Why did US and Israel attack Iran and how long could the war last?
Why Did the US and Israel Attack Iran, and How Long Could the War Last?
Conflict Spreads Across the Region
The Middle East remains engulfed in conflict following the US and Israel’s broad-scale attacks on Iran, which resulted in the death of the country’s supreme leader on 28 February. Iran retaliated by launching strikes on Israel and US-backed nations in the Gulf, with hostilities expanding to Lebanon as casualties and damage rose on all sides.
Initial Strikes and Targets
The first wave of attacks by the US and Israel focused on Iran’s missile infrastructure, military installations, and key leadership figures. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had guided Iran since 1989, was among those killed. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also reported the loss of dozens of senior officials, including security chief Ali Larijani, intelligence minister Esmail Khatib, and Basij force commander Gholamreza Soleimani.
On 8 March, Khamenei’s son Mojtaba Khamenei was designated as his successor. The US and Israel’s operations also targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities and energy infrastructure, such as Kharg Island’s oil terminal and the South Pars gas field. A US submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka on 4 March, claiming 87 lives.
Casualties and Claims of Responsibility
Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA) stated on 2 April that 3,530 individuals had died in Iran since the war began, with 1,606 being civilians, including 244 children. Iran alleged that US and Israeli forces had bombed a girls’ school near an IRGC base in southern Iran on 28 February, killing 168 people, of whom approximately 110 were children. The US acknowledged investigating the incident, while Israel denied any involvement in the area.
“The US and Israel are targeting civilians and countries not involved in the conflict,” said a statement from US and Arab allies condemning Iran’s retaliatory strikes.
International Reactions and Spread of Hostilities
Access to Iran for international journalists is tightly controlled, and internet connectivity has been nearly severed. On 3 April, a US F-15 jet was shot down over western Iran. The pilot was rescued, and a search-and-rescue mission—facing fire from Iranian forces—uncovered a second crew member by 4 April, confirmed by President Trump.
Iran branded the attacks as “unprovoked” and “illegitimate,” escalating its response with missile and drone strikes against Israeli military and government sites. By 29 March, Israel’s ambulance service reported 19 casualties from missile fire. The conflict also reached countries hosting US bases, including Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, the UAE, and Kuwait, as well as Oman and Saudi Arabia. Thirteen US service members were killed in these strikes.
Regional Impact and Accusations
Across the Gulf, at least 24 people have died, primarily security personnel and foreign workers. The UAE reported 13 fatalities, including a civilian contractor killed in Bahrain. Kuwait documented seven deaths, while Oman and Saudi Arabia each reported two. In northern Iraq, a French soldier was killed by an Iranian drone at a Kurdish military base. Seven Iraqi soldiers were also killed in an airstrike in Anbar province on 25 March, though the attacker remained unidentified.
The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), formed to combat ISIS, noted at least 27 of its members were killed. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, four Palestinian women perished in an Iranian missile attack on a beauty salon. Turkey claimed its NATO defenses intercepted three Iranian missiles, while Azerbaijan accused Iran of attacking an airport with drones.
Current Situation and Future Outlook
The war’s duration remains uncertain as tensions intensify. With Iran’s retaliation continuing and the US and Israel’s strikes affecting allied nations, the conflict could persist for weeks or months. The precise impact on regional stability and global energy markets will depend on the escalation of military actions and diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions.
