Middle East Plunges into Full-Scale War Following US-Israel Joint Military Operations Against Iran

Tehran. The Middle East is currently engulfed in a full-scale war due to the massive joint military operations launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, named Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion, respectively.

Iranian state media has confirmed the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of this intense offensive, which began on February 28. Along with Khamenei, more than 40 high-ranking officials, including Iran's Defense Minister and the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), were killed.

According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, at least 555 people have died and hundreds have been injured in attacks across more than 131 districts in Iran so far. Iran has retaliated by launching hundreds of missiles and drones against Israeli and US military bases in the Gulf region. Iran's counter-attack resulted in the deaths of 11 Israeli civilians and 6 US soldiers stationed at American bases in Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

Following the death of Iranian leader Khamenei, the war expanded to Lebanon starting March 2, after Hezbollah launched rocket attacks against Israel. Israel has intensified airstrikes in Beirut and Southern Lebanon, claiming the action is to neutralize Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Iran has declared the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global trade route, closed and threatened to attack any vessel passing through it. This has caused a sharp increase in global petroleum prices.

US President Donald Trump and Israeli officials have announced three main objectives for this military action: First, to completely destroy Iran's ballistic missile capability. Second, to permanently eliminate Iran's nuclear infrastructure. And third, to bring about a change in regime in Iran. President Trump has called this a golden opportunity for the Iranian people to decide their own fate and has directly called for the overthrow of the government.

With its existence threatened, Iran has targeted civilian infrastructure and US embassies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Jordan. Reports indicate damage to the US embassy in Riyadh and commercial tankers near Oman.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations strongly condemned this military action, stating that diplomatic opportunities have ended. Given the escalating risk, the US has directed its citizens in Iraq and surrounding countries to leave immediately.