Iran War: What’s Happening on Day 19 of US-Israel Attacks? | US-Israel war over Iran news

Explainer

Iran retaliates after Israeli strikes kill security chief Ali Larijani and Basij commander Gholamreza Soleimani.

Iran vowed “revenge” after Israeli strikes killed security chief Ali Larijani and Basij paramilitary commander Gholamreza Soleimani, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi saying Tehran’s political system was strong as the war entered its 19th day.

Iran launched more attacks on Israel after an earlier strike killed two people in Ramat Gan, causing extensive property damage.

Conflict is escalating across the region as Iran and allied groups launch missiles and drones targeting Gulf states, with attacks reported in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan.

“We started this war because of pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” as senior counterterrorism official Joe Kent resigned as political tensions rose in the United States.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump criticized NATO allies and partners for failing to provide strong military support in efforts to end Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz.

Here’s what we know:

In Iran

• High profile murders: Tehran is mourning the loss of two key figures: security chief Ali Larijani and Basij force commander Gholamreza Soleimani, both killed in Israeli strikes. His death marks a severe blow to the Iranian establishment.
• Political fallout: Larijani was widely regarded as a practical, experienced politician who was capable of opening windows for negotiations. He led the nuclear negotiations before the war began. Analysts say Israel’s move to kill him may be aimed at closing diplomatic channels to end the war.
• Iranian retaliation: In response to the attacks, Iran attacked central Israel.
• Iran’s FM Araghchi told Al Jazeera that the US is responsible for the war engulfing the region. He denied targeting civilians, warning that an escalation of the US military presence across the Gulf was inevitable.
• Iran has executed a man accused of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
• No change in World Cup venues: FIFA said the 2026 World Cup would go ahead as scheduled, rejecting Iran’s request to move its games from the US to Mexico despite the ongoing war.
• Hormuz Traffic Resumption: Iran is allowing a small but growing number of commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, with eight non-Iranian vessels spotted on Monday, according to maritime data.
• Rising death toll: At least 1,444 people have been killed and 18,551 injured in US-Israeli attacks on Iran since February 28, according to Iran’s Ministry of Health.

in the bay

• Area wide attacks: Iran has been firing missiles and drones at various Gulf countries in retaliation for the US-Israeli attack. Furthermore, the Iraqi armed group has claimed responsibility for 28 drone strikes across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan in the past 15 days.
• Saudi Arabia: The kingdom is organizing an emergency meeting of foreign ministers from Arab and Muslim countries in Riyadh to discuss the attack.
• UAE restrictions: According to the Dubai Media Office, there were successful missile interceptions, with no injuries reported.
• Bahrain: Warning sirens blared across Bahrain, prompting the Interior Ministry to urge residents to move to the nearest safe place.
• Qatar Flight Suspensions: Due to the continued uncertainty and instability of airspace in the Middle East, British Airways has extended its flights to Doha until April 30.
• Qatar intercepts missiles: Qatar’s defense ministry said the missiles were intercepted on Wednesday after explosions were heard in Doha and elsewhere.
• Ukrainian anti-drone experts: More than 200 Ukrainian anti-drone military experts are in several Middle Eastern countries to help defend against drones designed by Iran, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

In the US

• Resignation of US official: America’s top counterterrorism official, Joe Kent, has resigned, saying Iran is “not a threat.”
• Tensions with NATO Allies: President Trump has lashed out at NATO allies, as well as Japan, Australia and South Korea, for their reluctance to provide military support in the conflict.
• Tight security at embassies: The State Department ordered all US embassies and consulates to immediately assess their security postures by convening emergency action committees.

In Israel

• Israel strikes Basij: The Israeli military said it was striking positions of Iran’s Basij force around Tehran, after announcing it had killed a volunteer top commander.
• The Israeli military claimed to have struck Iran’s command centers, missile sites and other infrastructure in Tehran on Tuesday.
• Direct attacks and casualties: In response to these escalations, Israel faces retaliatory bombings. Two people died of severe shrapnel wounds after a rocket attack heavily damaged an apartment building in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv.

in Lebanon

• The Israeli military on Wednesday ordered residents of four Lebanese villages in the south of the country to “immediately leave their homes and move north of the Zahrani River”.
• Mass Evacuation Orders: Following the 2006 war, the Israeli military issued its largest forced evacuation order in southern Lebanon. Earlier, the military had told residents of Tire city, including three Palestinian refugee camps, to evacuate their homes.
• Deadly Airstrikes in Bekaa Valley: At least four people were killed in an Israeli attack targeting four houses in the town of Sahmar in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley.
• Hezbollah Denial: The group denied having any members in Kuwait after the Gulf country announced 14 Kuwaitis and two Lebanese nationals affiliated with the group over a “subversive plot”.

In Iraq

• Attack on US Embassy: An Iraqi security source told Al Jazeera that air defense forces intercepted the drone near a logistics support center near Baghdad airport. The blasts rocked Baghdad as more attacks hit the US embassy. The militant group’s base was also attacked in the northeastern city of Kirkuk.
• Saraya Awliya Al-Dam: The Iraqi armed group Saraya Awliya al-Dam has claimed responsibility for a multi-front wave of attacks against US targets.
• Iraq to resume oil exports: With the Strait of Hormuz blocked and production severely reduced, Baghdad and Erbil moved to resume exports via a pipeline through the Kurdish region to the Turkish port of Ceyhan.