Iran and Israel Exchange Strikes as Conflict Escalates into 24th Day

Reuters

The war between US and Iran.

In the early hours of Monday, 23 March 2026, an escalation in attacks between Iran and Israel was witnessed, with both sides exchanging missile and air strikes on the 24th day of the conflict.

Iranian news agencies reported explosions in the capital, Tehran, early this morning, while Israel announced a new series of strikes.

The Iranian news agency Mehr reported on Telegram that “an explosion was heard in Tehran”, while the Fars news agency said that air strikes targeted five areas in the city, where “terrifying explosions” were reported.

An hour after these reports, a column of thick black smoke was still rising from an area in eastern Tehran, according to an AFP correspondent.

For its part, the Israeli army announced that it had launched “a wide wave of attacks on the infrastructure of the Iranian regime in Tehran”.

The Israeli army also said it was intercepting missiles launched from Iran towards Israel.

In a post on Telegram, it stated that it had “detected missiles launched from Iran towards the territory of the State of Israel”, adding that defence systems were working to intercept the threat. Loud explosions were heard in Tel Aviv, where a series of attacks struck several locations earlier on Sunday.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump reiterated his “peace through strength” approach to foreign policy.

“Peace through strength, so to speak,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

Earlier, Trump renewed his threats against Iran, shortly before the expiry of the two-day deadline he had given to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump told Israel’s Channel 13 on Sunday evening that “the consequences will soon become clear”.

The US president delivered a strongly worded message to Iran, saying: “You will soon see what will happen with the warning regarding the power plants. The result will be very good. Iran will be totally destroyed, and it will be very effective.”

Trump had given Iran a 48-hour deadline to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warning of attacks targeting its power plants if it did not comply.

For its part, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) vowed to respond “in kind” to any targeting of the country’s energy sector, asserting its readiness to strike Israeli power plants, as well as those supplying US bases in the region with electricity. This marks a new escalation in the maritime conflict in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement published by official media today, the IRGC said Tehran was determined to respond to any threat with the necessary deterrent force, adding: “If you bomb our power grids, we will bomb your power grids.”

The statement denied US accusations that the IRGC intends to attack desalination plants, saying: “The US president falsely claimed that the Revolutionary Guard intends to attack desalination plants and harm people in the region.”


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