On March 3, 2026, a ballistic missile struck Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest U.S. Military facility in the Middle East, as Iran continued retaliatory strikes following the February 28th attacks by the United States and Israel. No injuries were reported, according to the Qatari Ministry of Defense.
The strikes against Iran, authorized by President Donald Trump, targeted military and government sites, resulting in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Mojtaba Khamenei, his son, was subsequently appointed as his successor by the Assembly of Experts. The U.S.-Israeli operation has triggered a wider regional conflict, with Iranian missile and drone attacks reaching Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the Emirates, and Oman. Israel has similarly intensified strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The conflict’s economic impact is rapidly escalating. The apparent closing and potential mining of the Strait of Hormuz has driven oil prices above $100 a barrel, raising concerns of a global recession, according to Esfandyar Batmanghelidj writing in Foreign Policy on March 4, 2026.
Casualty figures continue to rise. Preliminary figures, as of March 1, 2026, indicate 1,444 deaths in Iran, at least 15 in Israel, 13 U.S. Service members, and 19 deaths in Gulf states. In Lebanon, at least 50 people have been killed and over 300 injured in Israeli strikes since Monday, March 4, 2026, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has suggested that the actions taken by the U.S. And Israel may be “inconsistent with international law,” stating that This proves up to those countries to justify their actions.
The U.S. Embassy in Jordan issued a shelter-in-place order on March 3, 2026. Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed on March 13, 2026, that Mojtaba Khamenei had been “wounded and likely disfigured” in recent strikes, a claim dismissed by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The conflict began with large-scale strikes targeting Iranian military assets and leadership on February 28, 2026. Prior to the attacks, tensions had been escalating since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023. The strikes targeted Iranian oil refineries, including the Kharg Island terminal, considered a critical economic lifeline for Iran.
A reported U.S. Strike on an Iranian elementary school resulted in the deaths of at least 175 students, adding to the mounting civilian casualties. President Trump has issued conflicting statements regarding U.S. Military objectives and the overall trajectory of the conflict.
The U.S. Embassy in Jordan remains under a shelter-in-place order as of March 3, 2026.
