A woman looks to the sky from a Tehran rooftop on Saturday after Israel and the US began an air attack on Iran. Photograph: Getty ImagesThis is not merely another round in the decades-long struggle between Israel and Iran and its proxies for regional hegemony. The war is already a regional conflict, with Iran targeting US bases across the region, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait. The operation has been planned for months in intense detail with close co-operation between American and Israeli leaders and military commanders. The Iranian military is no match for the array of firepower the US has amassed in the region in recent months.

Source: The Irish Times February 28, 2026 14:19 UTC