Israel launches new strikes on Tehran as Trump pauses Iran energy attacks
Israel’s Military Forces Announce Fresh Attacks on Tehran Amid U.S. Pause
Following a U.S. decision to temporarily halt strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure, Israel’s military forces announced new air strikes targeting Tehran. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) emphasized that operations would persist under government orders until further notice. Shortly after President Donald Trump indicated a five-day delay in military actions against Iranian power plants, citing “productive” conversations with Tehran, the IDF released a statement on X, asserting that its assaults on the Iranian terror regime’s infrastructure had only just commenced.
Strategic Shift and Political Context
The IDF stated it would avoid direct attacks on energy facilities, aligning with Washington’s temporary suspension of strikes. However, an IDF official noted the U.S. president’s remarks were “political echelon matters,” and reaffirmed that Israel’s military would carry out strikes as planned. Al Jazeera Arabic’s correspondent in Tehran reported the scale of the explosions as “unprecedented,” underscoring the intensity of the attacks.
“Washington and Tehran have had, over the last two days, very good and productive conversations,” Trump wrote on social media, adding that the Department of War had been instructed to delay military strikes on Iranian power plants for five days.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards retaliated by launching an attack on Israeli targets, marking a reciprocal escalation. The IDF, in a Monday statement on Telegram, detailed strikes on multiple military and strategic sites in Iran, including headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the Quds Force, and a defense ministry facility. The Guardian could not independently confirm these reports.
Casualty Reports and Human Impact
Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported at least 206 attacks across 15 Iranian provinces in the past day, causing four casualties. A child’s death in Monday’s strikes raised concerns, as it is estimated that 15% of total fatalities in the country are minors. In Tabriz, six individuals were killed in residential areas, according to Fars. Since U.S.-Israeli bombardments began, casualties have surpassed 1,500, with some rights groups citing figures as high as 3,230 by 21 March.
Missile Threats and Strategic Gains
The IDF claimed to have destroyed or rendered inoperable about 330 of Iran’s 470 ballistic missile launchers since the conflict began. Over half were damaged in airstrikes, while others were neutralized by targeting underground storage sites. The military noted that missile fire on Israel had dropped to 10 per day, down from 90 at the war’s start. Despite this, Israel’s campaign in Lebanon continued, with strikes in Beirut aimed at Iranian-aligned militants.
“Apply sovereignty” over areas under Israeli control, Bezalel Smotrich, the far-right finance minister, urged on Monday, hinting at plans to expand territorial claims in southern Lebanon.
Lebanon’s health ministry confirmed one fatality from an IDF strike, while state media reported Israeli forces had established positions in Aita al-Chaab, using a crane with surveillance cameras to monitor nearby Ramiyah. The Israeli prime minister’s office did not immediately comment on U.S.-Iran negotiations or the decision to spare certain Iranian sites.