LIVE: Blow for Trump as US counterterror chief resigns over Iran conflict
Joe Kent, a former Green Beret with ties to far-right figures, steps down, saying Iran posed no imminent threat and the war was driven by external pressures
Here is the top, trending news of Tuesday, March 17, 2026, including Iran war, Indian politics, states’ politics, geopolitics, federal issues, economics, development issues, sports, entertainment, and so on.
Scroll below for updates.
Live Updates
- 17 March 2026 8:15 PM IST
Top US counterterrorism official resigns over Iran war, says Iran posed no imminent threat
Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, announced his resignation on Tuesday, saying he “cannot in good conscience” back the Trump administration's war in Iran.
Kent said on social media 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.” There was no immediate comment from the White House.
Kent, a former political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists, was confirmed to his post last July on a 52-44 vote.
As head of the National Counterterrorism Centre, he was in charge of an agency tasked with analysing and detecting terrorist threats.
Before entering President Donald Trump's administration, Kent ran two unsuccessful campaigns for Congress in Washington state. He also served in the military, seeing 11 deployments as a Green Beret, followed by work at the CIA.
Democrats strongly opposed Kent's confirmation, pointing to his past ties to far-right figures and conspiracy theories. During his 2022 congressional campaign, Kent paid Graham Jorgensen, a member of the far-right military group the Proud Boys, for consulting work. He also worked closely with Joey Gibson, the founder of the Christian nationalist group Patriot Prayer, and attracted support from a variety of far-right figures.
During his Senate confirmation hearing, Kent also refused to distance himself from a conspiracy theory that federal agents instigated the January 6, 2021, attack at the Capitol, as well as false claims that Trump, a Republican, won the 2020 election over Democrat Joe Biden.
Democrats grilled Kent on his participation in a group chat on Signal that was used by Trump's national security team to discuss sensitive military plans. Still, Republicans praised Kent's counterterrorism qualifications, pointing to his military and intelligence experience.
- 17 March 2026 6:20 PM IST
Lok Sabha revokes suspension of 8 Oppn MPs, Birla warns against placards and AI images
The Lok Sabha on Tuesday revoked with immediate effect the suspension of eight opposition members who were barred from the House on February 3 for "unruly" behaviour, with Speaker Om Birla stressing that there should be no display of placards, posters, photos or AI-generated images inside the House or in the Parliament complex.
Congress member K Suresh requested the House to consider the revocation of the eight opposition members, saying whatever had happened in the House was regrettable, and that his party was ready to cooperate in the smooth functioning of the House.
Following the submissions by several opposition members, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said there was a need to draw a "Laxman Rekha" for the smooth functioning of the House, which both treasury and opposition benches agreed to.
Speaker Birla said there is a need to ensure that no placards, posters, photos or AI-generated images are displayed in the House or inside the Parliament complex. Birla said that everyone is of the opinion that proceedings in Parliament of the world's largest democracy should be smooth and everyone should cooperate.
Rijiju then moved a motion to remove the suspension of seven Congress MPs and one CPI-M member, which was adopted by a voice vote.
The suspended MPs were Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, C Kiran Kumar Reddy, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Prashant Padole and Dean Kuriakose of the Congress, and S Ventakesan of the CPI(M).
- 17 March 2026 6:03 PM IST
Lok Sabha: TMC's Saugata Roy slams Vaishnaw, says his focus is on 'glamour' trains over poor passengers
Taking a swipe at the Centre, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Saugata Roy on Tuesday alleged that Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was more focused on "glamour" high-speed trains while neglecting those carrying poor people.
Participating in the discussion on the Demands for Grants of the railways ministry for 2026-27, Roy said many projects that were initiated during the tenure of former Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee have not been completed.
The remarks come amid an intense political battle between the TMC and the BJP ahead of the Assembly polls in West Bengal next month.
Drawing a literary comparison, Roy likened the railway minister to the dual characters in the novella 'Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' by Robert Louis Stevenson.
"Dr Jekyll is the good man doing good projects, while Hyde does not provide minimum services to the poor people who travel by trains," Roy said.
The minister's "attention should shift from the high-speed glamour trains to trains carrying poor people," Roy said.
- 17 March 2026 5:30 PM IST
Dead or alive? Confusion swirls around Iran’s security chief Larijani
Conflicting claims emerged on March 17 over the fate of Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, after an alleged Israeli strike. Israeli media reported that the operation targeting him had been confirmed by the IDF chief, suggesting a significant hit. Hours later, however, Larijani appeared active on social media, posting a handwritten tribute to Iranian naval personnel killed in the ongoing conflict, casting doubt on the reports.
The uncertainty deepened when the IDF later declared that Larijani had been “eliminated,” describing him as a central figure in Iran’s leadership and accusing him of directing crackdowns on protests. Meanwhile, Iranian state media carried statements attributed to Larijani criticising the US and Israel, further muddying the narrative.
Alongside these claims, Israel detailed a broader campaign of airstrikes across Iran, targeting military infrastructure in cities including Tehran, Shiraz and Tabriz, as tensions in the region escalated. Read the full story here
- 17 March 2026 5:02 PM IST
Centre says energy crisis remains a matter of concern
The Centre on Tuesday (March 17) said the country’s energy situation remains under strain amid tensions involving Iran, the US and Israel, while urging calm over domestic LPG availability.
Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, asked households to use LPG carefully and consider alternative cooking options where possible. She maintained that supplies remain steady and deliveries are continuing without disruption, noting that about 94% of bookings are now made online.
"On the issue of LPG, I would like to reiterate that the situation still remains a matter of concern. However, no LPG distributor is facing a dry-out situation at present. In addition, LPG supplies and cylinder deliveries for all domestic consumers are continuing as usual. With regard to online booking, I would like to inform you that there has been a significant improvement, and as of today, nearly 94% of cylinder bookings are being made online,” Sharma said.
She added, “There has also been improvement in the delivery authentication code system, which has now reached 76%. As far as commercial LPG supplies are concerned, these were initially completely halted but were later partially restored.”
Authorities have stepped up enforcement, conducting thousands of raids nationwide, seizing cylinders and making arrests to curb hoarding and black marketing. Read the full story here
- 17 March 2026 4:19 PM IST
Israel says 2 top Iranian officials killed in airstrikes in blow to Tehran leadership
Iran's top security official and the head of the Revolutionary Guard's Basij militia were both killed in overnight strikes in a blow to the country's leadership, Israel's defence minister said Tuesday, while Tehran defiantly fired new salvos of missiles and drones at its Gulf Arab neighbours and Israel.
Both security official Ali Larijani and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani were “eliminated last night," Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. Iranian state media did not immediately confirm either death. However, within hours of the Israeli military's claim, Larijani in a post on X paid homage to the Iranian Navy who died in the ongoing conflict with the US and Israel.
"On the occasion of the funeral ceremony for the valiant martyrs of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Navy: Their memory will forever remain in the heart of the Iranian nation, and these martyrdoms will strengthen the foundation of the Islamic Republic's Army for years to come within the structure of the armed forces. I beseech the Almighty God for the highest ranks for these dear martyrs," stated Larijani.
The announcement came after the Israeli military had earlier said it had carried out a “wide-scale wave of strikes” across Iran's capital and stepped up strikes on Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
Israel also reported two incoming salvos before dawn from Iran at Tel Aviv and elsewhere, and said Hezbollah targeted Israel's north.
Incoming Iranian missiles on the United Arab Emirates prompted Dubai, a major transit hub for international travel, to briefly shut its airspace and a man was killed by the debris of a missile intercepted over Abu Dhabi.
- 17 March 2026 3:43 PM IST
Amid Iran conflict, govt cracks down on LPG hoarding, 15,000 cylinders seized
A nationwide crackdown on illegal LPG use has led to an intense round of enforcement activity, with thousands of raids carried out across multiple states, according to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Speaking to reporters, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery), described the scale of the drive. “Regarding enforcement action, so far, about twelve thousand raids have been conducted in the last few days.”
The operations have resulted in large-scale seizures. “About fifteen thousand cylinders have been seized," she said.
The action has been particularly visible in key states. In Delhi, around 600 cylinders were seized in a single day, while Uttar Pradesh saw roughly 450 inspections and raids, leading to ten arrests.
Sharma detailed the state-level enforcement. “Yesterday in Delhi, about six hundred cylinders were seized," she said.
“Similarly, in Uttar Pradesh, about four hundred and fifty inspections and raids have been conducted in the last few days. Ten people have also been arrested," she added.
Elsewhere, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 564 raids with FIRs filed, Kerala reported nearly a thousand inspections, and Madhya Pradesh carried out about 1,200 raids.
“Inspection teams of our oil marketing companies have also been activated and surprise inspections have been conducted at about two and a half thousand retail outlets and LPG distributorships...”
- 17 March 2026 1:44 PM IST
Australia and New Zealand call for an end to the war
Australian and New Zealand government ministers agree the Middle East war should end as quickly as possible.
Australian and New Zealand foreign and defence ministers met for annual talks on Tuesday in Australia's capital, Canberra.
“We discussed the escalating situation in the Middle East. We want this crisis to end as quickly as possible and move to a negotiated solution,” New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters told reporters at a joint press conference after the meeting. - 17 March 2026 1:43 PM IST
Iranian parliament speaker says Strait of Hormuz cannot be as it was before
The Speaker of Iran's parliament told Iranian state television that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be “as it was before” as Iranian fire keeps nearly all traffic out of the strategic waterway.
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made the comment in an interview aired Tuesday as Iranian fire continues to target shipping in the region.
“They are flying, launching missiles, should we just sit back and do nothing in response, or not? Naturally, it is our undeniable right. We must do this,” Qalibaf said.
“Let me speak clearly, the Strait of Hormuz has always been important, one of the world's key strategic chokepoints,” Qalibaf said.“But look at this strategic mistake by the Americans and the Zionist regime, this trap they set, and the recklessness they showed, has turned this potential into an active reality. This is a high-risk opportunity.” The Strait typically sees 20 per cent of all oil and natural gas traded pass through it. - 17 March 2026 1:42 PM IST
Iranian ambassador in Turkmenistan calls for US withdrawal
Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani, Iran's ambassador in Turkmenistan, says it will defend the Strait of Hormuz and calls for US forces to withdraw.
“I have a proposal for Trump: if he wants stability and passage through the Strait of Hormuz, he must ensure that his military forces withdraw from the strait,” the ambassador said in Ashgabat on Monday.
“The Strait of Hormuz is not currently closed. But as a result of this aggression, no ships can pass through the strait, and we will defend its stability and security,” he said.
The ambassador added that US and Israeli forces “have other targets in the region.” “They've targeted water treatment plants, fuel storage facilities, and other facilities. These ongoing threats must end,” he said.
