11 Days That Shook West Asia: How The US-Israel-Iran War Escalated
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Last Updated:March 10, 2026, 18:26 IST
From Operation Epic Fury to oil at $110, a day-by-day look at the conflict that killed Iran’s leader, widened the warfront and rattled global energy markets
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On Tuesday, the West Asia conflict marks its eleventh day of high-intensity warfare. What began as a lightning joint operation by the United States and Israel has rapidly spiralled into a multi-front regional conflagration, upending global energy markets and displacing hundreds of thousands.
The following is a comprehensive timeline of the 11-day war that has reshaped West Asia.
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The Opening Salvo: Operation Epic Fury (Feb 28 – March 2)
February 28: US and Israeli forces launched Operation Epic Fury, conducting nearly 900 strikes in 12 hours. The primary target was the heart of the Iranian regime. A precision strike in Tehran killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior officials. However, tragedy struck when a missile hit a girls’ school in Minab, killing over 160 children.
March 1: Iran retaliated with a massive “torrent" of missiles and drones targeting Israel and US bases in Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait. Prime Minister Keir Starmer authorised the US to use British bases (Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford) for “defensive" interceptions.
March 2: Israel launched a “large-scale" second wave of strikes on Tehran. Simultaneously, Hezbollah opened a northern front, firing projectiles into Israel, prompting the IDF to begin intensive operations in southern Lebanon.
Escalation and Economic Shock (March 3 – 6)
March 3: An Iranian ballistic missile hit the US Al-Udeid base in Qatar. In Dubai, a drone strike caused a fire near the US consulate. Global oil prices surged as Iran threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz.
March 4-5: The death toll in Iran surpassed 1,200. US President Donald Trump claimed the strikes had “obliterated" Iran’s nuclear programme but warned of “ultimate victory." Israel targeted Hezbollah’s financial arm, Al-Qard Al-Hassan, in Beirut.
March 6: The conflict reached a “violent equilibrium". The US claimed to have destroyed over 50 Iranian naval vessels, including a submarine, while Iranian drones continued to harass Gulf shipping.
The Succession and the Second Week (March 7 – 9)
March 7-8: After days of delay caused by Israeli strikes on government buildings, Iran’s Assembly of Experts met. Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the slain leader, was indicated to be the new Supreme Leader, signalling a hardline stance of “protracted resistance."
March 9: The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon peaked, with the UN reporting 700,000 people displaced in just one week. In India, the government confirmed the death of several Indian mariners in merchant shipping attacks, as EAM Jaishankar reiterated calls for “dialogue and diplomacy."
Day 11: The Current Stand-off (March 10)
Energy War: On Tuesday, oil prices breached $110 per barrel. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned they would not allow “one litre of oil" to leave the region if strikes continue. Trump responded with a threat to hit Iran “twenty times harder" if the Strait is blocked.
Regional Strikes: Early on Tuesday morning, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait intercepted Iranian drones over their eastern oil provinces. In Iraq, US air strikes killed four Iran-backed fighters in Kirkuk.
The ‘Tehran Blitz’: PM Netanyahu declared on Tuesday that Israel is “not done yet", as air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem following a fresh barrage of Iranian missiles.
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