Day 6: Iran War Spreads to Azerbaijan and the Kurdish Front

March 5 was the day Operation Epic Fury stopped being a bilateral US-Israel-vs-Iran affair. Six days in, the war pulled in Azerbaijan, the Kurdish political diaspora, six European NATO navies, and the Canadian prime minister — all before midnight. Here is what happened, event by event.

IDF 12th Strike Wave: Phase 2 Begins

Approximately 90 Israeli fighter jets dropped around 200 munitions on roughly 40 targets across 12 Iranian provinces. The IDF hit IRGC Sarallah Headquarters compounds in northwestern and central Tehran, confirmed damage at the IRGC Navy drone storage facility in Bandar Abbas, and struck Artesh Navy dry docks near submarine pens — all corroborated by commercial satellite imagery.

More significant than the target list was the declared phase shift. CSIS and Critical Threats (ISW/AEI) assessed that with approximately 80% of Iranian air defense systems suppressed, the IDF was now entering Phase 2: systematic destruction of Iran’s ballistic missile production capability, not just its launchers. A CENTCOM briefing by Secretary Hegseth and Admiral Cooper confirmed ballistic missile fire had dropped 90% and drone launches 83% since February 28. CNN staff in Tehran reported two waves of sustained jet noise and noted the IDF had issued evacuation warnings for the Abbas Abad and Shenzar Industrial Zones in Pakdasht — signaling defense industrial base targeting. Total campaign tally since February 28: over 1,600 sorties and 4,000+ munitions.

IRGC Gulf Barrage: Bapco Refinery Hit in Bahrain

The IRGC’s daily barrage against Gulf states continued with growing precision. Qatar’s Defense Ministry confirmed it was targeted by 14 ballistic missiles and 4 drones. The UAE absorbed 131 drones and 6 ballistic missiles — defense forces intercepted 125 drones and 5 of 6 missiles, with 3 previously killed and 68 injured. Kuwait’s military confirmed interceptions in national airspace. Saudi Arabia intercepted 3 cruise missiles near Al-Kharj.

The most consequential strike hit Bahrain’s Bapco Energies refinery on Sitra island — the kingdom’s primary petroleum processing facility at 380,000–400,000 barrels per day capacity. An Iranian missile caused a fire at one unit, which was contained with no casualties. It was the first successful strike on critical Gulf petroleum infrastructure since the Ras Tanura attack on March 2.

War risk insurance for vessels in the Gulf expired at midnight on March 5 — its fifth consecutive day of near-zero crossings through the Strait of Hormuz, with thousands of ships stranded on both sides, according to Windward Maritime Intelligence.

War Expands: Iranian Drones Strike Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan

The conflict’s most alarming geographic expansion on March 5 did not involve a Gulf state or a NATO ally — it involved Azerbaijan’s landlocked exclave of Nakhchivan, tucked between Iran and Turkey.

Al Jazeera reported two drones struck the exclave: one hit the terminal building of Nakhchivan International Airport, another fell near a school in the village of Shakarabad, injuring two civilians. Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense stated its monitoring systems tracked four UAVs originating from Iranian territory, entering Nakhchivan airspace at approximately noon local time. Aerospace analysts identified the drones as Arash-2 type — not the Shahed-136 initially reported — with a range of approximately 2,000 km and a ~150 kg warhead.

President Ilham Aliyev called the strikes an “act of terror” and demanded accountability. Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador. RFE/RL noted fears that Baku — which hosts Israeli drone facilities and maintains deep defense ties with Tel Aviv — could be drawn fully into the war. Euronews obtained video footage of the drone approaching the airport. Iran denied involvement: Foreign Minister Araghchi suggested an Israeli false flag, while Deputy FM Gharibabadi stated “we do not target our neighbouring countries.” Turkey “strongly” condemned the strikes and pledged continued support for Baku.

Iran Fires 9 Waves at Israel; Cluster Warhead Impacts Central Israel

Iran launched nine attack waves against Israel by 15:00 local time on March 5. Times of Israel’s liveblog reported that in the evening, an Iranian ballistic missile carrying a cluster warhead impacted central Israel — submunitions scattered across an approximately 8-kilometer radius, each containing roughly 2.5 kg of explosive. One fire was reported; no immediate injuries. The cluster warhead claim was attributed to Israeli military reporting and not independently verified.

Hezbollah simultaneously conducted 25 attack incidents using rockets, UAVs, and explosive devices against northern Israel. Leader Naim Qassem declared the fight would continue “until strikes stop and Israel withdraws.” The cumulative Israeli civilian toll since February 28 stood at 12 killed, over 1,400 injured, and 2,800 displaced.

Lebanon: 400,000 Ordered Out of Dahiyeh, 10 Killed

The IDF struck over 320 locations across Lebanon on March 5, according to Al Jazeera. Ten people were killed: four family members near Kfar Tebnit in the south (two parents and two children), the village mayor of Nabatieh and his wife, two on the Zahle highway in eastern Lebanon, and at least two at the Beddawi refugee camp near Tripoli in the north — reportedly including a Hamas official.

The IDF issued immediate evacuation orders for four Dahiyeh suburbs — Ghobeiry, Haret Hreik, Burj al-Barajneh, and Hadath — affecting approximately 400,000 residents, and ordered 140+ villages vacated. Over 300,000 Lebanese have been displaced since the offensive began on Monday. The Times of Israel liveblog confirmed Givati Brigade soldiers were wounded — one seriously, one moderately — in engagements with Hezbollah. Cumulative Lebanese toll: 123 killed, 683 wounded.

Iran Strikes Kurdish Positions; Trump Backs Kurdish Offensive Into Iran

Iran’s intelligence ministry conducted cross-border strikes against Kurdish opposition group positions in Iraq’s Sulaimaniyah province, hitting areas near Arabat, Zarkuiz, and Surdash. The primary target was Komala (Kurdistan Toilers Association). Al Jazeera and Iran International both reported the strikes. Kurdish groups — PJAK, PDKI, PAK, and Komala — denied any incursion had begun. Iraqi Kurdistan’s President Nechirvan Barzani stated the region “must not become part of any conflict or military escalation.”

The preemptive logic behind Iran’s strikes became clearer from simultaneous reporting: Reuters revealed that Iranian Kurdish armed groups had “consulted with the US in recent days about whether, and how, to attack Iran’s security forces” and had been training for such operations. The Washington Post reported the Trump administration held direct discussions with Kurdish leaders about operations in western Iran. Trump told Reuters he would be “all for” a Kurdish offensive. The four groups were simultaneously moving toward unification under the Coalition for People’s Freedom in Iranian Kurdistan (CPFIK).

The combination — preemptive Iranian strikes and US-Kurdish military coordination — signaled a potential western land front, a structural shift from the air-and-missile war of the first five days.

US House Rejects War Powers Resolution 219-212

The US House of Representatives voted 219-212 to reject a war powers resolution that would have halted Operation Epic Fury and required congressional authorization for further strikes under the 1973 War Powers Act, according to Al Jazeera. Two Republicans — Thomas Massie (KY) and Warren Davidson (OH) — crossed to vote in favor. Four Democrats voted against: Henry Cuellar, Jared Golden, Greg Landsman, and Juan Vargas, per Time magazine’s breakdown.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) argued “Donald Trump is not a king.” Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) countered the resolution was asking “that the president do nothing.” The House separately approved a measure affirming Iran as the largest state sponsor of terrorism.

The vote was the second Congressional rejection in two days — the Senate defeated a similar measure 47-53 on March 4. Together, the two votes eliminated the last legislative checks on executive war authority for the conflict. CFR assessed that Congress had declined to demand any say in the war at all.

Canada: Carney Cannot Rule Out Military Participation

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, speaking at a press conference in Canberra, Australia, said “one can never categorically rule out participation” in the Iran war when asked directly. He added: “We will stand by our allies” and “we will always defend Canadians.” At the same time, Carney characterized the US-Israeli strikes as “prima facie inconsistent with international law” and confirmed Canada “was not informed in advance, was not asked to participate.”

The statement — confirmed by Bloomberg, France24, CNN, and Al Jazeera — placed Canada in an uncertain posture: a Five Eyes and NATO ally neither in nor categorically out of the conflict. Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand reported over 2,000 Canadians had requested government evacuation assistance from the Middle East.

European NATO States Deploy Warships to Cyprus and the Gulf

Six European NATO states announced military deployments on March 5, triggered by an Iranian drone strike on RAF Akrotiri — Britain’s military base in Cyprus that serves as a hub for US and UK Middle East aerial operations.

France and the UK announced warships and air defense assets for Cyprus. Italy committed naval assets to Cyprus and pledged air defense systems for Gulf allies; Prime Minister Meloni stated Italy, “like the U.K., France and Germany, aim to send help to the Gulf states, and we clearly talking about air defense.” Spain deployed the air defense frigate SPS Cristóbal Colón (F-105). The Netherlands dispatched naval vessels. Greece sent two frigates and agreed to US base access, as did Portugal. Defense News and USNI News both confirmed the deployments. The UK bolstered Cyprus bases with 400 air defense personnel including counter-drone specialists.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and GCC officials met in Brussels, condemning “Iran’s inexcusable attacks against the GCC countries” and affirming Gulf nations’ right to take “all necessary measures to defend their security.” It was the first coordinated European military response to the active conflict, according to Al Jazeera.

What March 5 Means

Day 6 ended with the conflict’s blast radius visibly expanding. The Nakhchivan strike was the first time Iran’s ordnance landed on a non-belligerent neighboring country’s soil. The Kurdish-US coordination revelations signaled a land front that hadn’t existed on February 28. European NATO navies were actively repositioning. Canada’s leader was hedging publicly. Both chambers of the US Congress had formally declined to constrain the executive.

The first five days were a strike campaign. March 5 was the day it became a regional war.

Sources

IDF 12th Strike Wave / Phase 2

IRGC Gulf Barrage / Bapco Refinery

Nakhchivan / Azerbaijan Drone Strike

Iran Attacks on Israel / Cluster Warhead

Lebanon Escalation

Kurdish Strikes / US Coordination

House War Powers Vote

Canadian PM Carney

European NATO Deployments