Mar 29, 2026, 9:41 p.mMar 29, 2026, 9:53 p.m
Four weeks after the start of the war, Israel and Iran are continuing their violent attacks on each other. The Iranian Fars news agency reported that rockets hit a residential area south of Tehran, killing ten people. The Israeli military confirmed attacks in the Iranian capital and other areas in the country. The target was the infrastructure of the Iranian power apparatus, including production facilities for missiles and drones, it was said.
The US-based human rights network HRANA wrote that the attacks on Iran in recent days were the strongest since the start of the war.
Houthis entered the war
Meanwhile, Iran continued its missile attacks on Israel. According to media reports, one attack was in the desert town of Dimona, which is located near the Israeli nuclear reactor. An attack a week ago left dozens injured and caused devastating damage to a residential area in the town. There were also rocket alarms in the greater Tel Aviv area and in Jerusalem. In addition to rockets from Iran, missiles from Lebanon also flew into Israel’s north.
In addition, the Houthi militia in Yemen attacked Israel twice within a short period of time on Saturday after entering the war on Tehran’s side – with a total of three rockets and a drone.
Pakistan is trying to de-escalate
Meanwhile, at the invitation of Pakistan, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey came to Islamabad for two days of talks. There they wanted to discuss a possible de-escalation of the war. Pakistan shares a border of around 900 kilometers with Iran and has offered itself as a mediator for a possible end to the war since the war spread to the Gulf states.
The foreign ministers were also scheduled to meet Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. According to his own statements, in a telephone conversation with Iran’s President Massoud Peseschkian, he reiterated “Pakistan’s strong condemnation of Israel’s ongoing attacks on Iran.” He also informed him about Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate dialogue and de-escalation with the USA, friendly Gulf states and other Islamic countries. Islamabad exchanges messages between the USA and Iran.
Talks in Islamabad soon?
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said: “Pakistan will be honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in the coming days to achieve a comprehensive and lasting resolution to the ongoing conflict.”
Pakistan was very pleased that both Iran and the US had expressed their trust in Pakistan as a mediator in these talks. China also fully supports Pakistan’s initiative to hold talks between Iran and the USA, it said.
According to Federal Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, preparations are being made for a direct meeting between representatives of the USA and Iran. Wadephul also mentioned Pakistan as a possible location for the talks on Deutschlandfunk. He spoke of “the first signs of hope, of confidence”.
Iran allows Pakistani ships to pass through Strait of Hormuz
Iran eased its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which is important for energy supplies, to Pakistani ships. The move was seen by observers as a confidence-building measure as part of negotiations to de-escalate the Middle East. Since the Israeli and US attacks on the country began four weeks ago, Iran has blocked the strait through which large parts of oil and gas transport pass. As a result, the prices for these energy sources have risen sharply.
More US Marines in the Middle East – plans for ground offensive
The arrival of additional US naval forces with the amphibious assault ship “USS Tripoli” in the Middle East had fueled speculation about a timely ground deployment. After the recent G7 talks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that his own war goals could be achieved without ground troops. However, he did not want to categorically rule out their use.
According to US media reports, the US military has already prepared plans for a possible deployment on the ground. It will involve combined deployments of regular infantry and special forces troops, but will not be a full-scale invasion, the Washington Post reported, citing US officials. Several weeks would therefore be planned for such an operation. It was unclear whether US President Donald Trump planned to approve the plans.
According to a spokesman, the Israeli military wants to have largely destroyed Iranian weapons production “in a few days”. During this period, the armed forces would “complete the attacks on all important components of the (Iranian) military industry,” said army spokesman Effie Defrin on Saturday evening. “This means that we will have to destroy the majority of military production capacity.”
Again attacks on Gulf states
Meanwhile, Iranian counterattacks continue in other countries in the region. Several Gulf states reported further damage, including after attacks on a metal factory in Abu Dhabi, in which, according to official information, several people were injured. Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia also reported new attacks. In Kuwait, some of them targeted the area surrounding the international airport and caused significant damage to the radar system, according to official information. (sda/dpa)