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IAC between Iran and the United States and Israel

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IAC between Iran and the United States and Israel

By juliette

The IAC between Iran and the United States and Iran and Israel was triggered on 28 February 2026. 1‘Why did US and Israel attack Iran and how long could the war last?’, BBC, 23 April 2026. The US military operation was called ‘Operation Epic Fury’ 2‘Operation Epic Fury’, U.S. Central Command and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) referred to ‘Operation Roaring Lion’ to describe its operations 3‘Iran-Israel War: Operation Roaring Lion’, Israeli Defense Forces against the sovereign territory of Iran.4‘US, Israel launch attack on Iran, explosions in Israel, Arab states’, Al Jazeera, 28 February 2026; K. Campaet al, ‘Iran Update Evening Special Report, February 28, 2026’, Institute for the Study of War, 28 February 2026; PBS News, ‘WATCH: Netanyahu announces ‘Operation Roaring Lion,’ calls on Iranians to ‘rid themselves’ of regime’, YouTube, 28 February 2026.

Since 28 February, the United States has carried out a large number of airstrikes on Iranian sovereign territory. US Central Command (CENTCOM) published an update on its military activities within Operation Epic Fury on 6 April 2026. In this update it was communicated that US CENTCOM was striking targets with the purpose of dismantling Iran’s security apparatus and prioritized locations that posed an imminent threat according to US assessments. This fact sheet on Operation Epic Fury asserted that more than 13,000 military targets were struck and more than 155 Iranian vessels were destroyed between 28 February and 6 April. CENTCOM also revealed the United States target priority list which includes Iranian military command and control centres, IRGC headquarter buildings, IRGC intelligence sites, integrated air defence systems, ballistic missile sites, Iranian Navy ships and submarines, Iranian air defence systems, Iranian anti-ship missile sites, Iranian military communication capabilities, Iranian ballistic missile and drone manufacturing sites and infrastructure, Iranian weapons production sites, Iranian storage bunkers, Iranian surface-to-air missile facilities, and Iranian military support infrastructure.5‘Operation Epic Fury’, U.S. Central Command.

Since 28 February, Iran has targeted several US military bases across the Middle East in its military operations against the United States in retaliation fort Operation Epic Fury. US military bases hit by Iranian drone or missile strikes include those in Kuwait,6A. Hortonet al, ‘U.S. troops killed amid Iranian counterattack, fueling air defense fears’, The Washington Post, 2 March 2026; M. Kellyet al, ‘U.S. troops had little protection from drone strike that killed 6, imagery shows’, The Washington Post, 4 March 2026 Bahrain,7M. Kellyet al, ‘U.S. troops had little protection from drone strike that killed 6, imagery shows’, The Washington Post, 4 March 2026 the UAE,8J. Gambrell, ‘Satellite images begin to show damage wrought across the region by Iran war’, The Times of Israel, 31 March 2026; M. Kellyet al, ‘U.S. troops had little protection from drone strike that killed 6, imagery shows’, The Washington Post, 4 March 2026 Qatar,9M. Kellyet al, ‘U.S. troops had little protection from drone strike that killed 6, imagery shows’, The Washington Post, 4 March 2026 Jordan,10T. Bordeaux and G. Mezzofiore, ‘Radar bases housing key US missile interceptor hit in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, satellite images show’, CNN, 6 March 2026; V. Beauleet al, ‘US and allied radar sites in the Middle East struck at least 10 times: Visual analysis’, ABC News, 18 March 2026 and Saudi Arabia.11‘Five US Air Force refueling planes hit in Iranian strike on Saudi Arabia, WSJ reports’, Reuters, 14 March 2026; ‘Trump says most planes targeted in attack on Saudi Arabia base had little damage’, Reuters, 14 March 2026.

The US Ali Al Salem Air Base, Camp Buehring, and Camp Arifjan located in Kuwait were hit by Iranian Shahed-style drones on 28 February. Strikes aimed at Ali Al Salem Air Base resulted in more than a dozen structures being damaged, including four aircraft shelters and military storage equipment. A fire broke out at Camp Buehring, and at Camp Arifjan communication equipment was destroyed.12M. Kellyet al, ‘U.S. troops had little protection from drone strike that killed 6, imagery shows’, The Washington Post, 4 March 2026. A US logistical support unit working at the Shuaiba port of Kuwait was struck on 29 February, killing six US service members.13A. Hortonet al, ‘U.S. troops killed amid Iranian counterattack, fueling air defense fears’, The Washington Post, 2 March 2026.

The US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, located in Manama, Bahrain, was targeted by Iran on 28 February. It is unclear whether any US service members were injured in the attack.14M. Kellyet al, ‘U.S. troops had little protection from drone strike that killed 6, imagery shows’, The Washington Post, 4 March 2026. Iran also successfully targeted US military sites and assets in the UAE. Iran targeted the Al Dhafra Air Base on 28 February, as well as a small US military installation near Al Ruwais on 1 March. Two hangers at Al Dhafra suffered heavy damage in the first wave of strikes. Most missiles fired from Iran were, however, successfully intercepted.15J. Gambrell, ‘Satellite images begin to show damage wrought across the region by Iran war’, The Times of Israel, 31 March 2026; M. Kellyet al, ‘U.S. troops had little protection from drone strike that killed 6, imagery shows’, The Washington Post, 4 March 2026. On 28 February and 3 March, the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar was hit by Iranian missile and drone attacks.16M. Kellyet al, ‘U.S. troops had little protection from drone strike that killed 6, imagery shows’, The Washington Post, 4 March 2026.

The Muwaffaq Al Salti Air Base in Jordan was struck by Iran on 6 March.17T. Bordeaux and G. Mezzofiore, ‘Radar bases housing key US missile interceptor hit in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, satellite images show’, CNN, 6 March 2026; V. Beauleet al, ‘US and allied radar sites in the Middle East struck at least 10 times: Visual analysis’, ABC News, 18 March 2026. The US military suffered significant damage from two waves of Iranian strikes against the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. The first wave of attacks on 14 March damaged five US Air Force refuelling aircraft.18‘Five US Air Force refueling planes hit in Iranian strike on Saudi Arabia, WSJ reports’, Reuters, 14 March 2026; ‘Trump says most planes targeted in attack on Saudi Arabia base had little damage’, Reuters, 14 March 2026. The second wave of strikes carried out by Iran on 27 March injured twelve US soldiers. Two of these soldiers’ injuries were considered serious. At least two KC-135 aerial refuelling planes were also damaged in the attack.19E. Schmittet al, ‘12 U.S. Troops Injured in Attack on Saudi Base, Officials Say’, The New York Times, 28 March 2026.

On 20 March, Iran launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles directed at the joint US-UK Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean. However, the first missile malfunctioned during flight, while the second failed to reach its target after being intercepted by a US warship.20C. Kasapoğlu, ‘Iran’s Attempted Strike on Diego Garcia and the Emerging Strategic Threat’, Hudson Institute, 24 March 2026; ‘Iran targeted but did not hit Diego Garcia base with missiles, WSJ reports’, Reuters, 21 March 2026; S. Holliday and A. Dowell, ‘Iran Targeted Diego Garcia Base with Ballistic Missiles’, Iran Watch, 20 March 2026.

By 5 March, the IDF reported that its Air Force had executed 2,500 strikes aand used 6,000 munitions against Iranian military targets.21‘“This is truly historic cooperation..the U.S. Armed Forces and the IDF, the two strongest militaries in the world, control the skies over the world’s largest terror state”’, Israeli Defense Forces, 5 March 2026. The IDF posted an update on Operation Roaring Lion on social media in early March declaring that by 17 April it will have conducted more than 10,000 aerial strikes in Iran, killed at least twenty-eight senior Iranian leaders, and established aerial superiority over the skies of Iran.22‘“This is truly historic cooperation..the U.S. Armed Forces and the IDF, the two strongest militaries in the world, control the skies over the world’s largest terror state”’, Israeli Defense Forces, 5 March 2026.

Iran launched several strikes against Israel in retaliation to Operation Roaring Lion,23‘Why did US and Israel attack Iran and how long could the war last?’, BBC, 23 April 2026 including those launched on 28 February24P. Wintour, ‘Iran vows ‘no leniency’ as it launches reprisal attacks on Israel and US air bases’, The Guardian, 28 February 2026 1 April,R. Reddyet al, ‘Iran Update Special Report, April 1, 2026’, Institute for the Study of War, 1 April 2026 2 April,25B. Rezaeiet al, ‘Iran Update Special Report, April 1, 2026’, Institute for the Study of War, 1 April 2026 between 4 and 6 April,26T. Holcman and Y. Etiel, ‘WATCH: IDF confirms Iranian missile fragments hit near Kirya, multiple cars ablaze in Ramat Gan’, The Jerusalem Post, 4 April 2026; S. Frantzman, ‘Iranian ballistic missile cluster munitions strike dozens of sites in Israeli cities’, FDD’s Long War Journal, 7 April 2026 and 7 April.27Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian, X, 7 April 2026; Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian, X, 8 April 2026; Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian, X, 8 April 2026; Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian, X, 8 April 2026. The attack on 1 April was reportedly a coordinated effort between Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis (see above).28R. Reddyet al, ‘Iran Update Special Report, April 1, 2026’, Institute for the Study of War, 1 April 2026.

The ceasefire agreement negotiated on 7 April, ongoing at the time of reporting (26 April 2026),29‘Why did US and Israel attack Iran and how long could the war last?’, BBC, 23 April 2026. does not signal the end of the IAC. This is a factual assessment demanding the actual definitive closure of military operations.30‘How is the Term “Armed Conflict” Defined in International Humanitarian Law’, International Committee of the Red Cross, 2024, 10. How is the Term “Armed Conflict” Defined in International Humanitarian Law’, International Committee of the Red Cross, 2024, 10; ‘Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. Geneva, 12 August 1949, Commentary of 2025: Article 2 – Application of the Convention’, International Committee of the Red Cross: International Humanitarian Law Databases, para 347.

The IAC between Iran and the United States and Israel thus continued at the end of the reporting period.