United News of Bangladesh

US President Donald Trump warned that the United States could destroy Iran’s massive South Pars gas field if Iran carries out another attack on Qatar. He stated that Israel would not launch further strikes on the site, but if Iran targets Qatar again, the U.S. would respond forcefully and could “completely destroy” the gas field. Trump made these remarks on social media on Wednesday night as tensions in the region intensified, global energy markets reacted, and Iranian missiles struck Qatar. Although Trump claimed the U.S. had no prior knowledge of Israel’s strike on the South Pars field, a source indicated that Washington had been informed beforehand but did not participate. The ongoing conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran is putting heavy pressure on the global energy sector. Oil prices have surged by over 5%, exceeding $108 per barrel, increasing fuel costs and straining the global economy. Concerns over Iranian retaliation have driven these price increases, especially after the attack on the gas field. Qatar later reported that a ballistic missile hit one of its major natural gas facilities, causing a large fire and extensive damage. In response, Qatar expelled some Iranian embassy staff. Iran has also targeted energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf region since the war began on February 28, while threatening shipping routes like the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil passage. The conflict has caused significant casualties, with over 1,300 deaths in Iran, more than 960 in Lebanon, and at least 14 in Israel. The U.S. military has reported 13 fatalities and around 200 injured personnel. Meanwhile, attacks have continued across the region. A ship near Qatar was struck by a projectile, though its crew remained safe. Another vessel caught fire near the UAE after being hit. It remains unclear whether these ships were directly targeted or damaged by debris from missile interceptions. Iran’s South Pars gas field is vital to its energy supply, providing about 80% of the country’s electricity and supporting household needs. Strikes on this facility threaten Iran’s domestic stability. In retaliation, Iran has launched attacks on energy sites in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Missile and drone attacks have also been reported across the region, including in Kuwait, Bahrain, Dubai, and Israel, heightening fears of further escalation. Qatar confirmed that additional Iranian strikes damaged more liquefied natural gas facilities, causing fires but no casualties so far. The damage could delay Qatar’s ability to resume gas exports after the conflict ends. Global leaders have expressed concern. Australia’s prime minister condemned Iran’s actions as reckless, while Gulf nations jointly called on Iran to stop attacking neighboring countries. Analysts warn that targeting gas infrastructure marks a major escalation in the conflict, with long-term economic consequences, particularly for civilians. Diplomatic tensions remain high, with Saudi Arabia strongly criticizing Iran’s actions and accusing it of undermining regional stability. The United Arab Emirates also described the attacks on its gas facilities as a dangerous escalation. In the U.S., Senate Democrats attempted to pass legislation to limit Trump’s ability to continue the war without congressional approval, but the effort failed. However, they plan to push for further debate on the issue. Overall, the conflict continues to intensify, spreading across multiple countries and posing serious risks to global energy supplies and regional stability.  

Several Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, are going to attempt to sight the Shawwal crescent today (Wednesday) evening, as they mark the 29th day of Ramadan. Other countries expected to conduct moon sightings on Wednesday include Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen, Palestine, Lebanon, Sudan and parts of Iraq. However, astronomical calculations indicate that sighting the crescent on Wednesday will be impossible worldwide because the moon is expected to set before sunset, making visibility unattainable, GulfNews reports. In other parts of the Muslim world, including Turkey, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, India, Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Jordan, Syria, Egypt and several North African countries, Thursday will mark the 29th day of Ramadan, with moon sightings scheduled after sunset that day. In those countries, Eid Al Fitr is expected to fall on either Friday or Saturday depending on confirmed sightings. Astronomers say crescent visibility on Thursday will remain impossible in the eastern parts of the Islamic world and difficult in central regions.

Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing his concerns about the justification for military strikes in Iran and saying he “cannot in good conscience” back the Trump administration’s war. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” Kent said in a statement posted on social media, making claims President Donald Trump has denied. Kent, a former Green Beret and political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, was confirmed last July on a 52-44 vote. As head of the National Counterterrorism Center, he was in charge of an agency tasked with analyzing and detecting terrorist threats. His resignation demonstrates that the unease about the war within Trump’s base extends to at least one senior member of his Republican administration. The leadership change comes at a time of heightened concern about terrorism following several recent violent attacks in the U.S. Kent’s decision came down to the reasoning behind the strikes on Iran, he wrote in his resignation letter. Trump has offered shifting reasons for the strikes and has pushed back on claims that Israel forced the U.S. to act. House Speaker Mike Johnson has suggested the White House believed Israel was determined to strike on its own, leaving the Republican president with a “very difficult decision.”  Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump said he always thought Kent was “weak on security” and if someone in his administration did not believe Iran was a threat, “we don’t want those people.” “They’re not smart people, or they’re not savvy people,” Trump said. “Iran was a tremendous threat.” A year ago, in nominating Kent, Trump praised him as a man who had “hunted down terrorists and criminals his entire adult life.” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, whose office oversaw Kent’s work, wrote in a social media post Tuesday that it was up to Trump to decide whether Iran posed a threat. “After carefully reviewing all the information before him, President Trump concluded that the terrorist Islamist regime in Iran posed an imminent threat and he took action based on that conclusion,” Gabbard wrote in the post. She did not mention her own views of the strikes. Democrats strongly opposed Kent’s confirmation because of his past ties to far-right figures and conspiracy theories. But following his resignation, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Kent’s concerns about the war in Iran were justified. “I strongly disagree with many of the positions he has espoused over the years, particularly those that risk politicizing our intelligence community,” Warner said. “But on this point, he is right: There was no credible evidence of an imminent threat from Iran that would justify rushing the United States into another war of choice in the Middle East.” Johnson, though, pushed back on Kent’s claims at a press conference on Tuesday. “I got all the briefings. We all understood that there was clearly an imminent threat that Iran was very close to the enrichment of nuclear capability and they were building missiles at a pace no one in the region could keep up with,” Johnson said. Johnson said he is convinced that if Trump had waited “we would have mass casualties of Americans, service members and others, and our installation would have been dramatically damaged.” Departure follows three recent acts of violence In New York City, two men who federal authorities say were inspired by the Islamic State group took powerful homemade bombs to a far-right protest outside the mayoral mansion. In Michigan, a naturalized citizen from Lebanon rammed his vehicle into a synagogue, where he was shot at by security before he fatally shot himself. And in Virginia, a man previously imprisoned on a terrorism conviction opened fire in a university classroom. Officials said the attack ended when he was killed by students.

The U.N human rights office has raised concerns about possible “ethnic cleansing” in the occupied West Bank on  Tuesday, saying Israel has accelerated settlement expansion and forced the displacement of more than 36,000 Palestinians. The report, released  by the office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, reviews developments over a one-year period ending in October. It highlights a rise in violence by Israeli settlers and security forces against Palestinians in the territory. Israel says killing of Basij chief comes as Iran war death toll surpasses 1,300 Türk alleged that Israeli authorities were “playing the central role in directing, participating in or enabling this conduct.” The report also cited harassment, intimidation and the destruction of Palestinian homes and farmland. Israel’s Foreign Ministry and its embassy in Geneva did not immediately respond to the allegations. According to the report, much of the displacement occurred in the northern West Bank, where Israel launched a large-scale military operation in early 2025 aimed at dismantling militant groups active in the area. The document says the displacement “appears to indicate a concerted Israeli policy of mass forcible transfer” across the occupied territory, raising concerns of ethnic cleansing. The rights office said Israeli authorities approved or advanced plans for nearly 37,000 housing units in occupied East Jerusalem and more than 27,000 units elsewhere in the West Bank. Türk called for an immediate halt to settlement activities, reversal of their impact, evacuation of settlers and an end to the occupation of Palestinian territory. The report also noted a surge in settler violence against Palestinians Although the incident falls outside the report’s timeframe, the Palestinian Authority accused Israel of exploiting the ongoing war and limited international attention to the West Bank to escalate intimidation, violence and forced displacement.

The crescent moon marking the conclusion of Ramadan was sighted over the United Arab Emirates early Tuesday morning. Tamim Al Tamimi, a member of the Emirates Astronomical Society, captured the crescent around 6 a.m. above the UAE skyline on the 28th day of Ramadan (1447 AH). Astronomical calculations indicate that Ramadan will complete a full 30 days this year, with Eid-ul- Fitr likely to be observed on Friday, March 20, signaling the start of the month of Shawwal. Ibrahim Al Jarwan, chairman of the Emirates Astronomical Society, noted that the moon is not expected to be visible on Wednesday, March 18, making it unlikely that the new lunar month will commence the following day.  Source: Gulf News

Israel said Tuesday it had killed the head of Iran’s Basij paramilitary force in an airstrike, as the overall death toll from the ongoing conflict in Iran rose to more than 1,300. According to the Israeli military, Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani was killed in a strike carried out on Monday. Iranian officials did not immediately confirm the report. Israel accused Soleimani of overseeing operations by the Basij force to suppress protests, alleging that the group used force, mass detentions and violence against civilians. The Basij, which operates under Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, has long faced criticism from Western governments. The United States and the European Union had previously imposed sanctions on Soleimani over his alleged role in repressing dissent. The EU has said the force used deadly measures during protests in 2019, holding Soleimani responsible for serious human rights violations. His reported killing comes amid intensified Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s leadership since the conflict began in late February. Israel has claimed attacks on several senior figures, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Experts say the loss of Soleimani could disrupt the Basij’s command structure, which plays a key role in maintaining internal control in Iran. The conflict has taken a heavy toll across the region. Officials say more than 1,300 people have been killed in Iran, around 850 in Lebanon, and at least 12 in Israel. The U.S. military has reported 13 personnel killed and about 200 wounded. Conflict spreads across the regionTensions continue to rise beyond Iran and Israel, with multiple countries affected. Bahrain reported fresh drone and missile attacks from Iran, while a drone strike in the United Arab Emirates caused a fire at an oil facility in Fujairah, though no casualties were reported. In Lebanon, five soldiers were injured in an Israeli airstrike in the south, two of them seriously. Concerns are also growing over the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil route. Iran and Iraq are in discussions to allow Iraqi oil shipments through the strait, as the conflict has sharply reduced Iraq’s oil output. The United Nations Security Council and several countries, including Australia and New Zealand, have urged an immediate end to the fighting and called for a negotiated resolution. Meanwhile, global powers such as the United States and China remain in contact over the situation, amid fears that the conflict could escalate further across the region.  

Rescue teams were still pulling bodies from the rubble of a hospital in Kabul on Tuesday morning after Afghan officials said an overnight airstrike blamed on Pakistan killed at least 400 people. The strike also left around 250 injured when it hit the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a major drug rehabilitation center in the capital. Authorities said large section of the facility were destroyed, and the death toll could rise as recovery efforts continued. Pakistan denied targeting any civilian site, saying its air operation focused on military-related installations. Officials said strikes were also carried out in eastern Afghanistan, including Nangarhar. The attack marks a significant escalation in tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, following weeks of cross-border clashes. International appeals for a ceasefire have so far failed to ease the conflict. Afghan spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the strike, accusing Pakistan of targeting civilian facilities and calling it a violation of humanitarian norms. Pakistan rejected the accusations. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the military carried out “precision strikes” against infrastructure allegedly used by militant groups, insisting no civilian locations were hit. The airstrike came hours after reports of cross-border fighting that left several people dead, as hostilities between the two neighbors entered a third week. The escalation has raised concern among global leaders. The United Nations Security Council has urged Afghan authorities to step up action against militant groups, amid ongoing accusations by Pakistan that Afghanistan shelters insurgents—claims Kabul denies. The situaiton highlights growing instability in the region, where groups such as al-Qaida and Islamic State continue to operate.  

A Pakistan-flagged oil tanker took a longer and unusual route through the Strait of Hormuz, raising questions as tensions remain high in the region. Tracking data from the maritime monitoring site MarineTraffic showed the tanker, named Karachi and owned by the state-run Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, sailing north into Iran’s Exclusive Economic Zone before turning south into the Gulf of Oman. The vessel passed between Iran’s Qeshm and Larak islands and moved close to the Iranian coast while carrying a cargo of crude oil. Experts say the route may have been taken in response to directions from Iranian authorities controlling passage through the area. Former US Navy captain Bradley Martin said the unusual path could suggest the ship was following specific instructions from Iran regarding transit through the strategic waterway. Martin, now a senior researcher at RAND Corporation, said the route could also indicate the possible presence of naval mines in the area. Another analyst, Jonathan Schroden, said the route may have been chosen either because mines exist or to create the impression of a mining threat as a deterrent. About one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz, making it one of the most critical energy transit routes globally.   With inputs from BBC

U.S. President ‘Donald Trump’said he has asked about seven countries to send warships to help keep the ‘Strait of Hormuz’ open as Iranian missile and drone attacks continued across Gulf countries on Monday. Trump said Washington is discussing the move with nations that heavily depend on Middle East oil, though he did not identify them. The narrow waterway normally carries around one-fifth of the world’s traded oil. Meanwhile, operations at ‘Dubai International Airport’, the world’s busiest airport for international travel, gradually resumed after a drone strike hit a fuel tank early Monday and sparked a fire. Authorities said the blaze was quickly controlled and no injuries were reported. Iran accused the United States without providing evidence of using facilities in the ‘United Arab Emirates’ to launch attacks on ‘Kharg Island’, a key terminal for Iran’s oil exports. The tensions pushed global oil prices higher, with ‘Brent crude oil’ trading close to $105 per barrel. Germany’s Foreign Minister ‘Johann Wadephul’ said the United States and ‘Israel’ should clarify when they believe their military objectives in the conflict have been achieved. He warned that Iran poses a serious threat to regional security, global trade and freedom of navigation, and said sanctions could be considered against those blocking the strait. The ‘United Kingdom’ announced £5 million ($6.6 million) in humanitarian assistance for ‘Lebanon’ to support more than 800,000 people displaced by Israeli operations against ‘Hezbollah’. Foreign Secretary ‘Yvette Cooper’expressed concern over the escalating crisis. The Israeli military said it has deployed additional ground troops into Lebanon for what it described as a “limited and targeted operation” to protect communities near its northern border. Military spokesman ‘Nadav Shoshani’ said Hezbollah had moved hundreds of elite fighters toward the frontier. In southern Lebanon, the state news agency reported that Israeli airstrikes killed three people, including two paramedics, in the village of ‘Kfar Sir’. Israel also claimed it had destroyed about 70% of Iran’s missile launchers during the first two weeks of the conflict and carried out roughly 7,600 strikes in Iran, damaging most of the country’s air defence systems and targeting several nuclear-related sites. Across the Gulf, several countries reported new attacks. ‘Bahrain’said its air defences intercepted four missiles and three drones, while ‘Saudi Arabia’ reported shooting down dozens of drones near ‘Riyadh’ and the kingdom’s oil-producing regions. A drone strike also caused a fire at an oil facility in ‘Fujairah Oil Industry Zone’, though no casualties were reported. In ‘Abu Dhabi’, authorities said a Palestinian civilian was killed when a missile struck a vehicle, raising the death toll in the UAE since the war began on Feb. 18 to seven. The ‘European Union’ is considering naval missions to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, according to foreign policy chief ‘Kaja Kallas’. Options include expanding the bloc’s ‘Operation Aspides’ or forming a coalition of willing member states. Trump also indicated he might delay his planned visit to ‘China’ if Beijing does not support efforts to stabilize shipping through the strait and calm oil markets. However, ‘Australia’ said it would not send a warship to the region, although it has provided surveillance aircraft and missiles to help the UAE defend against Iranian attacks.

India said negotiations with Iran have enabled two Indian-flagged ships to safely pass through the strategic Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions in the region. India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told the Financial Times that direct talks with Tehran helped secure the transit of two Indian gas tankers through the waterway on Saturday. “I am at the moment engaged in talking to them and my talking has yielded some results,” Jaishankar said, adding that discussions with Iranian officials are continuing. India relies heavily on imports for its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), with around 60 percent of the household fuel coming from overseas. Nearly 90 percent of those imports originate from Gulf producers including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with much of the fuel transported through the Strait of Hormuz. More than 330 million households across India depend on LPG cylinders for cooking, making the uninterrupted flow of supplies crucial. Meanwhile, videos circulating on social media have shown long queues outside cooking-gas dealers in several Indian cities as concerns grow over possible supply disruptions. Some restaurants have also reportedly closed temporarily due to shortages.   With inputs from BBC