US & ‘Israel’ at war with Iran | Day 29 coverage
The 2026 Iran War began on February 28 when the United States and ‘Israel’ launched an operation dubbed Epic Fury by the US and Lion's Roar by ‘Israel’, unleashing nearly 900 airstrikes in 12 hours on Iranian missile systems, air defenses, nuclear facilities, military bases, and leadership targets.
This direct assault followed years of shadow war, including the first-ever Iran-‘Israel’ missile exchanges in April and October 2024 and a limited 12-day war in June 2025 that damaged Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of top officials were killed in the opening salvo, while a US Tomahawk strike on a school adjacent to a naval base near Bandar Abbas killed about 170 civilians, mostly children.
Iran responded within hours by firing hundreds of ballistic missiles and launching thousands of drones at ‘Israel’, US bases in the Gulf, and targets in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait.
Tehran restricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz—through which 20% of global oil flows—disrupting shipping and spiking oil prices.
The retaliation reignited fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon, prompting ‘Israeli’ strikes there and spreading the conflict regionally while hitting civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, airports, and heritage sites.
Over the next three weeks, US-‘Israeli’ forces conducted sustained air campaigns that destroyed much of Iran’s air-defense network, missile production sites and navy assets.
Iran appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader, but pragmatic senior official Ali Larijani was assassinated in an ‘Israeli’ strike on March 17.
More than 80,000 civilian sites were hit, including 260 medical facilities and UNESCO-listed buildings, causing widespread blackouts, fuel shortages, toxic pollution, and over 2,000 total deaths across Iran, ‘Israel’, Lebanon, and Gulf states.
The war remained active in its fourth week with ongoing US-‘Israeli’ airstrikes on remaining Iranian targets and Iranian retaliatory barrages, including recent cluster-munition attacks on ‘Israel’ and a failed long-range missile attempt at Diego Garcia.
Trump has threatened to destroy Iran’s power plants unless the Strait of Hormuz reopens fully but has signaled possible winding down or deals, which Tehran denies pursuing.
Hezbollah ambushes ‘Israeli’ force, inflicts casualties
Hezbollah claimed it staged an ambush against a ‘Israeli’ force advancing from Tyre toward the Litani River, inflicting multiple casualties.
In a statement, the group said it successfully lured the unit into a pre-planned trap, resulting in both deaths and injuries among ‘Israeli’ troops. Details on the exact number of casualties were not provided.
Sirens sound in western Galilee as rockets detected
The ‘Israeli’ Home Front Command said sirens were activated in the village of Zar’it in western Galilee after rockets were detected in the area.
Trump praises Bahrain, Kuwait support as ‘more stand‑up than NATO’
US President Donald Trump praised the support of Bahrain, Kuwait and other Gulf states for the US‑'Israeli' war against Iran, saying their backing has been “more stand‑up than NATO”.
Iranian missile intercepted over southern 'Israel'
'Israeli' authorities confirmed that a missile launched from Iran toward southern Israel was successfully intercepted.
Air defence systems detected and neutralized the projectile before it could reach populated areas, preventing potential casualties and damage, according to Channel 12.
WATCH: Projectile strikes central Tel Aviv
New footage captured from a vehicle shows the moment a projectile impacted a residential area in central Tel Aviv. The strike, which occurred during a heavy barrage of missiles and drones, resulted in significant damage to nearby buildings and sparked localized fires.
Ballistic missile headed to Riyadh downed, says Saudi Ministry of Defence
Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry announced that a ballistic missile launched toward the Riyadh area was intercepted and destroyed, preventing any harm to the capital.
The ministry confirmed that early warning systems detected the incoming missile in time, allowing air defence units to neutralize the threat before it could reach populated areas. No casualties or infrastructure damage were reported.
Iranian cluster munition over Tel Aviv
Iranian missile hits Saudi base, US troops injured
An Iranian missile struck the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on Friday, wounding multiple US service members and damaging several refueling aircraft, US and Saudi officials said. The attack also involved unmanned aerial vehicles targeting the base.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that post-war challenges could include Iran imposing tolls on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, calling such actions illegal and “dangerous to the world”. Rubio also estimated that the conflict could continue for another two to four weeks.
Houthi forces ready for military action against ‘Israel’ & US
In their first statement since the war broke out on Feb. 28, the Houthis, speaking through spokesperson Yahya Saree, condemned what they described as ongoing US and ‘Israel’ aggression targeting Iran and its allies across the Middle East.
The statement framed these actions as part of a broader “Zionist plan” to reshape the region and threaten Muslim countries.
Saree outlined several demands, including an immediate halt to attacks on Iran and Muslim nations, the lifting of the blockade on Yemen, and full implementation of the Gaza Agreement to address humanitarian and legitimate Palestinian rights.
The spokesperson warned that Houthi forces remain prepared to take direct action in response to: any new coalitions formed against Iran, hostile operations launched via the Red Sea, or continued escalation against Iran and allied movements.
Saree emphasized that Houthi operations would target US and ‘Israeli’ forces exclusively and not Muslim civilians.
He concluded with a pledge to uphold Yemen’s independence and freedom, asserting that the country and the wider region will resist foreign aggression.
One killed in Iranian attack on 'Israel'
Initial reports from a Roya News correspondent indicate that an Iranian missile struck Tel Aviv after evading interception.
The attack killed one person and injured multiple others.
Projectile hits near Bushehr nuclear plant in Iran
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said a projectile landed near the perimeter of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, stressing that no damage was recorded and operations remain unaffected.
In a brief statement, the agency said the incident did not impact critical infrastructure or safety systems at the facility, one of Iran’s primary civilian nuclear sites on the Gulf coast.
Day 28 of the US-‘Israeli’ war on Iran
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Read more: US & ‘Israel’ at war with Iran | Day 28 coverage
