Iran & America: A Century and Counting · Episode 11 of 11 · 18 min
Operation Epic Fury: The 2026 US–Iran War and the Hormuz Oil Shock
On February 28, 2026, the U.S. and Israel launched roughly 900 strikes in about twelve hours, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran retaliated with missiles and drones and moved to close the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil past $100 a barrel. A fragile Pakistan-mediated ceasefire followed, and the war's outcome is still unfolding.
Who's who
- Ali KhameneiSupreme Leader since 1989; killed in the opening strikes
- Donald Trump+11 more episodesU.S. president who authorized the campaign
Where it happens
- Strait of Hormuz+1 more episodeChokepoint for roughly a fifth of the world's oil
- IsraelJoint launcher of the strikes and target of Iranian retaliation
- Gulf statesAllied states targeted by Iranian missiles and drones
- PakistanMediator of the April ceasefire
Timeline
- February 28, 2026Operation Epic Fury begins with about 900 strikes in twelve hours; Khamenei is killed.
- 2026Iran retaliates with missiles and drones and moves to close the Strait of Hormuz; Brent crude passes $100.
- April 8, 2026A Pakistan-mediated ceasefire takes hold.
- April 21, 2026The ceasefire is extended indefinitely.
- Late May 2026Negotiators reach a tentative 60-day truce extension and new nuclear talks.
Still debated
The war is too recent for historical consensus. Its justification, legality, the intelligence behind it and its long-term consequences are all unresolved and actively contested.
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