The Guardian
Israel strikes Iran's South Pars gasfield hours after forces kill intelligence minister
| Jason Burke | The Guardian | March 18 2026
Summary: This report says Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gasfield, marking a major expansion of the war into the country’s energy sector. It also says Israeli forces claimed to have killed Iran’s intelligence minister, Esmail Khatib, making him one of several senior Iranian figures reported killed in a short period. The article describes Iranian threats to retaliate against Gulf energy infrastructure and notes strong reactions from neighboring states including Qatar. It presents the attacks as a new phase of the conflict with broader regional and economic implications. The piece also links the strikes to surging oil prices and fears of a prolonged escalation.
Canada in push for joint G7 and Middle East effort to de-escalate Iran war
| Leyland Cecco | The Guardian | March 18 2026
Summary: This article reports that Canada is pushing for a coordinated G7 and Middle Eastern diplomatic effort to de-escalate the Iran war. It says Canadian foreign minister Anita Anand is seeking a joint document of principles aimed at reducing spillover, civilian harm, and economic shocks. The piece emphasizes that Canada is distancing itself from the U.S.-Israeli offensive while also condemning Iranian retaliatory strikes. It highlights concerns over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the risks to global trade and energy flows. The article frames Canada as trying to create diplomatic off-ramps while larger powers remain locked in confrontation.
Ali Larijani was ruthless - and clear-eyed about west's implacable hostility to Iran
| Simon Tisdall | The Guardian | March 18 2026
Summary: This analysis reflects on Ali Larijani’s political career after his reported death in an Israeli airstrike during the war. It portrays him as both a hardline defender of the Islamic Republic and a figure who believed Western hostility toward Iran was permanent. The article revisits his roles in Iran’s security establishment and parliament, along with tensions he had with other Iranian leaders. It argues that his death carries symbolic weight because it appears to confirm views he had long expressed about regime-change pressure from abroad. The piece is more interpretive than straight news but is closely tied to the current conflict.
Senate Republicans vote down Democrats' war powers resolution to check Trump on Iran - US politics live
| Chris Stein and colleagues | The Guardian | March 18 2026
Summary: This live politics page reports that Senate Republicans voted down a Democratic war powers resolution aimed at limiting Trump’s authority to conduct military operations in Iran. It says the vote was 53 to 47, with only one Republican crossing party lines and one Democrat voting the other way. The article connects the vote to broader debate in Washington over whether the administration had shown Iran posed an imminent threat. It also notes reports of large additional war-funding requests from the Pentagon. The page presents the Iran war as a major source of domestic political conflict in the United States.
Iran vows to fight on in first message issued in name of Mojtaba Khamenei
| Patrick Wintour | The Guardian | March 12 2026
Summary: This report says Iran vowed to keep fighting in a first public message issued in the name of Mojtaba Khamenei. It describes the statement as promising continued attacks on U.S. bases and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The article also notes speculation around Mojtaba Khamenei’s status and the circumstances under which he emerged publicly in the war. It portrays the message as a sign that Iran’s leadership intended to reject pressure for surrender or rapid de-escalation. The piece frames the statement as both symbolic and strategically important.
We attacked Iran with no clear plan for regime change, Israeli security sources say
| Julian Borger | The Guardian | March 12 2026
Summary: This article says Israeli security and intelligence sources privately admitted there was no clear practical plan for regime change in Iran after the attack began. It reports concern that policymakers relied on optimistic assumptions that strikes and assassinations might trigger an uprising. The piece argues that although Iranian military infrastructure suffered heavy damage, the political endgame remained uncertain. It also raises fears that Iran could still pursue nuclear weapons if enough enriched uranium survived the campaign. The article presents the war as strategically potent in the short term but unsettled in its long-term aims.
US orders petroleum reserve release in bid to calm markets - as it happened
| Guardian staff | The Guardian | March 11 2026
Summary: This live page covers the war’s impact on global energy markets and the U.S. decision to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. It says the move came as oil prices surged and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz faced severe disruption. The article also describes Iranian attacks on energy and shipping targets alongside continuing U.S. and Israeli strikes inside Iran. It links the conflict to mounting civilian casualties and widening international alarm. The page presents the war as both a military confrontation and an energy-market emergency.
Trump calls Iran leaders 'deranged scumbags' as Middle East violence spirals
| Peter Beaumont | The Guardian | March 13 2026
Summary: This report centers on Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric as violence spread across Iran, Israel, and neighboring countries. It says he threatened harsher military action while U.S.-Israeli strikes and Iranian-Hezbollah retaliation continued. The article describes attacks affecting Tehran, Gulf states, Israel, and Lebanon, with mounting military and civilian casualties. It also places Trump’s comments in the context of uncertainty about whether diplomacy still had any real chance. The piece presents the war as intensifying both militarily and politically.
Middle East war creating 'largest supply disruption in the history of oil markets', as Brent crude hits $100 again - as it happened
| Graeme Wearden | The Guardian | March 12 2026
Summary: This business live blog focuses on the global economic fallout from the Iran war, especially in oil markets. It says the International Energy Agency described the conflict as causing the largest supply disruption in oil-market history. The page reports Brent crude moving above $100 and warns of inflation, transport disruption, and stagflation risks if the Hormuz closure continues. It also notes that dozens of tankers were trapped and that governments were considering emergency responses. The article frames the war as a direct threat to the world economy, not just to regional security.
| Graeme Wearden | The Guardian | March 18 2026
Summary: This live business page reports that the Middle East war sharply increased risks to the global economy as oil jumped and stock markets fell. It says Iran threatened Gulf energy infrastructure after Israeli strikes on South Pars, intensifying fears of a prolonged supply shock. The article describes volatility across markets and cites warnings from central bankers and analysts about inflation and economic instability. It also notes emergency steps by the U.S. and responses across Asia and Europe to rising energy costs. The piece presents the war as a rapidly spreading economic crisis tied directly to battlefield developments.
US and Israel threaten major escalation as airstrikes bombard Iran and Lebanon
| Jason Burke | The Guardian | March 6 2026
Summary: The United States and Israel launched a new wave of coordinated airstrikes against Iranian and Hezbollah targets across Iran and Lebanon. Officials said American and Israeli forces divided targets geographically, with Israel focusing on missile infrastructure while the U.S. attacked naval and strategic sites. Iran responded with drone and missile attacks against Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East. Military leaders warned that firepower could “surge dramatically” as the campaign continues. Analysts say the expanding conflict risks drawing in additional regional actors and escalating into a broader war. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
War on Iran: how the US-Israeli bid for regime change unfolded
| Julian Borger | The Guardian | February 28 2026
Summary: This report explains how a coordinated U.S. and Israeli strike campaign against Iran rapidly escalated into open war. The offensive targeted military installations and leadership sites in Tehran in what officials described as an attempt to weaken Iran’s regime and its nuclear ambitions. Iran quickly retaliated with missile and drone attacks across the region. The strikes triggered emergency meetings at the United Nations and alarm among global leaders about regional stability. The article traces the early timeline of the conflict and the strategic objectives behind the operation. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Trump denies that Israel forced US’s hand in launching strikes against Iran
| Robert Tait and Chris Stein | The Guardian | March 3 2026
Summary: Donald Trump rejected claims that Israel pressured the United States into joining its attack on Iran. Critics in Congress argued that the president’s justification for the war remains unclear and inadequately explained. Secretary of state briefings have also drawn criticism for failing to outline long-term goals for the conflict. The administration insists the campaign is necessary to stop Iran’s military and nuclear ambitions. Debate over the war has intensified within both parties and among Trump’s supporters. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Democrats thrown into disarray as US offensive on Iran creates cracks
| David Smith | The Guardian | March 2 2026
Summary: The U.S. attack on Iran triggered sharp divisions within the Democratic party. Some lawmakers strongly condemned the operation and accused the president of bypassing Congress to launch an unconstitutional war. Others expressed mixed reactions while still criticizing Iran’s government. Calls quickly emerged for a congressional vote to limit the president’s war powers. The dispute reflects broader uncertainty in Washington about how the United States should respond to the escalating conflict. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
US strikes on Iran triggered by Israel’s plan to launch attack
| Staff | The Guardian | March 2 2026
Summary: U.S. officials acknowledged that Israel’s preparations for a large strike campaign helped trigger Washington’s decision to join the attack on Iran. Since the war began the United States and Israel have carried out repeated airstrikes on Iranian military targets. Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks aimed at U.S. allies and bases throughout the Middle East. The conflict has rapidly expanded across several countries in the region. Analysts warn that continued escalation could destabilize the broader Middle East. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
First Thing: airstrikes hit Iran-Iraq border as US and Israeli plans to mobilise Kurds gathers pace
| Clea Skopeliti | The Guardian | March 5 2026
Summary: Heavy airstrikes have hit military and security positions along Iran’s border with Iraq. U.S. officials have discussed supporting Kurdish forces if they cross into Iranian territory during the conflict. Analysts warn that encouraging ethnic militias could destabilize Iran internally and trigger a broader civil conflict. The strikes appear to signal preparation for new fronts in the expanding war. The article outlines how the war has entered a more complex and dangerous phase. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Trump vies for Bush’s crown for worst foreign policy decision in history
| David Smith | The Guardian | February 28 2026
Summary: This analysis argues that the U.S. decision to launch a war with Iran could become one of the most consequential foreign policy choices in decades. Critics compare the move to the 2003 invasion of Iraq and warn of long-term regional instability. The article describes how the president announced the attack in a dramatic social-media message late at night. It also highlights the administration’s stated goal of regime change in Tehran. Observers worry that the conflict could become another prolonged Middle East war. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
The US and Israel are waging war on an Iran they think they understand
| Simon Tisdall | The Guardian | March 5 2026
Summary: This opinion article argues that Iran has adapted its military strategy to confront stronger opponents asymmetrically. Rather than matching American and Israeli firepower directly Iran relies on drones missiles and proxy networks across the region. These attacks are often limited in scale but designed to gradually stretch the conflict across time and geography. The author suggests that U.S. and Israeli planners may underestimate Iran’s capacity for prolonged resistance. The piece concludes that the war could become a drawn-out regional struggle. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
US investigators believe strike on Iranian girls’ school likely carried out by US forces
| Staff | The Guardian | March 6 2026
Summary: Investigators believe a deadly strike on a girls’ school in Iran may have been carried out by U.S. forces during the campaign. The attack occurred while Israeli and American forces were striking separate target zones across the country. United Nations officials have called for an independent investigation into the incident. The case has intensified international criticism of the military campaign. Civilian casualties are increasingly shaping global reactions to the war. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
Iran’s president says mediation efforts have begun to end war with US and Israel
| Staff | The Guardian | March 6 2026
Summary: Iran’s president said several countries have begun attempts to mediate between Iran and the United States and Israel. Nations including Qatar Turkey Egypt and Oman have reportedly offered diplomatic channels to reduce the fighting. Iranian officials insist the country will defend itself while remaining open to peace negotiations. Meanwhile U.S. and Israeli leaders signaled plans to intensify military operations. The competing approaches show how diplomacy and military escalation are unfolding simultaneously. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
