Nowruz under the bombs

Israel bombed Tehran today during the celebration of Nowruz, the Persian New Year, the most important holiday on the Iranian calendar. In Jerusalem, the Al-Aqsa mosque remained closed during Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, for the first time since 1967. Israeli authorities shut it at the start of the war for "security reasons." Security forces dispersed Muslim worshippers who tried to gather outside the Old City walls to pray.

The two dates coinciding is not a quirk of the calendar. Nowruz predates Islam, a Zoroastrian celebration marking the spring equinox. For Iranians it is the most sacred day of the year, more so than any religious holiday. Bombing Tehran during Nowruz carries a symbolic weight that every Iranian understands. On the Palestinian side, closing Al-Aqsa during Eid is a provocation that resonates across the Muslim world.

Iran launched at least a dozen salvos of attacks today, despite weeks of sustained bombardment. Debris from interceptions rained on communities in Israel, including Rehovot and Petah Tikva. Iranian drones struck Kuwait's Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery again. In Dubai, explosions echoed as worshippers marked Eid. War respects neither sacred calendars nor the civilians who observe them. But we already knew that.