In the latest escalation of the month-old Middle East war, a joint US-Israeli airstrike targeted the strategic B1 Bridge in the Azimieh area near the city of Karaj, west of the Iranian capital. The attack, which struck the under-construction infrastructure project on Thursday, has resulted in civilian casualties and significant damage to what was described as the highest bridge in the Middle East. According to Iranian media reports, the strike hit the 136 metre high bridge, which was part of a major highway project intended to link Tehran to northern regions and was expected to be inaugurated soon. The attack came as the conflict, which began on February 28, continues to exact a heavy toll across the region, with the United States and Israel maintaining a relentless air offensive against the Islamic Republic.
Initial reports from Iranian officials provided conflicting casualty figures, a common occurrence in the fog of war. Alborz Province Deputy Governor Qodratollah Seif confirmed that at least two civilians were killed in the initial blast. However, Iran’s semiofficial Fars News Agency later updated the death toll to eight, with 95 others wounded, figures that remain unverified by independent sources. State television reported that the bridge was struck twice within an hour, with the second attack occurring as emergency crews were responding to the first, a tactic that has drawn sharp condemnation from Tehran. Rescue teams were quickly dispatched to the scene, and local authorities reported that power outages in some surrounding areas were being addressed by regional electricity services.
From Iran’s perspective, the attack on the B1 Bridge is a clear act of aggression by what state media has termed the “American-Zionist enemy”. Tehran has consistently maintained that its own military actions, including the strategic management of the Strait of Hormuz and retaliatory drone and missile strikes, are a legitimate response to unprovoked hostilities. The US and Israeli offensive has already claimed over 1,900 Iranian lives, including that of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and has targeted not only military installations but also key infrastructure and even a primary school in the southern city of Minab. In this context, Iran’s leadership views the blockade of the strait and its retaliatory barrages as necessary measures of self-defence against a war imposed upon it, aimed at protecting its sovereignty and deterring further attacks on its soil.
The attack on the bridge was immediately followed by a social media post from US President Donald Trump, who shared a video of the explosion and issued a stark warning to Tehran. “The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again. Much more to follow!” Trump wrote, adding that “It is time for Iran to make a deal before it is too late”. This ultimatum comes as the conflict shows no signs of de-escalation. According to data compiled by the Anadolu Agency, Iran has launched 6,770 missiles and drones in retaliation since the war began, maintaining a steady pace that belies US claims of having degraded its military capacity.