A joint military campaign by the United States and Israel against Iran is rapidly escalating into a broader regional war. The operation, known as Operation Epic Fury, began on February 28, 2026. Since then, the conflict has intensified, involving missile strikes, cyberattacks, and naval engagements across multiple areas of the region.
As violence spreads, thousands of civilians are evacuating affected areas. Fatalities include 165 people at an Iranian elementary school, many of them schoolgirls, and six U.S. troops who were killed by a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait. The fighting has also extended beyond the Middle East. In one recent development, a U.S. strike sank an Iranian warship off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, killing dozens of sailors.
During a press briefing this week, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth defended the joint military actions.
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