Day 19 of Iran war: Regime intelligence minister killed, South Pars energy facilities struck

2026-03-18 - 21:10

The armed conflict between the United States, Israel, and the Iranian regime entered its 19th day on March 18, 2026. Following yesterday’s heavy bombardments in Tehran—which eliminated the regime’s security chief Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani—the regime’s leadership has suffered yet another major blow. Today, the regime’s president officially confirmed the death of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib alongside other senior figures, marking the third top regime official killed in 48 hours. Meanwhile, US and Israeli military operations have expanded to target the regime’s critical economic lifelines, with severe strikes reported at the South Pars and Asaluyeh gas and petrochemical facilities. As the infrastructure crumbles under sustained military pressure and the nationwide internet blackout continues, the regional fallout remains severe. Iranian missile and drone attacks continue to threaten neighboring Gulf states, prompting fresh condemnations from international human rights organizations and leading to additional NATO air defense deployments in Turkey. Roundup of today’s key events Intelligence Minister killed: The regime’s president Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed the death of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, as well as former defense minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, following Israeli targeted strikes in Tehran. Security chief’s death confirmed: After a 12-hour delay, the regime’s Supreme National Security Council formally acknowledged that its secretary, Ali Larijani, was killed along with his son and deputies in the Pardis region. South Pars facilities struck: State media reported that US and Israeli strikes hit multiple phases of the massive South Pars and Asaluyeh gas and petrochemical refineries, forcing worker evacuations. IAEA locked out of nuclear sites: UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi stated the IAEA does not know the status of a new underground uranium enrichment facility in Isfahan, as inspectors were forced to cancel their visit after the complex was struck earlier in the war. Gulf civilian casualties mount: Human Rights Watch condemned the Iranian regime for unlawful strikes across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which have killed at least 11 civilians and injured 268 since the war began. Riyadh hosts emergency summit: Saudi Arabia hosted Arab and Islamic foreign ministers to discuss regional security, as the Saudi Defense Ministry intercepted multiple Iranian drones and a ballistic missile near diplomatic and military sites. Turkey deploys third Patriot system: NATO authorized the deployment of a third Patriot missile defense battery to Turkey’s İncirlik Air Base to repel Iranian ballistic missiles. Ben Gurion Airport damaged: Three private planes at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport sustained severe damage from shrapnel caused by intercepted Iranian missiles, which reportedly include cluster munitions. Internet blackout reaches hour 444: NetBlocks reported a brief, unsustained restoration of internet in Iran due to a filtering glitch, as the country endures its second-longest network blackout. Regime confirms deaths of intelligence minister and top security officials The Iranian regime has officially acknowledged the deaths of several of its highest-ranking security and military figures. In a post on the X social media platform, the regime’s president Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, former defense minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, and Ali Larijani were killed in targeted assassinations. Pezeshkian is the first top regime official to publicly confirm Khatib’s death. The Israel military confirmed on Wednesday that Khatib was eliminated in a “targeted strike” in Tehran. The Israeli military noted Khatib’s direct role in the brutal crackdown on Iranian citizens during the 2022–2023 nationwide protests following the death of Mahsa Amini, as well as his leadership in terrorist activities targeting Israelis and Americans globally. Khatib had been appointed in 2021 by then–supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was himself killed on the first day of the war on February 28. Furthermore, after a delay of about 12 hours, the regime’s Supreme National Security Council formally confirmed late Tuesday (March 17) the death of its secretary, Ali Larijani. According to the official statement, Larijani was killed alongside his son Morteza, the council’s deputy security chief Alireza Bayat, and several bodyguards. Regime-affiliated sources indicated the strike targeted a residence in the Pardis area. US and Israeli strikes target South Pars and Asaluyeh facilities Military operations have heavily targeted the Iranian regime’s energy and economic infrastructure. State-run media reported that portions of the South Pars and Asaluyeh oil and gas facilities were struck during joint US and Israeli attacks. According to the regime-affiliated Fars News Agency, missile strikes hit petrochemical facilities, targeting storage tanks and gas compounds across multiple phases of the Asaluyeh refinery. The reports specified that phases three, four, five, and six of the refinery sustained hits. Workers have reportedly been evacuated to safe zones while emergency and fire-fighting crews attempt to control the resulting blazes. IAEA uncertain of Isfahan nuclear facility status after strikes The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) remains unable to verify the status of a newly constructed underground uranium enrichment facility in Isfahan following military strikes on the complex. Speaking in Washington, IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi stated that inspectors were scheduled to visit the site but had to cancel when the complex was struck at the onset of the war. Grossi noted that because of the canceled visit, the UN watchdog does not know if the underground hall remains empty or if it currently houses concrete pads or fully installed centrifuges used for enriching uranium. Earlier in the conflict, the US and Israel also struck the entrances to the underground Natanz uranium-enrichment plant. Additionally, the IAEA reported that a projectile struck near the Bushehr nuclear power plant on Tuesday evening, though it reportedly caused no damage. Regional impact: Drones intercepted in Saudi Arabia and Patriot deployed in Turkey As the Iranian regime retaliates, its aggression continues to spill across regional borders. In Riyadh, the Saudi Foreign Ministry hosted an emergency meeting of Arab and Islamic foreign ministers, including Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, to discuss regional security and avenues to end the war. Concurrently, the Saudi Defense Ministry reported shooting down two drones approaching the embassy district, alongside the interception of several other drones in the Eastern Province and a ballistic missile near Prince Sultan Air Base. Further north, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced the deployment of an additional NATO Patriot air and missile defense system to İncirlik Air Base in southern Turkey. Authorized by NATO Allied Air Command, this deployment follows a March 13 incident where an Iranian ballistic missile entered Turkish airspace before being intercepted. There are now three NATO Patriot batteries stationed in Turkey. Since the start of Operation Epic Fury, NATO forces have successfully intercepted three Iranian ballistic missiles targeting Turkish territory. Meanwhile, Israel’s Airport Authority disclosed that three private planes at Ben Gurion Airport recently suffered “severe damage” from shrapnel caused by intercepted Iranian missiles. The airport has halted commercial flights since February 28, operating only limited repatriation flights and hosting US and Israeli military operations. According to Reuters, some of the missiles fired by the Iranian regime are cluster munitions, designed to Human Rights Watch condemns Iranian regime’s strikes on Gulf civilians The Iranian regime’s indiscriminate missile and drone campaign is taking a heavy toll on civilians across the region. Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement today warning that civilians in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are at grave risk due to the regime’s unlawful attacks. According to HRW, the regime has launched thousands of drones and missiles targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates since February 28. The strikes have unlawfully targeted residential buildings, hotels, civilian airports, and financial centers. As of March 16, GCC sources reported at least 11 civilian deaths—including at least 10 foreign nationals—and 268 injuries, with migrant workers making up the majority of the victims. Internet blackout continues despite brief glitch Update: Network data show at a brief restoration of internet connectivity in #Iran at hour 444 of the country's second-longest blackout, as some users report coming momentarily back online after an apparent filtering system glitch. However, the restoration is not sustained. pic.twitter.com/rnCfLJQ62l — NetBlocks (@netblocks) March 18, 2026 Inside Iran, the regime continues its desperate effort to suppress the flow of information amid widespread military strikes and internal instability. According to the internet monitoring organization NetBlocks, network data showed a brief and unsustained restoration of internet connectivity at hour 444 of the blackout. The temporary reconnection was reportedly due to a glitch in the regime’s filtering system, but connectivity was quickly severed again. This marks the country’s second-longest network blackout on record.