A widening military confrontation between the United States, Israel, and Iran has drawn academic institutions into the conflict, with both strikes on universities and threats of retaliation signaling a significant escalation.
Attacks on Iranian Universities
In recent days, at least 21 universities and research centers across Iran have sustained damage from airstrikes, according to the country’s Ministry of Science. Among them is the Iran University of Science and Technology in Tehran, a longstanding institution specializing in engineering fields linked to the nation’s industrial and defense sectors. Video footage geolocated by CNN shows one of its research facilities reduced to rubble, with adjacent buildings also sustaining damage. The university, established in 1929 as Iran’s first engineering school, reported no casualties but condemned the strikes as a violation of international law.
The Iranian government has characterized the attacks as an effort to weaken the country’s scientific and cultural foundations. Manouchehr Moradi, a deputy at the University of Tehran, described universities as “homes of thought and dialogue,” asserting that violence against such spaces constitutes an assault on national progress and human dignity.
Legal and Military Perspectives
International law experts note that while universities are generally considered civilian infrastructure, they may lose that protection if repurposed for military activities. Janina Dill, a professor of global security at the University of Oxford, explained that storing weapons or planning attacks from a university campus could render it a legitimate military target, whereas educational or research activities alone do not.
The Israel Defense Forces have stated that their operations targeted military infrastructure at certain academic sites, including Imam Hossein University in Tehran, which it alleges is affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and involved in weapons development. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also confirmed that Israeli strikes have killed several Iranian nuclear scientists, framing the actions as part of a broader effort to curtail Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Threats of Retaliation and Regional Fallout
In response to the strikes, the IRGC has threatened to target American- and Israeli-affiliated universities across the Middle East. The warning has prompted a wave of precautionary measures. In Lebanon, the American University of Beirut and the Lebanese American University both shifted to remote operations, citing broad threats to educational institutions. In Qatar, where classes have largely remained online since the conflict began in late February, several US-affiliated campuses—including branches of Georgetown University and Texas A&M University—continue to hold classes virtually. Northwestern University’s Qatar campus announced the temporary closure of its building, while similar steps have been taken by American-affiliated institutions in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.
Analysts view the escalating focus on academic targets as indicative of diverging strategic objectives among the parties involved. Dina Esfandiary, a Middle East analyst at Bloomberg Economics, noted that Israel’s aim appears to be disruption and regime destabilization, objectives that do not necessarily align with those of the United States. She described Iran’s response as “ruthless, but step-by-step,” suggesting that Tehran has calibrated its escalation to allow time for de-escalation before following through on threats.
Impact on Academic Life
The conflict has already disrupted higher education across the region. In Iran, the upcoming academic term, scheduled to begin in early April, will be conducted entirely online until further notice. Meanwhile, residents living near targeted universities in Tehran have expressed unease, with one local resident noting that the strikes have raised questions among the public about what activities might be taking place inside the largely empty campuses.
As academic institutions find themselves entangled in the broader geopolitical conflict, the international academic community faces mounting pressure to respond. Calls from Iranian scholars for solidarity in defending academic independence have grown, even as universities across the Gulf region brace for the possibility of further escalation.