US-Israel Joint Military Strikes on Iran: February 2026
The United States and Israel launched a coordinated joint military operation against Iran on 28 February 2026, codenamed Operation Roaring Lion (Israel) and Operation Epic Fury (US)
Strikes targeted cities including Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah, hitting nuclear facilities, missile infrastructure, military command, and key officials
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the strikes; senior officials including Iran's Defence Minister, IRGC Commander, and National Security Council Secretary were also killed
At least 201 civilians were reported killed and 747 injured in Iran, according to the Red Crescent, with strikes covering 24 of Iran's 31 provinces
The operation was preceded by the largest US military buildup in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq invasion; Iran retaliated with a multi-wave missile campaign named "True Promise 4"
Iran's Nuclear Programme and the JCPOA
Iran's nuclear programme has been a central axis of Middle Eastern geopolitics for over two decades. Iran signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1970 but secretly pursued enrichment capability; a clandestine enrichment facility was revealed in 2002.
The 2026 strikes specifically targeted Iran's nuclear infrastructure to prevent weaponization, marking the first direct military action by the US against Iran's nuclear programme after decades of sanctions-based and diplomatic pressure.
US-Israel Strategic Alliance: Legal and Security Architecture
The US-Israel relationship is one of the most consequential bilateral alliances in contemporary international relations. The United States provides Israel with approximately $3.8 billion in annual military assistance under the 10-year Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2016 (covering 2019-2028). Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign assistance since World War II.
Operation Roaring Lion/Epic Fury represents the first publicly acknowledged joint US-Israeli combat operation against Iran, converting years of covert cooperation into overt military action.
International Law on Use of Force: UN Charter Framework
The UN Charter (1945) establishes the primary international legal framework governing the use of force between states. Article 2(4) prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Exceptions are limited to: Article 51 (inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs) and Chapter VII actions authorised by the UN Security Council.
The strikes raise fundamental questions of international law — whether Article 51 self-defence is applicable, whether the killing of a head of state is lawful under IHL, and whether the UN Charter framework retains practical force when major powers act unilaterally.
India's Stated Position and Energy Security Vulnerability
India maintains a traditionally non-aligned posture on Middle Eastern conflicts, emphasising dialogue and diplomatic resolution. India is also one of the world's most exposed economies to Persian Gulf instability.
Key Details
- India imports approximately 88% of its crude oil; the Gulf accounts for roughly 57% of India's crude imports
- India's crude oil import basket (2023-24): Iraq (largest supplier ~22%), Saudi Arabia (~16%), Russia (~increased significantly post-2022), UAE, Kuwait
- India has approximately 8 million diaspora in the Gulf (largest single diaspora group globally), with annual remittances exceeding $30 billion
- Any Strait of Hormuz closure would directly affect Indian energy security and require activation of strategic petroleum reserves
- India's Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR): 5.33 million metric tonnes (approximately 9.5 days of consumption) at Padur, Mangaluru, and Visakhapatnam
A US-Iran war fundamentally threatens Indian energy security and the livelihoods of its Gulf diaspora, placing India in a difficult diplomatic position between its strategic partnerships (US, Israel) and its economic dependence on Gulf stability and Iranian connectivity (Chabahar port).
- Operations codenamed: Roaring Lion (Israel), Epic Fury (US) — February 28, 2026
- Targets: Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, Kermanshah — nuclear sites, military infrastructure, leadership
- Casualties in Iran: at least 201 killed, 747 injured (Red Crescent figures)
- Strikes covered: 24 of Iran's 31 provinces
- Key officials killed: Khamenei (Supreme Leader), Defence Minister, IRGC Commander, National Security Council Secretary
- JCPOA signed: July 14, 2015; US withdrawal: May 2018
- Iran's enrichment level pre-strike: ~60% (JCPOA limit: 3.67%; weapons-grade: ~90%)
- US annual military aid to Israel: ~$3.8 billion (2019-2028 MOU)
- India's Gulf crude oil dependence: ~57% of crude imports from Gulf region
- India's Strategic Petroleum Reserve capacity: ~5.33 million metric tonnes (~9.5 days)