First Direct US Combat Operations Against Iran on Iranian Soil

On February 28, 2026, the United States commenced military operations against Iran in full coordination with Israel, crossing a threshold unprecedented in their four-decade confrontation. Both nations filed Article 51 self-defense notifications to the UN Security Council. By early March, the conflict entered its third day, with coordinated US-Israeli strikes continuing against Iranian targets while Iran launched counter-strikes across the Gulf region, dragging neighboring states into active hostilities despite their non-belligerent status.