The world is burning from the blazes of the US-Iran war. Whether it is disrupted geopolitical relations, systemic energy crises, economic collapse in West Asia, or escalated regional warfare, the US-Iran war is doing no good to the world population and economy. With a detailed discussion about the drivers and consequences of the war so far, this article elucidates Iran’s response to the US airstrikes timeline, the details of bilaterally executed attacks, and what this war holds for the future of the relationship between Iran and the United States.
The 2026 Iran-US War: What Really Happened?
On February 28, midmorning, U.S. and Israeli forces jointly conducted air strikes on Iran regime, numbering about 900 strikes in just the first 12 hours of the United States’ Operation Epic Fury. Following years of rising tension over Iran’s nuclear program, its military reach across the Middle East, and its ballistic missiles. Targeting the regime’s nuclear facilities, leadership, and military infrastructure, Israel and America carried out these strikes in response to the security threat to America, America’s Arab allies, and Israel that the nuclear-armed Iran posed.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the strikes against the Iranian regime after launching Operation Epic Fury. He declared, “The United States military began major combat operations in Iran to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime. Trump further clarified that the operation was carried out alongside Israel’s Roaring Lion campaign. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented that Israel acted to eliminate “the existential threat posed by the terrorist regime in Iran,” and thanked Trump for his “historic leadership.” The large-scale strikes targeted Iranian military assets and the Islamic Republic’s top leadership, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s Responses to US Strikes: The Timeline
After the drastic US-Israel combined attacks on the Iranian regime, the country retaliated with sustained waves of ballistic missiles and drones targeting Israeli population centers and US military positions across the region. According to the Israeli military report, Iran has fired over 400 ballistic missiles since the start of the war, with launches steadily declining over time. These attacks caused civilian casualties, with at least 17 Israeli civilians killed and additional deaths reported as strikes continue. Israel also stepped up its air strikes in Lebanon. So far, more than 1800 people have been killed, including 8 US service members, and more than 175 students were killed by a US strike on an Iranian elementary school. These attacks quickly escalated into a regional war with widespread consequences for critical supply chains. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran caused a global energy crisis, compelling the International Energy Agency to release four hundred million barrels from its strategic reserve. To understand the Iranian responses better, let us have a look at the timeline of attacks it launched:
Israel
| Targeted Airstrike Areas | Date | Fatalities | Injuries |
| 1. Tel Aviv
2. Haifa 3. Northern Israel 4. Beit Shemesh 5. West Jerusalem 6. Tel-Aviv 7. Northern Israel 8. Haifa & Northern Israel 9. Yehud 10. Northern Israel 11. Eilat 12. Old City of Jerusalem 13. Dimona 14. Arad 15. Tel Aviv and central Israel |
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Bahrain
| Targeted Airstrike Areas | Date | Fatalities | Injuries |
| 1. Manama
2. US Fifth Fleet headquarters 3. Crowne Plaza Hotel, Manama 4. Bahrain International Airport 5. Mina Salman Port 6. All four Governorates of Bahrain 7. BAPCO refinery |
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Along with Israel and Bahrain, Iran attacked countries such as Kuwait (with one person killed and 32 injured) and Oman (no fatalities and 1 injured). Except for these regions, the other Iranian attacks were launched across Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Akrotiri and Dhekelia, and the West Bank.
Apart from the air strikes, Iran launched attacks through waterways. The IRGC claimed to have struck the USS Abraham Lincoln ship with four missiles. However, the US CENTCOM confirmed that the strike was not successful. Iranian explosive boats attacked a US oil tanker named Safesea Vishnu in the waters near Basra, Iraq, causing the ship to catch fire and taking the life of an Indian team member. Iran also attacked a Thai-owned bulk ship, The Mayuree Naree, in Oman.
What does the future hold for the Iranian Regime after the War?
The future of Iran regime after US strikes remains somewhat uncertain. A BBC report dated March 24, 2026, confirmed that the White House’s plans for peace talks with Iran are “fluid.” They discouraged any speculation and mentioned that they “should not be deemed as final.” In response to the conflicting statements of potential talks between the two countries, the White House nullified the final adoption of any diplomatic approach. Earlier, Donald Trump stated that he had delayed threatened strikes on Iranian power plants after having “productive” conversations with Tehran. However, Iran refused their statement as “fake news.”
None of these statements determines the future of Iran after this war. According to expert opinions, there are four broad potential consequences after attacks that seem to have no post-war plan for Iran. The US strikes will inflict maximum damage to the nuclear and missile programmes and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of the country. As expressed by Trump, the attacks will pave the way for a popular uprising that will destroy the cleric-led regime running for 47 years. Change in the regime is an aspiration, making it hard for existing leaders to control or predict Iran’s future.
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