US and Israel Launch Strikes on Iran
The U.S. and Israel have launched coordinated military strikes on Iran in an operation dubbed “Epic Fury,” with explosions reported in and around Tehran. President Trump announced that “major combat operations” are underway, urging the Iranian people to “take over their government.” The move, described as a preemptive strike against an “extremely serious” threat, has caused oil prices to spike and rattled global markets.
The current conflict is a major escalation of a long-running "shadow war" between Israel and Iran, which has historically involved covert operations, cyberattacks, and targeted assassinations. For years, Iran has supported proxy groups in the region, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, while Israel has been blamed for actions aimed at slowing Iran's nuclear program. Operation "Epic Fury" has involved a combination of U.S. and Israeli military assets, including crewed aircraft and sea-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles. Among the aircraft deployed were Israeli F-35s and F-15s, supported by American F-22s and KC-46 tankers that had been moved into the region prior to the strikes. Initial targets of the operation included Iranian military and naval facilities, missile depots, and sites associated with Iran's missile production. Notably, explosions were reported near the office complex of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, a significant symbolic and operational center of the Iranian regime. In response to the strikes, Iran launched missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. military assets in several Gulf countries, including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Qatar. This has led to the closure of airspace by multiple countries in the region and significant disruptions to commercial airline operations. The strikes have had an immediate impact on the global economy, particularly due to the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz. Roughly 20% of the world's daily oil consumption passes through this narrow channel, and any prolonged disruption could lead to substantial supply delays and a sharp increase in energy prices worldwide. International reactions have been mixed, with many nations calling for immediate de-escalation to avoid a wider regional war. The European Union described the situation as "perilous," while Russia condemned the strikes as an "unprovoked act of armed aggression." This new, overt conflict follows years of failed diplomatic efforts to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA). After the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement in 2018, Iran significantly advanced its nuclear program, increasing its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. U.S. intelligence assessments from 2025, however, suggested that Iran was still years away from developing an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the U.S.
