Israel launches new strikes on Tehran as Trump pauses Iran energy attacks
Israel launches new strikes on Tehran as Trump pauses Iran energy attacks
Following a brief halt in U.S. military activity against Iranian energy infrastructure, Israel has initiated fresh attacks on Tehran. The IDF stated that its operations would proceed under government orders until further notice. Shortly after President Trump announced a five-day delay in targeting Iran’s power plants, citing “productive” talks with Tehran, Israeli forces released a statement on X, declaring, “we have just begun another wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime across Tehran.”
Trump’s decision to pause strikes was linked to recent discussions with Iranian officials, during which he claimed the negotiations were “very good.” The IDF, however, emphasized that its actions were independent of U.S. decisions, stating that energy facilities would remain untouched. A military source told the Times of Israel that the U.S. had kept Israeli officials informed about talks with Tehran, suggesting alignment in the temporary suspension of attacks on power plants and related sites.
“Operating in accordance with the directives of Israel’s political leadership and will continue to strike in Iran according to its plans until instructed otherwise,” said an IDF official, referring to the U.S. pause as a “political echelon matter.”
Al Jazeera Arabic reported that the scale of explosions in Tehran was “unprecedented,” highlighting the intensity of the Israeli assault. While Israel has not recently threatened such strikes, Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that targeting Iran’s infrastructure would lead to a significant escalation in conflict. Meanwhile, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards retaliated by launching an attack on Israeli locations.
Details of the latest strikes included the destruction of military bases and weapon storage sites, such as the Quds Force’s headquarters and a defense ministry missile production facility. The Guardian noted that these strikes were not independently verified. In a separate update, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) recorded at least 206 attacks across 15 Iranian provinces, resulting in four casualties. A child’s death in Monday’s strikes raised concerns, as 15% of total Iranian fatalities are now under 18.
Fars reported that six people were killed in Tabriz, where residential areas were hit. Since the conflict began, over 1,500 deaths—both military and civilian—have been reported, with some rights groups citing figures as high as 3,230 by March 21. The IDF also noted that it had neutralized or damaged approximately 330 of Iran’s 470 ballistic missile launchers, with more than half destroyed in air strikes and others disabled via underground site strikes.
With missile fire on Israel dropping to about 10 per day, the air force continues to focus on remaining launchers. Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon persists, as it recently targeted a militant affiliated with Iran’s Quds Force in Beirut, according to Lebanese health ministry reports. The state news agency also mentioned Israeli forces occupying parts of Aita al-Chaab, using a large crane for surveillance operations.
