CAIRO, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran entered its 19th day on Wednesday, with strikes targeting the North Pars gas field, prompting Iran to retaliate against regional energy facilities. The attacks have driven oil prices higher, raising fears of a major energy crisis if the region's key energy infrastructure continues to be hit.

The following is a brief overview of the latest developments in the escalating crisis affecting much of the region and beyond.

The United States

-- The United States has struck over 7,800 Iranian targets and sunk more than 120 naval ships since the beginning of the operation, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday.

-- Oil prices surged on Wednesday following a strike on Iran's North Pars gas field. The U.S. Federal Reserve now projects its preferred inflation gauge will reach 2.7 percent by the end of 2026, citing expected price shocks from the war in Iran.

-- The Trump administration is scrambling to bolster oil supplies amid the Iran conflict. The U.S. government said on Wednesday that companies will be allowed to resume limited business with Venezuela's state-owned oil and gas company after the Treasury Department eased sanctions.

-- U.S. intelligence concluded Wednesday that Iran is not rebuilding nuclear enrichment capacities destroyed last year by U.S. and Israeli forces, contradicting a key justification cited by President Donald Trump for the ongoing military campaign.

Israel

-- Israel announced it will press ahead with its campaign of targeted killings of senior Iranian officials, following the assassination of Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib.

-- Since March 1, Israel has more than doubled its troop presence along the Lebanese border and is conducting door-to-door searches in southern Lebanese villages that were previously ordered to be evacuated, according to a senior Israeli commander.

-- Israeli authorities confirmed that debris from Iranian missile strikes landed at Ben Gurion International Airport, causing damage to three private aircraft.

-- The Israeli military said that it had targeted Hezbollah-owned fuel stations in southern Lebanon, striking sites belonging to the Iranian-backed militant group.

Iran

-- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed Wednesday that Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib was killed in a recent attack.

-- Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued an evacuation warning for several oil facilities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. The warning came after Iran's North Pars gas field was targeted by the U.S.-Israeli strikes.

-- Commenting on the attack on North Pars, Pezeshkian said such "aggressive acts" will complicate the situation and "could have uncontrollable consequences, the scope of which could engulf the entire world."

-- In a written message, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said that those responsible for the Israeli strike that killed top security chief Ali Larijani would "pay the price soon," signaling Tehran's intent to pursue retribution.

Lebanon

-- Lebanon's health ministry reported Wednesday that Israeli attacks have killed 968 people since the war erupted with Hezbollah on March 2, up from 912 a day earlier.

-- Israel struck central Beirut early Wednesday without warning, killing at least six people, while claiming to target southern regions of the country.

Türkiye

-- NATO deployed an additional Patriot air defense system to southern Adana province, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Wednesday, after intercepting a ballistic missile fired from Iran toward Turkish airspace last week.

Iraq

-- Iraq's Electricity Ministry said Iran's gas shipments have ceased entirely, causing a loss of more than 3,000 megawatts from the national grid amid rising regional tensions.

-- Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces reported that three members were killed and several others wounded in a U.S.-Israeli airstrike in western Anbar province.

Saudi Arabia

-- Saudi air defenses intercepted eight ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh on Wednesday evening, the Ministry of Defence said. Four missiles were destroyed, and debris from one fell near a refinery south of the capital.

Oman

-- Oman's Foreign Ministry condemned attacks on energy facilities in Iran's South Pars gas field, calling the strikes a dangerous escalation threatening regional security and global energy supplies.

Kuwait

-- Kuwait's Ministry of Defence said its air defenses successfully engaged four ballistic missiles and 23 UAVs in the last 24 hours amid the ongoing regional military escalation, Kuwait News Agency reported.

United Arab Emirates

-- The UAE warned Wednesday that targeting energy facilities in Iran's South Pars gas field threatens both global energy security and regional stability.

Qatar

-- QatarEnergy reported Wednesday that missile strikes hit Ras Laffan Industrial City, causing extensive damage and igniting fires that have since been brought under control.

-- Qatar's foreign ministry has ordered Iran's military and security attaches, along with their staff, to leave the country within 24 hours. ■