What we know on the 19th day of the US and Israel’s war with Iran

Police and first responders at a scene where an apartment was damaged by a missile strike in the outskirts of Tel Aviv, Israel on March 18, 2026. - Ilia Yefimovich/AFP/Getty ImagesTehran is vowing revenge after strikes killed two senior leaders on Tuesday, as Israel continues to pick off power brokers within the Iranian regime. Iran, Israel and Hezbollah continue trading strikes, with the US Embassy in Baghdad coming under fire yet again.Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is facing headwinds as allies mostly refuse to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, and a senior administration official resigns – publicly contradicting Trump’s justification for beginning the war.Here’s what to know on day 19.What are the main headlines?Ali Larijani gives a press conference in Tehran, Iran, Dec. 1, 2019. - Vahid Salemi/APTop officials killed: Iran confirmed on Tuesday that its powerful security chief Ali Larijani had been killed, announcing a “rapid strike” and “intense” attacks against Israel in retaliation. Larijani is the highest-ranking Iranian official to be killed since the death of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war. Israel has also killed the head of the Basij, Iran’s feared paramilitary force.US official resigns: Joe Kent, a senior Trump-appointed US intelligence official, abruptly announced Tuesday he is stepping down from his post, citing misgivings about the administration’s war with Iran. Trump said Kent’s resignation was a “good thing” because he was “very weak on security.”Trump dismisses allies: Trump said the US should rethink its NATO membership as he criticized allies for not helping with the war or in securing the Strait of Hormuz. A string of American partners have balked at Trump’s request to send warships to help transport oil through the strait – though a senior official from the United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday it’s open to helping.Iranian oil deal: Tehran is in discussions with eight countries outside the Middle East over its offer to grant safe passage to oil traded in the Chinese currency yuan, an Iranian security source told CNN. The source did not identify the eight countries.What’s happening on the ground?Missiles fired from Iran toward Israel are seen in the skies over Hebron, West Bank on March 18, 2026. - Wisam Hashlamoun/Anadolu/Getty ImagesBaghdad targeted: Drone and rocket attacks resumed around the US Embassy in Baghdad early Wednesday local time. A hotel in Baghdad, a US diplomatic facility near Baghdad International Airport, and an oil field in southern Iraq were targets on Tuesday. Iran-backed militias claimed responsibility for some of the attacks, saying they were acting in support of Tehran.Iran strikes Israel: Israel said early Wednesday it was intercepting a new salvo of missiles from Iran. CNN witnessed what appeared to be a cluster munition over central Israel, with impact sites reported at various cities including Tel Aviv. Two people were killed in central Israel, according to Israel’s emergency response service.Hezbollah targeted: Israel continued striking Hezbollah targets across Lebanon on Tuesday, including what it called weapons facilities and launch sites. It claimed to have “eliminated several Hezbollah terrorists across southern Lebanon.” A new evacuation order by the Israeli military sparked an exodus of people from the coastal Lebanese city of Tyre overnight into Wednesday.US attacks Iran: The US military dropped 5,000-pound guided bombs designed to penetrate targets deep underground on Iranian missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, according to US Central Command.Nuclear plant hit: Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said a “hostile projectile” struck the site of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in western Iran on Tuesday, but reported no casualties and no damage to the facility. It did not say which country was behind the attack.For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com