Iran War Day 21: Netanyahu blasphemes; Iran strikes Gulf energy sites, Israel, U.S. jet

During the 21st day of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, comments from Netanyahu sparked significant controversy among Christians and Catholics for blasphemous language; Iran launched missile and drone strikes on energy infrastructure across the Gulf; Gulf nations condemned the attacks on “civilian infrastructure” and urged Iran to immediately halt strikes across the region; Iran fired ballistic missiles toward Israel with debris, killing four women and one unborn child in the West Bank; and a U.S. F-35 jet was reportedly damaged by suspected Iranian fire during a combat mission, forcing an emergency landing.

Netanyahu’s comments spark controversy 

At a March 19 press conference in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu drew from historians Ariel and Will Durant’s book The Lessons of History to reflect on the relationship between moral virtue and political power, invoking a comparison between Jesus Christ and Genghis Khan as to illustrate his point.

“It is not enough to be moral. It is not enough to be just. It is not enough to be right.” Netanyahu said.

“Jesus Christ has no advantage over Genghis Khan. If you are strong enough, ruthless enough, and powerful enough, evil will overcome good.”

The comments sparked significant controversy, especially among Christians and Catholics who expressed shock by the blasphemous language employed.

Iran launches retaliatory strikes on energy sites

As Zeale News previously reported, Israel struck the South Pars gas field March 18 in what was widely decried as a major escalation in the war. South Pars is the world’s largest source of natural gas and is vitally important to global energy markets. Trump criticized the strikes in a TruthSocial post and said the U.S. was not informed in advance. 

Within hours, in a statement on X, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned Israel’s strikes and warned of “uncontrollable consequences” that “could engulf the entire world.”

Iran then launched missile and drone attacks targeting Gulf energy infrastructure in several countries viewed as hosting U.S. assets or enabling the conflict. 

Iran’s attacks hit Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, the world’s largest liquefied natural gas export hub, causing fires and disrupting production. QatarEnergy confirmed the strikes in an X post and issued a follow-up statement detailing the damage. 

Additional strikes targeted oil and gas facilities in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. Officials in those countries reported a mix of damage, fires and intercepted projectiles, according to Reuters reports. 

No civilian deaths were reported from the strikes as of March 19. 

In a March 19 X post, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated Iran would show "zero restraint" if infrastructure is attacked again.

“Our response to Israel's attack on our infrastructure employed FRACTION of our power,” he wrote.  

Gulf governments respond, call for halt to attacks 

A group of Gulf countries condemned Iran’s missile and drone attacks across the region, calling them “deliberate attacks” on civilian areas and urging an immediate halt, according to a joint March 19 statement issued after a meeting in Riyadh.

Foreign ministers from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates said the strikes targeted “residential areas” and “civilian infrastructure,” including oil facilities, airports, and diplomatic sites, and “could not be justified under any pretext.”

The ministers stressed that affected countries have the right to defend themselves under international law and called on Iran to “immediately halt its attacks” and respect “the sovereignty of states” and “principles of good neighborliness.”

They warned that future relations with Iran would depend on ending “interference in internal affairs” and halting support for armed groups in the region.

The statement also urged Iran to comply with a UN Security Council resolution calling for an “immediate halt to all attacks” and cautioned against any threat to shipping routes, including the Strait of Hormuz.

The ministers reaffirmed support for Lebanon’s “security, stability, and territorial integrity,” while also condemning Israeli actions in the country.

>> Airstrikes hit central Beirut apartment building as scrutiny grows over Israel’s conduct in Lebanon << 

Iran strikes in Israel

Iran also launched multiple waves of ballistic missile attacks toward Israel overnight into March 19, setting off air raid sirens across the country and sending residents into shelters, according to Israeli authorities cited in local reports from The Times of Israel and Haaretz. 

It was not immediately clear whether the damage was caused by missile impacts or debris from interceptions, but fragments fell into civilian areas in the West Bank. According to a report from Al Jazeera, shrapnel struck a women's hair salon, causing several fatalities. 

Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and Palestinian Health Ministry initially reported March 19 three women were killed at the salon. The death count rose to four after Asil Samir Masalme, a pregnant woman in her sixth month succumbed to her injuries. Thirteen people were injured, two critically, according to PRCS. 

According to the reports, shrapnel also hit the Bazan oil refinery in Haifa, causing fires and smoke but only limited damage, according to Israel Energy Minister Eli Cohen. Cohen said that “no significant damage to infrastructure sites” was caused in the attack.

First reported US aircraft being hit by Iranian forces

A U.S. F-35 fighter jet was forced to make an emergency landing on March 19 after reportedly being struck by suspected Iranian surface-to-air fire during a combat mission over Iran, according to reports and a statement from U.S. Central Command spokesperson, Navy Captain Tim Hawkins. 

In a statement, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed their air defenses hit the jet around 2:50 a.m. local time, saying they “severely damaged” it in the strike. Tasnim News Agency also posted footage it reported to be targeting and striking the aircraft, writing, “So much for air superiority.” 

The Air Force has not commented on the damage and only confirmed the emergency landing rather than a full shoot-down. 

In an emailed statement to media outlets, Hawkins said, “We are aware of reports that a U.S. F-35 aircraft conducted an emergency landing at a regional U.S. airbase after flying a combat mission over Iran. The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition. This incident is under investigation.”

This marks the first reported case of a U.S. aircraft being hit by Iranian forces in the ongoing conflict.