Paris: An examination of data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) — a US-based non-profit agency tracking global political violence — shows that roughly three-quarters of airstrikes in the Middle East war focused on sites in Iran or Lebanon, according to AFP.
From the conflict’s ignition on February 28 until the fragile April 8 ceasefire between Tehran and Washington, ACLED logged at least 7,700 strikes or strike clusters involving missiles, drones, rockets, or bombs. The organization cross-checked information from credible outlets like news reports, social networks, institutions, and other NGOs. This figure includes downed attacks and represents a partial rather than total tally.
Iran
About 40% of documented strikes landed in Iran, predominantly from Israeli forces, per AFP’s review. Only one-third struck verifiable military or Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) sites, the regime’s ideological vanguard. Another third hit unidentified targets. Intensity spiked on April 6 and 7, right before the truce.
Lebanon
Lebanon accounted for roughly one-third of attacks through April 3, ACLED data indicates. These stemmed from Israel’s campaign after Hezbollah’s pro-Iranian offensive on March 2; nearly 10% were Hezbollah rockets aimed at Israeli positions in southern Lebanon. Israel argues the US-Iran ceasefire doesn’t cover Lebanon, justifying ongoing bombardments.
Israel
One in seven strikes targeted Israel, with most intercepted successfully. Sources divided nearly evenly between Iran and Hezbollah, maintaining pressure amid the broader exchanges.
Other Countries
Iran zeroed in on Gulf nations, hitting the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain hardest. Iraq’s incidents split with 40% against Kurdish groups and 20% at US interests. Qatar and Oman saw milder action.
Syria registered about 100 events, mostly Israeli interceptions of Iranian missiles and drones. The West Bank and Jordan each notched several dozen similar cases. Turkey’s NATO defenses downed four missiles over the Incirlik airbase housing US troops.
Most Common Targets
Israel struck approaches to 15 bridges in Lebanon and 20 in Iran, crippling key routes. Energy facilities in Iran faced relentless hits during weeks two and three, plus the pre-ceasefire surge. The Assalouyeh petrochemical complex—previously targeted mid-March—took another Israeli blow on April 6, as did numerous fuel depots.
ACLED recorded four strikes near Iran’s sole nuclear power plant at Bushehr. In Gulf oil states, Saudi Arabia and the UAE endured the heaviest infrastructure damage, followed by Kuwait. AFP’s analysis pegs energy strikes at causing damage in around 40% of cases region-wide.
Altogether, military bases with US personnel weathered about 50 attacks, mostly in the war’s early phase.
