Why Are the U.S. and Israel Attacking Iran? What We Know So Far

On February 28, 2026, the Middle East entered one of its most dangerous moments in decades as the United States and Israel launched coordinated air and missile strikes across Iran, including the capital, Tehran. What Washington has described as “major combat operations” has already triggered Iranian retaliation, drawn in U.S. bases across the Gulf, and raised fears of a wider regional, or even global, war.

Here is what we know so far about why the attacks happened, what unfolded on the ground, and what comes next.

What Happened?

Explosions were reported across Tehran shortly after 9:27 a.m. local time, with plumes of smoke visible in multiple neighborhoods. Iranian news agencies confirmed strikes near University Street, the Jomhouri area, and locations close to the headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Other attacks were reported in Isfahan, Qom, Tabriz, Kermanshah, Karaj, Ilam, and Lorestan province.

Israel was the first to acknowledge it had launched missile strikes inside Iran. A U.S. official later confirmed the operation was jointly conducted with Washington. The U.S. Department of Defense named the campaign Operation Epic Fury, marking its first official statement since the strikes began.

U.S. President Donald Trump described the offensive as “massive and ongoing,” signaling that this was not a one-day strike but the opening phase of a longer military campaign.

Why Did the U.S. and Israel Attack Iran?

According to Trump, the stated objectives of the operation are to:

● Destroy Iran’s missile capabilities

● Annihilate Iran’s naval forces

● Disrupt Iran-backed armed groups across the region

● Prevent Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon

Trump framed the campaign as a response to what Washington calls “imminent threats” from Tehran. He addressed Iran’s military and security forces directly, urging them to lay down their weapons and offering amnesty, while warning of force if they did not comply.

Israel has echoed these justifications for years, arguing that Iran’s missile program, regional proxies, and nuclear activities represent an existential threat. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel’s operation, codenamed Lion’s Roar, would continue “as long as necessary.”

The Diplomatic Context: Talks Collapsed Into War

The strikes come amid ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations mediated by Oman and held in Geneva. According to multiple reports, Iran had recently agreed to zero uranium stockpiling and full inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

That diplomatic momentum has now collapsed.

Analysts note that launching military operations while talks were underway has reinforced Iranian suspicions that negotiations were merely a pretext for attack. As a result, arms control diplomacy is effectively dead, for now.

Iran’s Response: Missiles Across the Region

Iran retaliated within hours. Missiles were launched toward northern Israel, triggering air raid sirens and explosions. More significantly, Iran struck U.S. military assets across the Middle East, including:

● Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar

● Al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait

● Al-Dhafra Air Base in the UAE

● The U.S. Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain

● U.S. installations in Jordan

Explosions were also reported in Saudi Arabia.

Iranian officials framed the retaliation as a sovereign right. Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran’s parliamentary national security commission, warned the U.S. and Israel that they had entered a conflict “whose end is no longer in your control.”

Where Is Iran’s Leadership?

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has not appeared publicly for days. Roads leading to his compound in central Tehran were closed as strikes hit the capital. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was reported to be unharmed.

Earlier U.S. and Israeli statements suggested Khamenei may have been targeted, but his status remains unclear amid conflicting reports.

Experts caution that even if senior figures are killed, Iran’s system of power does not rest on one man alone. The IRGC, not the clerical leadership, is widely seen as the backbone of the regime.

Regional and Global Reactions

International reaction has been swift and anxious:

● Oman warned that active negotiations had been “undermined yet again” and urged restraint.

● Qatar condemned Iran’s missile strike on its territory but stressed its right to respond under international law.

● The UAE warned of “grave consequences” after reported casualties.

● The European Union said the escalation was dangerous and urged all parties to protect civilians.

● France warned the escalation threatens international peace and security.

● Russia accused Washington of using diplomacy as a cover for war.

● The UK and Canada voiced support for preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons while urging stability.

What Comes Next?

Experts from the Council on Foreign Relations warn that air power alone is unlikely to achieve regime change. Iran’s leadership structure, security apparatus, and ideological foundations may survive, even battered, while the risks of escalation grow.

The greatest danger now lies in miscalculation: a prolonged campaign, expanding retaliation, civilian casualties, and a war that proves far harder to end than to start.

As one analyst put it, hope is not a strategy, and history suggests wars launched without a clear off-ramp often reshape regions in ways no one intended.

For now, the world watches closely as the conflict unfolds, aware that what happens next may define the Middle East and global security for years to come.