Middle East war latest: Iran vows vengeance as it buries slain security chief

2026-03-18 - 08:21

Here are the latest developments in the Middle East war: Iran to hold funeral for slain security chief as it vows vengeance Iran will hold a funeral Wednesday for its security chief Ali Larijani as it vowed revenge, firing off a wave of missiles at Israel after it killed the powerful figure in an air strike. A barrage of Iranian missiles killed two people near Israel’s commercial hub Tel Aviv, while Gulf nations intercepted rockets and drones headed for targets including US bases in the region. According to Iran’s Fars and Tasnim news agencies, funerals for Larijani and another powerful figure killed by Israel, Gholamreza Soleimani, the head of the Basij paramilitary force, will take place from 1030 GMT in Tehran. Their deaths were announced Tuesday. Larijani is the most prominent figure of the Islamic Republic killed since Israel and the United States launched their attacks on Iran on February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and igniting a war across the Middle East. Saudi Arabia says intercepted two drones targeting Riyadh diplomatic quarter Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday it had intercepted two drones targeting the diplomatic quarter of its capital, Riyadh, as Iran pressed on with its attacks on the Gulf. Two drones were downed as they attempted “to approach the embassy quarter”, the defence ministry posted on X. The authorities had earlier said they intercepted several drones over the country’s Eastern Province, as well as a ballistic missile close to the major Prince Sultan air base housing US forces south east of Riyadh. Four explosions heard in Iraq’s Erbil: AFP journalists At least four explosions were heard on Wednesday in the city of Erbil in the autonomous Kurdistan region, AFP journalists reported. It was not immediately clear what the target was. From a suburb of Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region, AFP journalists saw interceptions of projectiles over the city, which is home to a major US consulate complex, while its airport houses US-led coalition troops. Iraq was drawn into the Middle East war after having long been a proxy battleground between the United States and Iran. Strikes have targeted Iran-backed groups, which in turn have claimed daily attacks on US interests in Iraq and across the region. Since the start of the war, the coalition’s air defences have repeatedly downed drones over Erbil. In the past few days, daily explosions have been heard over the city, although mostly in the evening. On Tuesday night, the powerful Iran-backed armed group Kataeb Hezbollah condemned the US presence in Iraq and demanded that every “foreign soldier” leave the country. The group, which has been designated a terrorist organisation by Washington, is part of an umbrella movement known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has been claiming daily attacks on US interests in Iraq and the region, and which has always demanded the withdrawal of US troops from the country. New Israeli strike on central Beirut without warning: state media A new Israeli strike hit central Beirut’s Zuqaq al-Blat neighbourhood on Wednesday, state media reported, the second on the densely populated area since the early morning without prior warning. A blast was heard throughout the capital, and AFPTV’s live broadcast showed plumes of smoke rising from the area as the war between Hezbollah and Israel continued. A building in Bashoura, also in central Beirut, was struck earlier following an Israeli warning. Beirut strikes The Israeli military called on residents of a central Beirut neighbourhood to evacuate early Wednesday, warning of an imminent attack on the Lebanese capital targeting Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. Earlier Wednesday, Lebanon’s health ministry said that two Israeli strikes on central Beirut without warning killed at least six people and wounded 24 others. The Israeli military also said it was striking Hezbollah targets in the area around the southern Lebanese city of Tyre in response to rocket fire towards Israel. Iran army threatens retaliation Iranian army chief Amir Hatami threatened on Wednesday to launch a “decisive and regrettable” retaliation for the killing of security chief Ali Larijani in an Israeli air strike. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a separate statement that it had launched missiles at central Israel “in revenge for the blood of martyr Dr Ali Larijani and his companions”. Hamas offered condolences to Iran, writing on Telegram: “We renew our solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is being subjected to Zionist-American aggression, and affirm that the continuation of this aggression is a crime that targets the entire region and threatens its security and stability.” Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Tuesday confirmed the death of its chief Larijani, after Israel said it had killed him in an air strike. Gulf nations intercept drone, missile attacks An Iranian projectile struck near Australia’s military headquarters for the Middle East in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. The Saudi defence ministry said it had intercepted a ballistic missile near Prince Sultan Air Base, which houses US military personnel. Saudi Arabia also intercepted eight drones while Kuwait’s air defences responded to a rocket and drone attack, according to authorities from both countries. Qatar’s defence ministry also said it intercepted a missile attack on Wednesday as blasts were heard in Doha. US strikes near Strait of Hormuz US Central Command said Tuesday it had hit Iranian missile sites with “multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions,” some of the most powerful bombs in the US arsenal, near the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Two killed near Tel Aviv from Iranian missiles A barrage of missiles from Iran killed two people near Tel Aviv, Israeli medics said Wednesday, bringing the death toll from missiles fired on the country to 14. Ukrainian anti-drone experts Over 200 Ukrainian anti-drone military experts were in several Middle East countries to help defend against Iranian-designed drones, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. US embassy struck The US embassy in Baghdad was the target of a drone and rocket attack, a security official said. The strike sparked a fire on embassy grounds, the source said, while a witness reported seeing the fire from her balcony. Crowds gather in Iran Crowds gathered in Iranian cities after authorities called for nationwide rallies to defy enemy “plots”, state television said. The rallies come on a night usually marked by Persian new year (Nowruz) festivities, with the authorities apparently keen to prevent any anti-government dissent at a time when people traditionally take to the streets. NATO, Britain ‘mistakes’ US President Donald Trump said that NATO was making a “foolish mistake” on Iran, after the military alliance’s members largely rebuffed his calls to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic. Trump also said he was disappointed with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s response, telling reporters: “He hasn’t been supportive, and I think it’s a big mistake... I’m disappointed with Keir — I like him, I think he’s a nice man, but I’m disappointed.” Israel says striking Basij Israel’s military said it was striking positions of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force around Tehran, after announcing it had killed the volunteer militia’s top commander. US doesn’t ‘need’ help Trump said “we no longer need” help reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after his request for allies to quickly send warships was snubbed. “We have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!” US counterterrorism official quits A top US counterterrorism official, Joseph Kent, resigned to protest the war. “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent, who was appointed by Trump, said in his resignation letter. Trump said Kent was “weak on security” and it was a “good thing” he quit. Lebanese troops killed Lebanon’s military said that three soldiers were killed in Israeli air strikes in the country’s south. Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli attacks have killed 912 people in the country since the latest Israel-Hezbollah conflict erupted on March 2, up from 886 a day earlier.