Israel Says Iranian Security Chief Larijani Killed in Strike

17 March 2026 6:30 AM IST

The strikes came hours after air defences thwarted a rocket attack at the embassy and a drone sparked a fire at a luxury hotel

Israel Says Iranian Security Chief Larijani Killed in Strike

U.S. Embassy is seen across the Tigris River in Baghdad (AP)

The Israeli defense minister said Tuesday that the Israeli military killed top Iranian security official Ali Larijani in an overnight strike.

Israel Katz made the announcement.

The Israeli military also announced it killed Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s all-volunteer Basij force.

The killings again strip away top leaders from the Iranian theocracy after the Feb. 28 strike that killed 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei,

What to know:
- A drone and rocket attack targeted the US embassy in Baghdad early Tuesday, while a strike killed four people at a house reportedly hosting Iranian advisors, security officials said, pulling Iraq deeper into the Middle East war. An AFP journalist reported seeing black smoke rising after an explosion in the embassy complex, as well as air defences intercepting another drone.

- The United Arab Emirates shut down its airspace early Tuesday as its military reported it was “responding to missile and drone threats from Iran.” The closure was soon lifted, the state-run WAM news agency quoted the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority as saying. Authorities said “the situation stabilized,” allowing flights to resume.

- Gulf Arab nations came under renewed missile and drone fire Tuesday from Iran, which has been targeting regional oil infrastructure and vowed not to relinquish its stranglehold on the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Israel also launched new strikes on Iran and Lebanon.

Live Updates

18 March 2026 2:11 AM IST
Trump team applying pressure to media: Tell the war's story the way we see it
Trump team applying pressure to media: Tell the war's story the way we see it

Washington, Mar 18 (AP) Through lectures, scoldings and outright threats, President Donald Trump and his aides are ratcheting up the pressure on journalists to cover the war in the Middle East the way the administration wants.
The Republican president has fumed on social media about stories he doesn't like and berated a reporter on Air Force One. The government's top media regulator has warned that broadcasters risk losing their licenses if they don't stay away from "fake news." Trump and his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, have questioned the patriotism of news outlets because of their reporting.
Trump has complained about war coverage in both specific and general ways. In a social media post, he said news reports exaggerated the damage to planes that were attacked by Iran at an airport in Saudi Arabia. He attacked "Corrupt Media Outlets" for falling for AI-generated false reports created by Iran and said the media "hates to report" how well the U.S. military has performed.
All presidential administrations tangle with the press; it's the natural byproduct of journalists' watchdog roles in a democratic society. But the incidents of the past few days speak to a hostility toward the very idea of being questioned - in a way that, some say, scratches up against the First Amendment itself.
A contentious gaggle on Air Force One
Meeting with reporters on Air Force One while returning to the White House from Florida late Sunday, the president objected to a question from ABC News' Mariam Khan about a fundraising message that used a photo taken at last week's dignified transfer ceremony of the remains of U.S. service members.
Khan was working as the pool reporter on the plane, but when she told Trump she was with ABC, he said: "I think it's maybe the most corrupt news organization on the planet. I think they're terrible."
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr cited Trump's Truth Social message about the planes struck in Saudi Arabia in warning news outlets to be careful about what they report.
"Broadcasters that are running hoaxes and news distortions - also known as fake news - have a chance now to correct course before their license renewals come up," Carr wrote on X over the weekend. "The law is clear. Broadcasters must operate in the public interest, and they will lose their license if they do not."
Decades of court decisions have generally sided with the press over government attempts to regulate the content it produces. But Carr said making changes is in the best interest of legacy media outlets because so many people don't trust them.
His ability to make changes, however, is limited.
The FCC does not regulate networks like CBS, NBC and ABC - although it does have the authority to reject the licenses of individual affiliates of those networks when they come up for renewal. Cable news networks CNN, Fox News Channel and MS NOW are not under the FCC's purview. The Trump message that Carr retweeted mentioned only The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal specifically, and the FCC has no authority over newspapers.
Punishing a television affiliate for war coverage that Carr objects to is likely to run afoul of the law, noted First Amendment attorney Floyd Abrams in an interview Monday.
"The broadcast media is always at risk of a sort that newspapers are not. But at its core, they are protected by the First Amendment," Abrams said, "and these statements by the chairman seem to me are directly threatening First Amendment interests and First Amendment principles."
Abrams said he'd argue that robust war reporting is just the sort of public interest work that television stations should be doing to justify their licenses.
Intimidation may be Carr's motive. And that doesn't have to mean intimidating a news outlet to pull its punches, said Barbara Starr, a former CNN Pentagon correspondent. "The risk is the climate they create," she said. "Are people going to be afraid to talk to reporters? Some of them will be, and that's a serious matter."
What kind of reporting is expected from patriotic' news outlets?
Trump said on social media that he was thrilled to see Carr looking at the licenses of the "highly corrupt and highly unpatriotic News' organizations." Their efforts were endorsed Monday by hosts of the influential "Fox & Friends" morning show on Fox News Channel.
"The president has said enough with this coverage, from other networks that are not telling you the truth, that are so negative about what is going on," said Fox's Ainsley Earhardt, without specifying the outlets she was referring to. "This is a pro-America fight, and every network needs to get on board with that."
Hegseth, in his most recent Pentagon war briefing, specifically attacked CNN. Under his administration, most legacy news outlets have been thrown out of their regular spaces in the Pentagon press room because they would not agree to his new rules that he said restricted their work. Some reporters from exiled outlets are allowed back for briefings, although Hegseth seldom takes their questions. Without an explanation, still photographers have been banned from briefings.
Hegseth said a CNN story about the administration being unprepared for Iranian attacks on the world's oil supply was ridiculous. He offered his own edits of headlines that a "patriotic press" should use onscreen.
"The sooner that David Ellison takes over that network, the better," Hegseth said, in reference to the Paramount Global chief, whose company is expected to take over ownership of CNN. The administration is hoping that will result in more Trump-friendly coverage.
Mark Thompson, CNN's chief executive, said the network stands behind its work. "Politicians have an obvious motive for claiming that journalism which raises questions about their decisions is false," he said. "At CNN, our only interest is telling the truth to our audiences in the U.S. and around the world, and no amount of political insults and threats is going to change that."
Starr, now retired from Pentagon reporting, said she sees journalists consistently breaking stories despite the limited access and hostility toward their work under the current administration.
"That has always been the case," she said. "The level of intimidation has definitely ramped up and, in response to that, the commitment to the First Amendment and quality journalism has ramped up even further." (AP)
18 March 2026 12:22 AM IST
Iran speaker says Hormuz won't return to pre-war norm
Iran speaker says Hormuz won't return to pre-war norm

TEHRAN, March 17, 2026 (AFP) - Iran's parliament speaker on Tuesday warned that maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz would not resume on the same terms even after the current conflict is over.
"The Strait of Hormuz situation won't return to its pre-war status," Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, in an English-language social media post.
17 March 2026 11:38 PM IST
Iran keeps up attacks on neighbors after Israel says it killed 2 of its top officials
Iran keeps up attacks on neighbors after Israel says it killed 2 of its top officials

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel said Tuesday it killed two senior Iranian security officials in overnight strikes in a major blow to the country’s leadership. Iran, which did not immediately confirm either death, fired salvos of missiles and drones at its Gulf Arab neighbors and Israel in a war that showed no signs of abating .
Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s all-volunteer Basij force, were “eliminated last night," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said. Larijani was considered one of the most powerful figures in the country since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an airstrike on the first day of the war .
Both men were key to Iran’s violent crackdown on protests in January that challenged the theocracy’s 47-year rule. The killings would strip Iran of important leaders during a war that presents that greatest test for the Islamic Republic in recent decades.
With concerns growing about a global energy crisis , Iran launched fresh attacks against several of its Gulf Arab neighbors and oil infrastructure throughout the region. Dubai, a major transit hub for international travel, briefly shut its airspace, the second disruption to flights in the city in as many days. An Iranian official said Tehran had no intention of relinquishing its tight grip on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for oil.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said NATO and most other allies have rejected his calls to help secure the strait.
The Israeli military said it had begun a “wide-scale wave of strikes” across Iran’s capital and was stepping up strikes on Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
Israel says it has killed two top Iranian officials Larijani, a former parliamentary speaker and senior policy adviser, advised the late Khamenei on strategy in nuclear talks with the Trump administration. He was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in January for his role in “coordinating” Iran's violent suppression nationwide protests .
Soleimani was also sanctioned by the U.S., as well as by the European Union and other nations, over his role in helping suppress dissent for years through the Basij.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the killings were aimed at weakening Iran's government. “We are undermining this regime to give the Iranian people the opportunity to remove it,” he said.
There have been no signs of anti-government protests since the war began, as many Iranians are sheltering from the American and Israeli strikes.
The reported killings of Larijani and Soleimani came on the eve of “Chaharshanbe Souri,” or the Festival of Fire, shortly before the Persian new year. Authorities have sent threatening text messages urging the public not to celebrate the festival, warning that the normally rowdy celebrations could be used by “rioters.”
State media aired footage Tuesday of pro-government demonstrations, including images of some men in plainclothes branding assault rifles and shotguns on the back of motorcycles — a sign of the government wanting to prevent renewed protests against the theocracy.
State television later showed crowds of women wrapped in black and older men waving flags and portraits of the killed former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iranian strikes pressure neighbors and oil markets Iran kept up the pressure on its neighbors and energy infrastructure around the region.
In Iraq, two drones were shot down by the defense system at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, while a third drone crashed inside the embassy compound. That's according to two Iraqi security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment.
An Associated Press journalist in the area saw a massive fire that appeared to be engulfing a structure in the compound. There was no immediate comment from the embassy.
In the United Arab Emirates, an oil facility in Fujairah was hit, and a man was killed in Abu Dhabi by debris from an intercepted missile — the eighth person to die in the UAE since the start of the war, authorities said.
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted drones, while air defenses could be heard targeting incoming fire over Qatar’s capital, Doha.
Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is transported, has sparked increasing concerns about a tightening of energy supplies that is unnerving the world economy .
A handful of ships have crossed through the strait, and Iran has said the waterway technically remains open — just not for the United States, Israel and their allies. About 20 vessels have been struck since the war began.
With oil prices rising, Trump said he had demanded that roughly a half-dozen countries send warships to ensure ships can pass through the strait.
Trump fumed Tuesday that the U.S. is not getting support “despite the fact that almost every country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot” be allowed to secure a nuclear weapon.
The European Union’s top diplomat says the 27-nation bloc does not want to be dragged into the conflict with Iran. “This is not Europe's war,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told EU lawmakers on Tuesday. "We were not consulted.”
French President Emmanuel Macron earlier reaffirmed that France is ready to help secure the strait, but only after heavy bombing has stopped.
Israel launches new attacks on Tehran and steps up strikes on Beirut The Israeli military early Tuesday said it had launched new attacks across Tehran and targeted Hezbollah militants in the Lebanese capital. Hezbollah began firing rockets into the northern Israel after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran last month.
In Iran, it said it hit command centers, missile launch sites and air defense systems. There was no immediate confirmation from Iran, where little information has been coming out due to internet outages, round-the-clock airstrikes and tight restrictions on journalists.
More than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran since the start of the conflict, according to the Iranian Red Crescent.
The Lebanese army said that three soldiers were killed in Israeli strikes. The Lebanese Health Ministry said that an airstrike near Beirut’s international airport killed one person and wounded nine, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Israel’s strikes have displaced more than 1 million Lebanese — or roughly 20% of the population — according to the Lebanese government, which says 912 people have been killed since the outbreak of a new Israel-Hezbollah war two weeks ago.
In Israel, 12 people have been killed by Iranian missile fire. At least 13 U.S. military members have been killed.
Top US counterterrorism official quits over Iran war A top U.S. counterterrorism official resigned Tuesday, citing concerns about the justification for military strikes in Iran. Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, said he “cannot in good conscience” back the Trump administration’s war.
His resignation reflects unease about the war within Trump’s political base just as midterm election races start to heat up. Trump’s MAGA coalition is splintering over what it sees as the president’s failure to keep his “America First” campaign promise by leading the U.S. into a war that is driving up gas prices.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said that he always thought Kent — the president's pick to lead the counterterrorism center — was “weak on security” and that if someone in his government did not believe Iran was a threat, “we don’t want those people.”
___
Rising reported from Bangkok, Corder from The Hague, Netherlands, and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press writers Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad; and Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed to this report.
17 March 2026 11:03 PM IST
Mexican president says prepared to host Iran World Cup games
Mexican president says prepared to host Iran World Cup games

MEXICO CITY, March 17, 2026 (AFP) - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Tuesday that her country was prepared to host Iran's first-round matches at the 2026 World Cup if needed due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Asked at a press conference about reports that Iran's football federation was negotiating with FIFA to relocate its matches from the United States, Sheinbaum said that her country could respond favourably.
When contacted earlier by AFP on the matter, FIFA said it was "looking forward to all participating teams competing as per the match schedule announced on 6 December 2025".
17 March 2026 10:56 PM IST
Drone Crashes Inside US Embassy Compound in Baghdad
Two drones were shot down by the defense system at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday, while a third drone crashed inside the embassy compound, two Iraqi security officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment.
An AP journalist in the area saw a massive fire that appeared to be engulfing a structure in the compound.
There was no immediate statement from the embassy.
17 March 2026 10:01 PM IST
Trump Criticizes Starmer for Not Backing US Stance on Iran Conflict
US President Donald Trump said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has made the wrong choice in not supporting Washington over war in the Middle East.
"He hasn't been supportive, and I think it's a big mistake," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "I'm disappointed with Keir -- I like him, I think he's a nice man, but I'm disappointed."
17 March 2026 9:55 PM IST
Trump Announces Plans for Delayed China Trip in About 5 or 6 Weeks
US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he expected to travel to China in a bit over one month, after delaying the trip due to his war on Iran.
"We have a very good working relationship with China, so we're making it in about five or six weeks," Trump told reporters.
17 March 2026 9:53 PM IST
Resignation of US Intel Official on Iran a Positive Change: Trump
A senior US counterterrorism official who resigned to protest the Iran war was "very weak on security" and it's a "good thing" that he stepped down, President Donald Trump said Tuesday.
Joseph Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), resigned on Tuesday saying he "cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran."
"I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security," the president told reporters in the Oval Office.
He said that when he saw Kent's resignation statement "I realized that it's a good thing that he's out."
17 March 2026 9:52 PM IST
Turkey Denounces Israel's Actions Against Iranian Leaders as Illegal
Turkey's top diplomat on Tuesday lashed out at Israel after it claimed to have killed Iran's powerful national security chief Ali Larijani, denouncing its targeting of Tehran's leaders as "illegal".
"Israel's political assassinations, especially those targeting Iranian statesmen and politicians, are truly illegal activities outside the normal laws of war," Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told a news conference.
Larijani's death has not been confirmed by Iran.
17 March 2026 8:12 PM IST
White House Silent So Far on Counterterrorism Official’s Resignation
A spokesperson for Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also did not immediately respond to questions about the resignation of Kent, who said Tuesday that the Trump administration started the war against Iran “due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
Before entering Trump’s administration, Kent ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state. He also served in the military, seeing 11 deployments as a Green Beret, followed by work at the CIA.

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( Source : Deccan Chronicle with agency inputs )

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