Iran is a mountainous, arid, and ethnically diverse country of southwestern Asia. Officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also known as Persia, Iran is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, Turkmenistan to the northeast, Afghanistan to the east, Pakistan to the southeast, the Caspian Sea to the north, and the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf to the south.
With also a population of over 90 million, Iran ranks 17th globally in both geographic size and population and is the sixth-largest country in Asia. It is divided into five regions with 31 provinces. Tehran is the nation’s capital, largest city, and financial center.
Intro
Israel and the United States launched a coordinated joint attack on 28 February 2026 on various sites in Iran, sparking a major conflict. Codenamed Operation Roaring Lion by Israel and Operation Epic Fury by the US Department of Defense, it has targeted key officials, military commanders, facilities, and is aimed at regime change. The attack also included the assassination of the second supreme leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei.
Background
Since Iran became an Islamist theocracy in 1979, it has adopted an anti-American stance and called for Israel’s destruction, secretly developed a military nuclear program (active at least until 2003, according to the IAEA), and supported anti-Israeli and anti-American proxies across the Middle East. The United States withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018 led to the re-imposition of sanctions on Iran and a turn towards the use of force rather than diplomacy in relations between the US and its allies and Iran.
The first Trump administration adopted a “maximum pressure” strategy and in early 2026, diplomatic negotiations collapsed and longstanding rivalries reached a boiling point.
Start of the Conflict
The United States and Israel carried out joint strikes against Iran, following weeks of mounting tensions and negotiations, signaling an ambitious U.S. goal of regime change. Iran retaliated immediately, unleashing strikes on U.S. targets across the region and raising prospects for a wider conflict with global reverberations. This stands as a defining moment for the Middle East with generation-long implications for the region’s trajectory, emphasizing the prospect for years of instability.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was reported killed during the initial attacks, along with several other senior officials.
Military Actions
- Airstrikes: Israel and the U.S. conducted extensive air and missile strikes on Iranian military installations and command centers.
- Iranian Retaliation: Iran responded with ballistic missiles, drones, and attacks on Israeli territory and U.S. bases in Gulf states.
- Regional Escalation: The conflict spread to include attacks by Iranian-aligned groups such as Hezbollah firing rockets from Lebanon into northern Israel.
Casualties and Damage
- Several Iranian leaders were killed in the strikes; early on 1 March, Iranian state media confirmed that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had been killed, and declared 40 days of mourning and a 7-day national holiday.
- Joint US-Israeli strikes have killed at least 555 people in Iran, according to the Iranian Red Crescent, including at least 168 people at a girls’ elementary school, the country’s state media reported.
State of Emergency
Over the past 24 hours, Israel and the United States have struck hundreds of targets in Iran. Among them, the Iranian Broadcasting Authority building was struck in Tehran; the “Imam Ali” missile base was struck in Kermanshah; two F-5 and F-4 fighter jets were struck in Tabriz; and additional strikes were carried out in Shiraz, Mashhad, Bandar Abbas, and Rezvanshahr. In addition, United States Central Command reported that it had sunk an Iranian warship.
Regional Impact
The conflict has affected neighbouring regions in several ways:
- Lebanon: Hezbollah’s involvement provoked Israeli strikes in Beirut and southern Lebanon.
- Strait of Hormuz: Maritime disruptions and warnings from Iran affected global oil shipping through this vital chokepoint, causing economic uncertainty.
International Reactions
World leaders and international organisations have expressed concern and urged restraint. Some governments have called for diplomatic solutions, while others have backed the U.S. and Israel’s security claims.
Economic and Global Effects
The conflict has triggered market disruptions, particularly in energy prices and shipping logistics, due to the strategic importance of the Middle East for global oil supply and freight traffic.
Current Status
As of March 2026, the conflict is ongoing with no clear end in sight as US president says attacks on Iran will continue until all objectives are met, as Tehran keeps up raids on US assets. Israel and The United States have set no timeline for their joint military campaign against Iran, Israel’s foreign minister said on Sunday, describing the strikes that started on Saturday as an effort to weaken the country’s leadership.
Speaking to Euronews, Gideon Sa’ar said the operation would continue without a fixed end date.
“So there is no time like the operation there. There is no timeline that you’re looking at. There is no timeline of this operation. Now, we hadn’t gave to ourselves timeline,” Sa’ar said. “Naturally, we want it to be as short as possible. This is clear. But we didn’t put to ourselves any timeline,” he added.