Updated: March 18, 2026 7:10:26 am IST
US Iran War: The assassination of Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani prompted Tehran to launch a volley of missiles at Israel.
US Iran War Live Updates: Iran fired missiles carrying cluster munitions at Israel on Wednesday in retaliation for the killing of its security chief Ali Larijani, whom Tehran’s state media said was “martyred in the ongoing US-Israeli aggression” against the Islamic republic. Along with Larijani, his son Mortaza Larijani and deputy for national security Alireza Bayat were also killed in the attacks.
Before Iran’s confirmation of Larijani’s killing, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had announced that the Iranian security chief had been “eliminated” in the overnight raid, which also killed General Gholam Reza Soleimani, commander of the country’s paramilitary Basij unit.
On the deaths of Iranian officials, Trump said, “Their leaders are gone. This is an evil group.”
Meanwhile, the United States said late Tuesday that it struck Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz with “multiple 5,000-pound deep penetration munitions.” US Central Command said Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles at these sites “pose a threat to international shipping in the strait”.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran informed the global nuclear watchdog that a projectile hit the complex of its Bushehr nuclear power plant on Tuesday evening.
Indian flagged oil tanker reached India
A second Indian-flagged LPG tanker, Nanda Devi, reached India early Tuesday after safely sailing from the Strait of Hormuz battlefield. The government confirmed that the tanker reached Gujarat’s Kandla port around 2:30 am on Tuesday.
The first ship Shivalik reached Mundra port in Gujarat on Monday.
The two ships were reportedly carrying around 97,712 tonnes of LPG – equivalent to one day’s requirement of cooking gas in India.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways also said efforts are underway to ensure the safe passage of the remaining 22 Indian-flagged ships carrying 611 seafarers who are still stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. The ministry said the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) is closely monitoring the operations in coordination with shipowners, agencies and Indian embassies.
Global crisis and oil prices
Oil prices rose as Iran confirmed the death of its security chief Ali Larijani, as the US-Israel-Iran war escalates and tensions rise across the Middle East region.
US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was trading near $96 a barrel after rising nearly 3 per cent on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Brent closed above $103, Bloomberg reported.
Trump’s national counterterrorism chief resigns
US President Donald Trump is facing an internal crisis, there is a sharp reaction from within his country regarding the attacks and war against Iran. The latest in this series is the resignation of Joe Kent, head of the US National Counterterrorism Center, who advised Trump on “terrorist” threats. Kent said Iran poses “no imminent threat” to the US, claiming that Washington “started this war because of pressure from Israel and its powerful US lobby”.
Trump responded to Kent’s resignation by saying it was “good that he’s out because he said Iran is not a threat”. He called Kent a “good guy”, whom he said was “very weak on security”.
Israel attacks Lebanon
Israeli strikes reportedly hit central Beirut and the city’s southern suburbs early Wednesday, with Lebanese media reporting that the raids came without warning.
One attack took place on an apartment in the central Zukaq al-Blatt neighborhood, where last week Israeli forces attacked the Beirut branch of the Hezbollah-linked financial company al-Qard al-Hassan.
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Before Iran’s confirmation of Larijani’s killing, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had announced that the Iranian security chief had been “eliminated” in the overnight raid, which also killed General Gholam Reza Soleimani, commander of the country’s paramilitary Basij unit.
On the deaths of Iranian officials, Trump said, “Their leaders are gone. This is an evil group.”
Meanwhile, the United States said late Tuesday that it struck Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz with “multiple 5,000-pound deep penetration munitions.” US Central Command said Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles at these sites “pose a threat to international shipping in the strait”.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said Iran informed the global nuclear watchdog that a projectile hit the complex of its Bushehr nuclear power plant on Tuesday evening.
Indian flagged oil tanker reached India
A second Indian-flagged LPG tanker, Nanda Devi, reached India early Tuesday after safely sailing from the Strait of Hormuz battlefield. The government confirmed that the tanker reached Gujarat’s Kandla port around 2:30 am on Tuesday.
The first ship Shivalik reached Mundra port in Gujarat on Monday.
The two ships were reportedly carrying around 97,712 tonnes of LPG – equivalent to one day’s requirement of cooking gas in India.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways also said efforts are underway to ensure the safe passage of the remaining 22 Indian-flagged ships carrying 611 seafarers who are still stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. The ministry said the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) is closely monitoring the operations in coordination with shipowners, agencies and Indian embassies.
Global crisis and oil prices
Oil prices rose as Iran confirmed the death of its security chief Ali Larijani, as the US-Israel-Iran war escalates and tensions rise across the Middle East region.
US benchmark West Texas Intermediate was trading near $96 a barrel after rising nearly 3 per cent on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Brent closed above $103, Bloomberg reported.
Trump’s national counterterrorism chief resigns
US President Donald Trump is facing an internal crisis, there is a sharp reaction from within his country regarding the attacks and war against Iran. The latest in this series is the resignation of Joe Kent, head of the US National Counterterrorism Center, who advised Trump on “terrorist” threats. Kent said Iran poses “no imminent threat” to the US, claiming that Washington “started this war because of pressure from Israel and its powerful US lobby”.
Trump responded to Kent’s resignation by saying it was “good that he’s out because he said Iran is not a threat”. He called Kent a “good guy”, whom he said was “very weak on security”.
Israel attacks Lebanon
Israeli strikes reportedly hit central Beirut and the city’s southern suburbs early Wednesday, with Lebanese media reporting that the raids came without warning.
One attack took place on an apartment in the central Zukaq al-Blatt neighborhood, where last week Israeli forces attacked the Beirut branch of the Hezbollah-linked financial company al-Qard al-Hassan.
Follow all updates here:
March 18, 2026 7:10:26 am First
US Iran war live updates: US strikes Iranian missile sites near Strait of Hormuz
The US military said on Tuesday it targeted Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz with some of its most powerful bombs.
“US forces successfully deployed 5,000-pound deep-penetrating munitions against hardened Iranian missile sites on Iran’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz,” US Central Command told X.
“Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles at these sites pose a threat to international shipping in the strait,” it said.
March 18, 2026 7:08:33 am First
US Iran war live updates: Tehran vows revenge for killing of security chief Ali Larijani
US Iran war live updates: Iranian army chief Amir Hatami vowed to avenge the killing of security chief Ali Larijani in an Israeli airstrike on Wednesday and threatened to launch “decisive and regrettable countermeasures”.
“Iran’s response to the assassination of the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council will be decisive and regrettable,” Hatami said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had fired missiles at central Israel “to avenge the blood of martyr Dr. Ali Larijani and his comrades.”
March 18, 2026 7:03:07 am First
US Iran war live updates: Tehran attacks Israel with cluster warhead missiles
US Iran war live updates: Iran on Wednesday attacked Israel with missiles carrying cluster warheads in retaliation for the killing of its security chief Ali Larijani.
Missiles hit Tel Aviv, doctors say two people were killed in the attack.
