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Iran's regime has organised over 850 public demonstrations in support of the government since the beginning of the war, showcasing its resilience amid a month-long campaign of intensive airstrikes by the US and Israel. The high number of pro-regime gatherings and the increasing number of detentions underline the regime's determination to maintain control.The war began with a surprise Israeli strike that killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, and many senior officials. Despite this, the regime has not fragmented, and there are no defections. Experts say the messaging within Iran is that they are winning, and this is constant and consistent.Clionadh Raleigh, president of Acled, an independent conflict monitor, noted that the US-Israeli decapitation strategy could not have been more successful, but the regime has adapted. The Acled research also shows that the number of US and Israeli strikes on Iran has remained steady at between 47 and 102 attacks daily that have caused significant civilian casualties.Tehran's retaliation has been largely ineffective, causing only 70 fatalities during the war, compared with 1,157 killed inside Iran, of whom 341 have been identified as civilians. The researchers noted that 99.2% of protests were pro-regime, indicating a coordinated effort to show nationalist consolidation under external attack.The arrest campaign is the regime's primary domestic tool, with approximately 1,465-plus detained in 27 days. Charges escalated from 'filming damage' to 'espionage' and 'mercenary' as the conflict progressed. Details of such repression are difficult to obtain, but recent incidents include the deaths of 10 people when Revolutionary Guards fired on anti-regime demonstrators and shot at apartment windows in Tehran on 25 March.Estimates of civilian casualties vary, with over 1,900 people killed and at least 20,000 injured in Iran since the start of US and Israeli attacks, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The US-based Human Rights Activists news agency (HRANA) said 3,300 people had been killed since the war began, including 1,464 civilians and at least 217 children.

The US and Israel are intensifying their military campaign against Iran, with Senator Marco Rubio stating that the operation is expected to conclude in 'weeks, not months'. The conflict escalated with a surprise strike on 28 February that killed Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.Despite Iran's defiance and denial of negotiations, the US and Israel continue to target Iran's nuclear facilities and military sites. Israel's defence minister, Israel Katz, warned that attacks against Iran will 'escalate and expand' to additional targets and areas that assist the regime in building and operating weapons against Israeli citizens.The conflict has significant economic implications, with the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world's oil is usually shipped, being a key point of contention. The US has ordered thousands of marines and elite airborne troops to the region, possibly in preparation for a military effort to forcibly reopen the waterway.Iran has threatened to attack Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port of Yanbu and the Fujairah oil complex in the United Arab Emirates if a ground invasion takes place. The US president, Donald Trump, has issued an ultimatum to Iran, demanding that it allow free passage of shipping through the strait by 6 April or face the destruction of its energy plants.The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with over 1,900 people killed and 20,000 injured in Iran, and 19 people killed in Israel. The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon has worsened, with a fifth of the population displaced and nearly 1,100 people killed.The G7 foreign ministers have reiterated the need for safe and toll-free freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and called for an immediate cessation of attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure.

A tragic incident has occurred in Lebanon, where a teenage volunteer paramedic lost their life in an Israeli airstrike. The event took place on March 26, 2026, and has been reported by Al Jazeera.The victim, a teen volunteer, was actively involved in providing medical assistance, underscoring the grave risks faced by civilians and medical personnel in conflict-affected areas.This incident has further strained the already tense relations between Israel and Lebanon, drawing attention to the humanitarian consequences of ongoing hostilities in the region.

As Israeli settlers intensify violent attacks against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, often while Israeli forces stand by, a notable shift is occurring in US political circles. Even staunch supporters of Israel within the Democratic party are now publicly denouncing the escalating violence.In recent days, dozens of settlers have engaged in apparently coordinated attacks, torching homes and vehicles while targeting Palestinian civilians. Since the beginning of the month, Israeli settlers and police have killed at least 10 Palestinian civilians in the occupied territory, including two young brothers and their parents who were returning from a Ramadan shopping trip.Among the voices breaking ranks is Ritchie Torres, a New York Democratic representative and one of Israel's most ardent supporters in Congress. In a statement this week, he declared that "the crisis of extremist settler violence in the West Bank must be confronted, and the perpetrators must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." He called for "zero tolerance for violent extremism, no matter what form it takes."Another pro-Israel Democrat, Daniel Goldman of New York, condemned the violence as an "outrage" and urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring to vote proposed legislation seeking to impose sanctions against those "undermining prospects for a two-state solution by committing illegal violent acts." He also criticized the Trump administration for rescinding sanctions against violent settlers that had been issued under the Biden administration.Several other Aipac-backed politicians have joined the condemnation, including Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego, who called on the Israeli government to "stop being complicit," and Arizona Congressman Greg Stanton, who labeled the attacks "acts of terrorism." Ohio Democratic Congresswoman Shontel Brown accused Trump of "green-lighting settler violence," while Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen stated that "violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank is a national security threat to Israel and must be treated as such."The political shift comes as US public support for Israel has plummeted. An NBC News poll found that two-thirds of Democrats now say their sympathies lie with Palestinians over Israelis—a dramatic reversal with significant implications for upcoming elections. Meanwhile, 68% of Republicans continue to express stronger support for Israel.A Guardian analysis revealed that Israel has not prosecuted any of its citizens for killing Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank since the start of the decade. The UN has warned that the Israeli government has accelerated illegal settlement expansion, forcibly displacing approximately 36,000 Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem over the past year.Political analysts suggest these pro-Israel Democrats are "trapped between the money they've relied on to make their campaigns work and the voters they actually need to win," with condemnation of settler violence offering a way to express discontent without challenging the Israeli state itself.

The conflict in Sudan continues to intensify, with two drone strikes resulting in the deaths of at least 28 civilians. The strikes occurred in separate locations, with one hitting a market in Saraf Omra, North Darfur state, killing 22 people, including an infant, and injuring 17 others. Another strike targeted a truck carrying civilians on a highway in North Kordofan, approximately 500 miles east of Darfur, killing six people and wounding 10. The RSF was blamed for the attack, although it is unclear which side launched the drone. Sudan's civil war, which began on April 15, 2023, has led to over 11.6 million people being displaced out of a population of about 51 million. The conflict has resulted in tens of thousands to potentially over 400,000 deaths. The situation has been described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with large areas of the country at risk of famine. The UN has reported a significant increase in civilian deaths from drone strikes this year, particularly in the Kordofan region. Between January 1 and March 15, over 500 people were killed by drones. A recent drone strike on a hospital in East Darfur killed 64 people and wounded 89, according to the World Health Organization.

Australia has reaffirmed its support for Lebanon's sovereignty and expressed opposition to any Israeli occupation of the country's southern region. Foreign Minister Penny Wong made these statements during a conversation with her Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa'ar.The conversation comes as Israel has revealed plans to establish a 'defensive buffer' against the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. This move has raised concerns about the potential for occupation of Lebanese territory.Wong emphasized Australia's grave concerns about the expansion of the conflict in Lebanon, which has resulted in the loss of life and the displacement of over one million civilians. She also stressed that Australia supports Lebanon's sovereignty and does not want to see Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon.The situation in Lebanon is further complicated by Hezbollah's continued strikes on Israel. Wong and Sa'ar agreed that Hezbollah must disarm in line with previous agreements.In addition to these developments, Australia has announced an extra $5 million in aid to support civilians in Lebanon impacted by the conflict, particularly women and children.Wong also advised Australians in Lebanon to leave now if it is safe to do so, citing the deteriorating situation.

The traditional cold war diplomacy of brinkmanship, characterized by carefully balanced standoffs and rules-based international order, has given way to a world in freefall. This shift is exemplified by the ever-widening conflict in the Gulf where strategic objectives remain as unclear as the potential endpoint of hostilities.Approaching a month since the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, the stated objectives of removing the country's nuclear threat and destroying its ballistic missile capability appear increasingly disconnected from the disproportionate impact on civilians and neighboring Gulf nations. Despite these consequences, the Iranian regime's willingness to escalate the conflict shows no signs of diminishing.The Guardian Weekly's coverage examines this critical juncture through multiple perspectives. Patrick Wintour recounts the pivotal week when global tensions reached a tipping point, while Richard Partington analyzes the long-term economic implications of a prolonged conflict, from oil price fluctuations to inflationary pressures and economic growth impacts. From South Lebanon, William Christou reports on healthcare professionals caught in the crossfire of Israeli airstrikes, highlighting the human cost of the escalating violence.Emma Graham-Harrison provides insight from Jerusalem, examining Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strategy of attempting to rehabilitate his image through what he frames as destruction of an 'axis of evil.' Meanwhile, Simon Tisdall poses a critical question: when US President Donald Trump eventually seeks to halt the conflict, will any parties be willing to heed his calls for de-escalation?Beyond the primary geopolitical focus, this week's Guardian Weekly edition explores several significant developments across different sectors. The UK political landscape features an examination of the upcoming local elections, where voter sentiment appears increasingly focused on rejecting established parties rather than actively supporting alternatives. The scientific section explores innovative approaches to addressing snoring disorders through CPAP machines, while the culture section features an in-depth interview with Dave Grohl discussing Foo Fighters, personal challenges, and grief following the loss of bandmate Taylor Hawkins.In sports, the publication celebrates the remarkable achievement of British athletes Keely Hodgkinson, Georgia Hunter Bell, and Molly Caudery, who each secured gold medals at the world indoor athletics championships in Poland, showcasing British excellence in track and field events.

Iran has launched a significant missile attack on Israel, causing damage and injuries in Tel Aviv. The attack, which occurred on Tuesday, triggered air raid sirens across the city, including in the densely populated areas of Tel Aviv. A multistorey apartment building suffered extensive damage, with gaping holes torn through it, although it was unclear if the damage was from a direct hit or debris from an interception. At least six people were lightly injured at four different sites, according to Israel's Magen David Adom emergency medical service. Police in Tel Aviv reported dealing with multiple impact sites of munitions, while the National Fire and Rescue Authority was searching for people trapped in one building and found civilians in a shelter in another damaged building. In response to the missile strikes, Israel's military carried out a wave of airstrikes in central Tehran on Monday, targeting key command centers associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' intelligence arm and the Iranian Intelligence Ministry. The military also hit over 50 additional targets overnight, including ballistic missile storage and launch sites. The escalation comes amid ongoing uncertainty about possible talks to end the three-week US-Israel war on Iran. The situation remains volatile, with both sides engaging in military actions that could have broader implications for regional stability.

The conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran has escalated with a series of attacks on Iranian cities, including the capital Tehran, and other locations such as Tabriz, Isfahan, and Karaj. These attacks occurred even as US President Donald Trump claimed that Washington was engaged in productive conversations with Tehran to end the war.Iranian media reported that Israeli-US strikes targeted two gas facilities and a pipeline, hours after Trump postponed planned attacks on power infrastructure. The attacks resulted in partial damage to facilities in central Iran, including a gas administration building and a gas pressure regulation station in Isfahan.A leading scholar and professor at a science university in Tehran, Saeed Shamaghdari, was killed alongside his two children in an attack on his residence north of the capital. Iran's English-language news channel Press TV identified Shamaghdari as a teacher at the engineering department of the Iran University of Science and Technology.The head of Iran's emergency service, Jafar Miadfar, reported that 208 children have been killed since the war began on February 28, with 168 of them dying in the US missile strikes on a girls' school in Minab city. Rights groups have called for an investigation into the Minab attack as a potential war crime.More than 1,500 civilians have been killed across Iran, according to the Iranian government. The US-Israel war on Iran has expanded across the Middle East, leading to a spike in oil prices and triggering a global energy crisis.Despite the escalation of violence, Iran's Foreign Minister Abass Araghchi has held calls with several countries, including Egypt, Pakistan, and Oman, in an attempt to open a diplomatic channel. However, senior Iranian officials have denied that Iran is engaged in talks with the US, contradicting Trump's claims of productive conversations.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has emphasized the need for a negotiated solution to the conflict, warning that the situation is critical for energy supplies and condemning Iran's efforts to block energy exports through the Strait of Hormuz.