Conflict in the Middle East: A Break Down

On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a massive military strike against Iran, kicking off the biggest armed conflict in the Middle East in decades. The attacks, nearly 900 airstrikes in a single day. killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and targeted military sites across the country. Iran fired back with missiles and drones aimed at Israel and U.S. bases in the region. The war is now in its fourth week with no end in sight.

The human cost has been severe. More than 1,400 people have been killed in Iran,

including over 200 children. Hospitals have been hit, the internet has been shut down, and nearly a million people in Lebanon have been displaced by related fighting.

Iran also partially closed the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries roughly 20% of the world's oil, causing fuel prices to spike globally and disrupting shipping worldwide.

President Trump has threatened further strikes if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened, while the United Nations has called for an immediate halt to attacks. Iran's government is in chaos following the loss of its top leader, and diplomats have not yet found an opening for peace talks. For now, civilians on all sides, in Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and beyond, are bearing the heaviest burden of a war that world leaders have so far been unable to stop.