US-Iran-Israel War
US, Israeli, and Iranian forces remain in a direct military confrontation that has spread across the Gulf, with the Strait of Hormuz and regional energy infrastructure at the center of the conflict.
The fighting has already included strikes on Iran, missile and drone attacks on Gulf states, and repeated clashes over maritime control. The war is now shaping energy security well beyond the battlefield, after Iran’s attacks damaged the UAE’s Habshan gas facility and left repairs stretching into 2027.
The immediate question is whether the fighting can be contained long enough to keep shipping open and prevent further strikes on civilian and economic targets.
US-Iran hostility began after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, when the new Islamic Republic broke with Washington following the overthrow of the US-backed shah and the embassy hostage crisis.
The rivalry hardened through the Iran-Iraq War, decades of sanctions, and repeated disputes over Iran’s regional alliances and missile program. Iran’s nuclear program became the central flashpoint in the 2000s after secret facilities were revealed, drawing international scrutiny and sanctions.
The 2015 JCPOA briefly limited enrichment, but the deal collapsed after the United States withdrew in 2018, and years of proxy attacks, maritime incidents, and airstrikes steadily pushed the confrontation toward open war.
Timeline
Donald Trump
US president leading military pressure, ceasefire efforts, and maritime security operations in the Gulf.
Benjamin Netanyahu
Israeli prime minister directing the campaign against Iranian nuclear, military, and leadership targets.
Mojtaba Khamenei
Iran’s supreme leader after the death of Ali Khamenei, overseeing Iran’s wartime response.
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Iranian military force carrying out missile, drone, and maritime attacks.
Brad Cooper
US Central Command admiral responsible for US naval operations tied to the Strait of Hormuz.
United Arab Emirates leadership
UAE authorities managing defense of critical infrastructure and recovery from attacks on gas facilities.
- •The United States seeks to limit Iran’s military and nuclear reach, keep the Strait of Hormuz open, and protect US forces and partners in the Gulf.
- •Iran seeks to preserve regime security, force relief from sanctions, and use pressure on shipping and regional infrastructure to deter further attacks.
- •Israel seeks to destroy or sharply weaken Iran’s nuclear, missile, and command capabilities and reduce the threat from Tehran-backed forces.
- •The United Arab Emirates seeks to protect critical energy infrastructure, restore damaged facilities, and avoid being drawn deeper into the war.
United States and Israel
Washington and Tel Aviv present their strikes as necessary to stop Iran from threatening regional security and nuclear proliferation. They also frame maritime operations in the Gulf as a way to keep trade moving and prevent Iran from using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage. From their view, sustained military pressure is meant to force Tehran back toward talks on terms it cannot control. They also point to attacks on Gulf infrastructure as evidence that Iran is willing to widen the conflict.
Iran
Tehran describes its retaliation as a response to attacks on Iranian leaders, facilities, and territory. It says pressure on shipping and strikes on Gulf targets are meant to impose costs on its enemies and deter more attacks. Iranian officials argue that any settlement must include sovereignty guarantees and sanctions relief. They present continued US and Israeli operations as proof that diplomacy alone cannot protect Iran’s interests.
United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi presents the attacks on its energy sites as assaults on civilian infrastructure and regional stability. It has focused on protecting critical facilities, limiting disruption to exports, and pressing for outside support. The UAE also wants to avoid a wider regional war while dealing with the long repair cycle at Habshan. Its position is shaped by the need to keep energy markets supplied and prevent more spillover from the fighting.
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