ISRAEL KILLED IRAN’S INTELLIGENCE MINISTER-THREE SENIOR OFFICIALS DEAD IN 48 HOURS: Iran War, Day 19. Here are the 10 latest updates you should probably know…
1. Israel killed Iran’s Intelligence Minister. Three senior officials dead in 48 hours.
Israel struck and killed Esmail Khatib — Iran’s Intelligence Minister — in an overnight strike. Iran’s president personally confirmed it.
Three of Iran’s most powerful officials eliminated in 48 hours:
Security Chief Larijani. Basij Commander Soleimani. Now the head of the entire intelligence apparatus.
Israel’s Defense Minister made it official policy:
kill “any senior Iranian official” the moment an opportunity arises — without needing additional approval from anyone.
Iran’s Supreme Leader issued a rare written statement: “Every drop of blood has its price. The criminal killers must soon pay.”
2. Israel struck South Pars — the world’s largest natural gas field.
This is the biggest energy escalation of the entire war.
Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field. Iran confirmed the attack.
South Pars supplies approximately 40% of Iran’s domestic gas consumption and is the cornerstone of its energy economy.
Qatar immediately condemned the strike — because South Pars shares a reservoir with Qatar’s North Field, which supplies 20% of global LNG.
Trump posted on Truth Social distancing the US: “The United States knew nothing about this particular attack.”
3. Iran retaliated by hitting Qatar’s Ras Laffan — the world’s largest LNG export terminal. Again.
In direct response to the South Pars strike, Iran fired missiles at Ras Laffan — QatarEnergy’s main export hub — which was already shut down from a previous attack.
Qatar confirmed the strike.
Iran’s armed forces stated any attack on its energy infrastructure gives it the right to hit “fuel, energy and gas infrastructure of the country of origin.”
4. Trump threatened to “massively blow up” South Pars if Iran keeps attacking Qatar.
Trump posted directly on Truth Social: if Iran continues attacking Qatar in retaliation for the South Pars strike — the US will destroy South Pars entirely.
In 48 hours: Israel struck South Pars. Iran hit Qatar’s LNG terminal. Trump threatened to finish South Pars off completely.
The global energy war just entered a new dimension.
5. Oil hit $108 a barrel. Asian markets collapsed overnight.
Brent crude surged 4.7% to $108.28. US crude crossed $97.
Japan’s Nikkei dropped 2.7%. South Korea’s KOSPI fell 2.6%. Hong Kong down 1.4%.
From $65 on February 28th to $108 on Day 19. A 66% increase in less than three weeks.
Goldman Sachs warned markets “underestimate” Iran war risk and raised the probability of a 10-15% market correction.
6. The Federal Reserve held rates unchanged for the second consecutive meeting.
The Fed froze again. Second straight hold of 2026.
The reason: oil at $108 means inflation stays hot. But the labor market lost 92,000 jobs in February.
The Fed cannot cut — it would ignite inflation. It cannot raise — it would crush a weakening job market.
One analyst put it simply: the Fed may not cut rates at all in 2026 and could start talking about rate hikes later this year.
Your mortgage rate is now 6.26% — up from below 6% before the war started. On Day 19.
7. House Speaker Johnson said the mission is “virtually accomplished.”
On the same day oil hit $108 and Iran struck a major LNG terminal and multi-warhead missiles hit Tel Aviv — House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters:
“The mission is just about accomplished and will come to a close very soon.”
The Strait of Hormuz is still closed.
Iran just hit Qatar’s largest gas facility.
Oil is at a 4-year high.
8. The UN nuclear chief said the war cannot fully eliminate Iran’s nuclear program.
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi confirmed to NPR:
“Most probably, at the end of this conflict, the material will still be there and the enrichment capacities will be there.”
The stated primary objective of this war — eliminating Iran’s nuclear capability — may not be achievable by military force alone.
19 days. $890 million per day. And the nuclear program survives.
9. Sweden executed a citizen by Iran for spying — a direct diplomatic flashpoint.
Iran executed Kourosh Keyvani — a dual Swedish-Iranian national — convicted of espionage for Israel.
Sweden called the proceedings “not legally secure” and publicly condemned the execution.
This is the third person executed by Iran on espionage charges in 2026 alone.
Iran is simultaneously fighting a military war and executing foreign nationals for alleged collaboration with its enemies.
10. NATO’s Secretary General confirmed allies are “working collectively” on Hormuz — but no ships yet.
NATO chief Mark Rutte said on Day 19 that he has been in contact with “many allies” and confirmed they “all agree” the Strait must reopen.
But: Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain and the UK have all ruled out military involvement.
France says it will only escort ships after the war ends.
The Strait has been closed for 19 days. NATO is still in meetings.
This is Day 19.
Stay informed. Turn on notifications because this affects all of us.
(Robert Kiyosaki: Author, Rich Dad Poor Dad)