Israel Launches New Airstrikes Across Iran
The conflict in the Middle East has escalated further, as the Israeli army launched a new wave of "extensive" airstrikes across Iran, hitting targets in Tehran, Isfahan, and southern regions. The attacks come as U.S. military casualties in the region are rising and Israeli military leaders debate an endgame.
The selection of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's new supreme leader marks the first father-son succession since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, a move that raises questions about the emergence of a dynastic system. His father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who ruled for 37 years, was killed in a joint U.S.-Israeli strike on Tehran on February 28, the first day of the war. The new leader previously wielded considerable power behind the scenes and is seen as a hard-liner closely aligned with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The recent direct military exchanges evolved from a decades-long proxy conflict. Since 1985, Iran has supported anti-Israel militant groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories, collectively known as the "Axis of Resistance." This network, which also includes militias in Syria, Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen, aims to counter U.S. and Israeli influence in the region. The current direct conflict began on February 28, 2026, with a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation dubbed "Operation Epic Fury." The stated goal was to dismantle Iran's missile industry, naval forces, and nuclear capabilities. In the initial days, the strikes killed hundreds in Iran and targeted senior leadership and IRGC headquarters in Tehran. The Israeli airstrikes have focused on strategically significant locations, including Isfahan, a hub for Iran's defense industry and nuclear program. Israeli military chief Lieutenant General Ayal Zamir claimed that over 60% of Iran's ballistic missile launchers and 80% of its air defense systems have been destroyed, achieving near-total air superiority. In response to the initial attacks, Iran launched large-scale missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. military bases across the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The IRGC has vowed to reveal new, unseen weapons and has shifted to a "regional war" strategy, aiming to risk the stability of U.S. allies and the global energy supply. The conflict has resulted in the first American combat fatalities, with seven U.S. service members killed in Iranian strikes on bases in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The rising casualties and Iran's retaliatory strikes have heightened concerns about the ability of the U.S. to protect its personnel stationed in the Middle East.
