On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran intending to eliminate alleged nuclear threats, killing supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran retaliated by striking Israel and U.S. military bases across the Middle East. Strikes from both sides have continued, and no immediate end to the fighting is in sight.
So far, an estimated 1,300 or more Iranians have been killed, and over 300,000 people have been displaced. Other countries in the area have also been hit, including Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE. Effects of the war can be seen worldwide, with the disruption to global trade causing a surge in oil prices.
Many Californians feared the violence would reach them after the FBI’s recent alert stating that, as of early February, Iran had purported plans to launch a surprise drone attack on unspecified locations in California if the U.S. initiated strikes. But the warning was said to be based on “unverified information,” and state leaders, police, and White House officials have all said that there is no imminent threat.
Iran was left in a power vacuum following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has ultimate authority over the state. On March 8, Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was named successor. He is expected to continue his father’s legacy, with perhaps an even more extreme rule. Overall, most of Iran’s government structures remain in place.
Trump’s specific motivations remain unclear, and the majority of his statements regarding what he deems “Operation Epic Fury” have been inconsistent. In a video posted to Truth Social following the initial attack, he stated his goal was “to defend the American people by eliminating imminent [nuclear] threats from the Iranian regime.” However, this “threat” is low: Pentagon briefings claimed that Iran had no plans to strike the U.S. unless in retaliation. According to the U.S. Defence Intelligence Agency, it would take over 10 years for Iran to develop a nuclear weapon with intercontinental abilities, and the International Atomic Energy says there is no evidence that Iran has any plans of doing so. Besides, in Trump’s words, Iran’s nuclear facilities were “completely obliterated” by his June 2025 attack.
In the video, Trump also claimed his motive was to topple the current Iranian regime and that all he wants is “freedom for the people,” encouraging them to take the opportunity to seize the government. But he also stated that what happened in Venezuela—where President Maduro was kidnapped but the majority of the regime stayed the same—would be a “perfect scenario.” And to add to the confusion, according to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, “this is not a so-called regime change war.”
The regime Trump is referring to is an authoritarian theocracy, often criticized for its strict political control and human rights violations. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is known for using its military powers to suppress political dissidents—in January, thousands of Iranian citizens protesting the current political system and its failure to address the struggling economy, environmental degradation, and social repression were killed. Iranian perspectives on the U.S.-Israeli attacks are complex, with many feeling relieved by Ayatollah’s death while still devastated by the destruction.
“We laugh and are happy when the regime is hit,” said an anonymous woman in an interview with a BBC reporter, “but when children die and our infrastructure is destroyed, we worry about the future of our country.”
“The goal of this war isn’t to bring about freedom or democracy for the Iranian people,” stated another Iranian resident. “It’s for the geopolitical benefit of Israel, the US and Arab countries in the region.”
The United States has a long history of interventionism, often with goals of regime change, economic benefit, or territorial expansion. Many have drawn parallels between the campaign against Iran and the invasion of Iraq in 2003, which was based on fears of terrorism and claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, which was later proved to be false. The invasion was widely criticized for resulting in thousands of casualties on both sides and severe regional instability.
Whereas Bush did obtain congressional approval for his attack, Trump did not. According to the Constitution, the power to declare war is given exclusively to Congress, not the president. Trump is attempting to claim he has special wartime authority, but without any evidence of imminent threat or a formal declaration of war, this has no constitutional legitimacy and is a clear violation of the UN charter.
As the fighting continues, the Trump Administration continues to send out mixed messaging about the duration and intent of the war. Whether the conflict ends soon or goes on for much longer, the effects of the destruction will be seen worldwide.