Published on 23 March 2026

We are on day 24 of the military campaign led by the United States and Israel against Iran. Tensions are climbing as a 48-hour deadline set by US President Donald Trump for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks on its power plants draws near.

What the deadline means

The US deadline was set as a threat to strike Iran’s electricity infrastructure if the strait is not reopened. That window closes at 23:44 GMT on Monday, which is 03:14 on Tuesday in Iran. Iran has warned that if its power grid is attacked it will hit energy and water systems in neighbouring Gulf states, a move that would broaden the conflict.

In Iran

  • The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps said it would retaliate if power plants were targeted, and reported strikes on power facilities in Israel and sites that supply electricity to US bases in the region.
  • Israel said it launched a broad series of strikes on infrastructure in Tehran. Local reports and verified footage described powerful explosions and fires in parts of the capital and nearby Karaj.
  • State and semi-official outlets reported civilian harm. Mehr news agency said one person was killed in an attack on a 100-kilowatt AM transmitter in Bandar Abbas.
  • Rescuers were searching through rubble after an air attack flattened residential buildings in Urmia, according to state-affiliated media.
  • US Central Command said it struck a turbine engine production site in Qom province, alleging the facility produced components for drones and aircraft linked to the IRGC.

In the Gulf

  • Saudi Arabia: The defence ministry reported two ballistic missiles were fired toward Riyadh; one was intercepted and the other landed in an uninhabited area. Iranian forces said they attacked Prince Sultan airbase.
  • United Arab Emirates: Emirati air defences intercepted a ballistic missile near Abu Dhabi. Officials said an Indian national suffered minor injuries from falling debris, and the UAE said it was responding to an incoming missile threat from Iran.
  • Qatar: Seven people died on 22 March when a military helicopter crashed in Qatari waters after a technical malfunction. Four victims were Qatari armed forces personnel and three were from Turkiye.
  • Bahrain: An IRGC spokesperson said its forces attacked the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain with missiles and drones.
  • Kuwait: Kuwaiti authorities lodged a formal complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization over what they described as airspace violations and attacks on airport facilities by Iran.

Economic fallout

Global markets reacted to the escalation. Stocks in China and Hong Kong were on track for their worst day in almost a year, with investors worried about stagflation and wider economic disruption. In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called an emergency meeting to assess the growing economic damage from the conflict.

In the US

  • Senate figures publicly pushed back on current operations. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer called for an end to the US military campaign, and Senator Tim Kaine criticized the president for sending troops into harm’s way.

In Israel

  • Air raid alerts sounded around Jerusalem and central Israel, with reports of explosions.
  • The casualty count from Iran’s earlier strikes on Dimona and Arad climbed, with at least 180 people reported injured following the attack near Israel’s principal nuclear facility.

In Lebanon and Iraq

  • Lebanon: Lebanese authorities report at least 1,029 people killed in Israeli strikes since 2 March. Health agencies say more than 100 of the dead were children.
  • Iraq: At least 60 people have been killed, most of them members of the pro-Iran Popular Mobilisation Forces. Port security officials said one foreign crew member was killed in an attack on tankers near an Iraqi port.

That is the situation on day 24. The coming hours are critical: the US deadline on the strait and Iran’s threats to hit regional infrastructure raise the risk of wider attacks that could affect civilians, military sites and global markets.