Trump Launches Four-Week War Against Iran Across Gulf Region

Operation Epic Fury Escalates Rapidly

President Donald Trump launched Operation Epic Fury over the weekend, killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in what has become the most significant military confrontation with Iran since 1979. Trump expects the bombing campaign to last four to five weeks, but said "we have capability to go far longer than that" as the conflict rapidly expands beyond Iran's borders.

The president outlined four explicit objectives: destroying Iran's missile capabilities, "annihilating" its Navy (with 10 ships already knocked out), preventing nuclear weapons acquisition, and stopping Iran from funding terrorist armies . More than 1,000 targets were hit over the first 24 hours , marking the most intensive U.S. military operation in the Middle East in decades.

The strikes have resulted in the deaths of six American service members , while at least 555 people have been killed across Iran in the joint US-Israeli attacks . Trump said the U.S. military will "easily prevail" over the Iranian regime , despite mounting casualties on both sides.

Iran Strikes Back Across the Gulf

Iran's retaliation has transformed a bilateral conflict into a regional crisis. Iran launched dozens of drones and ballistic missiles throughout the Persian Gulf, targeting Israel as well as US military bases in Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates . On February 28 alone, Iran fired at least 247 ballistic missiles and 230 drones at three Gulf states .

At least one person has been killed in Kuwait, three in the UAE, and 16 injured in Qatar, while nine have been killed and 121 wounded in Israel . In Abu Dhabi, an Iranian drone struck Zayed International Airport, killing one Asian national and injuring seven others . Saudi Arabia temporarily shut down the Ras Tanura refinery after a drone attack .

Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted global oil and gas shipments , with 150 freight ships, including many oil tankers, stalled behind the strait . American motorists could soon pay more at the pump amid spiking oil prices as the conflict threatens global energy markets.

Regional Powers Face Impossible Choice

Gulf states face an impossible choice after Iranian missiles struck their cities: remain passive, or risk being seen as fighting alongside Israel . Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE all temporarily closed their airspace and condemned Iran's attacks on their territories , while maintaining they don't want to be drawn into the conflict.

Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria and the UAE closed their respective airspace following the attacks, with multiple airliners being redirected and major airlines suspending services to the Middle East . The immediate fear for Gulf leaders centers on their most vulnerable infrastructure, as strikes on power grids, water desalination plants and energy infrastructure could make the scorching hot Gulf countries "essentially uninhabitable" .

Sixteen percent of the world's energy comes from Qatar, and 33 percent of global oil flows from the wider region through the Strait of Hormuz, making this "the most important geopolitical location for the world's energy supply" . According to analysis, prolonging the conflict would mean a "catastrophe" for Gulf states such as Qatar and the UAE .

Diplomatic Efforts Collapse as War Intensifies

Before Saturday's strikes, Trump and his officials overstated Iran's capabilities to attack the US and exaggerated how close Tehran was to developing a nuclear weapon . Trump's accusation that Iran is building nuclear weapons that could "soon" reach the U.S. is contradicted by a 2025 federal assessment that said Iran is years away from long-range missile capability .

The U.S. and Israel bombed Iran after three rounds of nuclear negotiations, mediated by Oman, failed to produce a breakthrough . Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said senior officials "bent over backward" to reach a diplomatic solution with Iran, but the regime was "stalling" .

The conflict now threatens to reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics permanently. Pentagon chief Hegseth declared, "We didn't start this war, but under President Trump