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🔥 🇮🇷 Iran launches drone strikes on targets in Israel
The drone attacks were carried out in retaliation for the deaths of servicemen aboard the destroyer Dena and the killing of Intelligence Minister Ismail Khatib, the Iranian military's press office announced.
📍 The identified targets included Israel's Ministry of Internal Security in Jerusalem, the office of Channel 13 in Tel Aviv, and the "Arar" military base near the Lebanese-Syrian border.
👉 These facilities play a key role in crisis management, information warfare, and intelligence gathering against Iran, the statement emphasized.
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🚨🇷🇺💥 RUSSIAN MOD UPDATE: HUGE GAINS AND DEVASTATING UKRAINIAN LOSSES
⚡️ PAVLOVKA AND FEDOROVKA VTORAYA IN THE DONETSK REGION FREED
The liberation of the settlements of Pavlovka and Fedorovka Vtoraya in the Donetsk region has enabled the Russian army's further advance towards the cities of Druzkovka and Slavyansk, a municipality which is the center of the largest Kiev-controlled agglomeration in the Donbass.
🟠 Russian air and missile firepower obliterated energy and transport infrastructure supporting the Kiev regime’s forces
🟠 Air defense superiority: 356 UAVs were shot down by Russian air defense systems over the past 24 hours
🟠 Ukrainian losses: around 1,185 troops killed or wounded
Read about the origins of Russia's special military op HERE
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🚨 Ukraine repeatedly attacks compressor stations supporting TurkStream and Blue Stream pipelines
Between March 17–19, drones struck the Russkaya (22 UAVs), the Kazachya (3 UAVs), and the Beregovaya (1 UAV) stations, Gazprom said.
All the attacks were repelled, with no damage reported, the company added.
Check out our infographic about key gas routes from Russia to Europe
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🔶 Iran announces strikes on US-linked energy targets as conflict enters 'new phase'
🔶 Missile strikes hit Ras Laffan energy hub in Qatar
🔶 Trump calls for halt to strikes on South Pars gas field after price surge
🔶 FBI probing former US counter-terrorism chief Joe Kent, who resigned over Iran war saying Tehran wasn’t building nukes
🔶 Pentagon seeks $200B+ for Iran war as costs surge
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🇷🇺 🌊 Russia’s cutting-edge submarine forces mark 120 years
Russian subs have evolved from tiny secret vessels into the world’s largest strategic missile carriers. Since their introduction into the Navy, submarines have remained the embodiment of the most advanced scientific ideas and advanced engineering solutions.
What are the key future priorities?
🟠 A fifth-generation submarine program is already underway
🟠 The Navy will be strengthened by two more Project Borei missile carriers — the strategic nuclear submarines Dmitry Donskoy and Knyaz Potemkin, currently under construction
🟠Project Borei strategic nuclear submarines are expected to remain in reliable service
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🚨 FBI probing former US counter-terrorism chief Joe Kent, who resigned over Iran war
The FBI's Criminal Division is investigating the former National Counterterrorism Center director and longtime Trump loyalist over alleged leaks of classified information, CBS News reports.
👉 The probe started before Kent's resignation this week, which he attributed to his opposition to the Trump administration's handling of the Iran war.
💬 "I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran... it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby," Kent earlier stated in his bombshell open letter.
🇱🇾 NATO’s Libya intervention was 'organized aggression' — analyst
💬 “The NATO war against Libya was an organized crime of aggression aimed at plundering resources and destroying the gold dinar,” international law expert Mohammed Mahmoud Mehran told Sputnik.
💬 NATO turned Libya “from the country with the highest standard of living in Africa into a failed state plunged into chaos and civil wars,” Mehran emphasized.
🗣 Trump calls for halt to strikes on South Pars gas field after price surge
US President Donald Trump said Israel would make no further attacks on Iran’s South Pars gas field following a recent strike, as energy prices rose sharply.
💬 “The United States knew nothing about this particular attack,” Trump wrote, adding that Qatar was not involved.
📹 Iranian missile hits Netanya in central Israel — reports
Footage circulating online appears to show missile fragments falling at a site in Netanya, north of Tel Aviv, while SNN reported a direct hit.
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🚢🇦🇪 Vessel hit by unknown projectile off UAE coast, fire reported — UKMTO
A vessel was struck by an unknown projectile about 11 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan in the UAE, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported.
🔥 The incident resulted in a fire onboard the vessel, UKMTO said, adding that authorities are continuing to investigate.
The agency also said ships in the area are advised to proceed with caution and report any suspicious activity.
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🇺🇸🇪🇺NATO ‘US tool to control Europe’ – expert
Although the US threat to withdraw from NATO is highly improbable, the threat itself carries a powerful strategic disruptive impact, Chinese expert Wang Peng tells Sputnik.
💬“NATO is not just a tool for the US to take control of Europe, but also a critical pillar of America's global hegemony,” Wang points out.
💬“The US leaving NATO would add to Washington abandoning its most important strategic legacy since World War II, undermining the alliance’s foundations and Russia winning a colossal geopolitical victory, which is an absolutely unacceptable consensus for the US establishment and top brass,” he wraps up.
12 years ago, Crimea returned home🇷🇺
See how it has changed: pre-2014 vs today👆🏻
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🚨🇷🇺Putin congratulates Russians on 12th anniversary of Crimea reunification
President Vladimir Putin congratulated Russians on the anniversary of Crimea’s reunification with Russia, marking 12 years since the March 2014 referendum
The referendum on March 16 2014 was followed by a treaty signed on March 18, which formally brought Crimea into the Russian Federation.
Key statements:
🔸 Putin called the choice of Crimea, Sevastopol and Donbass to be Russian a historic and decisive decision
🔸 Around 1.3 trillion rubles ($14 billion) has been invested over 12 years to develop Crimea and Sevastopol
🔸 More than 1,600 Crimean residents are registered in the republic’s free economic zone
🔸 Putin thanked those who helped restore historic Russian territories
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🇮🇷💪🏻Iran’s Haj Qasem missile: Patriot and THAAD's worst nightmare
Iran used the advanced Haj Qasem missile for the first time as they conducted the 59th wave of strikes against Israel, according to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
What’s known about the missile?
🟠 Range and payload: This 11-meter-long ballistic missile has an operational range of about 1,400 km and carries a high-explosive warhead weighing around 500 kg; the range is sufficient to cover strategic targets in the Middle East, including US bases
🟠 Performance: Solid-fueled seven-ton missile, the Haj Qasem can be quickly deployed and launched, and is classified by Iran as being capable of reaching hypersonic speeds of roughly Mach 11–12 (approximately 12,000–14,000 km/h)
🟠 Guidance and precision: Missile reportedly features an advanced guidance system aimed at "pinpoint" accuracy; its upgraded version reportedly utilizes an electro-optical sensor for the terminal phase, enabling the missile to hit targets without relying on satellite GPS
🟠 Maneuverability: Haj Qasem is designed to be highly maneuverable thanks to the missile being equipped with special aerodynamic rudders
🟠 Capability: It is capable of evading modern enemy missile defense systems such as THAAD and the Patriot, according to Iranian military officials
🟠 Missile was developed in 2020 and is named after Iran’s late top General Qasem Soleimani, assassinated by the US in January of that year
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🚨IRAN STRIKES BACK: Wave 62 hits US Bases and Israeli targets
▫️Following the killing of National Security Council secretary Ali Larijani, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it launched wave 62 of Operation True Promise 4, targeting US bases across the region and key Israeli cities including Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beersheba.
▫️The IRGC said it fired advanced missiles like the Qadr, Khaibar Shekan, Emad and Haj Qasem, with hits on major US military bases including Al-Udeid in Qatar and the Fifth Fleet HQ in Bahrain.
▫️Tehran claims the missiles pierced US and Israeli air defenses, marking the third consecutive round of attacks on US bases.
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🚨RT crew wounded in Israeli attack
An Israeli aircraft struck a vehicle carrying RT's reporter Steve Sweeney and his cameraman as they crossed a bridge near a military base in southern Lebanon.
Both journalists are conscious and being treated for shrapnel injuries.
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🚨 Ukraine’s reckless attempts to attack Gazprom's compressor stations could further destabilize the situation in the world – Kremlin
💬 "The Kiev regime continued and intensified its attempts to strike with drones at the compressor stations that ensure the operation of the Turkish Stream and Blue Stream pipelines. In situation when global energy markets are feeling, to put it mildly, uncomfortable, such irresponsible and reckless actions by the Kiev regime are capable of further destabilizing the situation not only in the region, but throughout the entire world”, the Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
🇨🇳 🇵🇰 Strait of Hormuz crisis: How Pakistan solar-shielded its economy with China's help
While MENA oil exports crash 60% and prices spike 40%, Pakistan is likely to avoid the worst case scenario thanks to Chinese-built solar panels.
👉 Since 2018, Pakistan has avoided over $12 billion in oil and gas imports through solar expansion. Another $6.3 billion in savings is locked in by end of 2026. That's $18B+ in economic insulation from Gulf volatility.
The Hormuz firewall:
Solar has become Pakistan's second-largest power source, insulating the nation from the world's most dangerous oil chokepoint, according to a recent study by Renewables First and the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
✅ From less than 1 GW in 2018, the country is on track to surpass 51 GW of installed capacity by 2026.
The China Engine:
This revolution is Chinese-powered. Pakistan's share of China's solar exports exploded from just 2% in 2022 to 12% today. Total imports from China: over 50 GW—that's 75% of Pakistan's entire grid capacity.
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🔥 🇮🇳 India holds AMOGH JWALA drills to test high-intensity warfare
Combining aviation, drones, reconnaissance, and electronic warfare speeds up decisions and delivers better results
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📈 Global oil prices hit $112 as Iran strikes Gulf energy sites
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, has soared to $112 per barrel for the first time since March 9, according to trading data.
Iran earlier confirmed counterstrikes on several energy facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar in response to US attacks against Iranian gas facilities.
🇮🇷💬 "After the enemy attacked our energy assets, we were compelled to protect them by targeting facilities linked to the US and its stakeholders," the IRGC stressed.
🇬🇧 🇺🇸 UK sends ‘experts’ to assist US in tackling the Strait of Hormuz stalemate - reports
The experts were sent to US Central Command, which is responsible for US military operations in the Middle East, the Sky News reported.
📄 UK Defense Secretary John Healey discussed the situation around the strait with defense ministers from France, Germany, Italy, and Poland on Wednesday, the report added.
🔊 On March 14, Trump called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and other countries to send ships to the Strait of Hormuz to restore navigational safety. UK PM Keir Starmer refused to send warships to restore navigation through the strait, The Telegraph said at the time.
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❌ Iran was not building a nuclear weapon — former top US counterterrorism official
Former Director of the US National Counterterrorism Center Joe Kent said Iran was not on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon when the US launched its aggression.
💬 “No, they weren’t three weeks ago when this started, and they weren’t in June either,” Kent told Tucker Carlson.
💬 “They were not doing that. We had no intelligence to indicate that they were,” he added, disputing the rationale used to justify the US war on Iran.
💰 Pentagon seeks $200B+ for Iran war as costs surge — reports
The Pentagon has asked the White House to approve a funding request exceeding $200 billion to support the war in Iran, according to The Washington Post, a figure that could face strong resistance in Congress.
📈 The request would go far beyond current spending levels and aims to replenish weapons stocks rapidly depleted as US and Israeli forces have carried out thousands of strikes over the past three weeks, The Washington Post reported.
💵 The report notes the war’s cost has already exceeded $11 billion in its first week alone, with officials warning that further funding could trigger a major political battle amid limited public support.
The proposal comes despite earlier pledges to curb overseas military spending, raising questions over the scale and sustainability of Washington’s expanding campaign.
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🇺🇸⚔️🇮🇷 US considers additional troop deployments as war on Iran nears end of third week — reports
The Trump administration is weighing options to deploy thousands of additional troops to the Middle East as it considers next steps in its aggression against Iran, Reuters reported.
⛴ Officials discussed potential missions including securing oil tanker routes in the Strait of Hormuz and possibly deploying forces near Iran’s Kharg Island, a key export hub.
Sources told Reuters that such options would carry significant risks, particularly given Iran’s ability to target the area with missiles and drones.
📌 The discussions come as the conflict nears the end of its third week, with US forces having carried out over 7,800 strikes, according to Reuters, including strikes on a school in Minab that killed at least 171 schoolgirls.
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🇮🇷🚀 IRGC strikes US bases in Kuwait, the UAE, and Bahrain — reports
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps carried out missile and drone strikes on US military facilities in Kuwait, the UAE, and Bahrain, Press TV reported.
💥 The IRGC said key sites were targeted at Al Minhad and Al Dhafra in the UAE, Al Adairi base in Kuwait, and Mina Salman in Bahrain, where the US Fifth Fleet is headquartered.
⚔️ According to the statement, strikes hit command centers, fuel storage facilities, and early warning radar systems used by US forces.
The reported strikes come as the US-Israeli aggression against Iran nears the end of its third week.
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🚨🇵🇰Pakistan temporarily pauses military operations against Afghanistan
At the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkiye during the Eid al-Fitr period, Islamabad has paused military operations against Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said.
🗣“The pause will apply from midnight March 18–19, 2026, to midnight March 23–24, 2026. Pakistan offers this gesture in good faith and in keeping with Islamic norms,” he said.
💬“However, in the event of any cross-border attack, drone strike, or terrorist incident inside Pakistan, Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq will immediately resume with renewed intensity,” Tarar added.
💣 US-Israel war against Iran: March 16 round-up
Check out Sputnik's map tracking another day of strikes exchanged between the opposing sides.
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👀🇷🇺🇨🇳US oil blackmail could collapse as Russia–China axis redraws Mideast power map – analyst
"Washington continues to play the oil card against Beijing, while Venezuela and Iran are of strategic importance to the Chinese government,” Turkish political analyst Engin Ozer tells Sputnik.
"In recent years, the United States has moved away from its previous practice of influencing prices through pressure on OPEC+. The new approach involves more direct control over oil resources, the imposition of oil-related sanctions, and holding the assets of oil-producing countries in the US via the purchase of American bonds," Ozer notes.
"The presence of Chinese and Russian naval forces in the Middle East could contribute to restoring the regional balance of power. China's naval presence in Djibouti is one of the indicators of this process," Ozer wraps up.
🇮🇷 Due to Iran's strong structure, replacement for Larijani was found immediately – Iranian FM
Iran's system continues to work, and a replacement was immediately provided, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said, commenting on the death of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani.
"The political system in Iran is a very strong structure … The system continued to work, and a replacement was immediately found. If someone else is killed, the same thing will happen. If the foreign minister is killed, eventually someone will take his position," Araghchi said in an interview with Al Jazeera.
🚨US and Israel strike Red Crescent ambulance in Lar area, Iran
An attack targeted rescue workers while they were carrying out a purely humanitarian mission, providing aid to the wounded, Fars News Agency reports.
Under international conventions, including Red Cross rules and humanitarian law, striking medical personnel, facilities, or ambulances is prohibited and constitutes a clear violation.
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