Situation escalates! Iran launches fierce attack! Ukraine, major news! India and Iran hold emergency talks

Iran’s counterattack operations are still ongoing.

On March 15 local time, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran announced that during “Real Commitment-4” round 52 military operations, they launched fierce strikes against Israel and three U.S. military bases in the Middle East. Additionally, on the 14th, the Israel Defense Forces issued a statement confirming that they carried out targeted strikes on Tehran, killing two senior officials from Iran’s intelligence agencies.

It is noteworthy that the spillover risk of the US-Iran conflict is increasing. On March 15, according to Xinhua News Agency, Ibrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, stated that due to Ukraine providing assistance to Israel, Ukraine has become a legitimate target for Iran’s strikes. Moreover, due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, about 20 oil tankers remain stranded near the Strait of Hormuz. Sources revealed that India is engaged in a new round of emergency negotiations with Iran to ensure the safe passage of these ships.

Iran: Launches Fierce Attacks

On March 15, CCTV News reported that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran issued a statement early that morning, claiming that during the 52nd round of “Real Commitment-4” military operations, they launched fierce strikes against Israel and three U.S. military bases in the Middle East.

Shortly afterward, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that they detected ballistic missile launches from Iran. No casualties have been reported. It is said that this was the third ballistic missile attack launched by Iran against Israel since midnight that day.

According to Xinhua News Agency citing RIA Novosti on the 14th, Ibrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, stated that Ukraine’s assistance to Israel has made Ukraine a legitimate target for Iran’s strikes.

Azizi posted on social media on the 14th that Ukraine’s support related to drones has effectively involved it in the war, making its entire territory a legitimate target for Iran.

Ukrainian President Zelensky has recently expressed willingness to help relevant countries intercept Iranian drones. Reuters previously reported that Ukraine has dispatched counter-drone experts to the Middle East, who are ready to begin operations in the coming days.

U.S. President Trump said on the 13th that the U.S. does not need Ukraine’s help in defending against drone attacks. On the same day, Bloomberg, citing U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Drezner, reported that the U.S. has deployed 10,000 intercept drones originally intended for Ukraine to the Middle East to counter Iran’s aerial strikes.

It is reported that within five days after the U.S. and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on February 28, this “Harpy” drone interception system was transported to the Middle East as part of the U.S. military’s deployment to counter Iran’s drone and missile threats.

Israel: Kill Two Senior Iranian Intelligence Officials

According to Xinhua News Agency, the Israel Defense Forces issued a statement on the 14th, confirming that they carried out targeted strikes on Tehran, killing two senior officials from Iran’s intelligence agencies.

The IDF said that Abdollah Jallali-Nasab and Amir Shariat, senior officials from the intelligence department of the Iranian armed forces’ Hatam Abiyah emergency command, were killed. During the first round of joint strikes by the U.S. and Israel against Iran, the head of the command’s intelligence department, Saleh Asadi, was killed. Jallali-Nasab and Shariat subsequently took over. The IDF stated that these two are “key figures” in Iran’s intelligence community and are closely connected to the Iranian regime leadership.

The IDF said that the intelligence department of the Hatam Abiyah emergency command is responsible for intelligence analysis, and senior Iranian security officials rely on this intelligence in their threat assessments, which form the basis for Israel’s strikes.

The IDF claims to have killed dozens of senior Iranian regime commanders, “severely damaging” Iran’s command and control system and operational coordination capabilities.

According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, Iranian government spokesman Mohajerani said on the 14th that over 42,000 Iranian civilian facilities have been damaged in the 15 days since the large-scale airstrikes launched by the U.S. and Israel.

Mohajerani stated that more than 42,000 civilian facilities have been affected, including over 36,000 residential buildings and 6,179 commercial facilities.

Regarding the medical system, Mohajerani said that 43 emergency units have been damaged, with 3 completely destroyed, and 35 medical units and 152 health centers affected. Additionally, 120 schools have been severely damaged.

India and Iran: Emergency Negotiations

CCTV Finance cited Reuters on the 13th, reporting that due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, about 20 oil tankers remain stranded near the Strait of Hormuz. Sources revealed that India is engaged in a new round of emergency negotiations with Iran to ensure the safe passage of these ships.

Experts say that if the military conflict continues, disruptions in energy supplies could slow India’s economic growth. India is the world’s second-largest importer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), relying on imports for two-thirds of its LPG needs, with 85% to 90% of its imported LPG coming from the Middle East. India is also the fourth-largest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), with about half of its supply dependent on imports, mostly from the Middle East.

India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed on the 13th to establish a “stability fund” totaling 573 billion rupees (about 42.7 billion RMB) to address supply chain disruptions and other risks.

Morgan Stanley downgraded India’s stocks to “equal-weight” due to the country’s high vulnerability to oil supply disruptions.

Additionally, inflation rebound and rising oil prices have further squeezed the Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy space. Nomura’s report indicated that rising oil prices are reducing expectations for rate cuts, and policy rates are expected to remain unchanged. Bloomberg reported that the RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra has previously signaled that rates will stay steady for an extended period, and most economists expect no change in policy stance in the short term.

Editor: Yang Yucheng

Layout: Liu Junyu

Proofreading: Wang Jincheng