Iran Conflict — 2026-03-18

Iran Launches Revenge Missile Barrage on Israel; Cluster Munitions Strike Ramat Gan

Iran's Revolutionary Guards fired a retaliatory missile barrage at central Israel following the Larijani assassination. Cluster munitions struck the Ramat Gan area, killing an elderly couple. Missile trails visible over Netanya indicate Iranian missiles penetrated air defenses over the coastal corridor, suggesting Israel's multi-layered defense system is not providing complete coverage against massed salvos.

Analysis
Janes reported March 17 that Iranian missile launch rates show no degradation since Day 3 despite CENTCOM claims of 90% ballistic capacity reduction. The Ramat Gan penetration validates this assessment -- Iran retains meaningful retaliatory capability 19 days into the campaign.

View in full brief →

UNCLASSIFIED // OPEN SOURCE