News

The reported inquiry predates Joe Kent’s departure on Tuesday from his post as director of the national counter-terrorism center The resignation of Joe Kent, a senior counter-terrorism official who spoke out against the US war in Iran, took a dramatic turn on Wednesday with a report that he is under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over an alleged leak of classified information. The inquiry predates Kent’s departure on Tuesday from his post as director of the national counterterrorism center, where he had overseen the analysis of terrorist threats, according to Semafor and CBS News. The FBI declined to comment on the existence of any such investigation. Continue reading...

US president says Israel will not launch another attack on the giant gasfield shared by Iran and Qatar, but promises to destroy it if Tehran retaliates Israel strikes Iran’s South Pars gasfield hours after forces kill intelligence minister Fighting intensifies between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon Cathay Pacific suspends flights to and from Dubai until end of April The Hong Kong aviation giant Cathay Pacific has suspended flights to and from Dubai over the war in the Middle East. The Pentagon “has asked the White House to approve a more than $200bn request to Congress to fund the war in Iran, according to a senior administration official”, the Washington Post reports. The oil price climbed towards $110 a barrel on Wednesday as the mounting threat to the Gulf’s oil and gas infrastructure fuelled concerns of more disruption to global supplies, amid the continuing blockade of the strait of Hormuz. QatarEnergy said “sizeable fires” caused extensive damage at its LNG facilities after Iranian missile attacks in the early hours of Thursday. An attack set a ship ablaze early on Thursday off the UAE coast, authorities said. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said “a vessel has been hit by an unknown projectile, which has resulted in a fire onboard”. French president Emmanuel Macron called for an immediate moratorium on striking civilian infrastructure, and said civilian populations and their needs must be “protected from military escalation”. Three Palestinian women were killed in an Iranian missile attack in the occupied West Bank late on Wednesday, the Palestinian Red Crescent said, in the first deadly Iranian strike there. A man was killed in central Israel in the latest round of Iranian missile fire, medics say. It brings the death roll in Israel from the war to 15. Republicans in the US Senate blocked a measure that aimed to reign in Donald Trump’s power to wage war against Iran without congressional authorisation, winning a 53-47 vote. Continue reading...

Strait of Hormuz explained: Why it could spike your next gas fill-up  KTVZ

Qatar contains two Ras Laffan fires, third still burning Qatar’s interior ministry said civil defence teams have fully contained two of three fires in the Ras Laffan Industrial Area, adding that no injuries have been reported.   The ministry said cooling and securing operations are continuing at the affected sites as crews work to control the remaining fire. Officials did not immediately provide further details on the cause or extent of the damage.

Residents in countries near North Korea fear Iran war leaves them exposed  ABC News

Shares have retreated in Asia after a slump on Wall Street as oil prices shot over $110 a barrel

Some economists had previously been expecting policymakers to deliver a cut, prior to the escalation of the war in Iran.

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Qatar says fires controlled after attacks damage major gas facilities Qatar’s interior ministry said civil defence teams have brought two fires in the Ras Laffan Industrial Area under control, adding that no injuries were reported. The fires followed attacks that struck key energy infrastructure in the area. Earlier, QatarEnergy had said several liquefied natural gas facilities sustained significant damage in the strikes.   QatarEnergy's liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facilities in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar, 2 March 2026. REUTERS

Foreign minister warns Iran that regional neighbours have 'significant' capabilities with which to respond to attacks.

Air strike hits militia headquarters in Iraq, three injured An air strike targeted a headquarters of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) north of Salah al-Din province, Al Jazeera Arabic reported. The report said that the strike hit a facility linked to one of the PMF brigades in the area. The PMF said three people were injured in the attack, including one critically, after a separate strike hit another brigade headquarters in the province.

Vessel struck near Strait of Hormuz, fire reported onboard A vessel was struck by an “unknown projectile” late Wednesday off the east coast of the United Arab Emirates near the Strait of Hormuz, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre said. The incident occurred in the Gulf of Oman, about 11 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan, and resulted in a fire on board. The attack comes amid rising maritime security concerns in the region. More than 20 oil tankers, cargo ships and other vessels have reported incidents in the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman since the conflict began, according to UKMTO data.

March 19 (Reuters) - The Iranian national team are continuing to prepare for the World Cup finals and have no intention of pulling out of the tournament even if they will not travel to the United States, soccer chief Mehdi Taj said on Wednesday. Iran were one of the first nations to qualify for the finals but their participation has been in doubt since the conflict between the Islamic Republic and the United States began in late February. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19 and is being staged in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi risks the wrath of US President Donald Trump at the White House Thursday after rebuffing his call to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The first female premier in Japan's history, conservative Takaichi has had a strong supporter in Trump, who backed her ahead of her recent landslide election victory.

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By Yomna Ehab and Jaidaa Taha March 18 (Reuters) - Qatar's state oil giant QatarEnergy said on Wednesday that Iranian missile attacks on Ras Laffan, the site of the country's core LNG processing operations, caused "extensive damage", while the UAE shut gas facilities after intercepting missiles early on Thursday. The attacks came hours after Iran issued evacuation warnings for several oil facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, as it prepared retaliation following strikes on its own energy infrastructure in South Pars and Asaluyeh.

The president was criticized for wearing a baseball cap to a previous ceremony

Putin mourns Larijani, calls him 'true friend' of Russia Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent a message of condolences to Iran’s Supreme Leader following the killing of senior Iranian official Ali Larijani, according to state media. Putin said he had met Larijani repeatedly and expressed sympathy to Iran’s leadership and people. In his message, Putin described Larijani as a “true friend” of Russia who contributed significantly to strengthening ties between Moscow and Tehran. He said Larijani’s memory would endure as someone who helped advance the countries’ strategic partnership.

Strait of Hormuz Explained: Why it could spike your next gas fill-up  KTVZ

Kuwait Grand Mosque suspends Eid prayers amid regional tensions Kuwait’s Grand Mosque said it will not hold Eid al-Fitr prayers this year due to what it described as the “current circumstances.” The decision comes as the country prepares to mark the end of Ramadan, with authorities confirming Friday as the first day of the holiday. Eid al-Fitr is typically marked by large congregational prayers and celebrations across the Muslim world. However, festivities are expected to be subdued in parts of the region amid escalating tensions linked to the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.