It’s been a week since the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran, eliminating much of the country’s leadership, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and plunging the Middle East into its deepest crisis in decades. What began on the weekend morning (February 28) as a campaign to target Iran’s leadership, nuclear infrastructure and missile launchers quickly escalated into a regional crisis, with Gulf countries facing retaliation from Iran.
Over the past week, the war has spread on several fronts, with Iran’s proxies such as Hezbollah and the Houthis targeting Israel, and Israel has responded by bombing Beirut, Lebanon. As a result, nearly 1,200 people died in Iran, including 165 schoolgirls. Additionally, 87 sailors were killed after a US submarine torpedoed a defenseless Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, bringing the conflict closer to India’s backyard.
War also comes with economic costs. The conflict has shaken energy markets and sent crude prices soaring, effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil passes. Crucially, there appears to be no clear end result in sight, with the United States warning of a “dramatic surge” in shelling.
If you haven’t followed the development process, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. How did the war escalate? What has the impact been so far? How far will you go? We are happy to answer all your questions.
How did the Iran war escalate?
Iran War: Day 1
The conflict began with a joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran. The operation, called Epic Fury in the United States and Roaring Lion in Israel, involved more than 100 aircraft and large-scale missile strikes, specifically targeting government buildings, the presidential palace and the offices of the Supreme Leader.
Khamenei was killed in one of the attacks. An airstrike on an elementary school in Minab, Iran, killed 165 girls, the worst mass casualty incident of the war so far. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and U.S. military bases across the Gulf. Dubai’s popular tourist hub was also attacked.
Iran War: Day 2
The war escalated when the United States targeted Iran’s navy, sinking nine ships and partially destroying its headquarters. The headquarters of Iran’s powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been attacked.
However, the United States also suffered casualties when an Iranian drone attacked a U.S. military facility in Kuwait, killing six people. An Iranian missile attack on the Israeli town of Beit Shemesh also killed nine people in Israel.
Iran War: Day 3
The conflict escalated on Monday when the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fired missiles across the border and Israel launched airstrikes on Beirut, killing 31 people. Iran, on the other hand, has attacked energy infrastructure in the Gulf region, with the Ras Tanura oil refinery in Saudi Arabia as its primary target.
The United States suffered further losses after three military aircraft crashed in Kuwait, in what was called an apparent “friendly fire” incident. However, the pilot ejected.
Iran War: Day 4
The United States has stepped up its attacks on Iran, including deploying “bunker buster” B-2 bombers, while Israel has continued to target both Iranian military facilities and Hezbollah. Iran, finding itself increasingly isolated, has closed the Strait of Hormuz, threatening nearly a fifth of global oil shipments. They also launched drones at the U.S. embassies in Riyadh and Kuwait, shutting down both embassies.
Meanwhile, explosions continued across Doha, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Kuwait as air defenses intercepted Iranian missiles.
Iran War: Day 5
The battlefield expanded dramatically. An Iranian ballistic missile headed toward Turkey was intercepted by NATO air defenses, and a U.S. submarine torpedoed and sank a defenseless Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean.
The incident, which occurred while the Iris Dena was returning from naval training in India, killed 87 Iranian sailors. Moreover, several European countries have deployed military assets in the region to protect their interests.
Iran War: Day 6
On this day, an Israeli F-35 fighter jet engaged in a dogfight over Tehran and shot down an Iranian Su-35, the first air-to-air kill of the conflict. Meanwhile, Iran attacked an American oil tanker in the Persian Gulf in retaliation for the sinking of the Iris Dena.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan also became the first country in the Caucasus region to be targeted by Iran. A drone struck a building at Nakhchivan airport, wounding four people, despite Iran distancing itself from the attack.
Iran War: Day 7
Israel said it had launched “widespread strikes” not only in Lebanon but also in Tehran. Meanwhile, Iran has launched a drone and missile campaign against targets in the “heart” of Tel Aviv.
Impact of the US-Israel-Iran war on the world
The war, now in its seventh day, has halted widespread travel. According to CNN, more than 11,000 flights have been canceled in the region since February 28 after several Gulf countries closed their airspace. It is important to note that cities like Dubai serve as major transportation hubs for global travel. However, in the past two days, several Gulf airlines have resumed services, mainly focusing on evacuation operations.
Crucially, the war disrupted global energy supplies, particularly due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. As previously mentioned, one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through this narrow waterway.
The impact was immediate. Crude oil prices surged more than 10% to their highest since the summer of 2024. Natural gas prices in Europe and Asia, which are highly dependent on LNG imports from the Middle East, have risen even further.
However, the United States made several concessions. President Trump granted India a 30-day waiver on purchasing Russian oil. He also announced that the United States would provide naval escorts to protect the tankers. Additionally, the United States will provide “political risk insurance” for oil and gas tankers operating through the Strait of Hormuz.
Where is the war?
Since February 28, the war has expanded every day and now affects about 14 countries across the Middle East and beyond.
The intensity of Iranian retaliation appears to have slowed over the past few days. The U.S. Central Command announced that Iranian ballistic missile attacks have decreased by 90% and drone attacks by 83%.
Israel also said it had destroyed 80 percent of Iran’s air defense systems, claiming it had achieved “almost complete air superiority.”
However, despite the fall of its political leadership, Iran has put up steadfast resistance and continued to retaliate across the region. The core of Iran’s strategy was to extend the operation and launch low-cost drones and missiles to overwhelm Israel’s air defenses. The Shahed-136 ‘kamikaze’ drone was central to the Iranian attack.
Iran’s strategy was to gradually increase the economic costs of the conflict by forcing the United States and Israel to defend a multiple front, engaging the Gulf states, and blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
How long can a war last?
Neither Israel nor the United States specified a time frame. The United States also seems to have no final battle in sight.
Trump has given conflicting timelines for how long the conflict could last. After the first airstrike, President Trump said the war could end within two to three days. A day later he revised the schedule to four weeks.
The most recent comments came from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who emphasized that there could be no time to spare. Now we don’t know which side will blink first, or whether a broader war is imminent.
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