Israel-Iran Conflict: Live Updates – March 18, 2026

The United States and Israel have carried out strikes on a significant gas field in Iran, reportedly causing a fire, according to Iranian state television. This escalation marks a further intensification of tensions in the region.

“Some parts of the gas facilities located in the South Pars Special Energy Economic Zone in Asaluyeh were hit by projectiles fired by the American-Zionist enemy a few moments ago,” Iranian state television reported.

The South Pars-North Dome field, shared by Iran and Qatar, is the world’s largest known gas reserve and supplies approximately 70 percent of the Islamic Republic’s domestic natural gas. (afp/efe)

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that his country does not need the Strait of Hormuz and threatened to leave its security to nations that rely on the strategic oil and gas waterway, but have not heeded his call to guarantee security in the passage, which Iran has blocked.

“I wonder what would happen if we ‘finished’ what’s left of the Iranian terrorist state and let the countries that use it – we don’t – grab care of the so-called ‘Strait.’ That would get some of our ‘allies’ who don’t pay to wake up, and fast!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. (efe/afp/ap)

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated in a release that Iran’s Minister of Intelligence, Ismail Jatib, was killed in a strike overnight.

“Following the forceful assassinations of senior officials of the regime, the de facto leader of Iran and head of the Basij organization, Larijani and Soleimani, last night also the Iranian Minister of Intelligence (Ismail) Jatib, who was in charge of the regime’s internal system of assassinations and repression, was assassinated,” the statement read. (ap/efe)

The Bushehr nuclear power plant, on Iran’s Gulf coast, was hit by a projectile on Wednesday, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which reports no knowledge of damage or casualties.

The IAEA communicated in a brief message that Iran informed them of the attack. Its director, Rafael Grossi, reiterated a call for “maximum restraint in the conflict to prevent the risk of a nuclear accident.” (ap/efe)

Iran has responded to the death of Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council and a key figure in the regime, with latest waves of attacks against Tel Aviv that, so far, have caused the first two deaths in Israel since March 9th. (ap/efe)

At least six people have been killed and 24 others injured in two Israeli strikes against buildings in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. This marks the seventh such attack within the capital since the start of hostilities.

“Two attacks by the Israeli enemy in Beirut caused, as an initial balance, the death of six citizens and injuries to another 24. Remains were also recovered from the site and their identities will be determined after DNA tests are completed,” the Lebanese Emergency Operations Center said in a statement. (efe/afp)