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<\/a><\/p>\nPublished On 14 Mar 202614 Mar 2026<\/p>\n
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The United States-Israel war on Iran, now in its third week, continues to escalate<\/a> after US forces struck military targets on Kharg Island, the critical hub through which most of Iran\u2019s crude exports pass.<\/p>\n US President Donald Trump said Washington deliberately spared the island\u2019s oil infrastructure but warned that it could be attacked if Iran interferes with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Recommended Stories list of 1 itemend of list<\/p>\n Tehran, meanwhile, has warned that any attack on its energy facilities would trigger retaliation against regional oil infrastructure and US-aligned assets, raising fears of a wider energy and security crisis across the Gulf.<\/p>\n Here is what we know:<\/p>\n In Iran In Gulf countries
\nJoint attack: Iran\u2019s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) earlier said they had launched missiles and drones at Israel in coordination with Tehran\u2019s Lebanese proxy Hezbollah. The IRGC said in a statement that the operation was part of their annual al-Quds Day<\/a>, which is intended to show support for the Palestinian cause.
\nIranian supreme leader \u2018wounded\u2019:\u00a0US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth\u00a0said he believes<\/a> Iran\u2019s new supreme leader,\u00a0Mojtaba Khamenei<\/a>, is wounded. \u201cWe know the new so-called, not-so-supreme leader is wounded and likely disfigured.\u201d
\n$10m reward: The US Department of State offered a $10m reward for information about\u00a0 Khamenei and other top officials.
\nUS attacks on Kharg island: Trump announced that US forces have bombed Iranian military installations on Kharg island<\/a>, which he described as Iran\u2019s \u201ccrown jewel\u201d. The island is critical to Iran\u2019s economy, as approximately 90 percent of the country\u2019s oil exports pass through it before travelling through the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
\nCasualties rise: Since February 28, at least 1,444 people have been killed and 18,551 injured in US-Israel attacks on Iran.<\/p>\n![\"INTERACTIVE](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/INTERACTIVE-DEATH-TOLL-tracker-war-US-Israel-and-Iran-attacks-March-13-2026-1773404159.png\"){kind=tracking}
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\nIranian retaliation: Iran has been launching reciprocal drone and missile attacks against US assets, military bases, and commercial sites across the Gulf region.
\nSaudi Arabia intercepts drones: The Saudi Ministry of Defense said on Friday it intercepted and destroyed six drones, five in the kingdom\u2019s eastern region and one over the \u201cEmpty Quarter\u201d desert zone.
\nQatar: The Qatari armed forces successfully intercepted<\/a> an incoming missile. Before the interception, authorities issued a heightened security alert to all mobile phones, warning of incoming missiles or drones, and temporarily evacuated certain areas, including parts of Education City.
\nBahrain: Sirens sounded, and the Ministry of Interior urged all citizens and residents to remain calm and head to their nearest safe place.
\nOman: Following a recent incident where two people were killed by falling drones in Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq and Qatar\u2019s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held a call urging dialogue and regional de-escalation.
\nF1 races cancelled: Formula One races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will reportedly be cancelled or rescheduled as the war engulfs the region. The Bahrain race is currently scheduled for April 10 to 12, and Saudi Arabia a week later.
\nIn the US
\nMajor military deployments: To counter ongoing Iranian drone attacks and regional threats, the US is deploying 10,000 interceptor drones to the Middle East, according to US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. Furthermore, US media reports suggest the potential deployment of the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship, alongside 2,500 marines, which was reportedly approved by Hegseth.
\nAggressive rhetoric and bounties: Highlighting the aggressive US stance, Hegseth stated that the US military will show \u201cno quarter, no mercy for our enemy\u201d, a remark that prompted concerns from Democratic Congressman Eugene Vindman about possible illegal orders.
\nOil infrastructure spared: While the military facilities were destroyed on Kharg island, Trump said he chose not to strike the island\u2019s oil infrastructure \u201cfor reasons of decency\u201d. The island hosts key energy facilities linked to Iran\u2019s oil export system, including storage tanks, loading terminals and pipelines.
\nUltimatum over the Strait of Hormuz: In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that if Iran interferes with the free and safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, he would reconsider that decision and target the oil facilities.
\nStrategic leverage: Analysts say the bombing signals that the US can cripple Iran\u2019s ability to attack vessels in the strait while holding back the option of striking oil infrastructure \u2013 a move that could significantly disrupt Iran\u2019s crude exports and intensify the global energy shock.
\nIn Israel
\n7,600 targets: Israel\u2019s military said it had carried out about 7,600 strikes in Iran and 1,100 in Lebanon since launching its joint operation with the US on February 28.
\nIsrael hit: Smoke could be seen rising from two locations around Israel\u2019s commercial hub Tel Aviv, a journalist with the AFP news agency said, after blasts were heard following a warning that missiles were fired from Iran.
\nIn Lebanon
\nLebanon toll climbs: Israeli attacks have killed<\/a> at least 773 people in Lebanon since March 2, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said, as Israel pledged the country would pay an \u201cincreasing price\u201d in damage to infrastructure.
\nAttacks on medical workers: Lebanon\u2019s Health Ministry strongly condemned an Israeli strike on a healthcare centre in Borj Qalaouiye that killed 12 medical staff, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics.
\nUN base hit: Israeli shells struck the headquarters of a Nepalese peacekeeping battalion serving with UNIFIL in the southern Lebanese town of Meiss el-Jabal.
\nHezbollah\u2019s stance: Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem stated that his group is ready for a \u201clong confrontation\u201d with Israel, framing the conflict as a legitimate defence against 15 months of unaddressed Israeli abuses.
\nIn Iraq
\nUS embassy targeted: Iraq says a helipad at the US Embassy in Baghdad has been hit by a missile.\u00a0 An Iraqi security source tells Al Jazeera the attack on the embassy destroyed the air defence system. Smoke has been seen rising from the site. The sprawling embassy complex, inside Baghdad\u2019s security Green Zone, has been repeatedly targeted by rockets and drones fired by Iran-aligned groups. There was no immediate comment from the US Embassy in Baghdad.
\nIraq PM, Macron call: Iraq\u2019s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani pledged to prevent attacks after the killing of a French soldier in a drone attack in the semi-autonomous Kurdish region.
\nTurkiye issues travel advisory: Turkiye has advised its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iraq as the country is becoming increasingly affected by the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran.
\nEconomic effect
\nGlobal economic effect: The US-Israel war on Iran has prompted a global energy crisis and a surge in oil prices. In response, Canada announced it will release 23.6 million barrels of oil as part of an emergency coordinated\u00a0effort<\/a> by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
\nAviation effect: Major Indian airlines, including Air India and IndiGo, have significantly increased ticket fares to cover rising aviation turbine fuel costs caused by the geopolitical instability.
\nShifting diplomatic dynamics: Despite the heavy US military presence, an analyst noted that the US is losing diplomatic leverage regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Key nations, including India, France, and Italy, are now bypassing Washington and reaching out directly to Iran to negotiate safe passage for their vessels, indicating a shift in who is controlling the immediate crisis.
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(Al Jazeera)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"EXPLAINER US hits Iran\u2019s Kharg island as it warns oil sites may be next if Tehran disrupts shipping…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":522680,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[23,1127,158238,158239,129,3,21,19,22,20,25,231941,24],"class_list":["post-522679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-united-states","tag-america","tag-conflict","tag-hezbollah","tag-islamic-revolutionary-guard-corps","tag-middle-east","tag-news","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-us-israel-war-on-iran","tag-usa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/522679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=522679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/522679\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/522680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=522679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=522679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=522679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}