Why the US and Israel attacked Iran

The United States and Israel, on February 28, conducted air strikes against Iran, including its capital, Tehran. 

The attacks led to the death of Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His daughter, son-in-law, and grandchild were also killed in the middle of the tension. 

But why exactly did the US and Israel attack Iran?

US President Donald Trump said the attacks against Iran were “major combat operations” in a bid to destroy its missile capabilities and to take down its naval force. 

Iran eventually retaliated by launching missiles targeting Israel and US military bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. 

According to a report by the Iranian state media, at least 200 individuals died and over 700 were hurt on both sides during the attacks. 

The US and Israel claimed that Iran's nuclear enrichment activities and missile program have long been a threat to their countries’ security. 

“The United States military is undertaking a massive and ongoing operation to prevent this very wicked, radical dictatorship from threatening America and our core national security interests. We’re going to destroy their missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground,” said Trump. 

The Iranian government already denied last year having plans of producing a nuclear bomb. 

“I hereby declare once more before this Assembly that Iran has never sought and will never seek to build a nuclear bomb,” said Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian. 

The attacks happened in the middle of negotiations between the US and Iran about Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. 

Before the attacks by the US and Israel, the third round of nuclear talks between the US and Iran just finished last Feb. 26 in Geneva. 

The Omani government, which served as a mediating country, said both parties had made “significant progress” after the meeting. However, there was no formal agreement between the two. 

The negotiations between the US and Iran were supposed to continue in a meeting in Vienna next week. 

12-Day War 

The operations by the US and Israel stemmed from an earlier series of hostilities last June 2025, dubbed the “12-Day War.”

It can be recalled that Israel launched a massive air strike against the nuclear and military facilities in Iran on June 13 last year. 

Iran, on the other hand, responded with ballistic missiles and over 100 drones targeting various parts of Israel. 

The exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran ended after 12 days, based on the agreement after the US mediated. 

Data from the Iranian government showed that 610 individuals died in the attacks. Meanwhile, there were 28 casualties on the side of Israel. 

Leaders speak up 

Oman Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi expressed his dismay over the recent attacks launched by the US and Israel on Iran. He noted that the tension weakened the current negotiations between the US and Iran. 

For her part, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that the current situation is dangerous, noting that international law must be upheld and civilians must be protected.

French President Emmanuel Macron also warned that the current tension between US, Israel, and Iran would have a severe impact on global peace and security. 

In the US, Democrats flagged the strikes against Iran. The Democratic Party noted that Trump has never learned from the failed intervention by the US in the Middle East and he did not seek the Congress’ approval to launch an offense. 

US Senator Mark Warner also warned that the US government could be repeating its mistake during the war against Iraq under George W. Bush’s administration. 

“The American people have seen this playbook before - claims of urgency, misrepresented intelligence, and military action that pulls the United States into regime change and prolonged, costly nation-building,” said Warner. 

Meanwhile, most of the Republicans support Trump’s latest move to face the threat of Iran and to protect the interest of the US in the region. 

“Despite the dogged efforts of the president and his administration, the Iranian regime has refused the diplomatic off-ramps that would peacefully resolve these national security concerns,” said US Senate Majority Leader John Thune. 

Following the death of the Iranian supreme leader, Trump said that the attacks by the US and Israel would still continue.

“The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of peace throughout the Middle East and, indeed, the world,” said Trump. 

Revenge 

Think-tank Council on Foreign Relations pointed out that Khamenei’s death does not signal an immediate change in Iran.

“Taking out Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not the same as regime change. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the regime,” said Council on Foreign Relations. 

In a statement, Pezeshkian said that they will seek revenge for Khamenei’s death. 

“The most ferocious offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s armed forces will begin any moment now,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said. 

In a report by Reuters, the US Central Intelligence Agency got information that the next Iranian supreme leader could be from the IRGC. –Vince Angelo Ferreras/NB, GMA Integrated News