The United States and Israel on the 28th (local time) launched a large-scale military operation aimed across Iran, and Iran immediately began missile and drone retaliation toward Israel and U.S. military bases in the region, with the clash spreading across the Middle East. With the war in Ukraine dragging on and armed conflict flaring again in the Middle East, concerns are growing that the fallout for global security and the broader economy will also increase.
The attack came as tensions between Iran and the United States over the nuclear program and ballistic missiles reached a peak. The United States deployed two carrier strike groups and a large number of fighter jets to the Middle East to pressure Iran, while continuing nuclear talks three times through the 26th in Switzerland and Oman, but it appears to have concluded that Iran has no intention of abandoning nuclear weapons.
◇ Trump: "Will never let them have nuclear weapons"
U.S. President Donald Trump said in an eight-minute video posted that day on the social media platform Truth Social, "We just began significant combat inside Iran," adding, "Our goal is to protect the American people by eliminating Iran's imminent threats."
Trump said Iran was attempting to rebuild its nuclear program and "rejected every opportunity to abandon its nuclear ambitions," adding, "We can no longer tolerate this." He then listed Iran's missiles and missile industry and the destruction of its navy as key targets of the operation, saying, "We will ensure Iran never obtains nuclear weapons."
In the recorded address, he urged the Iranian people to "seize your government," calling for regime change, and later posted on social media that "Iran interfered in the 2020 and 2024 U.S. elections to block Trump, and now faces a renewed war with the United States." The U.S. Department of Defense said the operation was named "Operation Epic Fury."
Israel, Washington's key ally in the Middle East, joined the U.S. military action. Israel announced that it struck dozens of military targets inside Iran together with U.S. forces. The Israel Defense Forces said it included in its targets multiple locations in Tehran where senior Iranian officials had gathered and missile launchers in western Iran.
Israel's public broadcaster Kan reported that Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, and President Masoud Pezeshkian were included among the airstrike targets. The two individuals' status was not confirmed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu named the operation "Roaring Lion."
According to local outlets including Iran's state-run IRNA, around 10 a.m. in the capital Tehran thick smoke billowed with explosions from the airstrikes. Loud blasts were also heard in Qom, Isfahan, Kermanshah and Karaj. State media reported that a girls' school in the south was hit by an airstrike, killing at least 51 students. Reuters, citing officials, reported that Khamenei was not currently in Tehran and had moved to a safe location.
◇ Middle East on the brink as Iran retaliates
Iran labeled the U.S. and Israeli attacks an act of aggression in violation of international law and launched an immediate counterstrike. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it initiated its first large-scale missile and drone attack toward Israel. It also claimed to have targeted the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet based in Bahrain. Iran's military further said it fired missiles at U.S. bases in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to three U.S. officials cited by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Iran's attack struck the U.S. base in Bahrain, damaging facilities but causing no casualties. U.S. military officials said the base housing the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet headquarters was hit and one warehouse was damaged. Iran's Foreign Ministry said, "We took every necessary step to prevent war, but we are now prepared to defend the Iranian people," signaling a hard-line response.
Israel's military authorities sounded air raid sirens nationwide and announced business closures and school shutdowns. The emergency medical service Magen David Adom said it was treating one person injured by an explosion in the north.
Explosions also erupted across the Gulf. The UAE said it intercepted a second Iranian attack and that one civilian was killed in Abu Dhabi in the first strike. Explosions were heard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Manama, Bahrain; and Doha, Qatar, and Qatar's Ministry of Defense said it intercepted several missiles aimed at the country. Jordan said it shot down two ballistic missiles.
◇ Flight disruptions… Oil prices could soar if the Strait of Hormuz is blocked
Air routes in the Middle East also took a direct hit. Iran's Civil Aviation Organization said the country's airspace was closed indefinitely after the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, and Israel also announced an airspace closure, barring civilian aircraft from entering its airspace. Qatar temporarily closed its airspace, and Qatar Airways suspended all departures from Doha.
Iraq closed its airspace, and Syria closed part of its southern airspace for 12 hours. Russia indefinitely suspended commercial flights to Iran and Israel, and Air France, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and Air India also halted Middle East routes in succession.
International reaction was mixed. France called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council and urged a halt to escalation. Oman's foreign minister said the country was "shocked," and the United Kingdom warned of the "risk of expanding into a wide regional war." Australia and Canada said they support the U.S. action, while Russia criticized the airstrikes as a "dangerous adventure," and Pakistan called it an "unjustified attack," urging an immediate stop to escalation. The European Union (EU) emphasized protecting civilians.
Concerns are also mounting about the fallout for the world economy. With most Middle Eastern routes facing disruptions, some warn that if Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz as part of its retaliation, a spike in oil prices would be inevitable. For now, however, there have been no related moves reported.