The conflict began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran, according to research from multiple sources. These attacks killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, research indicates, and targeted Iran's missile infrastructure, military sites, leadership, nuclear program locations, and oil and gas facilities, based on research assessments. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. allies in the Gulf region, research shows. A key strategic move saw Iran force the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for 20% of the world's oil supply, according to research from eight sources. Major media reports suggest Iran's grip on the strait has largely cut off the Persian Gulf and its energy exports from the global economy, sending energy prices soaring. The U.S. has since imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports, according to President Donald Trump's timing.
The human cost of the conflict is severe and still being tallied. Iranian authorities report over 3,000 people killed in Iran, while Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA) reported a more precise figure of 3,220 killed as of March 20, including 1,165 military personnel and 1,398 civilians. Major media reports indicate the war has killed at least 3,000 people in Iran, 2,020 in Lebanon, 23 in Israel, and more than a dozen in Gulf Arab states. The U.N. refugee agency says up to 3.2 million people have been displaced in Iran, creating a massive internal crisis.
Infrastructure across the region has sustained lasting damage, according to major media reports. The conflict has caused significant harm to infrastructure in half a dozen Middle Eastern countries, those reports state. Combined with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. naval blockade, the economic impact is profound, disrupting global energy markets and crippling local economies.
International humanitarian efforts have begun to mobilize in response to the crisis. International humanitarian groups have delivered emergency aid to Iran via new land routes from Turkey and Jordan. A shipment of life-saving medical supplies and other aid crossed the border into Iran, its first delivery since the start of the war, the Red Cross said. The shipment of medical supplies and other aid entered the country on Sunday, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) stated.
Details of the Red Cross operations highlight both progress and challenges. The truck convoy set off from the Turkish capital Ankara on Friday, IFRC spokesman Tommaso Della Longa told reporters. He said the convoy marked one of the first cross-border shipments of medical supplies by any organization since the conflict began with the barrage of Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran on February 28. Della Longa said the IFRC had sent trauma kits designed to provide immediate, life-saving care, and noted the operation is critical as humanitarian supply chains into Iran have been severely disrupted in recent weeks due to the conflict, making it increasingly difficult and more costly for essential items to reach those in need. He added that the IFRC aimed to bring in more trauma kits in the next three weeks.
Additional aid deliveries are underway to support relief operations. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delivered a first cross-border aid shipment of 171 metric tonnes of essential relief items to Iran on Monday, the organization said. It stated that a total of 14 trucks had been dispatched from its warehouse in Jordan, carrying vital household items sufficient to meet the needs of nearly 25,090 people, including blankets, mattresses, jerrycans, kitchen sets, tarpaulins, and solar lamps. The ICRC said 200 generators and 100 motor pumps purchased locally had been donated to the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) to support relief and rescue operations. The aid includes trauma kits, tents, blankets, and supplies for thousands of people, research from three sources confirms.
The humanitarian mission carries grave risks, as four Iranian Red Crescent workers have been killed in relief efforts. The effectiveness of the new aid routes in reaching all affected populations remains uncertain, given the reported severe disruptions to supply chains within Iran.
Legal and justification controversies surround the initial strikes. The U.S. and Israeli attacks cannot be legally justified under international law, according to Susan M. Akram, an ACW Non-resident Fellow and expert. U.S. President Donald Trump has offered various and conflicting explanations for starting the war, such as regime change or preventing nuclear weapons, research indicates. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said there was no evidence of a structured nuclear weapons program in Iran at the time of the strikes, further complicating the stated rationale.
Allegations of a school attack have sparked investigations and denials. Iran accused the U.S. and Israel of attacking a girls' school on February 28, killing 168 people including around 110 children. The U.S. said it was investigating the school incident, while Israel said it was not aware of any military operations in the area. Expert video analysis by BBC Verify shows a U.S. Tomahawk missile hit a military base near the school, though the specific target of that missile and whether it caused the civilian casualties at the school remains unclear.
Leadership succession in Iran proceeded amid claims about the new leader's health. Mojtaba Khamenei was named as successor to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 8, according to research from eight sources. U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said the successor was injured and likely disfigured, a claim denied by Iran. The current health and status of Mojtaba Khamenei is not publicly confirmed.
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have faltered. Peace negotiations between the U.S. and Iran collapsed in Islamabad, Pakistan, research from two sources indicates.