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Introduction
The war between the United States and Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other is in its second week, and already, experts continue to count the mass casualties and destruction it is leaving behind.
Media reports suggest that since the start of hostilities towards Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, over 2000 projectiles, including over 1000 missiles, have been launched from each side. While Iran depends on missiles and drones to retaliate, the US and Israel have succeeded in damaging Iran’s capabilities, including inflicting serious damage to its naval assets, India Today reported.
Why the US-Israel-Iran war in the first place?
The US and Israel have warned against an Iranian nuclear project, saying it threatens the security of the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump has vowed not to allow the Iranian regime to develop a nuclear capability in the region, after assessing the country’s military capabilities and intentions.
“They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America,” NBC News reported Trump as saying during his State of the Union address on Feb. 24, 2026.
Trump said that despite being “warned to make no future attempts to rebuild” its nuclear weapons program, Tehran had been “starting it all over.”
The attacks on Feb. 28, 2026, come after negotiations between the US and Iran over the Gulf country’s nuclear and ballistic missiles project reportedly broke down.
Announcing the start of “major combat operations” in Iran, Trump explained the aim of the campaign was to “destroy their [Iranians] missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground.”
“We are going to annihilate their navy,” he added.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the attacks as a “pre-emptive strike” to “remove threats against the state of Israel.”
How long is the ongoing war in the Middle East going to last?
No timeline has been set for the ongoing war in the Middle East, labelled “Operation Epic Fury” by the US Department of War.
It could be days or weeks, depending on the resilience of the Iranian regime, the US has said, adding this may be one of the “forever wars.”
For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, there is no timeline for the attacks. He suggested that the campaign would “continue as long as it is needed.”
What is, however, clear is that this war is far from over, with the US President asking Iranians to take to the streets of Tehran and take back their country from the regime.
But experts have weighed in on the timeline, suggesting the hostilities might be more complicated than the US and Israel anticipated.
“What we’re seeing is going to be more complicated than the White House may have hoped,” Suzanne Maloney, Brookings Institution vice president and director of foreign policy, reportedly told CNBC.
“Obviously, the start of the conflict appeared to be tremendously successful with the very quick announcement that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, had been killed. That was a huge breakthrough in many respects, and the U.S. and Israel have been able to do immense damage to Iran’s military capabilities.
“But the day after is going to be immensely complicated as well, and I am not optimistic that we’re going to see a quick end to this conflict, because the Iranians are escalating across the region and that is their long-standing game plan,” CNBC reports the foreign policy expert as saying.
Ghanaian security expert, Fidel Amakye Owusu, has questioned the involvement of some European countries, including Ukraine, in the war in the Gulf region.
“Why is Ukraine ready to offer anti-drone capabilities to Gulf countries? Answer: Iran supplied Russia with Shahed drones for use in its war against Ukraine. So Ukraine is not only used to the Shahed, it sees it justifiable to intercept them,” Fidel explained in a Facebook post on Mar. 5, 2026.
What is the state of casualties and destruction since the start of hostilities?
The death toll since the start of the war in Iran has been estimated between 787 and 1,097 deaths, including 181 children.
While the Iranian Red Crescent pegged the number at 787 deaths, the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA), a US-based organisation, reported 1,097 deaths.
Among the high-profile personalities reported to have died during the first wave of strikes are the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has led the Gulf country since 1898.
The Israeli military claimed other senior figures in the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) were also killed in the strike, although the Iranian regime has yet to confirm.
Reports from the US and Israeli militaries suggest that over 2000 targets throughout Iran have been struck, including government and military sites.
Iran’s ballistic missile program, the headquarters of the IRGC, 11 Iranian naval ships destroyed in the Gulf of Oman, Ali Khamenei’s compound, and civilian buildings are among the facilities struck so far.
Iran has also launched a series of missile and drone attacks at US and Israeli military bases across the Middle East in retaliation for the US-Israel strikes.
Global reaction to the ongoing war so far
The world is divided in its reaction to the U.S.-Israel-Iran war. The African Union (AU) has urged restraint and the de-escalation of hostilities to achieve a peaceful settlement of any difficulties.
The statement by the Commission’s Chairperson, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, cautioned that “Further escalation threatens to worsen global instability, with serious implications for energy markets, food security, and economic resilience – particularly in Africa, where conflict and economic pressures remain acute.”
Equally, Ghana has called on the feuding parties to end the war and pursue a diplomatic settlement of contentious matters.
“The Government of Ghana calls on all parties to exercise restraint, de-escalate and return to diplomatic engagement in the interest of protecting lives, ensuring economic stability and lasting regional peace,” a statement from the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Spain has made its intentions clear that it supports no war in Iran. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said, “We are not going to take a position that goes against our values and principles out of fear of reprisals from others.”
“The position of the Government of Spain can be summed up in three words, ‘no to war,” Pedro said amidst fear of a trade war with Trump over the country’s stance on the ongoing war.
Later in an X post, he noted, “The world, Europe, and Spain have faced this critical moment before. In 2003, a few irresponsible leaders dragged us into an illegal war in the Middle East that brought nothing but insecurity and pain.”
But the UK backs the war, its Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said, after giving permission for the country’s military bases to be used to strike Iran.
“We have taken the decision to accept that request, to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing civilians, putting British lives at risk and hitting countries that have not been involved,” the UK Prime Minister said.
The UK, Germany, and France had said in a joint statement that they will take steps to protect their interests and those of their allies in the region “potentially through enabling necessary and proportionate defensive action to destroy Iran’s capability to fire missiles and drones at their source.”
Oil prices have surged marginally since the start of the U.S.-Israel-Iran war
Energy analysts have warned of a potential surge in oil prices on the international market if the war drags on.
Media reports suggest that global oil prices witnessed a sharp surge after the escalation of the US-Israel-Iran war, with Iran targeting Gulf countries, including Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.
The situation has been compounded by the closure of a crucial waterway along the southern coast of Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, following an approval by the Iranian Parliament.
The 21-mile-wide waterway located between Oman and Iran facilitates the transport of about one-fifth of the global supply of crude oil and liquid natural gas, products with major implications for the prices of gasoline, plastics, and electricity.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that an average of about 20 million barrels per day passed through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025, accounting for 20% of global liquid petroleum consumption.
As of Mar. 6, 2026, WTI crude oil is selling at $90.90 per barrel, while Brent crude oil is $92.69 per barrel, according to oilprice.com. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and North Sea Brent (Brent) are the leading oil benchmarks.
Oil prices may hit $100 per barrel if the US-Israel-Iran war continues amidst the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, experts have warned.
“If the conflict is prolonged and, in particular, if it affects actual oil supply, due to disruptions to Iranian supply or to Iranian attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz, it could cause oil prices to jump, perhaps to around $100 per barrel,” William Jackson, chief emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, reportedly told a client.
Conclusion
The US-Israel-Iran conflict is barely a week old, and already, the loss of lives and destruction caused are significant. The global economic impact of the ongoing war will be catastrophic if it is allowed to continue, the AU and Spain have warned.
