Contention has exponentially increased after the United States and Israel organized airstrikes on military infrastructure and nuclear facilities on February 28, 2026. The Supreme Lead of Iran, Ali Khamenei was assassinated from the attacks, which instigated a global controversy. Iran initiated a counter attack, by attacking United States embassies in Baghdad and Iraq.
Aftermath of an U.S. strike on the nuclear facility in Iran
https://www.cfr.org/articles/us-israel-attack-iranian-nuclear-targets-assessing-damage
The controversy between Iran and the United States today results due to negotiations over nuclear weapons. In 2018, the United States pulled out from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which was an action taken to limit the nuclear activity in order to mitigate the sanctions imposed on Iran. After the withdrawal, the United States imposed economic sanctions, such as reduced oil trade, once again on Iran which deterred from complying to the terms of the agreement and further expanding the harvest of uranium. In 2020, conflict between the two countries further escalated when Qasem Soleimani was assassinated from a drone strike in Baghdad. In response, Iran launched missiles in United States Bases stationed in Iraq.
On October 7th 2023, The tension in the Middle East increased when Hamas launched an attack against Israel which set in motion the Gaza War. Due to arising conflict in the Middle East, the United States increased its military occupation in the Middle East. On April 13th 2024, Iran initiated an attack on Israel with drones and ballistic missiles, which marked the first time Iran directly engaged in an attack against Israel. The conflict spread in the following years within the Middle East, where many terrorist groups and militias initiated attacks on civilians and US military bases.
Iranian missile attack on US troops on January 8, 2020
https://www.businessinsider.com/new-video-emerges-of-iranian-missile-attack-on-us-forces-2021-3
The implications of the airstrike on Iran is a highly debated topic discussed by numerous experts on economics and political studies. Experts from the Stimson Center, an unbiased non-profit that discusses improving international prosperity, remark that “Air strikes alone cannot topple a government… Iran is likely to emerge battered but not broken”. They imply that the damage on military and nuclear facilities and the assassinate of Iran’s leader will not result in the political dissolution of Iran, and the conflict will persist.
Goldman Sachs Research further emphasizes the role of Strait of Hormuz on the process of global energy transport “For energy prices, much will depend on the extent and duration of transit disruptions via the Strait of Hormuz, through which around one-fifth of global supply for oil and liquified natural gas (LNG) normally flows.” Many experts emphasize the fact that the global oil market will suffer due to the ongoing conflict. Iran is near the Strait of Hormuz, which is the passage where an immense amount of oil goes through. The strait is a vital chokepoint which facilitates the trade of oil and other energy sources from the Middle East to the world. Many experts elucidate that even the perception of a potential barricade in the strait is enough to increase the price of oil. The International Energy Agency(IEA) stresses the gravity of the situation; it states that “The war in the Middle East is creating the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.”
The conflict in the Middle East resulted in a major disruption in the flow of resources which had a definite economic effect on the world. The military dispute does not only have geopolitical repercussions, but poses a crucial risk for the trade and distribution of global energy.
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