What we know on the 19th day of the US and Israel’s war with Iran

By CNN

March 17, 2026 10:48 PM

Published March 18, 2026 7:05 PM

CNN

By Jessie Yeung, CNN

(CNN) — Israel says it killed Iran’s intelligence minister in a Tuesday night strike on Tehran, a day after it killed two other senior Iranian leaders in strikes on the capital. The attacks demonstrate Israel’s unrelenting push to pick off power brokers within the regime.

Meanwhile, Iran accused the United States and Israel of attacking parts of its oil and natural gas production facilities, including at South Pars, the world’s largest natural gas field. Iran vowed to retaliate for attacks that would mark a significant escalation in the war.

Here’s what to know on Day 19.

What are the main headlines?

Intelligence minister killed: Israel said Wednesday that it killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib in a strike the previous night. Announcing Khatib’s killing, which Iran later confirmed, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said he authorized the military to kill “any senior Iranian official” once an opportunity arises, “without the need for additional approval.”
Top officials killed: Khatib’s killing comes after Iran on Tuesday confirmed the death of Ali Larijani, its powerful security chief and the highest-ranking Iranian official to be killed since the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war. Israel has also killed the head of the Basij, Iran’s feared paramilitary force. In response, Iran announced a “rapid strike” and “intense” attacks against Israel.
Oil prices surge: Global oil prices surged to $110 per barrel Wednesday, as strikes on energy infrastructure across the Middle East jolted markets. Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose as high as $110.90 per barrel and US crude hit $99.78 per barrel following reports that Iran had struck energy infrastructure in gulf states.
Gas facility bombed: A US official denied that American forces attacked gas fields in Iran, instead saying the strike was carried out by Israel. The denial came after Iranian state media accused the US and Israel of attacking the South Pars natural gas field — the world’s largest — and other energy facilities on Wednesday, in what would mark a significant escalation.
US attacks Iran: Meanwhile, the US military said it has dropped 5,000-pound guided bombs designed to penetrate targets deep underground on Iranian missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz. Analysts said the bombings could be the opening salvo of a three-week campaign to make the waterway — through which one-fifth of the world’s oil ordinarily flows — safe for oil tanker traffic again.
US official resigns: Joe Kent, a senior Trump-appointed US intelligence official, abruptly announced Tuesday he is stepping down from his post, citing misgivings about the administration’s war with Iran. Trump said Kent’s resignation was a “good thing” because he was “very weak on security.” In an interview with Tucker Carlson on Wednesday, he said he felt Israel had pulled the US into the conflict and was broadly influencing American policy in the Middle East. He also said there was “no intelligence” Iran was prepared to launch “big sneak attack.”
Trump dismisses allies: Trump said the US should rethink its NATO membership as he criticized allies for not helping with the war or in securing the Strait of Hormuz. Several American partners have balked at Trump’s request to send warships to help transport oil through the strait, though a senior official from the United Arab Emirates said Tuesday it’s open to helping.

What’s happening on the ground?

Gulf states: Energy infrastructure in Persian Gulf countries came under attack Wednesday, with fires reported at key facilities in Qatar and aerial threats intercepted in Saudi Arabia, following a warning from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The incidents mark a significant escalation in regional tensions as critical energy infrastructure is increasingly drawn into the conflict.
Baghdad targeted: Drone and rocket attacks resumed around the US Embassy in Baghdad early Wednesday local time. A hotel in Baghdad, a US diplomatic facility near Baghdad International Airport and an oil field in southern Iraq were targets on Tuesday. Iranian-backed militias claimed responsibility for some of the attacks, saying they were acting in support of Tehran.
Iran strikes Israel: Israel said early Wednesday it was intercepting a new salvo of missiles from Iran. CNN witnessed what appeared to be a cluster munition over central Israel, with impact sites reported at various cities including Tel Aviv. Two people were killed in central Israel, according to Israel’s emergency response service.
Nuclear plant hit: Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said a “hostile projectile” struck the site of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran on Tuesday, but it reported no casualties or damage to the facility along the Persian Gulf. It did not say which country was behind the attack.
Diplomatic relations strained: Following an attack on the Ras Laffan natural gas processing facility, a bedrock of Qatar’s economy, the country expelled Iran’s military and security attachés.

Sophie Tanno contributed to this report.

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