2026 Iran war
Ongoing armed conflict in West Asia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Since 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel have been in a war with Iran and its regional allies. The conflict began when the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran, targeting military and government sites and assassinating Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The surprise attacks were launched during negotiations between Iran and the US regarding Iran's nuclear program. Iran responded with strikes on Israel, US bases, and US-allied Arab countries in West Asia; and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global trade. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait responded with strikes on Iran and its regional allies.
(3 months, 1 week and 5 days)
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For naval losses, see this list Lebanon: 3,613 killed and 11,072 injured[48]
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After the Middle Eastern crisis began in 2023, Iran and Israel exchanged missile strikes in 2024, and during the Twelve-Day War in June 2025, which resulted in a US airstrike on Iranian nuclear sites. In January 2026, Iranian security forces massacred thousands of civilians in their crackdown on the largest Iranian protests since 1979. US president Donald Trump responded by threatening military action and starting the largest US military buildup in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.[77]
Israeli–US airstrikes damaged military bases, government buildings, schools, hospitals, and heritage sites and resulted in civilian casualties.[78] In retaliation, Iran launched hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles at Israel, US military bases, neighbouring Arab countries including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates,[79][80] as well as Iraq's Kurdistan. Drones or missiles also appeared to target Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Britain's Akrotiri military base on Cyprus.[81] The conflict between Hezbollah and Israel escalated into the 2026 Lebanon war, killing more than 2,000 civilians and militants.[82][83]
The Trump administration gave various explanations for starting the war, including forestalling Iranian retaliation after an expected Israeli attack,[84] destroying Iran's missile capabilities, preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon,[85] seizing Iran's oil resources,[86][87] or achieving regime change.[88] Iranian and some US officials rejected claims that Iran had been preparing an attack.[89][90] The International Atomic Energy Agency said that, while Iran has refused to allow inspections of its damaged sites after the 2025 war, there was no evidence of a nuclear weapons program.[91] United Nations secretary-general António Guterres and several uninvolved countries condemned the US–Israeli strikes; the UN Security Council passed a resolution condemning Iran's retaliatory strikes on Gulf states.[92] Critics, including legal and international relations experts, described the US attacks as illegal under US law, an act of imperialism,[93][94] and a violation of Iran's sovereignty.[95][96][97]
The war's economic impact includes the largest ever supply disruption of the global oil market,[98][99] disruptions to the natural gas, fertilizer, aviation and tourism industries, as well as volatility in financial markets. Oil and gas shipments were disrupted by Iran's closure of the Hormuz Strait, and Israeli and Iranian attacks on energy facilities.[100][101][102] On 12 May, the cost of the war to the US military was estimated at nearly US$29 billion,[103][104] and the Pentagon requested a further US$200 billion.[105] By 31 March, the cost to Arab countries was estimated at US$120 billion.[106] The Iranian government assessed the damage to their economy as at least $300 billion and possibly as much as $1 trillion by 11 April.[107]
Trump claimed victory several times,[108][109] falsely claiming that Iran had "nothing left in a military sense,"[110] and that the US had brought about regime change in Iran, despite the fact that the Islamic Republic remains in power.[111] Iran, the US and Israel agreed to a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistan, beginning on 8 April;[112] a ceasefire in Lebanon began on 16 April.[113] The Iranian ceasefire came under strain as Iran refused to re-open the Hormuz strait, blaming Israeli attacks on Lebanon.[114] After the failure of the Islamabad Talks, Trump announced a naval blockade of Iran from 13 April.[115] There remains a "dual blockade" of the Persian Gulf by Iran, and of Iran by the US.[116] Trump has extended the truce indefinitely,[117] but further strikes have occurred since.
Names
The war has been referred to by a number of names.
The initial strikes on Iran was codenamed Operation Epic Fury by the United States government,[118][119][120] and Operation Roaring Lion[ac] by the Israeli government,[121][122] inline with their codename of Operation Rising Lion for their strikes on Iran during the Twelve-Day War in June 2025. Iran codenamed its response Operation True Promise IV.[ad][ae]
The war has also been referred to by some outlets as the Third Gulf War, following the Gulf War from 1990–1991, and Iraq War (2003–2011), also referred to as the "Second Gulf War". [123]
Due to the war starting during the month of Ramadan, it has been known as "The Ramadan War"[af], media outlets that have used this name include: Middle East Eye, Al Jazeera, India Today, the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought,[ag][124][125][126][127][128][129][130] the state media of Iran, such as the Tehran Times, [131][132][133] as well as the state media of Yemen, such as the Saba News Agency.[134]
Background
Iran's relations with the United States and Israel
A US- and UK-backed coup d'état in 1953 deposed Iranian prime minister Mohammad Mosaddegh due to his nationalization of the oil industry, strengthening the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Israel maintained ties with Iran as part of its alliance of the periphery strategy. Resentment of the Shah's deference to Western interests and his autocratic rule led to the 1979 revolution in which Pahlavi was overthrown and replaced by an Islamic republic.[135][136] Iran severed diplomatic ties with the US and Israel and held the American embassy staff hostage for over a year.[137][138]
During the Iran–Iraq War, the US supported Iraq. In 1988, a US warship was struck by an Iranian mine; the US responded by attacking Iran's navy. A few months later, the US mistakenly shot down a civilian Iranian flight.[139] Iran started a ballistic missile program to deter Iraqi missile attacks on Iranian cities and to compensate for its lack of a modern air force due to sanctions.[140][141]
Starting in the 1980s, Iran began engaging in proxy conflicts throughout the Middle East. Iran backed Hezbollah in Lebanon against Israel during and after the Lebanese Civil War. During the Iraq War, Iran supported militias fighting the US in Iraq. Along with the Houthis in Yemen and other groups in Syria and Palestine, these proxy groups became part of the informal 'Axis of Resistance' committed to countering American, Israeli, Saudi, and Emirati influence in the region.
In 2002, Iran's covert expansion of its nuclear program was first revealed. Beginning in 2006, the United Nations Security Council responded with a series of sanctions against Iran, with the US imposing its own series of sanctions against Iran. The US and Israel conducted a campaign of cyberwarfare against Iranian nuclear facilities to disrupt their operations, while Israel assassinated several top Iranian nuclear scientists.[139][142] The conflict escalated in January 2020 when President Trump ordered the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force.[137][141]
Tensions escalated following the October 7 attacks on Israel and the start of the Gaza war. Israel fought Iran-backed militias across the Middle East, including Hamas,[ah] Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Israeli strikes on the Iranian consulate in Damascus and the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh were met with Iranian strikes on Israel in April and October. In June 2025, Israel launched the Twelve-Day War by attacking Iranian military and nuclear facilities, provoking Iranian counter-strikes. The US also struck Iranian nuclear facilities during the Twelve-Day War, which ended in a ceasefire.[145]
In early 2026, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu lobbied President Donald Trump for a joint military strike on Iran, specifically targeting its leadership.[146] Following high-level meetings in February, Trump authorized "Operation Epic Fury", with reports citing Israeli intelligence provided by Netanyahu as a decisive factor in the decision.[147]
Iran nuclear issue
Iran suspended its AMAD Project pursuant to Ali Khamenei's fatwa against nuclear weapons in 2003. Khamenei banned nuclear weapons of any kind.[148][149] Iran said it was not seeking nuclear weapons, and that its enrichment efforts were to generate nuclear power for civilian use.[150] UN Security Council (UNSC) concerns about Iran's nuclear program from 2006[ai] led to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) between Iran and the US in 2015.[154]
Despite Iran's compliance with the JCPOA,[155] Trump withdrew the US from the deal in 2018,[156] re-imposed sanctions, and adopted a "maximum pressure" strategy.[157] The Biden administration kept most of these sanctions in place, further damaging Iran's economy.[158] Trump continued the "maximum pressure" approach in his second term.[159] In September 2025, the UN reimposed sanctions on Iran using the "snapback" mechanism, causing the currency to weaken, resulting in price increases for food supplies such as meat, rice, and other staples, freezing Iranian assets abroad, suspending arms transactions, and imposing penalties related to the country's ballistic-missile programme.[160][161] Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent labelled the collapse of the Iranian currency in December 2025 as the strategy's "grand culmination".[162][163] At his State of the Union Address on 24 February 2026, Trump claimed that Iran had restarted its nuclear program and was developing missiles capable of striking the US.[164] Trump's claims about Iran rebuilding its nuclear program and developing long-range ballistic missiles have contradicted both his previous claims that Iran's nuclear program was "obliterated" and US intelligence reports that Iran did not pose any military threat towards the US and needed until 2035 to build such missiles were it to do so.[165]
In April 2025, an explosion at the Port of Shahid Rajaee in the city of Bandar Abbas located on the Strait of Hormuz, that killed at least 70 people and injured more than 1,000 others was connected to the Mostazafan Foundation a state-owned charitable foundation controlled by Ali Khamenei and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The foundation had been subjected to US sanctions due to its direct ties to the IRGC, which oversees Iran's ballistic missile arsenal.[166][167] The explosion was blamed on a shipment of sodium perchlorate from China used in ballistic missiles that arrived in March 2025.[168]
A few days later, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that Iran had stored highly enriched uranium in an underground facility that was undamaged by US bombings in 2025.[169] Subsequently, Iran denied the IAEA access to nuclear facilities that had been bombed, but did provide access at least once to all unaffected facilities since June 2025.[170] Mohammad Eslami, the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, said Iran would not permit inspections of facilities struck by the US until the IAEA established rules for the post-war situation, insisting on codified protocols for internationally protected facilities subjected to military attacks, and that the IAEA condemn the attacks.[171]
In February 2026, Iran informed the IAEA that normal safeguards were "legally untenable and materially impracticable," as a result of threats and "acts of aggression," leaving the IAEA unable to verify whether Iran had suspended enrichment or confirm the status of its current stockpile,[170] though it found no evidence Iran was weaponizing.[172] Analysts in the UK and US have characterized Iran's strategy as nuclear hedging, developing the technical infrastructure to assemble a weapon on short notice while stopping short of actual production.[173] The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists said that Iran was using its enrichment program and uranium stockpiles for leverage in international negotiations, and was willing to dilute or export its higher-level enriched uranium in exchange for sanctions relief and prevention of future attacks.[174]
Israel nuclear issue
Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, with a stockpile estimated between 90 and 400 nuclear warheads.[185] Israel is the only nuclear-armed country that does not officially acknowledge its nuclear weapons capability.[186] Some scholars have argued that Israel's nuclear weapons have incentivized Iran to develop its own nuclear program, seen as maintaining a balance of nuclear deterrence, or causing a regional nuclear arms race.[187][188][189][190] Citing security threats, Israel rejects international calls to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons or to participate in negotiations of a Middle East nuclear weapon free zone.[191][192][193] This has frustrated both US[186] and UK[194] diplomatic efforts on such a zone. Scholars also suggest US tacit acceptance of the Israeli nuclear weapons capability is seen as a double standard that undermines its diplomatic credibility in Middle East nonproliferation negotiations.[195][186][196]
Prelude
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Tensions between Iran and the United States over Iran's nuclear program began to intensify in January 2026 amid Iran's massacres of Iranian civilians in their crackdown of the 2025–2026 anti-government protests.[197] The US and Iran began indirect negotiations in February in Oman and, by late February 2026, Iran made a surprising offer on its nuclear program and the sides agreed to meet again in Vienna to work out technical issues.[198]
The US began amassing air and naval assets in the region at a level not seen since the outset of the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, including a pair of carrier strike groups and hundreds of aircraft at bases in the area..[199] The US government signaled that airstrikes remained an option, emphasizing that all responses were under consideration while maintaining that diplomacy was still preferred.[200] US president Donald Trump and administration officials including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff all accused Iran of building up its nuclear and missile programs to threaten the United States and its interests. Iran in turn accused the US of waging "disinformation and misinformation" campaigns against it.[201][202][203][204] The Council on American–Islamic Relations accused Trump of manufacturing justifications for war similar to those for the Iraq War while Qatar Tribune asserted that the administration was falsely claiming that WMDs were being built in Iran.[205][206]
Regional actors, including Qatar, cautioned that any escalation could have severe consequences for the Middle East. Negotiations regarding the Iranian nuclear program were held in February, and on 28 February 2026 the US and Israel conducted military strikes in Iran.[207]
Hostilities
First week (28 February – 6 March)
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On 27 February at 3:38 p.m. EST (11:08 p.m. IRST), Trump, traveling on Air Force One to Texas, authorised Operation Epic Fury.[118][119] US missiles, drones, and Israeli fighter jets began striking Iran the next day, around 9:45 a.m. IRST (1:15 a.m. EST).[208][209] The strikes took place during negotiations over Iran's nuclear program,[210][211] and coincided with the holy month of Ramadan.[212]
The operation was codenamed Operation Roaring Lion[aj] by Israel.[121][122] The Israeli Air Force (IAF) said it struck 500 military targets in Iran in the largest combat sortie in its history.[213] Iranian naval vessels were also targeted.[214] Israel said it used over 1,200 bombs in 24 hours.[215] US strikes were carried out by planes based around the Middle East and from aircraft carriers.[216]
Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei and thousands of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel,[217] were killed as military bases were attacked.[218] Strikes hit Tehran's Pasteur Street district, where the presidential palace is, and the National Security Council.[219][220]
The strikes were coupled with cyberattacks on Iranian infrastructure, media, and phone apps, with messages calling on Iranians to rise up against their government.[221][222][223] The cyberattacks resulted in a near-total internet blackout in Iran, lasting over 60 hours with connectivity dropping to as low as 1% of normal levels, disrupting government communications, state media, and public services.[224][222] Iran restricted internet access, allowing access only to government-approved users until 26 May.[225][226]
Israeli officials said months-long planning preceded the strikes, allowing them to pinpoint targets, attain "tactical surprise", and gain US support.[227] Attacking during the morning, rather than at night when most of Israel's previous attacks on Iran took place, added to the element of surprise.[228] Israel declared a state of emergency, citing expectation of Iranian retaliation, and warned its citizens to remain in protected areas.[229][230] Israel called up 20,000 reservists in addition to the 50,000 on duty.[231] The Israeli Ministry of Health moved its hospital operations underground.[232]
On 28 February, Trump released a statement saying the purpose of the strikes was regime change. Trump said Iran's "menacing activities" endangered the US and its allies. He cited the Iran hostage crisis, support for non-state actors such as Hamas and Hezbollah, and its killings of protesters.[233] Trump cited Iran calling "Death to America" and its alleged history of attacking US civilians and soldiers as evidence of Iran's intent against the US.[85][234] Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu warned of the potential threat of nuclear weapons in Iran and called on Iranians to overthrow their government.[233][235] Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz labeled the strikes a "pre-emptive attack" intended to "remove threats to...Israel".[229] Iran rejected claims that it intended to attack the US, citing the aggressive posture of the US military as evidence.[89]
Iran reacted within hours by launching missiles and drones. Iran codenamed its response Operation True Promise IV,[ak][al] and state media dubbed the events the Ramadan War.[am][131] Iran struck Israeli targets in Tel Aviv and Haifa[236] as well as countries throughout the Persian Gulf.[237] Targets included Bahrain's capital Manama,[238][239] Kuwait International Airport, the United Arab Emirates' capital Abu Dhabi,[240][241] Riyadh and Eastern Province in Saudi Arabia,[242] and Erbil International Airport and the US Consulate General in Erbil in Iraq.[243]
Iran reported striking the US bases of Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait,[244] Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain.[245] On 1 or 2 March, Iran struck the radar bases for US THAAD missile defense systems in Jordan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, destroying at least one.[246] On 1 March, Iran launched more strikes,[247] including missiles and drones on Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.[248][249] The UK reported "missiles fired in the direction of Cyprus", but "don't believe they were targeted at Cyprus". However, the presidents of Cyprus and Northern Cyprus contradicted the claims that any missiles were fired at Cyprus.[250][251][252] The Palau-flagged Skylight and Marshall Islands-flagged MKD VYOM tankers were targeted off Oman's coast.[253][254][255] Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz slowed to a standstill,[256] with 150 freight ships, including oil tankers, stalled.[257]
To avert further Iranian strikes, the E3-the UK, France, and Germany- resolved to back "proportionate military defensive measures" against drones and ballistic missiles, signaling the potential for direct involvement.[258] British prime minister Keir Starmer said the US could use British bases for "defensive" strikes on Iran[259] and disclosed that Ukrainian and other specialists would aid Gulf efforts to foil Iranian drone strikes.[260] Saudi Crown Prince Salman, with US backing, vowed to employ military force against Iranian incursions, calling Iranian strikes "cowardly" due to Saudi airspace being closed to US and Israeli attackers.[261] Trump announced that the US had accepted an Iranian proposal to negotiations.[262] However, Ali Larijani ruled out talks.[263] Trump issued letters to Congress leaders according to the 1973 War Powers Resolution.[264]
On 2 March, the US embassy in Kuwait was struck and closed indefinitely.[265][266] The US-flagged tanker Stena Imperative and the Honduras-flagged tanker Athe Nova were struck.[267] An advisor to an IRGC commander said he would set fire to any ship coming through the Strait of Hormuz, and added that no oil will leave the area.[268]
Qatar shot down two Iranian Su-24 bombers.[269] The Qatari Ministry of Defense announced that Ras Laffan Industrial City, the main Qatari gas facility, and Mesaieed Industrial Area were struck by Iranian drones.[270] According to satellite imagery analysis by the Energy Economics and Society Research Institute, Ras Laffan appeared to not have been damaged before the "unprecedented shutdown" which sent fuel prices higher.[271]
The US and Israel attacked the Natanz Nuclear Facility[272] and the Iranian media reported damage to the Khatam-al-Anbia and Gandhi hospitals.[273] In a friendly fire incident, the pilot of an F/A-18 of the Kuwait Air Force shot down three US F-15E fighters.[274][275][276][266] Israel and Hezbollah exchanged strikes.[277] Hezbollah began firing rockets and missiles on Israel in retaliation for the killing of Khamenei.[278][279] Hezbollah claimed that the attack was a "defensive act" after more than a year of Israeli attacks despite a 2024 truce.[280] It added that it restarted fighting to force Israel to stop its aggression and evacuate from seized Lebanese territories, emphasizing that the move was unrelated to the war.[281]
Lebanon banned military activities by Hezbollah after the attacks.[282] An IDF spokesperson stated the attack was "an official declaration of war by Hezbollah", vowing to "neutralize" the threat.[277] Israel struck southern Lebanon,[283][284][285] Beirut, and the Beqaa Valley.[277] The IDF said it killed the head of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters Hussein Makled in the strikes.[286][287] The IDF killed Adham Adnan al-Othman, the head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad's armed wing, Al-Quds Brigades, in Lebanon.[288]
The Royal Air Force station at Akrotiri, Cyprus, was targeted by a drone strike causing damage to a runway.[289][290][291][292] Another strike on Cyprus led to Greece announcing that it would deploy frigates and F-16s to defend Cyprus from strikes by Iran.[293] The pro-Iran militant group Iraqi Guardians of Blood Brigades claimed responsibility for attacks on the US Victory Base near Baghdad International Airport and Erbil in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.[67][294][295] The Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed responsibility for 23 drone strikes on US assets in Erbil.[296]
On 3 March, US and Israeli strikes destroyed the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) headquarters,[297] the Expediency Discernment Council building in Tehran,[298] and what Israeli officials described as an underground nuclear weapons facility called Min Zadai.[299] The proximity of these strikes to the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant (about 12 km (7.5 mi) away) prompted the Russian agency Rosatom to suspend construction on new units and evacuate non-essential staff.[300]
US officials said its forces had severely damaged Iran's naval capabilities, mainly in the Gulf of Oman, where several Iranian warships were destroyed and key bases hit.[301][302] Debris from an airstrike damaged Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site,[303] causing UNESCO to issue a statement that damaging UNESCO sites is against international law.[304]
Israel Katz authorized a ground invasion of Lebanon on 3 March.[305][306] This incursion in southern Lebanon was with forces from the 91st Division with the goal to establish a "security layer" for the Israeli residents of northern settlements against Hezbollah, expecting to destroy their infrastructure in the Israel-Lebanon border. The Lebanese government reported that such Israeli preventive attacks reached Kfarkela and Qouzah, leading the Lebanese army to redeploy from newly established border posts amid escalating Israeli activity in violation of the 2024 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire agreement.[307] Israel reported that it killed Daoud Alizadeh, the commander of the Quds Force's Lebanon branch, in Tehran.[308]
Western diplomats said Qatar had struck Iran after Iran had attempted to strike Doha's airport and Qatar shot down two Iranian Su-24 bombers.[309][310] Qatar denied the accusation that it had joined the "campaign targeting Iran".[311] Iran warned it would hit all economic hubs in the Middle East,[312][313] and any defensive European military involvement would be considered an act of war.[314][315]
On 4 March, US secretary of state Marco Rubio announced that the US-Israeli attacks on Iran would increase in intensity.[316] Israel attacks hit the Basij headquarters.[317] Mojtaba Khamenei survived an airstrike.[318] The IDF announced that an F-35I "Adir" shot down a Russian-made Iranian Yak-130 fighter jet over Tehran, the first time that an F-35 has shot down a crewed fighter jet in air-to-air combat, and the first time the Israeli Air Force shot down an aircraft since 1985.[319]
Iran launched strikes against the Al Udeid Air Base,[320] and Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refining facility.[321] The US ordered the evacuation of non-essential workers in Cyprus in anticipation of Iranian strikes.[322][unreliable source?][323] A ballistic missile launched from Iran was intercepted by NATO air defense systems as it entered Turkish airspace, marking an escalation in the conflict.[324] Turkey asserted its right to self-defense after the missile landed in Dörtyol, Hatay Province,[325] and NATO secretary general Mark Rutte stated that the alliance was committed to defending Turkey.[326]
An Iranian frigate, IRIS Dena, was sunk in the Indian Ocean by United States Navy submarine USS Charlotte, about 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi) south of Galle, Sri Lanka. The vessel was returning to Iran following its participation in the International Fleet Review 2026 and the multilateral Exercise MILAN at Visakhapatnam, India.[327][328][329] The exercise required ships not to carry ammunition, and the US likely knew the Dena was defenseless, since it sent a maritime patrol aircraft to participate.[330] It was the first ship sunk by a submarine in active combat since the Falklands War, and the first by an American submarine since World War II.[an][333] 104 Iranians were killed.[334]
The government of Azerbaijan said on 5 March that drones from Iran struck Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave[335] damaging an airport and injuring two civilians.[336] Keir Starmer confirmed UK's bases on Cyprus would be used to defend the airspace of Jordan from Iranian drones,[337][338] while Italy, the Netherlands and Spain confirmed they would send warships to defend Cyprus.[339][340][341] Ireland stated it was willing to protect Cyprus and join the European defense coalition mobilized around the island if requested.[342] The IDF killed Hamas official Wassim Attallah al-Ali in Beddawi, Lebanon.[343]
Trump said on 6 March that there are "no time limits" for how long the war will continue.[344][345] The Iranian tanker IRIS Bushehr was interned by the Sri Lanka Navy, marking the first instance of a warship being interned in a neutral country since World War II.[346]
Second week (7–13 March)
On 7 March, the US sent a third aircraft carrier, USS George H. W. Bush, to the Middle East.[347][348][349] The British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales was placed on advanced readiness to defend British interests in the region.[350] Pezeshkian told reporters on 7 March that Iran would stop striking neighboring countries unless an attack originated from their territory.[351] Despite this, Dubai International Airport was attacked by Iranian drones.[352] NDTV reported that Iran might only have around one thousand ballistic missiles left.[353]
On 8 March, Khamenei's second son, Mojtaba, was designated as Iran's new supreme leader.[354] US Central Command posted a message on X which urged "civilians in Iran to stay at home" and alleging that "[t]he Iranian regime is knowingly endangering innocent lives by using heavily populated civilian areas to conduct military operations, including launching one-way attack drones and ballistic missiles".[355]
Israeli airstrikes hit some of Iran's oil storage facilities, killing four people.[356] Strikes on fuel depots near Tehran caused a "river of fire" to pour out along the streets,[357] and the city became engulfed in thick black smoke, causing toxic acidic rain to fall in the surrounding area.[358] Residents were advised by Iranian authorities to stay indoors, wear masks when outside, and conserve food and fuel.[359] Kuwait reported that two of its officers were killed.[360][361] The Saudi Civil Defense agency said that a strike on a compound in Al-Kharj killed two people.[362] US Central Command announced the death of a seventh US service member from an Iranian attack.[363]
The UK confirmed its forces had intercepted an Iranian drone headed towards Iraq, and declared its intention to send a Merlin helicopter to the region to help detect aerial threats.[364] According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, 65 schools and 32 medical facilities had been targeted since the war started, and more than 10,000 civilian sites damaged.[365] On 9 March, NATO confirmed the interception of a second ballistic missile in Turkish air space,[366] landing in the area of Gaziantep.[367] Turkey deployed six F-16s and air defence systems to Northern Cyprus.[368]
Trump claimed that "the war is very complete, pretty much", after speaking with Russian president Putin,[369] and said "we already won the war in many ways."[370] He claimed that the Strait of Hormuz was open and expressed interest in taking it over from Iran.[371] Trump went back on some of his comments during a press conference later that day, supporting Defense Secretary Hegseth in stating that the war was just the "beginning of building a new country" and that it would end "soon".[372] Following Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa's support for the Lebanon's objective to disarm Hezbollah,[373] the group targeted the city of Inkhil in Syria.[374] About a dozen B-1B bombers arrived at bases in Europe.[375]
GPS jamming of uncertain origin has disrupted navigation of ships near the Strait of Hormuz, which may lead to disastrous results for oil tankers.[377] The United States Department of State (supported by Saudi Arabia)[378] designated the Muslim Brotherhood branch in Sudan as a terrorist organization.[379][380] On 10 March, an IRGC commander stated that Iran was only firing missiles with payloads of 1,000 kg or more.[381] AFP reported that Iran's attacks were the "most intense and heaviest" since the start of the war.[382] This shows a shift in tactics from saturating air defences to high-impact penetration strikes.[381] American general Dan Caine acknowledged that Iran was fighting back, but not harder than the US expected.[383]
Following the Syrian presidency's support for the disarmament of Hezbollah and a campaign of mobilization by the Syrian army on the Lebanese border,[373][384] shells from Lebanon landed in Serghaya, 20 km (12 mi) from Damascus where the Syrian Armed Forces forces presided.[385] Israel issued an urgent evacuation notice to southern suburbs of Beirut.[386]
Defense analyst AJ Jaff reported that Iran's ballistic missile launch rate fell 92% from day one of the war (480 to 40) and the drone launch rate fell 92% (720 to 60).[387] On 11 March 11 B-1 and three B-52 US bombers were deployed to RAF Fairford in the UK, where long-range photography showed bombs being prepared for loading. This followed US war secretary Hegseth's statement that it was the "most intense day of strikes inside Iran", though the targets of the mission remain unknown.[388]
Israel reportedly struck the Parchin military complex.[389][390][391] A branch of Bank Sepah in Tehran was hit by a strike, prompting the IRGC to warn that they could retaliate by striking US or Israeli banks in the region.[392] Iran hit Stryker, a US-based medical supply company with a cyberattack.[393] On 12 March, UNICEF reported that more than 1,100 children were injured or killed (200 reportedly killed in Iran, 91 in Lebanon, 4 in Israel, and 1 in Kuwait), hundreds of thousands displaced, and millions unable to attend schools due to the violence of the war. It noted these numbers would likely increase.[394]
Iranian deputy intelligence minister Akbar Ghaffari was killed in an airstrike.[395] An Iranian attack set two tankers on fire off the Iraqi coast, killing one person and prompting Iraq to suspend oil terminal operations.[396] The historical Safavid-era building of Rashk-e Jenan, was destroyed by US-Israeli strikes.[397] Other buildings that were damaged included the Chehel Sotoun pavilion, Rakib Khaneh Mansion, Timurid Hall, Ashraf Hall and the Ali Qapu palace.[398] Many affected buildings and monuments were legally protected by the Blue Shield International,[399] which called damaging such sites a war crime.[400] French soldiers were injured in a drone strike at a base in Mala Qara, Iraqi Kurdistan. French president Emmanuel Macron announced on 13 March that a soldier was killed in the attack.[401]
On 13 March, to help deal with the economic costs of the war, the US temporarily lifted restrictions on the sale of Russian oil.[402] Iran announced a coordinated offensive by IRGC Navy, the Iranian Army, and Hezbollah against Israel and US bases.[403] Israel reported that 58 people have been hospitalized due to injuries following a missile strike.[402] Iran targeted Gulf countries with missiles and drones, causing oil prices to rise. The Kuwaiti authorities stated that defense equipment and the country's main airport were attacked, and power lines were reported to have gone out of service. The British Maritime Trade Operations Agency said a container ship was attacked 35 nautical miles (65 kilometers) north of Jebel Ali in the UAE.[404]
For the third time in the war, missiles entered Turkish air space and were intercepted, with explosions heard near Adana.[405] Israel struck IRGC checkpoints in Iran. According to Reuters, Israel attacked the checkpoints after receiving tip-offs by on the ground informants. Reuters reported Israel had struck positions of the Basij used to suppress Iranian protests.[406]
Third week (14–20 March)
As of the third week, analysts found little evidence of significant defections in the Iranian military;[ao] which have been considered a necessary condition for regime change.[416] The US conducted an attack on Kharg Island, a key oil export hub home to 90 percent of Iran's oil exports. Over 90 military sites were targeted while the oil infrastructure was not targeted "for reasons of decency", according to Trump.[417][418] On 14 March, Kata'ib Hezbollah security commander Abu Ali al-Askari was killed in an airstrike in Baghdad.[419]
The Royal Tulip Al Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad's Green Zone was hit by a drone whilst hosting an EU and Saudi Arabian delegation. The attack was not claimed by anyone; however, due to the proximity of a similar attack 48 hours earlier on the US embassy in Baghdad, there were suspicions it was an Iranian attack.[420]
On 16 March, China and US-aligned NATO nations in Europe rejected Trump's call to provide military support to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.[421][422] Trump rebuked his NATO allies, calling their decision a "very foolish mistake".[423] On 17 March, Trump made a statement on Truth Social renouncing NATO's assistance, and unexpectedly, US allies in the Indo-Pacific, namely Japan, South Korea, and Australia, for refusing to join US-led attacks on Iran during the war.[424][425][426][427] Trump declared that the United States "[does] not need the help of anyone" regarding the war.[428]
In the morning of 17 March, senior Iranian officials, including Ali Larijani and Basij chief Gholamreza Soleimani were targeted by Israeli airstrikes.[429][430] Both their deaths were later confirmed by Iranian state media.[431] In response, Iran launched a missile barrage that killed two Israeli civilians in Ramat Gan.[432] The same day, Israel launched a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.[433]
On 18 March,[434] Israel struck the South Pars natural gas field in the Persian Gulf and its neighboring refineries in Iran with US coordination.[435] In retaliation, Iran attacked the world's largest LNG production facility in Qatar. Trump claimed he was unaware of the South Pars attack, promised that there would be no more Israeli attacks on Iranian oil infrastructure, and threatened Iran not to continue attacking Qatari energy infrastructure.[434][436] Israel said it had killed Iranian intelligence minister Esmaeil Khatib in an overnight airstrike.[437] Pezeshkian confirmed Khatib's killing.[438] A hair salon in Beit Awwa was struck by a projectile, killing four women,[439] with Israeli authorities stating that it was most likely cluster munitions and Palestinian authorities saying it was an errant Israeli interceptor.[440][441]
On 19 March, a US F-35 made an emergency landing after a suspected hit by Iranian forces.[442][443] A BAZAN Group refinery in Haifa was hit during a broader Iranian missile attack on the area as a retaliation for Israeli attacks on South Pars gas facilities.[444][445] Netanyahu insisted that "You can't make a revolution from the air" and that "there must be a ground component — I won't share with you all the options", implying that there was a potential for limited assault operations involving soldiers on the ground in Iran.[446] The US began an aerial campaign against Iranian vessels and drones in the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to reopen it to international shipping.[447]
Fourth week (21–27 March)
Admiral Brad Cooper said that the US military had so far struck more than 8,000 Iranian military targets, including 130 vessels.[448] On 21 March, the US conducted strikes on the Natanz Nuclear Facility using bunker buster bombs to target the site.[449] Russia condemned the strikes on Natanz as a "blatant violation of international law," while the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) urged military restraint "to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident".[450] In response, Iran struck the southern Israeli town of Dimona, injuring at least 78 people.[451] Iran said that it targeted the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Center.[452][453]
Citing unnamed US officials, CNN and The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran unsuccessfully attempted to strike the joint US–UK military base at Diego Garcia on the Chagos Islands in the British Indian Ocean Territory.[454] The report said one of the missiles broke apart mid-flight, while another was intercepted by a SM-3 air defence missile launched by a US warship.[455][456] Israel said that Iran used a two-stage intercontinental ballistic missile to target the island.[457][458] Iran denied launching missiles towards Diego Garcia, saying that it was an Israeli false flag attack.[459] In response the UK Foreign Secretary confirmed and denounced the Iranian attack on their end, and additionally expanded permission for the United States to bomb certain targets using their bases.[460][461] No evidence has been presented that the alleged Iranian missiles neared Diego Garcia or that one was intercepted.[462]
The Houthi movement in Yemen warned that it would respond to any escalation against Iran, including efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. It specifically warned the two Arab countries offering to join the Strait of Hormuz campaign—Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates—that they "will be the first to lose in this battle".[463] The Houthis further threatened to join the war in the event that US allies joined the attack on Iran or if the US and Israel used the Red Sea to carry out operations.[464] Lebanon's government expelled the Iranian ambassador.[465]
Trump issued an ultimatum to Iran, threatening to strike its power plants unless it opened the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours.[466] Iran doubled down, threatening to "completely" close the Strait of Hormuz and strike vital infrastructure across the region such as energy and desalination facilities critical for drinking water.[467] Iranian opposition figure and former crown prince Reza Pahlavi called on Trump and Netanyahu to target the military while sparing civilian infrastructure which "Iranians will need to rebuild our country."[468] Halfway through the deadline, Trump announced that he was postponing strikes against Iranian power plants for five days,[469] and said the US was negotiating with Iran to end the war.[470] Iran denied the talks ever took place or were taking place and called the president "deceitful".[471] Iran rejected the 15-point peace plan presented by the US.[472][473] Iran asserted that Lebanon must be included as part of a ceasefire deal, thereby making a ceasefire conditional on an end to the 2026 Lebanon war against Hezbollah.[474]
On 24 March, Israel or its allies shot down an Iranian missile crossing above Lebanon at high altitude, according to the Lebanese army, which also confirmed that the missile was not targeting Lebanon. This was the first time during the current conflict when a shootdown of an Iranian missile took place over Lebanese territory.[475][476]
A US strike on the Habbaniya military base—which hosts units from the Popular Mobilization Forces—in Al Anbar Governorate killed seven members of the Iraqi Armed Forces and injured 13 others. In response, Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani summoned the US embassy's chargé d'affaires in Baghdad.[477] Iranian state media threatened that Iran could seize Bahraini and Emirati territory if the US "makes any mistakes", while signaling its readiness to open a new front in Yemen by closing the Bab al-Mandab Strait together with the Houthis.[478][479] Israel said it killed Iran's top naval commander, Alireza Tangsiri, purportedly as part of an effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Katz said Tangsiri was "directly responsible" for the closure of.[480][481][482]
On 27 March, a day after Trump and Hegseth announced the "neutralization" of Iran's military, an Iranian missile and drone strike on Prince Sultan Air Base damaged several US refueling aircraft and injured at least 15 US soldiers. An E-3 Sentry was also damaged by the strike.[483][484][485] Military analyst Cedric Leighton described the attack as a "a serious blow to [US] surveillance capabilities".[486] Iran showed no signs of ceding its control over the Strait of Hormuz.[487] The same day, Iran blocked two Chinese ships from entering the strait and sought to formalize fees for ships passing through it.[488][489] Despite pushes for talks, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz publicly vowed to "intensify and expand" Israeli attacks in Iran.[490] The same day, the Shahid Khondab Heavy Water Complex in Arak, which has in the past been used to test uranium enrichment, and the Ardakan yellowcake production plant in Yazd Province were confirmed to have been damaged in Israeli airstrikes.[491][492]
Fifth week (28 March – 3 April)
The Houthis joined the war on 28 March launching a ballistic missile towards Israel.[493] The Houthis said that they had launched ballistic missiles targeting "sensitive" military sites in Israel, and vowed to continue the attacks "until the aggression on all resistance fronts stops". The missile was intercepted and no casualties were reported.[494] The Houthis subsequently launched a second missile at Eilat.[495] In response, the internationally recognized Yemeni government condemned Iran's "frequent attempts to drag Yemen" into conflict "through its terrorist militias".[496] On the same day, 2,500 US marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived in the Middle East. They are intended to be part of the effort to open the Strait of Hormuz.[497]
US Central Command stated that it had struck over 11,000 targets in Iran since the beginning of the war. On 28 March, joint US–Israeli airstrikes severely damaged several residential and civilian facilities, including the Iran University of Science and Technology.[498] In response, Iran threatened to attack Israeli and American colleges across the Middle East.[499] Airstrikes also struck a 10,000-cubic-meter water reservoir in Haftkel, in Khuzestan province.[500]
An Iranian missile struck a chemical plant in the Ne'ot Hovav industrial zone, injuring one person and causing fears of a hazardous leak.[501] A convoy of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces was seen entering Khorramshahr in southwestern Iran.[502] Eleven-year-old child soldier Alireza Jafari died following an Israeli drone strike.[503]
On 29 March, Trump stated that he would prefer to "take the oil in Iran". He proposed taking Iran's oil export center, Kharg Island, claiming that the United States could capture the territory "very easily", and implying that the US could occupy it for some time.[86]
On 30 March, Trump said on Truth Social that if a deal was not reached soon and the Strait of Hormuz reopened, the US would conclude the war by destroying all of Iran's power plants, oil wells, Kharg Island, and possibly all its desalinization plants,[504] although the feasibility and strategic value of some of Trump's threats were contested.[505] On the same day Turkey and NATO intercepted the fourth missile directed towards Turkish territory. Iran denied firing a missile at Turkey, claiming that it was a false flag attack.[506][507] The US began flying B-52 bombers over Iranian territory for the first time, indicating its confidence of air supremacy over Iran.[508] The US used bombers to target an ammunition depot and air base in Isfahan, causing vast explosions.[509] U.S-allied Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain reportedly pushed Trump to continue the war until there are significant changes in Iran's leadership.[510] American journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Baghdad by Kata'ib Hezbollah—the strongest faction within the PMF—who demanded that the Iraqi government release several detained members of the group.[511]
On 1 April, Mehr News Agency, a semi-official Iranian government news outlet, reported that policy expert and former foreign minister Kamal Kharazi was seriously injured and his wife was killed in an airstrike which hit his home.[512] Iranian officials described the attack as an attempt to derail diplomacy, noting that Kharazi was overseeing a possible meeting between Iranian officials and US vice president JD Vance.[513] Airstrikes on the strategically important Hengam Island in the Strait of Hormuz caused seven injuries.[514] Trump indicated that he was no longer concerned about Iran's enriched uranium buried underground.[515] Netanyahu asserted that the US–Israeli strikes have eliminated Iran's ability to produce nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, thereby removing "two existential threats" to Israel.[516] The Iranian president Pezeshkian published an open letter to US citizens.[517]
Late in the day on 1 April, Trump made a speech addressing the nation, in which he said that the strikes have "dramatically curtailed" Iranian missile and drone systems, and added that the attacks on Iran will escalate over the next two to three weeks to "bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong".[518]
On 2 April, two US strikes on the B1 bridge between Tehran and Karaj, which was described as the highest bridge in the Middle East, reportedly killed eight people and wounded 95 others, causing it to collapse.[519] Trump gloated on the attack, which experts assessed as a possible war crime.[520] At the time of the attack, many Iranian families had been gathered in the parks below the bridge to celebrate Sizdah Be-dar.[521]
Iran revealed major damage to the century-old medical center Pasteur Institute of Iran. US Defense Secretary Hegseth boasted of "death and destruction from the sky all day long".[520] The IDF also announced that one of its strikes in the Kermanshah area of Iran killed Iranian ballistics missile chief Makram Atimi and several battalion commanders from Atimi's central Iranian ballistic missile unit.[522][523] An Iranian ballistic missile strike damaged an Israeli drone factory in Petah Tikva.[524][525][526]
On 3 April, Iranian forces shot down a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet over the country, with the wreckage falling in the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province of Iran,[527] prompting a search and rescue mission by US helicopters.[528] The pilot was rescued that same day, but the WSO remained missing and was rescued alive 48 hours later.[529]
A US A-10 "Warthog" aircraft was downed and its single crew member ejected near the Strait of Hormuz and was rescued.[530] Iran released a video showing shooting down the aircraft using surface-to-air missile.[531]
On the same day, Tehran's Shahid Beheshti University was hit by airstrikes, making the total number of universities hit to more than 30, according to the Iranian Minister of Science.[532]
Sixth week (4–7 April)
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On 4 April, explosions were reported at an auxiliary building of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant as well as the Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Zone in Mahshahr, Iran.[533] The airstrikes in Mahshahr killed at least five and injured 170 others.[534] An Iranian missile strike hit in the vicinity of the IDF's HaKirya headquarters in Tel Aviv.[535]
On 5 April, after heavy fighting, the second stranded crew member from the F-15E downed on 3 April was recovered by US forces in a rescue operation, which resulted in damage to helicopters, the shooting down of an A-10 Thunderbolt II,[536] and the destruction of two C-130 Hercules, three IRGC members killed, and several American service members injured.[529]
On 6 April, the IRGC announced that the head of the IRGC's intelligence organisation, Major General Majid Khademi, had been killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike. Their statement claimed that Khademi had "played a major role in Iran's intelligence and security apparatus over nearly five decades".[537] Israel claimed that Yazdan Mir, a high-ranking commander of the IRGC Quds Force, had also been killed in the attacks.[538]
On the same day, before Trump's deadline for targeting Iranian infrastructure,[539] Israel carried out strikes on the South Pars Petrochemical facility in Asaluyeh, Iran.[540] The Israeli Air Force claimed that "85% of Iran's petrochemical exports" had been taken offline by now.[541]
At least 34 people, including six children, were killed in US-Israeli airstrikes across Iran, including against Sharif University of Technology and residential areas. Iranian vice president and reformist politician Mohammad Reza Aref, who is also an alumnus of the university, described the alleged use of a bunker-buster bomb as a "symbol of Trump's madness and ignorance".[542]
On 7 April, The Rafi'-Nia synagogue in central Tehran was destroyed in an airstrike.[543] Israel said that the building was destroyed due to collateral damage and that it was never meant to be the direct target of the airstrike.[544] The same day, US forces began strikes on Kharg Island.[545] In response, Iran said its restraint in targeting oil infrastructure in the region would no longer apply.[546] Trump posted to Truth Social that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again",[547] causing international concern that Trump would use nuclear weapons. The Secretary General of Amnesty International said that Trump's statement "may constitute a threat to commit genocide".[548] Multiple right-wing commentators and many Democrats condemned the post, and some called for him to be removed through the 25th Amendment.[549][550] The White House denied considering using nuclear weapons.[551] The White House later said that "only the president knows" what he would do on Iran.[552]
Ceasefire (8–13 April)
On 7 April Trump announced that the US and Iran had reached an agreement based on the 10-point proposal mediated by Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir.[553] The US, Israel, and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, under which Iran would re-open the Strait of Hormuz.[554]
After the announcement, Iran's Lavan Island oil refinery and Sirri Island crude export facilities were struck; no party claimed responsibility.[555] In response, Iran continued missile and drone strikes on Gulf Arab states.[556] The refinery attack was later revealed to have been done secretly by the UAE.[5][557][558]
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Israel and the US asserted that the ceasefire did not include Lebanon,[559][560] contradicting the Pakistani mediators and Iran.[561] Hezbollah said it had halted attacks on Israel and on Israeli soldiers in Lebanon.[562] Despite the ceasefire, Israel launched "Operation Eternal Darkness", which included targeting all Hezbollah's command and control centers in southern Lebanon, Beirut and the Beqaa Valley.[563] These were the largest attacks since the start of the war,[564] killing at least 357 people and injuring more than 1,200.[565][566] In Beirut alone, 92 people were killed and at least 740 injured.[567] In response, Iran threatened to attack Israel "if the aggressions against dear Lebanon are not brought to an immediate end",[568] Iran paused Hormuz traffic over Israeli attacks in Lebanon.[569] Hezbollah claimed responsibility for launching rockets towards northern Israel as a response to "ceasefire violations".[570]
On 11 April, Trump said that American forces had started "clearing" the Strait of Hormuz.[571] Iran claimed that an American ship on its way to the strait turned back after being warned.[572] The Wall Street Journal reported US Navy destroyers entered the strait for the first time since the war began. The Iranian government reportedly threatened to attack the ships, accusing the US of a ceasefire violation.[573][574] US Central Command said the ships are taking part in minesweeping.[575] On the same day, the talks between the US and Iran—the highest-level discussions between the two since the 1979 Islamic Revolution—were held in Islamabad, Pakistan, lasting 21 hours, after which JD Vance announced that no agreement had been reached, stating that Iran had refused "to accept our terms,"[576] and Trump said he no longer cared about negotiations.[577]
Dual blockade (13 April – present)
Trump declared that the US Navy would begin its own blockade of "all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz" from 13 April. He said the US Navy would stop any ships that paid tolls to Iran.[578] However, United States Central Command clarified that the blockade would only be enforced on ships travelling to or from Iranian ports.[579] The IRGC Navy said any military vessel approaching the strait would be considered a ceasefire violation and meet a "severe response."[580] Trump threatened to strike fast-attack ships of the IRGC Navy, similar to US strikes on drug traffickers during Operation Southern Spear.[581] Iran had 13 days of oil storage capacity, forcing it to shut down its oil fields and potentially damaging them.[582] An analyst estimated loss of import and export capacity would be US$435 million per day.[582]
On 14 April, four Iranian-linked ships traveled through the strait, despite the US blockade.[583][584] They later stopped or turned around, after presumed interception by the US Navy.[585] Tankers leaving Chabahar Port were contacted by a US destroyer, while Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft were also used to intercept tankers.[586]
On 16 April, Trump announced that Israel and Lebanon agreed to a ten-day truce.[113] As a result, Iran announced that passage of commercial vessels through the strait would be allowed during the truce.[587] Despite this, Trump said that the blockade would continue.[588] As a result of this decision to continue the blockade, Iran announced it would reimpose restrictions on the strait.[589][590][591] Meanwhile, the US stated that its blockade had intercepted 23 ships.[592]
On 19 April, Trump sent negotiators to Pakistan.[593] He threatened that Iran would be "blown up" if the negotiations fail, saying the US will target power plants and bridges.[594] The US Navy seized an Iranian cargo ship on 19 April, saying it was attempting to evade the blockade. Trump said that a US guided-missile destroyer fired at the ship, damaging its engine room.[595][596] Iran called this a breach of the ceasefire due to end on 22 April.[597] Iran retaliated by launching drones at US ships, though no damage was reported.[598]
On 21 April, the Pentagon said US soldiers boarded a tanker in the Indo-Pacific region to disrupt ships providing support to Iran.[599] Trump said the US military intercepted a "gift from China" to Iran. China stated that it "opposes any malicious association".[600] Trump claimed Iranian nuclear sites were being watched by the US Space Force.[601] Hours before the ceasefire was due to end, Trump extended it, saying he did so at Pakistan's request, to allow time for an Iranian proposal.[117] Hours afterwards, the IRGC announced that it had seized two container ships and fired on one, causing "damage to the bridge". This was in response to the US seizing an Iranian ship three days earlier.[602] On 22–23 April, three Iranian oil tankers were intercepted by the US in the Indian Ocean[603] and an Iranian-linked oil tanker was seized by the US.[604]
Despite Iran's seizure of two cargo ships,[116] Trump claimed total control over the strait.[605] The Guardian described the situation as a "dual blockade", saying that while the US Navy could blockade Iranian ports, it had not been able to stop Iran's blockade and open the strait to US allies.[116] Israel and Lebanon agreed to a three-week extension of their ceasefire.[606]
On 24 April, Iran said it seized a ship suspected of collaborating with American military after the ship ignored warnings.[607] On 25 April, Trump canceled US negotiators' trip to Pakistan.[608] On 3 May, Trump said the US would help free up ships in the strait.[609]
On 4 May, the UAE and Oman said they had intercepted Iranian missiles, and drones.[610][611] Iranian state media said the Iranian navy fired missiles and hit an American frigate in the strait. CENTCOM denied the missiles struck the ship.[612][613] US Forces reportedly destroyed six small Iranian boats in the strait after they allegedly attempted to interfere with the transit of two US flagged commercial ships and two Navy destroyers.[614] The UAE said an Iranian drone strike on an oil processing plant in Fujairah caused a fire, injuring Indian citizens.[615] On 5 May, the UAE said it dealt with missile and drone attacks from Iran for the second consecutive day. Iran denied conducting the attacks.[616]
On 6 May, Trump announced a pause in the US military's "Project Freedom" to reopen the strait for "a short period", citing "great progress" toward an agreement with Iran.[617] NBC News reported that Trump's sudden announcement angered Saudi leaders who supported the diplomatic process in Pakistan. Saudi Arabia responded by not allowing the US military to fly aircraft from Prince Sultan Air Base or fly through Saudi airspace, which forced the pause in operations.[618] The US disabled an Iranian-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman.[619]
On 7 May, the US said it had struck Iranian military sites in Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island in response to a missile, drone, and small boat attack on US destroyers crossing the strait. Iran accused the US of violating the truce by targeting an Iranian oil tanker and another vessel. It said the US strikes hit civilian areas in Qeshm Island, and coastal areas in Bandar Khamir and Sirik. Iran said it targeted American military vessels in response to these incidents.[620][621] The UAE claimed that its air defense systems shot down two Iranian ballistic missiles and three drones.[622] On the same day, the US said that it carried out strikes on two empty oil tankers allegedly attempting to reach Iran.[623] Iranian officials said that six people went missing and others were injured in US attacks, which hit "Iranian fishing and cargo vessels".[624]
On 9 May, The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel constructed a military base in a desert region of Iraq to support its air campaign, and launched airstrikes against Iraqi soldiers who almost found the base, killing a soldier.[625] On 17 May, Iraqi officials confirmed another base in Iraq was held by Israel.[626]
On 10 May, UAE and Kuwait reported drone incursions that were neutralized, and a fire erupted on a vessel off Qatar following a drone attack.[627] The next day, the US dispatched the nuclear submarine USS Alaska (SSBN-732) to Gibraltar to put pressure on Iran.[628] The Wall Street Journal reported that the UAE has been discreetly striking Iran, including a strike on an oil refinery refinery on Lavan Island in April, and that the UAE was coordinating with Israel during the war.[5][629][630] US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee announced that Israel had sent Iron Dome batteries and "personnel to help operate them" to the UAE to deter Iranian assaults.[631] On 12 May, Kuwait accused Iran of attempting to infiltrate Bubiyan Island on 1 May with six troops of the IRGC. Four were captured, while the remaining two fled.[8][632]
On 13 May, Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia had struck Iranian-backed Iraqi militias near the Iraq–Saudi Arabia border around the time of the 7 April US-Iran ceasefire. Iraqi sources stated there were rocket attacks originating from Kuwait, though Reuters could not confirm whether Kuwaiti or US armed forces were responsible.[4] Kuwait launched attacks on Iraqi militias from its territory.[7] Netanyahu's office said he covertly visited the UAE during the war. This was denied by the UAE.[633]
On 18 May, Trump said he postponed a "scheduled attack" on Iran planned for 19 May at the request of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.[634][635] On 22 May, Qatar assumed a mediator role in the war, secondary to Pakistan.[636] On 24 May, a US official said that the US and Iran theoretically agreed for Tehran to reopen Hormuz and dispose of highly enriched uranium.[637] Iranian media reported that Iranian military intercepted an Israeli Orbiter surveillance drone in its Hormozgan province. Israel said it was unaware of any such incident.[638]
On 25 May, the US struck targets in Iran, including boats and missile sites.[639] Several Iranian soldiers were reportedly killed. According to Iranian sources, prior to the US attacks, the Iranians targeted a ship.[640][641] On 26 May, Iran said it had downed a US MQ-9 drone and fired towards a fighter jet in its airspace. It claimed a US RQ-4 drone and an F-35 fighter jet entered the nation's airspace prior to retreating.[642]
On 27 May, the US conducted strikes in Iran targeting a military site which officials believed threatened American forces and maritime traffic in the strait. A US official stated that the US downed Iranian drones that posed a similar threat.[643] On 28 May, Kuwait downed a ballistic missile launched at its territory. Iran said it had targeted the American base in Kuwait responsible for the previous day's attack.[644] Debris from the downed Fateh-110 missile fell on Ali Al Salem Air Base, injuring American soldiers and contractors, and destroying a US MQ-9 Reaper drone.[645]
On 30 May, The Wall Street Journal reported that the US is helping guide vessels going dark through the Hormuz.[646] On 1 June, the US announced that it struck Iranian military targets after Iran downed a drone. Iran retaliated with a strike. The US said it downed Iranian missiles that targeted its forces in Kuwait.[647][648] Iran reportedly halted negotiations with US due to Israeli strikes in Lebanon.[649] Israel agreed not to hit Beirut's southern suburbs, and Hezbollah agreed not to attack Israel as part of a US proposal, with the ceasefire to be expanded to include all Lebanon.[650]
On 2 June, US Central Command announced that a Hellfire missile launched from a American fighter jet disabled a tanker heading for Kharg Island, after the vessel allegedly “ignored repeated warnings” and did not comply with the US blockade.[651] On 3 June, Iran said it had targeted the U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters, and an airbase and helicopters within the region, with missiles and drones in response to an American attack on communication towers near Qeshm Island. It stated that its navy targeted a ship called Panaya using missiles in response to an American attack on an Iranian tanker in the vicinity of the strait. US Central Command said Iranian missiles fired towards Kuwait fell short or broke apart in flight, while ballistic missiles launched towards regional targets failed, and missiles heading for Bahrain were downed. CENTCOM said the US military shot down Iranian drones "targeting civilian ships" in regional waters and American forces in Kuwait, and conducted strikes on Qeshm Island following Iranian attempted attacks.[652] One person was killed and dozens wounded during attacks that hit Kuwait airport.[653] Iran denied responsibility, claiming the destruction was caused by a malfunction in a US-made Patriot air defence system. The claim was denied by the US. Iran said that it targeted an American military vessel in the Gulf of Oman for "Hormuz rules violation". The US denied the claim.[654]
On 5 June, CNN reported that Israel had secretly deployed military personnel to Azerbaijan and was operating a facility in Somaliland as part of the war.[655] The Pentagon announced that American forces boarded a sanctioned tanker supporting Iran in the Indian Ocean.[656] Iran said it launched warning missiles and drones towards American warships in the Gulf of Oman. The US rejected the claim, saying doing so would be a serious violation of the truce.[657][658] On 6 June, the US announced that it downed Iranian drones allegedly fired toward the strait and hit coastal surveillance radar sites in Sirik and Qeshm Island, as a response. Iran announced that it had targeted US air bases in Kuwait and a US navy site in Bahrain with ballistic missiles, after the attacks. Centcom said that of the seven Iranian missiles launched, six were shot down and one failed to reach its target.[659]
On 7 June, the US announced that it downed two Iranian drones allegedly posing a threat to the Hormuz.[660] On the same day, Lebanese state media said that an Israeli strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut killed two people and wounded 11 others. The IDF said that it targeted Hezbollah infrastructure after the group fired towards northern Israel.[661] The same day, Iran said that American bases and Israeli assets in Middle East are legitimate targets due to the American naval blockade against the country and Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, where neighborhoods that Hezbollah members live in are located.[662] Iran later launched ballistic missiles towards Israel.[663] Israel said that it downed all the missiles.[664] Iran said that it targeted Ramat David Airbase.[665] Israel said that it will retaliate "forcefully" to the alleged Iranian violation of the truce.[666]
On 8 June, the IDF announced that it struck military sites in central and western Iran, with explosions being reported in Tehran, Isfahan, and Tabriz.[667] This triggered an exchange of strikes between the two countries. The Houthis also joined the strikes.[668] Iran later said that it had ceased military actions against Israel.[669] Israel later stopped strikes on Iran at Trump's request.[670] On the same day, Centcom said that American forces disabled an unladen oil tanker which was heading to the Kharg Island after the tanker allegedly ignored its multiple warnings.[671] The Indian shipping ministry said that 24 Indian crew members on board the tanker, adding that a fire was reported on it but that all were safe and they were rescued with the Omani help.[672] On 9 June, The New York Times reported that American crew was rescued after a helicopter went down in the vicinity of the Hormuz. Centcom said that they were found and rescued by a US Navy surface drone.[673][674]
Strikes and casualties
Iran
The US and Israel eliminated many Iranian commanders and leaders on the war's first day by causing Iran to believe that strikes were not imminent. Thus, groups of senior Iranian officials continued gathering in person. These gatherings were targeted in initial strikes. One part of the deception was information about a US F-22 deployment leaked to hide that preparations were more advanced at other bases.[675][676] Calls between Trump and Netanyahu before the war were not publicised to diminish the possibility of an Iranian first strike.[676]
IDF Spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin stated that months of joint US and Israeli "strategic and operational deception" of satellite imagery led up to the war. This encompassed planes and other facilities. The night of the initial strike he and IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir took their official cars home from IDF Headquarters.[675] They came back without them so that satellite imagery would show that their base did not appear full nor warplanes appear armed and ready.[677][678] Three separate gatherings of Iranian officials were hit within half a minute of each other in the opening strike.[676]
Assassination of Ali Khamenei
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On 28 February 2026, Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, was assassinated in an Israeli air attack.[679][better source needed][676] On 1 March, Iranian state media announced Khamenei's death.[680] The IRGC-controlled Fars News Agency, announced that Khamenei's daughter, son-in-law, grandchild, and daughter-in-law Zahra Haddad-Adel had also been killed.[681][682][683] The Iranian government declared 40 days of mourning.[684]
Military and officials
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The initial dead included Iranian defense minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, and four top Ministry of Intelligence officials.[685]
Additional senior officials included Salah Asadi, head of intelligence for Iran's emergency command, Mohammad Shirazi, head of Khamenei's military office, head of the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND) Hossein Jabal Amelian, former SPND head Reza Mozaffari Nia,[218] and chief of staff Abdolrahim Mousavi, among 40 official as reported by intelligence and military sources.[686]
On 13 March, IDF estimated that between 3,000 and 4,000 Iranian soldiers and commanders had been killed.[687]
On 17 March, Israel assassinated Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.[431] IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour and Defence Council secretary Ali Shamkhani were reported dead in late March.[688]
On 18 March, the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights estimated that 5,300+ members of the Iranian military had been killed.[689]
On 31 March, Iran International reported that at least 4,700 security forces had been killed.[690]
On 6 April, the head of IRGC intelligence, Major General Majid Khademi, was assassinated in a joint US-Israeli airstrike.[537]
As of 7 April, Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA), a US-based non-governmental organization, reported 3,636 documented war deaths, including 1,701 civilians, 1,221 military personnel, and 714 unclassified. According to HRANA, "[i]t is believed that military casualties are significantly higher than the figures reported in [its] reports" as confirmations depend largely on government data. Its count largely reflects reports of military personnel present in urban areas.[691]
Civilians
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On the first day of the war, the Shajareh Tayyebeh girl's elementary school in Minab was hit by an American attack, according to Iran.[692] The school was located near[ap] the Sayyid al-Shuhada military complex,[696] of which it had once been a part.[695][697] While the number killed was not independently confirmed,[698] Iranian state media reported that more than 175 people, mostly children, were killed while 95 were wounded.[699] Video showed a Tomahawk missile hitting a building adjacent to the school;[700] preliminary findings from an American military investigation indicated that the strike resulted from outdated targeting data.[701]
At least 20 civilians, mostly families who gathered after breaking their fast at Ramadan,[702] were killed in Tehran's Niloofar Square on 1 or 2 March, according to Iranian-state media.[703] On 3 March, the Iranian Red Crescent Society said that over 600 civilians had been killed[704] while HRANA reported 1,097 civilian deaths.[705] On 7 March, the Red Crescent reported that over 6,668 civilian "units" had been targeted by US-Israeli strikes, including 5,535 residential units, 1,041 commercial units, 14 medical centers, 65 schools, and 13 centers affiliated with the Red Crescent.[706] The Middle East Eye, an anti-Israel news outlet, reported that the US used double tap airstrikes,[707][708] although the US denies this. As of 23 March, HRANA estimated that at least 15% of the casualties were under age 18.[709]
An Israeli airstrike on 9 March in Resalat neighbourhood of Tehran destroyed a Basij-affiliated building as well as three residential buildings, killing 40 to 50. According to a BBC analysis, Israel used Mark 82 bombs in the attack.[702]
As of 27 March, Iran has reported damage to at least 120 historical sites.[710]
The deadly attack on residential buildings and a sports hall in the town of Lamerd killed 21 including 4 children and injured 100.[711]
Institutions
The initial attack targeted Leadership House. On 2 March, video footage released by Iran International showed the destroyed IRGC Malek-Ashtar building in Tehran following a joint US-Israel missile strike.[712] On 3 March, the complex of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), the state broadcaster's headquarters, was hit in an Israeli air operation.[713][714]
Iranian state-linked media indicated that Iran's parliament building was targeted.[715] On 3 March, Israeli forces bombed the Assembly of Experts office building in Qom.[716][717]
Infrastructure
By 5 March, the World Health Organization had identified 13 Iranian health sites hit, as well as one in Lebanon.[718] The Iranian Foreign Minister said that the US had struck a desalination plant on Qeshm Island, disrupting water supply to 30 villages, but both the US and Israel denied an attack.[719][358] The Russian consulate in Isfahan was damaged.[720]
United States
Analysis of satellite images by the Washington Post revealed damages to at least 228 structures or pieces of equipment at US bases across the Persian Gulf, far more than the Trump administration has admitted to.[721]
On 1 March, six US soldiers were killed amid more than 30 injured in an Iranian drone attack near Camp Arifjan in Port Shuaiba, Kuwait. Those killed were soldiers of the United States Army Reserve assigned to the 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa.[722] On 4 March, US Marine Corps Lance Corporal Kevin Melendez died in Saudi Arabia in a non-hostile incident.[723] On 8 March, CENTCOM reported that a National Guard soldier died during a medical emergency.[724] Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, a soldier of the 1st Space Brigade wounded in an attack against Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on 1 March, died from his injuries on 9 March.[725]
Six American airmen were killed on 12 March when their KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq. CENTCOM said that the crash was not the result of hostile action, but had resulted during an incident involving another US aircraft. By 13 March, the US military publicly announced that about 140 American servicemen had been injured.[726] A 27 March attack on Prince Sultan Air Base damaged "multiple" refueling aircraft and destroyed a Boeing E-3 Sentry, as well as wounding at least 15 US soldiers.[727][728][485]
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest aircraft carrier in theatre, was damaged by a fire that broke out 12 March. The US Navy said the fire had injured multiple sailors,[aq] started in a laundry area and was not combat-related.[733] The carrier had been dealing with other mechanical issues, including a malfunctioning sewage treatment system, since before it arrived in the Middle East.[734] According to multiple reports on 17–18 March, Gerald R. Ford paused launching airstrikes and sailed toward the Crete Naval Base for repairs.[730]
Many US military bases near Iran were rendered "all but uninhabitable" due to Iranian strikes. Within the war's first two weeks, Iran's attacks caused $800 million in damage to bases. Affected bases include Al-Sader and Al-Ruwais in the UAE, the naval base in Bahrain, Ali Al-Salem in Kuwait, Al-Udeid in Qatar, and Prince Sultan in Saudi Arabia. According to unnamed officials, the damage degraded the US's military ability in the war. Many US servicemembers relocated to "hotels and office spaces", which raised concerns of the US using civilians as human shields. An attack on a hotel in Bahrain injured two Pentagon employees.[735]
Based on numbers given by members of the United States Congress, by May 2026 the United States military had lost 39 aircraft in "Operation Epic Fury".[736]
Israel
Magen David Adom reported that Iran's initial attacks had left 89 injured, with three directly wounded and the rest indirectly, most of them civilians.[737][738] On 28 February, a direct hit in Tel Aviv killed a woman and injured 22 others, one seriously.[739] On 1 March, a strike hit a synagogue and residential buildings in Beit Shemesh, killing nine civilians in a shelter and injuring 49 others.[740] On 9 March, two workers were killed in Yehud, outside of Tel Aviv, after they were struck by submunitions from an Iranian missile equipped with a cluster bomb warhead.[741][742]
On 17 March, a cluster munition from an Iranian warhead hit an apartment building in Ramat Gan and killed two residents. A statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps called the missile barrage "revenge for the blood of martyr Dr. Ali Larijani and his companions", who had been killed the day before in a targeted attack.[743] According to CNN, the use of cluster munitions violates international law. N.R. Jenzen-Jones of Armament Research Services stated that this type of warhead is being used "primarily to sow terror amongst a civilian population".[744]
The executive director of the Arms Control Association called the Iranian use of cluster munitions at residential sections of Israel during the war as deliberate, saying that "Iran appears to be launching them into relatively populated areas, probably with the goal of producing potential civilian harm."[745] Neither Iran nor Israel is party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions,[746] and both Israel and Iran are among 17 countries that either produce cluster munitions, or reserve the right to do so.[747]
On 4 April, an Iranian missile strike hit in the vicinity of the IDF's Kirya headquarters in Tel Aviv.[535]
Lebanon
More than 2,000 people were killed and over 4,000 were wounded by Israeli strikes in Lebanon,[82] and Lebanon states more than one million people,[748] 1/6th of the population,[749] were displaced.[750] During the war, six United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon peacekeepers were killed[y] and 11 were injured.[z][66]
Iraq
In Iraq, two members of the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) were killed and three injured in a US-Israeli attack on 28 February.[751] A later report estimated three dead.[752] On 1 and 2 March, the United States and Israel conducted several attacks on Iranian-backed Iraqi militias to degrade their military capabilities.[753]
Iranian attacks on US-allied Arab countries
In addition to Israel, Iran launched strikes against multiple US-allied Arab countries. Iranian strikes against Bahrain killed three.[755] Strikes against Kuwait killed four soldiers and four civilians.[756] Strikes against Oman killed nine.[757][758][759] Strikes against Saudi Arabia killed two.[760] Strikes against the United Arab Emirates killed two soldiers and six civilians.[761] Installations in the UAE were disproportionately often targeted by Iranian missile and drone strikes during the conflict, partially because the UAE has the closest ties to Israel of all Gulf states and the UAE did launch secret attacks on targets in Iran in addition to the Israeli-American campaign itself.[762]
Iran also struck Qatar,[763] Azerbaijan,[335] and the Akrotiri and Dhekelia British Overseas Territory on Cyprus.[764]
The Iranian attacks affected military infrastructure from NATO countries in the region, "including an Italian installation in Iraq and Kuwait, and a French naval facility in the United Arab Emirates".[765]
Casualties by citizenship
| Country | Killed | Injured |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 7,236–9,768+ | 47,635 |
| Lebanon | 3,516 (Lebanese Health Ministry)[766][767] 1,000 (Hezbollah)[768] 1,700 (Israel Defense Forces)[769] |
10,674 (Lebanese Health Ministry)[767][768][769][766] |
| Iran | 3,468–6,000+ 3,468 (Iran)[770] 3,636 (HRANA)[771] 6,000+ (US/Israel)[772] |
15,000-26,500 26,500 (Iranian Health Ministry)[773] 15,000 (US/Israel)[772] |
| Iraq | 119+[774] | 370[775] |
| Israel | 61[776][777][778] | 9,026[779] |
| United States | 15[780] | 543[781] |
| West Bank | 14[782] | 15[782] |
| United Arab Emirates | 13[783] | 227[783] |
| Kuwait | 11[784] | 182[784] |
| Indonesia | 6[785] | 1[785] |
| Bahrain | 3[786] | 42[786] |
| Saudi Arabia | 3[787] | 29[787] |
| Oman | 9[788][789][790] | 18[791][792][793][794][795] |
| France | 3[796] | 9[796] |
| Syria | 2[797][798] | 1[798] |
| Philippines | 2[799] | 0[799] |
| Serbia | 1[800] | 0[800] |
| Jordan | 0[801] | 29[801] |
| Qatar | 0[802] | 20[802] |
| Azerbaijan | 0[803] | 4[803] |
| Spain | 0[804] | 2[804] |
Attacks by missiles and drones/UAVs
| Country / Territory | Missiles | Drones/UAVs | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 1,770+ | 3,955+ | |
| United Arab Emirates | 563 | 2,256 | [805] |
| Saudi Arabia | 3+ | 83 | [806] |
| Qatar | 101 | 63 | [806] |
| Bahrain | 191 | 515 | [807] |
| Oman | 0 | 14 | [808] |
| Kuwait | 178 | 154 | [809] |
| Jordan | 60 | 59 | [387] |
| Iraq | 20 | 40 | [387] |
| Azerbaijan | 0 | 3 | [387] |
| Turkey | 4 | 0 | [387] |
| Akrotiri and Dhekelia | 0 | 3 | [387] |
| Israel | 650 | 765 | [810] |
Direct impacts
Iran
Leadership
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The death of Ali Khamenei triggered an election for a new supreme leader. Under the terms of Iran's constitution, the Interim Leadership Council was established on 1 March to exercise the functions of Iran's head of state until a new supreme leader is elected.[247]
Mojtaba Khamenei was elected on 8 March 2026 to replace his father as supreme leader,[811] and the IRGC, as well as Iran's top leaders, including Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Ali Larijani, and Masoud Pezeshkian,[812] pledged their allegiance to him.[813]
In late March, the NYT described Iran's leadership as paralyzed with severely disrupted decision-making process. It also reported that the damage to communications infrastructure caused paranoia and internal power struggles.[814]
As of 21 May, Khamenei remains in hiding and the de facto ruler is uncertain. The IRGC is currently under command of the hardliner general Ahmad Vahidi,[815] who is cited as the formulator of Iran's military and negotiation stance.[816][817][818][819][820]
Civilian life
According to UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk, the "reckless" war is disproportionately impacting civilians in the Middle East and beyond.[821]
138,000 civilian sites in Iran were damaged during the conflict, with estimated time of reconstruction being 2 to 5 years.[822]
As the US and Israel executed joint strikes targeting Iranian military and institutional targets, Iran's capital reportedly became a ghost town, as civilians feared going outside or to their daily jobs.[823] Reports have emerged that prisoners in Evin Prison have been receiving limited bread and water since the onset of the war.[824] After the strikes, schools were ordered closed while banks and government offices remained in operation at reduced capacity. Local media reported that subway and bus services would remain operational.[825]
Amid the renewed "near total" internet blackout in Iran, NetBlocks reported that internet connectivity in Iran dropped to 4% of ordinary levels.[698][826][827] While the internet blackout has exceeded 240 hours, making it the second longest ever, the government started handing out "white sim cards", which bypass filters, to government supporters, in order to allow them to promote its messaging.[828][226] As news of Khamenei's death broke, security forces were deployed to prevent an uprising, with footage showing them opening fire on celebrants in the streets[829][830][831] and shooting at people chanting behind the windows of their homes.[832]
During the first two weeks of March 2026, over 70,000 Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan, frequently under forced circumstances, exacerbating the country's severe humanitarian crisis.[833] Arafat Jamal, the UNHCR Representative in Afghanistan, noted that they faced limited options amid the military confrontations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.[834]
According to The Guardian, the war has overshadowed the executions of political prisoners in Iran, including those involved in the mass protests of January 2026, allowing Iran to continue carrying out death sentences and other severe punishments with little international scrutiny.[835] According to several Iran-focused human rights groups, the rate of sentencing and executions by hanging has surged over the past two months amid the war. The groups state that in most of these cases, the executed prisoners did not receive due process.[836]
Military
On 26 March, it was reported that children as young as 12 years of age may join Iran's war support, leading to concerns of the use of child soldiers.[837][838][839] Days later, rights groups stated an 11-year-old was killed while on duty at a Tehran checkpoint.[840]
On 29 March, footage showed Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces deployed in Iran.[841][842][502]
Kurdish–Iranian crisis
According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump had been open to supporting armed militias, particularly Kurds in Iran that have been in armed conflict with Tehran for decades[309] and have historically been a regional ally of the United States.[843] However, Trump later said he had ruled out sending the Kurds to Iran.[844]
Cultural heritage sites
Multiple historic and cultural sites, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites, were damaged during the war. The most affected was Chehel Sotoun and its rich ayeneh-kari.[845] On 2 March, a strike on Arg Square damaged nearby Golestan Palace, prompting UNESCO to issue a statement of concern.[846][847] On 5 March, the Azadi Sport Complex was bombed.[848] An 8 March strike on Falak-ol-Aflak, which was marked with a blue shield emblem, damaged several sections of the site.[849] Strikes on Isfahan on 9 March damaged Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Chehel Sotoun, Ali Qapu, the Shah Mosque, Jameh Mosque, and Teymouri Hall.[850][849] On 11 March, UNESCO urged protection for Iran's heritage sites and World Heritage Sites that have been damaged or are under high risk due to the war, alongside other historic sites in Israel, Lebanon, and across the Middle East.[851]
Israel
Israel declared a nationwide state of emergency, saying that the strikes on Iran were the largest that it had ever launched.[229][852] Israeli schools and workspaces were closed and public gatherings were canceled.[853]
In the 40 days from the start of the war through the 8 April ceasefire, there were a total of 650 missile attacks from Iran to Israel, the majority of which carried cluster munitions. About 16 of the missiles that made it past Israeli missile defenses carried conventional warheads, while 50 had cluster munitions. The attacks killed a total of 24 people, all of them civilians, and resulted in more than 7,000 injuries. Of the 24 civilians killed, 14 were struck by warheads with conventional explosive warheads and 10 were victims of cluster submunitions; two of the deaths were inside a sheltered space, with the other fatalities being people in unprotected areas.[854]
Palestine
The Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories closed multiple aid crossings in the Gaza Strip, specifically interrupting free circulation on the Egypt–Gaza border.[855] Israeli forces suspended United Nations humanitarian movements and postponed planned rotations of international humanitarian staff, including medical evacuations and the return of people into Gaza, which the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs condemned.[856]
Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in occupied West Bank has increased; settlers have taken advantage of curbs on movement imposed during the renewed Israeli state of emergency. The renewed blocking of West Bank roads in the context of the 2026 Lebanon war has delayed medics from assisting injured Palestinians.[857] The EU stated on 10 March that the Israeli actions were unacceptable and urged the Israeli authorities to make immediate efforts to prevent the violence against Palestinian civilians under international law, warning that "impunity for such acts risks provoking further violence".[858]
Lebanon
(For an up-to-date, interactive, detailed map of the current military situation, see here.)
As of 6 June, at least 3,593 people have been killed and 10,990 wounded by Israeli strikes in Lebanon during the 2026 Lebanon war.[859] Internal Hezbollah sources said that over 1,000 Hezbollah fighters had been killed in the war[860] while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that it had killed 1,700 fighters.[861]
According to Lebanon, over 1.2 million Lebanese nationals,[862] corresponding to more than one-sixth of the country's population,[863] were displaced.[864][865] Over 40,000 homes in southern Lebanon have been destroyed.[866] Israel's evacuation orders in Lebanon covered an area of over 1,470 square kilometres (570 sq mi), encompassing 14% of the country's territory. The displacement in Lebanon has been called one of the most severe and fastest-growing refugee crises worldwide.[862] The war exacerbated the economic and humanitarian problems that have been ongoing in Lebanon since the 2019 financial crisis and 2020 Beirut explosion.[867] In May 2026, Reuters reported that Israeli issued evacuation orders "span about 2,000 sq km of Lebanon – about a fifth of the entire country".[868]
Gulf Arab states
The Arab states of the Persian Gulf started a campaign of prosecution against civilians and foreign citizens that shared or reposted rumours from unverified sources about the Iranian attacks, with the stated main goal to curb misinformation that could harm public order.[869] Bahrain's Cyber Crime Directorate also started a campaign of arresting civilians in the country, which has a large Shiite minority, who allegedly expressed "their support for the Iranian shelling targeting the Kingdom of Bahrain", describing such activities as treason and as promotion of hostile acts against the state.[870] Trump said "Even if we knew Gulf countries would be hit, big deal we did what we have to do".[871]
Saudi Arabia invoked its Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Pakistan. Pakistan deployed some 8,000 troops, a squadron of 16 aircraft, and two squadrons of drones. There was a pledge to send more if required.[872]
On 28 May, the US president Donald Trump threatened to ‘blow up’ Oman if it fails to “behave” in a casual aside during a cabinet meeting after reports of talks between Iran and Oman about jointly charging a toll for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.[873]
Environment
Airstrikes on industrial and fuel hubs have released a chronic toxic cocktail of benzene, heavy metals, and persistent 'forever chemicals' (PFAS), triggering 'black rain' in major cities and causing long-term health degradation for civilians.[874]
Economic impacts
The war had global economic consequences: oil and gas prices surged, aviation and tourism were disrupted, and financial markets shuddered.[875][876] International Energy Agency (IEA) head Fatih Birol described the situation as the "greatest global energy security challenge in history".[877]
Energy
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Oil and natural gas prices rose in direct response to Iranian threats to attack tankers and other ships and to Iranian strikes on oil facilities in Gulf producing countries.[881] 20% of global oil and gas production normally transit the Strait of Hormuz.[882] As the war continued, oil and gas prices ebbed and flowed as markets attempted to assess the likelihood of an end to the conflict. Prices ranged from below $70 before the war[883] to as high as $139 on 7 March.[884] Gas prices also rose.[270] Following the start of the war, multiple oil producers such as Shell, TotalEnergies, Britain's BP and others announced increased profits in their first quarter.[885]
Toward the end of March significant shortages of domestic petroleum products emerged in southeast Asia as reserves ran out.[886]
_transits_the_Suez_Canal_during_Operation_Epic_Fury_(9552415).jpg){kind=spacer}
Stock markets initially fell, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling over 400 points (one percent) on 2 March alone,[887] although by mid-April had recovered and reached record highs.[888]
The UN World Food Programme and various economic analysts warned that the war is driving significant, long-term increases in global food prices.[889][890]
An analysis performed by The New York Times, comparing the quantities and value of oil and other fuels shipped between the start of the war and 8 May 2026, and those from the same period a year earlier showed that the biggest beneficiaries of the market changes were the United States (which saw an increase in exports and a revenue increase of about $50 billion) and Russia (which had steady exports and an increase of more than $15 billion in revenue), while other major non-Persian Gulf exporters also benefitted to lesser degrees. All Persian Gulf nations showed declines in exports, though those that were able to avoid shipping bottlenecks through the Strait of Hormuz (Saudi Arabia through pipelines to the Red Sea, and Oman via geography) saw increases in revenue, while those that could not avoid the strait (Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates) saw declines in revenue. Iran, which had access to the strait, had an increase in revenues.[891]
Commodities
Disruption in the supply of essential fertilizers due to the closure of the Strait threatened food production in many countries.[892] The Fertilizer Institute stated that nearly 50% of global urea and sulfur exports annually transited through the Strait of Hormuz, made worse by the natural gas shortage, which is a key feedstock for nitrogen fertilizers.[882]
Air travel
Iran's airspace emptied of civilian aircraft during the conflict,[893] as Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria and the UAE closed their respective airspaces.[894][895][896] Some carriers suspended service to the Middle East.[897]
The disruption in global oil supply, caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the conflict, led to higher jet fuel prices, which increased operating costs for airlines and pushed up airfares on both domestic and international routes. Airlines responded by raising ticket prices and adjusting some flight schedules to cope with higher fuel costs. This impact was also visible in Europe, where continued disruptions in energy supply routes contributed to higher fuel prices and additional pressure on airlines. As a result, some carriers reduced capacity or cut flights, while others passed increased costs directly on to passengers.[898][899][900][901]
Spirit Airlines, an American low-cost airline, ceased operations on 2 May 2026, after increased fuel costs from the war exacerbated its existing financial difficulties.[902]
Strait of Hormuz
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major maritime choke point for world energy trade, has been largely blocked by Iran since 28 February 2026, when the United States and Israel launched an air war against Iran and assassinated its supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. In retaliation, Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Israel, US military bases in the region, and US-allied Gulf states. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued warnings forbidding passage through the strait, boarded and attacked merchant ships, and laid sea mines in the strait. From 13 April to 29 May 2026, the US simultaneously blockaded Iranian ports. Until the US–Israeli war against Iran, the Strait of Hormuz was open and about 25% of the world's seaborne oil trade and 20% of the world's liquefied natural gas (LNG) passed through it.
The Iranian warnings and subsequent attacks on vessels prompted shipping firms to suspend operations in the strait.[903][904] This caused a sharp decline in maritime transit, with tanker traffic dropping first by about 70% and over 150 ships anchoring outside the strait to avoid risks.[905][906][not verified in body] Soon afterwards traffic dropped to about zero. On 27 March, the IRGC announced that the strait was closed to any vessel going "to and from" the ports of the US, Israel, and their allies.[907] The International Maritime Organization reported on 21 April that about 20,000 mariners and 2,000 ships were stranded in the Persian Gulf due to the closure.[908][909][910]
Amid fears of prolonged supply shortages, oil prices rose faster than during any other conflict in recent history;[911] Brent crude oil prices surpassed US$100 per barrel on 8 March for the first time in four years, rising to US$126 per barrel at their peak.[906][912][913][914] The largest-ever monthly increase in oil prices occurred in March 2026.[915] The closure of the strait became the largest disruption to world energy supply since the 1970s energy crisis[916] as well as the largest in the history of the world oil market.[917] Other commodity markets to suffer supply disruption and price increases due to the crisis include aluminum,[918] fertilizer,[919] and helium.[920][921]
On 9 March, US president Donald Trump falsely claimed[922] that Iran's military had been destroyed and that the strait was open, saying that the US might seize control of it from Iran.[923] On 15 March, he called on NATO members and China to help to reopen the strait.[924] In late March and early April, Trump repeatedly threatened to destroy Iran's infrastructure if it did not reopen the strait.[925] On 8 April, a temporary ceasefire between Iran and the US was agreed and was to involve the reopening of the strait. However, Iran began controlling traffic through the strait and charging tolls of over $1 million per ship.[926][not verified in body] Following the failure of the Islamabad Talks, the US Navy itself began to blockade Iranian ports from 13 April.[927][928] The situation was described by The Guardian as a "dual blockade", with the US Navy blockading Iran and Iran blockading the Gulf.[929][not verified in body]
On 17 April, due to an Israel–Lebanon ceasefire agreement, Iran announced that the Strait of Hormuz would be open to commercial shipping during the truce. Despite this, the US continued its blockade of Iran,[930] and Iran reimposed restrictions as a result.[931][932][933] On 4 May, Trump launched Operation Project Freedom, a US Navy mission to escort merchant ships out of the Gulf. The announcement came as maritime traffic through the strait faced severe restrictions, with many commercial vessels delayed or unable to transit the route.[934][935][936][937] The Iranian military warned that this would be a ceasefire violation.[938][not verified in body] On 6 May, Trump paused Project Freedom because of "great progress" toward a possible agreement.[939]
Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb
Houthi-controlled Yemen threatened shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea. Its threats had been suspended since 10 October 2025.[940] March threats by Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi had not stopped Red Sea traffic as of mid-April, although traffic remained under historic levels after crashing in 2024 as a result of Houthi attacks.[941] On 15 March, the Associated Press reported that the weapons stockpile of the Houthis was running low from repeated attacks on Israel, while Iran had not been able to resupply them, because of the war.[942][943]
Internet infrastructure
Three Amazon Web Services data centers in the United Arab Emirates were struck and damaged as a result of drone strikes, leading to outages of web infrastructure within the Middle East,[944] causing "sparks and fire" as well as "major structural damage" for 2 of the centers, with internal water levels reaching up to 4 cm, worsened by the failure of cooling and air systems. Fundamental web infrastructure including S3 storage, EC2 compute and DynamoDB databases suffered complete outages in early March.[945] Iran shut down Internet access for its people throughout the war.[946] Users who took the potentially fatal risk of smuggling Starlink terminals into the country retained some access.
Military costs
According to a new report by the Center for International Policy, the US spent nearly $72 billion on the war ($1.2 billion per day on average). The figure is nearly three times the amount of the Pentagon’s official estimate.[947] US military costs were estimated at $25–35 billion as of early April.[948] Israeli costs were estimated at $11 billion.[949] Costs to the Iranian economy were estimated at $40–50 billion, around 10% of GDP.[950] The monetary costs of Iranian attacks were much lower than the costs of neutralizing them: PATRIOT and THAAD interceptors are $4 million and $12 million, respectively, as opposed to $50,000 for a Shahed drone.[381]
Reactions
Iran
Iran's Foreign Ministry vowed a response as Iranian forces struck US bases across the Persian Gulf.[951][952] The Supreme National Security Council said Iran was targeted by a "brutal air operation" carried out by the US and Israel, saying: "This occurred once again during negotiations, and the enemy imagines that the resilient Iranian nation will surrender to their petty demands through these cowardly actions."[953] Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi called the attacks "wholly unprovoked, illegal, and illegitimate" and said attacks by Iran will continue until as long as they are defending.[954][955] Vice President Aref stated that the path to social justice will not be resisted or stopped by any missile attack.[956] Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian said that if the US and Israel are not held accountable for their actions "global order will be shaken".[957] Pezeshkian said that US should take their unconditional surrender demand "to their grave".[958] He initially apologized for the attacks on neighboring nations, blaming "miscommunication in the ranks".[958][959] Later he said that Iran had to target countries whose territory was used to attack Iran.[960] Iranian officials rejected Trump's attempt to insert himself into the government's succession plans.[961]
On 19 March, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei accused the US and Israel of "terrorist acts" over the deaths of top figures, calling the attacks an "illegal war". He said that Australia's military assets were legitimate targets, over the deployment of a surveillance aircraft along with personnel to the UAE.[962][963] On 20 March, Abolfazl Shekarchi warned US and Israeli personnel that Iran was tracking the movements of "officials, commanders, and pilots" beyond active conflict zones and warned that public and recreational locations would no longer be safe for them.[964] Iran denied targeting Azerbaijan, Turkey and Oman, blaming "Israeli false flag" attacks.[965][966]
Vice president Mohammad Reza Aref described the alleged use of a bunker-buster bomb in an attack on the university as a "symbol of Trump’s madness and ignorance".[967] Deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi condemned what he called the repeated targeting of historical and cultural sites in Iran as "an assault on part of Iran's civilizational identity".[968] Araghchi labeled the strike on a Tehran fuel depot as "ecocide".[969] The Iranian government declared it had lifted import/export rules and restrictions,[970] and announced that fuel and medicine were readily available.[971] The national post temporarily paused parcel delivery.[972] All sporting events were canceled. Iranian hajj pilgrims returned by land.[973]
Media coverage
Background
Before hostilities erupted, media attention on US-Iran tensions increased in early 2026, following failed nuclear talks and domestic unrest in Iran. Iranian state media, such as the IRNA, portrayed these developments as provocations.[974]
Disinformation and propaganda
Iranian state-controlled outlets have been described as employing propaganda techniques, including the use of AI-generated videos (such as those produced by Explosive Media) and inflated casualty figures.[975] Trump has accused Iran of using artificial intelligence as a "disinformation weapon."[976] Iranian media broadcast manipulated images of alleged victories, prompting fact-checking from organizations like NewsGuard.[977] The Iranian government responded to the Trump administration's use of video game clips, cartoon characters, and blockbuster movie scenes for Iran messaging with an AI-generated propaganda video mimicking Lego animation, produced by the Revayat-e-Fath Institute and redistributed on various government-run outlets, including redistribution by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The video declares itself in remembrance of the Minab school attack and showcases Iran attacking various of its neighbours and American-Israeli outposts.[978][979]
Rumors that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been killed in Iranian attacks were circulating widely on social media and were amplified by Iranian state-controlled outlets.[980][981] Users claimed that footage of Netanyahu speaking at a press conference on 13 March 2026 was AI-generated, citing alleged anomalies such as a "sixth finger."[982]
Impact
Coverage of the war strained journalistic resources, with reports of targeted attacks on media infrastructure.[983]
Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the goal of the strikes was to "remove the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran", stating that "our joint action will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands."[984] Foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar said that military action against Iran was urgently needed "despite the significant risks involved", adding that "delay would have allowed the Iranian regime to reach a level of immunity for its nuclear programme, as well as to engage in the mass production of long-range ballistic missiles".[985] Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the first to report and celebrate the assassination, stating "for 47 years, the Ayatollah regime has chanted 'Death to Israel' and 'Death to America.' It has spilled our blood, murdered many Americans, and slaughtered its own people."[986] Defense Minister Israel Katz celebrated the killing, stating "he who acted to destroy Israel – has been destroyed ... Justice has been served, and the axis of evil has suffered a mortal blow."[987] On 29 March, Yuli Edelstein said that the strikes had set Iran back by years, but they had not yet succeeded in removing the Iranian threat.[988] Opposition leaders also supported the strikes.[989]
A March 2026 survey by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) found that 82% of the Israeli public supported ongoing military operations, including 93% of Jewish Israelis and 26% of Arab Israelis.[990]
Media coverage
Background
Before hostilities erupted, media attention on US-Iran tensions increased in early 2026, following failed nuclear talks and reports of Iranian domestic unrest. Outlets such as CNN and The New York Times detailed US military buildups in the region, speculating about possible attacks.[991] Israeli broadcasters focused on the threats posed by Iranian proxies such as Hezbollah.[974]
Influence operations and psychological warfare
In May 2026, Israel Hayom reported that Mossad had established a dedicated influence operations branch in 2021 under director David Barnea. According to the report, the unit conducted psychological and media campaigns targeting Iran through social media networks, online influencers, artificial intelligence–generated content, and the dissemination of information intended to undermine confidence in the Iranian government. A former senior Mossad official identified only as "O." stated that encouraging political change in Iran had become one of the agency's central objectives. The report further alleged that the branch had participated in efforts to publicize compromising information about Iranian officials, influence public opinion during periods of unrest, and support broader Israeli strategies aimed at weakening the Islamic Republic's political stability.[992][993][994][995]
Disinformation and propaganda
Rumors that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been killed in Iranian attacks were circulating widely on social media and were amplified by Iranian state-controlled outlets.[980][981] Netanyahu responded by posting several videos, including one filmed in a Jerusalem cafe in which he sarcastically declared that he was "dying for coffee" while holding up a cappuccino and holding up his hands to show that he had five fingers.[996] The cafe video itself quickly became the subject of fresh rumors, with some social media users and commentators claiming that it too was AI-generated or a deepfake. The cafe later released images as evidence that Netanyahu had visited.[997][998]
United States
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President Donald Trump said the US attack on Iran was "to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America"[999] and to eliminate "imminent threats" from Iran, adding: "For 47 years, the Iranian regime has chanted 'Death to America' and waged an unending campaign of bloodshed and mass murder, targeting the United States, our troops and the innocent people in many, many countries".[1000] He suggested that regime change was an aim, and called for Iranians to overthrow their government.[1001] Trump also said that talks with Iran will be easier following the assassination of Ali Khamenei.[1002] When Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz and launching strikes against Arab Gulf allies, Trump said nobody had warned him and "Nobody expected that. We were shocked". It was later revealed that the president had been told of this likely Iranian retaliation.[1003]
Trump wrote on 6 March: "There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!"[1004] On 9 March, Trump said that "the war is very complete, pretty much", and falsely claimed the Iranian military had been destroyed and the Strait of Hormuz had re-opened.[1005] Five days later, he called for US allies and China to send warships to help re-open the strait.[1006] Trump went on to claim that the US and Israel had "won" the war several times, while continuing to say that the US had not yet completed its objectives.[1007][1008] He denied that he had ever called for regime change.[1009] The president also repeatedly claimed that Iran's military had been destroyed, despite it continuing to launch attacks.[1010][1011]
In late March and early April, Trump repeatedly gave ultimatums to Iran, threatening to destroy Iran's civilian infrastructure and bombing it "back to the Stone Ages" if it did not make a deal with the US and re-open the Hormuz strait.[1012] On 7 April, the president threatened that "a whole civilization will die tonight".[1013][1014] Following the failed Islamabad Talks, Trump said that he "doesn't care" about negotiations,[1015] and announced that the US itself would impose a naval blockade of Iran from 13 April.[1016] Trump said on 17 April that the Hormuz strait is "COMPLETELY OPEN",[1007] but on 23 April Trump claimed that he is the one keeping it closed, because opening it would allow Iran to make "$500 million a day".[1017] In March 2026, Trump indicated that he and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard differ on their approach to Iran and its nuclear program, labeling her as "softer" on the issue. In May 2026, Gabbard announced her resignation effective June 30, stating that she needs to care for her husband following his diagnosis with a rare form of bone cancer. According to a source familiar with her departure, she was compelled to leave by the White House.[1018]
Reactions inside the US were overall negative but split along party lines, with the majority of Republicans supporting the war and the majority of Democratic and independent voters opposing it.[1019][1020] Pundits split similarly, although some notable right-wing pundits such as Matt Walsh opposed it.[1021]
Media coverage
Background
Before hostilities erupted, media attention on US-Iran tensions increased in early 2026, following failed nuclear talks and reports of Iranian domestic unrest. Outlets such as CNN and The New York Times detailed US military buildups in the region, speculating about possible attacks.[991]
As the airstrikes began, initial reporting relied heavily on satellite imagery and official briefings. The Pentagon's announcements of the destruction of Iranian assets were widely echoed, but independent verification proved difficult due to Tehran's communications restrictions.[1022]
Disinformation and propaganda
The White House faced backlash over a video that mixed real war footage with video game clips.[977] Critics said such efforts distorted public understanding.[1023] PBS argued The Trump administration's use of video game footage, cartoon and blockbuster movie scenes for Iran messaging "risks reducing a real war to spectacle".[1024] Trump has repeatedly shared provocative images regarding the Iran war such as a map of the US flag over Iran with words reading "United States of the Middle East?" and an AI-generated image of Iranian ships being bombed.[1025][1026]
The White House circulates videos fusing real airstrike footages with visuals from video games and action movies, "transforming acts of destruction into a spectacle of national triumph", keeping the audience detached from the human suffering it produces.[1027] Artists and entertainment companies often object to their works use in such clips. Kesha's song "Blow" was used alongside footage of an airstrike and the caption "Lethality", which prompted the singer to post on X, "Stop using my music, perverts @WhiteHouse".[1028] Blase Cupich, an American Catholic Cardinal who is close with Pope Leo XIV, referred to a video released by the White House of attacks on Iran mixed with Hollywood film clips as "horrifying" and "sickening".[1029]
United States media and government
On 14 March 2026, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee, warned broadcasters that those who "perpetrate fake news and distort the news" must "take the right course" or risk losing their licenses at renewal.[1030][1031] Carr said broadcasters "must act in the public interest, and if they don't, they will lose their licenses," citing the public's low trust in legacy media and past election coverage problems. Trump expressed that he was "enthusiastic" about Carr's stance.[1032]
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also criticized the coverage during a news conference, taking issue with CNN's reporting and suggesting emphasizing Iranian frustration rather than adding to the headlines.[1033] Democratic lawmakers condemned the FCC's remarks as unconstitutional censorship, with many calling it "oppressive" and a violation of the First Amendment.[1034]
On 3 June 2026, the US House passed an act with a vote of 215-208 requiring the United States' war efforts to cease or gain approval from Congress to continue fighting.[1035]
Impact
Coverage of the war influenced public opinion, with the US public showing mixed support amid economic concerns.[1036][needs update]
Criticism
Analysts accused Western media of failing to challenge the official narrative, with Mondoweiss highlighting the flattering language that downplayed civilian casualties.[1023] Al Jazeera noted the overrepresentation of voices from the pro-war Iranian diaspora.[1037] Pre-war coverage was also marred by inadequate public warnings.[1038]
International
The IAEA Board of Governors convened an emergency meeting as requested by the Russian Federation on 2 March.[1039] IAEA expressed "deep concern" amid attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.[1040] The head of the World Health Organization condemned the attacks. The secretary general of Amnesty International described such actions as potential war crimes.[1041]
According to the founding chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno Ocampo, the war was comparable to Russia's war in Ukraine, adding that the world is going from a "rules-based system" to the "rule of the man", which was "not a viable world".[1042]
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Council president Antonio Costa called the conflict "greatly concerning" and urged restraint.[1043] On 1 March 2026 Von der Leyen advocated a "credible transition" of power.[1044][1045] After Trump's threats to destroy Iranian infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened on 5 April,[1046] Costa denounced "any targeting of civilian infrastructure, namely energy facilities" as illegal and called for a diplomatic solution only.[1047]
A spokesperson stated that NATO was closely watching, while a senior official stated that NATO's vigilance was heightened.[1048][1049] NATO secretary general Mark Rutte said that Europe is supportive of the war, as Iran was a threat.[1050] He also said that he felt that the US "knows what it is doing".[1051]
Support for the Israeli–United States actions was voiced by countries such as Argentina, Australia,[1052] Canada,[1053] Ukraine, and Germany,[1054] as well as Paraguay,[1055] Papua New Guinea,[1056] and various EU member states.[1057] Other countries made less explicit statements of support.[1058]
The war was condemned by progressive and left-wing parties, as well as trade unions, anti-war organizations, and some far-right parties worldwide.[citation needed] Some far-right movements at the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (such as AfD, Vlaams Belang, ANO, National Rally, Brothers of Italy, etc.) criticized the war as against international law and the national interests of European countries, while others (such as Vox, Reform UK, Fidesz, Law and Justice) supported the actions in the name of the free world.[1059][1060]
After initially opposing war, on 16 March, Gulf countries urged the US to neutralise Iran due to Iranian strikes on their territories.[1061][1062] On 19 March, several Arab states asked for a discussion in the UN Human Rights Council to discuss Iran's strikes on civilians and energy infrastructure in the region.[1063][1064]
Iran's retaliations were condemned by Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, India, Kuwait, the Palestinian Authority, Qatar,[1043] Saudi Arabia,[1065] Syria, Turkey,[1066] the UAE,[1043] as well as by several other EU countries,[1057] and France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, who issued a joint declaration. The United Kingdom permitted the US to use British military bases for defensive purposes. Portugal permitted the US to use Lajes Field for defensive purposes,[1067] and France sent its aircraft carrier towards the Mediterranean.[1066] Ireland,[1068] Slovenia,[1057] and Vatican City.[1069] In addition to condemnations,[1057] Spain denied the use of its military bases for US flights connected to the offensive.[1070] On 20 March 2026, the UK approved the US to use British bases to attack Iranian missile sites targeting vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.[1071]
Canada abstained from joining in US-led Israel war in Iran. On 5 March 2026, France authorized the use of French bases. Mixed reactions or calls for peace were made by South Africa,[1072] Azerbaijan,[1073] Lebanon.[1074][1075][1043]
In Pakistan, the army was deployed to suppress an escalation of violence during pro-Iranian protests in the northern cities of Gilgit and Skardu, especially after Shiite demonstrators attacked on 1 March the offices of the UN Military Observer Group at Azad Kashmir. Similar action was taken in Sindh during the attack on the US consulate in Karachi.[1076] There have been movements between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan due to the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement between both countries, as it "states that any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both".
On 11 March 2026, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 2817, sponsored by Bahrain, which called for Iran to stop its attack on Gulf states and condemned the strikes as a violation of international law. The resolution did not mention US–Israel strikes on Iran and Lebanon.[1077][1078]
Media coverage
Initial coverage in Arab media, including Al Jazeera, emphasized the risks of regional spread, citing attacks on Gulf states. Al Jazeera noted the overrepresentation of voices from the pro-war Iranian diaspora in Western media.[1037] News media and traders have repeatedly applied the pejorative abbreviation "Trump Always Chickens Out" (TACO), previously used first for the Liberation Day tariffs, for Trump's repeated refusals to enforce his "red line" threats against Iran. Another pejorative abbreviation called "Not A Chance Hormuz Opens" (NACHO) was devised in reference to Trump's inability to quickly reopen the strait.[1079][1080] CNN observed that over the course of the war, Trump's repeated talking points, such as his claim that Iran's military had been destroyed and another that Iranian leadership supposedly really wants to make a deal with Trump regarding the war, had been stated baselessly for months.[1081] The Atlantic argued that it was Trump who was visibly desperate for a deal and that Iran is able to exploit his needs.[1082] Al-Monitor reported that Netanyahu and his inner political circle view Trump's insistence on a deal as disastrous and blame him for failing to achieve regime change and victory against Iran.[1083]
New reports have determined suspicious insider trading patterns within the stock and oil markets in correlation with "positive" news of the war from Trump over several months.[1084][1085][1086] Wall Street analysts and Iranian state media had accused journalist Barak Ravid of Axios of repeating false information from anonymous sources regarding ongoing negotiations to allow for market manipulation of oil prices.[1087][1088] The Wall Street Journal argued that Trump directly intervened in the oil market by "jawboning" it, posting "positive" news of supposed negotiations to kill momentum of oil price increases by traders in quick responses to "negative" news.[1089]
Diplomatic efforts
On March 1, 2026, Trump claimed that Iranian leaders wanted to resume negotiations and that he had agreed.[1090] The late Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, ruled out talks.[1091][1092] Trump then wrote, on March 6: "There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!"[1093] On March 21, it was reported that the US was preparing for peace talks, with six demands. However, Iran refused to negotiate, and had previously rejected several of the demands.[1094][1095]
On March 23, Trump postponed the ultimatum he had given on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, citing "very good and productive conversations" with Iran.[1096] He said the US had been speaking to "a top person" in Iran.[1097] IRGC-affiliated Fars News reported that no negotiations had taken place.[1096] Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the IRGC, suggested that the US was trying to sow division within Iran by proposing secret talks with only part of its political establishment.[1098] Iran International, affiliated with the Iranian opposition, suggested that Trump was deliberately being vague and not naming which Iranians were negotiating, as a way to sow mistrust and division within the Iranian regime.[1097] The Iranian foreign ministry said it was reviewing US proposals sent through mediators.[1099]
Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, rejected negotiations and said the US must accept "that regional stability is guaranteed by Iran's armed forces".[1100]
On March 25, Pakistani officials passed on a "15-point proposal" from the US to Iran.[1101] The US proposal included an end to Iran's nuclear program, limits on its missiles, reopening the Strait of Hormuz, restrictions on Iran's support for armed groups, and sanctions relief for Iran. The Iranians rejected the proposal. The Iranians issued a "five-point counter-proposal", including an end to US-Israeli attacks on Iran and pro-Iranian forces in Lebanon and Iraq, security guarantees to prevent future Israeli and US aggression, war reparations, and international recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.[1102] The US rejected the proposal.[1103]
In early April Trump threatened to destroy Iran's power plants, oil wells and desalination plants if a deal was not reached "shortly" and the strait not reopened "immediately".[1104] On the same day, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said that Iran would not give in to "surrender" terms from the US. He accused Washington of sending mixed signals, saying, "The enemy publicly sends messages of negotiation and dialogue, and in secret plans for a ground attack".[1105] On March 30, the Iranian foreign ministry acknowledged they had been holding indirect talks with the US through Pakistani intermediaries.[1106] By contrast, Qatar declined an offer to lead the negotiations.[1107][1108]
Trump claimed on April 1 that Iran had just asked the US for a ceasefire. He said the US would consider it once the Strait of Hormuz was "open, free, and clear".[1104] The IRGC separately said that strait "will not be opened to the enemies of this nation".[1104] On April 5, Trump again threatened to attack Iran's power plants and bridges if the Hormuz Strait was not reopened. The following day, indirect talks in Islamabad led to a proposal for a 45-day ceasefire. Iran declined, calling for a permanent solution. An Iranian proposal, included a protocol for reopening the strait, an end to all conflicts, the lifting of sanctions, and reconstruction. Later that day, Trump said "They made a ... significant proposal. Not good enough...."[1109] On April 7, Trump threatened, "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back", if Iran did not reach an agreement with the US.[1110][1111] Administration officials later confirmed the post was improvisational, and not part of a national security plan.[1112]
Analysis
Military analysts have generally described Iran as being more resilient to US-Israeli attacks than anticipated, and have identified several unanticipated consequences of the attacks for US global interests, chiefly the disruption of international trade brought about by Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Many experts argue that the war is illegal under US law,[1113] a claim that the Trump administration has rebuked, citing the precedent of unauthorized military actions by prior presidential administrations.[1114] In international criminal law, experts have identified the attacks as a crime of aggression,[1115][1116] specifically as a war of aggression.[1117][1118] Numerous critics and analysts identified the US-Israeli attack with a more open embrace of expansionism[1119][1120] and imperialism by the Trump administration,[1121][1122] and a departure from the norms of the liberal international order.[1123]
See also
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Notes
- Primarily the Persian Gulf and the Levant, as well as Cyprus (Akrotiri and Dhekelia) and the South Caucasus
- Including Diego Garcia[1]
- According to Reuters, citing Western and Iranian officials, the Saudi Air Force launched numerous unpublicized "tit-for-tat" strikes on Iranian soil in late March 2026, in retaliation for Iranian attacks on Saudi Arabia.[2] The New York Times, citing U.S. officials, corroborated reports of Saudi strikes on Iran.[3] Reuters also reported that the Saudi Air Force struck Iran-backed Iraqi militias near the Iraqi–Saudi border around the time of the 7 April ceasefire.[4]
- According to The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, citing "people familiar with the matter",[5][6] and The New York Times, citing current and former U.S. officials,[3] the UAE discreetly carried out retaliatory attacks against Iran, including a strike on an oil refinery at Lavan Island on 8 April.[5]
- According to The Wall Street Journal, Kuwait launched attacks on Iran-backed Iraqi militias from its own territory.[7] Iraqi officials reported at least two rocket attacks from Kuwaiti territory in April; according to Reuters, it was unclear whether they were launched by the Kuwaiti Armed Forces or the U.S. military.[4] On 1 May, Kuwait said its soldiers exchanged fire with six members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and arrested four, during an Iranian raid on Bubiyan Island.[8]
- Since 2 March; for further information, see 2026 Lebanon war.
- Since 28 March; for further information, see 2026 Houthi strikes on Israel.[9]
- For further information, see 2026 United States–Israeli strikes on Iraq.[13][14]
- Lebanon's position in the war is unclear; it has been attacked both by Israel and the Axis of Resistance. For more information see 2026 Lebanon war.
- See Syria in the 2026 Iran war regarding shelling by Hezbollah and drone attacks by groups affiliated with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq.
- 104 sailors killed and 32 injured off the coast of Sri Lanka.[46]
- Excluding two United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon peacekeepers.
- Hebrew: מִבְצַע שְׁאָגַת הָאֲרִי, romanized: Mivtsá She'agát Ha'arí, pronounced [mivˈt͡sä ʃe̞.äˈɡätʰ hä.ʔäˈʁi]
- Though the Canadian published monthly news magazine Crescent International.
- Sometimes included in the "Axis of Resistance".[143][144]
- The problems indicated by the UNSC during 2006 in their first resolution were specifically "uranium enrichment[151] and reprocessing"[152] in the second resolution of that year; additionally use or attempted use of "heavy water".[153]
- Hebrew: מִבְצַע שְׁאָגַת הָאֲרִי, romanized: Mivtsá She'agát Ha'arí, pronounced [mivˈt͡sä ʃe̞.äˈɡätʰ hä.ʔäˈʁi]
- In 2010, South Korean corvette ROKS Cheonan was sunk near the border with North Korea. An investigation into the incident by a group of countries concluded that it was sunk by a torpedo launched by a North Korean Yeono-class midget submarine, though North Korea denied any responsibility.[331][332]
- The U.S. Navy initially said two sailors were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, then acknowledged that a third had been medically evacuated for further treatment.[729] Several media outlets reported that as many as 200 sailors were also treated for symptoms of smoke inhalation.[730][731][732]
