Trump and Israel Launch Operation Epic Fury Against Iran

On February 28, 2026, Donald Trump and the Israeli government launched Operation Epic Fury, a joint military campaign that began with a decapitation strike killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The operation evolved into a wide-scale conflict involving airstrikes on over 15,000 Iranian targets, including nuclear facilities and military infrastructure. In retaliation, Iran effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz and launched missile and drone barrages against Israel and U.S. bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, and Iraq. The conflict expanded further as Israel invaded southern Lebanon to combat Hezbollah.

Economic fallout has been severe, with Brent crude peaking near $120 per barrel. To stabilize markets, the International Energy Agency coordinated a record 400-million-barrel release of strategic reserves, with the U.S. contributing 172 million barrels. Despite these efforts, the blockade of the strait—which handles 20% of global oil—triggered global inflation and forced the U.S. to temporarily ease sanctions on Russian and Venezuelan oil. By late March, the U.S. began implementing its own naval blockade of Iranian ports.

Diplomacy remains deadlocked. Trump proposed a 15-point peace plan via Pakistan demanding the dismantling of Iran's nuclear program, but Tehran rejected the terms, demanding war reparations and sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. While Trump has claimed the Iranian military is decimated, intelligence suggests the regime remains intact. The war has caused thousands of casualties, including over 1,900 in Iran and 1,100 in Lebanon, while the U.S. has suffered 13 military deaths.