US & Israel Launch Major Strikes on Iran
The U.S. and Israel have launched coordinated strikes against Iran, with President Trump announcing "major combat operations". Explosions were reported in Tehran, and in a video message, Trump urged Iranians to "take over your government." The development creates significant geopolitical instability, with potential impacts on global markets and energy prices.
The recent military action, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" by the Pentagon, follows a significant U.S. military buildup in the Middle East, the largest since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In the weeks leading up to the strikes, the U.S. deployed two aircraft carrier strike groups, the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald R. Ford, along with numerous fighter jets, destroyers, and over 170 cargo planes to the region. These strikes followed the collapse of a third round of Omani-mediated nuclear negotiations in Geneva between U.S. and Iranian officials. Just days before the attack, Oman's foreign minister had announced that Iran agreed to degrade its nuclear material stockpiles. However, U.S. officials reportedly demanded that Iran dismantle key nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, and ship all its enriched uranium to the United States, terms Iran was unlikely to accept. The initial wave of attacks reportedly targeted the Tehran compound of Iran's 86-year-old Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and President Masoud Pezeshkian. Explosions were also reported in numerous other cities, including Isfahan, Karaj, Kermanshah, Qom, and Tabriz, striking near Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) headquarters and other military and defense infrastructure. In immediate retaliation, Iran's IRGC launched a barrage of ballistic missiles at multiple U.S. military installations across the Middle East. Targets included Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, and the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain. This escalation follows a 12-day direct conflict between Iran and Israel in June 2025, which also saw U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites. The relationship between the U.S. and Iran has been fraught since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with the U.S. withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or Iran nuclear deal, in 2018. International reaction has been swift, with many world leaders urging de-escalation. The European Union called for "maximum restraint," while Russia condemned the strikes as a "dangerous adventure." Norway's foreign minister labeled the "preemptive" attack as out of line with international law, while Saudi Arabia condemned Iran's retaliatory strikes on Gulf nations.
