ICT Situation Report (SITREP): 10 MARCH 2026 Strait of Hormuz Tensions Rising – Iran warned…

ICT Situation Report (SITREP): 10 MARCH 2026

Strait of Hormuz Tensions Rising – Iran warned that it is monitoring the arrival of U.S. naval forces near the Strait of Hormuz, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. IRGC spokesman Brigadier General Ali Reza Naeini stated that Iran is prepared for confrontation if necessary and warned that any escalation would be met with a response. The strategy appears aimed at increasing pressure on Western countries and raising the economic costs of the ongoing conflict.

Hezbollah Reports Clashes with IDF as Israel Expands Strikes Across Lebanon – Fighting between the IDF and Hezbollah was reported in southern Lebanon, particularly near the town of Khiam, where Hezbollah’s Radwan forces claimed clashes with Israeli forces along several border areas. Hezbollah also continued launching rockets and drones toward northern Israel. At the same time, Israel continued carrying out airstrikes across Lebanon, reportedly focusing on financial targets. The IDF stated that more than 30 assets linked to Qard al-Hasan were targeted. According to Israel, these funds are used by Hezbollah to purchase weapons, production equipment, and to pay salaries to members involved in the group’s military activities. The strikes are intended to deepen the military and financial damage to Hezbollah following previous attacks on the organization’s assets last week. Hezbollah Deputy MP Mohammed Raad accused Israel of preparing for war in advance and rejected the Lebanese government’s position, arguing that the government’s decision regarding the disarmament of the resistance had encouraged Israeli escalation.

Iran Proxies and Regional Allies Declare Support for New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei-Following the appointment of Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei as the new Supreme Leader of Iran, several Iran-aligned proxy groups and regional allies publicly declared their allegiance and support. Among those expressing support were Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of Ansar Allah in Yemen; Saraya al-Quds, the military wing of Islamic Jihad; and Faleh al-Fayyadh, head of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces. Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also issued a message of support. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also sent diplomatic congratulations, acknowledging the leadership transition.

Sistani Issues Religious Fatwa Supporting Iran– Iraq’s top Shia cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, issued a rare religious ruling (fatwa) expressing support for the Iranian regime. He declared that defending Iran’s Islamic system is a collective religious duty and called for public mobilization to protect the regime and prevent instability. The ruling is considered significant because a similar fatwa issued by Sistani in 2014 led to the mobilization of hundreds of thousands of fighters against ISIS and contributed to the formation of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces.

IRGC Foils Armed Anti-Regime Cell in Northwestern Iran – Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it had foiled Kurdish militant activity in northwestern Iran. According to the IRGC, an armed anti-regime militant was neutralized during the operation. Security forces also reportedly seized weapons during the raid, including Kalashnikov rifles, RPG-7 launchers, and grenades.

 Iranian Attacks Israel, U.S. and Regional Targets – Iran and its allied forces continued attacks on American and allied infrastructure across the region. Reported targets included Camp Al-Udairi in Kuwait, American helicopter base facilities, fuel storage tanks and logistics infrastructure, and U.S. officers’ facilities in Bahrain. Iranian naval forces also reportedly used suicide drones and cruise missiles during the attacks.

Overview of Operations “Roaring Lion” and “Epic Fury”

10 On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched a coordinated pre-emptive operation against Iran under the titles “Epic Fury” and “Roaring Lion,” respectively. According to Israeli officials, the objective of the campaign is to eliminate existential threats posed by Iran, with a focus on missile and drone capabilities and nuclear-related infrastructure. The first wave of strikes targeted Tehran, focusing on central government sites, before expanding to additional cities across Iran. The attacks reportedly targeted senior Iranian political and security officials, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, creating a temporary leadership vacuum until the appointment of his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the new Supreme Leader. The transition appears to have stabilized the regime faster than many observers expected. Support quickly emerged from regime officials and religious scholars, while Iran-aligned proxy groups pledged allegiance and regional allies sent messages of support. Iranian reports also described public rallies in more than 150 cities across the country. Together, these developments suggest Iran is attempting to demonstrate continuity and regime resilience following the killing of Ali Khamenei.

Operations “Epic Fury” and “Roaring Lion” focus on degrading Iran’s offensive military capabilities and nuclear facilities, disrupting its logistical networks, targeting key governmental and intelligence institutions, and weakening domestic security forces. Over the past week, the United States and Israel have continued conducting strikes across Iran, increasingly targeting the regime’s internal security infrastructure, including bases of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij. These operations appear to be part of a broader campaign aimed at reducing Iran’s military capabilities and limiting the regime’s ability to control potential internal unrest.

Iran is responding with waves of missile and drone attacks across the region, targeting Israel and states hosting U.S. forces or allies such as the Kurds, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, and Cyprus, Iraq, and Azerbaijan. Iranian strikes have focused on strategic economic infrastructure, particularly energy facilities and maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as military and diplomatic installations and symbolic civilian targets intended to increase political pressure on regional governments.

Energy infrastructure and maritime trade routes have become central targets in the escalating conflict between Iran, Israel, and the United States. Iranian strikes and allied militia attacks have increasingly focused on oil refineries, fuel depots, pipelines, and export terminals across the region, reflecting an effort to impose economic pressure and disrupt global energy markets. At the same time, Israeli and U.S. operations have reportedly targeted Iranian fuel depots, energy infrastructure, and logistical networks that support military operations.

The conflict has increasingly drawn in additional regional and international actors. Reports indicate that Qatar carried out strikes inside Iran. France, Germany, and the United Kingdom also announced military deployments to the Middle East region amid attacks on Cyprus, signaling growing international involvement. And Pakistan signaled to Iran that it has a defense alliance with Saudi Arabia, which Iran has been attacking in the past week.

At the same time, Iran’s regional proxy network, known as the “Axis of Resistance,” has intensified its operations. Tehran appears to be shifting from largely symbolic proxy actions toward sustained operational pressure across multiple theaters in the region. Hezbollah has increased rocket and drone attacks toward central and northern Israel. At times coordinated with missile attacks originating from Iran. Israel has carried out extensive airstrikes against Hezbollah infrastructure across Lebanon, along with limited ground operations in southern Lebanon aimed at strengthening the defense of northern Israeli communities. Israel has also focused on targeting Hezbollah’s financial network. The IDF struck a facility belonging to Hezbollah’s financial institution, Al-Qard Al-Hasan, as part of a broader effort to disrupt the group’s economic infrastructure and sources of funding. Pro-Iranian militias in Iraq have also intensified attacks on U.S. interests in Iraq and Jordan, while reportedly targeting Kurdish infrastructure in northern Iraq. In response, the United States and Israel have carried out strikes against these militias, causing damage to several of their bases and operational facilities. Meanwhile, the Houthis in Yemen have threatened maritime routes such as the Bab al-Mandab Strait, raising concerns about disruptions to global trade and energy supplies.

In parallel with the physical battlefield, the conflict has expanded into the cyber domain, where Pro-Iranian hacker groups and Iranian cyber units expanded cyber operations against Israel, Gulf states, and U.S. interests, targeting government platforms, energy companies, and critical infrastructure. These operations mirror developments in the physical battlefield, highlighting the integration of cyber warfare into the broader conflict.