Two men charged with ‘spying on UK Jewish community’ for Iran
Nematollah Shahsavani, 40, a dual Iranian and British national has been charged with engaging in contact that is likely to assist a foreign intelligence service relating to Iran.
Alireza Farasati, 22, an Iranian national, has been charged with the same offence.
Maira Butt18 March 2026 23:00
Operations suspended at Abu Dhabi gas facilities after missiles intercepted
Abu Dhabi’s media office says operations have been suspended at gas facilities in the country after more missiles were intercepted on Wednesday.
Missiles had been on course for the Habshan gas facility and the Bab oil field, it said. Incidents involving fallen debris from the interceptions led to operations being called to a halt.
No injuries have been reported.
Maira Butt18 March 2026 22:40
Qatar asks all Iranian embassy to leave country ‘within 24 hours’
Qatar’s foreign ministry has declared Iranian embassy officials “persona non grata” after Tehran attacked the country’s Ras Laffan energy hub on Wednesday.
All staff at the embassy have been asked to leave the country within 24 hours.
“Qatar considers both the military attache and the security attache at the embassy, in addition to the staff of the two attache offices ‘persona non grata’, and requests that they leave the country within a maximum period of 24 hours,” it wrote in a statement on social media.
Maira Butt18 March 2026 22:08
What is Qatar’s Ras Laffan? World’s largest liquefied natural gas plant struck by Iran
Qatar’s massive Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility was hit by Iranian revenge strikes Wednesday as the war in the Middle East escalated with attacks on energy facilities.
Iran had threatened to attack Gulf energy facilities after its South Pars natural gas field was struck Wednesday, reportedly by Israel.
Hours later, Qatar said it had successfully intercepted four out of five ballistic missiles launched from Iran, while the fifth hit Ras Laffan Industrial City and caused “extensive damage.”
(REUTERS)
Ras Laffan is an energy-industry hub where the core of QatarEnergy’s LNG processing takes place. The company had already stopped production at the site because of Iranian attacks.
The state oil giant had evacuated Ras Laffan LNG installations after Iran said several energy facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar would be targeted by strikes “in the coming hours.”
Maira Butt18 March 2026 22:05
Analysis: Unlike Trump, Iran’s regime has been plotting this war for decades
Iran’s regime has a system known as the “mosaic defence”, which has been implemented for battlefield decision-making, counterattacks and state oppression.
The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley reports:
Maira Butt18 March 2026 21:45
Trump ‘does not want any further strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure’
President Donald Trump does not want any further strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure after Israel’s attack on the South Pars , the Wall Street Journal reported, citing U.S. officials.
Trump, who knew about the Israeli strike on South Pars in advance, supported it as a message to Tehran over its blocking of the Strait of Hormuz, and could again be open to targeting more Iranian energy facilities depending on Tehran’s future actions, the WSJ said.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report.
Joe Middleton18 March 2026 21:40
Watch: Russia has already made $10bn on Iran war, says Zelensky
Russia has already made $10bn on Iran war, says Zelensky
Maira Butt18 March 2026 20:44
Ballistic missile from Iran hit gas plant, says Qatar
Qatar says it intercepted four out of five ballistic missiles launched from Iran, while a fifth hit Ras Laffan Industrial City and caused “extensive damage”.
Ras Laffan is where the core QatarEnergy LNG processing takes place.
The state oil giant had evacuated Ras Laffan LNG installations, a source told Reuters, following Iran’s threat to attack Gulf energy facilities.
Iran issued an evacuation warning for several energy facilities across Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, saying they would be targeted by strikes “in the coming hours”, Iranian state media reported on Wednesday.
Jane Dalton18 March 2026 20:41
Qatar says Iranian attacks ‘threat to country’s security’
Qatar says it “reserves its right to respond” to the “brazen” missile attacks at its Ras Laffan gas plant, warning Iran’s attacks were a “direct threat to its national security and the stability of the region”.
“The Iranian side continues its escalatory policies that are pushing the region toward the abyss and drawing in countries that are not parties to this crisis into the circle of conflict,” the country’s foreign ministry wrote on social media.
The statement said Qatar would “not hesitate to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty, security, and the safety of its citizens”.
Jane Dalton18 March 2026 20:26
Who is Esmail Khatib? The Iranian intelligence minister Israel claims to have killed
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz announced that the Israeli military has killed Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib.
This killing follows previous Israeli actions against other high-ranking Iranian security officials, including Ali Larijani and the head of the Basij force.
Khatib was sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2022 for directing cyber-enabled activities against the United States and its allies, and his ministry was accused of severe human rights abuses.
Iran has not officially acknowledged Khatib’s death, with state television instead broadcasting a funeral procession for Ali Larijani and other officials.
(AP)
Maira Butt18 March 2026 20:10
