The United States and Israel opened war on Iran on February 28, 2026, with hundreds of air strikes across the country in operations codenamed Operation Epic Fury by Washington and Operation Roaring Lion by Jerusalem. The strikes assassinated Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with several other senior officials, Iranian state media and regional outlets confirmed.
The attacks ended months of stalemated nuclear negotiations and a winter of escalating threats that had seen the largest American military buildup in the region since the Iraq War. The UN secretary-general and multiple countries condemned the strikes within hours.
Iran Retaliates Across the Region
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israeli cities and US installations in Gulf states, closing Israeli airspace and disrupting flights from Ben Gurion Airport for days. The Security Council met in emergency session as Gulf states reported retaliatory strikes on their territory.
The Economic Shock
Oil prices spiked immediately, and the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's seaborne oil passes, effectively closed to normal traffic. Energy markets, already jittery from the winter buildup, repriced inflation forecasts for the United States and Europe within days.
The war's opening hours will be studied for decades. What is already clear is that the diplomatic track is dead, and every capital in the region is now planning for a conflict with no defined end state.
