TEHRAN – Five weeks into the U.S. and Israeli military offensive that began on February 28, Iran continued to respond decisively on Friday to the foreign aggression. 

On Thursday, strikes inflicted significant damage on key civilian and strategic sites in Iran. Among them was the Pasteur Institute of Iran in central Tehran — a major medical and research facility with a longstanding role in public health — and the B1 Bridge in Karaj, west of the capital. Both suffered extensive damage in separate raids, with the bridge attack resulting in verified civilian casualties, including locals who were present for Spring festivities. Tehran condemned these attacks as assaults on civilian life and national development and reiterated that retaliatory operations would continue against aggressor forces.

On Friday morning, the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the launch of the 92nd wave of Operation “True Promise 4,” which employed ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) against U.S. and Israeli military installations throughout the Persian Gulf region and strategic targets in Israel itself. According to IRGC statements, these strikes successfully disabled radar systems and naval equipment associated with U.S. and Israeli operations, underscoring Tehran’s capacity to maintain a sustained defensive posture despite weeks of foreign bombardment.

In a Friday statement, Lieutenant‑Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al‑Anbiya Central Headquarters, warned that any further attacks on Iranian infrastructure — including bridges, power plants, or energy facilities — would trigger a broader and more forceful response against U.S. and Israeli assets across the Middle East, and potentially against infrastructure in countries hosting U.S. bases. Zolfaghari emphasized Tehran’s defensive deterrence posture while accusing U.S. and Israeli leaders of pursuing policies that endanger regional stability.

Friday’s warnings build on earlier statements from Iranian officials over the past weeks in which Tehran said it would respond to threats against its energy infrastructure with intensified counter‑strikes, including against fuel and energy targets associated with U.S. and Israeli forces.

Iran also publicly rejected claims it targeted Kuwaiti desalination facilities. Kuwait’s Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy reported material damage to a desalination plant on Friday, but the IRGC’s public relations department condemned what it described as an Israeli attack on the same infrastructure, calling it “unconventional and illegitimate” and urging Persian Gulf states to remain vigilant against “U.S.–Israeli destabilization efforts.” Tehran’s statement framed the Kuwaiti incident within the broader context of external actors’ attempts to undermine regional security.

Thursday’s U.S. and Israeli strikes combined with Friday’s Iranian retaliation highlight what analysts describe as a shift in the conflict toward increasingly targeting economic and civilian infrastructure, raising concerns about broader humanitarian and regional implications. The Pasteur Institute, which has played a critical role in vaccine research and disease control, was largely rendered inoperable, disrupting a facility with historical significance in Iranian public health. Local officials underscored its contribution to combating cholera, COVID‑19, and other diseases — a factor that Tehran says highlights the humanitarian cost of the foreign offensive.

Despite repeated Western claims that Iranian missile and drone capabilities have been significantly degraded, both Iranian official statements and independent reporting indicate that Tehran still retains a substantial portion of its strategic arsenal, including ballistic missile launchers and attack UAVs, enabling it to continue precise retaliatory operations. This challenges assertions that Iran’s defensive posture has been crippled by sustained U.S. and Israeli military actions.

The sustained operational capacity of Iran’s armed forces underscores Tehran’s strategic planning and resilience. While Iranian authorities assert that their military actions adhere to principles of lawful self-defense and proportionality, they have sharply criticized U.S. and Israeli tactics as indiscriminate or disproportionate, particularly when civilian infrastructure is damaged.

International law experts and humanitarian organizations have raised concerns about the targeting of Iranian civilian infrastructure in the conflict, noting that strikes on hospitals, research facilities, and residential areas may run afoul of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions’ protections for civilians and civilian objects. Iranian officials have echoed these concerns, calling on the international community to scrutinize such actions and distinguish them from Iran’s defensive responses.

The ramifications of the conflict now extend beyond Iranian territory. The Strait of Hormuz, long a crucial chokepoint for global oil and gas transit, has experienced heightened tension, contributing to uncertainty in global energy markets and concerns among economic analysts about supply chain stability. Regional governments and international organizations have repeatedly urged restraint and diplomatic engagement to prevent further escalation and protect critical infrastructure.

On the domestic front, rather than diminishing morale, the foreign offensive has appeared to strengthen Iranian national cohesion. Civilians, local authorities, and emergency responders have mobilized to repair damaged infrastructure, support medical treatment efforts, and maintain essential services. Officials assert that these efforts reflect a unified societal determination to protect national sovereignty and overcome external pressure.

Analysts note that Tehran’s continued ability to carry out coordinated defensive actions, combined with visible civilian solidarity, reflects a broader narrative of resilience. Rather than capitulating under pressure, Iranian institutions and armed forces have sustained a multi‑faceted response that Tehran frames as lawfully defensive and necessary to safeguard its people and territorial integrity.

As the conflict enters its sixth week, Iran has reiterated its commitment to defending its sovereignty while asserting that it will continue to retaliate against aggression within the bounds of international law. Tehran’s emphasis on strategic deterrence, societal endurance, and lawful defense stands in contrast to the indiscriminate tactics of foreign adversaries.

The world continues to observe a conflict that extends beyond battlefield engagements, raising critical questions about civilian protection, international legal norms, and regional security dynamics. Iran’s approach — combining defensive military operations with societal resilience and international appeals — positions it as a nation determined to withstand external pressures while safeguarding its people and infrastructure.