The U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran have entered Day 21. What is the current situation, and which information is worth watching?

4978. The Israeli military stated on Friday that the Israeli Air Force killed Esmail Ahmadi during an airstrike earlier this week targeting the leadership of Iran’s Basij Force in Tehran. The military said Ahmadi headed the force’s intelligence department and played a central role in planning attacks and suppressing civilian protests. (March 20, 2026, 21:26) 4977. Two Iraqi security officials told AFP that the NATO mission in Iraq has temporarily withdrawn from the country. One official, who requested anonymity, told AFP: “There is no disagreement between us and the Iraqi government—this is merely a temporary withdrawal. They feel concerned given the current situation.” Another official said that “the entire NATO mission has withdrawn,” except for a small number of personnel. AFP’s report added that a NATO spokesperson confirmed on Friday that the military alliance is “adjusting” its mission in Iraq. The mission’s headquarters is located inside a military base in Baghdad’s Green Zone, near the U.S. Embassy—a site that has been targeted multiple times since the war began. (March 20, 2026, 21:15) 4976. The UAE Ministry of Defense announced that its air defense forces intercepted four Iranian ballistic missiles and 26 drones on Friday. “Since Iran’s open assault, UAE air defenses have intercepted 338 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,740 drones,” the ministry stated, adding that the attacks resulted in eight deaths, including two Emirati soldiers. (March 20, 2026, 21:05) 4975. Shell announced on Friday that full restoration of Train Two at its Pearl GTL (gas-to-liquids) facility in Qatar will take approximately one year. This confirms an earlier statement by QatarEnergy to Reuters following this week’s Iranian attack. Shell said Train One at the facility sustained no damage. Additionally, the QatarEnergy LNG N(4) project—of which Shell holds a 30% stake and which accounts for Shell’s 2.4 million tonnes-per-year equity capacity—remains unaffected. (March 20, 2026, 21:04) 4974. Iran warns Israeli and U.S. officials: “Nowhere in the world is safe.” Iran’s top military spokesman warned that “parks, recreational areas, and tourist destinations worldwide” would no longer be safe for Tehran’s enemies. Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekachi declared online via Iranian state television: “From now on, based on the information we hold about you, parks, recreational areas, and tourist destinations anywhere in the world will no longer be safe for you.” (March 20, 2026, 21:00) 4973. The Israeli military stated that, since hostilities escalated during the war with Iran, it has killed over 570 Hezbollah members—including 220 members of the terrorist group’s elite Radwan Force.

The U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran have entered Day 20. What is the current situation, and what other information is worth watching?

The target of this strike was a plant responsible for processing output from the South Pars field and delivering hydrocarbons to domestic Iranian consumers. Hamid Hosseini, a board member of the Iranian Oil, Gas & Petrochemical Exporters’ Union, said: “They are producing and refining natural gas, then directly feeding it into pipelines” for delivery to Iranian consumers. Hosseini revealed that natural gas storage facilities were struck. Mohammadreza Julaei, production supervision manager at the National Iranian Gas Company, told Shana—the news agency of Iran’s Ministry of Oil—on Wednesday evening that some refining units were damaged. (March 19, 2026, 17:15) 4628. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran as “illegal” and stated that Europeans are paying a heavy price. Speaking ahead of an EU leaders’ summit in Brussels, Sánchez said: “Europe is founded on multilateralism, international law, and the principle of peace… principles now being challenged by the war in Iran.” “The Spanish government—and indeed all of Spanish society—has condemned this war from the outset. We do not support it and consider it illegal. Regrettably, we are not only suffering the pain of loss of life, displacement, and refugees, but economic hardship for our citizens is also beginning to emerge.” (March 19, 2026, 17:15) 4627. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides called for a “frank” discussion on the future of the two British sovereign military bases on the island of Cyprus. Speaking to reporters ahead of the EU summit in Brussels, he said: “Once this unfortunate situation in the Middle East ends, we need an open and frank dialogue regarding the status and future of the British bases in Cyprus.” Christodoulides described these bases as “a colonial legacy” and noted that over 10,000 Cypriots live within the base areas. He added: “We bear responsibility for these people.” When asked whether Cyprus seeks removal of the bases, he stated that Cyprus has a “clear plan,” though he declined to elaborate further. (March 19, 2026, 17:15) 4626. Shell confirmed that its massive Pearl gas-to-liquids plant in Ras Laffan, Qatar, was struck by missiles on Wednesday, causing damage. A spokesperson said no injuries occurred, the fire was “quickly extinguished,” and the facility is “currently secure.” The UK-based energy giant has yet to assess the extent of the damage. However, this $18 billion facility converts natural gas into a range of fuels and chemical feedstocks—and is a critical asset in Shell’s portfolio. In 2024, Shell’s Chief Financial Officer told analysts that the company’s free cash flow would decline by “hundreds of millions of dollars” in one quarter due to maintenance-related shutdowns at the Pearl field. Analysts at RBC Capital Markets estimate that Pearl contributes at least 10% to Shell’s adjusted earnings.

Shell partially restarts Pearl gas-to-liquids plant in Qatar

14 hours ago

Shell partially restarted its Pearl gas-to-liquids plant in Qatar to test facilities and build inventory after March damage, with full repairs expected by Q1 next year pending regional security conditions.

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