The War Against Iran: A New Front Has Been Opened

(Updated) An online broadcast of the events of the eighteenth day of the war.

Operation Lion's Roar, which Israel and the United States are conducting against Iran, entered its 18th day on Tuesday, March 16. Allied armies continue heavy strikes against the ayatollah regime, Iran responds by launching missiles and drones into Israel and the Persian Gulf. Another front has been opened in Lebanon - against Hezbollah.

The Charter97.org website is streaming online:

22:01 Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has confirmed the death of Basij paramilitary commander Gholamreza Suleimani in an Israeli strike.

The report was carried by state media. It did not mention the fate of the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Larijani, who Israel says was also killed.

21:42 Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, speaking in the British parliament, said 201 Ukrainian military experts are now in the Middle East and 34 more are ready to be deployed.

Zelensky emphasized that these are military experts who know how to defend themselves against Shahed-type drones, which Russia regularly attacks Ukraine with.

"Our teams are already in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and are also heading to Kuwait. We are working with several other countries. The deals have already been finalized. We don't want Iranian terror against its neighbors to succeed," Zelensky said.

20:46 Kuwait's Defense Ministry said air defense assets have intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles and 13 drones in the country's airspace over the past 24 hours. Two people were slightly injured.

"In the past 24 hours, the air defense system detected two ballistic missiles and 13 enemy drones in Kuwaiti airspace. They were intercepted. Two casualties with minor injuries from falling debris are reported, their condition is stable. No significant material damage has been recorded," the spokesman said.

19:37 Oil tankers are beginning to pass through the Strait of Hormuz again, and Iran's attempts to restrict shipping on this route have not harmed the US economy. This was stated by White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett in an interview with CNBC on March 17.

According to him, ship traffic is already gradually recovering. The administration expects the conflict with Iran to end soon.

Hassett said that once the situation stabilizes within a few weeks, prices will be affected as oil is delivered to refineries.

19:09 The United States does not need help from NATO member countries in the Middle East, President Donald Trump said on his Truth Social media page. He called Washington's relationship with its allies "one-way traffic."

He said NATO nations do not want to intervene in an operation against Iran "despite the fact that almost every country strongly supports our actions" and believes Tehran should not have nuclear weapons.

"I am not surprised by their actions, as I have always considered NATO, where we spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year to defend these same countries, a one-way street - we will defend them, but they will do nothing for us, particularly in a time of need," Trump wrote.

19.01 US President Donald Trump says he does not expect the war with Iran to end in the next few days

"I don't think it's going to happen this week, but it will be soon," he told reporters at the White House.

At the same time, Israeli sources said Jerusalem was preparing for the possibility that the fighting could last at least another month.

18.51 The Israeli Air Force struck Basij unit operatives and posts throughout Tehran throughout today.

The Israel Defense Forces released footage of the defeat of a checkpoint on Pirouzi Street in the Iranian capital.

17.17 Israeli aircraft launched new strikes on Hizbullah facilities in Beirut's southern suburbs. The targets were the terrorists' weapons and equipment depots.

17.08 Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu confirmed the elimination of Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and Gholamreza Suleimani, commander of the Basij forces, according to Channel 9 of Israel Television.

16:24 Iran's ousted Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi says the moment is approaching that could be decisive for a change of power in the country. He said the opposition is preparing for large-scale actions, counting on weakening the current regime.

12:53 An Israeli attack on Iran's space research complex has been captured on video.

Published by BBC News Ukraine (@bbc_ua)