The United States and Israel are in the 12th day of a joint military operation against Iran, raising concerns about a prolonged conflict and escalating tensions in the Middle East. The offensive, launched on February 28, marks a significant shift in strategy from previous engagements, moving beyond targeting nuclear infrastructure to what officials describe as a “decapitation” strike against Iranian leadership.
Disagreements Between the U.S. And Israel
The operation, dubbed “Epic Fury,” is being conducted by Israel and the U.S. In a parallel rather than fully coordinated manner. While intelligence is being shared and actions are being coordinated, there is no unified command structure. The Israeli Air Force carried out the February 28 airstrike on the compound of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, resulting in his death along with other top officials of the theocratic regime.
A similar dynamic played out in Sunday’s strike on oil storage facilities and refineries in Tehran. This action led to the first publicly acknowledged disagreement between the U.S. And Israel, with the White House urging Israel to refrain from such attacks, citing concerns that they would severely damage Iranian infrastructure and potentially alienate those opposed to the current regime. Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent Republican supporter of Israel, echoed this sentiment, tweeting, “Please be judicious in target selection.”
While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to assert the need to overthrow the Iranian regime, U.S. Officials are increasingly focused on limiting Iran’s military capabilities, specifically its nuclear program, navy, and ballistic missiles. President Donald Trump has stated that the war is nearing its end, a sentiment not shared by Israeli officials. “The war continues, we are not bound by any time limit,” Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated on Wednesday.
Our allies in Israel have shown amazing capability when it comes to collapsing the murderous regime in Iran. America is most appreciative.
However, there will be a day soon that the Iranian people will be in charge of their own fate, not the murderous ayatollah’s regime.
In…
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) March 9, 2026
Concerns Over Rising Oil and Gas Prices
Iran has employed a strategy of economic disruption, targeting neighboring states in the Persian Gulf and threatening attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global oil and gas supplies. A protracted conflict could lead to a sharp increase in fuel and energy prices in the U.S. And Europe.
This potential economic fallout poses a challenge for President Trump and his Republican party ahead of the October elections, where the party risks losing control of both chambers of Congress – the House of Representatives and the Senate – potentially hindering Trump’s ability to pursue his policy agenda.
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“People in the United States don’t care much about Iran. What they do care about are gas prices. A president who talks a lot about international affairs and little about prices in stores and how much dinner costs risks losing the trust of his voters,” John Feehery, a political marketer and strategist working for Trump’s Republican Party, told Reuters.
Tehran appears to be hoping that Trump will end Operation Epic Fury under pressure from economic problems, potentially presenting its survival as a victory. Trump’s statements have been ambiguous, at times suggesting the war is nearing completion and at others threatening its expansion.
Iranian Defiance
According to Politico, President Trump appears to have operated under the assumption that he could replicate the situation in Venezuela, failing to fully account for the differences between the two regimes and countries. In Venezuela, U.S. Special forces arrested and transported President Nicolás Maduro to the U.S., after which the Venezuelan leadership largely acceded to Trump’s conditions.
Iran is taking a different approach, with the Assembly of Experts selecting Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as the new Supreme Leader. The new leader is reportedly a hardliner who rejects any reconciliation or compromise with the U.S.
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There are currently no indications of a political weakening of the regime, although few anticipated that the overthrow of the theocratic system would be possible through air strikes and Tomahawk missile attacks alone.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth admitted at a press conference that the U.S. Did not anticipate such intense Iranian shelling of countries in the Persian Gulf, but described it as an Iranian mistake.
Degradation of Iranian Military Capabilities
Although Iranian armed forces appear to have a firm grip on the situation within the country, U.S. And Israeli strikes have likely reduced the country’s stock of ballistic missiles and its naval fleet. The majority of Iran’s air defense systems have too likely been destroyed.
There is no information available regarding nuclear facilities, which were targeted by U.S. B-2 bombers last June. There are reports that the Pentagon is considering sending special forces to secure stockpiles of enriched uranium, but this remains unconfirmed speculation.
