War in the Middle East: Targeted universities, Israel expands buffer zone to Lebanon… What to remember

Iran has threatened to target American universities in the Middle East since Monday, after reporting the destruction of two of its higher education institutions by American-Israeli strikes in Tehran and Isfahan.

An ever-expanding ground operation in Lebanon, a possible American incursion on the ground in Iran, universities in the crosshairs across the region… More than a month after the start of the war in the Middle East, strikes continued to shake the warring countries and their neighbors on Sunday, March 29, causing new casualties, including around fifty in Lebanon. Here’s what you need to know from the day.

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The Middle East still under attack

American and Israeli strikes hit a dock at an Iranian port near the Strait of Hormuz, killing five, as reported by the official news agency Irna. Overnight, the Israeli army also struck one of the two sites in Tehran used by the Iranian Ministry of Defense to produce ballistic missile components. Iran continued its retaliatory operations, with ten soldiers injured in a Kuwaiti camp attack, and the UAE targeted again by missile and drone strikes. Yemeni Houthi rebels also launched a new missile “toward Israeli territory,” according to Israel.

Israel expands its operation into Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the Israeli army to “further expand the security zone” forcibly established in southern Lebanon, where Israel has been conducting operations against the pro-Iranian Hezbollah since early March. This new ground phase aims to “definitively neutralize the invasion threat” from Hezbollah in northern Israel “and move away missile attacks away from the border.” The Israeli army had announced the death of one of its soldiers in combat the day before in southern Lebanon, the fifth soldier killed in a month. The Lebanese Ministry of Health recorded 1,238 casualties from Israeli strikes since March 2, with at least 49 over the weekend.

Iran accuses the US of preparing a ground operation

The Iranian Parliament Speaker accused the United States of secretly planning a ground offensive while publicly engaging in diplomatic efforts to end the war in the Middle East. “Our men are awaiting the arrival of American soldiers in the field to attack them,” warned Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, while the Iranian army stated that the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier would be targeted if it approached the firing range.

According to US officials cited anonymously by The Washington Post, the United States is indeed preparing for several weeks of ground actions. These actions are not expected to lead to a large-scale invasion of Iran but would involve raids within Iranian territory by special forces and other troops. President Donald Trump has maintained ambiguity on this possibility for several weeks.

Middle Eastern universities caught in the war

The University of Technology in the Iranian city of Isfahan claimed to have been hit for the second time in four days by an American-Israeli strike. “The attack on one of the university’s research institutes also damaged several other buildings and caused four minor injuries among the university staff,” the institution reported. In the night from Friday to Saturday, the University of Science and Technology in Tehran was also damaged in bombings. As a response, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards threatened to “retaliate” against American universities in the Middle East starting from Monday. Shortly after, the American University of Beirut announced that its classes would be fully online on Monday and Tuesday, “out of an abundance of caution.”

Residents confined in Israel near a burning industrial zone

The Neot Hovav industrial zone, home to more than 40 factories in southern Israel, was hit by a fire likely caused by “a missile debris,” according to the Israeli army. “As a precaution, an incident involving hazardous materials was declared, and all factory employees were instructed to stay in protected areas,” the site management announced. The Israeli Home Front Command, responsible for civilian protection in emergency situations, asked residents living near the complex to stay in their homes due to the risk of toxic leaks. This is the second time in a month that an industrial facility has been hit in Israel. By the end of the day, the Revolutionary Guards claimed responsibility for this attack, in response to strikes “against the industrial centers of our dear Iran.”