{"id":49349,"date":"2026-04-03T02:14:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T02:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/49349\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T02:14:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T02:14:26","slug":"iran-israel-and-the-united-states-at-war-2025-2026-operations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/49349\/","title":{"rendered":"Iran, Israel and the United States at War (2025-2026 Operations)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The United States and Israel launched<\/a> a series of strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, bombing numerous sites in the cities of Tehran and across the country. Strikes killed<\/a> Iran\u2019s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other members of Iran\u2019s leadership, including the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the country\u2019s defense minister<\/a>. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones at Israel and at U.S. military bases<\/a> and other locations in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, including oil and gas facilities<\/a> and a residential high-rise building<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Previously, Israel\u2019s military had launched a series of strikes on Iran beginning on June 13, 2025, targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and scientists, military sites, and leadership, marking a major escalation in ongoing tensions between the two countries. On June 21, the United States conducted<\/a> airstrikes on three nuclear sites in Iran \u2013 Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan \u2013 joining the armed conflict and marking the first direct U.S. military attack on Iran\u2019s nuclear program.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In this collection, experts analyze critical dimensions of the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and responses from Iran and other actors. Analysis covers topics including nuclear diplomacy; strategic, security, and regional implications; and the legality of the strikes and responses under both domestic and international law.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This collection will be updated as events continue to unfold, in reverse chronological order. We invite you to check back regularly for the latest.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Operation Epic Fury\/Operation Roaring Lion (Beginning February 2026)<\/p>\n

Michael W. Meier, \u201cPrecision Strike Missiles\u201d (PrSMs) in Iran War: The U.S. Obligation to Conduct a Legal Review of New Weapons<\/a> (April 2, 2026)
\nTom Dannenbaum, Rebecca Hamilton, Adil Ahmad Haque, Oona A. Hathaway and Gabor Rona, Over 100 International Law Experts Warn: U.S. Strikes on Iran Violate UN Charter and May Be War Crimes<\/a> (April 2, 2026)
\nLuca Trenta and Arturo Jimenez-Bacardi, Khamenei\u2019s Killing and the Perilous Death of the Assassination Ban<\/a> (April 1, 2026)
\nAnnie Shiel and Priyanka Motaparthy, In the U.S. Strike on an Iranian School, What a Serious Military Investigation Should Look Like<\/a> (March 30, 2026)
\nMichael Schmitt, Tess Bridgeman and Ryan Goodman, Expert Q&A: A Targeting Primer on Iran War<\/a> (March 27, 2026)
\nJosph N. Orenstein, When Intelligence Fails: A Legal Targeting Analysis of the Minab School Strike<\/a> (March 26, 2026)
\nW. Casey Biggerstaff, Targeting Enemy Logistics<\/a> (March 25, 2026)
\nJean-Baptiste Dudant, Self-Preservation and the Erosion of International Law<\/a> (March 25, 2026)
\nLt. Col. Jahara Matisek, Iran Built a Military to Survive the American Way of War: Should we be Surprised?<\/a> (March 25, 2026)
\nAli Sanaei, Hegseth Didn\u2019t Revive an Ancient Warrior Ethos. He Repeated an American Pattern.<\/a> (March 23, 2026)
\nChris Rogers, How Iran, Anthropic-DoD Dispute Show the Need for Protective AI<\/a> (March 23, 2026)
\nMichael J. Glennon, The Court Gutted Congress\u2019s War Power. It\u2019s Time to Give It Back.<\/a> (March 23, 2026)
\nGabor Rona, Fighting an Illegal War and Fighting a War Illegally: the Link between Regime Change Operations and International Humanitarian Law Violations<\/a> (March 20, 2026)
\nBrian Finucane, An Unserious Justification for an Unnecessary War: Assessing the U.S. \u201cArticle 51\u201d Letter to U.N. on Iran War<\/a> (March 18, 2026)
\nJesse Ramsdell, The Entrenchment of Iran\u2019s Security State<\/a> (March 16, 2026)
\nMichael Schmitt and Rob McLaughlin, Expert Q&A on Key Law of Naval Warfare Issues in the Conflict with Iran<\/a> (March 15, 2026)
\nMark Nevitt, Legal and Operational Issues in the Strait of Hormuz: Transit Passage Under Fire<\/a> (March 15, 2026)
\nDaniel\u00a0Maurer,\u00a0Hypothetical Legal Advice to SecDef Hegseth on \u201cNo Quarter\u201d Statement (from Office of General Counsel)<\/a> (March 14, 2026)
\nKlaudia Klonowska and Michael Schmitt, Iranian Attacks on the Amazon Data Centers: A Legal Analysis<\/a> (March 12, 2026)
\nAdil Ahmad Haque, The Illegality of Israel\u2019s Military Campaign in Lebanon<\/a> (March 11, 2026)
\nTom Dannenbaum and Rebecca Hamilton, Aggression, Plain and Simple: A Response to Shany and Cohen on the Attack on Iran<\/a> (March 10, 2026)
\nBrian Finucane, Iran, War Powers, and the Power of the Purse: Leverage or Legalization<\/a> (March 9, 2026)
\nMichael Schmitt and Elizabeth Hutton,\u00a0Sinking Iran\u2019s Frigate IRIS Dena and the Law of Naval Warfare<\/a> (March 8, 2026)
\nYuval Shany and Amichai Cohen, The International Community at a Crossroads Over Iran: The reawakening of \u201cillegal but legitimate\u201d or the \u201claw of self-preservation\u201d?<\/a> (March 6, 2026)<\/p>\n

Marko Milanovic and Michael Schmitt, Was Targeting Ayatollah Khamenei and Other Iranian Leaders Lawful? What Precedents Does It Set?<\/a> (March 4, 2026)
\nEliav Lieblich, Double Preemption, Imminence, and the U.S. Attack Against Iran<\/a> (March 3, 2026)
\nTess Bridgeman, Kate Brannen and Ryan Goodman, Top Questions the Trump Administration Needs to Answer on War with Iran \u2013 What Congress, journalists, and the public should ask<\/a> (March 2, 2026)
\nAdil Ahmad Haque, Aggression by the United States and Israel, Misdirected Self-Defense by Iran, and Collective Self-Defense of Gulf States<\/a> (Mar. 2, 2026)
\nRebecca Hamilton, International Reactions to Military Strikes on Iran: A Tipping Point for the UN Charter?<\/a> (Feb. 28, 2026)
\nBrian Egan and Tess Bridgeman, Top Experts\u2019 Backgrounder: Military Action Against Iran and US Domestic Law<\/a> (Feb. 28, 2026)
\nMichael Schmitt, Tess Bridgeman and Ryan Goodman, Expert Q&A: Are U.S. Threats or Use of Force Against Iran Lawful?<\/a> (Feb. 28, 2026)
\nNema Milaninia, What the Current Crises Facing Iran Mean for Human Rights and Rules on the Use of Force<\/a> (Feb. 20, 2026)<\/p>\n

Operation Rising Lion\/Operation Midnight Hammer (June 2025 Israel\/U.S.-Iran War)<\/p>\n

Richard Nephew, Tess Bridgeman, and Maya Nir, The Just Security Podcast: Is There a Diplomatic Path for Iran\u2019s Nuclear Program? An Interview with Richard Nephew<\/a> (July 7, 2025)
\nBrian Finucane, Assessing the U.S. Article 51 Letter for the Attack on Iran: Legal Lipstick on the Use of Force Pig<\/a> (July 3, 2025)
\nMichael J. Glennon, The U.S. Attack on Iran Was Unconstitutional<\/a> (July 1, 2025)
\nBrian O\u2019Neill, What Counts as a Win?: Battle Damage Assessments and Public Messaging<\/a> (June 30, 2025)
\nBrianna Rosen, Intelligence Implications of the Shifting Iran Strike Narrative<\/a> (June 26, 2025)
\nMatthew Levitt, Why War? Why Now? Assessing Iranian Intentions and Capabilities<\/a> (June 26, 2025)
\nNema Milaninia, From War to Control: How the Recent Iran-Israel Conflict Risks Deepening the Islamic Republic\u2019s Repression<\/a> (June 26, 2025)
\nBrian Finucane, The Trump Administration\u2019s Flawed War Powers Report on Iran and the Need for a Congressional Rebuttal<\/a> (June 24, 2025)
\nGregory B. Craig, President Trump\u2019s Decision to Bomb Iran: From Bad to Worse<\/a> (June 24, 2025)
\nBrianna Rosen, Tess Bridgeman, and Nima Gerami, The Day After U.S. Strikes on Iran\u2019s Nuclear Program: A Policy and Legal Assessment<\/a> (June 22, 2025)
\nAdil Haque, Indefensible: Israel\u2019s Unlawful Attack on Iran<\/a> (June 19, 2025)
\nBrian Egan and Tess Bridgeman, Top Experts\u2019 Backgrounder: Military Action Against Iran and US Domestic Law<\/a> (updated on June 18, 2025)
\nDalia Dassa Kaye, Israel and Iran: A War with No Off-Ramp<\/a> (June 17, 2025)
\nAmichai Cohen and Yuval Shany<\/a>, A New War or a New Stage in Ongoing War \u2013 Observations on June 13 Israeli Attack against Iran<\/a> (June 15, 2025)
\nNima Gerami, The Strategic Stakes after Israel\u2019s Strikes on Iran<\/a> (June 13, 2025)\u00a0
\nBrian O\u2019Neill, The Israeli Strike on Iran the U.S. Saw Coming, but Couldn\u2019t Stop<\/a> (June 13, 2025)\u00a0
\nKelsey Davenport, Israeli Strikes Risk Driving Iran Toward Nuclear Weapons<\/a> (June 13, 2025)\u00a0<\/p>\n

FEATURED IMAGE: (L) People and first-responders gather outside a building that was hit by an Israeli strike in Tehran on June 13, 2025. Israel hit about 100 targets in Iran on June 13, including nuclear facilities and military command centres and killing senior figures including the armed forces chief and top nuclear scientists. (Photo by MEGHDAD MADADI\/TASNIM NEWS\/AFP via Getty Images); (M) Smoke rises from a location allegedly targeted in Israel’s wave of strikes on Tehran, Iran, on early morning of June 13, 2025. (Photo by SAN\/Middle East Images\/AFP via Getty Images) (R) Iranian protesters march in Tehran’s Revolution Square following Israeli airstrikes on the country, on June 13, 2025 in Tehran, Iran. (Photo by Majid Saeedi\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The United States and Israel launched a series of strikes against Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, bombing numerous…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":49350,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[7229,20093,10346,20094,41,7758,20095,989,38,20096,20097,19850,20098,4625,34,16376,37,49,3919,20099,1258,269,212,772,15903,20100,3955,20101,2302],"class_list":{"0":"post-49349","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-iran","8":"tag-aggression","9":"tag-anticipatory-self-defense","10":"tag-armed-conflicts","11":"tag-article-24","12":"tag-benjamin-netanyahu","13":"tag-collection-israel-iran-conflict","14":"tag-congressional-oversight","15":"tag-diplomacy","16":"tag-donald-trump","17":"tag-enrichment","18":"tag-expert-backgrounder","19":"tag-humanitarian-intervention","20":"tag-international-atomic-energy-association-iaea","21":"tag-international-law","22":"tag-iran","23":"tag-islamic-revolutionary-guard-corps-irgc","24":"tag-israel","25":"tag-middle-east","26":"tag-naval-warfare","27":"tag-non-proliferation","28":"tag-nuclear","29":"tag-nuclear-weapons","30":"tag-operation-epic-fury","31":"tag-pete-hegseth","32":"tag-trump-administration-second-term","33":"tag-unilateral-use-of-force","34":"tag-united-states-us","35":"tag-use-of-force","36":"tag-war-powers"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49349"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49349\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49350"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}