Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the killing of Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, by Israeli forces will not destabilize the country’s leadership. He made the remarks in an interview with Al Jazeera, broadcast after Tehran confirmed Larijani’s death early Wednesday.

Araghchi emphasized that the United States and Israel have yet to understand that Iran’s government does not depend on any single individual. He described the Islamic Republic as having a strong political structure supported by well-established political, economic, and social institutions. According to him, the presence or absence of any particular person does not affect this framework.

He added that while individuals may be influential and play their respective roles, Iran’s political system remains robust and resilient, underscoring the continuity of governance despite the loss of key figures.

Iran has warned that it may open new fronts in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait, escalating tensions across the Middle East. The Iranian armed forces described the presence of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford in the Red Sea as a direct threat. Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari stated that any supply or support facilities linked to the carrier could become future targets. Meanwhile, missile attacks on oil fields and airports in the Gulf region have reportedly intensified.

Amid the growing tension, residents in Dubai and Doha have been urged to leave the area for safety. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for strikes on the Al Dhafra base in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain’s Sheikh Isa air base, and the Juffair naval base. Former U.S. President Donald Trump called for global cooperation to secure navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, while Tehran warned the international community against actions that could further escalate the conflict.

The situation underscores the risk of a wider regional confrontation if diplomatic efforts fail to contain the hostilities.

Electricity supply in Sandwip, Chattogram, was restored on Wednesday afternoon after a 30-hour disruption caused by severe storms. Most areas of the island regained power, but the Sandwip Upazila Health Complex remained without electricity at the time of reporting, leaving patients in distress. Upazila Health Officer Manas Biswas said the hospital was in complete darkness, making it impossible to operate essential medical equipment.

Upazila Executive Engineer (Electricity) Tanvir Hossain attributed the hospital’s outage to internal wiring faults, noting that the main line outside was active. He explained that strong winds had broken tree branches onto power lines and damaged several transformers, but repair teams had restored the main grid connection. The prolonged blackout also affected the island’s economy, with small cold storage owners reporting spoilage of fish and perishable goods.

Local poultry farmers suffered losses as well, with high temperatures and lack of ventilation causing illness and deaths among chickens. Residents urged greater coordination among government departments to modernize Sandwip’s power system and ensure faster post-storm repairs.

The United Arab Emirates has indicated that it may join a US-led naval operation in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions continue among Iran, the United States, and Israel. Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, revealed the possibility during an online discussion hosted by the US-based Council on Foreign Relations on March 17. He said maintaining global trade and energy supply is a shared responsibility but noted that no final agreement has been reached and discussions are ongoing.

Gargash added that after the current conflict ends, a regional framework will be needed to prevent Iran from destabilizing the Middle East through its nuclear, missile, or drone programs. The statement came a day after US President Donald Trump said he had discussed keeping the Strait of Hormuz open with the French president and urged countries to deploy warships to ensure safe oil transport.

The UAE’s potential involvement underscores growing international coordination efforts to secure vital maritime routes amid heightened regional instability.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has claimed that Iran’s intelligence minister, Ismail Khatib, was killed in an overnight Israeli strike. According to Katz’s statement on Wednesday, Israeli forces carried out the operation that allegedly resulted in Khatib’s death. The report was cited by Al Jazeera. As of now, Iranian authorities have not issued any official comment or confirmation regarding the claim.

The attack reportedly took place in Tehran just one day after the killing of senior Iranian security official Ali Larijani. Israel had previously claimed responsibility for similar strikes that targeted and killed several top Iranian security officials. The latest incident is expected to further escalate the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran in the Middle East.

Observers suggest that the situation could heighten regional tensions, though no official response from Iran has yet clarified the country’s next steps.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Israel of driving the Middle East into deep crisis. Speaking at an iftar event at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Tuesday, he said that the ongoing attacks stretching from Gaza to Yemen, Lebanon, and Iran are not merely about security concerns but reflect other underlying motives. Erdogan alleged that Israel is controlled by a group that considers itself superior to others and emphasized the need to reveal the true global realities as the post–World War II order shifts.

He further claimed that Israel has kept the Al-Aqsa Mosque closed for 17 consecutive days, calling it an arbitrary act. Erdogan also criticized the spread of narratives about the “promised land” and apocalyptic ideas, describing them as deliberate. He noted that since February 28, the United States and Israel have been conducting joint operations against Iran, resulting in over 1,300 deaths, including Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Tehran launched drone and missile attacks on Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries, causing casualties, infrastructure damage, and disruptions to global markets and air travel.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces have intensified their military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Brazil has implemented new regulations restricting minors' access to social media, effective from Tuesday. The rules aim to protect children and teenagers from exposure to violent and illegal content. The law, passed last year following a scandal involving the sexual exploitation of minors on Instagram, is now being enforced across the country.

Under the new system, users under 16 must link their accounts to those of their legal guardians, and digital platforms are required to introduce effective age verification mechanisms to prevent users under 18 from accessing pornographic or violent material. The National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) will oversee enforcement, with its director Iage Miola confirming that self-declaration of age is now prohibited. Companies violating the law could face fines of up to nine million US dollars, account suspensions, or bans for repeated offenses.

A transition period has begun to clarify the technical aspects of implementation. Experts note that Brazil’s approach extends beyond social media to broader internet regulation, setting it apart from other countries’ measures.

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is returning to port for repairs after a fire broke out in its laundry section, injuring at least two sailors. According to Bloomberg, citing U.S. officials, the nuclear-powered carrier is being moved from the Red Sea to Souda Bay in Greece for maintenance. The incident occurred as tensions between the United States and Iran remain high.

The report added that the U.S. Navy spokesperson did not disclose details about the extent of the damage or the current positions of the guided missile destroyers accompanying the carrier. However, one official confirmed that other ships in the Ford Strike Group will continue their operations in the Red Sea. The fire took more than 30 hours to bring under control.

The USS Gerald R. Ford, weighing nearly 100,000 tons and carrying over 4,000 sailors, had previously stopped at Souda Bay before heading to the Red Sea in late February.

US Senator Bernie Sanders stated that the United States has spent a total of 22.8 billion dollars on the ongoing war in Iran. He argued that this amount could have been used for various humanitarian purposes instead of warfare. Sanders shared a brief list outlining potential humanitarian uses for the funds in a post on social media.

The statement highlights Sanders’ continued criticism of US military spending and his emphasis on redirecting resources toward social and humanitarian needs. His post comes amid broader discussions about the human and financial costs of the Iran conflict and the global implications of prolonged military engagement.

The disclosure adds to ongoing debates within the United States about defense expenditures and priorities, particularly as international efforts for ceasefire in the Middle East continue.

Iran has executed a man accused of spying for Israel, according to the country’s state media on Wednesday. The individual, identified as Kourosh Kayvani, was reportedly arrested in June 2025 during a 12-day war between Iran and Israel. He was charged with transmitting information and images of sensitive Iranian facilities to the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.

The Tasnim news agency, affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), reported that Kayvani was first identified in Sweden in 2023 by Israeli security services after he clicked on an online group tour advertisement. The report added that a Mossad officer recruited him, and he later received two years of training in six European countries and Tel Aviv before being sent to Iran for a special mission.

The execution underscores Iran’s continued crackdown on alleged espionage activities amid heightened regional tensions following the 2025 conflict with Israel.

Iran launched a cluster warhead missile attack on Tel Aviv in retaliation for the killing of its security chief, Ali Larijani, according to Iranian state television on Wednesday. The strike on the densely populated Israeli city killed at least two people, raising Israel’s death toll in the ongoing conflict to at least 14. Israel has accused Iran of repeatedly using cluster munitions, which disperse multiple explosives over wide areas and are difficult to intercept.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that a missile also struck near Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant on Tuesday evening, though no damage or casualties were recorded. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi urged all parties involved in the conflict to exercise maximum restraint to avoid nuclear risks.

Israel and the United States have said their attacks on Iran, launched more than two weeks ago, aimed to halt Tehran’s nuclear weapons program. Iran confirmed that Larijani was killed in a recent Israeli strike, following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran’s National Security Council added that Larijani’s son and deputy, Alireza Bayat, were also killed in the same attack.

The funeral of Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary force under the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is being held on Wednesday. Both officials were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday, according to Iranian and Israeli sources.

The IRGC confirmed the death of Soleimani, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Larijani was killed in the same attack on Tuesday night. The incident marks a significant escalation in tensions between Israel and Iran, following a series of cross-border hostilities.

Iranian media reported that the deaths of the two senior figures have drawn national attention, though Iranian officials have indicated that the killings will not destabilize the country’s political system.

Israel carried out an overnight attack in Tehran targeting Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, according to an Israeli official cited by international media. The strike came just one day after the killing of Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian security official. The Israeli source stated that it remains unclear whether Khatib was killed in the assault.

The report, based on information from CNN and Al Jazeera, indicates a rapid escalation in tensions between Iran and Israel following consecutive high-level attacks. The incident underscores the volatile security environment in Tehran and the broader regional strain between the two countries.

No confirmation has yet been provided by Iranian authorities, and the full extent of the damage or casualties remains uncertain.

At least 12 people were killed and 41 others injured early Wednesday when Israeli aircraft carried out an airstrike without prior warning in central Beirut, according to Lebanese authorities. The attack targeted a residential building in the densely populated Zukak al-Blat area, near government offices and several foreign embassies. The Israeli military also issued new threats of further strikes in another part of the city, heightening public fear.

The incident comes as Lebanon becomes increasingly entangled in the Iran–Israel conflict that intensified after March 2, when Hezbollah, backed by Tehran, launched rocket attacks on Israel following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In response, Israel expanded its military operations across Lebanon, conducting both air and ground assaults, particularly in the south.

Israeli forces have repeatedly struck Beirut’s central districts in recent weeks, often without prior warning, as the conflict continues to widen across the region.

Nine coaches of the Dhaka-bound Nilsagar Express train derailed on Wednesday afternoon, March 18, 2026, shortly after leaving Santahar Junction in Bogura. The incident occurred as the train was heading toward Chilahati, leaving more than fifty passengers injured. No fatalities have been reported so far, according to initial information from local authorities.

Following the derailment, rail communication between Dhaka and the northern destinations of Chilahati, Panchagarh, and Saidpur was suspended. Police officials stated that many passengers were traveling on the roof of the train, and several of them were injured after falling during the derailment. Rescue operations are underway to recover the derailed coaches.

Local police confirmed that the exact number of casualties remains uncertain, and further details will be provided after rescue and assessment work is completed.