Reactions and statements from the international community
U.S. forces employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz, targeting anti-ship cruise missiles that posed a risk to international shipping in the strait.
Iranian forces conducted an attack on Tel Aviv using cluster munitions, which are considered war crimes under international law.
At a White House ceremony for St. Patrick's Day, President Donald Trump stated that the United States has left the Islamic Republic "completely confused and shaken," emphasizing that Iran now realizes it cannot acquire nuclear weapons. Trump praised the U.S. military, crediting it with the nation's current successes.
Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretariat confirmed the deaths of Ali Larijani, his son Morteza, deputy Alireza Bayat, and a group of bodyguards nearly 12 hours after initial reports by Israel.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reports that U.S. forces are continuing operations to locate and neutralize Iranian targets deemed threatening to Americans and neighboring countries in the region.
Additional footage shows IRGC forces using force to disperse Chaharshanbe Suri celebrations in Tehran’s Chitgar area, with reports of gunfire heard nearby.
Lebanese reporters on the ground report that four senior Iranian IRGC Quds Force figures, including Majid Hassini, Ali Reza Bi-Azar, Ahmad Rasouli, and Hossein Ahmadlou, were killed in a drone strike at the Ramada hotel building in central Beirut last Sunday at 01:30 AM. The strike hit the 4th floor where the individuals had gathered for a meeting.
i24 reported, quoting a senior Israeli diplomatic official, that assessments in both Israel and the United States regarding the potential collapse of the Iranian regime are gaining strength, particularly following Israeli Air Force strikes that killed Ali Larijani and a Basij commander. The report adds that Israeli security officials aim to diminish the Basij's capabilities and effectiveness through airstrikes, including the elimination of street checkpoints, sending a psychological message to Iranians.
UK Member of Parliament Priti Patel has called for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to be designated as a terrorist organization in the United Kingdom, citing it as a threat to the country. Patel stated that the Conservatives will work with the government to proscribe the IRGC.
The Washington Post reported that senior Israeli officials, in internal communications with U.S. diplomats, warned that Iranian protesters could face a "massacre" if they return to the streets, despite encouraging a popular uprising against the Islamic Republic regime. The memo, circulated at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, detailed Israeli assessments of the ongoing conflict and meetings between U.S. and Israeli officials to discuss support for Iranian protesters.
During the Chaharshanbe Suri ceremony in Copenhagen, a group of Iranians hoisted the Lion and Sun flag atop the Islamic Republic of Iran's embassy, symbolically asserting their desire to reclaim national identity and end the current regime's rule.
During a meeting with the Prime Minister of Ireland, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that without attacking Iran or canceling the JCPOA, a nuclear Holocaust would have occurred.
