US-Israel Strikes on Iran 2026: Operation Epic Fury Explained
Why in the news
Washington and Tel Aviv launched a joint campaign against Iran, and the confrontation spread into a regional war, ending decades of covert rivalry.
Key facts
- Operation: Epic Fury (also Operation Genesis); targets were nuclear and ballistic missile sites.
- Reported result: death of Ali Khamenei and other senior leaders.
- Leaders named: Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu.
- Iran’s answer: Operation Truthful Promise 4, with drones and missiles aimed at Israel and US-allied Gulf states.
Roots of the rivalry
| Marker | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1953 coup | CIA-backed ouster of PM Mohammad Mosaddegh fed anti-US feeling |
| 1979 revolution | Pro-Western Shah replaced by clerical rule hostile to US and Israel |
| Nuclear dispute | Enrichment seen as existential threat by Israel, global risk by US |
| Proxies | Hezbollah, Hamas and Houthis, the “Axis of Resistance” |
| Early 2026 | Nuclear talks collapsed |
Exam angle
- Iran’s response: Operation Truthful Promise 4.
- Proxy bloc: “Axis of Resistance”.