The war in Iran, launched by the United States and Israel on February 28, marked its first month on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Thousands have been killed across the Middle East, with widespread destruction leaving many families homeless. At a United Nations press conference on Friday, Maria Martinez, head of the Iranian Red Crescent delegation, said medical teams were still rescuing survivors from collapsed buildings, with some workers finding their own relatives among the dead.

The conflict has expanded beyond Iran into neighboring Gulf areas. Since February 28, at least 1,900 people have been killed in Iran. In Lebanon, Israeli attacks since March 2 have killed 1,142 people, including 122 children, and injured 3,315 others. Iraq has reported 96 deaths, including 13 in the Kurdistan region. Four Palestinians were killed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank by Iranian missile strikes.

The U.S. Central Command confirmed the deaths of 13 American soldiers since the war began. Israel reported 19 civilian deaths within its territory and four soldiers killed in southern Lebanon.

The United States and Israel launched attacks on two of Iran’s largest steel factories, Khuzestan and Mobarakeh, amid ongoing regional tensions. Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported the strikes on Friday, while emergency units were deployed to the sites. According to provincial governor Mehdi Jamalinejad, one person was killed and 15 others injured in the Esfahan attack.

Israel also targeted key infrastructure, including a power plant and civilian nuclear facilities. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the actions, calling them a violation of the diplomatic timeline set by the United States and warning that Tehran would exact a “heavy price” for Israel’s actions. The attacks follow a joint US-Israeli strike on Iran on February 28 that killed more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

In retaliation, Tehran has launched drone and missile strikes on US military bases in Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries, causing casualties and infrastructure damage, further intensifying the regional conflict.

One month after the joint US and Israeli assault on Iran began on February 28, 2026, the country continues to fight back despite widespread destruction and the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the war. Tehran has launched repeated counterattacks on Israeli targets and US bases across the Middle East, while maintaining control over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. According to reports, thousands have been killed, including 1,937 in Iran and 1,116 in Lebanon, with tens of thousands injured.

Iran’s Red Crescent reported over 92,000 civilian structures damaged, including homes, schools, and health centers. The education ministry confirmed 250 teachers and students killed and more than 700 educational institutions damaged. Analysts, including former MI6 chief Alex Younger, said Iran holds a strategic advantage due to its dispersed military capacity and resilience. The US has suffered at least $800 million in base damages and plans to deploy 10,000 additional troops.

President Donald Trump announced a 10-day suspension of strikes on Iranian energy facilities until April 6, citing ongoing talks. However, Iran rejected US proposals as one-sided, while Germany accused Russia of aiding Iran in identifying targets.

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization reported that a missile struck near the Bushehr nuclear power plant, marking the third such attack by U.S. and Israeli forces in the past ten days, according to Tasnim News Agency. The organization stated that there were no casualties or technical or financial damages from the incident.

Iran condemned the attack, calling it a clear violation of international law and treaties, and warned that targeting peaceful nuclear facilities could pose a serious threat to regional security. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that, based on Iran’s information, the reactor remained undamaged and no radiation had leaked, with the plant operating normally.

IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi expressed deep concern, warning that continued military activity near nuclear sites could lead to a major radiological accident. He reiterated his call for maximum military restraint to prevent such risks.

On the 28th day of joint US-Israeli attacks on Iran, two power plants and a production complex in Isfahan province were heavily bombed, resulting in the deaths of at least 25 workers, according to provincial governor Mehdi Jamalzadeh, as reported by Al Jazeera. The strikes targeted facilities in Mobarakeh County, including two power plants with capacities of 914 and 250 megawatts, which were completely destroyed.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA confirmed that parts of the Mobarakeh steel production plant were also damaged. Rescue and relief teams have been deployed to clear debris and assist in recovery operations in the affected areas.

The attack marks a continuation of the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign in Iran, which has also included recent strikes on the Bushehr nuclear facility and other industrial sites, according to the same report.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has strongly condemned Israeli attacks on the country’s nuclear facilities, warning that Israel will have to pay a “heavy price” for what he called crimes. He made the remarks on Friday in a post on social media platform X, following reports of multiple Israeli strikes.

According to CNN, Israeli forces carried out attacks on several Iranian nuclear sites, including a uranium production center and a heavy-water reactor. Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB also reported strikes on two steel plants in Isfahan. Araghchi said Israel claimed to have coordinated the attacks with the United States, though he argued that the move conflicted with the timeline extended by former U.S. President Donald Trump regarding Iran. He vowed that Iran would deliver a firm response.

The attacks occurred as Trump stated that if Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. might delay planned strikes on Iranian energy facilities. The strait, a vital waterway between Iran and Oman, has seen limited shipping since U.S. and Israeli military operations began on February 28.

At least 13 people, including women and children, were killed in airstrikes by the United States and Israel on residential areas of Iran’s Kermanshah province, according to a report by Iran’s Mehr News Agency cited by Al Jazeera. The report said the dead included two children, four women, and one pregnant woman. Several others were also injured in the attacks.

In a separate incident, two people were killed and two others injured in a strike on a cement factory in Firozabad city, as reported by Iran’s semi-official ISNA News Agency. The attacks occurred on the 28th day of ongoing US-Israeli operations in Iran.

Iran has accused the United States and Israel of violating the laws of war by targeting civilian buildings with drones and missiles, according to the report.

Israel’s military has confirmed conducting an airstrike on a uranium extraction facility located in Yazd, central Iran, according to a report by Al Jazeera. In a statement posted on Telegram, the Israeli army said the attack targeted key infrastructure used in the uranium enrichment process.

Uranium enrichment is considered a critical step in the development of nuclear weapons, and the issue has long been a source of tension among Iran, the United States, and Israel. The strike marks another escalation in the ongoing confrontation over Iran’s nuclear activities.

Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization stated that no radioactive material was released as a result of the attack and that there was no harmful impact on the environment.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has urged employees of United States and Israel-supported industrial firms to vacate their workplaces immediately. According to Tasnim News Agency, the warning followed attacks on heavy water production centers and yellowcake (uranium raw material) facilities. The IRGC stated that its fighters are currently conducting counterattacks on industrial sites with US involvement and those closely tied to Israel.

The organization further cautioned that workers at the affected facilities should leave the area without delay. It also instructed civilians living within a one-kilometer radius of the targeted sites to move to safer locations. The alert comes amid reports of repeated attacks on Iran’s nuclear and industrial infrastructure, including incidents at the Bushehr nuclear plant and missile strikes that caused fires in industrial zones in the United Arab Emirates.

The IRGC’s warning signals heightened regional tensions and potential escalation involving industrial and nuclear-related sites across the Middle East.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Commander, Seyyed Majid Mousavi, has issued a stern warning as the joint US-Israel attacks on Iran entered their 28th day. He declared that following recent strikes on Iranian production facilities, Tehran would no longer adhere to its previous 'eye for an eye' policy. Mousavi urged employees of industries linked to the United States and Israel to leave their workplaces immediately to avoid danger.

In a message posted on social media platform X, Mousavi stated that Iran’s response would go beyond proportional retaliation, emphasizing that the world had witnessed who initiated the attacks on Iranian infrastructure. He accused the US and Israel of playing with fire and warned that the coming response would alter the existing equation.

The warning follows a series of incidents, including multiple attacks on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear facility and missile strikes that caused fires in industrial zones in the United Arab Emirates, according to the same report.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the ongoing joint US-Israel war in Iran could conclude within weeks rather than months. Speaking to reporters after the G7 meeting in France, Rubio said the United States expects to achieve its objectives without deploying ground forces. He emphasized that maintaining uninterrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would remain an immediate challenge even after the war ends, requiring international cooperation.

Rubio warned that any Iranian attempt to obstruct maritime traffic through the Strait would be illegal, unacceptable, and globally risky. He urged the international community to plan ahead for such scenarios. According to Iranian media, Iran’s parliament has already begun drafting legislation to impose tolls on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Washington is still awaiting further clarification on which parties it will engage with regarding Iran-related discussions, indicating ongoing diplomatic uncertainty around the conflict’s resolution.

Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz in response to the United States-Israel war, triggering one of the worst global energy crises in decades. Nearly 2,000 vessels are stranded near the narrow passage, which handles about 20 percent of the world’s oil and gas shipments. Iranian media reported that parliament is preparing legislation to collect tolls from ships transiting the strait, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has already implemented a 'toll booth' system requiring vessels to undergo vetting and pay fees for safe passage.

According to reports, some ships have paid up to $2 million to transit, and a few transactions were made in Chinese yuan. Iran insists that collecting such fees is justified to ensure maritime security, while critics, including the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s CEO, have condemned the move as 'economic terrorism.' Legal experts note that under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, all ships enjoy the right of transit passage, but Iran has not ratified the treaty.

The blockade has driven oil prices above $100 per barrel, forcing Asian countries to ration fuel and cut industrial output. Iran has allowed limited passage for vessels from friendly nations, including China, India, and Malaysia, while maintaining restrictions on U.S. and allied ships.

Iran has claimed to have destroyed 17 United States military bases located in West Asia. Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, senior spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces, disclosed the information to Mehr News on Friday. He stated that following the 12-day Israel-Iran conflict that began on June 13, 2025, Iran adopted a more aggressive approach within its defensive policy.

Shekarchi emphasized that Iran has not attacked any country in the past 47 years and will not do so in the future unless attacked first. He said Iran would continue its defense strategy until all threats are removed and criticized the United States for maintaining a long-term military presence in regional countries. He also issued a warning regarding the Strait of Hormuz, saying the situation would not remain the same and that even after the war, Iran’s conditions must be respected.

The Iranian official urged Muslim countries in the region not to host US forces and reaffirmed Iran’s commitment to strengthening its military capabilities to safeguard national sovereignty.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has called for a prompt and transparent investigation into a bombing at a girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran. The attack killed 168 people, including 110 children, according to local authorities. Türk made the appeal during a UN Human Rights Council discussion on protecting children in conflict situations.

Reports from U.S. media indicated that American military investigators suspect U.S. forces may have unintentionally struck the school, though no final conclusion has been reached. Türk emphasized that those responsible for the attack must face a thorough, impartial, and accountable investigation to uncover the truth.

The call underscores growing international concern over civilian casualties in conflict zones and the need for accountability in incidents involving potential military error.

Iran’s Ministry of Sports has announced that no national or club teams will be sent to countries it considers hostile. The decision, reported by Iranian state television on March 27, 2026, comes amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East. The ministry stated that the restriction applies to all sports teams and will remain in effect until further notice. It cited concerns over the safety of Iranian athletes and teams in those countries.

Although the announcement did not specifically mention the World Cup, the move has raised uncertainty about Iran’s participation in upcoming international competitions. The ban could also affect club football, including Tractor Sazi FC’s scheduled Asian Champions League Elite match in Dubai, Saudi Arabia. Relevant federations and clubs have been instructed to contact the Asian Football Confederation to discuss possible rescheduling.

The decision underscores how regional political tensions are beginning to influence sports engagements and may complicate Iran’s international sporting commitments if the restrictions persist.