Monday 30 March 2026Afternoon Edition

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Geopolitics

Iran War Escalates as Houthis Enter Conflict and Airstrikes Hit Tehran and Iraq

One month into the US-Israeli campaign, the war is spreading across the Middle East with new fronts opening in Yemen and Iraq

Zotpaper••3 min read•📰 13 sources
The war against Iran escalated sharply on Saturday as Iran-allied Houthi forces formally entered the conflict and Israel intensified its bombardment of Tehran, while separate airstrikes in Iraq killed three Popular Mobilization Forces fighters and two Iraqi police officers.

Saturday marked one month since the United States and Israel launched their initial strikes on Iran on February 28, and the conflict shows no signs of containment. The New York Times reported that Houthi forces in Yemen have now joined the fighting, opening yet another front in what is rapidly becoming a regional war.

In Tehran, Israeli airstrikes continued to pound the Iranian capital, escalating the direct military confrontation between the two nations. The strikes represent a significant intensification of the campaign that began with targeted military installations and has expanded to broader targets.

Meanwhile in Iraq, airstrikes killed three fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an Iran-backed paramilitary network, along with two Iraqi police officers. Al Jazeera described Iraq as an "expanding battleground" in the wider conflict, raising concerns about the sovereignty and stability of a country still recovering from decades of war.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference in the United States, exiled Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi used the platform to pledge he would "make Iran great again," calling on the Trump administration to "stay the course" with its military campaign.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The one-month mark of this conflict reveals a pattern of escalation rather than containment. Each week has brought new belligerents and new theatres of operation, from direct strikes on Tehran to the Houthi entry and the expanding footprint in Iraq.

Background

The US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, 2026. Since then, Houthi forces have launched missiles at Israel, Israeli strikes have killed journalists in Lebanon, and Iraq has become an active combat zone targeting Iran-allied militias.

Key Perspectives

Western officials frame the campaign as necessary to degrade Iranian military capabilities. Regional observers warn that the expanding war risks destabilising Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon simultaneously. The appearance of Reza Pahlavi at CPAC signals that regime change advocates are gaining political capital.

What to Watch

Whether the Houthi entry triggers a broader Red Sea maritime crisis, the Iraqi government's response to strikes on its territory, and whether any diplomatic channels emerge as the war enters its second month.

Sources