US and Israel bomb Iran for fourth day as Trump says air defences 'gone'

March 3, 2026

The United States and Israel have conducted a fourth consecutive day of military strikes against Iran, targeting government buildings, military facilities, and alleged nuclear sites, while President Trump claims Iran's military capabilities have been decimated. The attacks, which began Saturday with the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have resulted in at least 780 deaths according to Iran's Red Crescent, with disputed reports of civilian casualties including a deadly school strike. Iran has retaliated by launching missiles and drones at Israel and US military bases across Gulf states, killing American service members and civilians while closing the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz to shipping.

Who is affected

Iranian civilians (780+ killed according to Red Crescent; 742 civilians including 176 children according to HRNA)
Students and staff at Shajare Tayyebeh school in Minab (at least 165 girls and staff killed)
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (killed)
Iranian senior officials and 49+ Iranian leaders (killed)
Daoud Alizadeh, temporary commander of Lebanon Corps of Quds Force (killed)
13 Iranian army personnel in Kerman province (killed)
Revolutionary Guards commanders and personnel
Iranian scientists at alleged nuclear weapons compound
Six US service personnel in Kuwait (killed)
Two Kuwaiti army soldiers (killed)
10 people in Israel (killed)
Three people in United Arab Emirates (killed)
One person in Bahrain (killed)
One person on a tanker off Oman (killed)
Israeli military and civilians
Gulf states hosting US bases (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar)
International shipping through Strait of Hormuz
Cyprus (RAF Akrotiri airbase struck)

What action is being taken

The US and Israel are bombing targets across Iran
The Israeli military is striking Iran's presidential office, nuclear compounds, and Revolutionary Guards facilities
The US military is destroying command facilities, missile launch sites, and airfields
Iran is launching missile and drone attacks on Israel and Gulf states hosting US bases
The IDF is carrying out strikes in Lebanon against Hezbollah
The UK is sending HMS Dragon air-defence destroyer to Cyprus
France is deploying the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier group to the eastern Mediterranean
Iran is enforcing closure of the Strait of Hormuz
The IAEA is monitoring damage to Iranian nuclear facilities through satellite imagery

Why it matters

This represents a massive military escalation in the Middle East with the assassination of Iran's supreme leader and widespread destruction of Iranian military and governmental infrastructure, fundamentally altering the regional power balance. The conflict threatens global energy supplies as Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil and gas shipments pass. The high civilian death toll, including the disputed school strike killing over 165 girls, raises serious humanitarian and legal concerns about the conduct of military operations. The targeting of alleged nuclear facilities and the potential for Iranian retaliation creates risks of further regional destabilization and potential involvement of additional international powers, as evidenced by UK and French naval deployments.

What's next

Iran's IRGC has warned of more intense attacks, stating "the gates of hell will open more and more"
Qatar has stated that Iranian attacks on its territory "will not go unanswered"
The US Department of Defense is investigating whether US forces struck the school in Minab
The Assembly of Experts will need to choose a successor to Supreme Leader Khamenei (though the office was bombed in Qom)
HMS Dragon is being deployed to Cyprus by the UK
France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier group is deploying to the eastern Mediterranean

Read full article from source: BBC