On Saturday, 28 February, the United States, in coordination with Israel, unilaterally launched a series of air strikes against Iran while talks were underway. Washington and Tel Aviv presented Operation Epic Fury as a preventive action in response to rising regional tensions and Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities. In the early hours of the offensive, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed in a strike in Tehran. His death, after 37 years of bloody rule, ushered in a period of uncertainty. Fighting for its survival, the regime extended the conflict by firing missiles at Gulf countries, and on 2 March, the Lebanese Hezbollah retaliated by firing rockets at Israel to avenge Khamenei’s death, causing a mass exodus in southern Lebanon. Economically, the conflict has global repercussions, with the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz leading to a sharp rise in energy prices and the risk of a stock market crash. Civilians in the region are paying the highest price for this new conflict, starting with the courageous Iranian people, caught between the fear of this new war and the hope of building a new future after decades of terror.
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