Iran held a state funeral in Tehran on Wednesday for senior security officials and naval officers killed in recent US-Israeli attacks. The ceremony included the burial of Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s National Security Council, and Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of the Basij paramilitary force. State media reported that government officials and large crowds attended to pay their final respects.

According to Tasnim News, Larijani and his son were killed in an Israeli airstrike on March 17 in Tehran, while Soleimani died in a similar attack. The funeral also included sailors from the Iranian destroyer Dena, which was damaged by a US Navy torpedo strike off Sri Lanka on March 4. The attacks followed the February 28 killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior figures, after which the United States and Israel reportedly launched a broad military campaign against Iran.

Iranian forces have since carried out missile and drone strikes targeting US and Israeli positions in retaliation, according to state reports.

Russia is providing Iran with satellite imagery and assistance in modernizing its drone technology, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal cited by Amar Desh Online on March 18, 2026. The cooperation aims to help Iran target U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East and sustain its military confrontation against the United States and Israel. Moscow is reportedly supplying equipment to upgrade Iran’s Shahed drones, improving communication, navigation, and strike precision.

The report states that Russia has begun directly supplying satellite images to Iran, offering intelligence on the positions of U.S. troops and regional allies. A senior European intelligence official confirmed the information, noting that the collaboration deepened in the early days of the conflict. Analysts compared Russia’s support for Iran to the intelligence assistance the U.S. and European allies provide to Ukraine.

According to the report, Iran has recently used this support to successfully strike U.S. radar systems in Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman. The Kremlin did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter.

Iranian military spokesperson Amir Akraminia has claimed that the country is deploying weapons never before used in combat amid its ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel. Speaking to an Iranian television channel on Wednesday, he warned that the use of these weapons would increase in the coming days and that their impact would soon be felt globally.

Akraminia stated that while these armaments had existed in Iran’s arsenal, they had not been deployed on the battlefield until now. Reports from residents in the United Arab Emirates and Israel described louder and more powerful explosions during recent missile interceptions, which appeared to support the claim. According to the Israeli military, Iran is now using cluster warheads in its ballistic missiles at a higher rate than before.

The statements come as regional tensions continue to escalate, with Iran also reportedly ordering the evacuation of five energy facilities in the Gulf region.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has convened an emergency two-day session in London to assess the impact of the ongoing Middle East conflict on global maritime transport. The meeting, which began on Wednesday, is focusing on the safety of thousands of stranded ships and seafarers. The IMO’s 40-member council is expected to vote on several proposals, including the creation of a ‘safe maritime corridor’ to evacuate vessels and crews trapped in the Persian Gulf. Any adopted resolutions, however, will not be legally binding.

According to the IMO, around 3,200 ships with some 20,000 crew members are stranded west of the Strait of Hormuz, where at least 21 vessels have been attacked since the conflict began. The United Arab Emirates reported that over 18 commercial ships have been damaged by missiles, drones, naval craft, and sea mines, resulting in at least eight deaths and four missing sailors. The UK, France, and Germany have accused Iran of targeting commercial shipping and called for an end to such attacks, while Iran has blamed Israel and the United States for provoking the crisis.

Japan, Panama, Singapore, and the UAE have urged the IMO to establish a framework for the safe withdrawal of ships from high-risk zones, as industry groups call for coordinated international security measures and improved crew welfare.

Iran carried out fresh attacks across several Gulf countries on Tuesday night, following its pledge to avenge the killing of national security chief Ali Larijani. The strikes reportedly included missile attacks that killed two people in Tel Aviv, Israel. Explosions were also reported near the US Embassy area in Baghdad early Wednesday morning.

According to reports, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar all claimed to have intercepted incoming attacks. In response, the United States announced that it had launched strikes on Iranian missile positions along the Strait of Hormuz, using bunker-busting bombs. The developments mark a sharp escalation in regional hostilities involving Iran, Israel, and the United States.

The situation underscores rising tensions across the Middle East, with multiple countries now directly engaged in defensive and retaliatory actions following Larijani’s assassination.