[00:00] Noah Feldman: A developing story today. Noah is tracking the latest from the region.
[00:06] Noah Feldman: From Neural Newscast, I'm Noah Feldman.
[00:10] Noah Feldman: And I'm Oliver Grant. Today is March 13th, 2026.
[00:16] Noah Feldman: Explosions rocked central Tehran earlier today during the annual Al-Quds Day rallies.
[00:23] Noah Feldman: Iranian state television reported at least one death after multiple blasts were heard near Ferdowsi Square.
[00:32] Noah Feldman: The attack occurred as thousands gathered in the streets to show support for Palestinians.
[00:38] Noah Feldman: According to Press TV, a woman was killed by shrapnel.
[00:42] Noah Feldman: The strike took place despite warnings from the Israeli military for civilians to vacate the area.
[00:50] Noah Feldman: The Israel Defense Forces have confirmed they carried out strikes across several Iranian cities.
[00:59] Announcer: These include Tehran, Shiraz, and Ahuaz.
[01:04] Announcer: operations targeted missile production facilities, command centers, and air defense infrastructure.
[01:14] Announcer: It is a significant expansion of the air campaign that began on February 28th.
[01:22] Announcer: In Shiraz, the IDF claims it hit an underground facility used for storing ballistic missiles.
[01:33] Noah Feldman: While the strikes were underway, senior Iranian officials appeared in public.
[01:38] Noah Feldman: President Masoud Pezishkan and security official Ali Larijani were both seen marching in the capital.
[01:48] Noah Feldman: Larijani addressed the crowds, stating that the Iranian people remained determined despite increasing pressure.
[01:57] Noah Feldman: This defiance comes as the Health Ministry reports that 1,444 people have been killed in the country since this war started just two weeks ago.
[02:10] Announcer: Looking at the system-level decisions, the IDF is hitting high-value production hubs.
[02:19] Announcer: Simultaneously, the IRGC is attempting to manage internal security.
[02:27] Announcer: There is a clear gap between the regime's claims of invulnerability and the reality of precision strikes hitting central command posts in Avaz.
[02:40] Announcer: The coordination between ground forces and internal security seems to be a primary target for dismantling control over western provinces.
[02:54] Noah Feldman: The labor and personnel dynamics of the conflict are shifting as well.
[03:00] Noah Feldman: The United States is now deploying roughly 2,500 Marines and at least one additional warship to the Middle East.
[03:09] Noah Feldman: This surge follows the deaths of six crew members on a U.S. refueling plane that crashed in Iraq.
[03:18] Noah Feldman: This mobilization adds to an already heavy U.S. military presence as the Pentagon attempts to secure regional assets.
[03:27] Announcer: This U.S. movement follows a specific pattern of escalation.
[03:33] Announcer: Earlier today, Donald Trump posted on social media, threatening the total destruction of
[03:42] Announcer: the Iranian regime.
[03:45] Announcer: He claimed the Iranian Navy and Air Force have been largely decimated.
[03:52] Announcer: While the rhetoric is high, the operational reality is that Iran has already responded.
[04:00] Announcer: they launched solid-fuel Khyber Shekhan missiles and drones toward Israeli targets,
[04:09] Announcer: coordinating with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
[04:12] Noah Feldman: The IRGC described these solid-fuel missiles as precision-guided weapons.
[04:20] Noah Feldman: This technical capability suggests that despite strikes on production facilities,
[04:26] Noah Feldman: Iran's immediate inventory remains operational.
[04:30] Noah Feldman: They have also maintained the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
[04:34] Noah Feldman: This continues to block about 20% of the world's oil supply, creating a massive bottleneck for global trade and energy markets.
[04:44] Announcer: It is also worth noting the internal pressure within Iran.
[04:50] Announcer: The Revolutionary Guards have warned that any domestic protests will be met with a response
[04:58] Announcer: even more painful than that was seen in January.
[05:03] Announcer: They are currently preparing for the funeral of IRGC Commander Muhammad Pakpur in Iraq.
[05:12] Announcer: The regime is trying to utilize these ceremonies to consolidate support,
[05:18] Announcer: while security systems are visibly under strain.
[05:23] Noah Feldman: In Tehran, the atmosphere remains volatile.
[05:27] Noah Feldman: Images from the rallies show participants stepping on American and Israeli flags.
[05:35] Noah Feldman: Despite the presence of high-ranking officials, the volume of smoke rising over the city from the airstrikes provides a stark contrast to the government's message of resilience.
[05:49] Noah Feldman: Vice President Mohammad Reza Arif was seen visiting Basij checkpoints following reports of drone attacks on those sites.
[06:01] Announcer: We are seeing a system where the official explanation is one of strength, but the observed behavior is defensive.
[06:12] Announcer: The IDF released footage appearing to show strikes on those very besieged checkpoints.
[06:22] Announcer: As long as the U.S. and Israeli governments show no signs of halting this offensive,
[06:30] Announcer: the risk of a regional collapse increases.
[06:35] Announcer: The gap between surgical strikes and the reality of explosions in city squares is narrowing.
[06:45] Noah Feldman: International pressure for de-escalation is growing, but for now, the military and political leaders on all sides are doubling down.
[06:55] Noah Feldman: we will continue to monitor the movements of the two 500 Marines as they arrive in the theater
[07:02] Noah Feldman: and the impact of the ongoing blockade in the Gulf.
[07:06] Noah Feldman: From Neural Newscast, I'm Noah Feldman.
[07:10] Announcer: And I'm Oliver Grant.
[07:12] Noah Feldman: Neural Newscast is AI-assisted and human-reviewed.
[07:16] Noah Feldman: View our AI transparency policy at neuralnewscast.com.