Gulf countries are coming increasingly under attack from Iranian strikes as the United States-Israeli war on Iran continues to escalate.
On Friday, Saudi Arabia intercepted multiple waves of Iranian drones and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said its Mina al-Ahmadi refinery had been targeted by several early-morning drone attacks, leading to some units being shut down.
Gulf countries have repeatedly insisted that their defences are sufficient to repel these Iranian strikes. However, they also have military partnerships and agreements in place with other countries which could potentially provide more assistance as tensions escalate.
In this explainer, we look at what these partnerships are, how they are helping the Gulf and whether they could do more.
What military partnerships do the Gulf countries have?
The Gulf countries have a handful of military partnerships of different kinds.
Qatar
Qatar is home to the largest military base hosting US assets and troops in the region – Al Udeid.
The 24-hectare (60-acre) base, located in the desert outside the capital Doha, was established in 1996 and is the forward headquarters for US Central Command, which directs US military operations in a huge swath of regional territory stretching from Egypt in the west to Kazakhstan in the east.
It houses the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the US Air Force, the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force, as well as other foreign forces.
Qatar is the second largest Foreign Military Sales (FMS) partner to the US after Saudi Arabia. FMS is the official, government‑run channel the US uses to sell weapons, equipment and services to other governments.
In January, the US State Department said that “recent and significant” sales to Qatar included the Patriot long-range missile system, the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System, early warning systems, radars and attack helicopters.
On September 9, 2025, Israel struck a residential area of Qatar’s capital, Doha, targeting senior leaders of Hamas including negotiators for a ceasefire in Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.
On September 29, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order reaffirming support for Qatar, saying: “The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States.”
On Wednesday, Israel struck Iran’s critical South Pars gasfield. Soon after, Iran retaliated, hitting a major gas facility at Qatar’s Ras Laffan plant.
In response, Trump wrote in a Truth Social post guaranteeing that Israel would not attack the South Pars field again unless Iran again “unwisely” attacked Qatar.
Trump added that, if it did, the US “with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field at an amount of strength and power that Iran has never seen or witnessed before”.
There is also a Turkish military base in Qatar as the two countries collaborate via defence cooperation agreements and joint training.
In recent years, Qatar has also strengthened ties with the United Kingdom through joint training and exercises and with France from which it buys weapons.
Earlier this month, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would send four additional Typhoon fighter jets to Qatar to help with defence.
Despite initially stating that the UK would not permit the US to use UK bases for strikes on Iran, Starmer partially relented on March 1 when he granted a US request to use UK bases for “defensive” strikes on Iranian capabilities.
Nevertheless, Starmer has stated that the UK will not send its own assets or troops or otherwise become involved in the ongoing war.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia hosts US military assets and personnel at the Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB), located near Al Kharj, southeast of Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia is also the largest Foreign Military Sales (FMS) partner of the US.
There is no formal mutual‑defence treaty between the US and Saudi Arabia, similar to NATO’s Article 5. Instead, there are defence cooperation agreements between Riyadh and Washington.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have had a decades-long security partnership. This was strengthened in September 2025, when the two countries signed a formal mutual defence pact.
The extent to which Pakistan, which shares a 900km (559-mile) border with Iran in its southwest, can and will intervene is unclear, however.
On March 3, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told a news conference he had personally reminded Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi of Pakistan’s defence obligations to Saudi Arabia.
“We have a defence pact with Saudi Arabia, and the whole world knows about it,” Dar said. “I told the Iranian leadership to take care of our pact with Saudi Arabia.”
An estimated 1,500 to 2,000 Pakistani troops are stationed in Saudi Arabia.
United Arab Emirates
The UAE also hosts US assets and personnel at its Al-Dhafra airbase, including advanced aircraft such as F-22 Raptor stealth fighters and various surveillance planes, drones and airborne warning and control systems (AWACS).
On Thursday, the US announced an $8.4bn arms deal with the UAE, for the Gulf nation to buy drones, missiles, radar systems and F-16 aircraft.
Recently, the UAE has bolstered its military partnership with India. In January this year, the president of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, visited India.
During this meeting, India and the UAE reaffirmed the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Established in 2017, this is a bilateral agreement focused on defence cooperation, energy security and technology exchange.
The UAE and India do not have a mutual defence-style agreement in place, however.
Oman
The US has long-term access agreements for key air and naval facilities in Oman, notably the Port of Duqm and Port of Salalah, both of which have been subject to Iranian strikes over the past three weeks.
The UK and Oman also have a defence cooperation agreement and conduct regular joint exercises.
Pakistan and Oman also have military ties where they hold regular joint naval exercises.
However, there are no mutual defence commitments in place.
Bahrain
The US operates the Naval Support Activity (NSA) in Bahrain. Home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, the base provides security to ships, aircraft, detachments and remote sites in the region.
Bahrain and the UK also have a comprehensive security pact. Earlier this month, Starmer held talks with King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain and confirmed that the UK would send aircraft to bolster Bahrain’s security.
Kuwait
Kuwait hosts Camp Arifjan, a major US Army installation that functions as the main logistics, supply and command hub for US military operations across the Middle East, especially within the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.
On Thursday, the US announced an $8bn arms deal with Kuwait – for air and missile defence radar systems.
In 2023, Kuwait signed an agreement on military cooperation with Pakistan, focusing on joint training and military exercises.
These are not mutual defence agreements, however.
What could these partners be doing to better assist Gulf countries?
Experts say military allies of Gulf nations could provide naval escorts to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz. One-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies are shipped through this route in peacetime from Gulf producers.
On March 2, Ebrahim Jabari, a senior adviser to the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), announced that the Strait of Hormuz – through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas is transported – was “closed”. This has contributed to the recent surge in oil prices, which have surpassed $100 a barrel, compared with the pre-war Brent crude price of about $65.
In recent days, countries have been individually scrambling to negotiate safe passage for ships with Iran. A handful of mainly Indian, Pakistani and Chinese-flagged ships have been able to get through as a result.
“Pakistan and India are working with Iran to ensure of safe passage of tankers for their markets,” David Roberts, a senior academic in international security and Middle East studies at Kings College London, told Al Jazeera.
Roberts said that theoretically, the countries could also offer a naval escort for their tankers and other tankers.
“As neutrals, this might be a plausible gambit, but would need the acquiescence of Iran. Support establishing a shipping channel from the monarchies to China, Pakistan, India is plausible with concerted pressure from the three states, but Iran will be reluctant to give up that pressure point.”
Roberts said that European countries on the other hand, are “stretched thinly” when it comes to offering any such military support in the Strait of Hormuz.
He suggested the UK could send “another plane or two” to Qatar to join their joint Typhoon squadron. However, he added that it is difficult to make predictions about what support is likely to be forthcoming.
“Gulf states clearly need support. But it’s not clear what can be offered by anyone,” Roberts said.
He added they likely need more munitions for missile defence but stocks are tight everywhere.
South Korea and Japan are facing uncomfortable questions about their mutual defensive obligations as the United States seeks support from its allies in the war on Iran, now nearly three weeks in and escalating by the day.
Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump urged the United Kingdom, China, France, Japan, and South Korea to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, which has remained de facto closed since Washington launched its war with ally Israel on Tehran on March 28.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
The president backpedalled on his position on Tuesday – declaring on social media that “we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance – WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea” – but observers say US allies may not yet be out of the hot seat.
Trump is expected to raise the issue of warships when he meets with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the White House on Thursday, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Jack Barton.
“People do expect him to put pressure on Takaichi again to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz. It makes sense in a way because Japan is so dependent on energy supplies” from the Middle East, Barton said on Thursday from Seoul.
Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force is one of the largest and most advanced navies in the world, he said, which makes it an attractive target for the Trump Administration.
Although Japan and the US share a mutual defence, Tokyo’s pacifist constitution places restrictions on when it can deploy its Self-Defense Force. Legal scenarios include when it is attacked or facing a “survival-threatening” scenario, as well as acting in “collective self-defence” of its allies.
Takaichi told legislators this week that her government is considering what can legally be done to protect Japanese ships and interests, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK World, although deployment is still a hypothetical scenario.
Japan relies heavily on Middle Eastern oil imports, of which 70 percent pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to Japanese media. Tokyo began releasing oil from its strategic reserve on Monday to make up for the shortfall.
Stephen Nagy, a professor at the International Christian University, Tokyo, told Al Jazeera it was not unexpected that the US – a treaty ally – would call on it for help, but Japan will need to consider what is expected.
“The question is if they are going to be on the front line of the attack from Iran or if they are going to provide some kind of supporting role, such as anti-mining activities, refuelling missions, maritime domain awareness,” he said.
“It’s not so much of a problem going there and being involved in the challenges associated with the Hormuz Strait; what is more important is what exactly they are going to do in that role. I think the Japanese are going to find a way to legally add value to the Trump administration, but don’t expect warships there fighting Iranian proxies,” he continued.
South Korea finds itself in a similar predicament as it is both a US treaty ally and a country that is heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil and gas exports.
Seoul last week took the extraordinary measure of imposing a price cap on domestic fuel prices for the first time since the 1997 Asian financial crisis, to keep prices from rising too quickly for consumers. Despite their concerns, legislators continue to urge caution from the government in deploying its navy or military assets to the Middle East, according to Al Jazeera’s Barton.
In-Bum Chun, a retired South Korean lieutenant general, told Al Jazeera that it is not immediately clear whether Seoul’s Mutual Defense Treaty with the US applies to the Strait of Hormuz.
Seoul must also weigh helping the US against maintaining a credible deterrence against North Korea. Recent media reports suggest that the US is considering moving some of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missiles from South Korea to the Middle East. The missiles were installed to deter North Korea, and their removal, along with naval assets, could make voters nervous.
“Seoul must also consider the persistent threat from North Korea and the fact that a South Korean warship is already deployed to the Middle East,” Chun told Al Jazeera. “At the same time, because about 70 percent of Korea’s oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, freedom of navigation is not an abstract principle but a core national interest. These competing realities must all be weighed before any final decision is reached.”
PARIS — We’ve long had your back, now it’s our turn. That is how the famously transactional President Trump is framing his demands that allies help him with the Iran war. He wants to call in IOUs for decades of U.S. security guarantees.
The string of refusals indicates his stock of European goodwill is low. He has put allies through the wringer since returning to the White House, bullying them over tariffs, Greenland and other issues, and disparaging the sacrifices their soldiers made alongside U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Now he’s demanding — not just requesting — that they send warships to help the U.S. unblock the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil passes — essentially mop up behind the conflagration that he and Israel ignited in the Middle East.
The reply has been a “global raspberry.”
That’s how a veteran French defense analyst, François Heisbourg, described allied responses.
No close ally has come forward with immediate help. Britain is flat-out refusing to be drawn into the war. France says the fighting would have to die down first. Others are non-committal. China, which is not an ally but was also asked to help, is ignoring Trump’s call.
“This is not Europe’s war. We didn’t start the war. We were not consulted,” European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Tuesday.
Trump’s frustration with the ‘Rolls-Royce of allies’
Trump has singled out the refusal from the United Kingdom. Prime Minister Keir Starmer cultivated ties with Trump and reached an early trade deal with the administration, but is now among allies who refuse to join a regional war with no clear endgame.
The U.K. “was sort of considered the Rolls-Royce of allies,” Trump said Monday, adding that he’d asked for British minesweeping ships.
“I was not happy with the U.K,” Trump said. “They should be involved enthusiastically. We’ve been protecting these countries for years.”
Starmer said Britain “will not be drawn into the wider war” and that British troops require the backing of international law and “a proper thought-through plan” — suggesting those were not in place.
He initially refused to let U.S. bombers attack Iran from British bases before accepting their use for strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile program.
Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe, said allies are “looking at the United States in a way that they never have before. And this is bad for the United States.”
Having previously appeased Trump, some European leaders are “starting to realize that there’s no benefit or value in using flattery,” he said.
European leaders say it’s not their war
Going to war without consulting allies was in keeping with Trump’s America-first outlook.
“My attitude is: We don’t need anybody. We’re the strongest nation in the world,” he said Monday.
But failing to get an international mandate, as the U.S. did before intervening in the 1990 Gulf War, is boomeranging.
“It is not our war; we did not start it,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said. “We want diplomatic solutions and a swift end to the conflict. Sending more warships to the region will certainly not contribute to that.”
French President Emmanuel Macron envisions possible naval escorts in the Strait of Hormuz — but only once fighting has died down.
“France didn’t choose this war. We’re not taking part,” he said.
After bruising tariff battles with Trump last year, the first months of 2026 have further strained alliances. Trump’s renewed pressure for U.S. control of Greenland, including a tariff threat against eight European nations, and his false assertion that allied troops avoided front-line fighting in the Afghanistan War, upset partners in the NATO military alliance.
“Allies, or at least the Europeans, aren’t willing to be at the beck and call of a demand from Donald Trump,” said Sylvie Bermann, a French former ambassador to China, the U.K. and Russia.
“And even in asking for a helping hand, he is doing so in a brutal manner, saying: ‘You’re useless, we’re the strongest, we don’t need you, but come,’” she said.
A dangerous mission
Retired naval officers say that unblocking the Strait of Hormuz with military escorts while the war rages and without Iran’s consent would be dangerous.
France, which has rushed its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean, is working with other countries to prepare such a mission once the air war has subsided. French military spokesman Col. Guillaume Vernet said any escorting would be conditional on talks with Iran, and Macron has publicized two calls in eight days with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
That has won points with Trump.
“On a scale of zero to 10, I’d say he’s been an eight,” Trump said Monday. “Not perfect, but it’s France. We don’t expect perfect.”
But he’s fuming at other allies.
“We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need,” Trump said Tuesday.
Trump has leverage, including in Ukraine
Allies in Europe and Asia need oil, gas and other products from the Middle East to flow again. That gives Trump some leverage.
Allies also know from experience that resisting Trump carries risks of retaliation.
“It really could be anything. Are the Europeans prepared for that?” asked Ed Arnold, a former British army officer and now a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute, a London think tank.
European allies need Trump’s continued blessing for U.S. weaponry, intelligence, and other support for Ukraine, as well as financial pressure on Russia. The U.S. has started to chip away at some sanctions on Moscow by temporarily allowing shipments of Russian oil to ease shortages stemming from the Iran war. Allies also want him to reengage in talks to end the war.
“That was what kept European leaders quiet for a lot of last year in the face of the rhetoric and actions,” said Amanda Sloat, a former U.S. national security adviser who now teaches at Spain’s IE University.
“It is also the thing that is making them a little bit nervous now.”
Leicester and Burrows write for the Associated Press. Burrows reported from London. AP journalists Jill Lawless in London, Lorne Cook in Brussels, Suman Naishadham in Madrid, Geir Moulson and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin, Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Taiwan, and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
A day after several allies rejected his demand they send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump said he no longer wants their help. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the U.S. leader excoriated the NATO alliance and other countries for not coming to America’s aid when needed.
Trump’s comments come as the global economy is roiled by rising energy costs in the wake of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz for most ships and attacking fuel infrastructure across the Middle East. Trump wanted international help in forcing Iran to reopen the Strait.
The Strait of Hormuz. (Google Earth)
“…I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one way street,” Trump fumed. “We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need.”
“Fortunately, we have decimated Iran’s Military — Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti-Aircraft and Radar is gone and perhaps, most importantly, their Leaders, at virtually every level, are gone, never to threaten us, our Middle Eastern Allies, or the World, again!,” Trump added. “Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer “need,” or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea. In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”
BREAKING: Trump now says he doesn’t need any help for Iran & Strait of Hormuz:
The United States has been informed by most NATO “Allies” that they don’t want to get involved in our military operation against Iran, despite agreeing that Iran must not have a nuclear weapon.
As we noted yesterday, the U.K., Germany, Luxembourg, Japan and Australia rejected Trump’s demand while other countries were on the fence. In a post on X, Axios reported that the U.K. has drafted a plan for a Strait of Hormuz coalition and shared it with the U.S. and several other countries.
🚢🇬🇧🇺🇸🛢️The U.K. has drafted a plan for the strait of Hormuz coalition and shared it with the U.S. and several other countries, two sources said https://t.co/amETYiI5QN
Highlighting the threat posed by Iran, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Center reported that an oil tanker was hit by debris from an interception near the ship, located 23 nautical miles east of Fujairah, UAE. The vessel received minor structural damage and the whole crew was confirmed safe. A maritime industry official told The War Zone that the ship was the Kuwaiti-registered Gas Al Ahmadiah.
Despite increased concerns, this was the first incident involving a ship in the area since March 11, according to UKMTO.
Since the start of Epic Fury, UKMTO has received 21 reports of incidents affecting vessels operating in and around the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman. There have been 17 attacks and four suspicious activity reports.
As a result of Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on oil facilities throughout the Middle East, energy prices are again climbing.
“Brent crude climbed 3% to trade near $103 as Iran stepped up its attacks on energy infrastructure across the Gulf,” Financial Times reported. Brent still remains below its conflict high of $119.50 but has risen more than 40 percent since the war began, the outlet added.
Diesel fuel prices at the pump “have topped the $5-per-gallon barrier for the second time ever,” according to a post on X by Bloomberg News energy and commodities columnist Javier Blas.
This will have a ripple effect across the country, with everything that moves by truck likely to cost more to make up for the increased fuel costs.
CHART OF THE DAY: US retail average diesel prices have topped the $5-per-gallon barrier for the 2nd time ever.
That’s freight inflation — and another big hit to the country’s farming economy (and it has received many hit since Trump came into office) pic.twitter.com/lIUDbhqsC4
Our coverage has ended for the day. Stay tuned for more.
7:07 PM EST—
Zelensky reposted an address to officials in the UK about Ukrainian counter-drone capabilities, stating that he can provide up to 1,000 interceptors per day and sensor networks for detecting and tracking the drones, as well as the software that underpins it.
First, we are capable of producing at least 2,000 effective and combat-proven interceptors every day. We can produce more – it depends on investment. We need about 1,000 interceptors a day, and we can supply at least another 1,000 a day to our allies.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 17, 2026
A ballistic missile attack on Israel included a very large cluster munition warhead:
Spectacular footage showing the fall of submunitions from the Iranian Khorramshahr-4 medium-range ballistic missile carrying cluster warhead on Israel short time ago. pic.twitter.com/n6LsbZwp1C
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) March 17, 2026
Dubai under heavy attack again tonight.
Over a dozen interceptor missiles seen earlier in the sky over Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, following a possible attack by Iran using “advanced ballistic missiles” in an attempt to target Dubai International Airport. pic.twitter.com/PxI7EQ5N6W
We are now seeing the damage done to the energy storage area in Tehran from IAF strikes:
5:24 PM EST—
NYTs reports that Russia is providing drone components and targeting support to Iran. This would loosely mirror the U.S. in Ukraine. The report reads, in part:
The technology provided includes components of modified Shahed drones, which are meant to improve communication, navigation and targeting, the people said. Russia has also been drawing on its experience using drones in Ukraine, offering tactical guidance on how many drones should be used in operations and what altitudes they should strike from, said the people, who included a senior European intelligence officer.
Russia has been providing Iran with the locations of U.S. military forces in the Middle East as well as those of its regional allies, The Wall Street Journal has reported. That cooperation has deepened in early days of the war, with Russia recently providing satellite imagery directly to Iran, said two of the people, the officer and a Middle Eastern diplomat.
U.S. embassies around the globe are being ordered to review security posture:
The U.S. has ordered all embassies worldwide to urgently review security due to escalating threats linked to the Iran conflict, after hundreds of attacks—mainly in the Middle East—targeted U.S. facilities.
Growlers are now flying in a relatively rare loadout of four AGM-88 HARM-family of weapons under their wings on Epic Fury missions. This underscores that pop-up radar-guided air defenses still are a potential issue. The latest HARMs can also be used to hit targets that are not emitting radiation, as well.
Trump is now threatening to leave NATO after key members rejected sending ships to open the Strait of Hormuz:
JUST IN: President Trump says he is thinking about leaving NATO, says he doesn’t need approval from Congress.
Reporter: Are you rethinking the United States’ relationship with NATO? Possibly getting out?
Another night of strings of C-RAM 20mm fire being seen at key locations in Baghdad:
A Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar System (C-RAM) seen firing into the sky over Baghdad during tonight’s drone attack against the U.S. Embassy and Baghdad International Airport by Iran. pic.twitter.com/Sv8ceqAicY
Israel is attacking Basij personnel and checkpoints in urban areas in Iran:
The Israeli Air Force has been striking Basij soldiers and its checkpoints across Tehran in the past few hours, the IDF says. pic.twitter.com/I1KVH9eDfx
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 17, 2026
A delta-wing fighter was supposedly spotted over the city of Shiraz, indicating a gulf state ally that flies the EF2000, Rafale, or Mirage 2000 could be executing penetrating missions over Iran.
INTERESTING: Footage from Shiraz, Iran shows a fighter jet resembling a Mirage 2000 or Eurofighter Typhoon (not typical of US, Israeli, or Iranian aircraft.)
According to #MarineTraffic data, a total of 15 vessels transited the strait over the past three days, including 8 dry bulk vessels, 5 tankers, and 2 LPG carriers. Around 87% were outbound transits, with many vessels taking unusual routes through Iranian territorial waters. Only 13% entered the Gulf, highlighting the continued imbalance in traffic flows. Watch the playback of vessel activity in the Strait of Hormuz over the past three days.”
Strait of Hormuz activity remains limited
According to #MarineTraffic data, a total of 15 vessels transited the strait over the past three days, including 8 dry bulk vessels, 5 tankers, and 2 LPG carriers. Around 87% were outbound transits, with many vessels taking unusual… pic.twitter.com/vlTkpLy7LS
The United Arab Emirates could take part in a U.S.-led effort to safeguard shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Emirati official said on Tuesday, Reuters reported on X, adding that no formal plan had been agreed to and discussions were ongoing.
“We all have a responsibility to ensure the flow of trade, the flow of energy,” Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the country’s president, said at an online event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations, an American think tank.
MORE –
(Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates could take part in a U.S.-led effort to safeguard shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Emirati official said on Tuesday, though he also said that no formal plan had been agreed and discussions were ongoing.
During a meeting with Irish officials at the White House on St. Patrick’s Day, Trump said he could order attacks on Iran’s electrical systems and wipe them out “in a matter of minutes.”
Trump on Iran:
We could take out their electric capacity in one hour. There’s nothing they can do right now because everything is knocked out. They have no radar, no anti-aircraft. They have nothing.
The United States has encouraged Syria to consider sending forces into eastern Lebanon to help disarm Hezbollah, but Damascus is reluctant to embark on such a mission for fear of being sucked into the war in the Middle East and inflaming sectarian tensions, Reuters reported, citing five people briefed on the matter.
The proposal to Syria’s U.S.-allied government reflects intensifying moves to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah, which opened fire at Israel in support of Tehran on March 2, prompting an Israeli offensive in Lebanon.
The proposal to Syria’s U.S.-allied government reflects intensifying moves to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah, which opened fire at Israel in support of Tehran on March 2, prompting an Israeli offensive in Lebanon.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted that his country is not just a country seeking assistance.
“I would like the U.S. not to perceive Ukraine as a country that merely asks for help,” he stated on X. “That is not the case. Ukraine is defending interests and values. Of course, the U.S. is right when it says it is farther from this war than Europe. That is understandable. But we see U.S. allies in the Middle East, and we see what – and who – threatens them.”
I would like the U.S. not to perceive Ukraine as a country that merely asks for help. That is not the case. Ukraine is defending interests and values. Of course, the U.S. is right when it says it is farther from this war than Europe. That is understandable. But we see U.S. allies…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 17, 2026
Speaking of Ukraine, a technology prevalent in the war may now be employed by Iranian-backed militias attacking U.S. facilities in Iraq. Video emerged on social media showing what is likely a first-person view (FPV) drone surveilling the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. These types of drones have been used by both sides in the Ukraine war to devastating effect.
An Iranian-backed militia successfully used a (likely fiber optic) FPV drone to carry out a reconnaissance mission through the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad yesterday.
Seen here, the drone flies unchallenged through the embassy complex for nearly two minutes. pic.twitter.com/S1Ky3eVUv0
U.S. counter rocket, artillery, and mortar C-RAM systems have been engaging with drones over Baghdad.
Israeli residents exclaimed “wow” after watching the interception seen in the following video.
2:15PM EST—
Israel announced two decapitation strikes on Iranian leaders, the latest in a series of strikes against top Iranian government and military officials. It claims to have killed Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and the regime’s effective leader as well as Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary unit for the past 6 years. Tehran has yet to comment on these claims which The War Zone cannot independently verify.
“The Israeli Air Force, acting on IDF intelligence, and through the integration of unique operational capabilities, conducted a precise strike that eliminated Ali Larijani, the Secretary of Iranian Supreme National Security Council, who operated as the de facto leader of the Iranian terror regime,” the IDF claimed. “The strike was conducted while he was located near Tehran.”
“During the most recent wave of protests against the Iranian terror regime, Larijani personally oversaw the massacre that was carried out against Iranian protestors,” the IDF added.
🔴Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and the regime’s effective leader, has been eliminated.
Throughout the years, Larijani was considered one of the most veteran and senior figures within the Iranian regime leadership, and was a close associate… pic.twitter.com/kBIgSSGBm0
“Under Soleimani, the Basij unit led the main repression operations in Iran, employing severe violence, widespread arrests, and the use of force against civilian demonstrators,” the IDF stated.
The Soleimani killing would add “to that of dozens of senior commanders from the armed forces of the Iranian regime who have been eliminated during the operation, and constitutes an additional significant blow to the regime’s security command-and-control structures,” the IDF added.
🔴 COMMANDER OF THE BASIJ UNIT ELIMINATED
Yesterday, the IDF targeted & eliminated Gholamreza Soleimani, who operated as commander of the Basij unit for the past 6 years.
Under Soleimani, the Basij unit led the main repression operations in Iran, employing severe violence,… pic.twitter.com/aJ0dNtCFz0
In a video posted on X, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his rationale for ordering the strike on Larijani.
PM Netanyahu:
“We eliminated Ali Larijani, who is the boss of the IRGC or the gangsters’ mob. We are dismantling the regime in the hope of giving the people a chance to remove it. It won’t happen all at once; it won’t happen easily. But if we persist, we will allow them to take… pic.twitter.com/c0MAnLaQoA
While there was no immediate response from officials in Tehran, after reports of Larijani’s death began to circulate, his X account posted a handwritten memorial to Iranian sailors aboard the IRIS Dena killed in a U.S. submarine attack.
“The martyrdom of the brave members of the Navy of the Army of the Islamic Republic in Dena is part of the sacrifices of the proud nation that has emerged in this time of struggle against international oppressors,” Larijani wrote.
به مناسبت مراسم تشییع سلحشوران نیروی دریایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران: یاد آنان همواره در قلب ملت ایران خواهد بود و این شهادتها بنیان ارتش جمهوری اسلامی را برای سالها در ساختار نیروهای مسلح استوار مینماید. ازخداوند متعال علو درجات برای این شهدای عزیز خواستارم. pic.twitter.com/dvTdhyDYbY
— Ali Larijani | علی لاریجانی (@alilarijani_ir) March 17, 2026
Larijani became Iran’s de facto leader after U.S.-Israeli airstrikes killed top government and military officials. Iran has a multi-faceted leadership structure, ostensibly headed by the Supreme Leader, who is now Mojtaba Khamenei. He was appointed to replace his father, Ali Khamenei, killed in an airstrike on the opening day of the war. While there are claims Mojtaba Khamenei has been killed or badly wounded, Iranian officials insist that despite being wounded, he is still running the country.
In addition to the clerics, Iran also has a very strong security leadership that includes the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Larijani, as security chief, was part of that structure. While his death, if confirmed, will further complicate Iran’s command and control capabilities, it won’t necessarily eliminate it or be followed by regime change.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said that while the Iranian regime can only be toppled by its people, they cannot liberate the nation alone.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar:
The regime can only be toppled by the Iranian people, yet without external help, the Iranian people cannot liberate themselves. pic.twitter.com/Bxy6NpjwnB
Meanwhile, Mojtaba Khamenei said Iran has no plans to de-escalate, according to a Reuters post on X.
Iran’s new supreme leader has rejected de-escalation proposals conveyed to Tehran by intermediaries, demanding Israel and the United States first be “brought to their knees”, a senior Iranian official said on Tuesday. @PHREUTERS
In a stunning rebuke of the war on Iran, the director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) publicly announced his resignation in a post on X. In his announcement, which largely blamed Israeli influence for the decision to launch Epic Fury, Joe Kent becomes the highest-ranking Trump administration official to publicly disavow President Donald Trump’s decision to attack Iran.
“I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent stated in his letter. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful lobby.”
Kent, a staunch conservative and noted Trump supporter, said he still backed the president but not his decision to change policy about avoiding wars in the Middle East.
“Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation.”
Kent added that early in the Trump administration, “high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran.”
After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.
I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this… pic.twitter.com/prtu86DpEr
Kent served in the U.S. Army for 20 years and made 11 combat deployments in the Middle East and other high-threat regions, according to his official bio. He served with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Army Special Forces and U.S. Army Special Operations Command, and received numerous military commendations, including six bronze stars. After retiring from the Army in 2018, he served as a paramilitary officer in the CIA’s Special Activities Center.
In his role as NCTC director, Kent oversaw a staff of more than 1,000 personnel from across the U.S. intelligence community, federal government and federal contractors. The center “produces analysis, maintains the authoritative database of known and suspected terrorists, shares information, and conducts strategic operational planning,” according to its website.
Trump lauded Kent and his wife when nominating the former Green Beret to lead the NCTC.
In addition to his service, Kent “has long had a penchant for conspiracy theories, claiming without evidence that intelligence officials had a hand in the violence around the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol,” The New York Times noted.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt strongly pushed back against Kent’s assertions that Iran posed no immediate threat and that Trump was influenced by Israel.
There are many false claims in this letter but let me address one specifically: that “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation.”
This is the same false claim that Democrats and some in the liberal media have been repeating over and over.
Some Republicans were quick to call out Kent’s remarks on Israel. Representative Don Bacon, a former Air Force brigadier general, took to X, reposting Kent’s letter with the comment “good riddance.”
Good riddance. Iran has murdered more than a thousand Americans. Their EFP land mines were the deadliest in Iraq. Anti-Semitism is an evil I detest, and we surely don’t want it in our government. https://t.co/XuJBctblsd
— Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ (@RepDonBacon) March 17, 2026
Kent’s announcement was met with derision from other top Trump supporters as well.
Joe Kent is a crazed egomaniac who was often at the center of national security leaks, while rarely (never?) producing any actual work.
He spent all of his time working to subvert the chain of command and undermine the President of the United States.
I wonder if this guy Joe Kent was about to be fired but quickly resigned first. That’s how these things typically work. He’s part of that radical isolationist Woke Right cabal. Watch how the leftwing media use him to attack the president and the military campaign against Iran.…
In addition to the decapitation strikes, the IDF said it hit command centers and UAV, ballistic missiles and air defense storage sites in Tehran, the internal security forces’ command center and a ballistic missile site in Shiraz and additional Iranian air defense systems in Tabriz.
🎯STRUCK: Iranian regime infrastructure in different areas across Iran:
📍In Tehran, dozens of munitions were dropped on command centers and UAV, ballistic missiles and air defense storage sites were stuck.
Iran also struck Israel. Video and images emerged on social media of damage caused by an apparent cluster munition from an Iranian ballistic missile.
Damage was caused in central Israel by an apparent cluster munition from an Iranian ballistic missile, following Iran’s latest attack. pic.twitter.com/gFKUhLhbcx
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 17, 2026
Baghdad continues to come under attack as well.
🇮🇶 #Iraq‘s capital city #Baghdad was under fire early Tuesday morning, drawing the nation further into the war.
Attacks on Monday targeted the #US embassy and hit a house that was reportedly hosting Iranian advisors, killing four.
Amid ongoing attacks by the U.S. and Israel, “signs of discontent, low morale, financial strain and desertion are spreading among parts of Iran’s security and military forces,” according to Iran International, a London-based Persian-language news outlet.
“Members of the Special Units Command received a notice on Friday saying salary payments for some units had run into problems, according to people familiar with the matter,” the outlet added. “The delay marked the third time this year that wages for those forces are being paid late.”
We cannot verify this claim, and it should be noted that Iran International has an anti-regime focus.
Signs of discontent, low morale, financial strain and desertion are spreading among parts of Iran’s security and military forces, Iran International has learned.
Members of the Special Units Command received a notice on Friday saying salary payments for some units had run into… pic.twitter.com/LCAeX5evUV
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) March 17, 2026
Israel is sending more troops into southern Lebanon, according to the IDF.
⭕️ Operational Update: Lebanon
Additional IDF troops have been deployed in Lebanon, continuing efforts to establish a forward defense posture in order to remove threats and create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel against Hezbollah’s threat. pic.twitter.com/Q7dOLsT4Bd
The Israeli Air Force said it struck an underground facility in Lebanon Hezbollah used to store weapons.
The Israeli Air Force struck an underground Hezbollah site in southern Lebanon used by the terror group to store weapons, the military says.
According to the IDF, Hezbollah stored cruise missiles and hundreds of rockets at the subterranean facility, located in the Kafra area.… pic.twitter.com/PMtlrYpA3X
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 17, 2026
CENTCOM released more video of its attacks on Iranian targets.
Iran is continuing to block access to the internet for all but a handful of select individuals, according to NETBLOCKS cyber security and digital governance organization.
⚠️ Update: #Iran‘s internet blackout is now entering its 18th day after 408 hours without international connectivity for the general public. Chosen users are granted privileged access, while the remainder are left with a limited domestic intranet under increasingly tight control. pic.twitter.com/nujpYomBAa
The recent tense situation in the Strait of Hormuz and waters nearby has impacted the route for international goods and energy trade, disrupting peace and stability in the region and beyond.
China once again calls on parties to immediately stop military operations, avoid further… pic.twitter.com/rDvMQcuRj4
In its latest report, the U.S.-China Economic AND Security Review Commission said that “Beijing enables Tehran but the relationship is asymmetric… Iran depends heavily on China, while Beijing calibrates support, offering diplomatic cover & dual-use supplies, but stops short of formal defense commitments that may alienate Gulf partners,” the report notes.
New China–Iran Fact Sheet
Beijing enables Tehran but the relationship is asymmetric: Iran depends heavily on China, while Beijing calibrates support, offering diplomatic cover & dual-use supplies, but stops short of formal defense commitments that may alienate Gulf partners. pic.twitter.com/yhzWEZ5xz7
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Members of the NATO alliance are denying U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand that they send warships to help protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz after frequent Iranian attacks. As we noted yesterday, the president said that “If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO.”
“This is not our war; we did not start it,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters in Berlin on Monday. “We want diplomatic solutions and a swift end to the conflict, but sending more warships to the region will likely not help achieve that.”
WATCH: German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius:
We did not start this war.
What does the world expect, what does Donald Trump expect from a handful or two handfuls of European frigates to achieve there in the Strait of Hormuz, which the powerful American Navy cannot manage… https://t.co/lO4WR2zly3pic.twitter.com/MWwu3U4xyS
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul doesn’t see NATO playing a role in dealing with the blockade of the Strait.
“I don’t see that NATO has made any decision in this direction or could assume responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz,” he said Monday ahead of a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels. “If that were the case, then the NATO bodies would address it accordingly.”
Wadephul added that despite the volatile situation in the Middle East, Ukraine remained Europe’s top security priority, the BBC noted. When the prices for oil and gas rise, he explained, it contributes to Russia’s war chest.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Wadephul on Iran War:
Will we soon be an active part of this conflict? No.
We will not participate in this conflict.
We want to participate in negotiations, because security for the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea will only be achieved through a… pic.twitter.com/J6cJNxXWsO
“Blackmail is not what I wish for,” he stated, adding that NATO is there to react when members are attacked, not for all defensive or military requests, Bloomberg News noted.
“I want to remind that none of us has been directly attacked,” he said. “There are no grounds for now to invoke Article 5,” he added, referencing the alliance’s collective defense clause.
Germany and Luxembourg joined Japan and Australia in rejecting Trump’s call for help in reopening the Strait, at least for now.
“Let me be clear, that won’t be, and it’s never envisioned to be, a NATO mission,” he said, adding that Britain will not be “drawn into the wider war.”
Britain “is working with allies on a collective plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore freedom of navigation in the Middle East but it will not be easy, ” Starmer posited, according to Reuters.
“Ultimately, we have to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to ensure stability in the (oil) market. That is not a simple task,” Starmer told reporters.
Britain and Germany, after Australia, become the latest allies not jumping to send warships to protect the Strait of Hormuz, as Trump wants. https://t.co/wxDkAnoIa4
Some nations are willing to listen to any plan Trump might present to NATO.
“We have to look into it and consider it,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys told Bloomberg TV in an interview in Brussels. “I would look for an in-depth debate within NATO.”
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski concurred.
“If there is a request with NATO to discuss the issue, we will of course consider it out of respect and sympathy for our allies,” he said.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas encouraged member states to consider expanding their Aspides naval mission, originally launched in 2024 while Houthis attacked shipping in the nearby Red Sea.
“If we want to have security in this region, it would be easiest to already use the operation we have in the region and maybe change a bit,” Kallas said.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz hurts the global economy and helps Russia fund its war.
It is affecting our partners in the region and is dangerous for global energy supplies.
Today, EU Foreign Ministers will discuss how to better protect shipping in the region, including… pic.twitter.com/iJSVdT7FqA
While the Aspides vessels are currently allowed to navigate in the Strait of Hormuz, its mandate doesn’t allow more than that,” Bloomberg News posited, adding that EU countries would have to unanimously agree to change those directives, which could be difficult.
“There is no change to Aspides mission or posture,” Lt Colonel Socrates Ravanos, an Aspides spokesman, told us on Monday. “EUNAVFOR ASPIDES continues to carry out its mandate, ensuring the protection and security of commercial maritime traffic within its area of operations.”
The operation’s “assets in the area of operation monitor the situation closely and remain vigilant,” he continued. “Maritime security developments in the region are continuously assessed in coordination with partners and relevant maritime authorities.”
Concern over Iranian attacks in the Strait date back many decades. Back in 2012, The Washington Institute estimated that clearing the Strait of Hormuz could require up to 16 Avenger-class (mine counter measure) MCM vessels.
The Washington Institute estimated years ago that clearing the Strait of Hormuz could require up to 16 Avenger-class MCM vessels.⁰ The Navy has three MCM-equipped LCS in the region. https://t.co/vFTRppfdwL
As we previously reported, however, the last four of those decommissioned vessels left Bahrain in January aboard a larger heavy lift vessel.
The Navy has three MCM-equipped Littoral Combat Ships in the region, Hunterbrook noted. As we reported yesterday, two Independence class Littoral Combat Ships configured for mine-sweeping duties that were previously deployed to the Middle East showed up in port in Malaysia. Both the USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara had arrived in Bahrain in the past year or so to take the place of a group of now-decommissioned Avenger class mine hunters. You can read more about that in our story here.
In Washington, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday reiterated that the administration is forming a naval coalition to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
“The president is speaking with our allies in Europe and also many of our partners in the Gulf and Arab world to encourage them to step up and do more to open the Strait of Hormuz, and our NATO allies especially need to step up,” she told Fox News. “President Trump has been very frank with our friends in NATO for a very long time… now he’s calling on them to do the right thing.”
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on the administration forming a naval coalition to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz: “The president is speaking with our allies in Europe and also many of our partners in the Gulf and Arab world to encourage them to step up… pic.twitter.com/SgxvPSExab
In his latest update on Epic Fury, CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper on Monday said attacks are “zeroed in on dismantling Iran’s decades old threat to the free flow of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz, through a combination of air, land and maritime capabilities. We have successfully destroyed over 100 Iranian naval vessels, and we aren’t done.”
Iranian attacks on shipping seem to have tapered off.
Between the start of Epic Fury on Feb. 28 and March 12, The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office received 20 reports of incidents affecting vessels operating in and around the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman. There were 16 attacks on ships, and four reports of suspicious activity. There have been no verified reports of attacks since March 12, according to UKMTO.
Amid the debate on how to protect Strait shipping, the first non-Iranian ship has transited the Strait with its AIS transponder on, according to the MarineTraffic open-source tracking site. Several observers have noted how close to the Iranian shore these ships are traveling. This could be due to Iranian mines, even though Trump on Monday repeated the assertion that Epic Fury attacks have destroyed all Iran’s mine-laying ships. Mines can be laid by small boats and Iran has practices doing exactly this in the past. This could also just be a safe deconfliction corridor Iran is using for safe passage.
The U.S. is “fine” with some Iranian, Indian and Chinese ships getting through the Strait of Hormuz for now, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Monday.
The closure of the Strait has forced several nations to alter their energy policies. Japan started the largest-ever release of oil from its strategic reserves on Monday, according to the Japan Times. The 80 million-barrel effort comes as the Strait of Hormuz stays effectively closed amid the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and crude oil prices continue to soar.
“The release — 15 days’ worth of domestic demand from mandatory private reserves and one month from national reserves — was the seventh ever conducted in the nation,” the publication noted.
BREAKING Japan says it is beginning the release of its strategic oil reserves after the International Energy Agency indicated that the release would begin in Asia and Oceania before other regions.
South Korea is also taking action in the wake of the Strait of Hormuz closure. It is lifting a cap on coal-fired power generation (until now set at 80% of capacity) to offset the loss of LNG, explains Bloomberg energies and commodities columnist Javier Blas in a post on X.
South Korea is lifting a cap on coal-fired power generation (until now set at 80% of capacity) to offset the loss of LNG
The flexibility of Asia to performan gas-to-coal switching (and its enormous coal-fired fleet) provides a layer of insulation that Europe didn’t have in 2022
— איתי בלומנטל 🇮🇱 Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) March 16, 2026
An Indian-flagged crude tanker had a close call when the UAE’s Fujairah port came under attack on Saturday while it was loading crude at the oil terminal, according to the Times of India. The vessel sailed out safely the next day with everyone onboard unhurt.
JAG LAADKI an Indian flagged Crude Oil Tanker is being escorted out of the Gulf of Oman by the Indian Navy as maritime security in the region remains tense pic.twitter.com/0YdR06QxDJ
Iran has asked India to release three tankers seized in February as part of talks seeking the safe passage of Indian‑flagged or India‑bound vessels out of the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported on X, citing three sources with knowledge of the matter.
(Reuters) – Iran has asked India to release three tankers seized in February as part of talks seeking the safe passage of Indian‑flagged or India‑bound vessels out of the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
In a brief chat with PBS News, Trump repeated his stance, since denied by Tehran, that Iran wants to negotiate.
“We’re doing very well,” he told the outlet, reiterating comments about destroying Iran’s military. He added: “They want to make a deal but they’re not ready to make a deal in my opinion.”
Just had a brief phone call with @potus this morning and asked him several questions about Iran. He noted when he answered that it was not a good time to chat because he was in the middle of a “very important meeting” about it – but said the following:
In addition to frequent conversations with Israeli leaders, Trump is also talking regularly to Arab leaders, particularly Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince.
“According to several officials, the advice Mr. Trump is getting from the prince is to keep hitting the Iranians hard — essentially repeating the advice that King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who died in 2015, repeatedly gave to Washington: “Cut off the head of the snake, according to The New York Times.
Just as the war is poised to escalate this leak could be adding fuel to fire. According to @nytimes “Mr. Trump is talking regularly to Arab leaders, particularly Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince. According to several officials, the advice Mr. Trump is getting from the…
Axios reported that “some key officials around Trump were reluctant or wanted more time” before an attack on Iran.
“He ended up saying, ‘I just want to do it,’” the source told the outlet. “He grossly overestimated his ability to topple the regime short of sending in ground troops.”
A source close to the administration said some key officials around Trump were reluctant or wanted more time.
“He ended up saying, ‘I just want to do it,'” the source said. “He grossly overestimated his ability to topple the regime short of sending in ground troops.” https://t.co/lJWB1SyOhM
The America class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli is continuing to speed toward the Middle East after the Pentagon ordered a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to bolster forces in the region.
The vessel, along with two Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer escorts, was last seen about 420 miles from Manilla, pushing deep into the South China Sea, according to open-source investigator MT Anderson.
“Running an aviation-optimized amphibious assault ship at high speed with a dedicated twin-destroyer escort is a heavily protected, offensive posture,” Anderson assessed. “They are moving with purpose, bringing a major Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) umbrella with them as they sprint toward the theater.”
HIGH-SPEED TRANSIT: USS Tripoli Flanked by Heavy Escorts
OSINT Update (Mar 15 imagery): Tracking the USS Tripoli (LHA-7) as she continues her rapid push toward the Middle East for Operation Epic Fury. She is not making this run alone.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Monday it had begun a “targeted ground operation against key targets” in southern Lebanon, pushing more forces deeper into the area as part of an expanded buffer zone, The Times of Israel reported. The move came after Hezbollah began attacking Israel earlier this month amid the US-Israeli war with Iran.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the operation would continue until Hezbollah no longer poses a threat to the residents of northern Israel, and said displaced Lebanese would not return to their homes until then.
IDF’s 401st Brigade troops of the 91st Division carry out precision raids in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure. pic.twitter.com/eYwjr2jwXG
Hezbollah reportedly used its Almas missiles for the first time in this conflict. You can read more about these weapons in our story here.
#Lebanon: Hezbollah has used its first Almas missile amid ongoing conflict with Israel.
While Hezbollah primarily uses anti-tank missiles such as the Konkurs and Kornet, the Iranian-made Almas (a copy of the Israeli Spike) offers more advanced capabilities.
The IDF also said it attacked an Iranian space-related compound that researcher Fabian Hinz said was used to conduct research on exoatmospheric guidance.
The Iranians were conducting a lot of research and development work on exoatmospheric guidance technologies as part of their missile and SLV programs. Would not be surprised if they were eventually aiming to develop direct-ascent anti-satellite capabilities as well. https://t.co/sugj1KrDPq
China’s Foreign Ministry is calling for an immediate halt to military operations in the Middle East, warning that further regional escalation could hit the global economy, Al Jazeera reported on X.
BREAKING: China’s Foreign Ministry is calling for an immediate halt to military operations in the Middle East, warning that further regional escalation could hit the global economy. pic.twitter.com/rWyDn2DxgV
Online flight trackers say a Qatari Air Force C-17A strategic military transport plane flew to Rzeszów, Poland, earlier last week, following a similar flight the week before.
The nature of these flights is unclear. However, with Rzeszów serving as the primary hub for military aid being transshipped to Ukraine, it is possible the flights may have been delivering air defense interceptors originally intended for Ukraine or transporting Ukrainian counter drone specialists. We just don’t know.
A Qatar Air Force C-17A strategic military transport plane flew to Rzeszów, Poland, earlier last week.
A UAE Air Force C-17A also carried out a similar flight to the same destination last week.
Rzeszów is the primary hub for military aid being transshipped to Ukraine, so the… pic.twitter.com/o5JjxEulpc
The flow of videos out of Iran, already greatly reduced because of the regime’s internet blockage, has slowed even further.
“There’s been a notable drop in the number of videos coming out of Iran in the last 24 hours. I’ve now heard from multiple sources inside Iran that the government has further tightened its imposed internet blackout by closing loopholes and targeting those with Starlink access,” BBC journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh noted on X.
There’s been a notable drop in the number of videos coming out of Iran in the last 24 hours.
I’ve now heard from multiple sources inside Iran that the government has further tightened its imposed internet blackout by closing loopholes and targeting those with Starlink access. https://t.co/KOCGBS5fXr
Still, some videos are making it out, like this one purporting to show Iranian Basij paramilitary forces hiding in a school.
Basij forces and government security agents had gathered inside a school, a citizen who sent a video to Iran International said. pic.twitter.com/RkEjEtMCMK
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) March 16, 2026
UPDATES:
We have concluded our rolling coverage for the day.
UPDATE: 5:48 PM EST –
Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi pushed back on claims that he has established backchannel communications with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff.
My last contact with Mr. Witkoff was prior to his employer’s decision to kill diplomacy with another illegal military attack on Iran.
Any claim to the contrary appears geared solely to mislead oil traders and the public.
With speculation rife that is he is badly wounded or perhaps even dead, new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei will reportedly give a television speech in the coming days. Khamenie, who Iranian officials have admitted was wounded in an airstrike, has not been seen in public since.
An Iranian Foreign Ministry Advisor tells Lebanese Al-Jadeed that the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, will deliver a televised speech “in the coming days.”
The advisor stated that Khamenei is in direct contact with military and political leaders, “and the reason for his…
— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) March 16, 2026
Speaking to reporters at The White House, Trump extolled the virtues of the B-2A Spirit stealth bomber.
“Let me hug that little sucker,” he said while asking an aide to hand him a model of the aircraft the president keeps in the Oval Office.
UPDATE: 5:24 PM EST –
MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, home of the command running the war in Iran, is reopening its main gate after a bomb scare earlier today, a spokesman for the 6th Air Refueling Wing, the base host unit, confirmed to The War Zone.
“The incident has been terminated and we are ready to open the main gate and visitor center,” the spokesman told us. The base, however, was not on lockdown.
MacDill is home to CENTCOM, U.S. Special Operations Command as well as the 6th Air Refueling Wing (6th ARW) and the 927th Air Refueling Wing and dozens of other mission partners. Last week, three airmen assigned to the 6th ARW were among six killed in a crash of a KC-135 aerial refueling tanker.
Today’s situation unfolded this afternoon when a suspicious package was found at the Visitors Center near the Dale Mabry entrance gate, according to the FBI. The bureau sent its Special Agent Bomb Techs to the scene, who worked it along with Tampa Police, the FBI said in a post on X.
The main gate at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, was reopened Monday afternoon after a bomb scare. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Vernon L. Fowler Jr MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa is home to both U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Vernon L. Fowler Jr.
UPDATE: 4:23 PM EST –
Talking to reporters on Monday, Trump seemed surprised that Iran would actually attack its neighbors if it came under fire.
The president was responding to a question about whether he was briefed about possible Iranian strikes on nations like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
Trump on Iran:
I heard they were sending missiles to the UAE. I said, “That’s strange, you know? The UAE is like the banker for Iran.” They’re sort of the banker. Qatar, their neighbors — they got along okay.
A direct communications channel between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been reactivated in recent days, Axios reported, citing a U.S. official and a source with knowledge.
🇮🇷📲🇺🇸A direct communications channel between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi & U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff has been reactivated in recent days, according to a U.S. official & a source with knowledge. Read the story by @MarcACaputo & me on @Axioshttps://t.co/izoFpwZV5m
Araghchi lashed out at comments made by U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth that America would show “no quarter” in Epic Fury.
“When the U.S. Secretary of War declares ‘no quarter.’ he doesn’t project strength,” Araghchi stated on X. “He conveys moral bankruptcy and ignorance about law of armed conflict. We advise him to review the Hague Convention and Rome Statute of the ICC, unless he aspires to join Netanyahu as war criminal.”
When the U.S. Secretary of War declares “no quarter”, he doesn’t project strength. He conveys moral bankruptcy and ignorance about law of armed conflict. We advise him to review the Hague Convention and Rome Statute of the ICC, unless he aspires to join Netanyahu as war criminal.
The IDF Chief of the General Staff approved plans to continue operations in the Northern Command.
“The impact of the strike and the weakening of the radical regime in Iran is also felt in the campaign against Hezbollah,” said Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. “To date, the Northern Command has eliminated more than 400 Hezbollah terrorists.”
הרמטכ״ל באישור תוכניות להמשך בפיקוד הצפון: ״ההדף של הפגיעה והחלשת המשטר הרדיקאלי באיראן מורגש גם במערכה מול חיזבאללה; עד כה פיקוד צפון חיסל למעלה מ-400 מחבלי חיזבאללה״
״אנו נערכים להמשך ומתגברים את פיקוד הצפון בכוחות נוספים על מנת להרחיב את הפעולה הצבאית, להעמיק את הפגיעה… pic.twitter.com/HrBMLk9LFf
CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins confirmed to The War Zone that more than 200 troops have been wounded or injured across seven countries since the start of Epic Fury. The injuries took place in Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
“The vast majority of these injuries have been minor, and more than 180 troops have already returned to duty,” he explained, adding that 10 troops were seriously injured.
In addition to the wounded, seven U.S. troops have been killed in Iranian attacks, the most serious being March 1 when six Army soldiers were killed in an Iranian drone attack on Kuwait. Another six Air Force airmen died when their KC-135 refueling plane crashed in Iraq, reportedly after colliding with another KC-135.
CENTCOM released its latest Epic Fury update, saying it struck more than 7,000 targets, flew more than 6,500 combat sorties and damaged or destroyed more than 100 Iranian ships.
CENTCOM
Baghdad continues to be hit.
In what looks like a scene from a video game, a counter rocket, artillery, and mortar C-RAM system is seen engaging with a drone over Baghdad.
C-Ram successful interception of a drone/rocket launched by Iranian-backed militias in Baghdad this evening. The Target was the U.S embassy. pic.twitter.com/EuHGx705gR
Footage of a reported coalition interception of an Iranian drone can be seen in the following video.
Not all the interceptions apparently worked. A drone reportedly slammed into the Royal Tulip al-Rasheed hotel in the Iraqi capital.
The Spanish Ministry of Defense confirmed on Sunday that it temporarily transferred its special forces from Iraq due to worsening safety and failure to conduct missions securely.“The Special Operations Task Group was relocated to safe areas because the security situation prevented it from continuing training operations with Iraqi forces,” according to the ministry.
GPS interference in and around the Strait of Hormuz has continued to rise since the crisis began, suggesting a persistent and geographically dispersed campaign of electronic disruption, according to Kpler.
Hormuz GPS disruption continues
GPS interference in and around the Strait of Hormuz has continued to rise since the crisis began, suggesting a persistent and geographically dispersed campaign of electronic disruption. This interference is triggering false AIS positioning,… pic.twitter.com/VXiaxHwFat
Wild video was posted on X of an Israeli interception of an Iranian ballistic missile. No injuries were reported, according to Times of Israel military correspondent Emanuel “Mannie” Fabian.
No injuries are reported in Iran’s latest ballistic missile salvo on Israel, the sixth since midnight, and the first in some six hours.
A small number of missiles were launched, which were likely intercepted, according to initial military assessments.
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 16, 2026
UPDATE: 2:42 PM EST –
The war with Iran is expected to last at least another month, according to Israel media, citing a senior Israeli official.
“Israel is reportedly preparing for an extended phase of fighting as it seeks to further weaken the Iranian regime and capitalize on what it views as signs of internal instability within the country’s leadership,” The Times of Israel reported. “According to the source, U.S. President Donald Trump supports Israel in continuing the campaign.”
We reached out to the White House for comment.
❗️ Senior Israeli source: Iran war will continue for longer than expected; we’re preparing to fight for another month at least; Trump is on board.
NATO responded to our query about debate over sending warships to the Strait of Hormuz.
“Allies have already stepped up to provide additional security in the Mediterranean,” a NATO official told us. “We are aware that individual Allies are talking with the US and others on what more they might do, including in the context of security in the Strait of Hormuz.”
In the first 96 hours of Epic Fury, the US-led coalition “expended approximately 5,197 munitions across 35 types,” according to a new report from the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI).
“This carries a munitions-only replacement bill of $10–$16 billion in four days,” FPRI posited. “This represents a significant industrial burden for replacing some munitions that cannot be replenished in 4 days, 4 weeks, or even 4 months. Worse, those estimates do not include combat losses of warfighting assets or damage to bases and the high-end air defense enabling architecture.”
We have an important new analysis of munitions used in the first 96 hours of the war with Iran out at the @FPRI (Foreign Policy Research Institute).
In the first 96 hours, the US-led coalition expended approximately 5,197 munitions across 35 types. This carries a munitions-only…
Video has emerged showing intense flames at Dubai International Airport’s fuel storage area after an Iranian attack.
CENTCOM posted additional video of its attacks on Iranian targets.
Thousands of Iranian military targets have been struck by U.S. forces to neutralize threats posed by the Iranian regime now and into the future. pic.twitter.com/dE4VNxjjW1
MT Anderson provided an update on the location of the Tripoli. The ship was spotted on AIS North of the Riau Archipelago, transiting the southern South China Sea at 18 knots.
The Iraqi armed faction Kataib Hezbollah announced the death of its spokesperson, known as Abu Ali al-Askari. He was reportedly killed in a U.S. airstrike after a wave of attacks against U.S. facilities in Iraq.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم بكل فخر ورضا بقضاء الله وقدره، نزف لكم نبأ استشهاد الحاج أبو علي العسكري إلى جنات الخلد. ذلك الصوت الشجاع الذي لم يخرس أمام الظلم، واللسان الصادق الذي زرع في نفوس المجاهدين معاني الإباء والصمود. لقد كان الشهيد شريان التواصل بين ميادين التضحية ومنصات…
— صابرين نيوز – Sabereen news (@sabreenS11) March 16, 2026
Six people were injured in a Hezbollah rocket attack in Nahariya, according to medics. The town is located about eight miles south of the Lebanese border.
Six people are injured in a Hezbollah rocket strike on a home in Nahariya, medics say.
Magen David Adom says it treated two adults and four minors with signs of smoke inhalation. They are all listed in good condition.
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) March 16, 2026
Turkey’s Foreign Affairs Ministry (MFA) condemned the latest Israeli incursion into Lebanon.
“The Netanyahu government’s collective punishment and genocidal policies in Lebanon will lead to a new humanitarian catastrophe in the region,” the MFA said in a statement on Monday. “We reaffirm our solidarity with Lebanon amid these attacks, which violate its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
UPDATE: 1:50 PM EST –
Speaking at a board meeting of the Trump Kennedy Center, the president claimed he predicted that Iran would attack shipping in the Strait.
NOW – Trump says he predicted Iran would weaponize the Strait of Hormuz, adding, “I predicted all of it. I predicted Osama bin Laden would knock out the World Trade Center. I made that prediction a year before he did it.” pic.twitter.com/6VqkvzamW0
The president added that he does not know Iran mined the Strait.
He also said the U.S. has hit 7,000 targets since launching Epic Fury.
Trump on Iran:
Since the beginning of the conflict, we struck more than 7,000 targets across Iran; these have been mostly military and commercial targets. pic.twitter.com/ppiyztSRDj
France has reportedly boosted its deployment of Rafale fighters to Jordan and UAE to 24, more than double the usual 10, according to French defense observer Tom Antonov. The jets have already intercepted dozens of Iranian drones, he added in a post on X.
The MQ-9 Reaper drones have played a big role in the war, and have been heavily targeted by Iran. To date, the U.S. has lost about a dozen Reapers, including one accidentally shot down by an ally, according to The Wall Street Journal.
NATO is considering boosting its ballistic missile defense capacity in Turkey against threats from neighboring Iran, Bloomberg News reported, citing people familiar with the matter
“The military alliance already deployed a battery in eastern Turkey to protect an early-warning radar used to track missiles across the Middle East,” the outlet stated. “It’s now considering sending another Patriot missile-defense system to bolster an airbase where American troops are stationed.”
NATO is looking into reinforcing further its ballistic missile defense capacity in Turkey against threats from neighboring Iran, according to people familiar with the matter. https://t.co/eQzealf1qp
WASHINGTON — President Trump expressed frustration Monday that U.S. allies were not enthusiastic about sending warships to protect merchant vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a sign of Washington’s growing isolation as it tries to stabilize one of the world’s most critical shipping lanes amid its war against Iran.
Trump declined to name the “numerous countries” he said had agreed to help reopen the oil route, which has come under the threat of retaliation from Iran, but was annoyed that most longtime allies were hesitant about joining his international police force. He said they should be “jumping to help us.”
“Some countries that we have helped for many, many years, we’ve protected them from horrible outside sources and they weren’t that enthusiastic — and the level of enthusiasm, it matters to me,” Trump said at the White House.
For Trump, securing allies’ help is as much a domestic economic need as it is international diplomacy. Since the hostilities against Iran began on Feb. 28, Tehran has retaliated by targeting regional oil facilities and at least 20 vessels operating in and around the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.
The result has been “the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market,” according to the International Energy Agency, and it has led to international oil prices surging more than 30% to over $100 a barrel as the war entered its third week with no clear end in sight.
The diplomatic friction, meanwhile, reflects the limits of Trump’s influence at a moment when the global economy is absorbing one of the worst oil supply shocks in modern history, a dynamic that has prompted Trump to warn that countries refusing to help may find Washington a far less generous partner in turn.
Despite Trump‘s demands, several key allies have publicly rebuffed his calls for support.
French President Emmanuel Macron formally rejected the request, saying that France would maintain a “defensive and protective” posture focused on stability rather than escalation.
German Foreign Minister Boris Pistorius was blunter, saying, “This is not our war; we didn’t start it.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also declined to commit, saying the U.K. “will not be drawn into the wider war.” Italy, Spain, Australia and Japan similarly declined, while South Korea and China have not publicly stated their intentions.
The rejections seems to have only sharpened Trump’s demands. At one point during an event Monday, the president turned to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and said he would share a list of nations that declined to help, suggesting Congress could have a role in any retaliatory measures against reluctant allies.
“Why are we protecting countries that don’t protect us?” Trump said.
Yet Trump also sent conflicting signals about how much allied help he actually needs. At one point he claimed the United States did not require assistance from other countries.
“We don’t need them, but it’s interesting — I am doing it, in some cases, not because we need them, but because I want to see how they react,” Trump said.
On the threat to merchant ships, Trump projected uncertainty. He said the possibility of mines was “enough to keep people” from transiting the waterway, but said that “we don’t even know” if Iran has placed any mines in the strait.
“They may have no mines,” he said. “We hit every one of their mine ships. Every one of them is gone — but it only takes one.”
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump also sent mixed messages about the threats and the need for help. He said the United States was coordinating with roughly seven countries to deploy naval forces to “police the straits — before adding, in the same remarks, that “maybe we shouldn’t even be there at all.”
He suggested American forces should not be there because other nations depend more heavily on oil shipments through the oil route, an about-face that drew criticism from allies, who said it created confusion about Washington’s strategy in a conflict the United States had itself started.
“To keep the strait open, I have a very hard time believing that China and the other countries the president enlisted are really going to be escorting ships through the strait. That just really doesn’t add up to me,” Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said in an NBC “Meet the Press” interview Sunday.
“The bottom line is, we really don’t know how long this war is going to be,” he added.
Trump, however, is keeping the pressure on allied countries, making the future of the conflict more open-ended depending on their response.
Trump insisted Monday that “numerous countries have told me they are on their way,” but said he would “rather not say” who they are.
He then said the tepid responses from some U.S. allies had reinforced his skepticism about the value of the NATO alliance, echoing comments he made over the weekend when he warned that a failure to assist would be “very bad for the future of NATO” and that the U.S. would “remember” those who did not step up.
When asked if he was confident Macron will help with the reopening of the strait, Trump told reporters: “Yeah, I mean sure. … I think he’s gonna help. I mean I’ll let you know.”
Europe has nonetheless been drawn deeper into the conflict.
The U.K. initially refused to support U.S. military operations, but softened its position after Trump mocked Starmer as “no Winston Churchill” and called Britain a “once great ally.” France also said last week that it was preparing a separate “purely defensive” naval mission to escort commercial vessels through the strait once it was safe to do so.
Moving forward, it is unclear how the European Union and other nations around the world will respond to Trump’s pressure.
“Nobody wants to go actively in this war. And of course, everybody is concerned what will be the outcome,” Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said Monday after a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels. “This is not Europe’s war, but Europe’s interests are directly at stake.”
‘For 40 years, we’re protecting you’: US President Donald Trump criticises allies’ reluctance to commit forces to open the key waterway for Gulf oil exports.
Russia and China, Tehran’s two most powerful diplomatic partners, have labelled the US-Israeli war on Iran that has killed more than 1,000 people a clear violation of international law.
President Vladimir Putin called the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday a “cynical violation of all norms of human morals”.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
China’s Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi told his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, that “force cannot truly solve problems” as he urged all sides to avoid further escalation.
Russia and China jointly requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
The reaction reflects the close relationship between Iran, Russia, and China. Moscow and Beijing have signed bilateral deals and expanded coordination through joint naval drills, projecting a united front against what they describe as a US-led international order that has long sought to isolate them.
Yet despite their sharp rhetoric, neither has indicated a willingness to intervene militarily to support Iran.
Russia-Iran: Strategic partners, not military allies
In January 2025, Russia and Iran signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty covering areas from trade and military cooperation to science, culture, and education.
The agreement deepened defence and intelligence coordination and supported projects such as transport corridors, linking Russia to the Gulf through Iran.
The pair carried out joint military drills in the Indian Ocean as recently as late February, the week before the US and Israel attacked Iran.
However, when the war began, Moscow was not obliged to respond as the treaty did not include a mutual defence clause, meaning it stopped short of forming a formal military alliance.
Andrey Kortunov, the former director general of the Russian International Affairs Council and a member of the Valdai Discussion Club, a Russian foreign policy think tank, told Al Jazeera via videolink from Moscow, that Russia’s 2024 mutual defence treaty with North Korea is an example of a “more binding” agreement on military support.
He said that, under that agreement, Russia would be obliged to join North Korea “in any conflict the country might get involved in”, whereas with Iran, “it just mentioned that both sides agreed to abstain from any hostile actions in case the other side is engaged in conflict”.
Kortunov said Russia is unlikely to take direct military action in support of Iran because the risks would be too high.
He added that Moscow appears to be “prioritising the United States mediation in the conflict with Ukraine”, and noted that Russia has previously taken a similar approach by criticising US actions in places like Venezuela after the US military attack and arrest of its President, Nicolas Maduro, in January.
Although the treaty clearly states that Russia is not obliged to intervene, he said some of his contacts in Tehran have expressed a “degree of frustration”, and there had been an “expectation that Russia should somehow do more than just diplomatic moves in the United Nations Security Council or in other multilateral forums”.
Members of the Iranian Army attend the joint Navy exercise of Iran and Russia in southern Iran [Handout via Iranian Armed Forces/WANA/Reuters]
China–Iran ties and their limits
In 2021, China and Iran signed a 25-year cooperation agreement aimed at expanding ties in areas such as energy, while also drawing Iran into China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Jodie Wen, a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for International Security and Strategy (CISS) at Tsinghua University in China, who has travelled frequently to Iran, told Al Jazeera that the relationship is widely viewed in Beijing as pragmatic and stable.
“From the political side, we have regular exchange,” she said over the phone from Beijing, adding, “on the economic side, the cooperation is very deep; many enterprises have investments in Iran.”
Yet she stressed that Beijing has long drawn clear limits around the partnership, particularly regarding military involvement.
“The Chinese government always adheres to not interfering in other countries’ issues … I do not think the Chinese government would send weapons to Iran,” she said.
Instead, Beijing’s role is more likely to focus on diplomacy and crisis management.
“I think China is trying its way to talk with the US side and Gulf countries to keep calm,” she said.
That clarity about the relationship, she added, has helped build trust in Tehran.
Even so, she noted the relationship is not symmetrical.
Vessel-tracking service Kpler estimates that 87.2 percent of Iran’s annual crude oil exports go to China, underscoring how economically significant China is for Tehran, while Iran remains a relatively small partner in China’s global trade.
Dylan Loh, an associate professor in the Public Policy and Global Affairs programme at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, told Al Jazeera that he believes China’s role regarding Iran “has evolved into a protective one, accelerating its mediation effort to prevent a regional collapse that would threaten its own regional economic and security interests”.
“I think there will be some assessment of how to lower the political risks and what sorts of options are available; truth be told, this re-think already started after [the US attack on] Venezuela,” he said.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska, left, joined the European Group of Five in Krakow, Poland, on Friday to discuss efforts to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security and NATO’s deterrence and defense. Talks included a deal for the E5 countries — Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland — to produce low-cost drones to support Ukraine and proved better defense for NATO nations in Europe. Photo by NATO
Feb. 21 (UPI) — Britain announced it has made a deal with four NATO allies to launch an initiative that would see the five nations manufacture low-cost drones to protect Europe.
The European Group of Five (E5) — Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland — announced on Friday that they will launch the Low-Cost Effectors & Autonomous Platforms initiative, or LEAP, which is “inspired by Ukraine’s battlefield innovation,” the British government said in a press release.
The purpose of the program is to jointly develop low-cost autonomous drones that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization can use to counter Russian provocation in the airspace above NATO-allied nations, Politico reported.
The first focus of LEAP, according to British officials, will be the development of a new surface-to-air weapon that is lightweight and affordable in order to defend against Russia’s drone and missile threats.
“European security is at a pivotal moment,” Luke Pollard, Britian’s Minister for Defense Readiness and Industry, said after the E5 meeting. “The U.K. and our E5 partners are stepping up — investing together in the next generation of air defense and autonomous systems to strengthen NATO’s shield and keep our people safe.”
Over the course of the last year, Russian fighter jets have violated NATO partner’s airspace, including fighter jets over Estonia and drones over Poland, which the E5 countries said has spurred their new plans.
At a meeting Friday in Krakow, Poland, the E5 members met to with NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska to discuss the plans, which she said would be beneficial for Ukraine, which she said needs its allies to step up their support, as well as for all member nations of NATO in Europe.
Britain noted Friday that the new drone initiative comes as it also works with its European allies to develop long-range precision weapons and hypersonic weapons, with plans to spend more than $500 million on those initiatives just this year.
“The stronger each ally becomes, the stronger NATO will be,” Shekerinska said.
Team USA members celebrate their first goal in the first period of the men’s hockey semifinal game against Slovakia at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on February 20, 2026. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
