U.S. and Israel Escalate Strikes on Iranian Military Infrastructure; Gulf Shipping Disrupted

U.S. Central Command has released declassified footage showing the destruction of Iranian military aircraft, including C-130 Hercules and P-3F Orion planes, as part of a methodical campaign to eliminate Tehran’s aerial capabilities. President Trump stated the operations are intended to "finish the job" and prevent future conflicts. Simultaneously, the Israeli military has focused strikes on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) headquarters and missile sites within Tehran and western Iran, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holding his first press conference of the war on March 12 to address the developments. In retaliation, Iran and its proxies have launched extensive drone and missile strikes against Israeli air bases, Shin Bet headquarters in Tel Aviv, and U.S. installations across the Middle East. While most projectiles were intercepted, the conflict has severely impacted regional commerce. Oil terminals in Iraq and Oman have closed following Iranian attacks on tankers and storage facilities, resulting in at least one death and multiple fires. Shipping remains disrupted despite U.S. efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz. The humanitarian toll continues to mount, with Iranian officials reporting 1,350 civilian deaths over the last 12 days of U.S. and Israeli bombings. Additionally, Iran’s ambassador to Cyprus confirmed that the new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was injured in a February 28 strike that killed several members of his family. In Washington, the strategy has faced some internal scrutiny, with Senator Chris Murphy and other Democratic lawmakers questioning the civilian impact of the current military campaign.