Israel Forecasts Three More Weeks of Direct War with Iran as Targets Expand

Israel expects the direct war with Iran to continue for at least three more weeks, according to a CNN report cited by ANSA, while Israeli military spokesperson Effie Defrin stated the country still has "thousands" of targets yet to strike in Iran. The conflict, now in its third week as of mid-March 2026, has expanded beyond the two countries' borders, with Iran attacking a European military base in Iraq and killing a French soldier. Israeli air forces have already hit more than 200 targets in Iran, according to web search results citing recent reporting, and strikes were expanded further in the hours before Defrin's statement. The war has drawn in multiple outside powers, with French President Emmanuel Macron telling the Iranian president directly that targeting France is unacceptable, and US President Donald Trump calling for an international coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has largely blocked to oil tanker traffic.

Iran vows war ends only on its own terms Iranian officials stated the war will end only when they are certain such an attack will not happen again, signaling no imminent willingness to negotiate a ceasefire. Tehran also warned other countries not to take actions that would worsen the conflict, a message directed at European and other nations with military presences in the region. In a parallel domestic security operation, Iranian authorities arrested dozens of people accused of acting as informants for Israel, according to Reuters. The arrests reflect Iranian concerns about intelligence penetration at a time when Israeli strikes have been described as hitting a wide range of infrastructure targets. Iran's posture — combining military retaliation, domestic security crackdowns, and diplomatic warnings — suggests the government in Tehran is preparing for a prolonged confrontation rather than a swift resolution.

The conflict between Israel and Iran escalated into direct military confrontation in mid-March 2026, entering its third week by the time of these reports. Prior to this direct war, the two countries had engaged in a pattern of proxy conflicts and indirect strikes, including Iran's ballistic missile salvos against Israeli territory in 2024. The Strait of Hormuz has historically been a pressure point in regional tensions, with Iran periodically threatening to close it during periods of conflict with Western powers. European nations including France have maintained military personnel at bases in Iraq as part of ongoing counter-terrorism and stabilization missions in the region.

Iran's attack on a European base in Iraq resulted in the death of at least one French soldier, prompting a direct phone call between Macron and the Iranian president in which Macron described France being targeted as "unacceptable," according to Le Parisien. Spain, also with special forces stationed in Iraq, decided to relocate its troops following the Iranian strike on the European base, according to 20 Minutos. The attack on the base marked a significant escalation in that Iran directly struck personnel from NATO member states rather than limiting its military actions to Israeli or American targets. The deaths and relocations underscore the degree to which the Israel-Iran war has drawn in third-party nations with forces in the broader Middle East theater. No confirmed information was available on casualties on the Iranian civilian side from the Israeli strikes, or on the total number of military personnel affected by the base attack.

Trump seeks coalition to reopen blocked Hormuz strait US President Donald Trump moved to build an international coalition — including China, France, Japan, South Korea, and Britain — to secure the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has largely blocked to oil tanker traffic, according to Reuters. The blockade of the strait represents one of the most consequential economic dimensions of the conflict, given the volume of global oil supply that transits the waterway. Trump's outreach to China alongside traditional Western allies was notable, reflecting the economic stakes for major energy-importing nations in Asia. thousands (targets) — Israeli military's stated remaining strike targets inside Iran Israeli military spokesperson Effie Defrin's statement about thousands of remaining targets, made hours after strikes were expanded, indicated that Israel views the campaign as far from complete. The combination of Israeli military momentum, Iranian defiance, European casualties, and a disrupted global energy chokepoint has placed the conflict at the center of international diplomatic and security attention as the third week of fighting drew to a close.