Day 18 of US-Israel War Against Iran: Trump Delays China Summit | US-Israeli Strikes Intensify | Gulf Burns

WASHINGTON | TEHRAN | TEL AVIV — The US-Israel-Iran war escalated sharply on Monday as precision strikes hit residential and educational targets across Iran, while retaliatory drone and missile fire disrupted life across the Gulf. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, global energy markets are in turmoil, prompting Japan to begin releasing strategic oil reserves as Brent crude stabilizes at $106 per barrel.

President Donald Trump, labeling Iran a “paper tiger,” announced he has delayed his scheduled trip to China by one month to manage the conflict from Washington. “We’ve got a war going on,” Trump told reporters, while Vice President JD Vance reiterated full support for the administration’s “smart” military strategy.

In Iran: Humanitarian Crisis and Rising Casualties

The human cost of the three-week-old conflict has reached critical levels, with 1,444 confirmed deaths and over 18,500 injured since February 28.

• Minab School Massacre: An Amnesty International investigation confirmed a US strike on a primary school in Minab killed at least 170 people, including over 160 schoolgirls.

• Arak Residential Strike: A three-day-old infant and his two-year-old sister were killed alongside their mother and grandmother when a US-Israeli strike hit their home in Arak.

• Tehran Under Fire: Large explosions were reported near the Saadabad Palace complex in northern Tehran, following strikes in Karaj, Shiraz, and central Tehran.

• Pezeshkian Stance: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian defended the right to self-defense, vowing that Tehran will not surrender to “bullies.”

In the Gulf: Regional Retaliation and Airspace Closures

Iran’s “asymmetric” response has expanded to target US assets and host nations across the Arabian Peninsula:

• UAE & Abu Dhabi: A fire broke out in the Fujairah oil zone following a drone attack. In Abu Dhabi, falling debris from an intercepted missile killed a Pakistani national in the Bani Yas area. The UAE briefly closed its airspace in response.

• Qatar & Kuwait: Qatari defenses intercepted 13 of 14 ballistic missiles, with debris causing a fire in an industrial zone. In Kuwait, authorities arrested 14 citizens and two Lebanese nationals for an alleged Hezbollah-linked sabotage plot.

• Saudi Arabia & Bahrain: Saudi Arabia intercepted 12 drones in its Eastern Region, while Bahrain reported neutralizing 129 missiles and 221 drones since the war began.

In Israel & Lebanon: A Second Front

The conflict has officially spilled into a ground war in the north:

• Lebanon Ground Offensive: The Israeli military announced “limited ground operations” in Lebanon. Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that over one million displaced Lebanese will not be allowed to return until northern Israel is secure.

• Hezbollah Attacks: Hezbollah targeted the city of Nahariya, wounding one man, and claimed strikes on Israeli vehicles in three border towns.

• Jerusalem Holy Sites: Israeli police recovered missile fragments near the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City.

• Nowruz Message: Amid the strikes, PM Benjamin Netanyahu issued a video message to the Iranian people wishing them a Happy New Year (Nowruz).

In Iraq: Assassinations and Green Zone Attacks

• Commander Killed: Kataib Hezbollah confirmed the death of senior security commander Abu Ali al-Askari, though circumstances remain unclear.

• Baghdad Strikes: A drone strike ignited a fire at a luxury hotel in the Green Zone, while a house in the Jadriya district was hit, killing four people. The Iraqi government condemned the attacks as “terrorist acts.”

Global Economic and Diplomatic Fallout

• The “Hormuz” Deadlock: Trump continues to pressure France and the UK to help reopen the Strait, but Germany and the EU have explicitly rejected sending troops. Chancellor Friedrich Merz labeled the Lebanon ground offensive an “error” that exacerbates the humanitarian crisis.

• Energy Markets: Crude oil prices have surged 50% since the war’s start. Japan has begun releasing its strategic oil reserves to stabilize the Asian market.

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