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What has Iran hit so far?

Ben Aris in Berlin March 17, 2026

A quick overview of what we know Iran has actually hit in this war — and the strategy that appears to be emerging.

Straits of Hormuz partially open under the new friendly country permit system

Ben Aris in Berlin March 17, 2026

Iran has reportedly mined the deeper waters in the southern stretch of the Straits of Hormuz to force traffic to sail close to the northern shore, as traffic partially resumes under an informal permit system.

The US military running into trouble in Iran as it does not have the "Command of the Reload"

Ben Aris in Berlin March 17, 2026

The war in Iran is quickly showing it’s not about firing more sophisticated weapons at your enemy. It’s about the “Command of the Reload:” being able to reload with the same weapons.

BEIRUTER: India–Israel ties highlight a shifting Middle East order,

Peter Chouayfati in Beirut March 17, 2026

When Narendra Modi addressed the Knesset on February 26, 2026, the visit symbolized more than a diplomatic gesture between India and Israel. It revealed the contours of a shifting geopolitical landscape in the region.

COMMENT: War in Iran sends shockwaves across Armenia and Azerbaijan

bne IntelliNews March 17, 2026

Armenia and Azerbaijan facing growing economic, political and security risks, according to a report published by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

GCC and UK condemn Iranian attacks on Gulf states

bne IntelliNews March 17, 2026

GCC and UK foreign ministers condemn Iranian strikes on Gulf states and Jordan, welcome UN Resolution 2817 backed by 136 countries, and call on Tehran to halt all attacks unconditionally.

Oil prices ease to $103 as Iraq seeks Iran's permission for tankers to pass through Hormuz

bne IntelliNews March 17, 2026

Oil eases to $103 a barrel as Iraq says it is in talks with Iran to allow some tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.

Israel says strike targeted Iran's Larijani and his son in Tehran safe house

bne IntelliNews March 17, 2026

Israel says an overnight airstrike targeted Iran's security chief Ali Larijani and his son in a Tehran safe house, in what would be the most significant assassination since the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei.

Helium shortage threatens semiconductor industry

Ben Aris in Berlin March 17, 2026

Qatar’s gas disruption is tightening the supply of helium, a natural gas byproduct that is crucial for semiconductor manufacturing and medical imaging, rapidly pushing up prices.

Iran holds public funeral for 84 crew killed in destroyer Dena sinking

bnm Gulf bureau March 17, 2026

Tehran holds a citywide farewell for 84 sailors killed aboard destroyer Dena as Israel claims it killed Iran's security chief Ali Larijani and the Basij commander in overnight strikes on the capital.

Overnight strikes hit Tehran and Kermanshah as Iranian missiles and drones target Dubai

bnm Gulf bureau March 17, 2026

US and Israeli forces launched a fresh wave of strikes across Tehran, the Alborz province and Kermanshah in the early hours of March 17 allegedly killing key military figures.

Which straits will close next?

Ben Aris in Berlin March 17, 2026

The International Energy markets are in chaos following the closure of Hormuz, however reports have emerged that houthi rebels in Yemen are demanding bribes from tankers passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the bottom of the Red Sea.

COMMENT: Escalating Middle East conflict raises risks of renewed European energy shock

bne IntelliNews March 17, 2026

After US President Donald Trump failed to deliver on his promise of a quick end to the conflict in Iran, the chances of a renewed European energy shock are rising quickly, says Oxford Economics.

COMMENT: Iran war brings Ukraine’s peace talks to a halt

Ben Aris in Berlin March 17, 2026

The trump administration and Donald Trump personally have completely lost the ability to mediate negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, says The Bell in a commentary.

Russia accuses US and Israel of unleashing unprecedented violence in Middle East

bne IntelliNews March 16, 2026

Russia's foreign ministry accuses the US and Israel of unleashing unprecedented violence in the Middle East and calls on all sides to halt hostilities as Hormuz shipping remains paralysed.

Iran targets US businesses in the Gulf

Ben Aris in Berlin March 16, 2026

The IRGC announced an attack on an American financial institution in the Middle East over the weekend in retaliation for a hit on an Iranian bank in Tehran last week and warned all US businesses could become legitimate targets.

Discounts on Russia’s Urals blend oil fall to zero

bne IntelliNews March 16, 2026

Russia is poised to reap a major financial windfall from rising global oil prices due to the war in the Gulf, after the discounts on the Urals blend of oil fell to zero in the last week

The Iranian revolution has been reversed

Ben Aris in Berlin March 16, 2026

In the first video US President Donald Trump released following the start of operation epic fury he calls on the Iranian people to rise up in what he called a “once in a generation opportunity” to take back control of their own country.

Trump calls on allies to send naval support to the Gulf

Ben Aris in Berlin March 16, 2026

US President Donald Trump has demanded NATO allies and China send their warships to aid the US in reopening the Straits of Hormuz. Most have refused.

Warning of potential nuclear risk in Iran echoes Putin’s Ukraine war rhetoric

bne IntelliNews March 16, 2026

A senior adviser to US President Donald Trump has warned that escalating conflict between Israel and Iran could lead to “truly catastrophic” nuclear weapons use.

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