News blog about the war in the Middle East
Israel apparently attacks Iranian warships for the first time
Updated March 19, 2026 – 01:50 amReading time: 9 minutes
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In Iran, a nuclear power plant was hit by a projectile – and probably also gas plants. Israel apparently attacks the Iranian navy. All developments in the news blog.
South of the Strait of Hormuz, a ship was hit by an unknown missile in the Gulf of Oman. A fire broke out on board. This was announced by the British Merchant Shipping Safety Authority (UKMTO).
The incident occurred about 20 kilometers off the coast of the city of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, near the southern entrance to the Strait of Hormuz. Further details about the incident were initially not known.
Iran, which is attacked by the USA and Israel, has recently repeatedly attacked ships in the region. Shipping through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, which leads from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, has therefore virtually come to a standstill.
After talks with US President Donald Trump and the Emir of Qatar about the Iran war, France is calling for a suspension of attacks on oil and gas facilities. This is in the common interest, wrote head of state Emmanuel Macron on Platform X. Water supply should not become a goal either. “The civilian population and their basic needs, as well as energy supplies, must be protected from military escalation,” he continued.
The Gulf state of Qatar has declared the military and security attachés of the Iranian embassy and their employees as persons undesirable and expelled them from the country. The Foreign Ministry said they were asked to leave Qatar within 24 hours. It referred to repeated “aggressions” by Iran against Qatar.
President Donald Trump’s administration is apparently considering sending thousands of additional US troops to the Middle East to strengthen the ongoing operation against Iran. A US official and three people familiar with the matter reported this to the Reuters news agency.
The possible troop relocations are intended to give the president more room for maneuver. The conflict with Iran has already lasted for the third week. So far there are no US soldiers on Iranian soil.
An Iranian missile attack has killed a man in Israel. The Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom said the victim was a foreign worker. He was critically injured by shrapnel and eventually declared dead. It was initially unclear which country the man came from. The attack reportedly occurred in central Israel.
