On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran, according to multiple sources. The operation resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as reported by several outlets. The Pentagon codenamed the mission 'Epic Fury,' while Israel referred to it as 'Roaring Lion,' according to research.
S. military said it struck nearly 2,000 targets in Iran, a scale comparable to the 2003 Iraq 'shock and awe' campaign. Iran's Red Crescent reported at least 201 people killed and 747 injured in Iran, according to Al Jazeera.
S. service members, according to research. S.
military bases, allies, and Israel, according to multiple reports. These strikes forced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, affecting global oil supply, research indicates. A strike hit an all-girls' primary school in Minab, Iran, killing at least 165 people, according to Iranian state media.
S. S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
S. and Israel, according to major media reports. Iran is desperately trying to replenish its missile fuel stocks due to involvement in direct conflict, according to Miad Maleki.
China is selling sodium perchlorate, a substance used to produce missile fuel, to Iran, The Telegraph reports. In March, four ships arrived at Iranian ports from Gaolan port in Zhuhai, China, and a fifth is on its way, major media reports indicate. The ships are suspected to have transported sodium perchlorate, though specific evidence supporting this suspicion has not been publicly detailed.
The shipment is enough to supply fuel for hundreds of ballistic missiles, experts say. At the beginning of last year, two Iranian ships arrived with enough Chinese sodium perchlorate to produce fuel for 100 to 150 ballistic missiles, according to Jeffrey Lewis. The Telegraph reports that Iran now theoretically has enough raw material for approximately 785 more missiles.
Iran has historically imported these chemicals very regularly, producing missiles for its own military, proxy groups, and sales to Russia, according to Miad Maleki. S. and EU sanctions lists, but the activity continues, major media reports.
In April 2025, a severe explosion occurred in Bandar Abbas, Iran, killing at least 70 people, caused by sodium perchlorate according to an Iranian security source, the New York Times reports. S. imposed new sanctions on actors in Iran and China for their role in a network acquiring components for ballistic missile fuel.
Following Ali Khamenei's death, Iran's Assembly of Experts appointed Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed him, according to research. S. and Israel for survival, research indicates.
Iran's war is being run by the Supreme National Security Council chaired by Ali Larijani, according to multiple sources. Ships carrying Chinese chemicals for missile fuel have arrived in Iran since the war began, research confirms. S.
intelligence officials reported up to half of Iran's missile launchers remain intact. S. jets were shot down in the first two days of fighting, according to research.
The United States claims the jets were shot down by friendly fire. -Israeli attacks lack legal justification under international law, according to Susan M. Akram, ACW Non-resident Fellow.
S. military bases in the Middle East for Iran. Stock markets in Asia fell sharply, with South Korea pausing trading due to an 8% drop, research shows.
The conflict has intensified regional tensions, with Iran's military actions aimed at disrupting global energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz closure. S. strikes, involving nearly 2,000 targets, reflects a significant escalation in military engagement, reminiscent of past large-scale campaigns.
S. and Israeli officials. Iran's reliance on Chinese chemical shipments for missile production underscores ongoing sanctions evasion efforts, with historical patterns showing regular imports for military and proxy use.
S. sanctions. Post-attack, Iran's leadership transition to Mojtaba Khamenei and its military strategy under Ali Larijani indicate a continued focus on escalating costs for adversaries.
S. intelligence noting significant launcher survivability. Aircraft losses and conflicting claims about their causes add complexity to the conflict's narrative, while international law experts question the operation's legality.
Broader intelligence context, including Russian satellite allegations, points to external involvement, and economic impacts are evident in Asian market turmoil.