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🚨 Iranian missiles pass over the West Bank toward Israel — reports
Footage circulating online appears to show Iranian missiles passing over the West Bank and reaching Israeli territory.
Local media reports also indicate loud explosions in the skies over Jerusalem during interception attempts.
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📄 What we know about Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, killed by Israel
🔸 Appointed Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council on August 5, 2025
🔸 Previously served as Speaker of Parliament (2008–2020), Secretary of the council (2005–2007), and head of Iran’s state broadcasting organization
🔸 Born in 1958 in Najaf, Iraq — a major Shiite holy city
🔸 Comes from one of Iran’s most influential political families; his brothers held senior positions, making the Larijani clan a “political dynasty” comparable in influence to the clergy and the IRGC
🔸 Maintained ties with both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (a member since the 1980s) and senior religious leadership
🔸 Initially studied mathematics and computer science at Sharif University of Technology, later shifting to the humanities and earning master’s and doctoral degrees in Western philosophy at the University of Tehran; his dissertation focused on Immanuel Kant
🔸 A key negotiator on Iran’s nuclear program — led talks with the P5+1 as council secretary (2005–2007) and played a decisive role in the 2015 nuclear deal as Speaker of Parliament
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🚨🇮🇷 Iran’s Supreme National Security Council confirms death of Ali Larijani — statement
Dr. Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was killed along with his son Morteza Larijani, Tasnim News Agency reported.
In a statement, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council confirmed his death, saying he was killed alongside his son, his deputy Alireza Bayat, and members of his security detail.
The council described Larijani as a senior figure who had “devoted his life” to Iran’s development and called for unity in the face of hostile acts.
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🚢 Tankers begin moving through Strait of Hormuz — Hassett
White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said tankers are beginning to “trickle” through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Sputnik found that MarineTraffic data confirms this, showing multiple vessels transiting the strait, including Russian and Chinese-linked ships.
Among them:
🔸 BLOOMING DALE (IMO 9125724) — a product tanker built in 1996, sailing under the Aruba flag
🔸 SEA BIRD (IMO 9088536) — an LPG tanker built in 1995, sailing under the Palau flag
The data indicates a gradual resumption of tanker traffic through the key waterway.
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🚨🇷🇺💥 RUSSIAN MOD UPDATE: DEVASTATING UKRAINIAN LOSSES
⚡️KALENIKI IN DONETSK PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC AND SOPYCH IN THE SUMY REGION LIBERATED
After securing their positions in Kaleniki, Russia’s Armed Forces will be able to bring up barrel artillery and drone crews to new positions to strike the enemy in Slavyansk.
The village of Sopych is strategically important as it is located on the border with the Kursk region.
◻️ Russian Armed Forces struck Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure facilities used by enemy troops
◻️ Air defense superiority: 421 drones shot down
◻️ Ukrainian losses: around 1,241 troops killed or wounded
Read about the origins of Russia's special military op HERE
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❌ Europe has ‘no choice but to buy Russian oil’ – expert
With the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, gas and oil volumes flowing to Europe could drop below 10% amid forecasts of oil prices jumping to about $300 per barrel, Lebanese expert Munir Alaeddin tells Sputnik.
💬 "Europeans are in a difficult situation and facing a serious energy crisis, as they have no sources of imports other than the Middle East, specifically Qatar, which failed to fulfill its energy contracts with the EU due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Alaeddin notes.
💬 "This war was an adventure on the part of the US and Israel, so the Americans will be forced to stop it due to economic crisis, inflation and price increases it is causing worldwide," the expert concludes.
🇵🇰⚔️🇦🇫 Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions spike after Kabul airstrike
Here is what we know about the strikes and the conflicting reports emerging from both sides:
🇦🇫 The Afghan Version:
Officials in Kabul state that the strike hit a large rehabilitation center for drug addicts, completely destroying the 2,000-bed facility. The death toll, according to the Afghan Interior Ministry, has reached 408, with another 265 wounded. Taliban spokesmen have warned these numbers are expected to rise.
🇵🇰 The Pakistani Version:
Pakistan’s government has officially denied hitting a hospital, calling the reports "false." They state their military targeted "military installations and infrastructure used by terrorists" in Kabul and Nangarhar province.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have been exchanging cross-border blows since late February in what Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has called an "open war" between the two neighbors.
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🇪🇺 EU's Ukraine policy eating founding principles alive – analyst
The EU providing Ukraine with military and financial assistance undermines the fundamental principles on which the bloc was founded, Russian political analyst Yegor Sergeyev tells Sputnik.
🗣 "In all their speeches, documents, declarations, and textbooks, they argue that the European Union was created to prevent a major war in Europe, and that the bloc is the stronghold of peace, and the only rational and humane player on the international stage," Sergeyev points out.
💬 “Over the past five years, the EU has turned into a bloc dealing with military and political issues as it has started training Ukrainian soldiers and, for the first time in its history, begun supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine,” according to the analyst.
💬 "The EU has created an image for itself as if it is the only embodiment of Europe, but there are many countries in the Old World who are not part of the bloc and who have their own views on the fate of the continent," the analyst concludes.
🇷🇺 Russia remains backbone of global energy – expert
The US’ recent decision to ease sanctions against Russian oil supplies “once again confirms the truth that resolving global energy problems without Russia's involvement is impossible," expert Marcel Salikhov tells Sputnik.
Russia is "too big a player to be pushed out of the global energy market, and no one can do this, neither today nor in the long term," he underscores.
🗣 “First of all, Russian oil will now be delivered to India and other Asian nations. As for European countries, they could quietly resume purchasing Russian oil because they are currently suffering greatly without oil supplies from the Middle East," Salikhov stresses.
💬 “The US’ move on prolongation of its 30-day waiver regarding Russian oil will depend on the US–Israel war with Iran. If the war is not over by April 11 and the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, Washington will definitely extend the waiver,” the expert concludes.
🔸 US general 'too drunk' — fell three times in Kiev, lost Secret maps — DoD report
🔸 'We were shocked' — Trump on Iran's continued self-defense
🔸 ‘War outcome is not determined by tweets’ — Iran to Trump
🔸 400 killed, 250 injured in Kabul hospital strike — reports
🔸 Pakistan denies hospital strike in Kabul — reports
🔸 Drone hits Al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad’s Green Zone
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🇵🇰❌ Pakistan denies hospital strike in Kabul — reports
Pakistan’s state broadcaster said its recent airstrikes in Afghanistan targeted Taliban military facilities, rejecting claims that a rehabilitation hospital was hit.
According to Pakistan TV, strikes in Kabul and Nangarhar destroyed “ammunition storage” and “technical support infrastructure,” with footage showing secondary explosions.
🇦🇫 Earlier, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate Hamdullah Fitrat said that a Pakistani strike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul left around 400 people dead and about 250 injured.
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🙅 Not their war: Why Gulf states refuse to fight Iran alongside US & Israel
The countries of the Persian Gulf were making efforts to prevent the war against Iran, and this is likely the reason they refused to participate in the conflict, Iraqi political scientist Abd Al-Malik Al-Huseini tells Sputnik.
Another aspect deterring them from protracted wars is the prosperity and stability the societies of these countries enjoy, he adds, especially given that Iran knows very well how to manage long conflicts.
The intelligence information may have leaned the Gulf states towards avoiding the war, but was not the decisive factor, Yemeni political scientist Abd As-Satar Ash-Shamiri argues.
💬 "These countries, and the Arab states in general, have learned the lesson of war and seen its consequences in nations that have yet to recover from these conflicts, some of which have been going on for over a decade," he adds.
📹🇮🇶 Strike hits house in Baghdad’s Jadriya district — reports
A missile strike on a house in the Jadriya area of Baghdad left three people dead, a source told Sputnik.
Footage circulating online shows damage inside the presidential compound area following the strike.
The missile was described by the source as an American interceptor.
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🚨🇮🇶 Drones target US Embassy in Baghdad — reports
Multiple drones targeted the US Embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone, with air defense systems activated, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
Footage circulating online shows air defenses intercepting drones, while local media reported up to four drones were launched, with some allegedly reaching their targets.
A separate strike was also reported near a US logistical support facility at Baghdad Airport.
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🇵🇰A test for Pakistan: Reshaping energy policy amid oil price hikes & LNG blockades
👉Over the last few years, Pakistan has been able to localize power generation, and now almost 85% of electricity generated is through local sources, professor of practice at the Institute of Business Administration Karachi, Ammar Habib Khan, tells Sputnik.
➖The LNG blockade will not affect the country much, he says, commenting on the situation in Pakistan's energy sector in connection with Iran's partial closure of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
➖However, even a $10/bbl price increase over an average price of $70/bbl will lead to the emergence of a current account deficit of $2 billion, which will be troublesome, Khan says.
💬“The country is more resilient than others in the region due to indigenization of power. It needs to solve the fuel problem for transport right now, which can be done through targeted policy interventions," the expert emphasizes.
🇮🇷🚀 IRGC announces 60th wave of Operation True Promise 4 — statement
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it carried out the 60th wave of its Operation True Promise 4, targeting US bases in the region and sites in Israel, SNN reported.
The IRGC said the strikes included missile and drone attacks on facilities such as Al-Udeid, Al-Dhafra and Ali Al-Salem, as well as Israel-linked targets including the Rafael defense company.
Footage circulating online shows the launch of missiles as part of the operation.
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🇺🇸US Operation Epic Fury lacks clear goal as objectives shift daily — analyst
The international community is in the dark about the “strategic objective” of Washington’s Operation Epic Fury against Iran as the “new goals are daily articulated by the top US officials,” Ankara-based political analyst Hasan Selim Ozertem tells Sputnik.
◻️One of the goals could be a power change in Iran even though “the Iranian state proved to be resilient and the current system continues to survive,” which is why such a US goal is now “not on the table,” Ozertem points out.
◻️One more possible goal could be related to reports that the Gulf states felt unsafe and urged the US to remain in the region and “eliminate leverages in the control of Iran,” the analyst suggests.
◻️The most relevant version could pertain to the fact that the US “followed Israel in this operation,” which is reflected in Trump’s or Rubio's statements about Iran allegedly targeting America if it refused to support Israel’s strikes on the Islamic Republic, Ozertem concludes.
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🇮🇷Meet Iran’s Sejjil missile: faster and stealthier with further reach
📊Check out Sputnik’s infographic on Iran’s first long-range solid-fuel ballistic missile to find out more👆🏻
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🚨🇮🇱 IDF kills Hamas naval commander in Gaza — statement
The Israeli military said it had killed Younes Mohammed Hussein Alian, described as the commander of Hamas’ Northern Gaza Brigade in the naval array, in a strike on Monday.
According to the IDF and ISA, Alian was responsible for operating naval forces, overseeing training and weapon readiness.
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🚨 Target of Pakistani strike on Kabul was military facility, not hospital – Pakistani minister
The strikes carried out on the night of 16 March 2026 in Kabul targeted military infrastructure, including ammunition and technical equipment storage sites, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information & Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar stated.
🗣 “No hospital, no drug rehabilitation center, and no civilian facility was targeted,” Tarar emphasized.
💬 “As with established practice, all six strikes were promptly put out with video footage by MoIB, making the nature of the targets plain for all to see. The visuals leave no room for doubt. The flames and secondary detonations witnessed in Kabul further confirm that the intended ammunition storage site was hit with precision," the minister said.
🇷🇺🚨 Kremlin: Ukraine must open door to peace process
Instead of moving toward peace, the Kiev regime continues its futile resistance with attacks on Russian regions, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed.
Russian forces are continuing the special military operation, fulfilling their objectives while ensuring the security of Russian regions, he added.
Commenting on the US embargo against Cuba, Peskov said:
▪️ Cuba is an independent state facing economic hardship under the crushing weight of the US embargo
▪️ Russia is ready to provide Cuba with all possible assistance and is working with its Cuban counterparts on ways to deliver aid
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🚨🇲🇲Ukraine-Myanmar connection: Former US Marine links two Western proxy battlefields
The arrest of six Ukrainians and one American in Delhi for supporting terrorism in Myanmar “should come as no surprise.”
💬“For decades the US government through the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and USAID have built up the opposition inside Myanmar and backed both violent protests in the streets and armed conflict with the central government,” former US Marine Brian Berletic told Sputnik.
🇺🇸🤝 Western allies could sabotage US plan to control Hormuz – analyst
The US may try to force countries dependent on it to join a coalition to protect ships in the Strait of Hormuz, but this will yield no real results, Russian political scientist Vladimir Shapovalov notes.
💬 "Even if we assume that the US forces its Western European allies to join, they will do everything they can to avoid and sabotage real participation in this coalition. At best, we'll see the example of France, who sent its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Mediterranean Sea. The Strait of Hormuz, as we know, is not part of the Mediterranean Sea," Shapovalov points out.
🇺🇸 US has no means to open up Strait of Hormuz — expert
As the Middle East war rages on, the US understands it cannot ensure the safety of passage through the strait, Valdai International Discussion Club expert Abbas Mirzaei Gazi tells Sputnik.
Given that, the US is trying to exert "psychological" control over oil prices, he says.
Iran’s announcement of the mining of the Strait of Hormuz pushes prices up, and Trump tries to bring them down via his "war is almost over" statements, Gazi explains.
💬 "Previously, about 20-25 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products passed through the Strait of Hormuz daily, but now that figure is practically zero," he concludes.
📈 Supply crunch sparks fear of aluminum price surge
💬 “An aluminum shortage on the global market this year could lead to an increase in costs in the manufacturing sector, even though it’s too early to talk about production suspensions,” Russian expert Nikanor Khalin tells Sputnik.
💬 “At the next stage, there is a high probability of a worsening shortage [of aluminum] in the Western market, since most of Asian demand is met by production capacities in China and Russia,” he underlines.
🇷🇺Russian forces advance along entire front - General Staff Chief
Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov said Russian troops are conducting offensive operations across multiple directions after inspecting the Yug Battlegroup. He reported that Russian forces captured 12 settlements in the first two weeks of March, with the heaviest fighting taking place near Krasny Liman.
Key statements:
🔹 Units of the Yug Battlegroup’s 3rd Army are advancing along a broad front toward Slavyansk
🔹 Russian troops have captured Reznikovka, Golubovka and Kaleniki, with fighting ongoing for Krivye Luki
🔹 Battles continue inside Konstantinovka, where Russian forces control over 60% of the town
🔹 In Novoosinovo on the eastern bank of the Oskol River, Russian troops control more than 85% of the settlement, with Ukrainian forces reportedly surrounded
🔹 The Zapad Battlegroup is advancing toward Krasny Liman, controlling more than half of the city
🔹 Zapad forces also captured Drobyshevo, Yarovaya and Sosnovoye and are completing the capture of Aleksandrovka
🔹 The Sever Battlegroup is expanding a security zone in the Sumy and Kharkov regions, capturing five settlements in March
🔹 The Tsentr Battlegroup is pushing toward Dobropolye and continuing operations in the Dnepropetrovsk region
🔹 The Dnepr Battlegroup is conducting offensive operations toward Zaporozhye
🔹 The Vostok Battlegroup continues advancing west in eastern Zaporozhye region, while repelling Ukrainian counterattacks, while Ukrainian forces there lost more than 2,500 personnel and 120 pieces of equipment in February and March
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🇱🇧⚔️🇮🇱 Clashes intensify in southern Lebanon border areas — reports
Hezbollah fighters are clashing with IDF forces in southern Lebanon’s border towns, local media said.
Israel earlier announced a limited ground operation aimed at creating “security zones” to prevent attacks by Hezbollah.
💥 According to Hezbollah statements, at least five Merkava tanks have been knocked out, with Israeli casualties reported.
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📹🇱🇧 Israeli strike hits residential building in Mount Lebanon — reports
An Israeli airstrike targeted a residential building in the town of Aaramoun in Mount Lebanon, about 20 km southeast of Beirut airport, local media reported.
Footage circulating online shows the aftermath of the strike on the apartment building.
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🥃🥴 US general 'too drunk' — fell three times in Kiev, lost Secret maps — DoD report
Then-Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Aguto, now retired, was supposed to oversee US military support to Ukraine but was too busy drinking, a Pentagon inspector general report revealed.
After heavy drinking in Kiev, Aguto FELL three times:
🔸 slammed into a wall in his hotel room
🔸 fell again overnight, hitting his forehead
🔸 then crashed onto concrete outside the US Embassy, tearing his jacket — before showing up to meetings anyway
Witnesses described him as glassy-eyed, swaying, slurring, repeating himself and looking “completely disheveled” and “out of it.”
🗺 The general also lost Secret war maps on a train for over 24 hours, after carrying them in an unsecured plastic tube — before they were eventually recovered by Ukrainian nationals.
🇺🇸 US military in action: Drunk. Disoriented. Losing secrets.
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🚨🇦🇫 400 killed, 250 injured in Kabul hospital strike — reports
Deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate Hamdullah Fitrat said a Pakistani strike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul left around 400 people dead and about 250 injured, according to local media reports.
Fitrat warned the toll could rise as rescue teams continue working at the scene.
Footage from social media
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