Context:

In the wake of rising US–Iran tensions, the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran, targeting IRGC command-and-control facilities, missile and drone sites, and air defenses, provoking a broad Iranian retaliation across the region. The escalation drew in Gulf states and elicited statements of solidarity and threats of further action from neighbors. Despite intense strikes, US forces reported minimal damage and no casualties, while Iran claimed to have targeted Western bases and allies. The confrontation spurred a surge of political debate in Washington over war powers and heightened global oil-market anxiety due to potential disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. The outlook remains uncertain, with regional partners weighing responses and the possibility of a broader conflict looming.

Dive Deeper:

• The joint operation began shortly after midnight and aimed to dismantle Iran’s regime security apparatus, focusing on imminent-threat locations such as IRGC facilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defenses; the Israeli Air Force conducted what it described as its largest-ever flyover, striking hundreds of targets across western and central Iran.

• Iranian casualties were reported as more than 200 killed and about 750 injured, with strikes said to have affected 24 of Iran’s 31 provinces; satellite imagery showed a burning ship at Kanarak and a blocked Konarak drone strip amid the strikes.

• The United States reported defending against hundreds of Iranian drone and missile attacks with minimal damage to installations and no US casualties, highlighting the operation as the largest regional concentration of American firepower in a generation.

• Iran retaliated by attacking US bases in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, while Gulf partners expressed solidarity and readiness to assist in repelling attacks, and Iran called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting.

• Trump framed the action as a pathway to regime change in Iran, urging Iranians to topple their government, while US lawmakers debated invoking war powers to constrain the president, revealing a partisan divide on how to proceed.

• Global shipping tightened in the Strait of Hormuz as tankers paused or diverted, fueling expected oil-price volatility; Iran exports about 1.6 million barrels per day, with disruptions potentially redirecting supplies and impacting markets.