U.S. Preps for 'Extended War' With Iran

The initial wave of "Operation Epic Fury" involved a significant deployment of U.S. military assets, including B-2 stealth bombers that conducted a 37-hour round trip from the continental U.S. to strike underground facilities in Iran. In the first 48 hours of the operation, which began on February 28, 2026, over 1,250 targets in Iran were struck by U.S. and allied forces. This multi-domain assault utilized air, sea, and land-based systems, including aircraft carriers, guided-missile destroyers, and for the first time in combat, low-cost attack drones. The stated objectives of the mission include the destruction of Iran's offensive missiles and their production capabilities, the elimination of its navy and security infrastructure, and the prevention of the country from acquiring nuclear weapons. Key targets have included command and control centers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), air defense systems, ballistic missile sites, and naval assets. Among the high-profile outcomes of the initial strikes was the death of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The conflict has resulted in casualties on both sides. As of the fourth day, six U.S. service members have been killed, and 18 others have been seriously wounded. The Iranian Red Crescent has reported that at least 787 people have been killed in Iran. In response to the U.S.-led strikes, Iran has launched retaliatory drone and missile attacks on U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf. The international community has shown a divided response to the escalating conflict. Nations such as Canada, Australia, and Ukraine have expressed support for the U.S. and Israeli actions, while Russia and China have supported Iran. Other countries, including the United Kingdom and Spain, along with the United Nations, have urged restraint and de-escalation. Many nations in the global south have condemned the military action as a violation of international law. The military operation commenced following a period of heightened tensions and a significant U.S. military buildup in the region, described as the largest since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The escalation followed the breakdown of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran regarding Tehran's nuclear program. U.S. officials have stated that the military action was pre-emptive, based on intelligence that Israel was planning its own attack and that U.S. forces would be targeted in the ensuing retaliation. In the wake of the initial assault, the U.S. has urged its citizens to depart from 14 countries in the Middle East due to safety risks. The U.S. embassies in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have been closed, with the latter sustaining minor damage from a drone attack. The State Department has also begun evacuating non-emergency personnel from several nations in the region. President Trump has defended the military action as the "last best chance" to address the threat posed by Iran but has also suggested that a diplomatic solution is now "much easier." He has not ruled out the possibility of sending in U.S. ground troops and has indicated the conflict could last longer than the initially predicted four to five weeks. Iran's neighbors in the Gulf have found themselves in the direct line of fire, intercepting hundreds of Iranian ballistic missiles and drones. Qatar's Ministry of Defense reported intercepting 90 ballistic missiles and 24 drones, while Kuwait detected 178 ballistic missiles and 384 drones since the conflict began. These states have condemned the Iranian attacks, and there is a growing risk of the conflict widening across the region.