News blog about the war in the Middle East
Iran attacks with drones: fires in energy center in Qatar
Updated March 18, 2026 – 8:32 p.mReading time: 7 minutes
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In Iran, a nuclear power plant was hit by a projectile – and probably also gas plants. The regime then shells neighboring countries. All developments in the news blog.
Qatar’s state energy company QatarEnergy confirms rocket attacks on the industrial city of Ras Laffan. Serious damage was caused. The company said rescue workers were on duty to contain fires. There are currently no reports of victims. All employees are safe. Iranian state media had announced attacks on oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Iran confirms death of Iranian intelligence minister. Israeli Defense Minister Katz had previously said that the Israeli Army Air Force had killed the politician. “Esmail Chatib was the victim of an airstrike last night,” Katz said at a news conference.
Iran’s new Ayatollah Modshtaba Khamenei vowed revenge in a statement circulated in Iranian media. “Undoubtedly, the assassination of such a figure shows how great his importance is and how much the enemies of Islam hate him,” said Iran’s Supreme Leader. “Every blood shed has a price that the murderous criminals who killed the martyrs will soon have to pay.” Khamenei is said to be seriously wounded and has not appeared in public since becoming supreme leader.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 2,300 civilians have died in the war in the Middle East. More than 1,400 deaths have been reported in Iran, almost 900 in Lebanon and 20 in Israel, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a press conference in Geneva. Thousands of people in the three countries were injured.
Tedros also expressed extreme concern about dozens of attacks on health facilities and medical personnel in the region. “Attacks on health care violate international law,” he stressed.
Attacks by the United States and Israel have hit a production facility at a large gas field in the Persian Gulf and caused a fire, according to Iranian state television. Firefighting teams had been dispatched to the scene of the fire, state television reported on Wednesday, citing the local deputy governor. The Iranian military threatened to target energy infrastructure in the Gulf region. Read more about this here.
