Missile Strike on B1 Bridge, Karaj (Azimiyeh)

On the morning of 2 April 2026, coinciding with the Iranian national outdoor holiday of Sizdah Be-dar, U.S. forces launched two successive missile strikes against the B1 Bridge (Bilqan) in the Azimiyeh district of Karaj, Alborz Province. The bridge, described by Iranian authorities as the highest bridge in the Middle East at approximately 136–138 metres and stretching 1,050 metres in length, was part of the Northern Karaj Freeway project intended to reduce congestion between Tehran and northern Iran. The bridge was still under construction at the time of the attack. The first strike killed two civilians and wounded several others. Emergency and first responder teams deployed to the scene. A second strike followed approximately one hour later, targeting the same site while first responders were present — a tactic described by Iranian state media (Fars News Agency) as a deliberate "double tap." The second wave destroyed the bridge's central section, raising the total death toll to 8 killed and 95 wounded. The Deputy Governor of Alborz Province confirmed that all victims were civilians who had been celebrating the holiday in the area beneath and around the bridge. U.S. President Donald Trump publicly claimed responsibility for the strike, posting video of the explosion on Truth Social and explicitly threatened further attacks on Iranian bridges and power plants. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the strike as an illegal act targeting civilian infrastructure. Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations Amir-Saeid Iravani characterized the attack as "a war crime" and "a clear act of state terrorism." Former U.S. State Department lawyer Brian Finucane stated that the bridge "was targeted not to provide any military advantage but in the hopes of coercing Tehran," raising grave questions of legality under international humanitarian law. The Karaj City Council's Construction Commission formally called for legal proceedings before the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.