A Middle East Airlines plane takes off from Rafik Hariri International Airport as smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
The widening U.S.-Israeli war with Iran is choking the Strait of Hormuz and sending energy and security shocks around the world. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said the U.S. does not need help from allies or NATO to break Iran’s grip on the key waterway. Analysts say ships there would face Iranian missiles, drones, and mines. Earlier, Israel said it killed two top Iranian security figures, stripping most of the theocratic government's leadership. Iran has kept firing missiles and drones at Gulf targets, and Iraqi officials say drones attacked the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, where a massive fire could be seen.