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Watch: How Iran is fighting back against U.S. and Israel

March 09, 2026 5 min read International Relations Internal Security GS2 (International Relations Effect of Policies of Developed Countries on India's Interests)
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What Happened

  • One week after the US and Israel launched joint airstrikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, Iran intensified its multi-layered military response across West Asia.
  • By March 5, Iran had fired over 500 ballistic and naval missiles and approximately 2,000 drones since February 28, targeting US military installations, embassies, oil infrastructure, and Israeli territory.
  • The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced strikes on at least 27 US bases across the Middle East where American troops are deployed, as well as Israeli military sites in Tel Aviv and elsewhere.
  • Approximately 40% of Iran's launches were directed at Israel; approximately 60% were aimed at US targets in the region.
  • Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to shipping, targeting vessels and deploying naval assets to block the chokepoint.
  • Tehran activated regional proxy networks — including Houthi forces in Yemen, Hezbollah remnants in Lebanon, and Iraqi militias — to multiply pressure points on US and Israeli assets.

Static Topic Bridges

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — Structure and Role

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), known in Persian as Sepah-e Pasdaran, is a branch of Iran's armed forces established in 1979 following the Islamic Revolution. Unlike the conventional Iranian Army (Artesh), the IRGC's primary loyalty is to the Supreme Leader and the ideology of the Islamic Republic, rather than to the state apparatus.

  • The IRGC comprises Ground Forces, Navy, Aerospace Force, and the Quds Force (external operations).
  • The Quds Force is responsible for IRGC operations outside Iran, including support for regional proxy groups (Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Iraqi militias).
  • The IRGC Navy controls Iran's presence in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, including speedboat swarm tactics and anti-ship missile capabilities.
  • The US designated the IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2019 — the first time a state military was so designated.
  • IRGC also controls Iran's ballistic missile program, which includes medium-range missiles capable of reaching Israel (~1,500 km) and beyond.
  • The IRGC's Asif Brigade Naval headquarters in Minab (Hormozgan province) was adjacent to the school struck on February 28.

Connection to this news: Iran's missile and drone barrage was executed primarily through the IRGC and its associated forces, reflecting the organisation's central role in Iran's deterrence strategy and warfighting doctrine.

Iran's "Axis of Resistance" and Proxy Network

Iran's strategic doctrine includes the concept of "strategic depth" — maintaining influence through a network of non-state armed groups across the region that can be activated in conflict. Iran describes this as the "Axis of Resistance" (Mehwar al-Muqawama), positioned as a counter to US and Israeli presence.

  • Key Axis of Resistance components: Hezbollah (Lebanon), Hamas (Gaza — weakened but not eliminated), Islamic Jihad (Palestine), Houthi movement (Yemen/Ansar Allah), Kata'ib Hezbollah and other Popular Mobilization Units (Iraq), and allied groups in Syria.
  • Hezbollah is considered the most capable non-state armed force in the region, with an estimated 130,000-150,000 missiles/rockets before the 2024 conflict.
  • The Houthis (Ansar Allah) control northwestern Yemen and had previously disrupted Red Sea shipping in 2023-2024 in solidarity with Gaza.
  • Iran's doctrine of "forward defence" holds that it is better to fight adversaries on their territory (using proxies) than on Iranian soil.
  • With Iran itself now under direct attack, the proxy activation serves both as retaliation and as a strategic pressure multiplier.

Connection to this news: Iran's simultaneous missile strikes and proxy activation reflect its "multi-front exhaustion" strategy — designed to stretch US and Israeli military response across multiple theatres simultaneously, increasing the cost of continued military operations.

International Humanitarian Law and Laws of Armed Conflict

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) — also known as the Laws of Armed Conflict (LOAC) — is the body of rules governing the conduct of warfare. It is codified primarily in the four Geneva Conventions (1949) and their Additional Protocols (1977). Key principles include: distinction (between combatants and civilians), proportionality (civilian harm must not be excessive relative to military advantage), and precaution (all feasible measures to minimise civilian harm must be taken).

  • Strikes on dual-use sites (near military installations) require careful proportionality assessments under IHL.
  • The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) criminalises intentional attacks on civilians and disproportionate attacks as war crimes.
  • Universal jurisdiction allows any state to prosecute war crimes regardless of where they occurred.
  • The Human Rights Watch and UN Special Rapporteurs called for investigations into the Minab school strike under IHL provisions.
  • Iran is not an ICC member (withdrew from the Rome Statute process); the US is also not an ICC state party — limiting formal accountability mechanisms.

Connection to this news: Iran's strikes on US military positions across 27 bases, and counter-strikes targeting infrastructure, raise IHL questions about proportionality and civilian impact — particularly given the scale of missile and drone launches across densely populated areas.

Key Facts & Data

  • Iran launched 500+ ballistic/naval missiles and ~2,000 drones between February 28 and March 5, 2026.
  • IRGC claimed strikes on at least 27 US military bases in the region and Israeli military sites.
  • 40% of Iran's attacks targeted Israel; 60% targeted US positions in the region.
  • IRGC was established in 1979 after the Islamic Revolution; US designated it a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 2019.
  • Iran's ballistic missiles include the Shahab, Emad, Khorramshahr, and Fateh families — some with 2,000 km range.
  • By March 4-5, Iranian attack frequency declined as hundreds of missiles were destroyed or targeted in storage facilities.
  • The Quds Force — IRGC's external operations branch — commands the Axis of Resistance proxy network.
  • Geneva Conventions (1949) and Additional Protocols (1977) form the primary codified IHL framework.