Tracking recent US-Israeli strikes on Iranian infrastructure
Tracking Recent US-Israeli Strikes on Iranian Infrastructure
US and Israeli forces have launched a series of attacks on vital Iranian facilities, threatening to cripple the country’s infrastructure unless an agreement is reached to end the ongoing conflict. President Donald Trump declared that military action would dismantle bridges and power plants across Iran, using strong language to describe the potential consequences. He warned that the strikes could “bomber the country back to the Stone Ages” and shared a social media post claiming that “a whole civilization will die tonight” without a resolution.
Since the hostilities began, infrastructure essential to everyday life in Iran has faced repeated assaults. Schools and hospitals have been among the targets, with verified footage and photographs showing damage to these structures. BBC Verify confirmed that in the past two weeks, at least two steel plants, three bridges, and a pharmaceutical facility have been hit by strikes. These attacks have raised concerns about their broader implications, with some senior Democrats in Congress and UN officials suggesting they could qualify as war crimes.
Strikes on Transportation and Industry
On Thursday, US aircraft targeted a bridge under construction in Karaj, central Iran. Local authorities reported that the strike killed at least 13 people, and footage verified by BBC Showed two hits on the structure. The resulting damage left a large gap in the bridge, with construction cranes visible on either side. Trump later posted the footage online, stating, “The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again,” and hinted at further attacks.
Israeli forces also struck key parts of Iran’s railway network on Tuesday, according to their statement. Verified footage from Aminabad village depicted a collapsed bridge attributed to the attacks. Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical sector came under fire as well. On March 31, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed to have targeted the Tofigh Daru Research & Engineering Company, a major producer of anaesthetic and cancer drugs. The IDF alleged the company had been using chemical substances, including fentanyl, for developing weapons. However, BBC Verify could not independently confirm this claim.
Implications for Iran’s Economy and Health System
Arman Mahmoudian, a research fellow at the University of South Florida’s Global and National Security Institute, highlighted the economic toll of these strikes. He noted that Iran’s largest steel manufacturer, the Isfahan Mobarakeh Steel company, had its operations disrupted by attacks. The plant, which exported approximately $860m between March 2025 and January 2026, now faces potential delays in repairs, with local officials estimating up to a year for recovery. Satellite images confirmed damage at the Khuzestan Steel Company, Iran’s second-largest steel producer.
“Steel is a cornerstone of Iran’s non-oil economic capacity. If Israeli strikes have indeed dismantled around 70% of its steel production capability, nearly 20 million tons of output could be at risk, potentially affecting 3–3.5% of Iran’s GDP,” Mahmoudian said.
Attacks on the pharmaceutical industry have also raised alarms. While Iranian media previously claimed over 90% of drugs are made domestically, BBC Verify could not confirm this. Mahmoudian warned that targeting this sector might jeopardize access to medicine during critical times and weaken Tehran’s “medical independence.” In one incident, an attack on the Husseinya Mosque in Zanjan destroyed a clinic and a library, killing two people. Additional strikes on Tehran’s educational institutions left debris and partial destruction at Shahid Beheshti University and Sharif University of Technology, according to verified images.
