US, Israel, and Iran Declare Ceasefire After 39-Day War

A ceasefire went into effect on April 8, 2026, ending 39 days of combat between the United States, Israel, and Iran. The conflict began on February 28 after Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu authorized a joint decapitation strike that killed Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and US bases, including the 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, which forced the withdrawal of 1,500 US troops.

To protect Israel, the US redeployed air defense batteries from the Gulf and South Korea. Reports indicate US forces also moved from military bases into civilian installations, such as luxury hotels, to evade Iranian strikes. While the US and Israel targeted over 10,000 sites in Iran, intelligence suggests half of Iran's missile and drone capabilities remained intact.

The war triggered a global economic crisis as Iranian blockades of the Strait of Hormuz drove oil prices from $60 to as high as $150 per barrel. Domestically, President Trump faced "No Kings" protests and saw his approval rating drop below 40%. Diplomatic tensions rose when the UK and France organized a meeting on April 2 to manage the Strait of Hormuz without US involvement. Additionally, the White House announced on March 30 that Trump sought to have Gulf Arab states pay for the war's costs, despite UN estimates that these nations suffered nearly $200 billion in losses during the first month.