ICT Situation Report (SITREP): 09 MARCH 2026

Iran’s Assembly of Experts Appoints Mojtaba Khamenei as Supreme Leader; Calls for Allegiance Spread Across Iran.

The Iranian Assembly of Experts announced the appointment of Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, following the reported martyrdom of Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

US and Israel Target Military Infrastructure, Missile Facilities, and IRGC–Basij Bases to Weaken Iran’s Internal Control

The United States and Israel continue carrying out strikes across Iran. The IDF stated it completed another wave of strikes on the Iranian regime’s infrastructure in several areas across Iran. Targets included a rocket engine production facility and launch sites for long-range ballistic missiles intended to be fired at Israel. 

Israel and the U.S. are increasingly targeting the regime’s internal security, including bases of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Basij, as part of a broader campaign to weaken Iran’s military capabilities and its ability to control internal unrest. As such, the IDF stated they struck infrastructure belonging to Iran’s Internal Security Forces and the Basij, including command headquarters and facilities in Isfahan and other areas.

Israel Targets Hezbollah’s Economic Infrastructure in Lebanon

The IDF attacked a facility belonging to Hezbollah’s financial institution, Al-Qard Al-Hasan, in Burj Al-Barajneh, located in Beirut’s southern suburb (Dahiyeh). The strike is part of a broader operation targeting Hezbollah’s economic infrastructure.

IDF Spokesperson also stated the combat teams from Division 36 launched a targeted raid in southern Lebanon to eliminate Hezbollah terrorists and destroy terrorist infrastructure. Before the forces entered the area, numerous terror targets were struck with heavy fire from the air and ground.

Iran FM Spokesperson Accuses US–Israel of “Chemical Warfare”After Fuel Depot Strikes

Esmaeil Baqaei, Iran’s FM spokesperson, said attacks on fuel storage facilities in Iran by Israel amount to “intentional chemical warfare,” claiming the strikes released toxic substances into the air. Meanwhile, the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company said fuel supplies for the provinces of Tehran and Alborz are being sustainably provided from alternative sources after the attack on energy infrastructure.

The statements come after IDF airstrikes reportedly struck several oil and fuel storage facilities in and around Tehran and Alborz Province, which were linked to military fuel supply infrastructure.

A suicide drone struck the BAPCO oil refinery in Bahrain.

An Iranian suicide drone struck the Bapco oil refinery in Bahrain, causing damage to part of the facility and injuring workers on the site. The incident comes amid escalating attacks between Iran and several regional states, with increasing focus on economic infrastructure, particularly energy facilities and oil installations.

Iranian officials claim that allowing a country’s territory to be used by the United States to attack Iran could be considered an act of aggression under international law. Tehran is increasingly using this argument to justify its actions against regional states since the war erupted.

Hezbollah Intensified its Attacks Against Israel, Launching Multiple Attacks Simultaneously with Missiles Originating from Iran.

Hezbollah intensified its attacks against Israel, launching multiple drone and rocket attacks, sometimes simultaneously with missile strikes originating from Iran. A statement attributed to Hezbollah presents these rocket attacks as a justified response to what the group describes as “aggression” by Israel and the United States. In the statement, Hezbollah portrays its actions as defensive “resistance” against occupation. It argues that Israel’s military response was not a retaliation but rather a pre-planned act of aggression. The statement further emphasizes that armed resistance will continue as long as it considers the occupation to persist.

Pro-Iranian Proxies from Iraq Claims 24 Attacks Using Drones and Missiles in 24 Hours

Islamic Resistance in Iraq: Over the past 24 hours, the group claims it carried out 24 operations, using dozens of drones and missiles against what it described as enemy bases in Iraq and across the region.

Overview of Operations “Roaring Lion” and “Epic Fury”

10 On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched a coordinated pre-emptive operation against Iran under the titles “Epic Fury” and “Roaring Lion,” respectively. According to Israeli officials, the objective of the campaign is to eliminate existential threats posed by Iran, with a focus on missile and drone capabilities and nuclear-related infrastructure. The first wave of strikes targeted Tehran, focusing on central government sites, before expanding to additional cities across Iran. The attacks reportedly targeted senior Iranian political and security officials, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, creating a temporary leadership vacuum until the appointment of his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the new Supreme Leader. The transition appears to have stabilized the regime faster than many observers expected. Support quickly emerged from regime officials and religious scholars, while Iran-aligned proxy groups pledged allegiance and regional allies sent messages of support. Iranian reports also described public rallies in more than 150 cities across the country. Together, these developments suggest Iran is attempting to demonstrate continuity and regime resilience following the killing of Ali Khamenei.

Operations “Epic Fury” and “Roaring Lion” focus on degrading Iran’s offensive military capabilities and nuclear facilities, disrupting its logistical networks, targeting key governmental and intelligence institutions, and weakening domestic security forces. Over the past week, the United States and Israel have continued conducting strikes across Iran, increasingly targeting the regime’s internal security infrastructure, including bases of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij. These operations appear to be part of a broader campaign aimed at reducing Iran’s military capabilities and limiting the regime’s ability to control potential internal unrest.

Iran is responding with waves of missile and drone attacks across the region, targeting Israel and states hosting U.S. forces or allies such as the Kurds, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Cyprus, Iraq, and Azerbaijan. Iranian strikes have focused on strategic economic infrastructure, particularly energy facilities and maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as military and diplomatic installations and symbolic civilian targets intended to increase political pressure on regional governments.

Energy infrastructure and maritime trade routes have become central targets in the escalating conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States. Iranian strikes and allied militia attacks have increasingly focused on oil refineries, fuel depots, pipelines, and export terminals across the region, reflecting an effort to impose economic pressure and disrupt global energy markets. At the same time, Israeli and U.S. operations have reportedly targeted Iranian fuel depots, energy infrastructure, and logistical networks that support military operations.

The conflict has increasingly drawn in additional regional and international actors. Reports indicate that Qatar carried out strikes inside Iran. France, Germany, and the United Kingdom also announced military deployments to the Middle East region amid attacks on Cyprus, signaling growing international involvement. And Pakistan signaled to Iran that it has a defense alliance with Saudi Arabia, which Iran has been attacking in the past week.

At the same time, Iran’s regional proxy network, known as the “Axis of Resistance,” has intensified its operations. Tehran appears to be shifting from largely symbolic proxy actions toward sustained operational pressure across multiple theaters in the region. Hezbollah has increased rocket and drone attacks toward central and northern Israel. At times coordinated with missile attacks originating from Iran. Israel has carried out extensive airstrikes against Hezbollah infrastructure across Lebanon, along with limited ground operations in southern Lebanon aimed at strengthening the defense of northern Israeli communities. Israel has also focused on targeting Hezbollah’s financial network. The IDF struck a facility belonging to Hezbollah’s financial institution, Al-Qard Al-Hasan, as part of a broader effort to disrupt the group’s economic infrastructure and sources of funding. Pro-Iranian militias in Iraq have also intensified attacks on U.S. interests in Iraq and Jordan, while reportedly targeting Kurdish infrastructure in northern Iraq. In response, the United States and Israel have carried out strikes against these militias, causing damage to several of their bases and operational facilities. Meanwhile, the Houthis in Yemen have threatened maritime routes such as the Bab al-Mandab Strait, raising concerns about disruptions to global trade and energy supplies.

In parallel with the physical battlefield, the conflict has expanded into the cyber domain, where Pro-Iranian hacker groups and Iranian cyber units expanded cyber operations against Israel, Gulf states, and U.S. interests, targeting government platforms, energy companies, and critical infrastructure. These operations mirror developments in the physical battlefield, highlighting the integration of cyber warfare into the broader conflict.