Trump: $200 Billion Funding Request Is a “Small Price” Amid War with Iran
At the same time, the U.S. president confirmed that he may request $200 billion in new funding for the Pentagon, calling it a “small price” to ensure the military has what it needs for the war with Iran. However, he noted that the request would cover more than what is required solely for the conflict with Iran.
“We want to be in the best possible condition, the best condition we’ve ever been in,” he said from the Oval Office. “It’s a small price to pay to make sure we stay on top.”
Trump did not specify exactly what the Pentagon would use the funding for, saying only that he wants to ensure the military has “massive amounts of ammunition.” At the same time, he denied that the U.S. is facing a weapons shortage, asserting that the administration is “prudent” in allocating spending.
Trump: We Don’t Use the Straits, We Defend Them for Everyone Else
“We have 45,000 troops in Japan, and I expect them to accelerate their support in the Middle East… they transport 95% of their oil through the Strait of Hormuz,” the U.S. president added at another point.
“We don’t use the Straits; we defend them for everyone else — Japan, China, Europe. Now, Britain wants to send an aircraft carrier, and I told them I wanted it before the war,” he added.
- Two Iranian strikes on the largest LNG facility in Qatar, with the state company QatarEnergy speaking of extensive damage
- Donald Trump warns of the destruction of the “South Pars” field if Iran continues its attacks on Qatar (read more)
- Reuters: The US is considering deploying ground forces in Iran and taking control of the Strait of Hormuz
- Macron calls for a halt to strikes against “civilian infrastructure,” especially energy facilities
- Four dead overnight in Israel and the West Bank from Iranian strikes
European stock markets: Shares fall at the start of trading
European stocks declined at the opening of trading today, as the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East weighed on investors’ risk appetite, while markets await the European Central Bank’s decision on interest rates.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell by 1.3% to 590.43 points at 10:09 (Greece time), with industrial stocks acting as the biggest drag on the index.
Shares in London also dropped by 1% ahead of the Bank of England’s interest rate decision.
19/03/2026 10:45
Iran’s Foreign Minister mocks Americans: “Thank Netanyahu for the ‘Israel First’ tax”
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, commented on reports that the U.S. Pentagon is seeking an additional $200 billion budget for the war with Iran.
“We are only in the third week of a war imposed on Iranians and Americans. This $200 billion is just the tip of the iceberg. Ordinary Americans can thank Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies in Congress for the trillions in ‘Israel First’ taxes that will hit the U.S. economy,” Araghchi wrote on X.
19/03/2026 07:44
UPDATES
Baalbek, the Lebanese city from the era of Alexander the Great under bombardment – protothema at the ancient temples
The city of Baalbek, located in the heart of the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, is being subjected to daily bombardments by Israel. Just yesterday, as reported by protothema.gr correspondent Marinos Aleiferis, three members of a family were killed, including a 3-year-old child. The death toll in the area since the outbreak of the war in the Middle East has exceeded 900.
19/03/2026 08:31
Mossad’s psychological warfare against Iranian military personnel: “We know everything, you are on the blacklist” – “I am not your enemy, help me”
The psychological warfare carried out by the Israelis in their effort to overthrow the Tehran regime is revealed in a Wall Street Journal report, which states that Israeli intelligence officials are making threatening phone calls to members of Iran’s internal security forces.
The calls appear to be part of a broader Israeli campaign to create the conditions for an uprising that would overthrow the Islamic Republic by weakening the morale of public security personnel, including internal units of the Revolutionary Guards, the Basij militia, and special police forces.
19/03/2026 08:25
Iran announced the executions of three “troublemakers”
Iranian authorities announced the execution of three “troublemakers,” found guilty of murdering members of the security forces and carrying out actions in favor of Israel and the United States.
“The three convicted troublemakers were hanged on the morning of Thursday, March 19, for murders and for conducting operations in favor of the Zionist regime and the United States,” Mizan Online, the outlet of Iran’s judiciary, reported, two months after the outbreak of bloody unrest in the country.
19/03/2026 08:23
High-risk incident recorded in the Persian Gulf by EOS Marine, concerns grow over maritime security
The risk zone extends across a radius covering critical energy and shipping points, including key sea routes for the transport of oil and LNG.
19/03/2026 07:59
Critical summit today on safeguards in the war
Kyriakos Mitsotakis is calling for European flexibility for interventions, and the government is preparing Athens’ Plan B. Not coincidentally, the prime minister has for the first time during his term opened the prospect of intervening in fuel excise taxes, due to the steady rise in prices at the pump.
19/03/2026 07:46
Guardian analysis: Why the US–Israel “decapitation strategy” in Iran may backfire
19/03/2026 07:36
Six missile waves from Iran toward Israel after midnight
A man was killed in central Israel by a missile strike launched from Iran, emergency services announced in the early morning hours, describing the victim as a thirty-year-old “foreign worker.”
According to Magen David Adom (Israel’s equivalent of the Red Cross and Red Crescent), rescuers found the man in Moshav A.
At the same time, three Palestinian women were killed yesterday, Wednesday, in the occupied West Bank due to a missile attack attributed to Iran, according to figures from the Palestinian Red Crescent. Initially, it had been announced that there were four dead, but the number was later revised downward.
Missile fragments struck a hair salon in the town of Beit Awa, southwest of Hebron, resulting in four women losing their lives and six others being injured, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA.
The Israeli armed forces (IDF) spoke of cluster munitions that fell over a wide area.
19/03/2026 07:35
Unknown projectile hits ship in the Gulf of Oman, near the Strait of Hormuz
A vessel was struck by an unidentified projectile early Thursday morning in the Gulf of Oman, east of the United Arab Emirates, near the Strait of Hormuz. The incident, recorded 11 nautical miles east of Khor Fakkan, caused a fire on board, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
UKMTO WARNING 024-26
— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) March 18, 2026
Click here to read the full Warning⤵️https://t.co/8cnsC5gjR0#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/DrUjTAtIsz
19/03/2026 07:33
US Department of Defense seeks approval for $200 billion fund to finance the war in Iran
The US Pentagon has asked the White House to submit to Congress for approval a request for emergency funding of $200 billion to finance the war against Iran, now in its third week, the Washington Post reported yesterday, citing a source in President Donald Trump’s administration.
19/03/2026 07:29
WSJ: Trump calls for no further attacks on Iran’s energy targets
US President Donald Trump has stated that he does not want further attacks on Iran’s energy facilities, following Wednesday’s Israeli strike on the major South Pars natural gas field.
Although Trump supported the attack as a message to Iran over its decision to block the Strait of Hormuz, the US administration says the president opposes further strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure unless Iran escalates the situation in the region.
19/03/2026 07:29
Macron: Call to suspend strikes against “civilian infrastructure,” especially energy
French President Emmanuel Macron announced in the early morning hours that he proposed implementing a moratorium on strikes against civilian infrastructure in the Middle East, explaining that he spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
“It is in our common interest to implement, without delay, a moratorium on strikes against civilian infrastructure, particularly energy and water facilities,” Macron stressed — in posts in both French and English — on X, noting that he spoke with the leaders of the US and Qatar following “strikes on gas facilities in Iran and Qatar.”
“Civilian populations and their basic needs, as well as the security of energy supplies, must be protected from military escalation,” he added.
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Iranians strike a refinery in Qatar
Videos from Qatar show that Iranian forces struck the Ras Laffan refinery in Qatar. The attack comes just hours after Tehran threatened that it would carry out such an action.
Saudi Arabia Intercepts Four Missiles Heading Toward Riyadh
The Saudi Ministry of Defense reported that its air defense successfully intercepted four ballistic missiles launched toward Riyadh.
Debris fell in various parts of the capital as a result of the interceptions, the ministry said in a brief statement on X.
Turkey Announces NATO Deployment of New Patriot System at Incirlik
Turkey announced that NATO is deploying a new Patriot air-defense system at the Incirlik military base, which hosts U.S. forces, following the interception in early March of three ballistic missiles launched toward Turkish territory.
“The new Patriot system, ordered by NATO’s Allied Air Command in Ramstein, is being deployed to complement the Spanish Patriot system already in operation,” stated the Turkish Ministry of Defense.
Lebanese Health Ministry: 12 Dead in Israeli Strikes on Beirut
Israeli strikes in central Beirut on Wednesday morning killed at least 12 people, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. Another 41 people were injured in the attack in the Zoukak al-Blat area of Beirut.
Senior Israeli Intelligence Official to CNN: “Chaos” in Iranian Regime After Targeted Killings
Israel assesses that the ongoing targeted assassinations of senior Iranian officials and military officers are creating “chaos” within the Iranian leadership. Further destabilization is expected after the killing of Ali Larijani and senior Basij commanders on Tuesday, according to a senior Israeli intelligence official speaking to CNN.
“The regime has been hit with a force six to ten times greater than during Operation ‘Rising Lion’,” the official said, referring to the 12-day conflict with Iran in June 2025. “They are struggling to form policy, make decisions, and issue orders between military and political levels. We see chaos, and the situation is expected to worsen soon.”
Israeli forces targeted Larijani after he was publicly seen last Friday walking in central Tehran. “Every time they appear publicly, it is a big advantage for us,” the official noted. “The main idea is to make them understand they have no safe place.”
Israel Issues New Evacuation Orders for Areas in Southern Lebanon
The Israeli armed forces today issued new evacuation orders for villages in southern Lebanon, ahead of military operations against Hezbollah.
“For your safety, you must immediately evacuate your homes and move north of the Zahrani River,” wrote the Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee in Arabic on Telegram, specifying four villages near the city of Tyre.
New Alert in Israel for Ballistic Missiles from Iran
Iran Executes Man Accused of Spying for Israel
Iranian authorities carried out the hanging of a man accused of spying for Israel, the Mizan news agency—affiliated with the judiciary—reported, identifying him as Kourosh Keyvani.
He was found “guilty” during his trial on charges of having “provided Israel’s intelligence service, Mossad, with photos and information about sensitive locations in Iran,” Mizan reported early in the morning.
protothema at the Tel Aviv Area Hit by Iranian Cluster Bombs – Elderly Couple Among the Dead
Two people were killed early Wednesday in an area of Tel Aviv during an Iranian attack involving cluster bombs.
The victims were a man and a woman, approximately 70 years old, who were fatally injured when fragments struck their home in the Ramat Gan area.
protothema.gr presents video footage from the ruins of the residence where the elderly couple lived, capturing the scale of destruction caused by the explosion.
Oil Falls: Rising US Inventories Offset Attacks on UAE Energy Infrastructure
Oil prices declined today despite escalating attacks on energy infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates, as increased US crude inventories eased supply concerns.
Brent, the international benchmark, fell by 2.34% to $101.02 per barrel, while US crude dropped by 3.21% to $93.12 per barrel.
According to market sources citing data from the American Petroleum Institute, US crude inventories rose by 6.56 million barrels in the week ending March 13, far exceeding analysts’ expectations of a 380,000-barrel increase in a Reuters poll.
Video Shows Tel Aviv Sky Filled with Fire from Iranian Cluster Bomb Attack
Additions footage of munitions from a cluster warhead on an Iranian medium-range ballistic missile falling over Central Israel. pic.twitter.com/fGEhTu400l
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) March 17, 2026
Iranian Projectile Lands Near Australian Military Headquarters in the UAE
An Iranian projectile landed near the Australian military headquarters in the Middle East, in the UAE, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced, noting that no injuries were reported.
In the early hours today, “an Iranian projectile” fell near the Al Minhad base, “which has been made available to Australia in the United Arab Emirates,” the prime minister told reporters.
“I can confirm that no Australians were injured and that everyone is completely safe,” he added.
Iranian Foreign Minister: War Impact ‘Will Affect the Whole World’
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that the consequences of the war in the Middle East will “affect the whole world,” while expressing satisfaction with reactions—particularly from European and American officials—against the armed conflict.
“The wave of global consequences has only just begun and will affect everyone—regardless of wealth, religion, or race,” he stressed in a post on X last night, accompanying it with a copy of the resignation letter of a US counterterrorism official protesting the war.
“More and more voices—including those of European and American officials—are saying loudly that the war against Iran is unjust. More members of the international community should do the same,” he added.
Explosions in Doha – Qatar’s Defense Ministry Announces Missile Interception
Qatar’s Defense Ministry announced in the early hours that a missile attack was intercepted, shortly after an AFP journalist heard explosions in the emirate’s capital, Doha.
“The armed forces intercepted a missile attack targeting the State of Qatar,” the ministry said in a statement posted on X.
The protothema correspondent in Israel, Giannis Charamidís, reports from the site where the cluster bombs fell in Tel Aviv
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Sirens sounded in Tel Aviv over a rocket attack by Hezbollah
The correspondent of ProtoThema in Israel, Giannis Charamidis, reports from Tel Aviv at the moment the sirens are sounding for the rocket attack that had been previously announced by Hezbollah.
Çelik: Cooperation between Greek Cypriots and Israel a source of instability in the Mediterranean, militarization of Greek islands is wrong
Omer Çelik took the opportunity to express Ankara’s dissatisfaction with Greece-Israel cooperation, as well as with the military fortification of Aegean islands, during a speech on the Middle East war following the meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the ruling party in Turkey.
The AKP spokesperson called the “militarization of the islands” wrong, citing the deployment of a Patriot missile battery to Karpathos, and said that the “close cooperation” between the Greek Cypriots and Israel “creates conditions of instability in the Eastern Mediterranean,” also showing concern over the deployment of military reinforcements to the region by European allies.
17/03/2026 17:57
New Iranian missile attack on Israel
A new ballistic missile attack from Iran was detected by the Israeli Defense Forces.
Sirens are expected to sound soon in central and northern Israel.
Head of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center Resigns Over War in Iran
The head of the National Counterterrorism Center in the United States has resigned over the war in Iran, arguing that the country “did not pose an immediate threat” to the U.S.
“I cannot, in good conscience, support the ongoing war in Iran,” he said in a post.
“Iran did not constitute an immediate danger to our country, and it is clear that we were led into this conflict due to pressure from Israel and its powerful U.S. lobby,” he added.
Addressing Donald Trump in his resignation letter, Joe Kent stated, among other things:
“I support the values and foreign policy on which you were elected in 2016, 2020, and 2024, and which you implemented during your first term.
By June 2025, you had understood that wars in the Middle East are a trap that costs America the precious lives of its patriots and weakens the country’s wealth and prosperity.”
“As a veteran who took part in 11 combat deployments and as the husband of a fallen service member, having lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war that, in my view, was manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation to fight and sacrifice in a war that does not serve the interests of the American people nor justify the human cost.”
“I pray that you reflect on what we are doing in Iran and for whom we are doing it. The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new one for our nation, or you can allow us to slide further into decline and chaos. You hold the cards,” he concluded in his letter to Trump.
After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.
— Joe Kent (@joekent16jan19) March 17, 2026
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
Lufthansa Extends Suspension of Flights to Tel Aviv Until April 9
The German Lufthansa Group said it has extended the suspension of flights to Tel Aviv until April 9 due to significant restrictions in air traffic across the Middle East.
For operational reasons, it has also halted flights to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, until April 5. However, scheduled flights by ITA Airways will continue as normal, it added.
NBC: Donald Trump Has “Exit Ramps” from War with Iran
Structured “exit ramps” have been built into U.S. military operational plans for the war with Iran, allowing Donald Trump to end the conflict whenever he chooses, according to six sources involved in the planning who spoke to NBC News.
According to the sources, the updated plans—revised daily—do not focus solely on the battlefield but also include detailed scenarios for ending the operation, along with options for further escalation if the White House decides to increase pressure on Tehran.
So far, Trump has not chosen to use any of these exit options.
Donald Tusk: Poland Will Not Deploy Troops to Iran
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said his country will not send troops to participate in the war in Iran, after Donald Trump asked allies to help form a coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
The Polish government “does not plan any mission in Iran, and this raises no doubts among our allies,” Tusk said before a cabinet meeting.
Benjamin Netanyahu on Killings of Iranian Officials
In a recorded statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referred to the killings of senior Iranian officials, saying that this strategy aims to undermine the regime and give the Iranian people the opportunity to overthrow it.
“We are undermining the regime in the hope of giving the people the opportunity to overthrow it. This will not happen immediately and will not be easy. However, if we persist, we will give them the chance to take their fate into their own hands. We support our American allies in the Gulf. We will contribute both indirectly and through direct actions—there are still many surprises to come,” he said.
With a weapon that fires 4,500 rounds per minute, they repelled the attack on the US embassy in Iraq
Night turned into day from the Phalanx used by the Americans to intercept attacks on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad during the night.
Tehran governor: 12,000 buildings damaged or destroyed
At least 12,000 homes in Tehran have suffered partial or total damage due to the ongoing U.S.–Israeli attack, according to the city’s governor, Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian.
The Mehr News Agency reported his statements, noting that affected residents can submit compensation claims to municipal offices.
Iranian media: Ten foreigners arrested for preparing operations inside Iran
Ten foreign nationals were arrested in Iran, accused of preparing operations in the country’s northeastern region, according to the state news agency Tasnim News Agency.
They were detained by the Revolutionary Guards on charges of gathering intelligence about sensitive facilities. Their nationalities have not been disclosed.
Head of IMO: Naval escort does not guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz
The head of the International Maritime Organization stated that naval escorts in the Strait of Hormuz do not “100% guarantee” safe passage for ships, according to the Financial Times.
Arsenio Dominguez said military assistance is not a long-term or sustainable solution for keeping the strait open.
Fire in oil zone in the UAE
Authorities in Fujairah, in the United Arab Emirates, reported a fire in the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ) following a drone attack.
Emergency crews responded immediately and continue efforts to contain the blaze. A “large fire” had also broken out in the same area the previous day after another drone strike.
FOIZ hosts the largest commercial storage facility for refined oil products in the Middle East, with a capacity of about 70 million barrels.
Oil prices rise again to around $100 per barrel
Oil prices rose again in Asian markets early in the morning, heavily influenced by developments in the Middle East war and supply disruptions, despite the release of strategic reserves by member states of the International Energy Agency.
At around 04:30 (Greece time), U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 2.71% to $96.03 per barrel, while Brent crude increased 2.78% to $103.
Explosions in Doha and Dubai
Explosions were heard early Tuesday in Dubai and Doha.
The UAE Ministry of Defense reported intercepting a missile. In Dubai, the explosion followed an alert sent to residents’ phones urging them to seek immediate shelter due to a missile threat.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said a fire broke out in an industrial zone after debris fell following a missile interception. No injuries were reported, according to Reuters.
Tanker struck in the Gulf of Oman
The UK’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations reported that a tanker was hit by an “unknown projectile” while anchored 23 nautical miles east of Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman.
The vessel sustained minor damage, with no injuries or environmental impact reported. Ships were advised to proceed with caution and report suspicious activity.
Drone and rocket attack on the U.S. embassy in Iraq
A drone and rocket attack was launched early Tuesday against the U.S. embassy in Baghdad.
An Agence France-Presse journalist saw air defense systems intercept one projectile before another struck the diplomatic compound, sending black smoke into the air. According to a security official, “at least one drone hit the embassy.”
Sources from Reuters within Iraqi security forces reported that at least five drones were involved, some of which struck the embassy inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone.
They described it as the most intense attack on the U.S. embassy since the start of the new Middle East war.
Israel launches simultaneous strikes on Tehran and Beirut
The Israel Defense Forces launched a broad wave of strikes against Iranian regime infrastructure across Tehran.
At the same time, they carried out another wave of attacks targeting infrastructure of Hezbollah in Beirut.
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