In pictures: Shrapnel strikes West Bank after Iranian attack on Israel
Palestinian civil defence workers inspect the site where shrapnel from projectiles fell in Beit Awa near the Israeli-occupied West Bank city of Hebron on March 18 (AFP/Getty)
Four Palestinian women were killed in the occupied West Bank on March 18 by falling shrapnel, emergency responders said, shortly after Israel’s military reported another Iranian missile barrage (AFP/Getty)
The Palestinian Red Crescent confirmed four fatalities, all women, and six injuries ranging from moderate to minor, in the Beit Awa area near Hebron, marking the first Palestinian deaths in the ongoing Middle East war (AP)
Alex Croft19 March 2026 10:17
Gulf states request urgent debate at the UN
Gulf states have requested an urgent debate at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva over Iran’s strikes on civilians and energy infrastructure across the Middle East, documents show.
The diplomatic note describes Iranian strikes as a “situation of serious concern for international peace and security” with severe implications on human rights.
The US-Israeli war on Iran is now in its third week, and has sparked huge retaliation from Iran on energy and civilian targets.
Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on energy facilities across the region has spiked energy prices and fuelled fears of a rise in inflation globally.
The “unprovoked attacks” on Gulf countries – despite their assurances to Tehran that their territories won’t host anti-Iran launches – demand immediate attention, the diplomatic note said.
This image released by Bahrain’s Interior Ministry shows firefighters extinguishing flames after an Iranian projectile struck an industrial area in Ma’ameer, Bahrain, Monday, March 9 (Bahrain Interior Ministry)
Alex Croft19 March 2026 09:59
Breaking: Saudi’s Yandu port stops oil loadings
We’re hearing reports from Reuters news agency that the Saudi port of Yanbu, one of two major remaining export routes for Gulf Arab oil after Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, has stopped oil loadings.
The closure, which was reported by two sources, comes after the Saudi defence ministry said it intercepted a ballistic missile over the city.
The ministry said earlier that a drone crashed at the SAMREF refinery, with damage assessment underway.
Alex Croft19 March 2026 09:42
Analysis | Unlike Trump, Iran’s regime has been plotting this war for decades
Bent on regime change by attacking Iran from the air, Israel and America failed to plan for a war beyond bombing, but Tehran has spent decades preparing to frustrate exactly the kind of conflict it is now enduring.
Iran’s regime has a system known as the “mosaic defence”, which has been implemented for battlefield decision-making, counterattacks and state oppression.
Tehran knew that Israel planned to lead American attempts to destroy its theocracy by using its staggering levels of air power.
The result, nearly three weeks into the air war against Iran, is that its headless government lives on.
It has been planning for the moment when Iran’s leadership was, literally, wiped out and decapitated, creating a system to devolve, delegate and disperse its decision makers.
Its relative success is shown by the continued, though reduced, attacks by Iran on its neighbours and US bases in the Gulf and its ability to strangle the Strait of Hormuz, even though supreme leader Ali Khamenei has been killed, as well as Ali Larijani, who, as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, led Iran’s systems of state oppression.
Alex Croft19 March 2026 09:15
Watch: Explosion seen toward oil giant Saudi Aramco facility in RiyadhExplosion seen toward oil giant Saudi Aramco facility in Riyadh
Alex Croft19 March 2026 09:03
Sweden to intervene on oil prices in case of long-term impact
Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson said on Thursday the government is ready to act on power price supports if the surge in costs becomes long-term.
This would see the government intervene to reduce or cap oil prices for everyday consumers, after oil prices on Thursday morning hit $114 per barrel.
“We are ready to act on power price support and heating prices if this has long-term effects,” Mr Kristersson said according to the Reuters news agency.
Kristersson vowed to intervene in case of a lasting impact (TT NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Ima)
Alex Croft19 March 2026 08:44
Vessel struck by ‘unknown projectile’ off the coast of Ras Laffan
UK MaritimeTrade Operations (UKMTO) issued a warning after a report of an incident four nautical miles east of Ras Laffan, Qatar, where Iran struck oil facilities over Wednesday night.
“It has been reported to UKMTO that a vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile. All crew are reported safe and well.
“Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to UKMTO while authorities continue to investigate.”
Bryony Gooch19 March 2026 08:30
Analysis: As Brent surges, economic concern grows with inflation risk
Karl Matchett, Business and Money Editor reports:
Brent oil is now up more than 13 per cent in the space of a week after another overnight surge, sitting at $114 – it’s highest peak since May 2022. Major economic concerns will now be growing over inflationary pressures caused by the price rise, as analysts have continually pointed to the fact it’s prolonged periods, rather than sharp peaks, which cause lingering problems – and it’s now a full week that oil has been at, or over, $100.
The price prior to the first strikes on Iran sat at around $70. Elsewhere there are similar concerns. European natural gas futures are this morning trading at just under 68 euros per MWh, having previously been trading in a narrow band between 50-52 Eur/MWh, a massive jump of close to a third overnight.
Heating oil, so far, remains unchanged – it has been around 130p/litre and has been for much of the past couple of weeks, but remains one to watch.
Bryony Gooch19 March 2026 08:18
Analysis: Unlike Trump, Iran’s regime has been plotting this war for decades
Bryony Gooch19 March 2026 08:10
Saudi Aramco-Exxon refinery SAMREF in Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu targeted, source says
Oil giant Saudi Aramco’s SAMREF refinery in the Red Sea port of Yanbu was targeted in an aerial attack on Thursday, an industry source said, adding there was minimal impact, after other attacks on energy facilities in Qatar and the UAE in response to US-Israeli attacks on Iranian energy installations.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had issued an evacuation warning to several oil facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, including SAMREF, which is a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and Exxon Mobil.
The warning followed a strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field, a major escalation in the war with the United States and Israel.
Yanbu has been one of two major export outlets for any crude oil out of Gulf Arab countries since Iran effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz after the war erupted late last month. The strait, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, normally carries a fifth of the world’s oil supply.
The other major export outlet is the United Arab Emirates’ port of Fujairah, which has come under a series of attacks that suspended operations there. It was not immediately clear whether loadings were operational on Thursday.
Saudi Aramco did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
Bryony Gooch19 March 2026 08:00