After the U.S. and Israel launched their massive air war against Iran last weekend, their initial attacks targeted military installations and the Iranian leadership, doing massive damage to the former and killing many of the latter, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran has retaliated with its own airstrikes, targeting U.S. military bases across the Gulf—including in Kuwait, where six U.S. troops were killed—and cities in Israel, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Since then, the war has expanded rapidly. Iran has now broadened its targeting to include a British air base in Cyprus, oil and gas infrastructure across the Gulf, and most recently an airport in Azerbaijan. This was a clearer statement of purpose than the litany of rationales Trump offered during his recent state of the union address.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 06, 2026 14:18 UTC