On Sunday, March 29, 2026, the war between Iran’s regime, the United States, and Israel entered its 30th day. Building on the intense escalations of the previous day—which saw Yemen’s Houthis officially enter the fray and Iranian-backed forces target US and Gulf industrial sites—the conflict has now widened significantly.

Today, massive airstrikes pounded residential, military, and nuclear-related sites across Tehran and other major Iranian cities. As the death toll mounts and global shipping faces unprecedented threats, diplomatic efforts remain stalled, with the regime rejecting a US-proposed ceasefire while bracing for further military confrontations.

Roundup of today’s key events

Intense airstrikes struck multiple districts in Tehran, including Jannatabad, Masoudieh, and Saadatabad, resulting in widespread destruction of buildings and ongoing rescue operations.

A heavy explosion was reported near Evin Prison, raising severe concerns among the families of political prisoners held by the regime.

Russia evacuated approximately 400 staff members from the Bushehr nuclear power plant after the facility’s reactor number one area was targeted for the third time.

Ali Fouladvand, head of research at the regime’s nuclear weaponization research organization (SPND), was killed alongside eight others in an airstrike in Borujerd.

Iranian-backed proxies launched a drone attack on the private residence of Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in Duhok.

Gulf nations reported significant damage to vital infrastructure, including aluminum plants in the UAE and Bahrain, a port in Oman, and Kuwait’s international airport radar system.

An attack on the Bandar Pol pier in Hormozgan province left at least five dead and four wounded.

Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf claimed the US is secretly planning a ground invasion.

Widespread airstrikes hit Tehran, military bases, and nuclear sites

From late Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday, March 29, massive airstrikes targeted numerous locations across Tehran and other Iranian cities. Social media footage and local reports indicate severe damage to buildings in the Jannatabad area in western Tehran and Masoudieh in the east. The force of the blasts damaged surrounding structures and caused localized power outages.

In the Saadatabad neighborhood of Tehran, the regime’s Red Crescent deployed rescue workers and sniffer dogs to search for potential victims trapped under the rubble of a targeted residential area. Strikes were also reported across a wide array of Tehran districts, including Khosro Parviz, Sohrevardi, Shahrak-e Mahallati, Sabounchi, 13 Aban, Darabad, Pasdaran, Mehrabad, and 17 Shahrivar.

Military and nuclear sites were heavily targeted. Unofficial sources reported the bombing of the IRGC-affiliated Kouhak military base, as well as an IRGC building on Artesh Highway in Tehran. Additionally, reports indicate that the Parchin nuclear site was subjected to an airstrike on Saturday night. Outside the capital, attacks struck multiple cities including Minab, Bushehr, Firouzabad, Isfahan, Arak, Karaj, Hashtgerd, and Kashan.

In a major development regarding the regime’s nuclear facilities, Russia’s TASS news agency reported that about 400 Russian personnel have been evacuated from the Bushehr nuclear power plant. The head of Russia’s state nuclear energy company stated that the situation at the plant is deteriorating, noting that the active zone of Reactor No. 1 had been attacked for a third time. Munitions reportedly exploded near the water pumping station, creating a direct threat to nuclear safety.

Explosion reported near Evin Prison

A powerful explosion rocked the vicinity of Evin Prison in northwestern Tehran, sending plumes of smoke into the night sky. Eyewitnesses reported a heavy security presence and strict traffic restrictions around the notorious facility. While initial reports suggest the prison itself was not directly hit, the explosion has triggered immense anxiety among the families of political prisoners, who are deeply concerned about the fate of their loved ones. The Evin Prison complex previously suffered damage during an Israeli strike on June 23, 2025, which impacted several sections, including the security ward 209, the women’s ward, and the clinic.

Head of regime’s nuclear weapons research organization killed

State-run media acknowledged that an airstrike targeting a residence in the western city of Borujerd killed nine people. Among the dead was Ali Fouladvand, the head of the research department for “SPND” (the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research), which functions as the design and weapons development arm of the Iranian regime’s nuclear program.

Regional infrastructure targeted as conflict spills over

The economic toll of the conflict expanded drastically across the Gulf. Following threats from the IRGC, significant industrial sites in neighboring countries were targeted. In the UAE, an attack on Emirates Global Aluminium in Abu Dhabi wounded several foreign workers.

In Bahrain, Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) reported that two employees were injured after an attack on its smelting facilities. The IRGC claimed responsibility for these drone and missile strikes, alleging the sites were tied to the US military, which came in retaliation for strikes on Iran’s steel production centers.

Furthermore, Kuwait’s defense ministry reported that its international airport radar system was heavily damaged by a swarm of 15 drones. Oman is also investigating a drone strike that injured a foreign worker at its southern port of Salalah.

Meanwhile, inside Iran, an attack on the Bandar Pol pier in Hormozgan province on early Sunday left five people dead and four injured, causing damage to two vessels and a vehicle.

Yemen’s Houthis have officially entered the war and threatened global shipping. Following their claim of launching two missiles at Israel, Houthi Information Minister Mohammad Mansour explicitly stated that closing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait remains “one of the options” in their war against the US and Israel. The group previously attacked over 100 merchant vessels between November 2023 and January 2025.

US diplomatic efforts and troop deployments

As the war claims more than 1,900 lives in Iran and exacts a heavy toll across the region, the United States has expanded its military footprint. Around 2,500 US Marines trained in amphibious landings have arrived in the region, adding to the largest American force deployment in over two decades. At least 1,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division have also been ordered to the Middle East.

Despite the military buildup, diplomatic efforts are being attempted. US envoy Steve Witkoff delivered a 15-point “action list” for a possible ceasefire, proposing the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and strict limitations on the regime’s nuclear program. US President Donald Trump has given Tehran until April 6 to reopen the strait. The Iranian regime rejected the proposal, countering with a five-point list demanding reparations and sovereignty recognition.

Domestically, the regime is attempting to rally its base. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf issued a statement acknowledging the 30-day mark of the war, urging followers to submit strictly to the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei. Ghalibaf referenced the US 15-point proposal, claiming that while Washington speaks of negotiations, it is secretly planning a ground invasion. “Our forces are waiting for the ground entry of American soldiers to set fire to their lives,” Ghalibaf stated.

Meanwhile, Iranian attacks continue to target US forces. On Friday, Iran fired six ballistic missiles and 29 drones at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, injuring at least 15 US troops, five of them seriously.

Iranian-backed militias target Iraqi Kurdistan president

In neighboring Iraq, Iranian-backed militia groups escalated tensions by launching a cowardly drone attack on the private residence of Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in Duhok.

The attack was swiftly condemned by the international community. French President Emmanuel Macron and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani strongly denounced the strike. The US State Department issued a statement calling it a “despicable terrorist attack by Iran’s terrorist militia proxies,” labeling it a direct assault on Iraq’s sovereignty. Attempting to distance the regime from the fallout of its proxies’ actions, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the attack a “terrorist act,” though the militias operating under the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) continue to receive funding and direction from Tehran.

© Eurasia Review