US-Iran War: Days 13 to 17 — Kharg Island Struck, New Supreme Leader Speaks, Hormuz Still Closed
Story By -
Jack Miller 2026-03-17 Iran US conflict, Iran retaliation 110
Three weeks into Operation Epic Fury, the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran shows no sign of ending. If anything, the past five days have seen the conflict deepen — spreading from Iran's mainland to the Gulf's energy infrastructure, from diplomacy to direct contradiction, and from local casualties to global economic anxiety.
Here is what happened from Day 13 to Day 17.
Day 13 — March 12, 2026: 6,000 Targets Struck, New Supreme Leader Breaks Silence
The scale of the US-Israel military campaign came into sharp focus on Day 13, when US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that approximately 6,000 targets had been struck inside Iran since operations began on February 28. More than 90 Iranian vessels — including over 30 mine-laying ships — had been damaged or destroyed.
Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei — appointed after his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the opening strikes — issued his first public statement. The message was defiant: the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed, and attacks on US military assets and infrastructure in the Gulf region would continue unless all US bases in the region were shut down.
The statement directly contradicted any hope of a quick diplomatic resolution. Oil prices surged past $100 per barrel again on the news.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile, outlined Iran's three conditions for ending the war: recognition of Tehran's legitimate rights, payment of reparations, and firm international guarantees against future aggression.
In Kuwait, six electricity transmission lines went out of service after debris from intercepted Iranian drones fell on the infrastructure. One drone managed to strike a residential building, wounding two people. In Bahrain, four citizens were arrested on charges of spying for Iran's IRGC.
The human cost inside Iran was staggering. Tehran said nearly 1,300 civilians had been killed and over 17,000 injured since the war began. More than 10,000 civilian sites had been bombed, according to Iranian authorities.
India connection: The US Treasury issued a temporary licence allowing countries — including India — to purchase Russian crude oil currently stranded at sea, as Brent prices crossed $100. The US waiver was a direct lifeline for Indian refiners struggling with the Hormuz closure.
Day 14 — March 13, 2026: Kharg Island Hit, Cluster Munitions Over Tel Aviv
Day 14 was among the most significant military and diplomatic days of the war so far.
President Trump announced that the US had "totally obliterated every military target" on Kharg Island — the Iranian oil hub that handles roughly 90% of the country's crude exports. The island had been left largely untouched for the first two weeks of the war. Its targeting now raised the prospect of a direct assault on Iran's oil export infrastructure — something Trump threatened to do if Iran continued blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Iran would "abandon all restraint" if there was any US aggression against Iranian islands across the Persian Gulf.
Iran fired cluster munitions at central Israel. The mayor of Rishon LeZion confirmed that cluster bombs exploded across his city — a significant escalation in the type of weaponry being used in the conflict. Three people sustained minor injuries.
VP JD Vance told reporters that Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was "hurt" — though he could not confirm the extent. Trump told Fox Radio he believed Khamenei was "damaged" but "probably alive in some form."
A French soldier was killed in a drone strike at a base in Mala Qara, Iraqi Kurdistan — the first confirmed NATO-nation fatality in the conflict, dramatically raising the diplomatic stakes for European governments.
Iran also fired 10 missiles and several drones at US forces at the UAE's Al-Dhafra airbase. In Saudi Arabia, six ballistic missiles launched toward the Al-Kharj governorate were intercepted and destroyed.
The global economic fallout was accelerating. Asian markets opened sharply lower — Japan's Nikkei down 1.59%, South Korea's KOSPI fell 3.06%.
Day 15 — March 14, 2026: Dubai Airport Hit, Isfahan Strikes, 2,000+ Dead
The war expanded geographically on Day 15, as Iranian drone and missile attacks hit energy and civilian infrastructure across the Gulf with new intensity.
In the UAE, a major energy installation near Fujairah saw smoke rise after drone debris fell on an oil facility. The port of Fujairah — located just outside the Strait of Hormuz — was hit by drone interception debris that injured a Jordanian citizen. Abu Dhabi accused Iran of "moral bankruptcy."
In Saudi Arabia, four drones targeting the Riyadh metropolitan area were intercepted by the Ministry of Defence. At least two people were killed and 12 injured across the kingdom since Iran began retaliatory attacks.
US and Israeli strikes hit Isfahan, killing at least 15 people. Residential areas in Shiraz, the capital of Fars province, were also attacked.
The total death toll since February 28 crossed 2,000 across Iran, Lebanon, and Israel, with hundreds of thousands displaced in Lebanon where Israeli strikes have killed over 826 people and forced more than 800,000 to flee their homes.
Iran said at least 56 museums, historic buildings, and cultural sites had been damaged by US-Israeli strikes — buildings protected under international law by Blue Shield International, which called the damage a potential war crime.
Israel's military told CNN it was preparing for at least three more weeks of airstrikes, with "thousands of targets" still to hit.
Day 16 — March 15, 2026: Iran Rejects Deal, Trump Seeks Naval Coalition
The diplomatic dimension of the war became the dominant story on Day 16 — and it was not encouraging.
Trump had told NBC News on Saturday that Iran "wants to make a deal, and I don't want to make it because the terms aren't good enough yet." But on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi flatly contradicted the US president on CBS News' Face the Nation: "No, we never asked for a ceasefire, and we have never asked even for negotiation. We are ready to defend ourselves as long as it takes."
Iran fired a further barrage of missiles at Israel. A cluster missile struck the streets of Tel Aviv — caught on CCTV footage released by Israeli police. Three people sustained minor injuries. Shrapnel from an Iranian ballistic missile damaged a building housing US diplomats in Israel.
Israel's military claimed it struck more than 200 targets in Iran over the previous day. Iran, for its part, claimed it had fired approximately 700 missiles and 3,600 drones at US and Israeli targets since the war started.
Trump called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK, and others to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to help open the shipping lane. The response was underwhelming. Australia and Japan said they were not planning to send ships. Germany said it saw no role for NATO in the strait. The UK said it was "exploring its options."
Pope Leo XIV made his strongest appeal yet for a ceasefire: "Violence can never lead to the justice, stability, and peace that the people are waiting for." The Vatican signalled it would keep diplomatic channels open with all parties.
Day 17 — March 16, 2026: Dubai Airport Disrupted, Iran Opens to Strait Talks
On Day 17, today, the conflict continues on multiple fronts with some cautious signals amid the chaos.
A fuel tank caught fire near Dubai International Airport after a drone-related incident in the early hours, causing temporary flight suspensions. One person was killed in Abu Dhabi when a missile landed on a vehicle. In Baghdad, rockets hit in and around Baghdad International Airport, including a facility used by the US Embassy, wounding five people.
Thick black plumes of smoke were seen rising over Tehran early Monday as Israeli strikes targeted infrastructure in the capital.
In a slight diplomatic opening, Iran's foreign minister said Tehran was open to holding discussions with countries wanting to safely access the Strait of Hormuz — but firmly denied any ceasefire request and said Iran is "prepared to continue the war for as long as it takes."
The Pentagon estimates the war will be over in four to six weeks. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said on CBS: "We expect that the global economy is going to have a big positive shock as soon as this is over."
Iran has now fired roughly 700 missiles and 3,600 drones total. Israel has struck 200+ targets per day in recent days. The Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed to commercial tanker traffic.
What It Means for India — Days 13 to 17
As we have been tracking across our ongoing West Asia war coverage, India's exposure to this conflict is direct and compounding.
The US waiver for Russian crude purchases provides some breathing room for Indian refiners. The Chabahar Port waiver deadline of April 26 is approaching with no extension confirmed. Gulf remittances — over $51 billion annually — are increasingly at risk as Indian workers in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait face an unstable security environment. And with oil above $100, every day of the war adds to India's import bill.
The war is in its 17th day. The Hormuz is closed. The talks have not begun. And the world waits.
War Scoreboard — Days 13-17 Snapshot
|
Metric
|
Figure
|
|
Total US-Israel targets struck in Iran
|
~6,000+
|
|
Iranian missiles fired
|
~700
|
|
Iranian drones fired
|
~3,600
|
|
Civilians killed in Iran
|
1,300+
|
|
Total deaths (Iran, Lebanon, Israel)
|
2,000+
|
|
Lebanon displaced
|
800,000+
|
|
Oil price (Brent Crude)
|
Above $100/barrel
|
|
Days since war began
|
17
|
|
Hormuz status
|
Closed to commercial tankers
|
References:
