem, as well as bases of the "US terrorist army" in Victoria, Ali Al-Salem, Al-Kharj, and the Fifth Fleet. The attacks were carried out with precision and heavy systems, including: • Khorramshahr missiles with a 2-ton warhead • Qadr missiles with multiple warheads • Fattah and Kheibar-shekan • Medium-range Fateh and Qiam systems • As well as destructive drones, as part of high-efficiency operations. As mentioned, in the previous wave of the attack, targets in Beit Shemesh, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem were hit, as well as American military bases in Al Udeid, Ali Al-Salem, Fujairah, Sheikh Isa, and Erbil. The attacks were executed with high-precision missile systems such as Qadr, Emad, Fattah, Haj Qassem, as well as attack drones.
Massive attack on Tel Aviv, Jerusalem – Two dead
As the Iranian news agency reports, Iranian Baresi missiles easily penetrated the Israeli air defense systems early this morning, 3/18, and hit areas in Tel Aviv. It is reported that Tel Aviv and Jerusalem received two waves of missile attacks from Iran, resulting in millions of Israelis fleeing to shelters. Following the impact of the Baresi missile warheads, rescue teams were dispatched to at least 8 points in the city.
Additionally, Israeli media reported that the railway line in the Tel Aviv area suffered destruction and fire. The Mayor of Tel Aviv announced that train traffic was stopped due to the impacts. Images show extensive damage in the city of Bnei Brak, in the suburbs of Tel Aviv.
WATCH: Iranian Khorramshahr ballistic missiles with ~80 bomblets targeting Israel tonight. pic.twitter.com/HVVXkQ1FZf
— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 17, 2026
The municipality of Rosh HaAyin announced that a high-voltage power cable was cut due to the recent missile attack, leaving the Givat Tal area and other neighborhoods without power.
???? Unusual cluster munition explosions in the vicinity of Ben Gurion airport. Tel Aviv is under an almost permanent orange apocalyptic glow. https://t.co/Wla7GlcSqu pic.twitter.com/aWMN2GOUI2
— THE ISLANDER (@IslanderWORLD) March 18, 2026
The Israeli network Channel 14 reported the death of two Israelis in the city of Ramat Gan, south of Tel Aviv, due to the missile attack. The Israeli emergency service confirmed the death of the two and the injury of several others. Iran announced that the lethal attack with multiple missile warheads in the Tel Aviv area was to avenge the elimination of Ali Larijani.
En Tel Aviv, un ataque mortal perpetrado por Irán, un ataque imparable, dejó 50 israelíes muertos y más de 250 heridos. pic.twitter.com/JhC2kzxtft
— aapayés (@aapayes) March 18, 2026
Iran: We chased the USS Abraham Lincoln from the region
The Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, by executing a missile operation, prevented the presence of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the region, according to the Tasnim agency, citing a relevant announcement from the Iranian Navy. "In response to the 'malicious actions of the US' and simultaneously with the holding of a farewell ceremony for the 84 martyrs of the cruiser Dena and honoring the 20 missing martyrs of the same ship, the Iranian Navy executed a missile operation with powerful shore-to-sea missiles, forcing the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln to move away from the area."
Hell in the Gulf, new attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad
At the same time, Iran continues the missile storm in the Gulf states. Specifically, it is reported that an Iranian projectile fell near the headquarters of the Australian military in the Middle East, in the United Arab Emirates, with no injuries reported. In Saudi Arabia, a ballistic missile was intercepted near the Prince Sultan Air Base, southeast of Riyadh, where US troops are stationed. "A ballistic missile launched in the direction of Al Kharj province was intercepted and destroyed. Debris from the interception fell in the area around the Prince Sultan Air Base without causing damage," stated the Saudi Ministry of Defense, which announced that 6 Iranian drones were also destroyed. In Kuwait, it was announced that anti-aircraft defenses intercepted hostile attacks with missiles and drones. It is noted that earlier, a new attack was recorded against the US Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. "A drone directly hit" the embassy building in the heavily guarded Green Zone, following a series of similar actions in recent days, according to an AFP source who did not specify if there were damages. Another security source said the unmanned aerial vehicle fell near the gate at the embassy's security fence.
Message from Araghchi (Iranian Foreign Minister): We are not changing our stance on nuclear weapons, Israel dragged the US into war
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera that Iran's stance against the development of nuclear weapons is not going to change significantly, adding that the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has not yet publicly expressed his opinion on the matter. The former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed early in the US-Israel war against Iran, had issued a fatwa (religious decree) in the early 2000s, banning the development of weapons of mass destruction. Western countries, including the US and Israel, have accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons despite the fatwa, while Iranian authorities state that the country's nuclear program is purely civilian. Araghchi pointed out that fatwas depend on the Islamic jurist who issues them and stated he is not yet in a position to assess the legal or political views of the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. The Iranian Foreign Minister emphasized that Netanyahu dragged the US into the war, noted that now the Americans are asking for help, and stressed that Iran does not believe in a ceasefire but in the definitive end of the war.
Araghchi (Iranian Foreign Minister): Iran has a strong political system, it does not depend on a single person
Furthermore, the Iranian Foreign Minister sent a message to the West, arguing that the US and Israel do not realize that the Islamic Republic constitutes a strong political system which does not depend on a single individual. Araghchi emphasized that the death of high-ranking officials will not disrupt governance and that the state will continue to function normally. Additionally, the Iranian Foreign Minister said that Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is in full health and suffered only superficial wounds. "When and how he will address the people – by statement or in person – the decision is his. According to the information I have, which is accurate, he is in full health," Araghchi said.
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei (Iran): US and Israel defeated, Trump is foolish
The head of Iran's Judiciary, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, spoke of a defeat for the United States and the Israeli regime in their military campaign against Iran, stating that the foolish US President is asking other countries to send naval forces to the Strait of Hormuz. In statements during a meeting with members of the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, the top Iranian judge underlined that Iran has maintained its stability and effectiveness despite war conditions. Ejei emphasized that the image of American power has been shattered after the war of aggression against Iran, saying the foolish and malicious US President is asking other countries to send military forces and warships to the Strait of Hormuz. As he said, the US, which claimed to be a military superpower, has been disappointed in the face of the military power and strong faith of Muslim fighters, stating that the enemy has suffered catastrophic damage during the ongoing war and its ominous existence is now on the verge of collapse.
Jerusalem Post: If Trump attacks the Strait of Hormuz, the war "will be extended for months"
The Jerusalem Post reports that the war could be extended for months if the US decides to attack to control the Strait of Hormuz. Sources told the Jerusalem Post that if President Trump decides to launch a military operation to take control of the Strait of Hormuz with the aim of freedom of navigation, this could extend the war "by weeks, if not months." One source estimates that "this could extend the war by up to two months."
USS Tripoli arrives, carrying thousands of Marines
At the same time, CNN reports that another US Navy warship, the USS Tripoli, which is believed to be carrying Marines and sailors toward the Middle East, is approaching the Strait of Malacca near Singapore as it heads toward the region. The amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli was approaching Singapore, at the southwestern tip of the South China Sea, according to AIS tracking data seen by CNN. US Navy ships often move with their AIS transponders turned off. Revealing their position during transit through areas with heavy maritime traffic, such as the waters around Singapore, allows for safer operations. The Wall Street Journal reported that additional Marines will be moved from the USS Tripoli to the Middle East. These Marines come from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), based in Okinawa — a rapid reaction force with about 2,200 personnel — following a Pentagon order for the unit's deployment, according to three officials familiar with the plans. The US Central Command has stated that about 50,000 American soldiers are already in the Middle East as part of the war with Iran. Officials told CNN that the unit is being sent to the Middle East, without revealing exactly where it will be deployed or for what mission it will be used.
Wall Street Journal: Russia assists Iran with intelligence and military technology
Russia has intensified its cooperation with Iran in the field of intelligence and military technology, providing satellite imagery and upgraded drone systems used to identify and strike US forces in the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing well-informed sources. According to the report, Russia seeks to keep its closest ally in the Middle East active against the military power of the US and Israel, while prolonging a conflict that brings military and economic benefits to Russia. Specifically, Russian support includes components for modified Shahed type drones, aiming to improve communication, navigation, and targeting accuracy. At the same time, Russia is transferring experience gained from using drones in the war in Ukraine, providing tactical instructions on the number to be used in operations and appropriate attack altitudes.
Israel targeted Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) targeted Iran's Intelligence Minister, Esmaeil Khatib, during a nighttime airstrike in Tehran, according to an Israeli official. The attack was confirmed by an Israeli official. The results of the attack are still being examined by the Israeli authorities.
IDF Warning: Evacuate Beirut
The Israeli military, IDF, continues to strike Lebanon and the capital Beirut with intensity. Indeed, the army ordered residents of the district in the center of the Lebanese capital to evacuate urgently as a strike on Hezbollah positions is imminent. Information, however, indicates that Israel struck a central neighborhood of Beirut in an attack carried out without warning, while other attacks hit the southern suburbs of the city. Local media reported that the attack targeted the Zuqaq al-Blat neighborhood, where the Israeli military force had hit a branch of the financial company Al-Qard Al-Hassan, linked to Hezbollah, the previous week. The Lebanese Ministry of Health announced that the two Israeli bombings in the early morning hours in the center of Beirut resulted in at least six people losing their lives and another 24 being injured, according to initial data. "Human remains were also found on the spot" and the identities of the victims "will be verified with DNA tests," the ministry added in a statement. It is noted that the IDF issued an evacuation warning for the coastal city of Tyre in Lebanon and surrounding villages and refugee camps, ahead of attacks against Hezbollah.
Major Hezbollah operation in Nahariya - Drone barrage in northern Israel
The Shiite organization Hezbollah released footage of an attack with rockets and kamikaze drones on the settlement of Nahariya in northern Israel. Indeed, a relevant video was posted by the Aladinhabar |Z| channel on Telegram. Earlier, on the morning of March 17, Israeli forces announced large-scale strikes on the capitals of Iran and Lebanon (Tehran and Beirut). It was emphasized that the bases were attacked by local Shiite organizations. Earlier, a large fire broke out at the American Victoria military base in Baghdad after the landing.
Reuters bombshell: US and Israel to use Syrian Jihadists for a ground intervention in Lebanon
The United States called on Syria to consider sending troops to Lebanon with the aim of assisting in the disarmament of the Shiite organization Hezbollah, Reuters reported, citing a top source in Damascus. According to the source, Washington gave the "green light" for an operation in the Bekaa Valley to help the Lebanese army seize weapons from Shiite militias. However, the Syrian leadership appears hesitant, fearing that such a move could exacerbate religious conflicts. The source pointed out that there is no final decision for intervention in Lebanon; such an option is considered only in the event of a conflict between the Lebanese state and Hezbollah.
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