On 28 February 2026, the United States and Israel launched surprise strikes against Iran, stating their aims as targeting Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programme and inducing regime change. House of Commons Library Iran has responded with waves of missiles and drones against Israel and US military bases across the region, with strikes recorded across nine countries. Al Jazeera Now in its 21st day, the conflict has produced a deepening humanitarian catastrophe, a global energy shock, and a complete diplomatic standoff, with no ceasefire in sight.

TEHRAN / WASHINGTON / DOHA — The US-Israeli military campaign against Iran entered its 21st day on Saturday with no diplomatic resolution in sight, as strikes on critical energy infrastructure triggered retaliatory attacks across the Gulf, sending oil prices to their highest levels in years and drawing urgent calls for de-escalation from the United Nations and international community.

Iran warned it would show “zero restraint” if its energy facilities were struck again, a day after Israel hit the South Pars gasfield — the world’s largest natural gas deposit. Tehran responded by striking energy targets across the Gulf. Al Jazeera

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country had acted alone in striking the Iranian energy facility, after US President Donald Trump said he had previously told Israel to halt attacks on Tehran’s energy sites — a rare public rift between the two allies. CNN

CASUALTIES AND HUMANITARIAN TOLL

Iran’s Health Ministry reports at least 1,444 people killed and 18,551 injured since strikes began on February 28, with victims ranging in age from eight months to 88 years old. Confirmed US military fatalities stand at 13, with additional deaths reported among Gulf state civilians and regional forces. Al Jazeera

The deadliest single incident occurred in the city of Minab in southeastern Iran, where a strike on an elementary girls’ school killed more than 170 people, the majority of them schoolchildren. Al Jazeera

UN human rights experts condemned the attack. “The targeting of civilians, educational facilities, and medical institutions constitutes a grave violation of international humanitarian law,” they said in a formal statement, calling on all parties to immediately cease hostilities. OHCHR

According to the World Health Organization, at least 18 hospitals and health facilities have been damaged since the conflict began. Al Jazeera

DIPLOMATIC DEADLOCK

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi firmly rejected ceasefire negotiations, stating: “This war is not our war. We did not start it. The United States started it and is responsible for all the consequences.” Time Araghchi dismissed President Trump’s claim that Iran was ready to negotiate, telling CBS News the country had not sought talks of any kind.

Trump, meanwhile, wrote on Truth Social that the US was “getting very close to meeting our objectives” and was considering “winding down” military efforts — even as the USS Boxer, carrying thousands of Marines, departed California for the Persian Gulf. NPR

ENERGY AND ECONOMIC FALLOUT

The near-total halt of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas typically passes — has sent crude oil prices up approximately 45 percent since the war began, now topping $110 per barrel. NPR

With Qatar supplying 20 percent of global LNG, supply disruptions are expected, with force majeure likely on some contracts to Belgium, Italy, South Korea, and China. Al Jazeera

The Trump administration has lifted some US sanctions on Iranian oil currently loaded on ships, valid until April 19, 2026, in an attempt to stabilise global supply. NPR

STRATEGIC DIVERGENCE

When the US and Israel initiated the war last month, their stated goals were aligned around the sweeping objective of regime change. Israel’s assault on the South Pars gasfield has since renewed tensions between the two allies over their respective end goals. The Washington Post

IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi told NPR that despite significant damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, “the material will still be there and the enrichment capacities will be there” at the end of the conflict — raising questions about whether the campaign has achieved its stated non-proliferation objectives. NPR

The International Crisis Group described the campaign as “reckless and almost certainly lawless,” while noting that neither side is positioned for a decisive win, and that escalation risks remain severe. Crisis Group

— ANN International Desk | Compiled from Al Jazeera, CNN, NPR, Reuters, OHCHR, International Crisis Group, Britannica, and the UK House of Commons Library.