After nearly four weeks of heavy bombardment by U.S. and Israeli forces, Iran continues to launch daily missile and drone attacks against its Gulf neighbors and Israel.
Tehran has struck military bases, oil and gas sites, civilian airports, hotels and ports in its retaliatory campaign.
The campaign has effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz and impacted global economic activity.
The number of projectiles Iran fires has declined markedly since the first few days of the conflict.
The U.S.-Israeli air campaign has destroyed homes and killed more than 1,900 people in Tehran and other Iranian cities, according to Iran’s deputy health minister.
U.S. and Israeli officials and commanders say the campaign is designed to decimate Iran’s missile and drone programs.
The Israeli military said 70% of Iran’s missile launchers were disabled by the 16th day of the war.
The Pentagon says it has degraded about 90% of Iran’s ballistic missile and drone capabilities.
Former military officers and experts say Iran’s missile program will likely be crushed if the air assault continues.
Drones can be launched from a truck and do not require large production facilities, making them harder to target.
Tom Karako, Director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies
Tom Karako said "It comes down to how good is the intelligence, ours and the Israelis’, in terms of where everything is."
Iran may have dispersed more of its missile arsenal around the country, used decoys and quickly excavated damaged missile bases to resume launches, according to Nicole Grajewski.
In the opening days of the war, Iran fired dozens of ballistic missiles at its neighbors.
On the third day of the war, the number of missiles launched by Iran dropped sharply.
Iran typically fires fewer than 25 missiles a day at Gulf states in recent days.
Only a small number of Iranian missiles and drones evade air defense systems, according to regional government officials.
In the first 11 days of the war, the United Arab Emirates intercepted 92% of ballistic missiles and nearly 94% of drones fired by Iran.
Since February 28, all missiles fired at Kuwait by Iran were either destroyed or fell far from any potential target.
Debris from intercepted Iranian missiles and drones has killed and wounded civilians and damaged energy facilities in the Gulf states.
As of March 16, Iranian attacks have killed at least 11 civilians and injured at least 268 others in Gulf states.
Iran has launched drone and missile strikes on oil fields, refineries, liquefied natural gas facilities and ports in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE and Iraq.
Earlier in March, Iran launched two missiles at the joint U.K.-U.S. Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean, covering a distance of over 2,000 miles.
On March 18, an Iranian missile strike on Qatar’s natural gas facilities knocked out 17% of the country’s liquefied natural gas export capacity.
That loss of capacity was estimated to cost Qatar $20 billion in lost revenue.
Iranian air attacks have targeted the Yanbu port in Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea.
Iranian air attacks have targeted the Fujairah port in the United Arab Emirates.
Iranian air attacks have targeted the Shaybah oil field in Saudi Arabia.
Iranian air attacks have targeted the Ras Tanura refinery in Saudi Arabia.
Iranian air attacks have targeted two refineries in Kuwait.
Iranian air attacks have targeted the Lanaz refinery in northern Iraq.
Iranian air attacks have targeted the Bapco Energies refinery in Bahrain.
Governments in the region say it will take years to fully repair the damage to Gulf energy sites.
Israel has faced retaliatory missile and drone attacks since the war began.
Israel has not released information on the precise number of retaliatory attacks or interceptions.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, International spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said "Iran has fired around 400 missiles at Israel since the start of the war."
At least 18 Israeli civilians have been killed and thousands wounded by Iranian attacks, according to Israeli authorities.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is the speaker of Iran’s parliament.
On Sunday, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned the United States against a ground invasion, threatening to set American troops "on fire" and step up attacks on U.S. allies.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Parliament speaker
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said "Our men are waiting for American soldiers to enter on the ground so they can set them on fire and punish their regional partners forever."
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Parliament speaker
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said "Our firing continues. Our missiles are in place. Our determination and faith have increased."
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Parliament speaker
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf described the U.S.’s 15-point plan as "their wishes" and said the Trump administration is attempting through the plan what it has failed to achieve by force.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Parliament speaker
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said "As long as the Americans seek Iran's surrender, our response is clear: Far be it from us to accept humiliation."
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened to target branches of Israeli and American educational facilities in the region, calling them "legitimate targets" if the U.S. does not condemn bombing of Iranian universities.
The Guard said "If the U.S. government wants its universities in the region spared, it should condemn the bombardment of (Iranian) universities by 12 o'clock Monday, March 30, in an official statement."
The Guard urged the evacuation of American and Israeli educational facilities and told students and staff to stay at least one kilometer away.
The Guard demanded that the U.S. stop Israel from striking Iranian universities and research centers.
Israel's military has acknowledged striking Iranian universities it says are connected to weapons development.
Georgetown University, New York University and Northwestern University have campuses in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The American University of Beirut announced it would operate remotely for two days as a precaution.
Fadlo Khouri, President of the American University of Beirut
Fadlo Khouri said "Our highest priority has always been and will always be the safety of our community and the people we serve," and "We remain especially committed to teaching, healing, and serving those less fortunate, at all times. We at AUB will not be driven from our mission, by threats or violence. Not now, and not ever."
This is the first time Iran has threatened to strike Israeli and American universities.
Many universities in the region have moved to online instruction since U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran began.
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad warned that Iran and allied militias may intend to target American universities in Baghdad, Sulaymaniyah and Dohuk, along with others perceived to be associated with the United States.
The embassy said Iran and affiliated militias have carried out widespread attacks on U.S. citizens and targets associated with the United States throughout Iraq and that the Iraqi government has not prevented terrorist attacks from Iraqi territory.
Iran said it is ready to face U.S. troops on the ground and accused Washington of secretly planning an assault while publicly seeking negotiations to end the war.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Parliament speaker
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said "The enemy, openly, sends messages of negotiation and dialogue, but secretly is planning a ground attack."
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Parliament speaker
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said "The U.S. is unaware that our men are waiting for American soldiers to enter on the ground so they can set them ablaze and punish their regional partners forever."
The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon has drawn up plans for weeks of ground operations in Iran short of a full-scale invasion, and NBC News has not confirmed the report.
The USS Tripoli arrived in the Middle East with a complement of 3,500 troops, including ships and aircraft.
Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Iran has not responded to a 15-point peace proposal but has shown a willingness to discuss certain issues.
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Parliament speaker
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the U.S. of "pursuing through diplomacy what it failed to achieve in war," referring to the 15-point list.
Donald Trump, President of the United States
President Donald Trump said he would extend the deadline for halting strikes on Iran’s power plants after positive developments in negotiations.
Donald Trump, President of the United States
Donald Trump said negotiations to end the war are going "very well," while Tehran insists it is not negotiating.
Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said "It’s the job of the Pentagon to make preparations in order to give the Commander in Chief maximum optionality. It does not mean the President has made a decision."
Donald Trump, President of the United States
On March 20, Donald Trump told reporters "If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you, but I’m not putting troops."
CENTCOM said thousands of American soldiers have arrived in the Middle East and listed transport and strike fighter aircraft and amphibious assault and tactical assets among the military assets in the region.
Thirteen U.S. service members have been killed during the war with Iran, and two more have died of noncombat causes.
U.S. lawmakers responded to reports that the Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran.
Officials told The Washington Post that a ground operation could be limited to raids by Special Operations forces and infantry troops.
James Lankford, U.S. Senator
Senator James Lankford said he had not ruled out supporting troops on the ground but that objectives and details must be known.
James Lankford, U.S. Senator
James Lankford said "If this is special forces to be able to carry out a specific operation – get in, get out – that’s very different than long-standing occupation."
3,500 U.S. soldiers and marines arrived in the Middle East on Sunday as part of a unit led by the warship USS Tripoli, including assault and transport assets.
The U.S. typically stations around 50,000 troops in the Middle East region.
Options for the military buildup include securing the Strait of Hormuz, seizing Iran’s highly enriched uranium or seizing Iranian oil facilities.
Senate Republicans have rejected multiple war powers resolutions aimed at limiting the President’s ability to launch further military action against Iran without congressional approval.
The Pentagon has requested an additional $200 billion for the war, in addition to its annual $1 trillion budget.
Donald Trump, President of the United States
President Trump said the additional funds were being requested "for a lot of reasons, beyond even what we’re talking about in Iran."
Iranian missiles and drones have continued to strike energy facilities and other targets in Gulf countries and the wider Middle East nearly three weeks into the war.
Neutralizing Iran’s missile and drone capabilities is a key objective for both the U.S. and Israel, who launched the conflict on February 28.
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