Israel strikes largest Iranian gas field, central Beirut; What AIPAC got for $22 million in Illinois; U.S. hits Iran missiles sites near Strait of Hormuz - Ibbit

[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!opWu!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e96de2b-fd20-4975-87db-5aaaa710e336_1456x609.webp]https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!opWu!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F8e96de2b-fd20-4975-87db-5aaaa710e336_1456x609.webp Israel kills Iran’s intelligence minister. Eight killed in airstrike on Iranian judicial complex. Thousands attend funeral ceremony for top officials assassinated [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2033987394744340987] in Tehran. Israel targets [https://www.axios.com/2026/03/18/israel-strikes-iran-natural-gas-infrastructure] Iranian offshore gas field. U.S. strikes [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2034075713347670337] Iranian missile sites near Strait of Hormuz with bunker-buster bombs. Iran war [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2033983210191769999] threatens to push global hunger to record levels. UK adviser said [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2034003314187149659] Iran proposal could have averted war. Israeli strikes kill 27 in Lebanon on Wednesday. Lebanese journalist killed in Beirut strike. Israel orders [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2034065246424269035] overnight displacement from Tyre. U.S. urged [https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-encourages-syrian-action-against-hezbollah-damascus-is-hesitant-sources-say-2026-03-17/] Syria to consider sending forces into Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah. Trump “Board of Peace” envoys meet [https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hamas-holds-talks-with-trump-led-board-iran-war-strains-gaza-plan-2026-03-16/] Hamas in Cairo to shore up Gaza ceasefire. Israel suspends Gaza aid shipments [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2034042738510028871] from Egypt over alleged smuggling. AIPAC sees mixed results [https://prospect.org/2026/03/18/special-interest-super-pacs-underperform-illinois-democratic-primary-stratton-biss-miller-bean-ford/] in Illinois Democratic primaries. Senate advances [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5788105-senate-save-america-act-debate/] debate on Trump-backed SAVE America Act. Arizona files [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/17/technology/arizona-criminal-charges-kalshi.html] criminal charges against prediction market Kalshi. ADL chief criticizes [https://jewishinsider.com/2026/03/jonathan-greenblatt-adl-speech-khanna-van-hollen/] Democratic lawmakers over rhetoric on Israel and AIPAC. Pentagon says [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/17/pentagon-boat-strikes-south-central-america-00832855] anti-cartel military operations may expand beyond sea strikes. Kataeb Hezbollah confirms [https://www.newarab.com/news/iraqs-kataeb-hezbollah-says-security-commander-killed] the death of senior commander Abu Ali al-Askari. RSF captures [https://sudantribune.com/article/311812] key cities in North Kordofan and North Darfur. Suicide bombings in Maiduguri kill [https://apnews.com/article/nigeria-suicide-bombings-borno-maiduguri-3eaeb7f126866ab3c8b1d927a8bc7168] at least 23 and wound more than 100. Artillery attack [https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-attack-village-35f7ee9557460e6983263b8eef82018a] in northern Yemen kills 10, including six children. Kenya says [https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/russia-kenya-agree-that-kenyans-will-no-longer-fight-russia-ukraine-minister-2026-03-16/] Russia will stop recruiting its citizens to fight in Ukraine. Somalia’s South West state accuses [https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/somalias-south-west-state-says-it-has-severed-ties-with-federal-government-2026-03-17/] federal government of backing militias. Trump admin considers [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/health/zambia-hiv-aid-minerals-trump.html] withholding lifesaving aid unless Zambia expands minerals access. NEW from Drop Site: Basij members speak [https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/iran-war-israel-uprising-basij-militia-assassinations] to a Drop Site correspondent in Tehran. Foad Izadi joins the livestream [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2033899622041518299] to discuss the latest in the war on Iran. This is Drop Site Daily, our free daily news recap. We send it Monday through Friday. Subscribe now [https://www.dropsitenews.com/subscribe?] [https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bG8q!,w_2400,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca984025-657f-4883-a7f7-6e4e734ef491_3000x2000.jpeg]https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!bG8q!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca984025-657f-4883-a7f7-6e4e734ef491_3000x2000.jpeg The remains of a residential building in the Bachoura neighbourhood of central Beirut after it was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike on March 18, 2026 in Beirut, Lebanon. Photo by Guy Smallman/Getty Images. # War on Iran Israel kills Iran’s intelligence minister: Israeli defense minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was killed in an overnight strike. Iranian President Masoud Pazeshkian confirmed Khatib was killed in a “cowardly assassination” in a post [https://x.com/drpezeshkian/status/2034271068488130787] on X. Khatib previously served in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and in the judiciary. He was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2022 over alleged cyber operations targeting Washington and its allies. “On this day, significant surprises are expected across all arenas that will escalate the war we are conducting against Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon,” Katz said during a briefing with military officials, according to Israeli media. “The intensity of the strikes in Iran is increasing,” he added. Eight killed in airstrike on Iranian judicial complex: At least eight people were killed in a U.S.-Israeli airstrike on a courthouse complex in Iran’s Larestan County on Wednesday, according to the Mizan news agency. One lawyer, six clients and a member of the judicial staff were killed in the attack. Thousands attend funeral ceremony for top officials assassinated in Tehran: A funeral ceremony was held in Tehran on Wednesday for top security official Ali Larijani and Basij forces commander Gholamreza Soleimani, who were both assassinated in Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday. In confirming [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2033987394744340987] Larijani’s death, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said that his son Morteza, his deputy for security Alireza Bayat, and several guards were also killed in the attack. Thousands attended the funeral procession as the bodies were driven through the streets. Israel target Iranian offshore gas field: Facilities associated with Iran’s massive offshore South Pars natural gas field came under attack Wednesday, according to Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency. Iran shares the offshore field with Qatar. Israel carried out the strike, which was “coordinated with and approved by the Trump administration,” Israeli officials told [https://www.axios.com/2026/03/18/israel-strikes-iran-natural-gas-infrastructure] Axios. Majed Al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, condemned [https://x.com/majedalansari/status/2034254436491559043] Israel’s attack as “a dangerous and irresponsible step,” warning that “targeting energy infrastructure constitutes a threat to global energy security, as well as to the peoples of the region and its environment.” U.S. strikes Iranian missile sites near Strait of Hormuz with bunker-buster bombs: U.S. forces used [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2034075713347670337] 5,000-pound GBU-72 Advanced Penetrator munitions to strike Iranian anti-ship cruise missile positions near the Strait of Hormuz. U.S. Central Command said the sites were targeted because they threaten international shipping through the critical waterway. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said in a post [https://x.com/mb_ghalibaf/status/2033972126948937872] on X on Tuesday that “The Strait of Hormuz situation won’t return to its pre-war status.” Iran war threatens to push global hunger to record levels: The war with Iran could push an additional 45 million people into acute hunger by June, as U.S.-Israeli attacks disrupt aid routes and push up food, oil, and shipping costs, according to an analysis [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2033983210191769999] published Tuesday by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). “This would take global hunger levels to an all-time record and it’s a terrible, terrible prospect,” WFP Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau told reporters in Geneva. UK adviser said Iran proposal could have averted war: Britain’s national security adviser Jonathan Powell said [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2034003314187149659] that Iran’s proposal during February’s nuclear talks in Geneva was enough to prevent the outbreak of war, believing that significant progress was made and describing Iran’s offer as “surprising,” according to sources cited by The Guardian. Powell was present at the meetings and has much experience in crisis mediation. “The British team expected the next round of negotiations to go ahead on the basis of the progress in Geneva,” according to one official cited by the Guardian. Iranian missile barrage hits central Israel, killing two: Iran launched [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2034062895781204351] its 60th wave of strikes against Israel on Tuesday, with missiles hitting multiple sites near Tel Aviv and killing two people in the city of Ramat Gan, according to Israel’s emergency service Magen David Adom. Israeli authorities reported structural damage at several locations, including heavy damage at Tel Aviv’s Savidor Central Train Station, while emergency crews searched debris for additional casualties. Iran’s new supreme leader rejects ceasefire proposals: Iran’s new supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei rejected [https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/irans-new-supreme-leader-rejects-proposals-reducing-tensions-with-us-senior-2026-03-17/] proposals conveyed by intermediaries to de-escalate the war with the United States and Israel, saying it was not the “right time for peace” until both countries are “brought to their knees,” a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Tuesday. The comments followed his first foreign policy meeting since succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in earlier strikes. Drop Site’s latest report on Iran’s war posture, which discusses the government’s unwillingness to negotiate with a belligerent United States, is available here [https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/iran-war-trump-witkoff-araghchi]. Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel, arrests dozens: Iran’s judiciary said Wednesday it executed a man accused of spying for Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, according to the Mizan news agency. It marked the first publicly announced execution for spying during the current war. The man, who was a Swedish citizen [https://x.com/MariaStenergard/status/2034249136581575064], was accused of “providing images and information on sensitive locations” to Mossad. Meanwhile, Iran’s Intelligence Ministry announced that 111 people were arrested overnight accused of being “royalist cells,” according to the Tasnim news agency. Four people accused of being spies for the U.S. were also arrested. Israeli officials assess Iranian protesters might face a deadly crackdown, continue calls for uprising: Senior Israeli officials told [https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/03/17/israel-iran-cable-revolt-slaughtered/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzczNzIwMDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzc1MTAyMzk5LCJpYXQiOjE3NzM3MjAwMDAsImp0aSI6IjkzZTA0MTdiLThlNmYtNDkyYi1iZjUxLTUwMDAwM2I4ODM1NSIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9uYXRpb25hbC1zZWN1cml0eS8yMDI2LzAzLzE3L2lzcmFlbC1pcmFuLWNhYmxlLXJldm9sdC1zbGF1Z2h0ZXJlZC8ifQ.dxo84wNEwvfy_-7AKfwin6X1UQwlIFcIDWYcRbpqGe8] U.S. diplomats that Iranian protesters would likely “get slaughtered” if they rose up against the government, even as Israel has publicly called for a popular uprising, according to a State Department cable reported by The Washington Post. The cable relayed Israel’s belief that Iran’s government remains intact and resilient and is willing to “fight to the end” despite the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the ongoing U.S.-Israeli bombing campaign. Israeli officials nonetheless said they hoped for a revolt and urged Washington to prepare to support protesters if it occurs. Basij members vow to fight until the end: The Basij—an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps–affiliated militia central to the Islamic Republic’s internal security—has been mobilized across the capital, where members say they are more willing than ever to defend the cause of the revolution. In Drop Site’s latest dispatch from Tehran, a local reporter asks members of the Basij how they are responding to the U.S.-Israeli onslaught, the assassination of the country’s leadership, and the violence in the capital. “If I’m about to die, I’d rather die like my guide and leader, the great Khamenei,” one member told our correspondent. “There is nothing in this world I’d cherish more than martyrdom.” The full dispatch is available here [https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/iran-war-israel-uprising-basij-militia-assassinations]. # Lebanon Casualty count: The death toll from Israel’s assault on Lebanon has risen to at least 912, including 111 children, and 2,221 wounded since March 2, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. Israeli strikes kill 27 on Wednesday: At least 27 people were killed and dozens more wounded in a wave of Israeli airstrikes across Lebanon on Wednesday, including a series of attacks in the heart of Beirut that killed at least 12 people, according to Lebanon’s Health ministry. The Beirut airstrikes were within walking distance of the city center and the headquarters of the Lebanese government Lebanese journalist killed in Beirut strike: Mohammad Shari, a prominent journalist with Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV was killed alongside his wife in an Israeli airstrike on central Beirut on Wednesday. Shari’s children and grandchildren were wounded and hospitalized in the attack, according to Al-Manar. Shari was the director of Al-Manar’s political programs and had been a presenter at the TV station for many years. Wednesday attacks: Casualties from Israeli attacks on Wednesday included: Two killed and six wounded in the town of Sohmor, in the western Bekaa valley. Two killed and seven wounded in a strike on a residential building in Deir ez-Zahrani, southern Lebanon. Two killed, including a paramedic, and one wounded in an airstrike on a car in the city of Saida. Israeli strikes hit multiple sites across Lebanon on Tuesday: In Aaba, a village in Nabatieh, an airstrike killed [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2033966464001278439] two people. In Jibsheet, another strike hit a civilian area, killing at least one person and leaving multiple members of the same family dead, wounded, or missing. Strikes also hit civilian vehicles and structures in the towns of Sultanleh and Sharqieh. An airstrike leveled a residential building in Harouf, a town in southern Lebanon, with at least one family still trapped under the rubble. A drone strike hit a structure housing Syrian agricultural workers in the Zahrani coastal area near Sidon. A second strike hit the area as relatives rushed to help. Israel orders overnight displacement from Tyre: Israel issued [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2034065246424269035] overnight orders for residents of Tyre—one of southern Lebanon’s largest cities—and surrounding neighborhoods and refugee camps housing about 74,000 Palestinians to move north of the Zahrani River, including areas such as Shabriha, Hamadiya, Jal al-Bahr, Al-Bass, Rashidiya, and Burj al-Shamali. Lebanese authorities say more than one million people have been displaced since the Israeli assault on Lebanon began on March 2, with over 130,000 sheltering in more than 600 collective centers. Israel to destroy bridges across Litani River: The Israeli military said [https://x.com/AvichayAdraee/status/2034215553200423193] it will soon begin attacking bridges across the Litani river in southern Lebanon “to prevent the transfer of reinforcements and weapons” by Hezbollah. The Israeli military repeated an earlier warning for people to move north of the Zahrani river, which is several miles north of the Litani. U.S. urged Syria to consider sending forces into Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah: U.S. officials have encouraged Syria to consider deploying forces into eastern Lebanon to help disarm Hezbollah, according to multiple sources cited by Reuters [https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-encourages-syrian-action-against-hezbollah-damascus-is-hesitant-sources-say-2026-03-17/], though Damascus remains reluctant to do so, over fears of the conflict’s escalation and its own sectarian unrest. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff later denied the report, calling claims that Washington encouraged such a move “false and inaccurate.” UN probe finds Israeli tank fire likely struck UN peacekeeper base in southern Lebanon: The Israeli military admitted to firing on a UN base in southern Lebanon, claiming it was responding to anti-tank missile fire from Hezbollah fighters, according to Reuters. The attack wounded three Ghanaian peacekeepers. A Western military source said UN investigators identified three 120 mm tank shells fired within five minutes that struck the al-Qawzah base, suggesting repeated fire rather than a stray round, and noted the base’s coordinates were known to all parties. UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said the investigation is ongoing and its findings will be released once completed. # The Gaza Genocide, Israel and the West Bank Casualty counts: Over the past 24 hours, four Palestinians were killed–-three in new attacks and one due to wounds sustained in earlier attacks—and 14 were injured in Israeli attacks across Gaza. The total recorded death toll since October 7, 2023 has risen to 72,253 killed, with 171,912 injured. Since October 11, the first full day of the so-called ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 677 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded 1,813, while 756 bodies have been recovered from under the rubble, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Trump “Board of Peace” envoys meet Hamas in Cairo to shore up Gaza ceasefire: Envoys from President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” met Hamas representatives in Cairo over the weekend in an effort to preserve the Gaza ceasefire, a ceasefire agreement which has come under additional strain since the United States and Israel began bombing Iran, according to sources cited by Reuters [https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hamas-holds-talks-with-trump-led-board-iran-war-strains-gaza-plan-2026-03-16/]. Following the talks, Israel announced plans to reopen the Rafah pedestrian crossing between Gaza and Egypt, which had been closed since February 28, a move one source said may have been linked to the meeting. Hamas warned that continued Israeli restrictions imposed during the Iran war could lead the group to reconsider its commitments under the ceasefire framework. Israel has continued to kill civilians and bomb Gaza nearly every day since the so-called ceasefire. Israel suspends Gaza aid shipments from Egypt over alleged smuggling: Israel’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2034042738510028871] Tuesday it suspended aid shipments entering Gaza from Egypt after alleging tobacco and nicotine products were smuggled inside UNICEF-coordinated hygiene kits at the Kerem Shalom crossing. The suspension will remain in place pending a UNICEF investigation, as Israel maintains a near-total closure of Gaza’s crossings since the start of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. The Kerem Shalom crossing is currently allowing about 200 trucks per day—far below the roughly 600 required under the humanitarian protocol. # United States By Julian Andreone, with Ryan Grim. Have a tip on Capitol Hill? Email Andreone at [email protected] [[email protected]]. AIPAC records mixed results in Illinois Democratic primaries: Democratic voters in Illinois’ 9th Congressional district chose Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss to replace retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky in Tuesday’s elections. Biss defeated both Palestinian-American activist and commentator Kat Abughazaleh and state Sen. Laura Fine, the candidate favored by pro-Israel groups, despite AIPAC spending over $5 million in the race. “There was once again a vast amount of money spent and wasted trying to dust up a candidate [in Biss] who, by almost anybody’s reasonable analysis, Israel should be happy to have in Congress supporting a strong U.S.-Israel relationship,” one longtime AIPAC member told Politico. AIPAC, the person said, “should take a look at the results in [the 9th district] and New Jersey and reconsider their strategy.” Meanwhile, former congresswoman and member of the Blue Dog caucus, Laura Bean, defeated progressive Junaid Ahmed, who had the backing of the Justice Democrats, in the 9th Congressional District. Ahmed notably did not receive the backing of American Priorities, a new anti-genocide PAC with deep pockets, despite pressure. Jesse Jackson Jr., the son of the recently deceased civil rights leader and a former congressman, was unable to defeat Cook County commissioner Donna Miller in the 2nd district, despite his support from the artificial intelligence industry. Miller drew much of her financial support from AIPAC-affiliated groups and donors. State Sen. La Shawn Ford pulled off an upset in the 7th district, defeating the AIPAC and crypto-backed Melissa Conyears Ervin, and will now run in the general election to replace retiring Rep. Danny Davis In the state’s senate primary Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton defeated Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly to succeed the retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. According to the Chicago Sun-Times [https://www.wbez.org/government-politics/elections/2026/03/17/sen-dick-durbin-senate-seat-2026-illinois-democratic-primary-krishnamoorthi-kelly-stratton], super PACs spent almost $17 million in the Senate primary, much of it boosting Krishnamoorthi. Senate advances debate on Trump-backed SAVE America Act: The Senate voted [https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5788105-senate-save-america-act-debate/] 51–48 on Tuesday to begin debate on the SAVE America Act, a bill backed by President Donald Trump that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo identification to cast a ballot. Republican leaders plan to keep the legislation on the floor for extended debate to build support, while Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called the measure “pernicious” and accused Republicans of pursuing voter suppression ahead of the midterm elections. The bill might also see amendments, including restrictions on mail-in voting, though some Republican senators, including Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va [http://R-W.Va].), have raised concerns about limiting absentee ballots in rural states. Arizona files criminal charges against prediction market Kalshi: Arizona’s attorney general filed [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/17/technology/arizona-criminal-charges-kalshi.html] criminal charges Tuesday against prediction market platform Kalshi, accusing the company of operating an illegal gambling business and allowing bets on sports and elections in violation of state law. Attorney General Kris Mayes said the company was running an unlicensed gambling operation and charged it with four counts related to election wagering. Kalshi denied the allegations and called the charges “meritless.” ADL chief criticizes Democratic lawmakers over rhetoric on Israel and AIPAC: Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive of the Anti-Defamation League, criticized [https://jewishinsider.com/2026/03/jonathan-greenblatt-adl-speech-khanna-van-hollen/] Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) during the group’s Never Is Now conference in Manhattan, accusing them of promoting rhetoric that fuels antisemitism. Greenblatt reproached Van Hollen for his criticism of AIPAC, which he said was especially egregious given that Maryland has “one of the largest, most active and most observant Jewish populations in the country.” About Ro Khanna he said, “Then, there is the U.S. congressman who stated that he stands against the ‘neoconservatives’ who led the U.S. into the current war [with Iran] and instead is ‘proud to stand’ with Hasan Piker, one of the most outspoken, virulent antisemitic influencers in the world…who the congressman described as one of the representatives of the ‘new moral order.” The event was attended by 4,000 people and featured a conversation between Greenblatt and a prominent American evangelical pastor. Pentagon report details misconduct by former general overseeing Ukraine aid: A U.S. Defense Department inspector general report found [https://kyivindependent.com/former-us-commander-in-charge-of-security-assistance-to-ukraine-left-classified-maps-on-train-overindulged-in-alcohol-watchdog-finds/] that retired Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Aguto Jr., who oversaw U.S.-led military support for Ukraine, violated policy by mishandling classified maps that were later left on a train in Europe before being recovered, according to the Kyiv Independent. The report also concluded that Aguto suffered a concussion after a night of heavy drinking in Kyiv in May 2024, when he consumed significant amounts of alcohol during a six-hour dinner before falling multiple times. Investigators recommended disciplinary action and referred the incident for further security review. Witness video of border beating that killed Anastasio Hernández Rojas: Ashley Young, a college graduate visiting San Diego in 2010, filmed U.S. immigration officials beating and repeatedly tasing Anastasio Hernández Rojas as he lay face down at the border crossing from Tijuana. Hernández Rojas later died in the hospital, and Young’s footage helped challenge official accounts of the incident and renewed calls for accountability. Although a Justice Department investigation ended without charges, an Inter-American human rights body later concluded the man had been tortured and killed. Young discusses this case and its aftermath in a recent article from Capital and Main, available here [https://capitalandmain.com/the-video-that-changed-the-narrative-of-a-fatal-beating-on-the-border]. # Other International News Pentagon says anti-cartel military operations may expand beyond sea strikes: A senior Pentagon official told [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/17/pentagon-boat-strikes-south-central-america-00832855] lawmakers Tuesday that current U.S. military operations targeting Latin American drug cartels are “just the beginning,” leaving open the possibility of ground deployments and expanded strikes. Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense Joseph Humire defended the ongoing mission—known as Operation Southern Spear—which has killed at least 157 people in 45 strikes on suspected smuggling boats since September, and insisted the operations are “saving American lives.” Kataeb Hezbollah confirms death of senior commander Abu Ali al-Askari: Iraq’s Iran-backed militia Kataeb Hezbollah announced [https://www.newarab.com/news/iraqs-kataeb-hezbollah-says-security-commander-killed] Monday that its senior security commander and spokesman Abu Ali al-Askari had been killed, without detailing the circumstances of his death. A security official, however, told The New Arab that Askari—also known as Abu Ali al-Amiri—was killed in a strike in Baghdad on Saturday. The group said Abou Moujahed al-Assaf would replace him. RSF captures key cities in North Kordofan and North Darfur: Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces seized [https://sudantribune.com/article/311812] the strategic city of Bara in North Kordofan and the border town of Karnoi in North Darfur on Monday, expanding their offensive across western and central Sudan. The paramilitary group said the capture of Bara—retaken by the army only 10 days earlier—followed a dawn assault involving drones, artillery, and dozens of combat vehicles, though its claim that it killed 500 Army soldiers could not be independently verified. Sudan’s army said it repelled a separate attack on Dilling in South Kordofan, which it said was carried out jointly by the RSF and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North. Suicide bombings in Maiduguri kill at least 23 and wound more than 100: Three suspected suicide bombings struck [https://apnews.com/article/nigeria-suicide-bombings-borno-maiduguri-3eaeb7f126866ab3c8b1d927a8bc7168] crowded sites in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria’s Borno state, on Monday night, killing at least 23 people and wounding 108 others, police told the Associated Press. The blasts occurred near the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, the Monday Market, and a nearby business hub, triggering chaotic rescue efforts as hospitals appealed for blood donations. No group claimed responsibility, but likely candidates include Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province, which have intensified attacks in northeastern Nigeria in recent weeks. Artillery attack in northern Yemen kills 10, including six children: An artillery strike on a village in Yemen’s Hajjah province killed [https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-attack-village-35f7ee9557460e6983263b8eef82018a] at least 10 people, including six children, and wounded more than 30 others during an iftar gathering for the holy month of Ramadan, officials told the Associated Press on Monday. Yemen’s government blamed Iran-backed Houthi rebels for the shelling, though the circumstances of the attack remain unclear, and Houthi officials declined to comment on them. Karzai rejects Pakistan’s denial of Kabul Strike: Afghanistan’s former president, Hamid Karzai, rejected [https://x.com/DropSiteNews/status/2034048518470488289] Pakistan’s denial of civilian casualties after a strike on the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul reportedly killed more than 400 patients. Karzai said, “There was a bombing. I witnessed it myself. The people of Kabul have witnessed it. The international media have witnessed it.” Pakistan dismissed reports of civilian casualties as “false and misleading,” claiming secondary explosions from the attack indicated they had hit ammunition depots rather than civilians. The Guardian reported Tuesday that rescue crews were continuing to use heavy machinery to pull victims from the rubble, with many bodies severely disfigured. Russia says it captured 12 settlements in Ukraine: Russia’s top general, Valery Gerasimov, said [https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-has-taken-12-settlements-ukraine-first-two-weeks-march-top-general-says-2026-03-16/] on Monday that Russian forces had captured 12 settlements in Ukraine during the first two weeks of March as part of advances along the eastern and southern front lines. He said troops were pushing toward Sloviansk and had gained control of about 60 percent of Kostiantynivka, where street fighting is ongoing. Volodymyr Zelenskyy denied these claims and said the Ukrainian army had plans in place to halt the Russian advance. Kenya says Russia will stop recruiting its citizens to fight in Ukraine: Kenya said Monday it had reached an agreement with Russia to stop recruiting Kenyan citizens to fight in the war in Ukraine after reports that more than 1,000 Kenyans had signed up as contract soldiers, Reuters reports [https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/russia-kenya-agree-that-kenyans-will-no-longer-fight-russia-ukraine-minister-2026-03-16/]. Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi announced the decision following talks in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, saying Kenyans would no longer be eligible to enlist through Russia’s defense ministry. The move comes after growing domestic pressure in Kenya over recruitment networks and concerns from families of those who traveled to join the fighting. Somalia’s South West state accuses federal government of backing militias: Officials in Somalia’s South West state accused [https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/somalias-south-west-state-says-it-has-severed-ties-with-federal-government-2026-03-17/] the federal government of arming militias and attempting to unseat regional president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, deepening tensions between Mogadishu and regional administrations. The dispute comes amid broader disagreements in the country over changes to the constitution, elections, and the balance of power between the central government and federal states. Trump admin considers withholding lifesaving aid unless Zambia expands minerals access: The Trump administration is considering withholding lifesaving assistance—including HIV treatment, tuberculosis, and malaria medications—from Zambia to force the country to open its mines to U.S. companies, according to a leaked State Department memo obtained [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/health/zambia-hiv-aid-minerals-trump.html] by the New York Times. “We will only secure our priorities by demonstrating willingness to publicly take support away from Zambia on a massive scale,” the memo said. The proposed deal would offer Zambia $1 billion in health funding over five years, which is less than half the amount of health assistance Zambia received before Trump took office. In return, American businesses would get more access to Zambia’s vast mineral deposits—including copper, lithium and cobalt. First Delegation Arrives in Cuba for Nuestra América Convoy: Activists and organizers are beginning to arrive [https://x.com/ProgIntl/status/2034267659311718756] in Havana as part of the Nuestra América Convoy, an international effort to deliver humanitarian aid—including medical equipment, medicines, and food—via coordinated air, sea, and volunteer efforts aimed at alleviating shortages linked to the U.S. blockade of the island country. “[The blockade] affects everyone and every political or humanitarian organization that wants to do something to stop the people from dying,” Grasa Guevara, a member of the grassroots initiative Bloque Latinoamericano and a participant in the convoy, told Drop Site News. # More from Drop Site Livestream: Jeremy Scahill and Ryan Grim were joined by Foad Izadi to discuss the assassinations of top Iranian officials, the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran’s current war posture. 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