Iran War Day 18 — Larijani Killed, Dubai Airport Hit, War Enters Its Third Week
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NextGen Gpost 2026-03-17 Iran War Day 18, Iran News 60
The war between the United States, Israel, and Iran entered its third week on Tuesday, March 17, and it did so with one of its most dramatic developments yet. Israel announced that Ali Larijani — Iran's top security official and arguably the most powerful surviving figure in the regime after the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Day 1 — was killed in an overnight airstrike near Tehran. At the same time, Iran launched fresh waves of missiles and drones across the Gulf, briefly forcing Dubai International Airport to close its airspace and killing at least one person in Abu Dhabi.
Three weeks in, the war shows no signs of a diplomatic exit. Iran's leadership is being dismantled strike by strike. But Tehran keeps firing back.
Who Was Ali Larijani — And Why Does His Death Matter?
Ali Larijani was not just another official. He was the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council — the body that coordinates all of the regime's military and intelligence operations. After Khamenei was killed on February 28, it was Larijani who effectively stepped into the role of operational leader of Iran's war effort, directing the strategy of retaliatory missile and drone strikes that have hit Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain.
The Israel Defense Forces described him in their statement as the "de facto leader of the Iranian regime" after Khamenei's assassination, noting that he had "consolidated his status" and "led the combat efforts against the State of Israel and countries across the region."
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed the killings on Tuesday morning, saying both Larijani and General Gholamreza Soleimani — the commander of Iran's Basij paramilitary force, the militia used to suppress street protests inside Iran — were "eliminated last night" in Israeli Air Force strikes. Israel's Chief of Staff described the results as "significant."
Iran did not immediately confirm the deaths. In what analysts called a clumsy attempt to show Larijani was alive, a handwritten note attributed to him was posted on his X account and shared by Iranian state media — but the note was undated, did not address the Israeli claims, and referred only to the deaths of Iranian sailors in unrelated US strikes.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the killings in a video statement, framing the targeting of Iranian leadership as a deliberate strategy of regime destabilisation: "We are undermining this regime in the hope of giving the Iranian people a chance to remove it. This will not happen all at once, and it will not be easy. But if we persist, we will give them the opportunity to take their fate into their own hands."
Dubai Airport Hit — Gulf Chaos Deepens
The most visible moment of Day 18 for millions of travellers worldwide came in the early hours of Tuesday, when Iran launched fresh salvos targeting the United Arab Emirates. A fuel tank caught fire near Dubai International Airport after a drone strike, forcing UAE authorities to temporarily close the country's airspace. Explosions echoed across Dubai, and residents received emergency mobile alerts urging them to "immediately seek a safe place" amid "potential missile threats."
The UAE lifted the airspace closure within hours, but the damage was visible — and the message was clear. Dubai, the world's busiest international airport and a major global transit hub, is no longer beyond Iran's reach.
A man was killed by debris from an intercepted missile over Abu Dhabi — the eighth fatality in the UAE since the war began. Since February 28, UAE air defences have intercepted 314 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,672 drones. On Day 18 alone, the UAE intercepted 10 ballistic missiles and 45 drones in a single day.
Fujairah, the UAE's east coast oil hub just outside the Strait of Hormuz, was hit again — an oil tank farm struck by drones, sparking a fire. Qatar and Saudi Arabia also reported intercepts. A fire broke out in an industrial area in Qatar after a missile was shot down over Doha. Saudi Arabia intercepted a dozen drones in the Eastern Province.
Several major airlines — including British Airways and Air France — extended their Middle East flight suspensions through late May or later, citing "airspace instability."
US Embassy in Baghdad Targeted
Day 18 also saw a fresh attack on the US Embassy compound in Baghdad, with Iran-aligned militia groups firing a combination of drones and rockets at the facility. No casualties were immediately reported, but the attack underscored how the conflict has spread far beyond Iran's borders.
In Lebanon, Israeli strikes continued targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in the south and southern Beirut. One Lebanese soldier was killed and four wounded in an Israeli airstrike. Lebanon now has over one million displaced residents since the war began on February 28.
Trump Pushes Naval Coalition, Gets Rebuffed
On the diplomatic front, US President Donald Trump continued pressing allies to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, saying he had personally asked "about seven countries" to contribute to a naval coalition. The list includes China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.
The response remains discouraging. Poland became the latest to decline. Australia has said it is not sending ships. Japan is "considering" but non-committal. Germany has said NATO has no role in the strait. Only the UK said it is "exploring options."
In a significant political development at home, Joe Kent — director of the National Counterterrorism Center and a longtime Trump loyalist — resigned from his post on Day 18, telling associates the war with Iran was launched due to Israeli pressure. The resignation adds to a growing body of internal dissent within the Trump administration over the decision to go to war.
What It Means for India
For India, Day 18 brings a continuation of the pressures we have been tracking since the conflict began. The rupee has fallen to 92.42 against the dollar — an all-time low. The LPG crisis continues. Gulf remittances remain at risk as the security situation for 9.1 million Indian workers in the region deteriorates.
The UN's World Food Programme warned on Tuesday that if the Middle East conflict continues through June, an additional 45 million people globally could face acute hunger due to rising food prices. India, as one of the world's largest LPG importers and a country deeply dependent on Gulf trade and remittances, sits at the front of that exposure.
Day 18. No ceasefire in sight. Iran keeps firing. Israel keeps striking. And the world watches the Strait of Hormuz.
War Snapshot — Day 18 (March 17, 2026)
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Update
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Details
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Key Development
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Ali Larijani & Basij commander killed
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Dubai Airport
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Briefly closed, fuel tank fire
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UAE interceptions (Day 18)
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10 ballistic missiles + 45 drones
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UAE total interceptions (war total)
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314 missiles + 1,672 drones
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Iran total strikes
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~700 missiles + 3,600+ drones
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Lebanon displaced
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1 million+
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Oil price (Brent)
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Above $100/barrel
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Hormuz status
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Closed to commercial tankers
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