U.S.-Israel-Iran War Update: Latest Strikes, Reactions, and Regional Escalation

Overview of the conflict

On 28 February 2026 the United States and Israel launched a coordinated air and missile campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The strikes targeted Iranian nuclear and missile infrastructure, naval and air assets, and leadership. According to Reuters, the opening salvoes killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and destroyed 11 Iranian warships and over 1,250 targets. The air campaign was described by the Pentagon as an effort to destroy Iran’s navy and its missile capabilities, which officials said could conceal future attempts to build nuclear weapons. Iran responded with waves of drone and missile attacks on Israeli cities and U.S. bases in the region, sparking a wider regional conflict. The Institute for the Study of War reported that the U.S.–Israeli coalition struck over 200 Iranian air‑defence systems, established local air superiority over western Iran, and hit the Natanz nuclear facility on 2 March. Iranian retaliation included closing the Strait of Hormuz and threatening shipping, while hundreds of missiles and drones were launched at Israel and U.S. bases.

Key actors and objectives

• United States

The Pentagon insisted the assault is not an "endless war". Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the aim is to destroy Iran’s navy and missile capabilities, assuring reporters this campaign is different from the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine warned that more U.S. casualties were expected and that operations would continue until objectives are met. President Donald Trump told reporters that U.S. strikes had “knocked out just about everything” of Iran’s naval and air forces, justified the assault on the basis of a feeling Iran would attack, and said the war may last four to five weeks but could be longer. In a video message he urged Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to lay down their arms, promising immunity if they surrendered but warning that refusal would result in “certain death”

• Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war could be quick and decisive but may take some time; he rejected comparisons with long wars like Iraq and Afghanistan, stating: “It’s not an endless war”. Netanyahu argued that the U.S.–Israel campaign is creating conditions for Iranians to topple their government and saw the war as an opportunity for lasting peace in the Middle East. Israeli sources confirmed the coalition was moving through its target list faster than expected, noting early success in killing Iranian leaders, including Khamenei

• Iran

Iranian officials framed their response as legitimate self‑defence. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi (as reported by Iranian state media) said Iran’s waves of drones and missiles targeted U.S. intelligence centers, Persian‑Gulf bases and Israeli communications facilities and defended the strikes as necessary to protect sovereignty. An Iranian embassy statement condemned the “crime of aggression” that killed Khamenei and hundreds of civilians at a girls’ school, warning that the U.S. and Israel might start a war but “will not be the ones to end it”. Revolutionary Guards adviser Ebrahim Jabbari threatened that if U.S.–Israeli attacks harm Iran’s main centers, Iran would hit economic targets across the region, and he pledged to attack any ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Iran closed the Strait to commercial traffic, causing a spike in global oil prices

• Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi

In an interview with Fox News, Pahlavi said the U.S.–Israel strikes that killed Khamenei marked “the beginning of the very end of the regime”. He called the intervention a “game changer” and argued that many Iranians welcomed it. Pahlavi said he is preparing for a potential political transition toward democracy, declaring that he works with a broad coalition of Iranians from across the spectrum

• United Nations

Secretary‑General António Guterres condemned the U.S.–Israeli strikes and Iran’s retaliation, warning that the military escalation undermined international peace and security. He called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and urged all parties to return to negotiations

• Other international reactions

Many states expressed concern at the widening conflict. Gulf countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia temporarily closed energy facilities and withdrew diplomats after Iranian drones hit Gulf cities. Qatar halted liquefied natural‑gas production after Iranian attacks on its facilities. China evacuated more than 3,000 citizens from Iran after a Chinese national was killed. The UN Security Council held an emergency session where members condemned the violence and urged de‑escalation. Global stock markets fell and oil and gas prices surged as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted

Targets and operations

Inside Iran

• Air‑defence and missile infrastructure: The U.S.–Israeli coalition reportedly destroyed around half of Iran’s missile launchers by 1 March and struck over 200 air‑defence systems. On 2 March, they attacked the Natanz nuclear facility in Esfahan Province, severely damaging buildings. The coalition also hit ballistic‑missile storage sites near Qom and Natanz.
• Military leadership and internal‑security sites: Airstrikes killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, his wife Mansoureh Bagherzadeh (who later died of wounds), and at least 49 senior Iranian officials, including IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour. Buildings housing the Assembly of Experts in Qom and the IRGC’s headquarters in Tehran were destroyed. Strikes also targeted state broadcasting and internal‑security bases, suggesting a broader aim of disrupting command‑and‑control.
• Civilian casualties: Iranian authorities reported that at least 787 civilians were killed by 3 March, including 165 girls whose school in Minab was bombed. The Iranian Red Crescent reported over 555 deaths by 2 March and damage to multiple hospitals. Internet blackouts left the population largely cut off.

Outside Iran

• Israeli and U.S. assets attacked: Iran launched waves of drones and missiles at U.S. bases and embassies across the Gulf. Drones struck the U.S. embassies in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, prompting Washington to close diplomatic missions in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. The Iranian military also targeted Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia and U.S. facilities in Kuwait and Bahrain. Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies fired missiles at Israel from Lebanon and potentially a drone at the British RAF base in Cyprus.
• Gulf and regional states: Iranian missiles and drones hit Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and other Gulf cities, causing civilian casualties and prompting the UAE to close its embassy in Tehran. Iranian threats to attack any ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz and actual attacks on tankers led to soaring shipping costs and energy prices. Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Iraq halted or reduced oil and gas production due to attacks on their facilities. Hezbollah’s rockets led Israel to reinforce positions in southern Lebanon while dozens were killed in Beirut.
• Casualties among U.S. and Israeli forces: By 2 March the U.S. acknowledged six service members killed and several injured, including losses from friendly‑fire incidents when Kuwaiti air defenses accidentally shot down F‑15 jets. Iran claimed to have downed or damaged additional aircraft and insisted that U.S. casualties would mount. Israel reported at least 10 civilians killed by Iranian missiles.

Past‑48‑hour developments (2–4 March 2026)

• Continuation of strikes: The coalition continued to bombard Iranian air‑defence sites, internal‑security facilities and nuclear infrastructure. The ISW reported on 2 March that local air superiority had been established and that strikes destroyed Iranian air‑defence systems, enabling the use of lower‑generation aircraft.
• Natanz nuclear facility attacked: On 2 March the coalition’s first attack on a nuclear site hit Natanz, with satellite imagery showing severe damage.
• Retaliatory barrages slowing: Iran continued missile and drone attacks, but the frequency declined. ISW noted that Iran launched at least 20 barrages on 28 February, compared with six on 2 March, as its missile launchers were being destroyed.
• Expansion to Gulf and beyond: Iranian strikes on 2 March hit multiple Gulf states—including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait—damaging energy sites and shutting down refineries and LNG plants. Iran also targeted commercial shipping; maritime authorities reported drones or unmanned surface vessels attacking tankers near Oman and Bahrain.
• Political vacuum and leadership crisis: Following Khamenei’s death, Iran formed a temporary leadership council with President Masoud Pezeshkian, judiciary chief Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei and Guardian Council member Ali Reza Arafi. The constitutional Assembly of Experts, responsible for choosing a new Supreme Leader, could not convene due to ongoing strikes.
• International diplomatic efforts: The UN Security Council held emergency sessions. The UN Secretary‑General warned that the escalation threatened international peace and called for immediate de‑escalation. Gulf states urged restraint but also announced closures of embassies and evacuation of citizens.
• Economic impact: Global energy and financial markets reacted sharply. Oil prices rose about 13 % and natural gas about 46 %, while shipping insurance and tanker hire costs quadrupled. Stock markets worldwide slid. Airlines suspended flights through Middle‑East airspace, leading to widespread disruption.

Major deaths and casualties among Iranian officials

• Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei – killed in the opening strikes on 28 February. His wife Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh died of wounds on 2 March. Their deaths created a leadership vacuum.
• IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour – killed by airstrikes on 28 February. Reports suggested Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi replaced him.
• Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari (IRGC adviser) – not killed but widely quoted for threatening to ignite ships in the Strait of Hormuz if vessels attempted to pass.
• Members of the Assembly of Experts and other senior clerics – Iranian media reported that a strike flattened the building housing the Assembly of Experts in Qom, though casualties were not immediately clear.
• Additional senior figures – The U.S. Defense Department claimed that 49 senior Iranian officials were killed in the first days of strikes. Western media also reported the deaths of other clerical and military leaders, but details remain unverified due to Iran’s internet blackout.

Conclusion

The U.S.–Israel–Iran war that erupted on 28 February 2026 has rapidly escalated into a regional conflict. The coalition’s air campaign has decimated Iran’s naval and missile capabilities and killed its Supreme Leader and dozens of senior officials. Iran has responded with massive missile and drone attacks on Israel, U.S. bases and neighboring Gulf states, while threatening global energy supplies by closing the Strait of Hormuz. International reactions range from supportive statements by some allies to urgent calls for de‑escalation and negotiations from the United Nations. With hundreds of civilians already dead, critical infrastructure damaged and global markets roiled, the conflict’s humanitarian and economic costs are mounting. The coming days will likely hinge on whether diplomatic efforts can halt further escalation or whether the warring parties press on toward their divergent objectives.