Why did US and Israel attack Iran and how long could the war last?

Why did US and Israel attack Iran and how long could the war last?

The Middle East remains in turmoil following a coordinated assault by the United States and Israel on Iran, which resulted in the death of the nation’s top leader on 28 February. In retaliation, Iran launched strikes against Israeli and U.S.-backed targets in the Gulf, escalating hostilities that now involve Lebanon as well. Casualties and destruction have increased across all fronts, with the conflict showing no signs of slowing down.

Initial strikes by the U.S. and Israel focused on Iran’s missile systems, military installations, and key leadership figures. Among those killed was Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had governed Iran since 1989. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was swiftly designated as his successor on 8 March. Other high-profile casualties included Ali Larijani, Iran’s security chief, Esmail Khatib, the intelligence minister, and Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary group. Israel claimed these targets were hit via air strikes.

Both nations also targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities and energy infrastructure, which Iran asserts are solely for peaceful purposes. Sites such as Kharg Island—a vital oil terminal—and South Pars, part of the globe’s largest natural gas field, were under attack. On 4 March, a US submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka, killing at least 87 individuals.

“The targeting of civilians and of countries not directly involved in the conflict is a clear violation of international law,” said a US official, highlighting concerns over Iran’s retaliatory strikes.

Iran condemned the attacks as “unprovoked” and “illegitimate,” launching widespread missile and drone assaults in response. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported hitting Israeli government and military locations in Tel Aviv and beyond. By 29 March, Israel’s emergency medical service noted 19 casualties from missile fire since the conflict began.

Retaliation extended to nations hosting US military bases, including Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, the UAE, and Kuwait, as well as US allies Oman and Saudi Arabia. Thirteen American service members were killed in these strikes. In the Gulf, at least 24 people have perished, mostly security personnel and foreign workers. The UAE reported 13 deaths, including a civilian contractor in Bahrain, while Kuwait and the other Gulf states documented two fatalities each.

Further into the conflict, a French soldier was killed by a drone in northern Iraq, near a Kurdish military base. On 25 March, seven Iraqi soldiers were struck down in an airstrike in Anbar province, though the perpetrator of the attack remained unidentified. Meanwhile, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)—formed to combat ISIS—reported losing 27 of its members in the region.

Iran’s missile fire also reached the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where four Palestinian women were killed at a beauty salon. Turkey claimed its air defenses intercepted three Iranian missiles over its territory. Azerbaijan accused Iran of attacking an airport with drones. Despite these actions, the US and its Arab allies continue to criticize Iran’s response, emphasizing the impact on civilian populations and non-combatant nations.