The US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, according to research from five sources. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in the first wave of strikes, as reported by four sources. Other high-ranking Iranian officials killed include Hossein Salami, Mohammed Bagheri, Ali Larijani, Esmail Khatib, and Gholamreza Soleimani, according to two sources. The attacks mark a dramatic escalation in tensions between the two nations.
On March 8, 2026, Mojtaba Khamenei was named as the new Supreme Leader, according to two sources. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed Mojtaba Khamenei was injured and 'likely disfigured', which Iran denied. The conflicting accounts highlight the information war accompanying the military conflict.
Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel and US military facilities in Gulf countries, according to five sources. Iran also launched ballistic missiles at Diego Garcia military base on the Chagos Islands, as reported by eight sources. The conflict caused the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, according to eight sources.
US President Donald Trump declared the aim of the attack was regime change in Iran. However, legal and international relations experts say the US-Israeli attacks on Iran are illegal under international law. According to eight sources, Iran has not attacked the United States nor threatened to do so without being attacked first. This disagreement reflects the contested legality of the intervention, with implications for international norms and potential war crimes accusations.
The extent of military damage and civilian casualties is disputed. Washington and Israel claim they struck more than 5,000 targets and decimated Iran's air force and navy. In contrast, Iran says US and Israeli forces have bombed nearly 10,000 civilian sites and killed more than 1,300 civilians since the war began. The inclusion of civilian sites in some reports suggests a broader interpretation of targets, which could affect legal and moral assessments of the strikes.
Mass protests in Iran in January 2026 were brutally suppressed, with HRANA verifying over 6,000 protester deaths. Protester Erfan Kiani was executed on April 25, 2026, after being arrested during January protests, according to eight sources. The executions indicate the regime's determination to crush dissent amid the war.
The war has caused significant economic impacts. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the US does not plan to renew a waiver allowing purchase of Iranian oil. The conflict has caused a surge in pistachio prices to their highest level in eight years, according to eight sources. Iran is the world's second-largest pistachio producer, accounting for one-third of global exports. Pistachio prices reached $4.57 per pound in March 2026, a 6.3% increase from end of 2025, according to Bloomberg News citing Expona Market. Shipping companies have canceled new bookings to the Middle East since March 2, 2026, disrupting supply chains, according to Crown Point.
Internationally, the UN Security Council passed a resolution condemning Iran's retaliatory strikes on Gulf states, according to eight sources. Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran resumed international flights on April 25, 2026, according to eight sources, suggesting a partial normalization of activity.
The current conflict follows the 12-Day War in June 2025, which ended with a US-brokered truce after 12 days of bombardment, according to eight sources. The ongoing tensions have now erupted into a full-scale regional war.
Several key unknowns remain. The exact number of civilian casualties in Iran is unclear, with HRANA recording 1,398 civilian deaths as of March 20, 2026, while Iran claims over 1,300 civilians killed since the war began. The discrepancy may reflect different counting periods or methodologies. The current status of the Strait of Hormuz—whether it remains closed or partially open—has not been confirmed. The extent of damage to Iran's nuclear program and military capabilities is also uncertain. Global oil prices and energy markets have been affected, but the full impact is still unfolding. Diplomatic efforts to end the war are ongoing, but no negotiations have been publicly confirmed.