Days of darkness ahead for Israel, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warn

WorldPolitics
14 Mar 2026 • 12:01 PM MYT
The Vibes
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IRAN’S Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a stark warning that Israel could face “days of darkness” amid an intensifying military conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States that has been unfolding since late February.

In its latest communique, the IRGC said it had launched the 48th wave of its Operation True Promise 4, a campaign of retaliatory missile and drone strikes targeting both Israeli and US positions.

The statement said several of the newest strikes were carried out with the cooperation of Lebanon’s Hezbullah, focusing on areas in northern Israel including the Galilee, the Golan Heights and the port city of Haifa.

According to the IRGC, the operation deployed long‑range ballistic missiles such as the Kheibar Shekan and Qadr, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, against what Tehran described as “strategic targets” inside Israel and against US forces in the broader West Asia region.

Residents in parts of Israel reported receiving mobile phone messages in Hebrew from the IRGC warning: “With God’s permission, we will bring upon you days of darkness.”

The IRGC also highlighted that sirens have sounded repeatedly across Israel, driving civilians into bomb shelters as incoming missiles are detected.

This comes after Tehran announced earlier waves — numbers 46 and 47 — of the same operation, claiming strikes on key Israeli regions including the Negev Desert, the city of Be’er Sheva, Lod and areas near a major air base.

The current confrontation stems from a coordinated military offensive by Israel and the United States on 28 February, aimed at strategic Iranian military and leadership targets — including the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to official Iranian accounts.

In response to those strikes, Iran has mounted repeated barrages of missiles and drones against Israeli territory and US military positions in Gulf states and elsewhere.

The conflict has also disrupted major regional energy routes, most notably the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which has seen shipping nearly halt, exacerbating global oil and gas market volatility.

The cycle of strikes and counter‑strikes has fuelled fears of a broader regional war as both sides continue offensive operations into a third week of hostilities. - March 14, 2026