Netanyahu Orders All-Out Strike Campaign Before Possible Ceasefire
Israel is racing against the clock.
With President Donald Trump’s March 27 deadline for Iran to reach a deal now just hours away, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a massive 48-hour campaign of airstrikes aimed at crippling what remains of Iran’s arms manufacturing infrastructure, according to two senior Israeli officials and two people briefed on the matter.
The reason? Israel is deeply concerned that Washington may cut a deal with Tehran before the Israeli military has finished the job — dismantling Iran’s ballistic missile program and destroying its capacity to develop nuclear weapons.
“The clock is ticking, and Israel won’t leave its fate to diplomats in hotel lobbies,” one senior Israeli official told reporters Wednesday.
The IDF confirmed it conducted an “extensive” wave of strikes targeting Iranian “production sites” in Esfahan Province and other strategic areas on March 24 and 25, part of what appears to be the most concentrated Israeli bombing campaign since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28.
Iran Claims Cruise Missile Strike on USS Abraham Lincoln
In a dramatic escalation on Wednesday, Iran’s military announced it had fired cruise missiles at the USS Abraham Lincoln, the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier operating in the region.
The claim came from Iran’s semiofficial Mehr news agency, hours after an Iranian naval commander publicly warned that the carrier would be targeted if it came within range of Iranian weapons systems.
The Pentagon has not confirmed any damage to the Abraham Lincoln or its strike group. Iran has made similar claims before during the conflict — some verified, others debunked. Earlier in the war, Iran’s IRGC claimed a successful attack on the carrier group in early March, but AFP fact-checkers found that accompanying footage was fabricated using AI-generated imagery and old video.
Regardless of whether the latest claim proves accurate, the targeting of a U.S. supercarrier marks a significant rhetorical and strategic escalation by Tehran.
Gulf States Under Fresh Assault as War Enters Day 26
There was no letup in Iranian aggression overnight into Thursday, March 26.
The United Arab Emirates said its air defenses were actively responding to incoming missiles and drones from Iran. Saudi Arabia’s defense ministry and the Kuwait National Guard reported intercepting drones, though neither specified where they originated. Bahrain’s interior ministry confirmed a fire caused by “Iranian aggression” but provided no further details about the strike or the facility hit.
The wave of attacks across Gulf Arab nations comes as Iran continues to use its proxy networks and conventional missile forces to strike at U.S. allies across the region. More than 40 Middle East energy assets have been “severely damaged” since the war began, according to the International Energy Agency.
CENTCOM: Two-Thirds of Iran’s Arms Manufacturing Destroyed
U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper delivered a sobering assessment on Tuesday: American forces have now destroyed approximately two-thirds of Iran’s arms manufacturing facilities.
The number underscores the sheer scale of Operation Epic Fury, which has seen the U.S. and Israel conduct thousands of strikes across Iran since February 28. Key targets have included missile production plants, drone assembly facilities, IRGC command centers, and ballistic missile launch sites.
The Pentagon also updated its casualty figures on Wednesday: 290 American service members have been injured since the start of the war, with all but 35 having been treated and returned to duty. The American death toll stands at 13 service members killed in action.
“U.S. forces are hitting Iran surgically, overwhelmingly, and unapologetically,” the White House said in a statement earlier this month.
Iran Rejects Ceasefire, Issues Five Demands
While Israel bombs and America pushes for a deal, Iran isn’t budging.
Tehran formally rejected the U.S. 15-point peace plan on Wednesday and issued its own five-point counterproposal through state broadcaster Press TV. The demands are sweeping — and likely a nonstarter for Washington:
- Complete halt to all “aggression and assassinations” by the U.S. and Israel.
- Concrete mechanisms to ensure the war is not reimposed on Iran.
- War reparations — guaranteed and clearly defined payment for damages.
- End of hostilities across all fronts, including for all resistance groups (Hezbollah, Houthis, Iraqi militias).
- Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz — which Tehran calls its “natural and legal right.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi added fuel to the fire, stating flatly that Iran “has no intention of negotiating” with the United States while emphasizing that message exchanges through mediators “do not mean negotiations.”
However, U.S. officials noted that Iranian officials had privately signaled on Tuesday they were open to talks — suggesting that the public posturing may not tell the full story.
Israel Expands Buffer Zone in Lebanon
On a separate front, Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that Israel has established a “real buffer zone” in southern Lebanon and is actively expanding military control in the area.
Israel’s defense minister stated that the threat of a Hezbollah invasion of northern Israel “no longer exists,” and that the expanded zone is designed to push back Hezbollah’s anti-tank missile capabilities.
The IDF struck the southern outskirts of Beirut — a Hezbollah stronghold — as well as multiple towns in southern Lebanon, hitting gas stations tied to Hezbollah’s financial network. Nearly 1,100 people have been killed in Lebanon since Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in early March, shortly after Operation Epic Fury began.
The March 27 Deadline: What Happens Next?
All eyes are now on Thursday, March 27 — the deadline Trump set for Iran to reach a deal.
Trump originally threatened to strike Iranian power plants if Tehran did not “fully open” the Strait of Hormuz by March 22. He then extended the deadline five days to March 27 after claiming “productive” talks were underway.
But with Iran publicly rejecting the ceasefire plan, firing missiles at Gulf states and U.S. naval assets, and demanding war reparations and Hormuz sovereignty, the prospect of a deal by tomorrow looks bleak.
Meanwhile, Congressional Republicans are growing uneasy. Several left classified Pentagon briefings on Wednesday frustrated by the lack of crucial details about next steps. Nearly a month into the fighting, Congress has given Trump broad latitude to wage war without congressional input — but patience appears to be wearing thin.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt struck a confident tone: “Iran’s forces have been crushed after four weeks of strikes. That’s why you are beginning to see the regime look for an exit ramp.”
Whether that exit ramp materializes by Thursday remains the most consequential question in global security.
By the Numbers: Day 26 of the Iran War
- U.S. service members killed: 13
- U.S. service members injured: 290 (35 still receiving treatment)
- Iranian civilian deaths: 1,440+ (Human Rights Activists News Agency)
- Lebanon deaths: Nearly 1,100
- Israeli deaths from Iranian attacks: At least 15
- Iran arms manufacturing destroyed: ~66% (per CENTCOM)
- Middle East energy assets severely damaged: 40+
- Days until Trump’s deadline: 1
This is a developing story. List25 will continue to provide updates as the March 27 deadline approaches.