On Feb. 28, 2026, the United States and Iran began a direct, full-scale war known as “Operation Epic Fury”, initiated by US-Israeli Airstrikes. The attacks marked a major escalation in tensions in the Middle East that has been building up for years, pushing countries into one of the most dangerous conflicts in recent history.
President Trump held an eight minute press conference the day the war began, stating, “Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people. Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our allies throughout the world.”
The first day of conflict resulted in the death of Iran’s long-serving leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, the war has spread beyond international military conflict, it has begun to damage energy facilities, increasing gasoline prices, and worsening inflation globally.
As of March 23, 2026, the United States has deployed an estimated total of 50,000 troops into the Middle East, around 2,500 of those soldiers being Marines. However, only 13 service members have passed away, with a total of 200 wounded.
In terms of allies, the United States is currently teamed up with Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu. Nevertheless, certain nations, who have been considered American allies in the past, are against this ongoing dispute, including powerful nations like England and France.
“I mean, our allies, obviously, they’re going to jump for joy because of this, but the nations who are opposed to us, I think will just have those positions emboldened by this action,” says Glen Rock High School History teacher Mr. Pohlman.
Currently, the United States has launched successful operations within the Middle East and Iran itself. Although the United States has reported early military successes, the long-term consequences of the conflict remain uncertain.
