US & Israel Launch Strikes on Iran
The U.S. and Israel have launched coordinated military strikes against Iran in an operation dubbed "Epic Fury," with explosions reported in Tehran. President Trump announced the start of "major combat operations" and called for Iranians to overthrow their government, an extraordinary escalation. Iran has already launched retaliatory missile strikes, triggering alerts across Israel and pushing the Middle East to the brink of a wider war.
The ground and naval buildup to "Operation Epic Fury" was the largest concentration of U.S. military power in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike groups were deployed to the region, positioning a significant number of fighter jets, warships, and support vessels within range of Iran. This mobilization occurred as the Trump administration engaged in indirect nuclear talks with Iranian officials, which ultimately ended without a deal. This military action follows a 12-day conflict in June 2025, during which the U.S. and Israel also struck Iranian nuclear and military sites. That conflict significantly degraded Iran's ballistic missile capabilities, with estimates suggesting that between a third to half of its arsenal of roughly 2,500 missiles was destroyed. Analysis from February 2026 indicated Iran was focused on rapidly rebuilding its missile infrastructure rather than its nuclear facilities. The Israeli component of the joint mission, dubbed "Operation Lion's Roar," reportedly targeted senior Iranian leadership. A source involved in the strikes indicated that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian were among the targets of the initial attacks. While Iranian media claims both leaders are safe, reports also indicate that Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was killed in the strikes. Iran's retaliatory strikes were widespread, targeting U.S. military installations across at least six countries, including the headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. Other bases targeted include Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE. One civilian fatality was reported in the UAE due to shrapnel from an intercepted missile. The international response has been divided. Russia and China condemned the strikes as an "unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign... U.N. member state." European Union leaders called for "maximum restraint," while the United Nations Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting to address the crisis. Casualty reports from within Iran are still emerging and vary. Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported that an airstrike hit a girls' elementary school in Minab, killing at least 51 people. Other reports suggest thousands of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel may have been killed or wounded in attacks on several military bases. Domestically, the strikes drew criticism from some U.S. lawmakers for being launched without congressional authorization. The operation comes after weeks of internal unrest in Iran, with widespread protests against the government. In his announcement, President Trump explicitly referenced this dissent, stating the operation could "create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands."
