US president Donald Trump
United States President Donald Trump vented his frustration over the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) countries’ refusal to take part in the ongoing Middle East tension. Speaking from the White House, he said NATO is making a foolish mistake.
“They don’t want to help us, which is amazing, amazing. We don’t need any help,” he said of asking countries to send troops to the Strait of Hormuz.
“Everyone agrees with us, but they don’t want to help,” he added.
He lashed out at the countries after his unsuccessful appeal to send their naval ships to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
“The United States has been informed by most of our NATO ‘Allies’ that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform, claiming that “almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing.”
“We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need,” Donald Trump said.
He further claimed that 41,000 Iranians protesting against the theocratic government have lost their lives.
Responding to a question about the resignation of US National Counterterrorism Centre director Joe Kent, President Trump said Kent was “very weak on security.”
“When I read his statement, I thought it was a good thing he’s out because he said Iran was not a threat,” Trump said. “Every country knew what a threat Iran was – the question was whether they wanted to do something about it.”
Kent resigned on Tuesday, saying he can no longer support the war in Iran. “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran,” Kent said. “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”
“We cannot make this mistake again,” he added.
On rising oil prices after several ships remained stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump dismissed it as a “temporary issue.”
“We’re knocking the hell out of the coast. It won’t be too long. Your prices are gonna drop like a rock,” he said. “You watch.”
“The Middle Eastern states, including Israel, by the way – who has been terrific – have been helping us a lot,” he claimed.
The US embassy in Baghdad came under Iranians rockets and drone attacks, Al Jazeera cited security sources. These are fresh attacks after the facility resumed operations earlier in the morning.
Baghdad International Airport was also attacked with the sound of three explosions, activating C-RAM air defence systems, the sources added.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The death toll in Lebanon has risen to 912, and 2,221 wounded in Israeli attacks since March 2, the Ministry of Public Health released a statement.
Two soldiers were killed while travelling between Zebdin and Nabatieh.
In the Abba and Jebchit in southern Lebanon, one person died and another was seriously injured when an air strike hit a car near a school, the National News Agency reported.
In the aftermath of Iran’s football team deciding to withdraw from the upcoming FIFA World Cup scheduled in June this year, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country is ready to host the team if football’s governing body FIFA agrees.
Mexico, along with the United States and Canada, are hosts. Iran’s government had earlier clarified that the football team would not set foot on US soil.
Joining his NATO colleagues, President Emmanuel Macron clarified that France has no interest in participating in the war started by the United States and Israel.
Speaking at the start of a cabinet meeting to discuss the conflict in the Middle East, Macron said France is not a party to the conflict and therefore would not take part in any military action to open or secure the key shipping route under the current circumstances. “We will not participate in operations to unblock the Strait of Hormuz while hostilities continue,” he said.
The Israeli military said it had carried out strikes on Basij militia personnel and positions across Tehran over the past few hours.
This development followed the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) claiming it had killed the Revolutionary Guard’s all-volunteer Basij Force Head Gen Gholam Reza Soleimani in an overnight strike. Along with Soleimani, Iran’s Security Chief Ali Larijani is also reportedly dead.
Iranian authorities have not confirmed the reported killings.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released a statement saying that as of March 17, Israel’s Beit Shemesh, Tel Aviv and occupied Jerusalem came under its barrage of missiles.
They also targeted US forces at Kuwait’s Ali al-Salem Air Base, the UAE’s Fujairah and in Iraq’s Erbil, the statement said, published by Iran’s ISNA news agency.
Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s late monarch Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, said Ali Larijani and other senior Iranian figures reportedly killed by Israel had “met the fate they deserved.”
In a social media post, Pahlavi said Larijani, Gholamreza Soleimani, and several other commanders were responsible for the “ruthless massacre” of Iranians.
“May it serve as a balm for the deep wounds of the great nation of Iran and the scorched hearts of the families of the immortal heroes of the Lion and Sun Revolution,” he wrote.
Poland has joined France and the United Kingdom, along with several others, stating it will not send its troops to fight the US-Israel-Iran war.
Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk rejected his country’s participation in the war after President Trump’s unsuccessful appeal to help form a coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
“We do not plan any expedition to Iran, and this does not raise any doubts on the part of our allies”, Tusk said before a government meeting.
This post was last modified on March 17, 2026 10:56 pm