Israeli strike on Beirut apartment kills at least four people.

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What's Happening

An Israeli strike on an apartment in Beirut's Ramada hotel killed at least four people on March 8, according to Lebanon's health ministry, with Israel stating it targeted key commanders in Iran's IRGC Quds Force. Iran's military warned it would retaliate against regional oil sites if Israeli attacks on Iranian energy infrastructure continue, as the conflict entered its ninth day. U.S. and Israeli strikes have intensified since February 28, with Iranian retaliation hitting multiple Gulf states and U.S. bases, causing hundreds of casualties and displacing tens of thousands.

How We Got Here

The Trump administration withdrew the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the Iran nuclear deal, in May 2018, marking a significant shift in policy that increased tensions between Washington and Tehran over the following years. This move was followed by a period of escalating rhetoric and proxy conflicts across the Middle East, with Iran continuing its regional activities and nuclear advancements despite international pressure. By early 2026, assessments within the Israeli government, as later described by Defense Minister Israel Katz, had concluded that targeting Iran's leadership was necessary, with plans reportedly set for mid-2026 to eliminate Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. On the morning of February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against Iran, an action President Donald Trump announced as the start of 'major combat operations.' Israeli media, citing unnamed sources, reported that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour were killed in these initial strikes, though official confirmation from Iran came later. The Pentagon named the operation 'Operation Epic Fury,' and U.S. officials stated it targeted Revolutionary Guard facilities, air defense systems, and missile sites across more than 20 of Iran's provinces, without congressional authorization. Iranian state media and the Supreme National Security Council confirmed on March 1 that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in the strikes, attributing his death to the U.S. and Israeli attack. Satellite imagery showed significant damage to his compound, and his death after nearly four decades in power triggered a succession process for the Assembly of Experts to select a new supreme leader. In response, Iran established a three-member leadership council comprising President Masoud Pezeshkian, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, and cleric Alireza Arafi to assume the functions of the supreme leader temporarily. Within hours of the initial strikes, Iran launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the Middle East, targeting Israel and U.S. military bases in Bahrain, Syria, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. These attacks resulted in casualties, with reports indicating at least one person dead and 22 injured in Tel Aviv, and four injured at Dubai International Airport. The Iranian Red Crescent emergency service later reported hundreds of deaths in Iran, while Israeli authorities said 11 people were killed in Israel, and Lebanese health officials reported 31 deaths from Israeli airstrikes. The conflict rapidly expanded, with the U.S. military acknowledging the deaths of six American service members, including three near Erbil International Airport on March 1. On March 4, a U.S. submarine torpedoed and sank the Iranian frigate Iris Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka, resulting in at least 87 sailor deaths, according to U.S. officials. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi denounced this as an 'atrocity' and warned the U.S. would 'bitterly regret' the precedent, while Sri Lanka evacuated survivors and took control of a second Iranian vessel. Regional tensions heightened further on March 5 when drone strikes from Iranian territory damaged Nakhchivan International Airport in Azerbaijan, injuring civilians, according to Azerbaijani authorities. Azerbaijan held Iran responsible, summoned its ambassador, and placed its armed forces on full combat readiness, while Iran denied involvement and blamed Israel. This incident led Azerbaijan to shut down cross-border traffic with Iran and evacuate its diplomatic staff from Tehran, with Turkey condemning the attacks and reaffirming support for Baku. Throughout early March, military operations continued unabated. The Israeli military claimed to have attacked over 600 targets in Iran by March 5, using approximately 2,500 munitions, while U.S. Central Command reported sinking thirty Iranian warships and striking 200 targets deep inside Iran. Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed new waves of attacks on Israeli targets and stated it had destroyed U.S. THAAD radars in the UAE and Jordan. The World Health Organization verified 13 attacks on healthcare in Iran and one in Lebanon, and estimated 100,000 people had left Iran with over 60,000 displaced in Lebanon. Humanitarian conditions deteriorated, with the International Committee of the Red Cross releasing audio of civilians in Tehran describing constant explosions and psychological distress. The WHO also reported that its global emergency logistics hub in Dubai was disrupted, jeopardizing supply chains for crises worldwide. Aid officials stated that key humanitarian routes were obstructed, delaying life-saving shipments to Gaza, Sudan, and other regions, while commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz came to a near-total halt, driving oil prices higher. Diplomatic efforts saw mixed signals. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on March 6 that some countries had initiated mediation, but Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted Iran was not requesting a ceasefire or negotiations with the U.S. Russian President Vladimir Putin called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in a phone call with Pezeshkian, while U.S. officials claimed Russia was providing Iran with intelligence on U.S. military locations, a charge the Kremlin denied. Germany, Italy, and Spain evacuated diplomatic staff from Tehran or closed embassies due to security concerns. On March 7, President Pezeshkian announced in a televised address that Iran would suspend attacks on neighboring countries unless attacked from their territory, apologizing for previous strikes. However, the Iranian military headquarters contradicted this, stating attacks on U.S. and Israeli interests would continue. President Trump responded by demanding Iran's 'unconditional surrender,' threatening a 'hard blow,' and attending a dignified transfer ceremony for six U.S. soldiers killed in the conflict. A U.S. military probe's preliminary findings suggested U.S. forces were likely responsible for an attack on an Iranian girls' school that killed at least 165, though Trump claimed Iran was responsible. The war's economic impact grew, with Brent crude oil prices rising 28% in the first week, and the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimating the conflict cost the U.S. $3.7 billion in its first 100 hours. The White House met with defense contractors on March 6 to discuss accelerating weapons production, and Trump claimed manufacturers agreed to quadruple output. Meanwhile, Iran announced provisional fuel rationing after Israeli strikes hit oil infrastructure in Tehran, causing massive fires and black rain over the capital on the night of March 7 into March 8. As the conflict entered March 8, an Israeli strike on an apartment in Beirut's Ramada hotel killed at least four people, according to Lebanon's health ministry, with Israel stating it targeted IRGC Quds Force commanders. Iran's military warned it would target regional oil sites if Israel continued striking Iranian energy infrastructure, while U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the U.S. had no plans to target Iran's energy industry. The clerical Assembly of Experts was reported close to consensus on choosing a new supreme leader, even as strikes and retaliation showed no signs of abating, leaving the region in a state of heightened warfare and uncertainty.

Timeline

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