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President Donald Trump’s decision to go to war with Iran was influenced in part from outside allies, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who admitted approaching several US administrations before Trump finally accepted, along with media mogul Rupert Murdoch, and some conservative commentators, according to Bloomberg, noting that Trump’s closest advisers, such as Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were more ‘muted’ on the topic, with some telling him directly it was an ‘ill-conceived idea.’
UKMTO reported an incident had occurred 15 nautical miles north of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates, where a projectile struck very close to a bulk carrier vessel causing a large explosion.
A statement from the Spokesperson for the Iranian Armed Forces responded to Trump’s threat of attacking energy plants within a 48-hour period last night, saying that: “Following previous warnings, if the enemy violates Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure, all energy, information technology, and desalination infrastructure belonging to the United States and the Zionist regime in the region will be targeted.”
Qatar announced that a helicopter had crashed into the country’s waters while conducting ‘routine duties,’ and a search and rescue operation for the six missing personnel who are believed to have tragically died, as the Qatari Defence Ministry reported the helicopter experienced a technical malfunction leading to its crash in the country’s territorial waters.
Iraqi militias struck the US Victoria base in Baghdad, Iraq using drones as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq group, Saraya Awliya al-Dam, released footage showing the launch of two drones against the International Airport in Baghdad, which is where the Victoria base is located.
The Saudi Ministry of Defence said that three ballistic missiles were launched towards the Riyadh area yesterday, with one being intercepted and the other two impacting in ‘uninhabited areas.’
Israeli settlers have been raiding the Palestinian towns on the West Bank under the cover of war and sirens, with attacks last night reportedly lasting around seven hours or more, in which a few dozen were involved only, reported the Times of Israel, but it did vastly escalate, and the raids are allegedly in response to the two Iranian ballistic missiles that attacked Dimona and Arad last night.
Residents of eastern Tehran photographed the moment of an Israeli strike that targeted Damavand County early on Sunday morning, as footage was also released of Israeli jets flying over Iran’s Alborz province in the west of Tehran.
Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said one of two Japanese nationals detained in Iran since last year had been released and would return to Iran after being released on Wednesday, while the other remained in custody, adding that the remaining detainee, a journalist for NHK, was arrested earlier this year and is still held in Iran, reported the AP.
Motegi also said that Tokyo could consider deploying minesweeping operations in the Strait of Hormuz if a ceasefire is reached in the US-Israel war on Iran.
Soon after ballistic missile alerts rang out around Israel on the morning of March 22, Israeli police said officials were responding to multiple impact sites in Tel Aviv district with no casualties reported, as footage showed other cluster munition impacts in Holon, while one other missile fell in Jordan, and a third was intercepted over southern Israel.
Further missiles were ‘intercepted’ over Tel Aviv around two hours later, with reports of injured people in Tel Aviv and rescue teams coming the area of Petah Tikva, and a vehicle being damaged in Ramat Gan, later confirmed by MAG to be 15 wounded people treated, with one man aged 53 in a moderate condition after being hit by a blast, while 14 others were lightly hurt.
UK has sent nuclear-powered Royal Navy Submarine HMS Anson, which is fitted with Tomahawk Block IV land-attack missiles that have a range of 1,000 miles along with Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes, to the Arabian Sea, which arrived on Sunday March 22, bringing the capability to launch land cruise missile strikes on Iran should the conflict escalate, reported the Daily Mail.
Two Israeli vehicles were targeted by Hezbollah in the northern town of Misgav Am in the morning, which is along the border with Israel, while a later strike was recorded hitting a house in which a settler was killed, which Home Front Command was investigating as the munition may have come from Israeli forces.
The IDF said the deadly Hezbollah attack that targeted vehicles killed a man was a rocket launched from Hezbollah and not an anti-tank missile as previously suspected, as Hezbollah claimed they had targeted Israeli troops.
According to The Times, a senior Ukrainian Air Force officer sent to the Gulf expressed shock at seeing up to eight Patriot interceptor missiles used on single targets, including low-cost drones.
Iran’s Army reported they had targeted another Israeli jet in the early morning of March 22, this time an F-15 fighter over the country’s southern coast near Hormuz Island, using a surface to air missile.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz escalated things further in Lebanon by instructing the IDF to immediately destroy all bridges over the Litani River to prevent Hezbollah operatives and weapons from moving south, while also ordering the accelerated demolition of Lebanese homes in border villages to thwart ‘threats to Israeli communities – following the model of Beit Hanoun and Rafah in Gaza.’
Times of Israel reported that the two missiles that hit Dimona and Arad resulted in more than 200 injuries in total, while the IDF confirmed that two Qadr missiles had evaded interception, but there was no problem reported with the systems because two other Qadr missiles had been intercepted earlier on the same day.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Kyodo that Iran doesn’t accept a ceasefire because they didn’t want a repeat of last year’s scenario, instead wanting a complete, comprehensive and sustainable end to the war, so the only acceptable solution was a complete end to the war, as well as guarantees that this situation should not be repeated, and damages should be compensated.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site in Arad, saying it’s time for the leaders of other countries to join the war, noting that some had already started moving in this direction, while blaming residents for not going to shelters despite the warning sirens going off 10 minutes before the rocket hit, claiming that Israel was in a struggle related to their existence, adding that the hope is still to create conditions that would allow the fall of the Iranian regime.
Fars News Agency reported that massive explosions had been heard in Saudi Arabia, noting that news sources claimed the explosions were caused by attacks on American bases on the country.
Qatar is trying to prevent escalation between Iran and the US, but Said Arabia and the UAE are asking Washington to continue the war, reported Israeli Channel 15.
President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian said in an X post that the Illusion of erasing Iran from the map showed desperation against the will of a history-making nation, noting that threats and terror only strengthened Iran’s unity, stating that the Strait of Hormuz is open to all except those who violate Iranian soil, and added that Iran firmly confront delirious threats on the battlefield.
Reza Pahlavi urged Trump and Netanyahu not to attack Iran’s energy and other critical industries, stating that Iran must be protected, but the regime must be dismantled, adding that because of the support of the US and Israel, and above all the sacrifice of the Iran patriots, meant the hour of Iran’s freedom was in hand.
Sirens sounded in southern Israel around the Negev area amid a missile attack from Iran, but the missile was intercepted outside the atmosphere, as rocket and drone sirens sounded in northern Israel due to a simultaneous attack from Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Four ballistic missiles and 25 drone attacks were intercepted before reaching their targets, reported the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence on March 22, but an Emirates A380 and a Saudia A321 were damaged on the ground at Dubai International Airport during early attacks on March 22 by Iran on the Emirates.
Fox News uploaded a list of assassinated Iranian leaders, while also featuring a list of potential targets they wish to kill, with a total of 16 senior names making the slaughter list.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was enjoying significantly higher oil revenues after the US eased sanctions to ease the global energy disruptions caused by the attacks on Iran, warning it gave Moscow a sense of impunity and the ability to continue its invasion of Ukraine, adding that Russia had launched more than 1,500 attack drones and some 1,260 aerial bombs against Ukraine in the past week.
Iranian officials dismissed the US decision to temporary lift sanctions, initially appearing to joke that they had sold out according to comments from Parliament speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, but the Oil Ministry spokesman Saman Ghodousi added that Iran had virtually no crude oil in floating storage or surplus available for export to international markets.
Turkey has begun engaging with multiple parties to explore a potential ceasefire window in the Iran war, according to sources, in an effort to limit the growing impact on the global economy, while Foreign Minister Fidan had been in contact with President Trump’s negotiators as part of Ankara’s diplomatic outreach, reported Middle Eastern Eye.
US forces targeted what appeared to be a Shahed drone mobile launcher in Bandar Abbas on the morning of March 22, targeting around 2-3 launchers in total.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said: “We will do everything to destroy the Iranian enemy – we are doing the work for the free world.”
President Trump was asked by Israeli Channel 13 whether the attack on Iran’s energy could happen, and replied saying: “You will soon know what will happen regarding the warning to Iran’s energy facilities, and the outcome will be very good.”
i24NEWS Israel was still pushing the invasion narrative, citing senior US Officials of telling their Israeli counterparts and other countries in recent days that there may be no alternative but for the US to launch a ground operation to seize Kharg Island, according to two sources familiar with the matter, noting that discussions had recently begun within the US administration on whether capturing the island could pressure Iran into stopping interference with shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Israeli Broadcasting Authority said that the Israel security and political establishment support proceeding with an attack on Iranian energy facilities, adding that Israel was considering launching a large-scale attack as Trump’s deadline approached.
Kata’ib Hezbollah military spokesperson Abu Mujahid al-Assaf warned that the war would only end on the resistance’s terms, foremost being the removal of all foreign troops from Iraq, giving a five day extension to the US embassy, but added that retaliation would be calibrated with any violations.
