Killing of Iranian leader raises fears of power vacuum

Plus, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton advances in Illinois' Democratic primary.

Today's Top Stories from NBC News WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2026 In today's newsletter: The killing of yet another Iranian leader has raised concerns about a power vacuum. The Illinois Senate primary was won by a progressive candidate who supports abolishing ICE. And the White House's own prescription drugs site TrumpRx isn't doing much for prices. Here's what to know today. ▼ The Lead Israel says it killed another Iranian leader, but that doesn't mean it's winning the war (@IsraeliPM via X) Israel yesterday announced the killing of Ali Larijani, Iran's top national security chief and one the Islamic Republic's most senior leaders. His death, along with that of Basij militia chief Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani, dealt another significant blow to Iran. But it may cause the regime to harden rather than weaken as its opponents might have hoped, analysts told NBC News. Many Western observers fear that, by taking out Iran's current leaders, it will only create a vacuum to be filled by the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the country's feared paramilitary, political and economic behemoth. "If you look at how the assassination of Ali Khamenei empowered the most hard-line and security elements within the Islamic Republic of Iran, then Larijani's death could act as an accelerator to that path,"  said Ellie Geranmayeh, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.  Ultimately, Larijani's death will be little comfort to the rest of the world as it faces an oil crisis and a global economic shock in the wake of the war. Read more on how Larijani's death affects the war. Follow NBC News' live blog for more war updates. More Iran news: Rebuffed by allies, Trump now says the U.S. doesn't need help defending the Strait of Hormuz. Joe Kent, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, has resigned over the war in Iran. The retired Green Beret's decision puts a spotlight on his boss and political ally, National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, another longtime critic of "regime change" wars. U.S. embassies and consulate posts were ordered to "immediately" conduct security reviews as attacks spread. ✱ FOR SUBSCRIBERS Did Trump pardon more people than he intended to? A man charged in connection with dropping pipe bombs believes he's part of a group Trump pardoned for participating in the Jan. 6 attack. Gary Grumbach explains the new legal dilemma.   Become an NBC News subscriber to access this exclusive video briefing → ▼ Top Stories Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton wins Democratic Senate primary in Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won the Democratic Senate primary in Illinois, vaulting ahead of two members of Congress with a financial boost from Gov. JB Pritzker. If she wins the general election, she would become the sixth Black woman to serve in the Senate, and a historic three Black women would serve in the Senate at the same time. Stratton cast herself as the most progressive choice, supporting policies such as a $25 minimum wage and abolishing ICE, and managed to overcome a significant financial disadvantage. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, a prolific House fundraiser, spent $29 million on ads in the primary, while Rep. Robin Kelly spent $1.4 million and Stratton spent $1.1 million. Meanwhile, Pritzker will face Republican Darren Bailey in November as he seeks a third term, a rematch of their 2022 race. And Evanston mayor Daniel Biss won his crowded primary race to replace retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky, capping a quartet of contentious open seat contests. Read more about the high-spending Senate battle. More politics news: The Republican primary runoff in the Texas Senate race between Sen. John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton will continue after a deadline for a candidate to drop out of the race passed. The Senate has begun debating the SAVE America Act, though it's unlikely to pass. A new bill introduced in the Senate seeks to regulate the Pentagon's use of AI. Chief Justice John Roberts said personal criticism of judges has "got to stop" days after Trump's most recent criticism of the Supreme Court. TrumpRx isn't doing much for drug prices. What would it take to change that? The White House launched the TrumpRx site in an attempt to address Americans' fury about rising drug prices. But more than a month later, the site only offers discounts on 54 prescription drugs, and many medications already have cheaper generic versions or savings programs available elsewhere. An administration official said they don't see the site as the "end product" for lowering prescription drug costs, acknowledging the program is still in early days. But whether TrumpRx actually lowers prices matters in ways that go beyond the success of the website itself. For President Donald Trump, it's tied to a broader push on health care costs as the midterms approach. But for many Americans, the issue taps into something deeper — years of frustration with a system they say feels stacked against them. With the right investments, experts said TrumpRx has potential to go beyond existing discount programs by tapping into a market of people with private or job-based insurance, but the site is still limited by its small scale. What it would take for TrumpRX to make a bigger impact. The best of NBC News. Fewer ad interruptions. All in one place. Ad-free articles, podcasts and full episodes of NBC News Shows Ad-free live news, streaming on NBC News NOW Subscriber-only video briefings and newsletter LEARN MORE The best of NBC News. Fewer ad interruptions. All in one place. Ad-free articles, podcasts and full episodes of NBC News Shows Ad-free live news, streaming on NBC News NOW Subscriber-only video briefings and newsletter LEARN MORE ▼ Read All About It Nicotine pouches like Zyn are all the rage. But as they grow in popularity, litter is becoming a big problem. Venezuela won its first World Baseball Classic title, defeating Team USA 3-2 in the championship game.  NASA confirmed a fiery meteor caused a loud boom and was felt in parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania. Filming for "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" was paused due to the show's star Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex being involved in an "ongoing investigation," sources said. Several "Cesar Chavez Day" activities are reportedly being canceled across the country amid allegations of inappropriate behavior against the late civil rights activist. ▼ Staff Pick He was a perfect hire — until a U.S. company exposed him as a likely North Korean operative. This is one of those stranger-than-fiction stories that I just couldn't put out of my mind: North Korean workers infiltrating remote jobs in America to help fund their illicit missile program. Several months ago, I was in touch with a cybersecurity company, Nisos, about the work they were doing for clients, which includes identifying this kind of employment fraud. When they identified an applicant of their own, they decided to use it as an opportunity to learn more about how the schemes functioned. What I found so compelling was the insights Nisos gained from the worker, known as Jo. There has been a lot written about the technologies North Korea uses to purport their cyber ambitions, but this case allowed us to learn more about the human dynamics — what motivates the workers, how they communicate among each other and the cadence of their days. Turns out they, too, use emojis and make after-work plans with their colleagues. I was surprised by how prevalent IT schemes are among major American companies and by how successful North Korea's cyber capabilities continue to be. The regime is operating as if it has nothing to lose economically and everything to gain — and it's working. — Lisa Cavazuti, investigative unit producer ▼ NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified In honor of National Sleep Awareness month, Select editors spoke with experts to find the best devices to help you stop snoring. They also investigated whether white noise machines can help improve sleep and if you really should give into the hype around mouth taping. Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week. Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown. 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