Day 18 of the war (morning): Allies reject Trump's coalition for Hormuz, Israel enters southern Lebanon

US President Donald Trump criticized allies on Sunday for a "lack of enthusiasm" in securing the Strait of Hormuz and threatened that he would remember it. "Whether we get support or not, I told them: We will remember," Trump declared aboard Air Force One. In an interview with the Financial Times, he warned that not getting involved "will be very bad for the future of NATO." Trump claims that "numerous countries" have told him they are "on the way," but he refused to specify which ones — Secretary of State Marco Rubio is reportedly expected to announce this officially. NPR ↗

The allies' response was unequivocal. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius declared: "This is not our war, we did not start it." Berlin ruled out any "military participation" in the operation in the strait. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer rejected the requests, saying London "will not be drawn into a wider war." Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini announced that "sending warships into a war zone would mean entering the war." Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles categorically rejected "any temporary solutions" and emphasized that the goal must be to end the war. Australia, Japan, Poland, and Sweden confirmed they would not be sending warships. The EU's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, stated after a meeting of ministers that there is "no appetite" among member states to extend the existing Aspides naval mission into the Strait of Hormuz. NBC News ↗

The Israeli military announced on Sunday the start of "limited and targeted ground operations" in southern Lebanon. The IDF's 91st Division entered the strategic town of Khiam, on high ground overlooking northern Galilee, along with other towns including Yater, Burj Qalawiye, and Sultaniyeh. According to Defense Minister Israel Katz, the goal is to "eliminate threats and protect the residents of Galilee and the north" — effectively cutting off Hezbollah's supply routes running through the Bekaa Valley. Lebanese authorities said evacuation orders had forced more than a million people from their homes. Al Jazeera ↗

On Monday, columns of black smoke rose over Tehran after a new wave of Israeli strikes. The IDF confirmed an attack on an intelligence headquarters "linked to the Iranian regime" in central Tehran, located in a building belonging to the Iranian energy company. Iran's Mehr news agency reported a "response to hostile targets in the sky" over the capital. In northern Israel, six people required treatment after a rocket strike in the city of Nahariya — four adults and two teenagers suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation. NBC News ↗

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) released an updated tally for Operation Epic Fury — since it began on February 28, more than 100 Iranian ships have been damaged or destroyed, more than 6,500 combat sorties have been flown, and 7,000 targets have been hit. Oil exports from Gulf states fell by 60 to 71 percent in the week ending March 15 compared to February — from an average of 25 million barrels per day to 7.5–9.7 million. The price of Brent crude rose 2.45 percent on Monday morning to $102.57 per barrel, and US WTI rose 2.51 percent to $95.85. CNBC ↗

Trump suggested on Sunday that Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, may be "disfigured" or dead. "We don't know, Peter, whether he's dead or not," he told reporters. The White House, meanwhile, explains its reluctance to negotiate with Iran by saying the administration "is not certain that Mojtaba Khamenei is actually in command." Meanwhile, the US State Department instructed diplomats abroad to press host governments by Friday to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations. NBC News ↗