Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Wednesday (March 18, 2026) threatened to focus on refineries and petrochemical complexes in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE, following U.S. and Israeli strikes on fuel services in Iran’s southern Bushehr province. This got here hours after Israeli air strikes killed Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib, the third high-profile assassination in 24 hours.
Iran-Israel battle updates on March 18, 2026
“Moments in the past, elements of the fuel services situated within the South Pars Particular Financial Vitality Zone in Asaluyeh had been struck by projectiles fired by the American-Zionist enemy,” Iranian state tv reported on Wednesday (March 18, 2026) night. The South Pars/North Dome mega-field is the most important recognized fuel reserve on the planet. Iran had earlier warned that any assault on its power infrastructure would set off retaliatory strikes at power services within the area.
Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya navy command stated in a press release that it will “severely strike the supply of the aggression and take into account concentrating on the gasoline, power and fuel infrastructure” of the international locations from which the assaults had been launched. Iran says the U.S. is utilizing its bases within the Persian Gulf monarchies to launch its assaults.
Retaliation targets
The IRGC issued “pressing evacuation” orders for folks residing close to key power manufacturing services within the three Persian Gulf international locations. “5 complexes, two refineries, two petrochemical complexes, and a fuel subject in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have change into now official targets for Iranian retaliation,” the Guards stated in a press release.
The services named within the warning are the Samref Refinery and Jubail Petrochemical Complicated in Saudi Arabia, the Al‑Hosn Gasoline Subject within the UAE, and the Al‑Mesaieed Holding and Petrochemical Complicated, in addition to Phases 1 and a pair of of the Ras Laffan Refinery in Qatar.
Based on Iran’s Oil Ministry, U.S.-Israeli airstrikes focused elements of the refinery installations in Asaluyeh that course of pure fuel from South Pars, situated on the maritime border between Iran and Qatar. “Now we have repeatedly warned your leaders towards following this harmful path and dragging their peoples into a serious gamble with their destiny,” the IRGC stated. “Due to this fact, they bear full accountability for all penalties that may end result from this course.”
Slew of assassinations
Earlier within the day, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz stated an in a single day strike on Tehran had killed Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib.
“On this present day, important surprises are anticipated throughout all arenas that may escalate the battle we’re conducting towards Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon,” Mr. Katz stated throughout a safety evaluation, based on his workplace. “The depth of the strikes in Iran is growing. The Iranian Intelligence Minister Khatib was additionally eradicated in a single day,” he stated.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that Khatib had been killed. “The cowardly assassination of my pricey colleagues Esmaeil Khatib, Ali Larijani, and Aziz Nasirzadeh, alongside a few of their members of the family and accompanying group, has left us in deep mourning,” he wrote in a social media put up.
In separate strikes on Monday night time, Israel had killed Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme Nationwide Safety Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary forces.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “authorised the IDF [Israel Defence Forces] to [assassinate] any senior Iranian determine with out the necessity for additional approval,” Mr. Katz stated.
‘Strong political construction’
Iran’s Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi stated in an interview that Israel’s assassinations wouldn’t destabilise Iran’s political system. “I have no idea why the Individuals and the Israelis nonetheless haven’t understood this level: The Islamic Republic of Iran has a robust political construction with established political, financial, and social establishments,” Mr. Araghchi instructed Al Jazeera.
“The presence or absence of a single particular person doesn’t have an effect on this construction,” stated Mr. Araghchi. “After all, people are influential, and every individual performs their position – some higher, some worse, some much less – however what issues is that the political system in Iran is a really strong construction.”
Printed – March 18, 2026 10:58 pm IST