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Israel and U.S. launch strikes on Iran, targeting its leadership

February 28, 2026 5 min read International Relations GS2 (International Relations West Asia) GS3 (Internal Security Energy Security)
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What Happened

  • On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against Iran in a daytime operation targeting the country's political and military leadership, ballistic missile infrastructure, nuclear program facilities, and air defense installations.
  • The US operation was codenamed "Operation Epic Fury" and the Israeli operation "Roaring Lion"; the strikes targeted hundreds of missile and air defense sites simultaneously.
  • The strikes represent the most significant direct US military action against Iran since the 1980 hostage crisis era, and mark a fundamental escalation beyond the decades-long proxy conflict pattern.
  • Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) subsequently issued warnings to vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, signaling potential disruption to one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints.
  • Iran launched counterstrikes against US military bases in the region, including facilities in Bahrain and the UAE, marking an unprecedented escalation in the direct Iran-US military confrontation.

Static Topic Bridges

Iran's Political System: The Velayat-e-Faqih (Guardian Jurist) Structure

Iran's political system is a unique hybrid of theocracy and republicanism established by the 1979 Islamic Revolution under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. The Constitution of 1979 (amended 1989) instituted the principle of Velayat-e-Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist), under which supreme authority rests with a senior religious scholar rather than elected officials. This structure fundamentally shapes how foreign policy, military command, and nuclear decision-making operate in Iran.

  • The Supreme Leader holds ultimate authority over all state functions: commands the armed forces (including the IRGC), appoints judiciary heads, approves presidential candidates, and controls foreign and nuclear policy.
  • The President handles day-to-day government but has significantly less power than the Supreme Leader.
  • The Assembly of Experts (86 elected clerics) selects and can dismiss the Supreme Leader.
  • The Guardian Council (12 members, half appointed by the Supreme Leader) vets all legislation and election candidates — making it a key instrument of theocratic control.
  • The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — with approximately 190,000 active personnel and 600,000 including reserves — operates parallel to the regular army, controls Iran's ballistic missile program, manages nuclear security, and runs a vast economic empire through its affiliated foundations (bonyads).

Connection to this news: The strike specifically targeted Iran's leadership structure. The killing of the Supreme Leader disrupts the Velayat-e-Faqih chain of command at its apex, triggering an unprecedented succession crisis and raising questions about who commands the IRGC's arsenal, including ballistic missiles and nuclear-adjacent capabilities.

Iran's Nuclear Program and the Architecture of Non-Proliferation

Iran's nuclear program has been at the center of global non-proliferation concerns since the early 2000s, when undeclared enrichment facilities were exposed. Iran maintains it is pursuing civilian nuclear energy under Article IV of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), while the US, EU, and IAEA have long expressed concerns about weapons-related activities. The 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) placed verifiable limits on enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief; the US withdrew in 2018 under the Trump administration, after which Iran progressively exceeded JCPOA limits.

  • By 2025, Iran had enriched uranium to 60% purity (weapons-grade is ~90%), with stockpiles sufficient for multiple devices if further enriched.
  • The IAEA reported Iran was enriching uranium at the Fordow and Natanz facilities at rates exceeding JCPOA limits.
  • In June 2025, the US conducted Operation Midnight Hammer targeting Iran's key nuclear sites, reportedly setting back the program by two years.
  • The IRGC's Aerospace Force manages Iran's ballistic missile program — one of the largest in the Middle East — with ranges covering Israel, US bases in the Gulf, and parts of Europe.
  • Iran's proxy network (Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Iraqi PMF) forms the "Axis of Resistance" — a deterrence-by-proxy strategy to raise the cost of direct strikes on Iran.

Connection to this news: The February 2026 strikes targeted both nuclear infrastructure and the military command responsible for the missile program. The simultaneous targeting of leadership and military capability reflects a "decapitation plus disarmament" strategy intended to degrade Iran's retaliatory capacity.

India and West Asia: Energy, Diaspora, and Geopolitical Stakes

India has deep and complex interests in West Asia. The region supplies approximately 60% of India's crude oil imports, hosts over 9 million Indian diaspora workers (who remit nearly USD 40 billion annually), and is a critical arena for India's strategic relationships with both the US and Gulf states. India's traditional policy of "strategic autonomy" in West Asia has sought to maintain equidistance between Iran (a historic partner and key transit route to Central Asia via the Chabahar port), Israel (a major defense partner), and the Gulf Arab states (key economic partners).

  • India imports approximately 2.5-2.7 million barrels per day of crude oil; roughly 50% transits through the Strait of Hormuz.
  • India and Iran signed a 10-year contract for the development of Chabahar port (Shahid Beheshti terminal) — India's strategic counter to Pakistan's Gwadar port and a key access route to Afghanistan and Central Asia without crossing Pakistan.
  • India has been designated a "Major Defense Partner" by the US and Israel is India's second-largest defense supplier; both relationships would be strained by any visible support for Iran.
  • India's response to the West Asian crisis has historically involved: evacuating diaspora (as in Operation Kaveri during Sudan crisis 2023), securing alternative oil supplies, and issuing advisories to seafarers — all while maintaining formal neutrality.
  • India issued an urgent advisory for seafarers amid the Strait of Hormuz tensions, reflecting immediate energy security concerns.

Connection to this news: The US-Israel strikes on Iran put India's "strategic autonomy" policy under pressure — India must navigate between its US and Israeli defense partnerships, its energy dependence on Gulf routes, its Chabahar investment in Iran, and its stated commitment to a multipolar world order.

Key Facts & Data

  • Operation names: US — "Operation Epic Fury"; Israel — "Roaring Lion" (February 28, 2026).
  • Iran's IRGC: ~190,000 active personnel, 600,000 with reserves; manages ballistic missile program and nuclear security.
  • Iran nuclear enrichment status (pre-strike): 60% purity uranium stockpiles at Fordow and Natanz facilities.
  • Iran's proxy network: Hezbollah (Lebanon), Hamas (Gaza), Houthis (Yemen), Iraqi PMF — collectively the "Axis of Resistance."
  • India's oil exposure: ~50% of crude imports (2.5–2.7 mn barrels/day) transit through Strait of Hormuz.
  • India-Iran Chabahar port: 10-year operational agreement signed; India's strategic gateway to Central Asia bypassing Pakistan.
  • India's diaspora in the Gulf: ~9 million workers; remittances ~USD 40 billion/year.
  • Iran's IRGC designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the US in 2019.
  • 2015 JCPOA: Iran agreed to cap enrichment at 3.67%, reduce stockpile to 300 kg — deal collapsed after US withdrawal in 2018.
  • India is a Major Defense Partner of the US (2016) and Israel is India's second-largest defense supplier.