Context: The B1 bridge was one of the tallest in the Middle East. Iran called the strike a “moral collapse”—this is part of a pattern where strikes are increasingly hitting civilian infrastructure instead of military targets. Trump later said the US hasn’t even started “destroying what’s left” of Iran’s infrastructure yet, suggesting energy plants could be next.

Context: Iran’s expanding its retaliation beyond Israel to US allies hosting American forces. The UK just deployed anti-drone systems to Kuwait to help defend against these attacks. This is day 35 of the conflict that started when the US and Israel launched strikes on February 28.

Context: Netanyahu made the announcement Friday as Iran fired another missile barrage at Israel. Steel production is critical for manufacturing military hardware. The strikes have also hit airports, fuel depots, hospitals, universities, and pharmaceutical plants—a “disturbing trend” according to reporters on the ground.

Context: Over 1,200 people have been killed in Lebanon and 1.2 million displaced since Israel opened this second front against Hezbollah in early March. Israel’s treating southern Lebanon like a permanent buffer zone—families who fled won’t be allowed back, and entire border villages will be razed.

Sources: France 24

Context: Iran effectively shut the strait after the war began, strangling global energy supplies. The UN Security Council was supposed to vote on authorizing force to reopen it, but that got postponed. France and South Korea say they’ll work together on reopening it, though Macron called using military force “unrealistic.”

Context: Pakistan depends heavily on liquefied natural gas imports, which typically flow through the Gulf region. With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed and shipping disrupted, the country’s energy situation flipped practically overnight.

Sources: Al Jazeera

Context: Trump said the US would only consider a ceasefire when Iran reopens the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s foreign ministry shot back that the US is making “maximalist and irrational demands.” Neither side seems close to actual negotiations, despite Trump saying the war could end in “two weeks, maybe three.”

Context: The rift between Washington and its European allies is widening. Trump called NATO countries “cowards” earlier this month for not supporting the Iran campaign. Now Macron’s saying it’s unrealistic to force open the Strait of Hormuz militarily, and multiple European countries are distancing themselves from US operations.

Context: George had been Army chief since August 2023 under Biden. This comes as the Iran war enters its second month with no clear endgame. Hegseth’s been cleaning house at the Pentagon since taking office in January, and the timing—mid-war—is unusual.

Context: The IRGC’s Basij militia launched the recruitment campaign after over a month of war. They’re also running an intimidation campaign online—posting photos of heavily armed members patrolling Tehran streets to discourage protests against the regime.