War in Iran: Israel bombed Tehran during Quds Day rallies, Trump called Iranian leaders "lunatics," 4 dead in KC-135 crash

The second half of day 14 of the war brought Israeli strikes on Tehran during mass Quds Day rallies, an escalation in Trump's rhetoric, confirmation of four dead in the KC-135 crash, and the expansion of the conflict into new neighborhoods of Beirut. Washington temporarily eased sanctions on Russian oil.

ISRAEL BOMBED TEHRAN DURING QUDS DAY

Hundreds of thousands of Iranians took to the streets for rallies marking Quds Day — the traditional protest against Israel — in Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, and other cities. Participants carried portraits of both the assassinated Ali Khamenei and the new leader Mojtaba Khamenei. CNN ↗

Shortly after the rallies began, Israel issued evacuation orders for the area around Enqelab Street in central Tehran via its Persian-language account on X. It then struck targets near the mass rally — according to Iran's ISNA news agency, at least one person was killed. The Israeli military announced that in this wave it had struck 200 targets across western and central Iran. Al Jazeera ↗

TRUMP: "LUNATIC THUGS"

In a late-night social media post, the American president wrote: "We have unprecedented firepower, unlimited supplies of ammunition, and plenty of time — watch what happens today to these lunatic thugs." At a rally in Hebron, Kentucky, Trump claimed the US had already "won" the war but needed to "finish the job." NBC News ↗

At the same rally, Trump attacked Republican congressman Thomas Massie, who voted for the war powers resolution, calling him "a disaster for the party." Meanwhile, two Trump advisers, Chris LaCivita and Tony Fabrizio, have set up a super PAC targeting Massie. Bloomberg ↗

BEIRUT — NEW NEIGHBORHOODS UNDER FIRE

Israel expanded its strikes to new parts of Beirut that had not previously been hit. The Nabaa neighborhood was bombed for the first time in this conflict as well as in the previous 2024 war. An Israeli drone struck a residential building in Burj Hammoud in the northeast of the city. In the coastal neighborhood of Jnah, a targeted killing killed one person — it was an assassination attempt from a car. Al Jazeera ↗

Strikes continue in southern Lebanon — two academics were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a university building. In the town of Bar Elias in the Bekaa Valley, two people were killed and three critically injured, three more died in Ain Ebel and three in Barish in the Tyre district. The overall death toll in Lebanon has risen to more than 700, including 98 children. Washington Post ↗

GULF STATES UNDER FIRE

Explosions were heard in the morning in Dubai's financial center — air defenses intercepted a projectile, and thick smoke rose above the skyscrapers. Four people were injured at Dubai airport — two Ghanaian nationals, one Bangladeshi, and one Indian — after a drone strike. CNN ↗

In the Omani industrial city of Sohar, two foreigners were killed by a falling drone. Kuwait's National Guard shot down eight drones, and two people were injured after a residential building was hit. In Bahrain, fuel storage tanks were hit in the Muharraq governorate, and residents were ordered to stay indoors. Qatar intercepted a missile attack, and Saudi Arabia neutralized seven drones heading toward the Shaybah oil field. Al Jazeera ↗

KC-135: FOUR DEAD, IRAQI MILITIA CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY

The Pentagon confirmed that four of the six crew members of the American KC-135 tanker aircraft that crashed in western Iraq are dead. The search for the remaining two continues. CENTCOM maintains that the crash was not caused by enemy fire but by a mid-air collision with a second American KC-135 tanker. Washington Post ↗

However, Islamic Resistance in Iraq — a pro-Iranian militia — has claimed responsibility for shooting it down and claims it also forced the second KC-135 into an emergency landing. The Pentagon denies these claims. The overall number of American soldiers killed in the conflict has risen to 12. NBC News ↗

WASHINGTON EASES SANCTIONS ON RUSSIAN OIL

The Trump administration has temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian oil loaded onto tankers before March 12 — the license is valid until April 11. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described it as "a temporary authorization to purchase Russian oil stranded at sea." Despite this step, Brent crude remains above $100 per barrel. Washington Post ↗

ECONOMIC RIPPLE EFFECTS

Goldman Sachs raised its oil price forecast by 20 percent for the rest of the year — expecting $100 in March, $85 in April, and stabilization around $70 later. Qatar's Ras Laffan plant, which supplies more than a quarter of the world's helium, is out of operation after a drone strike — experts estimate at least two to three months of downtime. The helium and bromine shortage threatens chip production and is pushing semiconductor prices up. CNBC ↗

The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is causing fertilizer shortages. Australia is reporting its first shortages, with sub-Saharan Africa most at risk as food prices rise. The historic release of 400 million barrels from strategic reserves announced by the International Energy Agency was completely ignored by the market. CNBC ↗

WAR POWERS — CONGRESS VOTES

The joint resolution by Republican Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna to strip the president of war powers failed to pass in the House of Representatives. Senator Tim Kaine introduced a similar bill in the Senate. According to a focus group by NPR, undecided voters in Michigan are angry — they want money spent at home, not on a war in the Persian Gulf. European Council President António Costa declared that "the only winner is Russia." NPR ↗

UPDATED CASUALTY FIGURES (as of the afternoon of March 13, 2026)

Iran: 1,500+ dead, 17,000+ injured. Lebanon: 700+ dead (98 children), 2,000+ injured. Israel: 15 dead, 2,000+ injured. Iraq: 26+ dead. Kuwait: 6 dead, 44+ injured. UAE: 6 dead, 131+ injured. Bahrain: 2 dead, 67+ injured. Saudi Arabia: 2 dead, 12 injured. Oman: 3 dead, 5 injured. US military: 12 dead, 140+ injured. Ships hit: 20+. Total: 2,320+ dead across 12 countries over 14 days of war.