Morning Briefing: March 19, 2026

ISTANBUL

Here is a rundown of all the news that you need to start your Thursday, including an Israeli strike on Iran’s gas field and Tehran’s retaliation, Arab and Islamic foreign ministers calling on Iran to halt attacks, and Qatar declaring military and security attaches at the Iranian Embassy in Doha “persona non grata”

TOP STORIES

• Israeli strike hits Iran's South Pars gas field as Iran fires missiles at Qatar's main gas hub

An Israeli airstrike hit gas storage tanks at Iran's South Pars gas field in the southern city of Asaluyeh, with Iran launching two separate ballistic missile attacks on Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City.

Israel's attack caused a halt to production at two major refineries.

Qatar's Defense Ministry confirmed that the missiles struck Ras Laffan and caused damage.

• Arab, Islamic foreign ministers call on Iran to halt attacks after consultative meeting in Riyadh

Foreign ministers from a number of Arab and Islamic countries called on Iran to immediately halt its attacks on regional states following a consultative ministerial meeting.

Saudi Arabia hosted the meeting in Riyadh, bringing together the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates to discuss ways to support regional security and stability.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the ministers condemned what they described as deliberate Iranian attacks using ballistic missiles and drones targeting residential areas and civilian infrastructure, including oil facilities, desalination plants, airports, housing complexes and diplomatic premises.

• Qatar declares Iranian military, security attaches ‘persona non grata’

Qatar declared the military and security attaches at the Iranian Embassy in Doha “persona non grata” and asked them to leave the country within 24 hours.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said the decision was taken “in light of the repeated Iranian targeting and brutal aggression” on Qatar’s sovereignty and security.

The ministry warned that if Iran continues “this hostile approach, Qatar will take further measures to protect its sovereignty, security and national interests.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

• US President Donald Trump said Israel will not strike Iran's South Pars gas field again unless Tehran retaliates while warning that any further attack on Qatar’s liquefied natural gas infrastructure would prompt the US to destroy the entire facility
• Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said Iran is miscalculating if it believes Gulf states are incapable of responding to its actions.
• The Turkish Defense Ministry said an additional Patriot system deployed by NATO Allied Air Command in Ramstein, Germany is being stationed in Türkiye's southern Adana province alongside the existing Spanish Patriot system
• Indonesia has suspended its plans to deploy up to 8,000 troops to the Palestinian enclave of Gaza,
• The Kremlin condemned what it described as the "murder and liquidation" of representatives of Iran’s leadership
• China has agreed to postpone a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
• Spain pledged €1 billion ($1.1 billion) in military aid to Ukraine following a bilateral meeting in Madrid between Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
• Pakistan said it is pausing its military operation in Afghanistan for the Muslim holiday of Eid following requests from Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar
• The Trump administration moved to further loosen sanctions on the sale of Venezuelan oil
• MacDill Air Force Base in the US state of Florida – home to US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees military operations in the Middle East and parts of Asia – activated a "shelter in place" order following a reported threat to the installation, which has been since lifted
• Venezuela announced the removal of Vladimir Padrino Lopez, who has served as defense minister for more than a decade
• Iran’s internet was briefly restored after 444 hours of a near-total blackout before going dark again, global internet watchdog NetBlocks reported

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Fed keeps benchmark rate unchanged

The US Federal Reserve kept its benchmark rate unchanged in an 11-1 vote in the 3.5-3.75% range, in line with market forecasts.

The Fed seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2% over the longer run, saying "uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated.”

• Iraq resumes oil exports via Türkiye’s Ceyhan port

Iraq’s North Oil Company said it resumed oil exports through Türkiye’s Ceyhan port, restarting crude flows from the Kirkuk fields after a nearly three-year suspension.

The company said operations resumed via the Saralo pumping station, with an initial export capacity of 250,000 barrels per day.