Iran War Update: Strait Mines, Missile Exchanges, and a Growing Regional Front

ISW-CTP’s March 24 briefing reports Iran mining the Strait of Hormuz and charging transit fees for a Tehran-approved route, with several vessels paying fees as tensions rise. The US-Israeli campaign continues to target Iranian missile infrastructure and production sites (notably Esfahan and near Tabriz), while Iran launches missile and cluster munitions at Israel. Hezbollah has intensified attacks from Lebanon and Israel is expanding operations there. In Iraq, US-led strikes hit Iranian-backed PMF bases; diplomacy avenues toward possible talks with Iran surface amid ongoing cyber and sanctions pressure. Iran also sustains drone/missile activity against Bahrain, Kuwait, and the UAE, keeping the conflict highly volatile with regional spillover risk.