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Lebanese soldier killed after Israeli raid in south Lebanon Lebanon’s army says one of the soldiers wounded in an Israeli attack in southern Lebanon has died from his injuries. In a statement carried by the National News Agency, the Army Command confirmed the death following an earlier announcement that five soldiers had been wounded in the Qaqaiyat al-Jisr area in Nabatieh. The army said the casualties resulted from a “hostile Israeli raid” targeting the area.

That $11.3bn doesn’t include any estimate of repairing facilities or replacing losses Generally speaking, when you bomb another country, and that country retaliates, you call it a “war”. Very simple word. Three letters. Even Donald Trump knows how to spell it. But be careful about calling the US-Israeli attacks on Iran, which have expanded into an Israeli ground invasion of Lebanon, a “war”. The geniuses in the White House can’t seem to figure out what the hell they’re doing. House speaker Mike Johnson announced on 5 March that “we are not at war” and that the US has “no intention of being at war”. Some lawmakers, such as senator Cynthia Lummis, meanwhile, are arguing that the US has been in “forever war” with Iran for decades. Continue reading...

How the Iran War Ignited a Geoeconomic Firestorm  Council on Foreign Relations

Iran says Hormuz tensions tied to US-Israeli war Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi says instability in the Strait of Hormuz cannot be separated from the ongoing Israeli-US war against Iran. In a message posted on Telegram on Tuesday, Araqchi said he raised the issue directly with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, warning that maritime disruptions in the strategic waterway stem from the broader conflict. Araqchi also urged governments and international organisations responsible for safeguarding global peace and security to take a clear stance and condemn the illegal war on Iran.

German investor confidence plunges as Israeli-US war rattles markets Investor confidence in Germany has dropped sharply as the Middle East war unsettles financial markets across Europe. A survey released on Tuesday by the ZEW economic research institute showed sentiment among investors about Germany’s economic outlook fell steeply over the past month. The indicator dropped by 58.8 points, marking its lowest level in nearly a year. The decline reflects growing concern among investors as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East following the Israeli-US of choice on Iran that has a resulted in a spike in energy costs.

The Israel Lobby’s Responsibility for the Iran War  Foreign Policy

By Olivia Le Poidevin GENEVA, March 17 (Reuters) - Civilians are paying a heavy price as the war in Lebanon continues to expand, driving death, injuries and displacement the United Nations said on Tuesday. "Displacement is increasing incredibly quickly. Right now, hundreds of thousands of people left their homes. Many leaving with very little, just the clothes they were wearing," said the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator Imran Riza.

Ali Larijani last seen walking in Tehran rally days before reported death Iran’s national security chief Ali Larijani, whom Israel claims was killed in strikes on Tehran, appeared publicly just days earlier at the annual al-Quds Day rally in the Iranian capital. Footage from Friday showed Larijani marching through central Tehran alongside other senior officials and crowds marking the annual pro-Palestine demonstration. Speaking to Iranian state media during the event, Larijani dismissed the bombing that struck during the rally as a sign of weakness. “These attacks are out of fear, out of desperation. One who is strong wouldn’t bomb demonstrations at all. It’s clear that it has failed,” he said. “Trump doesn’t understand that the Iranian people are a brave nation, a strong nation, a determined nation. The more he presses, the stronger the nation’s determination will become,” he said. مسيرة يوم القدس | شارع الثورة | طهران | ٢٢ آذار ٢٠٢٦ | بعد ١٣ يوماً من استشهاد سماحة آية الله العظمى الشهيد السيد علي خامنئي pic.twitter.com/yg99r2SGkg March 13, 2026

When Israeli and US strikes killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at the start of the Middle East war, Iran's security chief Ali Larijani became even more powerful than he had been for decades. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that Larijani had been killed, though Iran's authorities have not confirmed his death. Larijani had since the start of the war played a far more visible role than the new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since he was appointed to replace his slain father.

The Iran war already has a winner  Vox

Israeli shelling in south Lebanon kills two as bombardment continues Lebanon’s National News Agency reports ongoing Israeli artillery shelling targeting the southern towns of Zibqin and Jabal al-Batoum. A separate Israeli air raid on the town of Jmeijmeh killed two people the report added.

Ali Larijani attacked Americas 'Epstein class' in recent posts Last week Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, accused figures linked to Epstein’s network of plotting to provoke a global crisis and blame Tehran. Posting on X, Larijani said: “I’ve heard that the remaining members of Epstein’s network have devised a conspiracy to create an incident similar to 9/11 and blame Iran for it. "Iran fundamentally opposes such terrorist schemes and has no war with the American people. We are defending our country against an aggression launched by the US and Israel. Iran stands tall in doing so in order to teach the aggressors a lesson,” he added. Larijani also mocked remarks from US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, who had suggested Iranian leaders were hiding like "rats" during the war. Iranian officials had appeared publicly at Tehran’s annual al-Quds Day rally on Friday, where crowds marched in support of Palestinians. “Mr. Hegseth! Our leaders have been, and still are, among the people. But your leaders? On Epstein’s island!” Larijani wrote on X.   Mr. Hegseth! Our leaders have been, and still are, among the people. But your leaders? On Epstein's island! https://t.co/iywavTegyv pic.twitter.com/rxFhzsWoq5 March 13, 2026

Energy prices are surging as the Iran war disrupts supply, raising risks for the US, China and Europe.

Despite its public objections to Israel’s actions, the UK is buying spyware developed and tested on Palestinians.

Larijani releases handwritten message honouring Iranian navy sailors killed by US Iran’s Ali Larijani has released a handwritten message on X commemorating Iranian navy sailors killed by the United States earlier this month. “On the occasion of the funeral ceremony for the valiant martyrs of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Navy…” The post makes no mention of Israeli claims about his reported death. به مناسبت مراسم تشییع سلحشوران نیروی دریایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران: یاد آنان همواره در قلب ملت ایران خواهد بود و این شهادت‌ها بنیان ارتش جمهوری اسلامی را برای سالها در ساختار نیروهای مسلح استوار می‌نماید. ازخداوند متعال علو درجات برای این شهدای عزیز خواستارم. pic.twitter.com/dvTdhyDYbY March 17, 2026

Crown Center teach-in discusses the United States, Israel, Iran and the Middle East at war  thejustice.org

Israel carried out new strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs and again ordered residents of vast parts of southern Lebanon to evacuate, as more than a million people have been displaced across the country. Early Tuesday morning Israeli aircraft bombed two neighbourhoods of Beirut's southern suburbs, state media said, and also struck Doha Aramoun, south of the capital, wounding an Ethiopian woman.

Chosen by War: The Rise of Iran’s New Supreme Leader  The New York Times

Israel’s Gulf-State Gamble in the Iran War  The New Yorker