The American-Iranian War refers to an armed conflict between the US and Iran, with the initial involvement of Israel, beginning in the year 2026. It was started with the ostensible goal of aiding the protestors, and to overthrow the theocratic Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Gulf States such as Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emraites, Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, joined the conflict on the side of the US an Israel, because of Iranian reprisal attacks on them. The American-Iranian war commensed possibly in response to violent Iranian reactions to Late 2025 mass protests, its support for Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and aiding Hama's October 7th attack on Israel. Trump claims its part an intended four week long Operation called "Epic Fury".

History

In late 2025, by around December the 28th, protests and rioting were reported to have broken out in cities and provinces in western parts of Iran, such as in Hamadan and Ilam, and reaching into Tehran. Initially, the protests were likely in reaction to a water crisis in Iran that was ongoing, the extreme inflation of the Iranian Rial, and a shortage of goods due to sanctions imposed since 2018. These unrest quickly became focused on general national disatisfaction with the Revolutionary Government and the Ayatollah. As these protests intensified and spread throughout the country, The Islamic Republic responded to these incidents harshly, arresting and detaining nearly a couple thousand people while about 30 participants were claimed to be killed. The number of participants killed rose to at least 51 people by December 31, according to the Los Angeles Times.
.
.

On January 8th, 2026, all internet access in Iran was suspended. In the days following the nationwide shutdown of online communications, mass killings were ordered by the Iranian government and carried out by the IRGC against the protestors.

President Donald Trump had earlier told media that he wouldn't tolerate Iranian governments violence crackdown on the protests. In a Truth Social post on January 13th, he encouraged the people of Iran, or "Iranian Patriots", to "KEEP PROTESTING – TAKE OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers." while promising that "HELP IS ON ITS WAY.".

.
.
US Carrier groups and military hardware had begun to be moved to locations in Israel and the Gulf states by mud-January.
.
.

On Febuary 28, 2026, at 2AM EST, The United States and Israel had launched pre-emptive strikes on Iran. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the initial strikes, along with many other members of the Iranian Revolutionary government, and IRGC.