West Asian War Daily Bulletin – March 23, 2026 | Day 24 of Operation Epic Fury

Trump announces a five-day pause on military action against Iran following positive discussions. Brent crude plummets over 14% to $101.31/bbl. Two Indian-flagged LPG tankers cross the Strait of Hormuz via the Iranian-controlled route. PM Modi confirms 1,000 Indian nationals have returned safely from Iran.

March 23, 2026

Iran
West Asia

Authors

Today’s Key Developments

This space provides a daily brief tracking key developments in the West Asian conflict.

India

Foreign Policy & Neighbourhood

  • In a Lok Sabha address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed that 1,000 Indian nationals have returned safely from Iran, including over 700 medical students.
  • Two Indian-flagged LPG tankers, Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, are currently crossing the Strait of Hormuz via the route between Larak and Hormuz Islands — the passage under Iranian control. Both vessels are expected to reach their destination within five days.

Geopolitics

Strait of Hormuz

  • Two Indian-flagged LPG tanker vessels, Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, crossed the Strait of Hormuz by passing between Larak and Hormuz Islands — the route under Iranian control. Both vessels are likely to reach their destination within the next five days.

Pakistan

  • Pakistan has reportedly positioned itself as a mediator in the ongoing West Asian conflict, pitching Islamabad as a possible venue for talks involving US and Iranian officials.

China

  • In response to the US demand that Iran open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or face strikes on Iranian power plants, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian warned that if fighting continues to escalate, “the entire region will fall into an uncontrollable situation,” arguing that the use of force will only lead to a vicious cycle. China strongly urged all parties to immediately cease military operations and return to dialogue, calling this “a war which should never have started.”

Global Systems

Energy & Supply Chains

  • Brent crude traded at $101.31 a barrel on March 23, plummeting over 14% after President Trump announced a five-day pause on military actions against Iran following positive discussions. Despite the drop, prices remain significantly higher than earlier in the month.
  • US President Donald Trump postponed strikes on Iranian power plants for a five-day period.
  • India’s crude imports from Russia have already reached 39.9 million barrels in the first 20 days of March. Due to the urgency of shipments required, crude was bought at $4–5 per barrel above Brent, instead of the discounted rates previously secured.

Defence & Security

Weapons Systems & Defence Tech

  • The United States has been using a high volume of Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles to try and bypass Iran’s air defences.
  • The UAE has intercepted several drones and ballistic missiles using THAAD and Patriot batteries. However, there have been reports of injuries caused by falling interceptor debris.
  • The IRGC claims that Iran deployed variants of the Khorramshahr-4 and Qadr missiles with multi-segment warheads, designed to overwhelm Israel’s Arrow and Patriot networks.

War Tactics & Strategy

  • While Israel focused on its ground pursuit of Hezbollah across its northern borders, its targeting of South Pars has been an act of considerable escalation.
  • President Trump announced a strategic pause in US military action against Iran, while Iran has attempted to leverage its claimed resistance successes and showcase its reach in the Indian Ocean Region.

This bulletin is prepared by the Takshashila West Asia Desk. For queries, contact research@takshashila.org.in.