In the early morning of Saturday, February 28th, the United States launched a military attack on Iran. The attack, President Donald Trump says, was to address “menacing activities” which threaten the U.S, U.S troops and bases, and its allies around the world.
This is the second time the U.S has moved against Iran under President Trump, the first attack being last year on an Iranian nuclear facility. Trump stated that following this attack, Iranian leadership continued “developing long range missiles that can now threaten our very good friends and allies in Europe, our troops stationed overseas, and could soon reach the American homeland.”
This time, the strikes were done alongside Israel. Trump and Israeli officials confirmed that Israel Defense Force (IDF) strikes killed the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was in the position since 1989. In retaliation, Iran has attacked Israel, U.S military bases, and multiple Gulf states which include the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and more.
The Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian issued a statement saying, “The Islamic Republic of Iran considers bloodshed and revenge against the perpetrators and commanders of this historical crime as its legitimate duty and right, and will do its utmost to fulfill this great responsibility and duty,”
As a result of the attack, flights have been cancelled, stock markets are roiling, protests have broken out, and oil prices have soared in the region. Multiple U.S government officials have made statements saying the objective of the war is to bring regime change, destroy Iranian nuclear programs, and to eradicate the Iranian Navy.
“When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,” said President Trump, emphasizing his wish for a new government in the country.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio reasoned, “This operation needed to happen because Iran, in about a year or a year and a half, would cross the line of immunity, meaning they would have so many short-range missiles, so many drones, that no one could do anything about it because they could hold the whole world hostage,”
As of right now, six days after the initial attack, the U.S government has stated that this conflict has only just begun. Millions of lives across the Middle East and foreign citizens stuck in the region are at risk, and the Middle East being one of the world’s most important sources of oil the war has global effects on the economy. The attacks have been divisive, with some praising the administration for taking preemptive action to the threat of Iran developing nuclear power, and some seeing the attack as unnecessary and a continuation of “forever” wars, something President Trump promised he would not partake in during his re-election campaign, positioning himself as a peace candidate.
