The U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran stretched into its third week Monday, March 16, 2026, with fresh airstrikes pounding the western city of Hamadan and Iranian forces launching retaliatory missiles toward Israel, as President Donald Trump pressed reluctant allies to help secure the vital Strait of Hormuz amid soaring oil prices and fears of broader escalation.
Footage from Hamadan showed massive plumes of smoke rising from what Iranian state media described as civilian areas hit in overnight U.S.-Israeli strikes. Al Jazeera reported heavy bombardment in the city, home to military and industrial sites, as the conflict—codenamed Operation Epic Fury by the U.S. and Operation Roaring Lion by Israel—showed no signs of abating. Casualty figures remained unverified independently, but Iranian officials accused the coalition of targeting non-military infrastructure, exacerbating humanitarian concerns in a war that has killed thousands since late February.
