US-Iran war updates: IDF confirms death's of Iran security chief Ali Larijani & commander Gholamreza Soleimani

RECAP: Iran has been dealt blows to its high ranking military forces with Israeli military claiming it has killed a key unit commander and the head of security.

Fraser Williams and Madeline Cove
The Nightly
Australia releases 700 million litres of petrol and diesel from national reserves as regional fuel stations run dry, leaving farmers and truck drivers without supply.

Scroll down to see the recap of events.

Key events

17 Mar 2026 - 05:49 PM

Iran’s top security officer killed overnight

17 Mar 2026 - 05:36 PM

Middle East conflict: Here’s the latest

17 Mar 2026 - 05:03 PM

Iran’s security chief targeted in strike, IDF claims

17 Mar 2026 - 04:56 PM

Commander of Iran’s Basij resistance unit killed: Israeli military

17 Mar 2026 - 04:39 PM

‘Joint force’: Aussies, Kiwis ramp up military integration

17 Mar 2026 - 04:20 PM

ANALYSIS: Why Trump’s war antics are pushing voters away from Labor

17 Mar 2026 - 04:10 PM

Israel: ‘Wave of strikes’ hits three Iranian cities

17 Mar 2026 - 02:36 PM

Ten foreigners arrested in Iran for spying

17 Mar 2026 - 12:42 PM

Middle East war blamed for interest rate rise

17 Mar 2026 - 10:53 AM

UAE lifts airspace closure after drone, missile attacks

17 Mar 2026 - 10:46 AM

The oil, coal and gas companies cashing in on the war

17 Mar 2026 - 10:27 AM

Four dead after Iran strike on Baghdad

17 Mar 2026 - 09:23 AM

UAE closes airspace as Iran attacks

17 Mar 2026 - 08:35 AM

ANALYSIS: Why Trump is furious allies won’t sign his ‘blank cheque’

17 Mar 2026 - 08:26 AM

Fuel rationing would be a failure: Taylor

17 Mar 2026 - 07:59 AM

No US request for Australia’s help in Strait of Hormuz: Marles

17 Mar 2026 - 07:35 AM

UAE under fire from Iranian missiles and drones

17 Mar 2026 - 07:28 AM

How Mojtaba Khamenei escaped death by seconds

17 Mar 2026 - 06:59 AM

Fuel retailers hauled before ACCC to explain price hikes

17 Mar 2026 - 06:01 AM

‘Announcing names soon’: Trump teases countries joining Hormuz mission

17 Mar 2026 - 05:46 AM

Middle East conflict: Here’s the latest

17 Mar 2026 - 05:19 AM

‘Stupid questions’: Trump blasts reporter over Iran troop question

17 Mar 2026 - 04:49 AM

Trump says Iran attacks crippled after US-Israel strikes

17 Mar 2026 - 04:36 AM

Marles refuses to rule out fuel rationing as war hits petrol supply

17 Mar 2026 - 04:34 AM

Dubai airport area and key UAE oil port targeted

17 Mar 2026 - 04:21 AM

Trump doubles down on allies to help in the Middle East

Fraser Williams

Middle East conflict: Here’s the latest

If you are just joining us, welcome to our live, rolling coverage of the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Here’s a quick look at Tuesday’s key developments:

  • Australia and New Zealand are set to ramp up their military integration for a ‘greater joint force’ as the war escalates.
  • The Israeli military has killed Iran’s resistance unit commander while also targeting their head of security in overnight strikes.
  • The UAE briefly closed its airspace following a barrage of drone and missile attacks from Iran. They have reopened but are prepared to close again at a moments notice.
  • A strike on Baghdad killed four people, with reports suggesting two of those were Iranian advisors.
  • Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed that the nation has not received any request from the US for military assistance in the Strait of Hormuz.
Fraser Williams

Israel: ‘Wave of strikes’ hits three Iranian cities

The Israel military targetted infrastructure of three Iranian cities in a fresh wave of strikes, the IDF announced.

The Iranian cities of Tehran, Shiraz and Tabriz were hit simultaneously with dozens of fighter jets flying overhead - targeting their infrastructure to “deepen the damage to all systems and capabilities of the Iranian terror regime”.

Israeli Defence Force claimed on social media that in Tehran munitions were dropped on Iranian command centres, air defences and launch sites.

Attacks in Shiraz honed in on the Iranian headquarters of internal security command and ballistic missile storages.

While strikes over Tabiz destroyed additional defence systems.

Fraser Williams

Israel deploys more troops in Lebanon

As calls for de-escalation in Lebanon from Western leaders grow louder, the Israeli Defence Forces announced it is deploying more troops.

The beefed-up forces aims to remove looming Hezbollah threats in northern Israel.

Fraser Williams

Ten foreigners arrested in Iran for spying

Ten foreigners have been arrested by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ intelligence organisation on suspicion of spying, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported on Tuesday.

The 10 arrested have been accused of collecting information on sensitive sites and preparing field operations in Iran’s North East, local media reported.

The report did not include the nationalities of those arrested.

Fraser Williams

Falling missile debris kills one in Abu Dhabi

One person has been killed from falling debris of a ballistic missile in Abu Dhabi, the media office announced.

The victim is believed to be a Pakistani national who was killed from debris in the Baniyas area.

Fraser Williams

Iran in talks to move World Cup games to Mexico

Iran’s football federation is in talks with FIFA to play their men’s World Cup matches in Mexico.

Amid the ongoing Middle East war, Iran has begun “negotiating” to relocate their first-round games away from the United States, Iran’s embassy in Mexico said.

President Donald Trump previously said the Iranian team would be “welcome to the World Cup” but also reiterated that he believed it would not be “appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety”.

President of Iranian Football Federation Mehdi Taj said that the relocation would be the best course of action for their players safety.

“When Trump has explicitly stated that he cannot ensure the security of the Iranian national team, we will certainly not travel to America,” he announced on X.

“We are currently negotiating with FIFA to hold Iran’s matches in the World Cup in Mexico.”

Their side had qualified for the 48-team tournament, with two group matches set to be played in Los Angeles and one in Seattle.

Fraser Williams

‘Educate yourself’: Israel slams Grace Tame over rape denial

Israel’s embassy has told Grace Tame to “educate” herself after the Australian of the Year recipient dismissed horrific testimony of rape and other sexual violence during Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel in 2023.

During an interview this week, Ms Tame, who won the national award for her fierce advocacy for survivors of sexual assault, decried reports of sexual violence during the assault as “propaganda” that “have been debunked”.

Her view contradicts those of experts, including the UN Special Representative on Sexual ­Violence in Conflict.

Read the full story.

Middle East war blamed for interest rate rise

The Reserve Bank of Australia has raised interest rates to 4.1 per cent as soaring petrol prices threaten to fuel already-high inflation levels.

Higher fuel prices in response to the Middle East war have been pointed to as a strain on economic activity during a time of weak productivity.

“The conflict in the Middle East has resulted in sharply higher fuel prices, which, if sustained, will add to inflation,” the RBA said in a statement.

The second increase since February has taken the cash rate back to 4.1 per cent for the first time since May last year, and reversed two of the RBA’s three rate cuts in 2025.

The RBA said “developments in the Middle East remain highly uncertain, but under a wide range of possible scenarios could add to global and domestic inflation.

“In light of these considerations, the board judged that inflation is likely to remain above target for some time and that the risks have tilted further to the upside, including to inflation expectations. It was therefore appropriate to increase the cash rate target.”

Read the full story.

Fraser Williams

UAE still under siege from Iranian missiles

The UAE is still fighting off incoming missile’s from Iran after reopening the airspace, their defence ministry announced.

“UAE air defences are currently responding to incoming missiles and drone threats from Iran,” the ministry said in a statement.

Updating on social media, the military confirmed that their air defence systems have intercepted ballistic missiles, along with fighter jets intercepting drones and loitering munitions.

Burke slammed over handling of asylum-seeking Iranian footballers

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has been criticised for posting photos on social media of members of an Iranian women’s soccer team who had sought asylum, several of whom later changed their minds.

Photos of the players and the Labor frontbencher were widely-shared after Mr Burke told the players they were “welcome to stay in Australia, to be safe” amid the Middle East war.

Liberal Senator David Sharma on Tuesday publicly condemned Mr Burke’s handling of the situation.

“Was posting these pictures really a good idea? Several of the players, who initially claimed asylum, changed their mind, seemingly after regime pressure, channelled either directly or through their family in Iran,” Senator Sharma said.

“These pictures would not have helped.”

Read more

UAE lifts airspace closure after drone, missile attacks

Air traffic in the United Arab Emirates has returned to normal after temporary precautionary ⁠measures were lifted, state news agency WAM reported on Tuesday, citing the country’s General Civil Aviation Authority.

Earlier, the authority ‌announced ⁠a temporary closure of the country’s airspace amid rapidly evolving regional ⁠security developments, after the defence ministry said it ⁠was responding to incoming missile and ⁠drone threats from Iran.

- Reuters

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