US & ‘Israel’ at war with Iran | Day 27 coverage
The 2026 Iran War began on February 28 when the United States and ‘Israel’ launched an operation dubbed Epic Fury by the US and Lion's Roar by ‘Israel’, unleashing nearly 900 airstrikes in 12 hours on Iranian missile systems, air defenses, nuclear facilities, military bases, and leadership targets.
This direct assault followed years of shadow war, including the first-ever Iran-‘Israel’ missile exchanges in April and October 2024 and a limited 12-day war in June 2025 that damaged Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of top officials were killed in the opening salvo, while a US Tomahawk strike on a school adjacent to a naval base near Bandar Abbas killed about 170 civilians, mostly children.
Iran responded within hours by firing hundreds of ballistic missiles and launching thousands of drones at ‘Israel’, US bases in the Gulf, and targets in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait.
Tehran restricted passage through the Strait of Hormuz—through which 20% of global oil flows—disrupting shipping and spiking oil prices.
The retaliation reignited fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon, prompting ‘Israeli’ strikes there and spreading the conflict regionally while hitting civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, airports, and heritage sites.
Over the next three weeks, US-‘Israeli’ forces conducted sustained air campaigns that destroyed much of Iran’s air-defense network, missile production sites and navy assets.
Iran appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the new supreme leader, but pragmatic senior official Ali Larijani was assassinated in an ‘Israeli’ strike on March 17.
More than 80,000 civilian sites were hit, including 260 medical facilities and UNESCO-listed buildings, causing widespread blackouts, fuel shortages, toxic pollution, and over 2,000 total deaths across Iran, ‘Israel’, Lebanon, and Gulf states.
The war remained active in its fourth week with ongoing US-‘Israeli’ airstrikes on remaining Iranian targets and Iranian retaliatory barrages, including recent cluster-munition attacks on ‘Israel’ and a failed long-range missile attempt at Diego Garcia.
Trump has threatened to destroy Iran’s power plants unless the Strait of Hormuz reopens fully but has signaled possible winding down or deals, which Tehran denies pursuing.
Pentagon skips global troop posture report for first time in decades
Pentagon will not publish its traditional review of overseas troop deployments, according to Politico, citing senior officials.
UN chief warns of global impact from Hormuz closure
Antonio Guterres warned that the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz is “choking the movement of oil, gas [and] fertilizer at a critical moment in the global planting season.”
Iran insisted the strait remains open, stating that ships not affiliated with the US, 'Israel', or their allies can navigate the waterway safely.
Guterres highlighted the toll on civilians, saying: “Across the region and beyond, civilians are enduring serious harm and living under profound insecurity.” He urged an immediate end to hostilities as the most effective way to alleviate human suffering.
Hezbollah hits Merkava tank in southern Lebanon
Hezbollah announced it targeted a 'Israel' Merkava tank with a guided missile in the town of Dibl, southern Lebanon.
The group said the strike resulted in a direct hit, though no information on casualties or damage has been independently confirmed.
Five killed, nine injured in 'Israeli' airstrikes on southern Lebanon
The Lebanese Ministry of Health confirmed that five people were killed and nine injured after two airstrikes by 'Israel' targeted the towns of Al-Bisariyeh and Harouf in southern Lebanon.
US says it struck 10,000 targets in Iran
The United States Central Command said it has struck more than 10,000 military targets inside Iran, according to remarks reported by The Wall Street Journal.
Citing the commander of US Central Command, the report said American forces had “completely or partially destroyed” most of Iran’s missile and drone manufacturing facilities.
The commander also claimed that about 92 percent of Iran’s largest naval vessels were sunk as a result of US strikes, describing a significant blow to Tehran’s maritime capabilities.
“Our operational assessment is that Iran has lost the ability to effectively project its naval influence,” the commander said.
Saudi air defenses intercept drones in eastern region
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said air defense systems successfully intercepted and destroyed two hostile drones in the country’s eastern region.
In a brief statement, the ministry confirmed the operation, noting that the aerial threats were neutralized before reaching their targets. No casualties or material damage were reported.
VIDEO - Trump to “unleash hell” if Iran doesn't makes deal: White House
Trump is ready to "unleash hell" on Iran if Tehran does not accept a deal to end the war in the Middle East, the White House warns.
"If Iran fails to accept the reality of the current moment, if they fail to understand that they have been defeated militarily and will continue to be, President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tells reporters during a briefing.
