WORLD, March 19, 2026 (WAFA) – The Israeli-American war on Iran continues for the twentieth consecutive day, amid a marked escalation in the pace and geographical scope of missile attacks.
New volleys of missiles were launched toward Israel and Palestinian cities, with sirens sounding in large areas of the Galilee, the Golan Heights, Tiberias, Acre, Haifa, and their surroundings. Explosions were also heard in the north, and a missile landed in an open area.
Missile attacks also targeted areas in central and southern Israel, as well as colonies in the West Bank. A cluster missile was reportedly launched toward Tel Aviv in one of several barrages launched during the morning hours of Thursday.
Meanwhile, Israeli media reported strikes against Iranian naval targets, while Tehran announced that facilities in the South Pars gas field and the Asaluyeh region were attacked, causing damage to oil infrastructure. The South Pars field is Iran's largest gas field.
Iran also targeted the Ras Laffan industrial city in Qatar with missiles, causing fires and material damage but no casualties. This indicates a gradual shift in the confrontation toward the region's vital energy sector.
In a related development, reports published by The Washington Post revealed that the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) has requested a budget exceeding $200 billion to continue operations related to the war. Estimates indicate that the war's cost surpassed $11 billion in its first week alone, reflecting the escalating financial burden of the ongoing conflict.
Regarding the economic repercussions of the war, oil prices rose today, with Brent crude jumping by approximately five dollars per barrel, following the attacks on energy facilities in the Middle East, marking a significant escalation in the confrontation with the United States and Israel.
A source in the oil sector stated that the Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery (SAMREF), a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco located in the Red Sea port of Yanbu, was targeted in an aerial attack on Thursday, adding that the damage was limited.
The port of Yanbu is currently one of the most important oil export outlets for the Gulf states, given Iran's de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway it shares with Oman, through which a large portion of the world's oil supply passes.
K.T
